The Thrive Programme Podcast

• Overcoming Emetophobia & Agoraphobia: Sam’s Story

  In this episode, Lucy chats with Sam, who recently completed the Thrive Programme and turned his life around after struggling with both emetophobia and agoraphobia.Before starting The Thrive Programme, Sam would’ve described himself as ‘just an anxious person’. He says 90% of his thoughts every day were stressful, fearful, and anxious. It’s no wonder he found it hard to even leave the house without panic taking over. He felt helpless, lost, and stuck.Fast forward just three months, and everything has changed. Sam now spends more time out of the house than in it!  He’s back at work, driving, eating out, socialising, and enjoying life with his friends. He‘s even just had his wisdom teeth out under general anaesthetic, which given he avoided going to the routine dentist for years, shows just how much his thinking and confidence has changed.  Lucy really digs into the how’s and why’s with Sam:What exactly did he change?What did his daily effort look like?What was the hardest belief to change and how did he do it? How did he overcome those initial, very convincing urges to run back to ‘safety’? What does coping look like? This is a truly inspiring conversation, packed with practical tips and takeaways. If you can relate to Sam’s story, let us know – we’d love to hear from you! 

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• A CEO's success story with a silent struggle

  This week, Lucy is joined by Charlie Sampson for an honest and inspiring conversation about anxiety and panic attacks affected him throughout his career.  Charlie opens up about the imposter syndrome he felt during his early career, his first panic attack in front of his colleagues, and the anxiety he silently battled whilst CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi. For years, medication helped him manage, but it wasn’t until a friend introduced him to ‘the only self-help book you’ll ever need” - The Thrive Programme that things truly changed.Through the programme, Charlie discovered the root of his struggles, learned practical skills to build self-belief, and finally experienced life free from anxiety. Today, he’s a Thrive Programme Coach, passionate about helping others -especially business people - develop the tools and confidence to feel calm, capable, and in control, no matter the situation.Charlie and Lucy discuss how your mental health – your thinking habits, the way you emotionally respond to the pressures of life, the beliefs you hold about yourself - is THE most important thing in your life.  It underpins everything – your work life, your personal relationships, your own happiness, your sleep, your work-life balance. Success isn’t ‘out there’ in your job grade, your salary, the car you drive…it’s ‘in here’ – it’s in how you think! If you’ve ever felt held back by anxiety or wondered how to build lasting resilience, this episode will give you insight, hope, and practical takeaways.We’d love to know what you think so do get in touch. 

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• Thriving Teens: Stories from the Frontline of the Classroom

  This week, Lucy chats with Claire Gildersleve — a teacher at The BRIT School who is also a Thrive Programme Coach for the school working directly with students and staff. With 15+ years of experience on the front line of teen mental health, Claire shares her perspective on what young people are really facing today:The constant pressure of social mediaBody image worries and comparisonAnxiety about world events and the futureA lack of real tools to cope with life’s challengesWatch Claire light up as she shares a couple of examples of students she’s watched overcome their anxieties and develop into calm, confident, powerful individuals. That’s why she’s passionate about The Thrive Programme and how she is able to equip students (and staff!) with:The knowledge they aren’t powerless or helpless – how to focus on the things they can controlHow to recognise and change their limiting beliefsHow to build an internal self-esteem that isn’t reliant on likes, grades, or other people’s opinionsHow to build social confidenceLearning helpful coping mechanisms so they can recognise and reduce pressure before it becomes overwhelmingSkills to change the way they think about challenges so they can respond with confidence and resilienceFrom her work at The BRIT School to training in surrounding schools, Claire has seen first-hand the difference The Thrive Programme makes — not just in academic performance, but in confidence, relationships, and overall wellbeing.If you want to understand the reality of teen mental health today — and the solutions that truly work — this is an episode you won’t want to miss. We love hearing from you so if this episode resonates, please get in touch.  

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• The Inside Job: Rewiring IBS at Its Root

  This week, Lucy chats with Bex Clements, who spent years navigating life around IBS — avoiding coffee, cutting out fruit, eating ‘safe’ foods before flights, and basically relying on every external fix she could find.She was managing her symptoms, but unable to not create them in the first place, until she went through The Thrive Programme! What was behind her daily discomfort? It wasn’t the food. It was fear. The pressure she’d put on herself before a holiday. The anxiety around eating out. The social stress, the rumination, the constant scanning for triggers — all powered by her own thinking.When Bex discovered The Thrive Programme, everything changed. She realised her IBS wasn’t random or permanent. It was completely within her control — and once she changed the way she thought, her symptoms vanished.Now, she eats what she wants, travels freely, and lives without fear. Not only is her IBS a thing of the past, but her confidence has skyrocketed. She no longer worries what people think of her. She’s present, connected, and thriving. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who’s tried everything except looking inward. Because sometimes, the most powerful solution isn’t managing things on the outside — it’s a mindset shift.Reach out if you’d like some help to do what Bex has done – we’re here for you. 

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• The Physical Side of Anxiety: Chest Pain, Dizziness & More

  In this episode, Lucy is joined by Micheál who found himself struggling with physical symptoms of anxiety when he left university. Having no idea what was happening, he was understandably quite concerned by the light headedness and chest pains which resulted in trips to the doctor and even the hospital – to be told it was ‘just anxiety’. Micheál fell into an anxious thinking pattern – worrying that he would feel anxious, hyperawareness of his bodily sensations, and catastrophising the outcome, which fuelled panic attacks.  So, what did he do to overcome it? Understand it – realise these anxious symptoms weren’t happening ‘to’ him – they were being created by the way he was thinkingStart responding differently – changing his self-talk to “this is unpleasant uncomfortable, I’d rather not feel this way, but it’s not dangerous, I can handle this”This allowed him to start getting himself through these anxious moments without panicking and running away And then he would process it well, so he gained confidence in his abilities and was able to keep progressing  If you’re struggling with this at the moment, we’re here for you. Been there, felt it, and come out the other side, so feel free to reach out for some guidance and support. 

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