The Happier Life Project

The Trauma Response: Why Your Body Holds Fear & Keeps You Stuck with Dr. Aimie Apigian

Trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all; it exists on a spectrum, from quiet emotional wounds to experiences that reshape an entire life. Living through it is hard enough, but revisiting or reliving it can feel even more overwhelming. Joining host Gabby Sanderson is Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, founder of The Mind-Body-Biology Institute, and author of the groundbreaking new book The Biology of Trauma, with a foreword by renowned expert in trauma and addiction Dr. Gabor Maté.
In this conversation, Dr. Aimie shares her journey into understanding trauma, revealing how it’s not only stored in our minds but also in our cells, and why this matters for both mental and physical health. Dr. Aimie explains the crucial differences between stress and trauma, and why time does not heal trauma, but can worsen its effects. She also explores the role of numbing and self-protection, and highlights the importance of creating safety in healing.
The Biology of Trauma is a groundbreaking book that explores the science of how the body experiences trauma, why it holds on, and what it needs for healing. This empowering episode offers fresh insights and practical steps drawn from the book to help navigate trauma responses and move towards a healthier, more authentic life.
Make sure to tune in on Friday for the next bonus episode, where Dr. Aimie dives deeper into how trauma shapes our relationships and what we can do about it.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/
For all links Dr Aimie Apigian:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian
Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/
Podcast: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/
 

Bonus: Handling the "Back To" Scaries with Chlo Hodgkinson

Welcome to the very first bonus episode of The Happier Life Project! From now on, alongside our regular Tuesday deep-dive episodes with expert guests, we’ll be dropping shorter, lighter episodes every Friday. These bonus episodes will explore a wider range of topics, share extra content from the main shows, introduce meditations we’re loving, or even offer a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of My Possible Self.
The idea? To help you head into the weekend feeling good.
In this first Friday edition, we’re tackling the back-to-scaries, that mix of excitement and nerves when starting something new or returning after a break. Whether you’re heading off to college or university, beginning a new job, returning after the summer holidays, or even picking up a brand-new hobby, those flutters of anxiety can sometimes overshadow the excitement and bring on feelings of dread.
But you’re not alone. Gabby and fellow My Possible Selfer Chlo Hodgkinson are here to share support, encouragement, and insights to help you calm the nerves, ease the transition, and find a little more joy in the journey ahead.
So, join us for this uplifting first bonus episode and discover how to turn the back-to-scaries into a fresh start you can actually look forward to.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/
To follow Gabby on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radiogabby/
To follow Chlo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chlohodgkinson/

Befriend All Your Parts & Align Your Mind with Britt Frank

Welcome to a brand-new season of The Happier Life Project! Gabby Sanderson is back with fresh conversations designed to bring you practical tools, insights, and inspiration for living a happier life.
To kick things off, our The Happier Life Project host is joined by friend of the show Britt Frank; author, speaker, and licensed neuropsychotherapist. Britt’s the author of The Science of Stuck, The Getting Unstuck Workbook, and her latest book, Align Your Mind which will be the main theme of the episode. 
In this conversation Britt unpacks the powerful concept of aligning your mind, which means bringing your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and inner parts into harmony so they work together rather than against each other. Gabby and Britt explore what happens when different parts of you are pulling in opposite directions, and how to stop fighting yourself and start moving forward. They also dive into what’s going on when other people’s parts are driving their behavior, and why that can so easily trigger our own. 
Along the way, Britt explains how shadow work can bring clarity to the parts of ourselves we tend to keep hidden, and how the quiet magic of micro-yeses; those small intentional steps, can lead to lasting transformation.
Tune in and learn how to quit the mental tug-of-war, align your mind, and start creating real change today.
This season, you’ll get the usual deep-dive episodes every Tuesday, plus look out for our new bonus episodes every Friday! Quick hits of advice, fresh perspectives, and extra content from the my Possible Self team to carry you into the weekend feeling good.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/
For all things Britt Frank visit: https://www.brittfrank.com/
To follow Britt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittfrank/

Pour Decisions (Replay): Breaking Free from Unhealthy Drinking Patterns with Amanda E. White

Let’s get curious about our drinking habits! In this episode of The Happier Life Project we are looking at the role alcohol plays in our life; as a comforter, socializing tool, way to relax, blow off steam, or avoid uncomfortable emotions.
Guest Amanda E. White is a licensed therapist and the creator of the popular Instagram account @therapyforwomen Amanda also hosts the podcast “Recovered-ish” and is author of the book “Not Drinking Tonight” and its corresponding workbook.Not Drinking Tonight isn’t a manuscript to help you stop drinking. Not Drinking Tonight is the first book to help you address the root issues that cause you to reach for a drink, while helping you unpack your relationship with alcohol.
Chatting to host Gabby Sanderson, Amanda discusses why you don’t need to hit rock bottom - or label yourself an alcoholic - to review your relationship with booze and make some positive changes to your drinking habits. Amanda also chats with Gabby about some of the most common reasons people turn to the bottle, and why it often tends to be more about the ritual leading up to taking that first sip, such as popping the cork when the girls come over, or kicking back after a long day and pouring yourself a glass, or switching on the match and opening a can, that is the most satisfying part.
Amanda also touches upon the effect alcohol plays on our mental health and addresses the myth that a glass of something a day is actually good for us (spoiler alert, research has since dispelled). Gabby and Amanda talk about the pros and cons of taking part in dry (or damp) January and Amanda explains how by removing alcohol, we have the opportunity to build a life we don’t want to escape from.
Amanda is the founder of the group therapy practice, Therapy for Women Center, based in Philadelphia serving clients across the US. She has been featured in notable publications such as Forbes, Washington Post, Shape, Women’s Health Magazine, and more.
*Note this episode is a repeat broadcast
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself
For all things Amanda E White visit: amandaewhite.com
To follow Amanda on Instagram: @therapyforwomen

Heal Childhood Wounds (Replay): Breaking Family Patterns to Transform Your Relationships with Vienna Pharaon

None of us had a perfect childhood; we are all carrying around wounds and behaviours that don’t serve us. But what if we could break free from unhealthy family patterns to liberate the way we live and love? 
As children we observe and absorb everything around us. And we teach ourselves to behave in a way that helps to make us feel safe. But at what cost? Have we developed coping mechanisms and strategies to try to feel more worthy, prioritized, safe, like we belong? Could we have developed trust issues because we witnessed our parents keep secrets? Do we struggle with perfectionism because our caregivers rewarded our good behaviour and achievements, but punished or ignored us when we didn’t live up to their standards? 
When we start to unpack the significant impact and deep conditioning that our roots and origin wounds have on our relationship patterns - past and present - we start to recognise our triggers and coping mechanisms that might actually be doing more harm than good.But it doesn’t have to be that way, says licensed marriage and family therapist and author of the best selling book ‘The Origins of You’ Vienna Pharaon.
Vienna is a licensed marriage and family therapist and one of New York City’s most sought-after relationship therapists. Vienna has practised therapy for more than fifteen years and is the creator of @mindfulMFT on Instagram where she is helping over 700K people around the world heal their childhood wounds.
Vienna shares the five major origin wounds that most struggle with; consciously or subconsciously. She also explains how the healing journey begins by exploring what we have learned as a child - how to relate to others, ourselves, and the world around us. Host Gabby and Vienna also talk about identifying triggers, which could be unresolved wounds trying to get our attention. And how we can shift our patterns and habits to create a new healthier path for ourselves.
*Note this episode is a repeat broadcast
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: @mypossibleself
For more on Vienna Pharaon: https://viennapharaon.com/
To follow Vienna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmft/
 

Emotionally Equipped (Replay): Tools for Managing Strong Feelings with Dr Emma Hepburn

Emotions play a crucial role in our overall mental health, acting as both messengers and influencers of our psychological well-being. Positive emotions like joy, gratitude, and love can enhance mental resilience, foster strong social connections, and improve our ability to cope with stress. But on the flip side, the more challenging emotions such as sadness, anger, jealousy or anxiety, if persistent and unaddressed, can contribute to mental health issues and illness. 
Understanding and managing our emotions has a positive impact on our wellbeing. By recognizing and processing our emotions, we are better equipped to deal with life’s challenges, manage strong feelings, achieve better emotional balance, enhance our mental clarity, and improve our overall quality of life.
But how do we learn to manage our emotions more effectively? For many we can feel at the mercy of our feelings, unaware that by drawing from simple techniques from within, we can help mitigate their intensity and reduce overwhelm. 
This is where Dr Emma Hepburn comes in. An award winning clinical psychologist, lecturer, author and illustrator, Dr Emma has written and illustrated the books ‘A Toolkit For Happiness’, ‘A Toolkit For Modern Life’ and most recently ‘A Toolkit for Your Emotions - 45 Ways To Feel Better’. Dr Emma Hepburn is also one of the most well-known psychologists on Instagram as @thepsychologymum and has won numerous awards for her contribution to mental health awareness.
Dr Emma talks to The Happier Life Project host Gabby about how emotions are made and where they come from. She shares how emotional habits are created and what it means to be on the emotional roller coaster of life, with all of its loop the loops. Dr Emma also explains how our past history and experiences influence our brain and body to create an emotional response; and ways we can objectively step back to review if how we are feeling is more of an echo from the past, rather than an appropriate response to the present. 
Dr Emma reveals some of her favourite tools to manage more difficult emotions and suggests ways we might break emotional patterns that are not helpful to us. The expert psychologist also explains why we should never feel ashamed of our emotions and how we can positively influence others towards the feel good feelings too.
'A Toolkit for Your Emotions' helps readers to navigate and understand their emotions effectively. Taking a deep dive into how we feel, Dr Emma explains all the tools we need to intercept and redirect challenging emotions by offering practical strategies, exercises, and insights. Each topic is illustrated with Dr Emma's well-loved illustrations to make them accessible, meaningful and memorable. 
*Note this episode is a repeat broadcast
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself
To purchase 'A Toolkit For Your Emotions' on amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/aXJOfnI
To follow Dr Emma Hepburn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologymum
 

Lost & Found (Replay): Reconnecting with Who You Are with Dr. Sara Kuburic

"What if I die before I have the chance to exist?"An existential crisis, or existential dread, can be described as persistent negative feelings and emotions linked to questioning the value of your life and how you are spending it. An existential crisis may result from intense feelings of despair as you consider questions like, "What is the point?” or “Why does any of this matter?” And these strong emotions can increase when your questions remain unanswerable.
An existential crisis can happen to anyone, leading many to question their existence, identity and purpose in life. Experiencing an existential crisis may cause you to feel angry, helpless, lost, panicked and is usually accompanied by dread, anxiety, stress and depression; often to such a degree that they disturb your normal functioning in everyday life.
But it doesn’t have to be a bad thing or something to fear. Experiencing an existential crisis forces you to examine your life and consider “how can I show up in the world that means something to me?”
Dr. Sara Kuburic is an existential psychotherapist, speaker, essayist, columnist, consultant, influencer and author of ‘It's On Me. Accept hard truths, discover your self, and change your life’.
IT’S ON ME is a guide to identifying self-loss, and discovering the freedom that comes from taking responsibility for how we live. It offers an enlightening blueprint to find your own answers to the questions “who am I?” and “why am I here?”
Known as the millennial therapist online (with over 1.7 million followers on Instagram), Dr. Sara believes that “in order to be who we truly are, we need to shelve who we are not.”Dr Sara talks about how her own existential crisis changed the trajectory of her entire life and put her on the path to a life of alignment, authenticity and purpose. Host Gabby and Dr. Sara also talk about the mental health ramifications of not living a life true to your beliefs and values… and how it’s so easy to get lost in the labels and expectations of family, friends, work and society, so you don’t even realise who you have become isn’t who you are supposed to be.
Dr. Sara is a passionate advocate for being the leading character of your own life. She believes we need to stop pretending and choose the truth.To all who feel lost, it’s never too late to steer yourself home.
*Note this episode is a repeat broadcast 
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/
For all things Dr. Sara Kuburic: https://www.sara-kuburic.com/
To follow Dr. Sara Kuburic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millennial.therapist/
 

The Breakup Episode: Heartache, Grief & Coping with Separation with Adrienne Everheart

Breakups can shake your world; emotionally, mentally, and even physically.In the final episode of our romantic relationships mini-series, we’re diving into the pain of separation, the grief that follows, and how to take care of your mental health in the aftermath of heartbreak.
When it comes to our mental wellbeing, the ending of a relationship or the loss of someone we love can leave a profound impact. Going through a breakup often brings a wave of intense emotional pain, sometimes even physical pain,  that can leave us feeling vulnerable, deflated, anxious, and stuck on repeat. The mind races with memories, what-ifs, and alternate outcomes, as we struggle to come to terms with someone no longer being part of our life.
Feeling sadness, loneliness, low self-esteem, and a loss of motivation is completely normal during heartbreak. But if we isolate ourselves or get consumed by these feelings for too long, there’s a risk of falling into deeper mental health struggles, such as anxiety disorders or depression.
To help us make sense of this emotional rollercoaster, host Gabby Sanderson is joined by certified dating and relationship coach Adrienne Everheart. Adrienne is a feminine energy therapist, bestselling author of '500 Ways to Talk to a Man', and the creator of the “ABCs to Get Him Back” program. She’s helped countless women heal after heartbreak, rebuild their confidence, and move forward from relationships that were no longer serving them.
In this powerful conversation, Adrienne shares insight into why, after a breakup, people often obsess over what could have been, rather than what actually was. She explains how the grieving process is deeply personal, with no one-size-fits-all timeline for healing, and offers advice on navigating tricky dynamics with mutual friends when a breakup disrupts the social circle.
The episode also delves into the psychological science behind breakups, depression, and grief and how they can trigger deep wounds to come to the surface, such as abandonment issues. Adrienne highlights why every relationship carries valuable lessons and provides practical guidance on rebuilding self-worth, restoring confidence, and opening the heart again to call in the kind of love that truly aligns.
Whether you are moving on or holding onto hope, this episode offers support, perspective, and reassurance that healing is possible, no matter how deep the hurt.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/
For more on Adrienne Everheart and her courses: https://everheartcoaching.com/
To join Adrienne's love academy: https://iheartloveacademy.mn.co/
To follow Adrienne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrienne_everheart_/
To watch Adrienne's videos: https://www.youtube.com/@AdrienneEverheart
 

Sex on the Brain: How Your Sex Life Affects Your Mental Health with Kate Moyle

When we explore the link between sex and mental health, it becomes clear that many complex factors are at play. A satisfying and healthy sex life can support emotional wellbeing and boost our mental health. But on the flip side, unenjoyable or painful sex can contribute to anxiety, low mood, and emotional distress.Despite how central sex is to many of our lives, it remains a deeply stigmatised topic. That silence can leave many of us struggling in shame, unsure where to turn for support.
In this episode of The Happier Life Project, as part of our mini-series examining romantic relationships and wellbeing, host Gabby Sanderson is joined by Kate Moyle, a psychosexual and relationship therapist who works with individuals and couples navigating difficulties in their sex lives or questions around sexuality.
Kate is the host of 'The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast', a regular media voice on sex and relationships, and the author of 'The Science of Sex'. In this open and eye-opening conversation, she and Gabby delve into why sex still feels so taboo, how suppression impacts wellbeing, and how performance anxiety shows up in the bedroom.
They also discuss why many women find it difficult to express their sexual needs, how self-pleasure and healthy communication can enhance mental and emotional health, and the common emotional fallout of “sex with an ex” or “friends with benefits” when expectations don’t align. Plus, Kate explains why we need to retire the word “clean” when talking about sexual health checks, and how the words we use, and the openness we bring, shape our experience of intimacy.
Let’s get comfortable with the uncomfortable, and start having healthier conversations about sex.
To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
🔗 For more on  Kate Moyle visit:
https://www.katemoyle.co.uk/
https://instagram.com/katemoyletherapy/
Buy the book The Science of Sex: https://amzn.eu/d/5LQTVYA
 

Toxic Relationships, Narcissistic Behaviour & When to Walk Away with Dr. Jamie Zuckerman

Continuing The Happier Life Project’s ‘relationship month’ series, this week’s episode takes a powerful look at narcissists, narcissistic abuse, and toxic relationships with Dr. Jaime Zuckerman, licensed clinical psychologist, media contributor, and global expert in narcissistic abuse.
Dr. Z is a three-time published author and host of the podcast Next Up: Narcissism. A leading relationship coach for those experiencing narcissistic abuse, she’s also the founder of The Z Group, a private therapy practice specializing in anxiety, depression, and complex relationship dynamics. With years of in-depth research into narcissistic behavior, Dr. Z has empowered people around the world to break free from emotionally abusive relationships.
In conversation with host Gabby, Dr. Z unpacks the traits and tactics commonly used by narcissists, revealing why platforms like social media and dating apps offer ideal conditions for manipulation. She also sheds light on the type of person narcissists often target, and clears up a widespread myth: a toxic relationship doesn’t always mean a narcissist is involved.
Dr. Z shares why it often takes several attempts to leave a narcissistic abuser, whilst outlining the essential steps to take when you’re ready to get out for good. Her insights offer hope, clarity, and a powerful reminder that healing is always possible.
To download the free My Possible Self app: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
🔗 For more on Dr. Jaime Zuckerman: https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dr.z_psychologist/