Shows / Therapy Works
Therapy Works
Conversations about life's biggest challenges.
Bestselling author and psychotherapist Julia Samuel invites us into her therapy room as she talks to both known and unknown voices about events and experiences we will all face - and how we face them.
Therapy Works is full of therapeutic conversations which may contain difficult emotions but can also bring light. Hear what the guests have learnt, have failed to learn and how they’ve grown through the experience.
At the end of each episode, Julia…
Episodes
Therapy WorksElizabeth Gilbert on Love Addiction, Grief and Life After Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert became a worldwide phenomenon with Eat, Pray, Love, a memoir about finding herself after heartbreak, but in this interview she tells Julia…
Therapy WorksPrepping: how to stop living in fear of disaster with Professor Lucy Easthope | Special Episode
With frightening headlines, global uncertainty and growing conversations about disaster prepping, more of us are wondering whether we should be stocking up on…
Therapy WorksGyles Brandreth: Why I can't stop talking and the secret to happiness
Can we ever stop trying to earn our parents' approval? Gyles Brandreth joins psychotherapist Julia Samuel to discuss grief, being “too much” and happiness…
Therapy WorksMy daughter nearly died. How do I cope with the anger and guilt? | Agony Aunties
This week’s listener is struggling with overwhelming guilt, anger and fear after her 27-year-old daughter survived a devastating fall from a balcony…
Therapy WorksJess Mills on processing the grief of her mother Tessa Jowell
How do you process grief and find your way forward after the death of the person who made you feel most at home in the world? Musician, author, and CEO of the…
Therapy WorksMy abusive father has died. Why am I grieving? | Agony Aunties
This week’s listener is struggling with the death of her father, who sexually abused her as a child and never acknowledged what he had done. Psychotherapist…
Therapy WorksOre Oduba on hiding his addiction: “I lived my entire life in fear”
How does childhood trauma fuel adult addiction? Broadcaster, actor and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ore Oduba joins psychotherapist Julia Samuel to…
Therapy WorksMy adult sons are estranged. Should I intervene? | Agony Aunties
This week’s listener is heartbroken by sibling estrangement. Psychotherapist Julia Samuel and her daughters Sophie and Emily explore the pain it causes, why…
Therapy WorksThe hidden grief of baby loss and TFMR
To mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, author and former teacher Rosanna Brown joins Julia Samuel to share the story of her son William and her experience of…
Therapy WorksMy family doesn’t believe my ADHD diagnosis. What Do I Do? | Agony Aunties
This week’s listener has recently been diagnosed with ADHD after a lifetime of struggling with strong emotions and impulsivity. While the diagnosis has brought…
Therapy WorksElif Shafak: “All I wanted from my father was an apology”
What happens when a parent is absent from your childhood, and how does that shape the person you become? Bestselling author Elif Shafak joins Julia Samuel to…
Therapy WorksCan I care for my elderly father without getting overwhelmed? | Agony Aunties
This week’s listener is struggling with the growing responsibility of caring for her elderly father. Although increasingly frail, he refuses offers of help and…
Therapy WorksMark Foster on hiding his sexuality and learning to be himself
What happens when the person the world sees doesn’t quite match who you are behind closed doors? In this open conversation with five-time Olympian and former…
- Therapy Works
Off Air X Therapy Works
Welcome to this special Off Air X Therapy Works crossover episode, celebrating Therapy Works joining The Times podcast family. Julia joins Jane Garvey and Fi…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How do you know when something in your life needs to change?
After some time away from her usual routine, this week’s listener found herself questioning parts of her work and relationships, only to feel those doubts fade…
Therapy WorksDame Mary Berry: "I never asked why after my son died"
How do you move forward after the loss of a child? In this personal conversation with cooking legend Dame Mary Berry, we explore raw grief, building resilience…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How Do I Know If I Actually Need Help?
Social media has made it easier than ever to recognise ourselves in conversations about ADHD, trauma, anxiety and burnout. But what happens when every…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: My Cancer Has Gone… So Why Am I Still Struggling?
A listener shares the hidden reality of life after cancer. Three years after successful treatment for anal cancer, she is cancer-free but continues to live…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: We've Stopped Having Sex. What Do We Do Now?
A listener shares a dilemma that will resonate with so many couples: after almost 20 years together and two young children, she and her husband have drifted…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How Do I Say Goodbye to Someone I Love?
A listener asks one of the hardest questions imaginable: how do you visit a close friend who is nearing the end of their life? Julia, Emily and Sophie explore…
- Therapy Works
BONUS: Yasmine Naghdi on Why Confidence Isn't About Being Perfect
In this special episode of Therapy Works, in partnership with Code8's Confidence Comes From Within campaign, Julia is joined by Royal Ballet Principal Yasmine…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How Do I Deal With a Difficult Mother-in-Law?
Family holidays are meant to be relaxing, so why do they so often leave us feeling exhausted? This week, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a listener's question…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Why Do I Keep Sabotaging Myself?
This week, the Agony Aunties answer a question that so many of us will recognise: why is it so hard to make the changes we desperately want to make? From…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Why Do I Feel So Lonely?
In this week's Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a heartfelt question from a listener who feels deeply lonely despite appearing successful…
- Therapy Works
BONUS: Manon Lagrève on The Confidence to Be Yourself
This week, Julia is joined by cook, bestselling author and content creator Manon Lagrève for a heartfelt conversation about confidence, family and the values…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Relationship Anxiety - Am I Overthinking or Is Something Wrong?
This week on Agony Aunties, they answer a listener's heartfelt question about what happens when a relationship begins to feel different. After two and a half…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Why Do I Feel So Lonely After Having a Baby?
In this episode of Agony Aunties, Julia, Emily and Sophie answer a heartfelt question from a listener who feels isolated after moving away from the city to…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Caring for a Difficult Parent
This episode of Agony Aunties tackles the emotional complexity of caring for an ageing parent when the relationship has always been difficult. Emily and Sophie…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How to Survive the Summer Holidays
The Agony Aunties are back, answering a listener's question about the pressures of parenting through the long summer holidays. Together, Sophie and Emily…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Why Am I Never Good Enough?
This week on Agony Aunties, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a listener who has recently graduated but is struggling to feel proud of their achievement…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: I Bottle Everything Up Until I Explode
This week on Agony Aunties, they respond to a listener who avoids difficult conversations until their feelings spill out in anger or tears. Together, they…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: My Husband Is Always On His Phone. How Do We Reconnect?
This week on Agony Aunties, the girls tackle a listener dilemma that will feel familiar to many couples: what happens when you're sharing a sofa but no longer…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Feeling Overwhelmed by the World?
In this week’s Agony Aunties episode, Julia and her daughters respond to a listener struggling with the overwhelming anxiety of living in a world shaped by…
Therapy WorksCelebration Day: Megan Jones on Grief, Loss and the Parents Who Shaped Her
In this episode, I speak with England rugby captain Megan Jones about grief, pressure, identity and what it means to keep going when life changes completely…
Therapy WorksHow to Make Life Happier with Mark Williamson (BONUS EP)
In this episode of Therapy Works, Julia is joined by Mark Williamson, co-founder and director of Action for Happiness and author of the number one bestselling…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: When Your Adult Child Won’t Move Out
This week, our Agony Aunties tackle a dilemma that is becoming the "new normal" for many: the 30-something child who simply won’t fly the nest. When a listener…
Therapy WorksArit Anderson On Parkinson’s, Chelsea Flower Show And The Healing Power Of Gardens
In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by garden designer, writer and Gardeners’ World presenter Arit Anderson to talk about the deeply personal story…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Why Do I Feel So Alone in My Grief?
In this Agony Aunties episode, Emily, Sophie and Julia respond to a moving question from a listener navigating grief after the loss of her husband, and the…
Therapy WorksHelen Fielding on Grief, Bridget Jones and Being Loved As You Are (LIVE)
In this special bonus episode of Therapy Works, recorded live, I’m joined by the wonderful Helen Fielding - journalist, novelist, and creator of the iconic…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How to Help Your Teen With Exam Stress and Anxiety
In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a parent struggling to support their son through GCSE exam stress, offering a compassionate reminder that while…
Therapy WorksEXPERT EPISODE: Amir Levine on How to Build Secure Love
In this episode, I speak with psychiatrist, neuroscientist and author Amir Levine about his new book Secure, and how we can move towards more secure attachment…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Coping with Financial Anxiety in Uncertain Times
The Agony Aunties respond to a heartfelt question from a listener struggling with ongoing financial stress following COVID and the rising cost of living. They…
Therapy WorksLiz Earle on Why Midlife Could Be Your Best Chapter Yet
In this episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Liz Earle, entrepreneur, author and passionate advocate for women’s wellbeing, to talk about her powerful new…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: Is This Grief or ADHD?
In this episode, the Agony Aunties respond to a listener facing multiple bereavements, a late ADHD diagnosis, and ongoing anxiety, leaving her unsure how to…
Therapy WorksMichael Morpurgo on Secrets, Loss, and the Stories That Save Us
In this episode, I sit down with Michael Morpurgo to talk about loss, memory and the quiet, often unspoken truths that shape a life. He speaks so movingly…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How Do You Handle the "Death Admin" While You’re Still Grieving?
In this week’s Agony Aunties episode, we’re diving into a heartbreakingly relatable question: how do you manage the mountain of "Death Admin" - wills, probate…
Therapy WorksJoanna King on Caring for a Parent with Alzheimer’s
In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist Joanna King for a moving conversation about what it means to care for a parent with young onset Alzheimer’s while…
Therapy WorksJulia Bradbury on Life After Cancer and Why Busyness Isn’t Healing
In this moving conversation, I talk to Julia Bradbury about the emotional aftermath of cancer, the pressure to keep going, and the hidden ways busyness can…
- Therapy Works
EXPERT EPISODE: Returning to Work After Motherhood with Dolly Jones
In this episode, Emily Samuel is joined by author, journalist and digital strategist Dolly Jones to talk about her brilliant new book Leaving the Ladder Down…
- Therapy Works
Jon Fox on Grieving the Future and the Injustice of Loss
This week, I am joined by Jon Fox for a deeply moving conversation about a love that was "robbed" of its time. After both surviving cancer, Jon and Katie found…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: What to Say When Your Child Asks About War
The Agony Aunties respond to a listener grappling with how to talk to their children about the deeply unsettling news of the current war involving Iran -…
Therapy WorksThomasina Miers on Cooking, ADHD and Coming Home to Yourself
In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by chef, writer, restaurateur and MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers for a rich and honest conversation about…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: When Grief Is Triggered by Other People’s Children
In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia and Emily respond to a deeply moving question from a mother whose son died suddenly at 12. Together, they explore the…
Therapy WorksHow Families Are Made in More Ways Than One with Rebecca Coxon
In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Rebecca Coxon — writer, journalist and documentary director, and author of the book Inconceivable. Rebecca…
Therapy WorksEXPERT EPISODE: Pelvic Floor, Pleasure & Power - The “LibDdo” Conversation with Lucy Kohli
In this expert episode, Sophie is joined by Lucy Kohli - a LiBDO-trained practitioner and yoga teacher - for a refreshingly honest chat about pelvic health…
Therapy WorksSarah Perry on What Death Can Teach Us About Living
Today I am joined by Sarah Perry, award-winning author of The Essex Serpent, Melmoth and, most recently, The Death of an Ordinary Man. Sarah speaks with…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: “I Regret Moving” - When a Fresh Start Doesn’t Feel Right
In this episode, Emily and Julia tackle a heartfelt dilemma from a listener who relocated to the North of England to be closer to family, only to find…
Therapy WorksMatthew Gulliford on When Pet Grief Blindsides You
In this episode of Therapy Works, I’m joined by Matthew Gulliford, who opens up about the loss of his beloved French bulldog, Mr. Carson. Matthew describes a…
Therapy WorksAgony Aunties: How Do You Get Loved Ones to Exercise?
In this Agony Aunties episode, Julia, Emily and Sophie respond to a listener’s thoughtful question about how to gently introduce the idea that movement can…
Therapy WorksCressida Bonas on Grief That Doesn’t Go in a Straight Line
In this episode of Therapy Works, I sit down with Cressida Bonas for a conversation that feels unusually intimate and quietly brave. We talk about the loss of…