The Thrive Programme Podcast

What does it really mean to thrive? As Sophie explains in this episode, “Thriving is what you’re doing every day to make the best out of that day.” It’s a simple idea, but one that ultimately transformed her life.Sophie lives with autism, ADHD, OCD, emetophobia, and a history of significant mental health challenges, including depression and suicide attempts. For many years, everyday tasks felt overwhelming, and despite undergoing extensive therapy and completing her education from home, she continued to struggle. She was often told that her case was “extreme” and that there was little hope of overcoming her difficulties, particularly her emetophobia. These messages reinforced feelings of helplessness and left her questioning what was possible for her future.Everything began to dive deep into the programme in 2017 after developing the belief that her autism and ADHD would prevent her from ever fully overcoming her fear. The programme didn’t only allow her to achieve significant milestones in her life, but opened her mind to the fact that belief turned out to be exactly that..a belief, rather than a fact.After reaching out directly to Rob Kelly, Sophie committed herself to learning how to Thrive. Over the next six years, she consistently applied the principles from the programme in her daily life. Through regular practice, podcasts, support materials, and the Thrive manual, she developed a deeper understanding of her thinking patterns and recognised how her responses to fear were helping to maintain it. Rather than feeling threatened by the programme, Sophie found it empowering. It provided her with a sense of self-efficacy and practical tools she could apply independently.A key part of the discussion explores the concept of “hardware and software.” Sophie explains that while autism and ADHD are part of her neurological makeup and cannot be changed, the way she responds to challenges can. While neurodiversity may influence preferences, routines, and ways of processing information, The Thrive Programme helped her develop the “software” skills needed to respond differently to fear and anxiety.The conversation also highlights the impact of neurodiversity on self-esteem. Sophie shares how she learned to challenge limiting beliefs, engage in activities without striving for perfection, and focus on enjoyment rather than outcomes. Today, she feels confident in her ability to manage difficult emotions and navigate life without the restrictions that once defined it.Her message is clear: neurodiversity does not have to be a barrier to overcoming emetophobia. With the right tools, consistent effort, and a willingness to challenge unhelpful beliefs, meaningful change is possible.

In this episode, Lucy is joined by Mícheál for an honest and empowering conversation about social anxiety - where it really comes from and how to overcome it.Mícheál shares his personal experience of struggling with confidence in his 20s. At the time, he was putting huge pressure on himself to fit in, be liked, and measure up to everyone else. Social situations felt uncomfortable and draining, not because of what was actually happening, but because of what was happening in his head. He was constantly second-guessing himself, replaying conversations, and worrying about what other people thought of him.Lucy and Mícheál explore how social anxiety is often rooted in fear of judgment, taking responsibility for other people’s feelings, and harsh self-criticism. But here’s the key insight: social anxiety isn’t something that just happens to you. It’s not coming from the room, the party, the meeting, or the people in it. And it’s rarely an accurate reflection of what others truly think.It’s you thinking in ways that make yourself feel small / awkward / uncomfortable / judged.This is great news! Because it means its totally within your power to change. In this episode, they discuss:Why social anxiety feels so real - even when it’s thought-drivenThe trap of living life through other people’s eyesHow rumination keeps social anxiety aliveThe hidden pressure of trying to manage how others feelWhy building genuine self-esteem is the foundation of confidenceHow taking responsibility for your thinking changes everythingLucy describes the shift as moving from living your life according to what you think others think about you… to living according to what you think about you.It’s about making decisions based on your values.Liking what you like.Backing yourself.And letting other people be responsible for their own thoughts and feelings.If you’ve ever walked away from a social situation replaying everything you said, worried you got it wrong, or feeling like you weren’t “enough,” this episode will help you see what’s really going on - and remind you that confidence is built from the inside out. 

In this week’s episode, Lucy Wood is joined by Sue Tetley, who shares her powerful story of navigating the emotional highs and lows of IVF - and how learning to thrive transformed her experience along the way.For Sue, the IVF journey had become an exhausting cycle of hope and heartbreak: trying, being disappointed, picking herself up, and finding the strength to try again. Alongside the emotional strain came the physical toll - endless appointments, procedures, and medications - yet still no positive result.As a paediatric nurse, Sue was used to caring for others, but she realised she needed something more to support herself emotionally through the uncertainty she was living with. Discovering The Thrive Programme marked a turning point. Sue began to see that while she couldn’t control the outcome, she could influence how she experienced the journey.By learning to manage her thinking, strengthen her self-belief, and focus on the control she did have, Sue took her power back. She built confidence in her ability to cope - no matter what lay ahead.When the final round of IVF ended and the phone call she had been dreading finally came, Sue was able to feel calm. She had spent days mentally preparing, rehearsing the moment so she could meet it with emotional strength rather than fear.Together with her husband, Sue chose to follow the path of adoption. After everything they had endured, she describes the process as feeling “easy in comparison,” and before long they were matched with their daughter.Looking back, Sue reflects on the journey not only in terms of its challenges, but in what it revealed about who she is - strong, capable, and deeply resilient.In this episode, we explore:The emotional reality of IVF and repeated disappointmentHow shifting your thinking can change your experience, even when outcomes are uncertainFinding control in situations that feel powerlessBuilding emotional resilience through life’s toughest momentsMoving forward with hope - and trusting your ability to copeThis is an inspiring conversation about reclaiming personal power, discovering inner strength, and recognising that even the hardest chapters can reveal just how resilient we truly are.If you can relate, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.

In today’s episode, Lucy is joined by Philippa Saunders for an honest conversation about why forgiveness is an internal act of power - something you do for you, not for the other person, and not in response to what they did or didn’t do.Philippa opens up about her experience of feeling let down by her father during her teen years, and how those moments shaped her self-esteem and her expectations of how life “should” have been. It wasn’t until she became a parent herself that she fully recognised just how much those early experiences were still influencing her.Discovering The Thrive Programme in her thirties became a turning point. Philippa shares the mindset shifts that helped her choose forgiveness, the process she went through, and the powerful sense of relief and freedom that followed - like finally putting down a weight she’d been carrying for decades.Lucy also shares the extraordinary story of Eva Kor, who, at just 10 years old, was taken to Auschwitz and subjected to horrific medical experiments. For 41 years, Eva held her pain in silence - until she discovered the profound personal power of forgiveness. She couldn’t change the past or the people who hurt her, but she realised she could reclaim her own emotional freedom.Together, Lucy and Philippa explore how self-forgiveness is just as transformative. They discuss how it cuts through perfectionism, self-criticism and the tendency to beat ourselves up for things we didn’t - or couldn’t - have done differently.If you’ve ever felt weighed down by resentment, guilt, or old stories about what “should” have happened, this episode is a powerful reminder that forgiveness is something you choose - and it may just be the most liberating choice you’ll ever make.

Ladies of a certain age - this one’s for you.If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “I’m old… past it… life is slowing down… why don’t I feel like myself anymore?.  Or if the symptoms of menopause and this stage of life (let’s be honest, it’s busy isn’t it) have been dulling your sparkle - this episode is your invitation to take back the helm.This week, Lucy is joined by Sue Tetley (Thrive Programme Coach based in Suffolk) for a powerful conversation all about empowering yourself through the menopause. Together, they explore how much of our experience comes down to perspective, beliefs, and the meaning we attach to this stage of life. You have more power over it than you might currently think…Looking at the research into global language and connotations around the menopause, it’s clear this has an impact. For example, in Chinese culture, menopause is viewed as a rebirth - a pivotal chapter where women can let go of the energy expended in childbirth and are considered wise, valued, and respected. They report some of the lowest menopause symptoms and medication use in the world. A different cultural lens… a completely different experience.Sue and Lucy discuss a couple of key things you can do to captain your own ship through this stage of your life: 1: Choose your perspective.The way you perceive it – the beliefs you hold, the perspective you take, the understanding you have, language you use - will determine your experience. You have control over this – you don’t have to struggle and simply survive! 2: Focus on what you can do to support yourself.Yes, lifestyle habits like sleep, movement, support around you, getting outside help…all the stuff you’ll already know (yawn, sign, eye roll…). But you can do better than that – you’ve got a huge potential on the inside - get yourself thriving: Challenge and let go of your limiting beliefsBuild a sense of safety and security in who you are – develop self-confidence like you’ve never thought possibleLearn how to feel powerful and in control of your life Build robust emotional coping skills so that you can cope with life’s stressors with relative easeCreate a mindset for life that empowers you to be the captain of your ship – in control of your life This episode is all about taking the power back over this phase of your life and doing it the way you want to do it – it’s your choice – it’s more up to you than you think it is.  

In this episode, Lucy sits down with Anne Best – a Thrive Programme Coach based in Glasgow, Scotland – to discuss how The Thrive Programme helped her (and continues to help her) navigate her journey of living with hearing loss.  Anne lost her hearing after a complicated journey with asthma and repeated ear, nose and throat infections, and now has bone-anchored hearing aids. Anne reflects on her mental health at the start of her journey and says, “I was allowing my poor thinking to control my life”. She initially thought her way out of having the operation she needed to give her a better quality of life and was worried what people would think about seeing her with hearing aids.  But then she got herself thriving! Anne reveals how getting herself thriving empowered her to take responsibility for the thoughts in her head, the feelings she creates, the way she responds to situations in life, and the words she chooses both inside her head and what she says out loud. She now sees her hearing aids as her power tool!She says, “There’s fact and there’s fiction, and what I was inclined to do was make up a story – almost as a way of controlling something - and I don’t it anymore. I stick to the facts”. This inspiring episode is full of things you can do to take control of your experience of dealing with something challenging in your life. Practical takeaways, mindset shifts, coping skills, a sense of humour even.  If you’d like to talk to one of the team and get some help with something going on in your life right now, please reach out. We’d love to help. 

As the days grow shorter and the air turns colder, it’s easy to feel like winter happens to you. But what if that’s not the full story? In this empowering conversation, Lucy is joined by Thrive Programme Coach Shannon Sullivan to explore how to take your power back during the winter months.Together, they challenge the idea that low mood, sadness, or ‘winter blues’ are caused by the weather - and instead, look at how our thoughts, perspectives, and choices shape how we feel. You can’t control the weather, but you can always control your mindset.Shannon shares practical and uplifting ways to reframe how you think about the season – how to manage your thinking well and feel powerful in the choices you make, from finding joy in simple moments like hot chocolates, cosy jumpers, and crackling fires, to planning days out and embracing the unique magic of this time of year.You’re not powerless to the ‘winter blues’, you ARE the power, which means you can learn to not just survive winter, but truly thrive through it.

In this episode, Lucy sits down with Bobby Carlin to talk about the meaning of thriving. Thriving isn’t a static thing that you ‘get’ or ‘are’ - it’s a mindset you develop, a set of insights and skills you equip yourself with, a way of living that empowers you to be the best version of yourself – it’s very much a ‘doing’ thing. Bobby explains why thriving is not about chasing perfection, constant happiness, or living without fear—it’s about making intentional choices, taking ownership of your thoughts and actions, and creating habits that align with your values.If you’ve ever wondered how to move from just surviving to truly thriving, this conversation offers practical wisdom and fresh perspective.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why thriving is about living life on your own termsThe importance of an internal compass and self-accountabilityHow to shift from “What’s happening to me?” to “What am I going to do about this?”Why thriving doesn’t mean being happy all the timeThe power of choice - and how choices become habitsHow to care for yourself in all areas of your life - physically, financially, relationally, and emotionally“Thriving is living your best life, being the best version of yourself - not by chance, but by choice.” 

In this episode, Lucy chats with Sam, who recently completed the Thrive Programme and turned his life around after struggling with both emetophobia and agoraphobia.Before starting The Thrive Programme, Sam would’ve described himself as ‘just an anxious person’. He says 90% of his thoughts every day were stressful, fearful, and anxious. It’s no wonder he found it hard to even leave the house without panic taking over. He felt helpless, lost, and stuck.Fast forward just three months, and everything has changed. Sam now spends more time out of the house than in it!  He’s back at work, driving, eating out, socialising, and enjoying life with his friends. He‘s even just had his wisdom teeth out under general anaesthetic, which given he avoided going to the routine dentist for years, shows just how much his thinking and confidence has changed.  Lucy really digs into the how’s and why’s with Sam:What exactly did he change?What did his daily effort look like?What was the hardest belief to change and how did he do it? How did he overcome those initial, very convincing urges to run back to ‘safety’? What does coping look like? This is a truly inspiring conversation, packed with practical tips and takeaways. If you can relate to Sam’s story, let us know – we’d love to hear from you! 

This week, Lucy is joined by Charlie Sampson for an honest and inspiring conversation about anxiety and panic attacks affected him throughout his career.  Charlie opens up about the imposter syndrome he felt during his early career, his first panic attack in front of his colleagues, and the anxiety he silently battled whilst CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi. For years, medication helped him manage, but it wasn’t until a friend introduced him to ‘the only self-help book you’ll ever need” - The Thrive Programme that things truly changed.Through the programme, Charlie discovered the root of his struggles, learned practical skills to build self-belief, and finally experienced life free from anxiety. Today, he’s a Thrive Programme Coach, passionate about helping others -especially business people - develop the tools and confidence to feel calm, capable, and in control, no matter the situation.Charlie and Lucy discuss how your mental health – your thinking habits, the way you emotionally respond to the pressures of life, the beliefs you hold about yourself - is THE most important thing in your life.  It underpins everything – your work life, your personal relationships, your own happiness, your sleep, your work-life balance. Success isn’t ‘out there’ in your job grade, your salary, the car you drive…it’s ‘in here’ – it’s in how you think! If you’ve ever felt held back by anxiety or wondered how to build lasting resilience, this episode will give you insight, hope, and practical takeaways.We’d love to know what you think so do get in touch.