Have you ever noticed that when you're stressed, your pain feels worse? Or when you're in pain, your stress levels go up? That’s not just in your head—it’s a real biological response. Pain and stress are deeply linked, creating a vicious cycle that can be hard to break.

In this episode, I explore:

• How stress triggers physical pain and keeps the body in a state of tension
• Why chronic stress leads to muscle tightness, inflammation, and increased pain sensitivity
• The surprising ways poor sleep makes pain worse and lowers your pain tolerance
• Practical techniques to reset your nervous system, ease tension, and improve pain management
• How subconscious patterns and the CONTROL method can help rewire your brain’s response to pain

Key Takeaways

• When stress becomes chronic, muscles stay tense, joints stiffen, and pain levels rise
• Poor sleep affects how the body heals and recovers from pain, making everything feel worse
• The brain plays a huge role in chronic pain—pain signals may remain active even after an injury heals
• Breaking the stress-pain cycle requires a combination of physical and mental strategies

If you’re struggling with chronic pain, stress, or sleep issues, this episode will give you practical tools to help regain control and start feeling better.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about physiotherapy, CONTROL, and pain management: www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk
• Check out previous podcast episodes: www.makingsenseofwomenshealth.co.uk
• Follow me on Instagram: @thriveandshinewomenswellness
• Join me on Facebook: Thrive and Shine Women’s Wellness

Listener Challenge

This week, choose one small step to help break the stress-pain cycle:

• Take a few deep breaths to calm your nervous system
• Do some gentle stretching or movement to release tension
• Notice how you talk about your pain—are you expecting all movement to hurt?

Let me know what you choose. Send me a message on Instagram or leave a comment on my latest post.

If you enjoyed this episode, remember to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might find it helpful.

www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk

Supporting Women's Health Transitions with Education, Physiotherapy, Mentoring, Pilates, and Hypnosis.

Have you ever felt like you're not good enough or constantly second-guess yourself? You’re not alone. In this episode, I explore what self-esteem really is, how it’s shaped over time, and—most importantly—how you can start strengthening it at any age.

We’ll dive into:
✅ The difference between confidence and self-esteem
✅ How low self-esteem affects your health, relationships, and daily life
✅ The negative impact of social media and how comparison traps hold you back
✅ Practical ways to build self-esteem, from mindset shifts to self-care strategies
✅ Why subconscious beliefs shape your self-worth—and how you can rewire them

Key Takeaways:
✨ Self-esteem is not fixed—it can be built like a muscle with small, consistent actions.
✨ Comparison is one of the biggest threats to self-worth—learn how to break free from it.
✨ Taking up space, setting boundaries, and prioritising self-care are not selfish—they’re essential.
✨ Your subconscious patterns shape your self-esteem more than you realise—learn how to reprogram them.

If you’ve struggled with self-worth for years, just telling yourself to “love yourself more” isn’t enough. This episode gives real, actionable steps to start feeling more worthy, confident, and in control of your life.

Resources & Links:

🔹 Learn more about CONTROL and subconscious reprogramming: thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk/control
🔹 Check out previous podcast episodes: www.makingsenseofwomenshealth.co.uk
🔹 Follow me on Instagram: @thriveandshinewomenswellness
🔹 Join me on Facebook: Thrive and Shine Women’s Wellness

Listener Challenge:

This week, I challenge you to choose one small action to build your self-worth:
💛 Speak kindly to yourself
💛 Prioritise your own needs
💛 Stand a little taller

Let me know what you choose! Send me a DM on Instagram or leave a comment on my latest post.

🎧 Loved this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs a self-esteem boost!

www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk

Supporting Women's Health Transitions with Education, Physiotherapy, Mentoring, Pilates, and Hypnosis.

In this episode of Making Sense of Women's Health, Roberta Bass dives into the complex topic of emotional eating—something many of us struggle with, especially during times of stress, boredom, or overwhelm.

Roberta explains why emotional eating isn’t about willpower. Instead, it’s driven by hormones, stress, sleep patterns, and deeply ingrained subconscious habits. She shares insights into how emotional eating develops, why it often feels worse in midlife, and offers practical strategies to help you break the cycle without guilt or restriction.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger
• How hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, and cortisol influence cravings
• The role of stress, poor sleep, and blood sugar imbalances in emotional eating
• Why emotional eating patterns are often rooted in subconscious habits from childhood
• How to recognise your emotional eating triggers
• Practical strategies to help you reprogram your response to stress without turning to food

Key Takeaways:

• Identify Triggers: Notice when you’re reaching for food out of stress, boredom, or habit.
• Pause Before Eating: Ask yourself, “Am I truly hungry or seeking comfort?”
• Balance Blood Sugar: Eat meals with a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fibre to prevent energy crashes.
• Manage Stress: Incorporate breathing exercises, mindfulness, or short walks to reduce cravings.
• Prioritise Sleep: Poor sleep increases hunger hormones, making emotional eating more likely.
• Move Your Body: Even a 10-minute walk can disrupt the emotional eating cycle.

How CONTROL Can Help:

If emotional eating feels deeply ingrained, it’s likely tied to subconscious patterns that willpower alone can’t shift. This is where the CONTROL method comes in.

CONTROL helps you:

• Uncover the subconscious beliefs driving your emotional eating
• Reprogram automatic responses to stress and emotions
• Break the cycle so you’re no longer fighting cravings—you simply don’t feel the same pull toward food for comfort

If emotional eating is something you’ve struggled with for years and you’re ready to make a real change, CONTROL could be the missing piece.

Ready to Take Action?

• Pause before your next snack and ask, “Am I really hungry?”
• Notice your triggers—write them down if it helps.
• Move your body for five minutes instead of reaching for food when stressed.

How I Can Help:

If you’re struggling with emotional eating, stress, poor sleep, or habits that feel out of your control, I can help.

As a Women’s Health Physiotherapist, Menopause Mentor, and CONTROL Practitioner, I support women in:

• Breaking free from emotional eating and other subconscious habits
• Managing stress, improving sleep, and feeling more in control
• Addressing health challenges linked to hormones, menopause, and lifestyle changes

Visit Thrive and Shine Women’s Wellness to learn more about how we can work together.

If you found this episode helpful, subscribe to Making Sense of Women's Health for more expert insights.

www.thriveandshinewomenswellness.co.uk

Supporting Women's Health Transitions with Education, Physiotherapy, Mentoring, Pilates, and Hypnosis.