Psychologically Speaking with Leila Ainge

What if one of the most powerful mental health tools was already in your garden?
In this episode, I’m joined by horticultural therapist Kendall Marie Platt to explore the science behind soil, why getting your hands in the dirt can change your mood, and how gardening might help us regulate stress in ways modern life often forgets.
And in many ways, Kendall’s story captures the spirit of this season’s theme: expect the unexpected. From forensic science labs to flowers and soil, her journey is a reminder that sometimes the paths we never planned are the ones that reconnect us with what really matters.
Kendall Marie Platt is a horticultural therapist and founder of Adventures with Flowers. She combines horticultural therapy with sensory-led garden design to help people use gardening as a practical antidote to burnout. Through her membership The Seed, 1:1 programmes and garden-along sessions, she helps people create restorative spaces that support both body and mind.
She is a writer, speaker and facilitator who has appeared on This Morning, BBC Radio and in publications including The Independent, The Telegraph, Happiful and Reclaim. www.adventureswithflowers.com/aboutkendall
Leila Ainge is a psychologist, researcher and coach who helps people use psychology to work with more clarity, confidence and joy. Her work brings together research, reflection and practical insight so you can use evidence in ways that make sense for you.
More details at www.leilaainge.co.uk

In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, Leila Ainge checks back in with coaches Emma Thomas and Lucy Green a few months after they set ambitious business goals. The conversation reveals how real progress unfolds.
Emma shares how a community project had to pause due to unforeseen circumstances and teases us with a new book project!. Lucy reflects on launching her programme Good Company, which sparked strong interest but fewer sales than expected, leading her to adapt the offer and rethink how clients take their first steps into corporate work.
Across the conversation, a common theme emerges: the process of pursuing goals generates insight, momentum, and new opportunities. Both coaches discover that experimentation, reflection, and small pivots are valuable.
The episode explores the psychology behind this, including anticipated failure, experimentation, and the role of community and accountability in sustaining progress. Ultimately, the takeaway is simple when you pursue a goal, the real reward is often what you learn along the way.

In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, Leila is joined by three Goal Sprint participants, Hannah Isted, Jen Vaughan and Darren Scotland, for an honest progress check-in just weeks into the year.
Together they explore:
• Why momentum matters more than motivation
• How perfectionismblocks progress (and how to move anyway)
• The psychology of getting out of your comfort zone from running faster to showing up online
• Why community support accelerates confidence and behaviour change
• How small actions create belief, not the other way around
• Letting go of “gatekeepers” and reframing rejection
• Using goals as direction, not pressure
You’ll hear:
Hannah share how pushing past “safe effort” transformed her running
Jen open up about visibility fears, tech discomfort, and building connection in business from the ground up.
Darren reflect on perfectionism, creative momentum, community collaboration and turning setbacks into progress.
Leila weaves in psychological insights around effort, behaviour change, self-criticism, resource conservation, social comparison and why progress rarely looks linear.
If you’ve ever:
• Set a goal and felt stuck straight after
• Waited to feel confident before acting
• Struggled with perfectionism or fear of visibility
• Wondered why progress feels slower than expected
This episode will help you understand what’s really happening in your brain and how to work with it rather than against it.

What actually happens to your confidence once you start pursuing a goal?
In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, psychologist Leila Ainge checks back in with three creatives who set goals on the podcast weeks earlier, Graphic Designer Bhavini, Animator Duncan and Documentary Maker Dany. Instead of tidy success stories, you’ll hear what goal pursuit looks like in real life, confidence rising and dipping, perfectionism showing up, comparison creeping in, and plans changing shape.
Through honest reflection and psychological insight, this episode explores why confidence doesn’t grow in a straight line, how visibility reduces fear over time, and why setbacks and pivots are often signs of progress rather than failure.
If you’re navigating imposter feelings, struggling with comparison, or wondering why motivation feels inconsistent, this episode offers reassurance and a more realistic picture of change.

Why do resolutions wobble just when we think they should be working?
This episode explores avoidance crafting, impatience, burnout, and how goals, habits, and mental distance shape real progress especially in January.
In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, Leila explores the intricacies of human behavior, particularly focusing on the themes of resolutions, goals, and habits. She discusses the common pitfalls of New Year's resolutions, the importance of understanding the difference between resolutions and goals, and how habits play a crucial role in achieving these goals. Leila also delves into the impact of social comparison on our progress and introduces the concept of mental distance as a strategy to combat burnout and maintain motivation. The episode emphasizes the importance of community support and self-compassion in the journey towards personal development.
takeaways
January often feels like the longest month of the year.
Resolutions are declarations linked to identity and values.
Goals provide structure and direction for achieving resolutions.
Habits require time to show their impact and rewards.
Impatience can lead to negative feelings about progress.
Social comparison can intensify feelings of uncertainty.
Mental distance can protect against burnout.
Avoidance crafting can be a strategic approach to stress.
Community support can enhance motivation and accountability.
Self-compassion is crucial in the goal-setting process.

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You bring the questions and curiosity, I bring back a bespoke, research-informed insights packed with plain-language psychology, strategic prompts, and deep, usable clarity. It’s not theory for theory’s sake. It’s practical insight you can apply immediately.
head to www.leilaainge.co.uk