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Hosted by Crystal Hardstaff, a counsellor and parenting educator, this podcast is here to support you through the emotional ups and downs of perinatal mental health, parenting, and self-identity. This space is for real, honest conversations about the challenges of early parenthood, raising children, and prioritising your mental wellbeing. Whether you’re navigating the newborn stage, toddlerhood, older years, or balancing the journey of motherhood with your personal identity, you’ll find meaningful insights, relatable personal stories, and practical tools to help you feel more empowered. Topics range from parenting education to mental health topics. Join me as we explore how to nurture your mental health, cultivate connection, and raise confident, resilient children, all while honouring the person you are beyond your role as a parent.
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Ever felt like if one more person touches you, you might just explode? That’s being touched out—but it’s not just about exhaustion. It’s the crushing weight of constant physical contact, relentless mental load, and a world that refuses to support mothers.
In this episode, we dive into:
- Why mothers experience sensory and emotional overload.
- The unequal distribution of household and parenting labour.
- How the lack of real community support leaves mothers drowning.
- Why self-care isn’t the solution to systemic neglect—and what actually needs to change.
Motherhood shouldn’t mean sacrificing your body, mind, and autonomy. Let’s talk about how to demand better, set boundaries, and create real support systems.
Have you ever felt touched out? What helped you?
Read my Blog post https://thegentlecounsellor.com/touched-out-motherhood/
Book online Counselling with me https://thegentlecounsellor.com/counselling-services/
Follow me! https://instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Are attachment styles set in stone? Do you have to be a perfect parent to raise a securely attached child? In this episode, we’re breaking down the biggest misconceptions about attachment theory and what people often get wrong. We’ll explore why attachment is fluid and can change over time, how avoidant attachment isn’t about not needing people but rather a learned response to emotional neglect, and why anxious attachment isn’t just “needy” but rooted in a deep fear of abandonment. We’ll also dive into how healing happens, from co-regulation and self-regulation strategies to therapy tools that help move toward earned secure attachment. Whether you’ve struggled with anxious, avoidant, or disorganised attachment, this episode offers practical insights and actionable steps to support your journey toward deeper, healthier connections.
Read my Blogs on Attachment Theory https://thegentlecounsellor.com/category/attachment-theory/
Book online Counselling with me https://thegentlecounsellor.com/counselling-services/
eBook: 'Attachment Theory: A Simple Guide for Parents' https://thegentlecounsellor.com/product/attachment-theory-a-simple-guide-for-parents/
Course: 'Understanding Your Attachment Style' https://thegentlecounsellor.com/product/course-understanding-your-attachment-style/
Follow me! https://instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 24, 2025
It’s been a while since I’ve shown up here, and today, I’m coming back to chat with you - unfiltered and real. Life has been a whirlwind, and in this first episode I’m sharing my journey through burnout and multiple miscarriages. This wasn’t a planned break from social media, but it became necessary as I found myself overwhelmed by the pressure to keep creating and the negativity that came with it.
In this episode, I get real about the grief and healing process after 9 miscarriages, what it’s been like navigating that pain while already having two children, and how it’s changed the way I show up for others who are going through similar struggles. I also talk about the importance of authenticity, even when it feels uncomfortable, and how social media has both exposed us to trauma and forced us to confront the harsh realities of the world we live in.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unsure of how to show up for yourself, or struggled with the pressures of having it all together, well this episode is for you. I’m leaning into vulnerability and embracing the messiness of life. Join me as I share what I’ve learned along the way and how I’m navigating these big emotions.
Thank you for being here and listening to my story. It’s not always easy, but it feels important to show up as myself; imperfect, authentic, and ready to connect. Let’s get into it. 💛
Oh and BTW we're back to The Gentle Counsellor Podcast.
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Join Gemma, a Perinatal Counsellor, and me as we talk about discovering the empowering journey of motherhood beyond the picture-perfect façade. We explore the real challenges, how to seek professional support, the importance of connecting authentically with fellow mums, and how to navigate the dynamics of social media. Embrace the 'sh*t-show' moments and find strength in the collective experience of motherhood.
Gemma's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/postpartumlikeaboss/
Read the Blog Post https://thegentlecounsellor.com/acknowledging-the-sh1t-show/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor/
TikTok http://tiktok.com/@thegentlecounsellor
Website https://thegentlecounsellor.com/
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Tuesday Apr 18, 2023
Read the Blog Post 'Parenting From a Place of Fear'
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor/
TikTok http://tiktok.com/@thegentlecounsellor
Website https://thegentlecounsellor.com/
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Tuesday Apr 04, 2023
Read the Blog Post 'Finding Your Calling During Early Postpartum'
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor/
TikTok http://tiktok.com/@thegentlecounsellor
Website https://thegentlecounsellor.com/
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Wednesday Mar 15, 2023
Read the Blog Post: 'Postpartum Insomnia: Causes, Warning Signs, and Effective Solutions for New Mothers'
Allison shares her experience of motherhood and insomnia, and how she found sleep again. She is a 39-year-old mother of a two-year-old and a four-week-old and works as a clinical pharmacist.
Book a Counselling session with me https://thegentlecounsellor.com/counselling-services/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor/
TikTok http://tiktok.com/@thegentlecounsellor
Website https://thegentlecounsellor.com/
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Read the Blog Post: 'Why Emotional Regulation Can be Challenging for Some Children Despite Gentle Parenting: Tips and Strategies for Parents'
Yvette Knights works with families who have children with a range of delays in their foundational skills. These delays impact their behaviour and attention, social skills, emotional regulation, motor skills, balance and neurological readiness for learning. She is a neuro developmental therapist and has a degree in early childhood education. This means she has good knowledge about how we grow and develop and how our development impacts our brain and its development. Yvette uses this information to fill in any gaps in our brain's development helping people to overcome many challenges they are facing.
Here is the link to the Play Ideas handout https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I23HUMfhK1wBBV8f-dlUiyMHAOGENcIb/view?usp=sharing
https://www.facebook.com/MoveLearnConnect
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegentlecounsellor/
TikTok http://tiktok.com/@thegentlecounsellor
Website https://thegentlecounsellor.com/
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Common struggles for parents, childhood experiences and family dynamics, insecure avoidant and anxious attachment styles, and effective communication.
To book a Counselling session with Crystal click here.
Click here to download the Transcription for this episode.
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
What is real self-care? It is real and radical. Real – truly deep to your soul-nourishing. Life-changing and life-giving. Radical – unapologetic, and without guilt or shame. Quite literally taking care of yourself. Examples of real – seeing a mental health professional, setting and maintaining boundaries, learning self-regulation strategies. Examples of radical – learning from triggers instead of avoiding them, saying ‘no’, monitoring your energy levels each day.
The self-care cup analogy. When you fill your own cup then you can pour from the overflow into people and activities around you and other areas of your life i.e. relationships, creative projects, and exercise. However, your cup may have holes in it. Your environment is either strengthening or weakening your ability to self-care.
Some examples are: Lack of support network, missing ‘the village’, stress, relationship issues, mental health struggles, homelessness, experiencing racism or discrimination, and living through a crisis.
Different Types of Rest – Physical, mental, sensory, creative, and social rest are often overlooked as individual types of rest that we all need.
Dynamics between partnered parents to give each other enough time for self-care.
Click Here for the Free Self-Care Workshop
To book a Counselling session with Crystal click here.
Click here to download the Transcription for this episode.