The Leah Sian Davies Podcast

Sometimes life is a really sparkly, uplifting, euphoric dancefloor, where I get lost in the rhythm of life and feel completely in my groove. AND Sometimes it's one of those sticky, grotty ones, where my feet stick to the floor kinda dancefloors (we've all been there right..), where the tunes are just not my vibe and I'm waiting for the track to change. Our job is to just keep dancing. If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk

Many people I work with experience a lot of anxiety (no surprise I'm sure). It's the main topic of conversation, and I understand why. Anxiety is uncomfortable and loud. It's a real show stopper, and with good reason - it's our bodies way of alerting us to risk, threat or danger. It's the alarm telling us that something is wrong. And we are obsessed with' what's wrong', so much so that it takes all our attention, and it can be hard to focus on anything else. Often what I see when people experience ongoing anxiety, is that there are other emotions bubbling underneath.... If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk

It can be tempting to be lured into thinking that we need to 'upgrade' ourselves in some way. Become a 'better version' of ourselves. But in my experience this leads us away from self-acceptance, which for me is the way to true peace and happiness. Focusing on becoming our 'best' selves is located in the future. It tells us that who we are now is not enough. That somewhere out there, there is better version of us, and if we work on changing the things about us that we don't like then we can become our 'best' self. If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk

What does being ‘bold’ mean to you? Standing out? Being controversial? Eccentric? A rebel? Someone who speaks their mind. These might spring to mind when you think of the term bold. In this episode I share what being bold means to me and I really want to know what it means to you too. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

Do you sometimes feel stuck, lacking motivation, or lethargic? You have things you want to do (in your mind), but your body just doesn't want to move. Maybe you tell yourself you're lazy and unmotivated. I don't think this is the case. Let me explain what is happening in your nervous system. Buckle up for a mini lesson in Polyvagal theory. I think you will find this hugely reassuring. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

This one is for you if you are interested in psychology, done some personal development, you've read lots of self-help books, and have a good understanding of where your habits, beliefs and behaviours come from. (eg 'I know why I react this way because my Mum used to say this to me when I was young'). In this episode I talk about ‘What does ‘embodiment’ mean and what’s bread making got to do with it’. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

Have you ever started feeling good about something, like REALLY good, and before you know it, your mind has quickly hijacked you with doubt. Stealing the sunshine like the good vibes police?! In this episode I talk about why we fear our join more than our pain. Oh and I send you on a ‘pleasure hunt’. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

Life doesn't just happen in the things we do, it happens in how we feel when we are doing the things. It happens in how we feel when we are not doing anything. We can do lovely things, but if we are not able to enjoy them then what's the point. Life happens on the inside. We live inside our own experience, so let's make that a cosy place to be. In this episode I share 3 ways we can find our ‘feel good place’ within us. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

So many of us are desperate to get back in touch with our creative, playful, carefree side. The thing is, there are reasons why this is so hard to reach. We can't be 'carefree' when there is a lot to 'care' about. AND - for many of us we have never truly experienced what it feels like to be 'carefree'. In this episode I share some ways we can reclaim our creative, playful, carefree nature. Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

Are you living in the past? What's your reaction to that question? What comes up in you? What do you feel in your body? Most of us (unconsciously) are living in the past. But what happens when some of those patterns start getting a bit annoying, unhelpful and cause us more harm than comfort? Find out more at leahsiandavies.com

Today I am chatting with the brilliant Dr Jen Daffin. Jen is a Community Clinical Psychologist with a passion for social justice. She has 15 years’ experience of working in NHS mental health and learning disability services and now works for a mental health charity called Platfform.  She recently started her Instagram account @fair.play.psychology where she shares information about how our social and political circumstances determine our mental health. Jen and I had a great conversation about the bigger picture of what we term our ‘mental health’. That we are more than our minds, and that for humans to thrive we need to nurture our minds, bodies and communities. In this episode, we cover A LOT, but here are some key points: What is ‘trauma’ and how does it impact our mental health Is the term ‘mental health’ still valid, given how much more we know about how humans work? How childhood adversity impacts our total health as adults How the pandemic has created chronic stress AND given us a golden opportunity to reconnect back to ourselves and each other A conversation of hope for anyone who feels alone – reminding us of our common humanity Find out more: Jen on Instagram Psychologists for Social Change Books we mentioned: ‘What happened to you’ Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey ‘How to do the work’ Dr Nicole LePera (aka The Holistic psychologist) Work with me:  1-1 Coaching experiences Sign up to my letters If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk.  If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

This episode is for you if: YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SIT STILL TO MEDITATE YOUR DAYS HAVE NO ‘GAPS’. YOU HOP FROM ONE THING TO THE NEXT. THERE IS NO BREATHING SPACE. YOU EXPERIENCE ANXIETY AND TENSION A LOT OF THE TIME. YOU KEEP BUSY TO AVOID SITTING STILL WITH YOURSELF. YOU FIND IT HARD TO UNWIND AND SWITCH OFF AT NIGHT. YOU ARE PRONE TO GETTING ILL IN THE WINTER. YOU ARE FEELING DRAWN TO ‘HIBERNATE’ THIS WINTER. This winter I am running online resting sessions. Listen up if you would like to cultivate a better relationship with rest. You can book your Winter Resting sessions here If you’re thinking of joining me on a coaching experience? Find out more here If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk

Ok, you really want to learn to love yourself. You really want to be kinder to yourself and do the things that you know would make you feel good. You’ve tried the positive affirmations, the journaling and the self-care practices and yet you still battle with parts of yourself that you wish would disappear. The thing is – for many of us ‘self-love’ is a radical, out of reach concept. It’s a nice idea, but can feel like a step too far. Before we can learn to love ourselves we have to learn to acknowledge and accept all parts of ourselves (even the parts we don’t like). Many of us at best ‘tolerate’ these parts and at worst ‘loathe’ them. We try to hide, supress, or get rid of them, in the hope we can become the ‘good’ person we want to be. This causes us to disconnect from ourselves and creates a distance in our relationships too. So going from this to self-love can feel like a lot of pressure. Let’s rewind. Let’s get back to basics. Let’s create the conditions for a little self-acceptance. This episode is a recording of a live workshop, so find yourself somewhere quiet for the lovely practices we get into and enjoy! If you’re thinking of joining me on a coaching experience? Find out more here If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk

If you are self-employed, a business owner, freelancer, creative entrepreneur you are going to want to listen to this! Or if you just want to feel warm and fuzzy inside, this will put a smile on your face. I have Gareth Davies and Ryan Rowe, the Cardiff creators of Let Them See Cake with me today. Gareth, (award winning sugercraft artist and cake designer) and his partner Ryan, (managing director) established Let Them See Cake in 2017. In 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic they set up their own cake shop that brought jaw dropping cakes, macarons, sweet treats and gifts to the people of Cardiff. But more than this they bring lightness and joy in time where we really need it. I mean who doesn’t love cake! In this episode we talk about: The highs and lows of setting up a business in a pandemic How Gareth and Ryan take care of their emotional wellbeing and sanity whilst running a busy business Navigating marketing in the online world and social media Why Let Them See Cake is so much more than cake What bring them joy (and what’s their favourite cake…) The exiting projected they’ve got coming up this year If you are local to Cardiff and want the most luscious cakes in town check out the cake joy here If you are a Let Them See Cake customer and want to be featured in their upcoming TV series (as mentioned in this episode) contact the media team @Boomsocialcymru If you want to bring some sparkle to your day follow Gareth, Ryan and their team of happy bakers on Instagram If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

Are you stuck in a negative emotional state? Can we actually choose how we feel? In this episode I am: Talking about how we can be more discerning about our emotional states Explaining how we break patterns of negative ways of feeling Guiding you through a practice to help you shift into a more positive emotional state (without using toxic positivity). If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

There is a gap between what you 'know' and how you 'feel'. So you feel bad about it. You tell yourself 'I should be more grateful, my life is good.' 'I should have more patience with my kids'. 'There must be something wrong with me'. You can’t change how you ‘feel’ by simply reading books and listening to podcasts (not even this one). You might understand what will help you feel better, but understanding it as a concept will make no difference. We need to live it and integrate it into our bodies. In this episode I guide you through a simple practice that will allow you to ‘feel’ more of what you ‘know’. If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

If you feel like self-care is another pressure on you and you don’t know if you even need it, then listen in! I have some illuminating reasons why you feel like this and ways you can start to make friends with a self-care practice. In this episode……. Why can it be so hard to practice self-care The ways we have been taught to suppress our own needs Ways to get reacquainted with our needs, to take care of the basics, keep promises to ourselves and really savour the good bits of our day. Thinking of joining me on a coaching experience? Find out more here If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

Welcome back to a brand new series! This one is for you quietly brave folk…… People know you as the optimist, but your soul is a little heavy lately and you’ve lost your light-hearted nature along the way. You can be pretty hard on yourself and find it difficult to allow yourself to relax and experience joy. You know deep down what really makes you happy, but don’t give yourself permission to go for it. You’ve been through a lot. You’re incredibly resilient, and now it’s your time to shine! YOU SOUND LIKE MY KINDA HUMAN… Have you ever started feeling good about something, like REALLY good, and before you know it, your mind has quickly hijacked you with doubt. Stealing the sunshine like the good vibes police?! In this episode……. Why we are obsessed with ‘what’s wrong’ Joy is the antidote to stress, anxiety and overwhelm How we can experience more joy. I’m sending you on a pleasure hunt…. If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

You’ve got me flying solo again today, in the last episode of this year. I wanted to end 2020 sharing some themes that I think are really relevant to the year we have had. This year we have hit pause and reset life and I think we have a massive opportunity to create our life with a little bit more intention from now on. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle have been thrown up in the air and we can either let them land or we can piece back together a life that we really want. So in these last few episodes I have been sharing themes and practices from my Living Life on your Own Terms experience, which is my 4 week online programme starting in January 2021. I will be spending 4 weeks with a small group of quietly brave folk, teaching the key ingredients for living a life that is true to who you are and allows you to do the things that really make you happy. So listen in today for the final theme – Creating your life manifesto In this episode…. We bring together all the themes and practices I’ve shared over the last 3 episodes (so if you haven’t listened go back and tune in) I ask you some juicy questions to help you figure out what really matters to you (your values) Here is the worksheet you can download to help you with those questions You get to create your own life manifesto – what a way to end the year! Want to know more about The Living Life on you Own Terms Experience? Head over to www.leahsiandavies.co.uk/lloyot Sign up to Leah’s letters at www.leahsiandavies.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk.

You’ve got me flying solo again today. I wanted to end 2020 sharing some themes that I think are really relevant to the year we have had. This year we have hit pause and reset life and I think we have a massive opportunity to create our life with a little bit more intention from now on. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle have been thrown up in the air and we can either let them land or we can piece back together a life that we really want. So in these last few episodes I am sharing themes and practices from my Living Life on your Own Terms experience, which is my 4 week online programme starting in January 2021. I will be spending 4 weeks with a small group of quietly brave folk, teaching the key ingredients for living a life that is true to who you are and allows you to do the things that really make you happy. So listen in today for the third theme – Positive disruptions In this episode…. Where do you want to make a positive disruption in your life? How can we stop postponing our joy and happiness I share a simple practice to help you start saying no to the things you don’t want and yes to the things you want more of Want to know more about The Living Life on you Own Terms Experience? Head over to www.leahsiandavies.co.uk/lloyot Sign up to Leah’s letters at www.leahsiandavies.co.uk

You’ve got me flying solo today, and for the next few episodes. I wanted to end 2020 sharing some themes that I think are really relevant to the year we have had. This year we have hit pause and reset life and I think we have a massive opportunity to create our life with a little bit more intention from now on. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle have been thrown up in the air and we can either let them land or we can piece back together a life that we really want. So in the next few episodes I will be sharing themes and some practices from my Living Life on your Own Terms experience, which is my 4 week online programme starting in January 2021. I will be spending 4 weeks with a small group of quietly brave folk, teaching the key ingredients for living a life that is true to who you are and allows you to do the things that really make you happy. So listen in today for the second theme – Safety v’s freedom In this episode…. Get comfortable and quiet as I guide you through a gorgeous meditation practice to help you feel safe and comfortable in your own skin Why we need to feel safe in order to experience freedom Ways we can soothe ourselves and get our body and mind in the best place to live a life on our own terms Want to know more about The Living Life on you Own Terms Experience? Head over to www.leahsiandavies.co.uk/lloyot Sign up to Leah’s letters at www.leahsiandavies.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

You’ve got me flying solo today, and for the next few episodes. I wanted to end 2020 sharing some themes that I think are really relevant to the year we have had. This year we have hit pause and reset life and I think we have a massive opportunity to create our life with a little bit more intention from now on. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle have been thrown up in the air and we can either let them land or we can piece back together a life that we really want.  So in the next few episodes I will be sharing themes and some practices from my Living Life on your Own Terms experience, which is my 4 week online programme starting in January 2021. I will be spending 4 weeks with a small group of quietly brave folk, teaching the key ingredients for living a life that is true to who you are and allows you to do the things that really make you happy.  So listen in today for the first theme – Being your own best friend  In this episode….  Why is it so important to be our own best friend?  My story of how I abandoned myself and how I’ve befriended myself again.  I share practices from the Living Life on Your Own terms experience to help you start becoming your own best friend  Want to know more about The Living Life on you Own Terms Experience?  Head over to www.leahsiandavies.co.uk/lloyot  Sign up to Leah’s letters at www.leahsiandavies.co.uk  If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk.   If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk  This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

Here is the 15th episode in the Soulful Storytelling series. It’s October 2020 and so we are still having our chats and all the storytelling magic over the airwaves. In this episode I am chatting with Rebecca Storch aka The Eat Happy Coach. Rebecca helps women quit dieting and find peace with food, so that they can live a happier more intentional life. Having struggled with a poor relationship with food, binge eating and yo-yo dieting for years, Rebecca learned to heal not only her relationship with food but with herself. After many years of research, therapy and reading she created Eat Happy to support others to heal this relationship too. In this episode we talk about…. The toxic nature of diet culture not only for women but for men too. The challenges of eating during lockdown What is intuitive eating? Our relationship with our bodies and ourselves Rebecca shares how she has been coping with her own anxiety this year and why she has started the #30daysofselfcare challenge on Instagram. Check these out…. Find out about working with Rebecca – her coaching and Eating The Magic Way online course www.eathappycoach.com Follow Rebecca on Instagram and join her #30daysofselfcare challenge October 2020 If you enjoyed this episode, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk.  If you really love the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

Here’s me flying solo in this episode. I’m talking today about crying as it’s something that naturally came up in the last series on grief. Crying is still seen as something awkward and unacceptable in our society, and yet it is a healthy way for humans to process emotions. If only crying was as socially acceptable as laughing. In this episode I am talking about: My own relationship with crying and how I now ‘bring it on’ when I need to The benefits of crying to us as humans. And why crying really is like having a good poo. If you can relate to anything in this episode, I would love to hear your thoughts. Drop me a message on Instagram @leahsiandavies or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk If you enjoy the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at makingspaceva.com

This month our theme for Soulful Storytelling is ‘grief’ and as we are still in lockdown and unable to have our event we have brought the voices of lots of storytellers to this series. The topic of grief is something that will universally affect us all and yet it is deeply personal and unique. So I wanted to get some different stories and perspectives on grief as a way for us to hear ourselves in other people’s stories. We also grieve in so many ways, so in this podcast I wanted to open up the topic of grief into a wider context beyond bereavement. In this series we have people sharing their stories and perspectives on grief through death, miscarriage, divorce, loss of health and how we talk to children about grief. As much as this is a heavy subject, I believe that by sharing our stories and shining some light on the darkness we can feel more connected and less lonely. In our final episode of the grief series, we hear from two storytellers Lianne and her husband Tom. We talk about the loss of parents, how grief changes depending on how the person dies, experiencing joy alongside the pain, and how can men talk and process their grief with other men. Lianne shares her experience of losing her mother-in-law to cancer and then her dad to a sudden heart attack. She talks about the things that helped her process her grief, and giving herself permission to laugh and be silly despite the pain. Tom shares his perspective on grief and his experience of losing his Mum. He talks about how his grief led him to talk more openly to men about his feelings and created a more open and safe culture for men to talk at work. If you can relate to anything in this episode and find it useful, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. Some useful places that help with the kinda grief we discussed in this episode… The Griefcast – Podcast where comedians share their experiences of grief Grieftips – An Instagram account offering support and tips around grief Calmzone Leading mental health and suicide prevention charity for men Follow Poorna Bell – Ambassador for Calmzone, speaker, writer on mental health and suicide If you enjoy the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

This month our theme for Soulful Storytelling is ‘grief’ and as we are still in lockdown and unable to have our event we have brought the voices of lots of storytellers to this series. The topic of grief is something that will universally affect us all and yet it is deeply personal and unique. So I wanted to get some different stories and perspectives on grief as a way for us to hear ourselves in other people’s stories. We also grieve in so many ways, so in this podcast I wanted to open up the topic of grief into a wider context beyond bereavement. In this series we have people sharing their stories and perspectives on grief through death, miscarriage, divorce, loss of health and how we talk to children about grief. As much as this is a heavy subject, I believe that by sharing our stories and shining some light on the darkness we can feel more connected and less lonely. In this episode, our storytellers talk about grieving from pregnancy loss. We hear from women and men who have experienced miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Hannah talks about her grief after having several miscarriages and how she learned to allow herself to experience the big feelings, which helped her to grow as a person. Helen shares her story of experiencing two ectopic pregnancies and a miscarriage. She talks about the grief of losing her babies and also her natural fertility, but there are two little miracles at the end of this story… James (Helen’s husband) share his perspective on grief and how it’s shown up in his life from the loss of his grandfather to dealing with traumatic incidents in his job in the police. He also talks about how he processed the grief or their miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies. If you can relate to anything in this episode and find it useful, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. Some useful places that help with the kinda grief we discussed in this episode… The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust – UK charity supporting those who experience ectopic pregnancy and professionals SANDS – Stillbirth and neo-natal death charity The Griefcast – Podcast where comedians share their experiences of grief Grieftips – An Instagram account offering support and tips around grief If you enjoy the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

Soulful Storytelling Episode 11 - The ‘grief’ series This month our theme for Soulful Storytelling is ‘grief’ and as we are still in lockdown and unable to have our event we have brought the voices of lots of storytellers to this series. The topic of grief is something that will universally affect us all and yet it is deeply personal and unique. So I wanted to get some different stories and perspectives on grief as a way for us to hear ourselves in other people’s stories. We also grieve in so many ways, so in this podcast I wanted to open up the topic of grief into a wider context beyond bereavement. In this series we have people sharing their stories and perspectives on grief through death, miscarriage, divorce, loss of health and how we talk to children about grief. As much as this is a heavy subject, I believe that by sharing our stories and shining some light on the darkness we can feel more connected and less lonely. In this episode, we hear from 2 of our storytellers talking about grief as a child versus grief as an adult. Llinos was diagnosed with cancer as a teenager and shares how she grieved the person she thought she would become, missing a chunk of her childhood and trying to make sense of what had happened to her. She then in later life lost her mum to cancer and talks about how two different types of grief have shaped her perspective on life. Ruth shares her story of losing her Mum at 8 years old and how grief led to a lot of confusion for her. She then talks about her divorce and how this was deeply painful and led her on a personal development journey to feeling more grateful and appreciative of life. If you can relate to anything in this episode and find it useful, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk. Some useful places that help with the kinda grief we discussed in this episode… Winstons wish A UK charity supporting bereaved children Grief encounter Supporting bereaved children and young people The Teenage Cancer Trust The Griefcast – Podcast where comedians share their experiences of grief If you enjoy the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

This month our theme for Soulful Storytelling is ‘grief’ and as we are still in lockdown and unable to have our event we have brought the voices of lots of storytellers to this series.  The topic of grief is something that will universally affect us all and yet it is deeply personal and unique. So I wanted to get some different stories and perspectives on grief as a way for us to hear ourselves in other people’s stories. We also grieve in so many ways, so in this podcast I wanted to open up the topic of grief into a wider context beyond bereavement.  In this series we have people sharing their stories and perspectives on grief through death, miscarriage, divorce, loss of health and how we talk to children about grief. As much as this is a heavy subject, I believe that by sharing our stories and shining some light on the darkness, we can feel more connected and less lonely.  In this episode, I share my story of how grief showed up in my life when I lost my brother to suicide and my sister to alcoholic liver disease 6 years ago.  Tara shares her story of losing both parents in a short space of time and how her grief affected her health and how she learned to heal herself.  Georgina shares her perspective on grief, funerals and how we talk to children about death.  Expect sadness, giggles and weirdness, because as we all know grief is a process where we have to embrace the good, the bad and the bloody ugly.  If you can relate to anything in this episode and find it useful, I would love your feedback. You can get in touch with me on Instagram @leahsiandavies, or email me leah@leahsiandavies.co.uk.  Some useful places that help with the kinda grief we discussed in this episode…  Winston’s Wish A UK charity supporting bereaved children  Grief encounter Supporting bereaved children and young people  Calmzone Leading mental health and suicide prevention charity  Follow Poorna Bell – Ambassador for Calmzone, speaker, writer on mental health and suicide   SOBS – Survivors of bereavement by suicide  The Griefcast – Podcast where comedians share their experiences of grief  Grieftips – An Instagram account offering support and tips around grief  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider contributing a donation. This will help me to continue editing, producing and publishing the podcast for your ears to enjoy. You can donate here: paypal.me/leahsiandaviesuk This podcast is edited and produced by Meghan Hutchins at Making Space VA

This month our theme for Soulful Storytelling is ‘grief’ and as we are still in lockdown and unable to have our event we have brought the voices of lots of storytellers to this series. The topic of grief is something that will universally affect us all and yet it is deeply personal and unique. So I wanted to get some different stories and perspectives on grief as a way for us to hear ourselves in other people’s stories. We also grieve in so many ways, so in this podcast I wanted to open up the topic of grief into a wider context beyond bereavement. In this series we have people sharing their stories and perspectives on grief through death, miscarriage, divorce, loss of health and how we talk to children about grief. As much as this is a heavy subject, I believe that by sharing our stories and shining some light on the darkness we can feel more connected and less lonely. In this episode, I share my story of how grief showed up in my life when I lost my brother to suicide and my sister to alcoholic liver disease 6 years ago. Tara shares her story of losing both parents in a short space of time and how her grief affected her health and how she learned to heal herself. Georgina shares her perspective on grief, funerals and how we talk to children about death.

Here is the 8th episode in the Soulful Storytelling series. We couldn’t have our live event this time due to the global pandemic, but we still managed to have the chat and all the storytelling magic over the airwaves. In this episode Alex and I are exploring the theme of ‘sobriety’. Alex has been alcohol free for the past 7 months and here he talks about his ‘drinking career’, what led to his decision to stop drinking and his journey over the past 7 months. We chat about the stigma and shame that’s still attached to alcohol problems and also to sobriety, dealing with other people’s reaction to him being sober, and why it’s important to have like-minded people around you if you choose to change your drinking habits. There was so much to talk about here, as I also share my experiences with alcohol from a personal and professional point of view. Having worked for 10 years with people with drug and alcohol issues and losing my brother and sister to alcohol misuse, I still feel it’s a difficult subject to talk about. Also all my events are booze free, and I talk about why I feel that’s more important than ever now for younger generations. PLEASE NOTE: There is some explicit language in this episode. Also if you or someone you know is drinking regularly and is struggling to stop, please seek medical help via your GP or local drug & alcohol service. Withdrawing from alcohol can have fatal consequences. Here’s some useful stuff we shared in this episode… Check out Alex’s commercial and photography work here Check out Alex’s brand design work here Follow Alex on Instagram One Year No Beer  Alcohol and drug support services in Wales  Alcohol and drug support services in England  Alcohol and drug support services in Scotland   Alcohol and drug support services in Northern Ireland  Alex’s recommended reading…. This Naked Mind by Annie Grace Alcohol Explained by William Porter The Sober Diaries by Claire Pooley The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray

Here is the 7th episode in the Soulful Storytelling series recorded live in Cardiff on 27th January 2020. This event is about bringing people together through the powerful medium of story. We all have incredible stories inside of us that are waiting to be heard, that can entertain, touch and heal others.

Here is the 6th episode in the Soulful Storytelling series recorded live in Cardiff on 27th January 2020. This event is about bringing people together through the powerful medium of story. We all have incredible stories inside of us that are waiting to be heard, that can entertain, touch and heal others. The theme for this event was ‘Men’s wellness’ and we had 2 wonderful storytellers, who shared their personal stories and pondered the questions.. ‘What does masculinity mean? ‘What stops men really taking care of their health and well-being?’ ‘What does self care look like for men?’ In this episode Gareth Daniel, an aromatherapist shares his experiences of growing up in the South Wales valleys and what he was taught about masculinity. He now runs his own business Old Faithful creating skincare products using natural oils and in this episode shares his journey of how he has learned to live his life in line with his values by practicing self care and doing things that truly make him happy. Useful stuff in this episode… Gareth’s skincare range at Old Faithful Follow Gareth on Instagram Subscribe to my weekly letters This podcast was produced by Making Space VA

Here is the 5th Soulful Storytelling episode recorded at my live event on the 28th October 2019 in Cardiff. This event is about bringing people together through the powerful medium of story. We all have incredible stories inside of us that are waiting to be heard, that can entertain, touch and heal others. We had 2 wonderful storytelling acts on the night, who shared their stories touching on themes of...Accepting ourselves and our life circumstancesLiving with illness and disabilityTaking care of our total wellbeing in a holistic waySetting ourselves challenges that light up our soulIn this episode Soulful Sunrise resident yogi Rosie Dackombe shared her tale with us. Rosie teaches yoga to kids and young people and shared her interesting journey that led her to this. She talks about how her diagnoses of ME and chronic fatigue in her teens was difficult for her to accept and after many years of not listening to her body, she learned about radical self-acceptance! In her words ‘yes you can actually be kind to yourself’. Now she shares her wisdom through yoga and supporting young people to look after themselves in a holistic way. Useful stuff in this episode...Follow Rosie Glow Yoga on InstagramKeep up to date with Soulful Sunrise events

Here is the 4th Soulful Storytelling episode recorded at my live event on the 28th October 2019 in Cardiff. This event is about bringing people together through the powerful medium of story. We all have incredible stories inside of us that are waiting to be heard, that can entertain, touch and heal others. We had 2 wonderful storytelling acts on the night, who shared their stories touching on themes of...Accepting ourselves and our life circumstancesLiving with illness and disabilityTaking care of our total wellbeing in a holistic waySetting ourselves challenges that light up our soulIn this Episode Tina Evans and Nia Evans shared their story of ‘Journey to the core’ where they cycled the length of Wales this summer on a tandem hand cycle in 7 days! Tina was diagnosed with the condition Friedreich’s Ataxia at 16 and is a wheelchair user. She uses her wheelchair as a tool for independence rather than limitation and is constantly challenging the expectations and norms about what a wheelchair user can do with their life. Tina and Nia have been friends since university and were chatting one day about the idea of Tina hand cycling through Wales whilst Nia walked alongside, but soon enough that turned into them both hopping on the tandem and riding through the country together. They shared the story behind ‘Journey to the Core’, and how they prepared mentally, physically and emotionally before and during the challenge.

Useful stuff in this episode… Soulful Sunrise Workshop Series Autumn 2019 Follow Alex and his work Check out Soulful Sunrise future events