• Ep92 EMDR with Shelley Bradley-Scholey
    Oct 1 2025

    On this episode host Harriet Shearsmith speaks with trauma expert Shelley Bradley-Scholey. Shelley is the founder of Fortitude Psychological Therapy an independent therapy practice, She is an accredited EMDR Consultant & Training Facilitator, Accredited CBT Therapist, Supervisor & Lecturer at the University of Oxford, Registered Mental Health Nurse.


    You can find her on Socials @fortitudepsychologicaltherapy or visit www.fortitudepsychologicaltherapy.co.uk


    For free resources from The Trauma Toolbox visit www.fortitudepsychologicaltherapy.co.uk/freeresources


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    40 mins
  • Ep91 Parentification, young parents & moving into helping professions
    Sep 24 2025

    On this episode host Harriet Shearsmith chats with Chantelle about her experiences of growing up with a teen mum, parentification and how she used her experiences to inspire her work as a child protection social worker.


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    58 mins
  • Ep90 Enmeshed, estranged & toxic patterns: parents & in-laws
    Sep 17 2025

    On this episode Harriet Shearsmith speaks with Hazel about her experiences of enmeshment with her father and subsequent estrangement, only for her to witness similar patterns of dysfunction with her husband and his mother, leaving her with the experience on both sides.


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    55 mins
  • EP89 Unknown number: Toxic parenting extreme
    Sep 10 2025

    On this episode host Harriet Shearsmith talks about Netflix documentary Unknown Number: The Catfish Highschool which follows the shocking case of Kendra Licari and her horrendous abuse of her daughter and friends. please note, this episode contains spoilers for the documentary and discusses Munchausen by Proxy (now known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on another (FDIA))


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    38 mins
  • Ep88 Summer holidays & IPT-AST to improve parenting skills
    Jul 16 2025

    On this episode host Harriet Shearsmith talks about her experience of summer holidays growing up and how it differs from her parenting experience, she shares powerful insights from her book Unfollowing mum on Interpersonal psychotherapy - adolescent skills training (IPT-AST) and how we can use the programme to improve our communication with our children (and how we can reflect on where these skills were absent in our relationships with our parents)


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    38 mins
  • Ep87 TW parental death after estrangement
    Jul 9 2025

    On this episode, host Harriet Shearsmith shares a letter from 'Tanya' about parental suicide after estrangement, an enabling parent who haven't worked on their own trauma and continue to choose people who harm them and the impact affairs have on toxic family dynamics.


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    36 mins
  • Ep86 The golden child with Lauren Smallcomb
    Jul 2 2025

    On this episode of the show, host Harriet Shearsmith talks with author of Golden Child: My descent to scapegoat and rise to freedom and mind & body practitioner Lauren Smallcomb about her experiences as a former golden child and what it looks like to fall from the golden child perch.


    You can find Lauren at instagram.com/goldenchildbook or @flourish_therapy and find her book at flourishtherapy.kartra.com/page/goldenchild


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    55 mins
  • Ep85 Breaking no contact after 4 years, harassment and toxic parents
    Jun 25 2025

    On this episode, host Harriet Shearsmith shares a recent experience where she had to break no contact with her mother due to harassment, how she handled the situation and what it looks like to stay in a place of 'self' during these experiences.


    Harriet’s books:

    Unfollowing Mum: Break unhealthy patterns and be the parent you wish you’d had is available here: https://amzn.to/3FKHqde

    Cycle Breakers: Free yourself from emotionally immature parents and be the parent you wish you’d had (US edition): https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Breakers-Yourself-Emotionally-Immature/dp/B0F1ZY9G8K/


    Visit harrietshearsmith.com for resources on estrangement and navigating family dysfunction or to submit a letter to the podcast. You can also book a session with Harriet here: https://app.simplymeet.me/harrietshearsmith

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    43 mins