Riding The Trauma Train Podcast

Lydia Davis
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly

Riding the Trauma Train helps those who are on a healing journey build practical tools for recovery and wellbeing. Each episode offers trauma-informed insight, nervous system support, and empowering reflections for navigating triggers, boundaries, relationships, and self-worth. Compassionate, grounded, and realistic support to help you take kind, steady steps forward.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 47 | Can Your Weight Feel Like Protection? My Personal Story

    For more than 20 years, Lydia experienced her weight as a safety blanket. But while she was trying to change her appearance, she hadn’t yet understood what she was carrying underneath. In this personal solo episode of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia explores the shift from judging herself to understanding herself, and asks: what does protection look like for you? Perhaps it’s people pleasing, staying constantly busy, keeping others at a distance or trying to control everything around you. You don’t need to have experienced trauma to recognise yourself in this conversation. IN THIS EPISODE • Why Lydia describes her weight as protection. • The conflict between wanting change and finding comfort in familiarity. • Body image, negative self-talk and feelings of shame. • Looking at earlier versions of ourselves with compassion. • Movement, rest and small ways to practise self-kindness. • Recognising when a familiar coping pattern is becoming difficult. • Lydia’s TRACK method: Truth, Recognition, Awareness, Connection and Keep Moving Forward. Understanding creates compassion. You don’t have to work everything out today. Sometimes the starting point is noticing a judgement and asking what it leaves out about you. CONTENT NOTE AND DISCLAIMER Includes childhood sexual abuse, body image and difficulties with eating. Alongside the research referenced, this episode shares Lydia’s personal experiences and opinions. It is not medical advice. Please listen at your own pace. PEOPLE AND SOURCES REFERENCED • Dr Judith Herman: Safety, power and choice in trauma recovery. • Roxane Gay: Author of Hunger. • Dr Gabor Maté: Looking beneath addiction to pain. • Dr Brené Brown: Shame, worthiness and belonging. • Alex Light: Author of You Are Not a Before Picture. • Mel Robbins: The High 5 Habit. • Mental Health Foundation, Body Image Report (2019): YouGov survey of 4,505 UK adults. For clarity, 20% reported shame because of body image; separately, 34% reported feeling down or low during the previous year. SUPPORT Rape Crisis England & Wales | Beat eating disorder support CONNECT WITH LYDIA Website: ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk Instagram: @ridingthetraumatrain If this episode resonates, follow the podcast or share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. You are not on this journey alone. #RidingTheTraumaTrain #BodyImage #SelfCompassion #EmotionalEating #SelfWorth #TraumaRecovery #PeoplePleasing #MentalHealthPodcast #JudithHerman #RoxaneGay #GaborMate #BreneBrown #AlexLight #MelRobbins

  2. Nov 1

    Episode 47 | Can Your Weight Feel Like Protection? My Personal Story

    For more than 20 years, Lydia experienced her weight as a safety blanket. But while she was trying to change her appearance, she hadn’t yet understood what she was carrying underneath. In this personal solo episode of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia explores the shift from judging herself to understanding herself, and asks: what does protection look like for you? Perhaps it’s people pleasing, staying constantly busy, keeping others at a distance or trying to control everything around you. You don’t need to have experienced trauma to recognise yourself in this conversation. IN THIS EPISODE • Why Lydia describes her weight as protection. • The conflict between wanting change and finding comfort in familiarity. • Body image, negative self-talk and feelings of shame. • Looking at earlier versions of ourselves with compassion. • Movement, rest and small ways to practise self-kindness. • Recognising when a familiar coping pattern is becoming difficult. • Lydia’s TRACK method: Truth, Recognition, Awareness, Connection and Keep Moving Forward. Understanding creates compassion. You don’t have to work everything out today. Sometimes the starting point is noticing a judgement and asking what it leaves out about you. CONTENT NOTE AND DISCLAIMER Includes childhood sexual abuse, body image and difficulties with eating. Alongside the research referenced, this episode shares Lydia’s personal experiences and opinions. It is not medical advice. Please listen at your own pace. PEOPLE AND SOURCES REFERENCED • Dr Judith Herman: Safety, power and choice in trauma recovery. • Roxane Gay: Author of Hunger. • Dr Gabor Maté: Looking beneath addiction to pain. • Dr Brené Brown: Shame, worthiness and belonging. • Alex Light: Author of You Are Not a Before Picture. • Mel Robbins: The High 5 Habit. • Mental Health Foundation, Body Image Report (2019): YouGov survey of 4,505 UK adults. For clarity, 20% reported shame because of body image; separately, 34% reported feeling down or low during the previous year. SUPPORT Rape Crisis England & Wales | Beat eating disorder support CONNECT WITH LYDIA Website: ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk Instagram: @ridingthetraumatrain If this episode resonates, follow the podcast or share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. You are not on this journey alone.

  3. Oct 19

    Episode 45 | How Does Toxic Workplace Culture Affect Your Mental Health? with Becky Ray

    What happens when the workplace that's supposed to support you becomes the very thing affecting your mental health? In Episode 45 of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia Davis welcomes Becky Ray, founder and CEO of Culture Kick, to explore toxic workplace culture, emotional suppression, psychological safety and why telling people to simply become more resilient is not enough. From becoming the UK's first female forklift truck engineer to working in health and safety leadership, Becky has experienced the best and worst of workplace culture. After unexpectedly losing her job in 2020, she built Culture Kick to help organisations create environments where people can speak up, learn from mistakes and feel valued as human beings. Together, Lydia and Becky ask what happens when technically skilled employees become managers without the tools to lead people. They explore how blame, outdated attitudes and the expectation to leave emotions at home can affect confidence, stress and wellbeing, both at work and beyond it. Becky shares her five-layer framework for healthier workplaces, including psychological safety, learning from failure and turning frustrations into focus. She also explains four ways to approach frustration: remove it, reduce it, reframe it or release it. The conversation moves into conscious connected breathwork and how Becky introduces energetic, music-led sessions in construction workplaces, leadership events and charities. Rather than expecting people to cope with unhealthy environments, she advocates changing the conditions that create stress while offering practical ways to support wellbeing. IN THIS EPISODE: How toxic workplace cultures can affect mental health Why good technical skills don't automatically make good leaders Psychological safety, compassion and speaking up Responding to mistakes without blame Turning frustration into focus Breathwork and workplace stress Why vulnerability can be a strength CONTENT NOTE: This episode discusses workplace stress, burnout, trauma and emotional suppression. Listen at your own pace. Breathwork experiences vary and intensive practices may not be suitable for everyone. CONNECT WITH BECKY RAY Website: https://www.culturekick.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-ray-culturekick/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_kick_/ LYDIA DAVIS Founder | Right Track Wellbeing Ltd Host | Riding the Trauma Train Podcast Workshops • Coaching • Speaking • Podcast Stronger in Body • Clearer in Mind You are not on this journey alone. 🌿 Right Track Wellbeing: https://righttrackwellbeingltd.com/ 🎙️ Riding the Trauma Train: https://ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk/ 📷 Instagram: @right.track.wellbeing | @ridingthetraumatrain If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear that understanding people is part of leading them well. Subscribe for more conversations, one stop at a time.

  4. Oct 19

    Episode 45 | How Does Toxic Workplace Culture Affect Your Mental Health? with Becky Ray

    What happens when the workplace that's supposed to support you becomes the very thing affecting your mental health? In Episode 45 of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia Davis welcomes Becky Ray, founder and CEO of Culture Kick, to explore toxic workplace culture, emotional suppression, psychological safety and why telling people to simply become more resilient is not enough. From becoming the UK's first female forklift truck engineer to working in health and safety leadership, Becky has experienced the best and worst of workplace culture. After unexpectedly losing her job in 2020, she built Culture Kick to help organisations create environments where people can speak up, learn from mistakes and feel valued as human beings. Together, Lydia and Becky ask what happens when technically skilled employees become managers without the tools to lead people. They explore how blame, outdated attitudes and the expectation to leave emotions at home can affect confidence, stress and wellbeing, both at work and beyond it. Becky shares her five-layer framework for healthier workplaces, including psychological safety, learning from failure and turning frustrations into focus. She also explains four ways to approach frustration: remove it, reduce it, reframe it or release it. The conversation moves into conscious connected breathwork and how Becky introduces energetic, music-led sessions in construction workplaces, leadership events and charities. Rather than expecting people to cope with unhealthy environments, she advocates changing the conditions that create stress while offering practical ways to support wellbeing. IN THIS EPISODE: How toxic workplace cultures can affect mental health Why good technical skills don't automatically make good leaders Psychological safety, compassion and speaking up Responding to mistakes without blame Turning frustration into focus Breathwork and workplace stress Why vulnerability can be a strength CONTENT NOTE: This episode discusses workplace stress, burnout, trauma and emotional suppression. Listen at your own pace. Breathwork experiences vary and intensive practices may not be suitable for everyone. CONNECT WITH BECKY RAY Website: https://www.culturekick.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-ray-culturekick/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_kick_/ LYDIA DAVIS Founder | Right Track Wellbeing Ltd Host | Riding the Trauma Train Podcast Workshops • Coaching • Speaking • Podcast Stronger in Body • Clearer in Mind You are not on this journey alone. 🌿 Right Track Wellbeing: https://righttrackwellbeingltd.com/ 🎙️ Riding the Trauma Train: https://ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk/ 📷 Instagram: @right.track.wellbeing | @ridingthetraumatrain If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear that understanding people is part of leading them well. Subscribe for more conversations, one stop at a time.

  5. Oct 12

    Episode 44 | Can Your Past Shape You Without Defining You? with Ryan Hartley

    Can your past shape who you are without defining who you become? Our childhood experiences, relationships and emotional wounds can influence how we see ourselves and connect with others. But what happens when we question the stories we've carried for years? In Episode 44 of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia welcomes Ryan Hartley, founder of Always Better Than Yesterday, for a deeply personal conversation about childhood experiences, identity, self-worth, heart-centred leadership and finding purpose. Having known each other for nearly two decades, Lydia and Ryan explore how their experiences have shaped their passion for helping others feel seen, heard and understood. Ryan opens up about feelings of abandonment, his need for belonging and how seeking validation influenced his relationships and leadership. Together, they explore reconnecting with yourself, leading from the heart and recognising that your past doesn't have to define your future. What We Cover Childhood experiences: How early relationships shape our beliefs and identity. People-pleasing: How fear of rejection influences our behaviour. Heartset versus mindset: Understanding your values, strengths and purpose. Passion, pain and possibility: Three pathways to finding purpose. Pain into purpose: How lived experiences can inspire compassion and connection. Heart-centred leadership: Leading with self-awareness and authenticity. Living authentically: Expressing who you are without changing your entire life. Your heartprint: How everyday interactions make a difference. Heartset, Heartwork and Heartprint Ryan introduces three concepts central to his work: Heartset: Knowing who you are, what you value and what matters. Heartwork: Expressing your values through actions and relationships. Heartprint: The impact you leave through how you connect and lead. Drawing on the forensic principle that every contact leaves a trace, Ryan reminds us that making a difference doesn't require extraordinary achievements. Sometimes it begins with helping one person feel valued. Who This Episode Is For This conversation may resonate if you: Have experienced trauma, abandonment or disconnection. Struggle with people-pleasing or seeking validation. Feel disconnected from your identity or purpose. Want to understand how your past influences your present. Want to live or lead more authentically. Key Takeaways Your past can shape you without defining you. Self-awareness helps you recognise unhelpful patterns. Purpose can emerge through passion, pain and possibility. You don't have to turn trauma into purpose. Heart-centred leadership begins with self-awareness. Every interaction can leave a positive heartprint. The Conductor's Question Lydia asks Ryan what he would say to his younger self. His moving answer explores self-compassion, reassurance and recognising he never needed to prove his worth. He leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: every contact leaves a trace. About Ryan Hartley Ryan founded Always Better Than Yesterday, a heart-centred leadership coaching and consultancy business helping people reconnect with their values, purpose and humanity. He also hosts the Always Better Than Yesterday podcast. Connect with Ryan: [ADD LINKS] Connect with Lydia Website: www.ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk Instagram: @ridingthetraumatrain Right Track Wellbeing: @right.track.wellbeing Email: hello@ridingthetraumtrain.com If this episode resonates, share it with someone who may need to hear it and follow Riding the Trauma Train for more conversations about trauma, healing and connection. Content Note: Discusses childhood abuse, abandonment, emotional distress and spiritual beliefs. Listen at your own pace. Nobody has to find purpose in their trauma.

  6. Oct 12

    Episode 44 | Can Your Past Shape You Without Defining You? with Ryan Hartley

    Can your past shape who you are without defining who you become? Our childhood experiences, relationships and emotional wounds can influence how we see ourselves and connect with others. But what happens when we question the stories we've carried for years? In Episode 44 of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia welcomes Ryan Hartley, founder of Always Better Than Yesterday, for a deeply personal conversation about childhood experiences, identity, self-worth, heart-centred leadership and finding purpose. Having known each other for nearly two decades, Lydia and Ryan explore how their experiences have shaped their passion for helping others feel seen, heard and understood. Ryan opens up about feelings of abandonment, his need for belonging and how seeking validation influenced his relationships and leadership. Together, they explore reconnecting with yourself, leading from the heart and recognising that your past doesn't have to define your future. What We Cover Childhood experiences: How early relationships shape our beliefs and identity. People-pleasing: How fear of rejection influences our behaviour. Heartset versus mindset: Understanding your values, strengths and purpose. Passion, pain and possibility: Three pathways to finding purpose. Pain into purpose: How lived experiences can inspire compassion and connection. Heart-centred leadership: Leading with self-awareness and authenticity. Living authentically: Expressing who you are without changing your entire life. Your heartprint: How everyday interactions make a difference. Heartset, Heartwork and Heartprint Ryan introduces three concepts central to his work: Heartset: Knowing who you are, what you value and what matters. Heartwork: Expressing your values through actions and relationships. Heartprint: The impact you leave through how you connect and lead. Drawing on the forensic principle that every contact leaves a trace, Ryan reminds us that making a difference doesn't require extraordinary achievements. Sometimes it begins with helping one person feel valued. Who This Episode Is For This conversation may resonate if you: Have experienced trauma, abandonment or disconnection. Struggle with people-pleasing or seeking validation. Feel disconnected from your identity or purpose. Want to understand how your past influences your present. Want to live or lead more authentically. Key Takeaways Your past can shape you without defining you. Self-awareness helps you recognise unhelpful patterns. Purpose can emerge through passion, pain and possibility. You don't have to turn trauma into purpose. Heart-centred leadership begins with self-awareness. Every interaction can leave a positive heartprint. The Conductor's Question Lydia asks Ryan what he would say to his younger self. His moving answer explores self-compassion, reassurance and recognising he never needed to prove his worth. He leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: every contact leaves a trace. About Ryan Hartley Ryan founded Always Better Than Yesterday, a heart-centred leadership coaching and consultancy business helping people reconnect with their values, purpose and humanity. He also hosts the Always Better Than Yesterday podcast. Connect with Ryan: [ADD LINKS] Connect with Lydia Website: www.ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk Instagram: @ridingthetraumatrain Right Track Wellbeing: @right.track.wellbeing Email: hello@ridingthetraumtrain.com If this episode resonates, share it with someone who may need to hear it and follow Riding the Trauma Train for more conversations about trauma, healing and connection. Content Note: Discusses childhood abuse, abandonment, emotional distress and spiritual beliefs. Listen at your own pace. Nobody has to find purpose in their trauma.

  7. Oct 5

    Episode 43 | To Share or Not to Share: Who Gets to Hear Your Story?

    “How are you?” We hear it all the time, but how often is someone genuinely asking, and how often is it simply another way of saying hello? In this solo episode of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia explores the space between saying “I’m fine” and sharing your entire life story. From oversharing and over-explaining to privacy, vulnerability and boundaries, this episode asks an important question: who actually gets to hear your story? Because being honest does not mean everyone is entitled to every detail. In This Episode Lydia talks about: • Why “I’m fine” can be a complete answer • Privacy versus being silenced • Oversharing versus vulnerability • Why “I’m not fine” does not mean you owe someone an explanation • The pressure survivors can feel to speak out • Why sharing your trauma is not proof that you have healed • Choosing who gets access to different parts of your story Lydia also reflects on her own experience of sharing more about being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse as the podcast has grown, while recognising that some parts of her story remain private. Finding your voice can be incredibly powerful, but speaking out should never become another expectation. You can tell thousands of people, three people or nobody. Your story still belongs to you. 5 Ways to Pause Before Oversharing 1. Pause before answering Give yourself three seconds and ask, “Do I actually want to share this?” 2. Give the headline, not the whole article “I’m having a difficult week” can be enough. You can always share more later. 3. Know what you need Are you looking for support, connection, reassurance or simply someone to listen? 4. Let the sentence end “I’d rather not talk about that.” “I’m struggling today.” “I don’t feel comfortable with that.” You do not have to fill the silence with an explanation. 5. Don’t beat yourself up If you shared more than you wanted to, notice it without judging yourself. Next time, you can pause. This is not about becoming guarded. It is about having more choice over what you share, when you share it and who you share it with. The Conductor’s Question If you could sit beside the earlier version of yourself, what would you tell them about who gets to hear their story? You are allowed to tell it. You are allowed not to tell it. You can give someone the headline and keep the article for yourself. And you can change your mind. Content Note This episode includes discussion of trauma, childhood sexual abuse, shame, silence and disclosure. Please listen in the way that feels right for you. 🌐 www.ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk 🌐 righttrackwellbeinngltd.com 📱 @ridingthetraumatrain | @right.track.wellbeing

  8. Oct 3

    Episode 43 | To Share or Not to Share: Who Gets to Hear Your Story?

    “How are you?” We hear it all the time, but how often is someone genuinely asking, and how often is it simply another way of saying hello? In this solo episode of Riding the Trauma Train, Lydia explores the space between saying “I’m fine” and sharing your entire life story. From oversharing and over-explaining to privacy, vulnerability and boundaries, this episode asks an important question: who actually gets to hear your story? Because being honest does not mean everyone is entitled to every detail. In This Episode Lydia talks about: • Why “I’m fine” can be a complete answer • Privacy versus being silenced • Oversharing versus vulnerability • Why “I’m not fine” does not mean you owe someone an explanation • The pressure survivors can feel to speak out • Why sharing your trauma is not proof that you have healed • Choosing who gets access to different parts of your story Lydia also reflects on her own experience of sharing more about being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse as the podcast has grown, while recognising that some parts of her story remain private. Finding your voice can be incredibly powerful, but speaking out should never become another expectation. You can tell thousands of people, three people or nobody. Your story still belongs to you. 5 Ways to Pause Before Oversharing 1. Pause before answering Give yourself three seconds and ask, “Do I actually want to share this?” 2. Give the headline, not the whole article “I’m having a difficult week” can be enough. You can always share more later. 3. Know what you need Are you looking for support, connection, reassurance or simply someone to listen? 4. Let the sentence end “I’d rather not talk about that.” “I’m struggling today.” “I don’t feel comfortable with that.” You do not have to fill the silence with an explanation. 5. Don’t beat yourself up If you shared more than you wanted to, notice it without judging yourself. Next time, you can pause. This is not about becoming guarded. It is about having more choice over what you share, when you share it and who you share it with. The Conductor’s Question If you could sit beside the earlier version of yourself, what would you tell them about who gets to hear their story? You are allowed to tell it. You are allowed not to tell it. You can give someone the headline and keep the article for yourself. And you can change your mind. Content Note This episode includes discussion of trauma, childhood sexual abuse, shame, silence and disclosure. Please listen in the way that feels right for you. 🌐 www.ridingthetraumatrain.co.uk 🌐 righttrackwellbeinngltd.com 📱 @ridingthetraumatrain | @right.track.wellbeing

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Riding the Trauma Train helps those who are on a healing journey build practical tools for recovery and wellbeing. Each episode offers trauma-informed insight, nervous system support, and empowering reflections for navigating triggers, boundaries, relationships, and self-worth. Compassionate, grounded, and realistic support to help you take kind, steady steps forward.

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