In this episode, Wendy explains what self-compassion is and why it is something we all need to learn to practice. She shares over a dozen self-soothing techniques, you can use to switch on your parasympathetic nervous system to balance things out again, so you no longer feel frozen or overwhelmed.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Self-compassion is about taking care of ourselves and building resilience.
• Be kind and gentle with yourself, especially when you are suffering.
• Strong leaders like Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and the Dalai Lama all practised self-compassion as a way to help them fight for what is right.
• Accessing the nurturing part of your mind and self-soothing enables you to stop being too hard on yourself.
• Smells can be used for self-soothing.
• Visualising is highly effective, especially when you use all 5 senses.
• Slowing down your breathing is powerful.
• Moving to a safe space or wearing specific clothing that you like are both soothing.
• Focusing on a sound or something visual has the potential to be very calming.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Self-compassion is not a soft or fluffy concept. ´

‘Use your phone to enhance certain images that give you joy, and pleasure.’

‘Affirmations are reminders. Think about how you can use positive affirmations to help you to feel calmer and self-soothe.’

VALUABLE RESOURCES

www.wendycastelino.com

https://www.instagram.com/wendycastelino/

https://www.youtube.com/@wendycastelino798

https://twitter.com/WendyCastelino

ABOUT THE HOST

Wendy Castelino has been working as a psychotherapist for over thirty-five years. As an accredited CBT and EMDR practitioner, she is committed to upholding the rigorous standards required for these accreditations and helping thousands of people reach their full potential.

Wendy currently runs a private practice where her focus is on CBT. Therapy is constantly evolving into developing new techniques, so she studies hard to integrate them into her therapy, to provide a rich and effective experience.

Wendy is aware that working in one-to-one therapy limits the number of people she can see. She has, therefore, created a range of online resources. These resources are designed to be easy to follow and provide clear, step-by-step instructions. This can help the individual to master skills and gain confidence, therefore optimising the therapy sessions. They are also suitable to be used on their own.

Further details are available at: WendyCastelino.com.

Podcast Description

Welcome to "Don't Get a Therapist - Yet!" Wendy Castelino, a psychotherapist with over 35 years of experience, aims to support individuals with mental health challenges to achieve their full potential. Although Wendy is passionate about providing individual therapy, there are limitations with this approach. This platform, therefore, is dedicated to offering self-help strategies which are designed to enhance personal well-being. The objective is not to discourage people from accessing therapy but to motivate a broader audience to explore therapeutic resources that are simple and effective to use.

This podcast aims to encourage people to make positive choices about therapy and to find a therapy that suits their individual needs. Additionally, the podcast features interviews with individuals who have successfully overcome mental health struggles