Why We Soothe: What Are We Distracting From?

Blackouts, Alcohol & Recovery | Honest convesations | Guest Interview on the I Quit Wine Podcast with Sarah Leather

In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation I had when I was invited onto the I Quit Wine podcast with Sarah Leather. We talk openly about my own journey with alcohol, including the blackouts, the shame, and the stop-start attempts to quit before I eventually realised that alcohol wasn’t the real issue — it was the deeper emotional patterns underneath. Together, Sarah and I explore what recovery really looks like when you begin to look beyond the behaviour itself. In this conversation, we discuss: Blackouts, Why many women struggle with stop-start recovery, The link between alcohol, emotional coping and eating disorders, Cross-addiction and what can happen when one behaviour is removedThe role of shame in keeping people stuck and much more For me, this journey became the foundation of the work I now do with others. Through my coaching and the Healing Your Hunger Program, I support people in understanding the emotional drivers behind behaviours like emotional eating, alcohol use, people pleasing, overworking and self-criticism. Because often the behaviour itself is not the real problem — it’s an attempt to soothe something deeper. If you’re listening to this and recognising parts of your own story, you’re not alone. You can learn more about my work or reach out here: Website: Enquiries: Instagram: @siobhanwalshcoaching If you’re looking for support and want to explore working together, you’re very welcome to reach out through my website.

The Power of Journaling.

In today’s episode, I talk about the power of journaling and why it’s one of the most useful tools I’ve used in my own recovery and with clients in my Healing Your Hunger 6 Week Program. Journaling is the perfect 'brain Dump', it creates space. Getting thoughts and emotions out of your head and onto paper can help you slow down, understand your reactions, and become more aware of what’s really going on underneath. I share the emotional journaling practice I use, including reflective questions that help you identify emotions, notice patterns, challenge old beliefs, and respond with more compassion rather than shame. If this episode resonated with you and you’d like to try the Emotional Journal I talk about, you can request a free copy using the link below. You’ll receive it directly to your email. 👉 Get the Emotional Journal here:⁠https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2074173/177958585397937203/share⁠ [https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/2074173/177958585397937203/share] If you’d like to learn more about my work, my 1:1 coaching, or the Healing Your Hunger programme, you can visit my website: www.healingyourhunger.com @siobhanwalshcoaching Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.

How are you, Really?

In this episode, I share a personal reflection I wrote years ago about how we check in with ourselves, and how easily we can move away from what’s actually happening in our bodies. I explore how our senses carry emotional information, how the nervous system communicates through sensation, and how disconnection from that internal language can show up in food, relationships, work, and recovery. This isn’t about fixing or changing anything — just noticing a little differently, and letting the body be part of the conversation. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. Email: siobhan8walsh@gmail.com Instagram: @siobhanwalshcoaching

Why Binging in Recovery Is Normal (and You’re Not Failing)

If you’re in recovery and you’re still bingeing sometimes… this episode is for you. In today’s episode of Healing Your Hunger, I’m talking about why bingeing can still happen as you’re relearning food and relearning yourself and why it doesn’t mean you’ve undone all your work. Recovery isn’t linear. Food isn’t like substances; you can’t be “abstinent” from it. And when you’ve spent years restricting, bingeing, purging, or living with fear around food, it takes time for your body and nervous system to feel safe again. We’ll talk about shame, unmet needs, emotional overwhelm, and the real reasons urges show up, plus the simple curiosity questions I use with clients to create space in the moment. You’re not failing. You’re learning. Email: siobhan8walsh@gmail.com Instagram: @siobhanwalshcoaching

Why We Soothe: What Are We Distracting From?

In this episode, I explore why we soothe — why we reach for food, alcohol, drugs, or other distractions when something inside us feels overwhelming or hard to stay present with. From a trauma-informed perspective, soothing is not a weakness or lack of willpower, but a very normal and often clever way the nervous system tries to regulate and protect us in the moment. I reflect on unmet needs, emotional overwhelm, and how many of us were never taught how to express or regulate our emotions safely. I also share parts of my own experience of soothing through food, restriction, and alcohol, and how these patterns can shift over time when we begin to get curious rather than judgemental. This episode isn’t about solutions or fixing yourself — it’s an invitation to slow down, notice patterns, and ask different questions about what you might be avoiding and what you might actually need beneath the behaviour. Reach out to Email: siobhan8walsh@gmail.com or Instagram @siobhanwalshcoaching with any questions. Shared from a coaching and lived-experience perspective and not a substitute for professional medical or therapeutic care