Bloom: Human Stories of Resilience

Hemingway's definition of guts never applied better than to Liz, today's guest. A bitter divorce is one thing, but coping with years of manipulation and emotional abuse quite another. Susie and Dr Steve talk about resilience when things are bleak and how to find it. [CW: discussion of emotional and legal abuse.]

What’s your earliest memory? Probably never happened – at least, not like that. Susie and Dr Steve talk about memory and how time changes perspectives and getting the view from the other side. In this two guest special you’ll meet Catherine, wife of Andy (who’s not an arsehole). Catherine tells us what it is to build a life with someone with ADHD. Then our second guest Brennan shares his memories of growing up in a cult, and his relationship now with his parents. [CW: violence against children, coercive control.]

Are you the slave of your emotions, or the master? And if slave, what can you do about it? Guest Judy Herreen speaks about mindfulness, NLP, ACT and how she used her mind to recover from a terrible time. Plus Susie puts the cross back in cross-trainer and Steve mourns the plethora of TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) in therapy.

Language is powerful - but is it so powerful that it must be policed? We hear from an expert who's written the book on balancing freedom and control in language. We chat about JK Rowling and Steve tells us his position vis-a-vis the Nazis (he's against) and why even so they should still be allowed to speak. Best of all - no one says 'political correctness gone mad'!

Is your body telling you things have to change? Can illness, stress or depression be cured by health, fitness or yoga? Steve and Susie meet Jane Mallick, who broke, mended herself and is now living the life she always dreamt of – with added compost.