Spare Room Wellness

05/09/2025

I was honored to be interviewed by Dr. Isha McKenzie-Mavinga for her new book "A Black Empathetic Approach". Contributing to her work and discussing my experiences of exploring my own race and internalized racism was a vulnerable action, but is an important part of my work of decolonizing my own therapy practice, and decolonizing mental health in general.
I'll be briefly speaking about my experience of being interviewed for her book today at her book launch. Join us to celebrate this incredible work and this important step towards making mental health services more equitable and accessible to all.

Routledge and BAATN invite you to join us in celebrating the Launch of Dr Isha McKenzie-Mavinga's new book

27/05/2025

Just popping onto Instagram to tell you that I'm speaking at the conference on June 13 about how to work with unknown symptoms of trauma in the self and the other in coaching relationship.

I'm very excited to be able to support coaches to deepen their knowledge and relationships with their clients and themselves. I'm also really looking forward to hearing some of the other speakers at this conference focused on working with trauma in all its forms. Join us at Ashridge on the 13th!

https://www.hult.edu/coaching/events/conference/

15/02/2025

Before I was a therapist, I worked in education.

The African Education Festival is something I attended in previous roles, but I'm honored to have been invited back to speak on Trauma Informed Teaching to empower educators to support themselves and their students in new ways.

I've learned so much from the other speakers and am taking a lot back with me to incorporate into my therapy practice and to take to other schools I work with in the future.

The concept of Ubuntu, "I am because we are" is an African concept that has been center stage at this conference. This communal spirit is key to healing and growing after trauma and is my key takeaway from this conference.

I feel very fortunate to be able to learn from and grow with these educators and can't wait to incorporate these lessons into my work in new ways.

05/02/2025

“It's not until the public gets outraged and demands something that you see a change.” - Judith Lewis Herman

There’s a difference between an elder and a person who is older than you. Today, I’m talking to someone who embodies the defenition of elder. Judith Lewis Herman, MD, is wise––a psychiatrist, professor, researcher, author, and advocate who helped establish the diagnosis of PTSD back before many of us were born. It’s a true honor to have her as my last guest on the podcast.

Wait, last guest? What?

Yep, as you’ll hear us announce, this is sadly my last episode of Conversations with a Wounded Healer and I’m going out with a bang. Why? Well, the answer is simple- I decided to practice what I preach a little bit more. In the Fall of 2024, I took stock of how I was taking care of myself, what I needed to do more of, and what changes I needed to make. The answer from my body was clear, “Girl, you need to learn to do less.” The hardest thing in the world for me to do is to not do, but it’s what is necessary right now to make sure I have a long healthy life and career (another lesson I’ve learned from my elders- don’t burn out too soon).

I have loved doing this podcast. I am forever grateful to my incredible co-host for asking me to join her. She has been an exemplary leader, supporter and cheerleader. Keep listening, friends- she’s not giving up on her mission.

To everyone who has listened and supported, I’m thankful to you as well! I’m so lucky to have had this as part of my life. Let’s all keep up the fight (but rest when we need to).

Listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

22/01/2025

Intimacy Coordinator .mcalpine has an impressive résumé, having contributed to standout projects such as the acclaimed film Poor Things, starring Emma Stone, and Netflix’s award-winning series Baby Reindeer, created by and starring Richard Gadd. Poor Things is a bold, Frankenstein-inspired narrative exploring the sexual and conscious awakening of a woman with the brain of a toddler. Meanwhile, Baby Reindeer is based on Gadd’s autobiographical one-man show, chronicling his experience with stalking and sexual violence.

In this episode, Elle dives into the nuanced interplay of power dynamics, emotional exchange, and consent frameworks behind the scenes of these productions. When Elle reflects that, "The definition of intimacy is vast, and it’s only growing," it’s clear her perspective is as applicable to everyday life as it is to the complexities of movie sets.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

17/01/2025

I'm so thrilled to have been invited to speak and collaborate with the talented educators attending the African Education Festival put on by the
This conference is very special to my heart and I look forward to working with the international schools IN Africa to support better mental health and wellbeing for students and teachers around the world!

11/12/2024

New Episode of Conversations with a Wounded Healer is out now!

“I don't believe good medicine is about what someone does for you; I think it's about what you accomplish together.” -


Self-care is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, intuitive healing methods like acupuncture are often dismissed—especially in Western cultures—as pseudoscience or frivolous endeavors. These assumptions prevent many people from embracing modalities like acupuncture as part of their wellness routine. Thankfully, there are practitioners like the wonderful Jo Darling in Brighton, UK!

Jo is deeply committed to women’s health and healing. She also happens to be my acupuncturist, so we’ll finally introduce you to my angry liver. Curious about how acupuncture works and why this practice from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has endured through centuries? Jo provides clear, insightful answers—delivered with an infectious laugh!

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

17/11/2024

New Episode of Conversations with a Wounded Healer is out now!Let’s clear the air—this isn’t that Alex Jones. This Alex Jones is the creative mind behind Humans of Brighton and Hove, a captivating Instagram page featuring candid street photography and heartfelt stories of individuals from the vibrant seaside town in the UK. While the images are striking, it’s the captions that foster a sense of shared humanity. These posts offer unfiltered glimpses into the lives of everyday people, reminding us of the common threads that unite us beyond divides like race, religion, or socioeconomic status.

It’s no accident that this episode unfolds with the ease of a well-crafted narrative. Alex, a storyteller at heart, is also a skilled interviewer and documentary photographer. His mission? To delve into the richness of human experiences and bring people closer together through the art of storytelling. “One of the main reasons I started Humans of Brighton and Hove was to shine a light on the homelessness crisis,” Alex explains. “I thought, these individuals are just being overlooked, and I wanted to change that. Then it naturally expanded to include everyone.”

There’s more to how the account came to be. “I’ve always felt a little different,” Alex admits, “and that’s part of why I started Humans of Brighton and Hove. I want people to embrace what makes them unique.” Living with severe anxiety, Alex found the project gave him purpose—an incentive to venture out and connect with others. Even brief encounters with strangers became a source of motivation, and over time, his approach to listening deepened. “I aim to create a space where people can truly be themselves,” he shares.

Humans of Brighton and Hove quietly yet powerfully celebrates diversity and resilience on both sides of the lens. “Every time I head out, I feel this inner resistance—not because I don’t want to engage, but because that resistance is part of me,” Alex reflects. “Instead of fighting it, I let it be. Then, when I meet someone, I don’t just see their exterior. I see the soul beneath it, and that’s what I want to connect with.”

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

16/10/2024

Independent bookshops are enchanting spaces. Step into a brick-and-mortar indie, and you instantly join a larger conversation. However, creating that blend of cozy nooks and a welcoming community requires considerable effort. These shops flourish thanks to the dedicated booksellers behind them—real people focused on more than just making sales.

Carolynn Bain, the founder and owner of in Brighton, UK, embodies this spirit. She’s an award-winning entrepreneur whose thoughtfully curated selection and culturally rich events make her shop an essential local resource. In our conversation, Carolynn discusses the importance of centering diverse narratives and the significance of taking time to rest.

Listen to Conversations with a Wounded Healer wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

09/10/2024

Sarah takes her self-proclaimed woo-woo seriously, but she completely understand why some folks (like me) might hesitate to embrace ancient wisdom traditions like astrology, Reiki, or the Enneagram. Sarah believes it often comes down to the language used rather than the core message itself, as well as a prevalent bias against knowledge that lacks modern scientific validation—unless, of course, you consider the immense depth of ancestral wisdom and experience. Sarah does, and so does Khaled ElSherbini, PhD. He founded Consciousness Academy (CA), the top IEA-accredited Enneagram school situated on the Sinai Peninsula, a region revered for its spiritual significance by Islam, Judaism, and Christianity alike. If you appreciate a blend of the mystical with a solid scientific foundation, this conversation is for you! If you’re like me and this sounds a bit too far for you- hang in there, Khaled has something for everyone.

Listen to Conversations with a Wounded Healer wherever you get your podcasts or at spareroomwellness.com/podcast

04/09/2024

“If I call on my best self––I'm here, I'm present and I'm meeting with my client––then there is love. I don't talk about love and I don't say love, but I can't help that being there.” - Charlotte Sills

There’s a timeless piece of wisdom that goes like this: To understand where we’re headed, it’s wise to reflect on where we’ve been. I’d like to add that it’s equally beneficial to engage in conversations with those who came before us. More often than not, they carry a wealth of wisdom and are eager to pass it on.

Charlotte Sills, MA, MSc, is one of these amazing therapy elders, brimming with knowledge and foresight. Her insights are so abundant they could fill textbooks––and indeed, they have. I know because I’ve read most of them. Charlotte is a psychotherapist in private practice in the UK and an academic whose expertise lies in transactional analysis (TA), an approach that explores how people communicate and relate to one another. She's also a mother, grandmother, and, as it turns out, quite the writer (refer back to those textbooks I mentioned). Her books fill my shelves, her teachings have filled my mind with a lot to consider as I grow further in my therapy career.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at https://www.spareroomwellness.com/podcast