Episode 38 | The Moment You Realise You Don’t Want This Life Anymore

Episode 42 | Guest Conversation: Alcohol's Confidence Trap with Annette Williams

Does alcohol really make you more confident—or does it simply stop you from learning how confident you can be without it? In this episode, I'm joined by Annette Williams to explore the idea of "borrowed confidence" and why relying on alcohol in social situations can keep us stuck in a cycle of self-doubt. We discuss the hidden ways alcohol can undermine genuine confidence, why confidence is more like a muscle than a personality trait, and how small acts of courage help build lasting self-belief. If you've ever felt nervous about socialising without alcohol, worried about what others might think, or wondered how to feel more comfortable being yourself, this conversation is packed with practical insights and encouragement. You'll discover: • Why alcohol creates the illusion of confidence • How "borrowed confidence" can hold you back • The link between confidence, practice and self-belief • Simple ways to strengthen your confidence muscle • How to feel more at ease in social situations without relying on a drink A thoughtful and engaging conversation that might just change the way you think about confidenceand alcohol. About Annette: Annette Williams is a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, confidence specialist and former multi-award-winning BBC TV Executive Producer with nearly four decades of experience helping people perform under pressure. After a 38-year career in television, working with presenters, contributors, and live broadcasts where nerves and high stakes were part of daily life, Annette retrained in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy and now helps people build genuine confidence from the inside out. Through her practice, Silverbrook Hypnotherapy, she supports clients with confidence, fears and phobias including public speaking, social anxiety and breaking unhelpful coping patterns to feel more confident socially or professionally. Annette is also the author of "Step Into Your Spotlight: the TV insider's guide to feeling confident when all eyes are on you!", which combines self-hypnosis, practical tools and techniques and behind-the-scenes insights from the world of television to help people feel calmer, more confident, and more comfortable being themselves. Connect with Annette: Instagram; @silverbrook_hypnotherapy Annette's website [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsilverbrookhypnotherapy.co.uk%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C00c8687266684f7baeaf08dec57edee3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639165345869935581%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=8b8C3V5TYvMWGQrT14fe31%2FncnoKippGBeq1QHEFM7A%3D&reserved=0] Find Annette on LinkedIn Here: [https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fannette-williams-silverbrook&data=05%7C02%7C%7C00c8687266684f7baeaf08dec57edee3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639165345870000078%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ScXwhgTaUhLGdJIaKoRaVxi3%2BhF3boHCq1y1hiJnIQU%3D&reserved=0] If this episode resonated with you, it may be a sign that you’ve been carrying more than you realise. Each month I run a FREE live Zoom workshop for women who are beginning to recognise the emotional patterns, people-pleasing, overthinking, exhaustion and self-abandonment that may be keeping them stuck. Inside the workshop, I talk about the “cycle” many women unknowingly live in, and how to start recognising the patterns that keep you emotionally exhausted, disconnected and running on autopilot. Save your place for the next workshop here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/workshop-optin] If you’d like to explore your own patterns more deeply, you can also book a free 30-minute conversation with me.  Book your complimentary conversation here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/appt1] Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological or therapeutic advice.

Episode 42 | What Happens Between "Not Tonight" And The First Glass?

Why can you be absolutely certain you won't drink tonight... ...and then find yourself pouring a glass a few hours later? In this episode, I explore what happens between those two moments, why so many women feel they've lost trust in themselves around alcohol, and why the thing you're fighting may not be the thing that's actually causing the problem. If this episode resonated with you, it may be a sign that you’ve been carrying more than you realise. Each month I run a FREE live Zoom workshop for women who are beginning to recognise the emotional patterns, people-pleasing, overthinking, exhaustion and self-abandonment that may be keeping them stuck. Inside the workshop, I talk about the “cycle” many women unknowingly live in, and how to start recognising the patterns that keep you emotionally exhausted, disconnected and running on autopilot. Save your place for the next workshop here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/workshop-optin] If you’d like to explore your own patterns more deeply, you can also book a free 30-minute conversation with me.  Book your complimentary conversation here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/appt1] Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological or therapeutic advice.

Episode 41 | The Benefits of Alcohol (And Why They're Keeping You Stuck)

We spend a lot of time talking about the harms of alcohol—but what about the benefits? Because if alcohol didn't give us something, none of us would drink it. In this episode, we're taking an honest look at the role alcohol plays in our lives. Whether it's helping you relax, switch off, cope with stress, quiet a busy mind, or feel more confident, alcohol often becomes a solution to needs that aren't being met elsewhere. The problem isn't that alcohol has benefits. The problem is when those benefits keep us stuck. Join me as we explore what alcohol is really doing for you, what it might be costing you, and why understanding the appeal of alcohol is often the first step towards lasting change. Before you can change your drinking, you need to understand why you drink in the first place. If this episode resonated with you, it may be a sign that you’ve been carrying more than you realise. Each month I run a FREE live Zoom workshop for women who are beginning to recognise the emotional patterns, people-pleasing, overthinking, exhaustion and self-abandonment that may be keeping them stuck. Inside the workshop, I talk about the “cycle” many women unknowingly live in, and how to start recognising the patterns that keep you emotionally exhausted, disconnected and running on autopilot. Save your place for the next workshop here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/workshop-optin] If you’d like to explore your own patterns more deeply, you can also book a free 30-minute conversation with me.  Book your complimentary conversation here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/appt1] Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological or therapeutic advice.

Episode 40 | The Most Important Question You Can Ask Yourself

The stories we repeat become the lives we live. What’s the current story you’re telling yourself, about your drinking, your relationships, your worth, or who you are? In this episode, I explore the powerful question inspired by Brené Brown that can expose the hidden narratives shaping your choices, behaviours, and patterns without you even realising it. Once you become aware of the story, you can finally start changing it. If this episode resonated with you, it may be a sign that you’ve been carrying more than you realise. Each month I run a FREE live Zoom workshop for women who are beginning to recognise the emotional patterns, people-pleasing, overthinking, exhaustion and self-abandonment that may be keeping them stuck. Inside the workshop, I talk about the “cycle” many women unknowingly live in, and how to start recognising the patterns that keep you emotionally exhausted, disconnected and running on autopilot. Save your place for the next workshop here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/workshop-optin] If you’d like to explore your own patterns more deeply, you can also book a free 30-minute conversation with me.  Book your complimentary conversation here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/appt1] Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological or therapeutic advice.

Episode 39 | Guest Conversation: Supporting Children With Additional Needs with Jody Ruston

In this episode, I’m joined by Jody Ruston for an honest conversation about the realities of parenting children with additional needs. We explore the emotional and mental load many mothers carry,  and why so many women quietly end up at the bottom of their own priority list. We also talk about coping mechanisms, overwhelm, identity, and the importance of support, self-care, and recognising your own needs alongside caring for everyone else. A compassionate and validating conversation for any parent who has ever felt exhausted, stretched thin, or emotionally overwhelmed behind the scenes. About Jody: Jody Ruston is an empowerment coach to mums of pre-teens. They work with her when they’re DONE with exhausting themselves over arbitrary BS and are ready to actually ENJOY the life they’ve created. By working with Jody, they learn how to rebuild self-trust after years of putting themselves last, set boundaries without spiralling into guilt, reconnect with who they are beyond the roles, create a life that includes them — not just everyone else, stop abandoning themselves, trust their desires without guilt, and feel steady instead of stretched, allowing them to finally reclaim their time, energy and identity. Connect with Jody here: On Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jody_r66?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] To find out about her community- No Explanation needed: [https://canva.link/6otg7l13po97202] To join her Facebook group- The Reclaimed Collective [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thereclaimedcollective] If this episode resonated with you, it may be a sign that you’ve been carrying more than you realise. Each month I run a FREE live Zoom workshop for women who are beginning to recognise the emotional patterns, people-pleasing, overthinking, exhaustion and self-abandonment that may be keeping them stuck. Inside the workshop, I talk about the “cycle” many women unknowingly live in, and how to start recognising the patterns that keep you emotionally exhausted, disconnected and running on autopilot. Save your place for the next workshop here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/workshop-optin] If you’d like to explore your own patterns more deeply, you can also book a free 30-minute conversation with me.  Book your complimentary conversation here: [https://go.rebeccathomson.co.uk/appt1] Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological or therapeutic advice.