Therapy Works

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 becomes angry when she tries to intervene, leaving her constantly worried about the next crisis. Julia, Sophie and Emily explore how to care for an ageing parent while protecting your own wellbeing, and what happens when old parent-child dynamics continue long into adulthood.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on Julia’s YouTube page.
Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being (hyperlink 'subscribe here' with the link)
Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel
Producer: Georgie Rutherford
Video Producer: Darren Michael
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 world champion swimmer Mark Foster, we explore the double life he lived for much of his extraordinary sporting career.

For 20 years, Mark was one of the fastest swimmers in the world, breaking world records and competing at five Olympic Games. But while his public identity was defined by success in the pool, privately he kept his sexuality hidden from teammates, coaches and much of the world around him. He opens up about why he felt unable to share that part of himself, and the fears that kept his public and private lives separate.

Mark Foster also shares his relentless pursuit of improvement at the highest level of sport, why even becoming the fastest swimmer in the world never felt like an endpoint, and what years of competition taught him about failure, resilience and separating what you achieve from who you are.

We talk about his childhood, his relationship with his parents and the importance of finding people who give us a sense of belonging. Mark also reflects on why he eventually decided to speak publicly about his sexuality at 47, the importance of visibility and what he discovered when he allowed himself to be more vulnerable in therapy.

From Olympic success to self-acceptance, this is a conversation about identity, happiness and what can happen when we feel able to show other people who we really are.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being.
Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.

Guest: Mark Foster
Producer: Georgie Rutherford
Executive Producer: Emily Leahy
Video Producer: Darren Michael
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Glover from Off Air for a wide-ranging conversation about therapy, relationships and mental health. They discuss how to find a good therapist, whether therapy should have an end date, the value of the stiff upper lip and what to do when you find yourself overthinking at 3am. Julia also answers some of Jane and Fi’s listeners’ questions along the way.

Off Air with Jane & Fi is available wherever you get your podcasts.

If you’d like to send a question to Therapy Works, please email: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Off Air Producer: Eve Salusbury
Therapy Works Producer: Georgie Rutherford
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 once normal life resumed. Julia, Sophie and Emily explore how to tell the difference between a passing feeling and something that genuinely needs our attention, why busyness can sometimes stop us noticing what we really feel, and how looking for patterns can help.

Please do send in your Agony Aunties questions to: jsamuelpod@gmail.com

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being
Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.
You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on my YouTube page.

Hosts: Julia Samuel, Emily Samuel, Sophie Samuel
Producer: Georgie Rutherford
Executive Producer: Emily Leahy
Video Producer: Darren Michael
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 and the most meaningful lessons she’s learnt in 91 years of life.

Behind the warmth so many know her for in her cooking shows and books, is a life shaped by profound loss. In this conversation Dame Mary Berry opens up about the devastating death of her son William, how her family approached processing grief, and how she found the strength to keep moving forward.

She also shares the traumatic experience of surviving polio as a teenager, how she’s developed resilience and her emotional healing capacity, and the power of talking therapy during challenging times.

Dame Mary Berry also reflects on the secrets of a 60 year marriage, why kindness matters above all else, as well as the comfort of cooking and food when life feels uncertain.

From navigating grief to finding joy, this is a profound conversation about connection, care, and family.

Never miss an episode: follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Subscribe here to Therapy Works on Substack for weekly insights into emotional well-being
Subscribe here to The Times and The Sunday Times to enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism.
You can also watch episodes of Therapy Works on my YouTube page.

Guests: Dame Mary Berry
Producer: Georgie Rutherford
Executive Producer: Emily Leahy
Video Producer: Darren Michael
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.