In this episode Cath is joined by Yvonne Smyth. Yvonne is a Conscious Parent Coach and a Child Advocate. She's a single mum who co-parents her boys of 12 and 13 and she lives in Northern Ireland.

Cath was joined by Flora Cruft for this episode. Flora Cruft is a poet, a picture book writer, an existential psychotherapist and a creativity coach. She runs her own online therapy and coaching practice, South West Therapy. Her debut poetry book I am a Spider Mother was published by The Mum Poem Press in 2022. Flora won the Books that Help 2023 picture book mentorship with Little Tiger Press, and she loves to write, sing, bake and enjoy loud kitchen discos with her twin daughters.

Cath was joined by Kendra Wilde this week. They talked all about how to keep our sanity intact in parenting when our children are struggling in some way. Kendra shared about the 'why' behind (Wild Peace for Parents) and how she was pushed to a place of burnout on her parenting journey. This conversation is loaded with self compassion and wisdom from someone who has kids in their twenties, we hope you enjoy it.

In this solo episode Cath uses her concept 'The Good Girl Grid' to explain how women are held down in society and how this complicates our ability to own our own internal and motherhood experience. She talks about the idea of 'being on our own sides' and what that means and how that might look in practise (using anecdotes from her own life).

Cath was joined by psychotherapist and coach Kate Merrick this week. Cath and Kate talked about Kate's path to motherhood, her lineage, how her ancestors turned up to support her journey, personal power in the postpartum time, advocating for our children, medical herbalism and much more.

In this episode Cath speaks to how much our own inner child may be triggered in parenting and makes some suggestions about what to hold in mind to support yourself.

In this deeply personal episode Cath reflects on what often trips us up when we spend long periods of time with our kids, particularly when we have childhood trauma. She highlights some of the key issues we deal with when we have experienced trauma and gives some tips and suggestions for how you can make the most of time spent with your kids (while holding onto your sanity).

In episode 120 of Grow Yourself Up Cath was joined by Clint Davis. Cath and Clint talked about culture and patriarchy, how Clint parents differently to how he was patented and how he continues to grow himself up in fatherhood. Cath and Clint talked about Clint’s book and how the conversations you have with your kids when they are young provide an important basis for later communication and much more.

Cath and Lisa talked about Lisa’s motherhood journey, how she has grown herself up, the need for women to grow up and let go of innocence, self abandonment and pleasing others. This maturation process and claiming all parts of our feminine energy (not just that which is kind or sweet) is essential to be able to protect ourselves and our kids and live a full adult life. 

It can feel really confusing as a cycle breaking parent learning to hold space for our child's feelings without taking responsibility for them. Often there is entanglement where we may feel we need our children to be a certain way so we can feel ok. Cath speaks to all of this and the overlap around holding space for feelings, stress responses and getting more comfortable with the displeasure of our children. She uses examples from her life to bring the points alive.

In this episode Cath was joined by Dr Kathrin Stauffer. They chatted about how the body remembers in multiple ways and how not getting what we need in childhood impacts multiple systems in our bodies (not just the nervous system). When we are on a healing journey the expression of sadness and grieving are an important part of this journey. However, it may be that we are blocked from crying by our defences. We dived into this and talked about food, body shape, body psychotherapy, the the function of comfort eating, shame and much more.

In this episode Cath is joined by Dr Catherine Clinton. Catherine shares all about her own healing journey, how she prioritises time outside, how she walks her talk and how she honours her own emotional life to bring in emotional flow and coherence.

In this episode Cath links trauma healing to the healing we need to do in the collective and for our world. She speaks to how owning all parts of ourselves is essential to bringing in a healthier world, the importance of our imagination and how tending to ourselves is key to each of us playing our part in the revolution.

In this special bonus episode released on Christmas Day, Cath talks about what can sometimes derail us over the holidays. She makes suggestions around how to return to our own centre, to consider what is important to us and to focus on our own values.

Ironically Christmas is often a time when many of us struggle with our mental health and with staying in a regulated enough place.

Cath addresses why this may happen, focuses on why an understanding of our nervous system is so helpful in de-shaming this experience and suggests some practical tips to help you if you are feeling like this.

In this episode Cath was joined by Stephen Terrell. Steve Terrell is a Healer, Teacher, and Author and sees clients at Austin Attachment and Counseling Center in Austin, Texas. He founded this center over 20 years ago for the treatment of Developmental Trauma and Adoption related issues. He has a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a Doctorate in Psychology California Coast University and sees his clients under his license as a professional counselor in Texas. 

In this episode Cath speaks to the general craziness that happens at this time of year and makes some actionable suggestions.