Feel Better

Charlotte Cummings

A podcast focused on building better mental and emotional health, with New Zealand counsellor Charlotte Cummings.

  1. 1 MAR

    How to Stop Overthinking

    If you struggle with overthinking, this episode is for you. Maybe your brain replays conversations on a loop.Maybe you catastrophise about the future.Maybe decision-making feels exhausting because you’ve already run 47 scenarios in your head. Overthinking is incredibly common. Research suggests up to 80% of our thoughts are negative and 95% are repetitive. That means most of us are swimming in the same mental loops on repeat. In this episode, I break down: • What overthinking actually is (and how it’s different from healthy reflection)• The two main types: rumination and worry• Why overthinking feels productive but actually reduces control• The cognitive distortions driving it, including catastrophising, mind-reading, black and white thinking, and perfectionism• Why overthinking is often about avoiding an “unbearable” feeling• The nervous system patterns behind it And most importantly, I give you practical strategies you can use immediately: • The powerful question: “What now?”• How to give your brain a container• Why getting back into your body is essential• How to use cognitive defusion from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy• Making good enough decisions instead of perfect ones• Treating life like an experiment• Building tolerance for uncertainty• Replacing self-criticism with compassionate self-talk If you’re tired of living in your head, if your thoughts feel loud and relentless, or if overthinking is impacting your sleep, relationships, or confidence, this episode will give you tools to interrupt the cycle. You are bigger than your thoughts.They don’t get to run the show. For more resources, visit charlottecummings.nzCome and connect with me on Instagram @charlottethecounsellor If this episode helped you, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs it.

    27 min
  2. How to Set Better Work Boundaries

    22 FEB

    How to Set Better Work Boundaries

    If you’re someone who keeps saying “I’m just bad at boundaries” or “I’m the kind of person who overworks” this episode is for you. In this Ask Charlotte episode, I’m answering a listener question about how to maintain work boundaries differently, especially when you’re high-functioning, committed, and genuinely care about doing a good job. We unpack why willpower isn’t the answer, and why the stories you tell yourself about who you are might actually be keeping you stuck. In this episode, I cover: • Why fixed identity stories like “I’m just bad at boundaries” block change • How to pre-decide work limits so you’re not relying on motivation at the end of a long day • Practical ways to contain work overflow without letting it take over your life • How to prepare pushbacks so boundaries don’t feel awkward or personal • When overwork is actually a resourcing problem, not a you problem • Why holding boundaries often feels uncomfortable and why that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong • The confronting question of whether your personal life is inviting enough to pull you away from work • How workaholism can be a trauma response and what to do if this pattern keeps repeating If you’re burnt out, exhausted, or quietly worried that your work life is crowding out everything else, this episode will help you think differently and start doing things differently. This is about building boundaries that are sustainable, realistic, and protective of the life you actually want to live. Listen now on the Feel Better Podcast.

    13 min
  3. 30/11/2025

    How to Share More Deeply With Your Partner: Simple Ways to Build Emotional Intimacy - Ep 110

    So many couples tell me there’s nothing wrong in their relationship… but it feels flat, distant, or like they’re just co-managing life. The love is there — but the deep conversations aren’t. And, many people have just never been taught how to share on that deeper level - so it feels uncomfortable, awkward and even impossible. In this episode of the Feel Better Podcast, I’m talking about how to share more deeply with your partner so you can move beyond “yeah, my day was fine/busy” and back into real intimacy and connection.We’ll talk about:- Why good relationships still drift into shallow, surface-level check-ins- How to set up your time and body language so deeper sharing actually feels possible- My “make like a therapist” approach to asking better questions (without feeling like a weirdo)- Exactly what to ask instead of “How was your day?”- How to have a regular “let me in” chat about the bigger picture of life, goals and stress- Why timing matters (spoiler: 5.40pm over the chopping board is not it)- The difference between listening to fix and listening to understand- A simple gratitude practice that helps you feel more like a teamIf you’ve been feeling like housemates, co-parents, or logistics managers, this episode will give you really practical ways to rebuild emotional closeness — in small, doable moments.And, if you want to take a further step to build better connection in your relationship, I'm ready for ya! Come and join me for Give Me 10 Minutes — a weekly 10-minute audio + discussion guide designed to help you reset communication, understand each other’s triggers, and feel more like you’re on the same team again.✨ Listen in if:You miss the deeper chats you used to have, you’re tired of superficial “we’re fine” conversations, or you want your relationship to feel closer, warmer and more understood again.

    29 min

Información

A podcast focused on building better mental and emotional health, with New Zealand counsellor Charlotte Cummings.

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