I’m Done! Now What?

In today’s episode, I’m showing you how to get fit in midlife in a way that actually works. No extremes. No constant restarting. I’ll walk you through how to train so you build real strength, add muscle, and start to see definition in your body — while keeping it consistent and doable week to week. This is about doing it properly. If you’ve been stuck in stop-start cycles, feeling like you’re either fully in or completely off… this will help you change that. Click play and let’s dive in.

In this episode, Trisha and I answer two questions from our lovely listeners. The first is from someone approaching 65 who feels like they’ve hit a wall. Wondering what’s next, what will excite them again, and how to move forward without slowing down. We talk about this stage of life and how to navigate it. The second is about the discomfort that comes with eating better. That moment where you know what to do… but another part of you pushes back. The “I don’t want the broccoli” voice. We talk about why this happens and how to start responding to it differently. Click play and let’s dive in. To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750 About Trisha McHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service.

Up until a few years ago, I was overweight, unfit, inconsistent… and completely stuck in unhealthy habits. In this episode, I’m taking you back to that time. I was trying. Starting, stopping, getting a bit of momentum and then falling off again. Over and over. And I couldn’t understand why I just couldn’t stay consistent. From the outside, it probably looked like I needed more discipline. More willpower. To just get my act together. But there was something else going on that I couldn’t see at the time. If you feel like you’re stuck in that loop — trying, falling off, starting again — and wondering why it’s not clicking for you… this will land. Click play and let’s dive in.

In today’s episode, Trisha and I answer three questions. The first is from someone who feels like their emotions are becoming harder to manage — feeling upset more easily, struggling with their thoughts, and finding it harder to stay mentally on top of everyday life at work and at home. We talk about what might be going on and when it might be time to seek extra support. The second question is about feeling stuck in your 40s — the fear of failure, the fear of moving forward, and feeling like you’re falling behind in life. The third question is about the constant chatter in your head around food, weight, and guilt — feeling like you’ve “ruined everything” after dessert or a bowl of pasta, and how to begin changing those patterns after years of diet culture thinking. As always, Trisha McHale brings her grounded psychotherapist perspective — helping unpack what’s happening beneath these thoughts and how to move from reacting to responding. Click play and let’s dive in.   To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750   About Trisha McHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service.

Today’s episode is a bit different. I’m just chatting about a few things I’ve been working on in my own life lately. Something physical I’m focusing on right now, something I’m learning mentally — especially around caring less about what people think and stopping the habit of censoring myself — and some reflections on family, life, and running Thrive. I also talk about a dynamic many of us fall into in conversations… where we automatically become smaller, agreeable, or overly accommodating. The difference between people-pleasing and something deeper called fawning is really interesting. No big lesson today — just an honest chat about the real work that’s always going on behind the scenes. Click play and let’s dive in.

In today’s episode, Trisha and I are answering two questions that I know so many of you will quietly relate to. If you’ve ever felt stuck in that horrible loop of not seeing progress… getting tired… reaching for coffee or chocolate… and then slowly falling off track — this one is for you. We talk about what’s actually happening in those moments. Why it feels so hard to stay steady when results are slow. And how to rebuild momentum without turning on yourself or throwing everything out the window. Then we move into the teenage years. If you’re working full-time, juggling drop-offs and pick-ups, watching the money fly out every month, and wondering how to stay present in it all — we talk about that too. How to catch yourself when you’re reacting. How to steady the tone at home. And how to bring more calm and connection into your parenting, even when life feels relentless. As always, Trisha McHale brings her grounded, compassionate psychotherapist lens — helping unpack what’s happening beneath the behaviours, and how to shift from reacting to responding. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a loop, stretched too thin, or unsure how to move into the next phase of life with intention — this episode is for you. Click play and let’s dive in. To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750 About Trisha MacHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service.

We give so much to work and leave so little time for ourselves. Why is that? Have you ever stopped to wonder why you work so much? Why you give so little thought and care to yourself? You work long hours, and then try to squeeze everything else into the few remaining hours of the day. In this solo episode, I explore why we hide in work, how it becomes a distraction and a time suck, and what it may be keeping you away from. Click play and let’s dive in.

In this episode I’m joined by Trisha and we answer three questions from listeners who are exhausted from carrying everything. We talk about rebuilding confidence after leaving an abusive relationship, imposter syndrome at work, stress, weight gain and coping habits, guilt when you’re tired, feeling lazy for resting, and being mentally fried from full-time work and parenting. If you’re doing it all, managing alone and quietly blaming yourself for struggling, this conversation will resonate. Click play and let’s dive in. To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750 About Trisha MacHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service.

I struggled for years to find any form of consistency even though I really wanted to be fit! In my years as a fitness coach, and from my personal experience too, I’ve finally discovered why it’s just so bloody hard to get consistent. I’ve cracked it now — for myself, and as a fitness coach helping women show up to their workouts. Tune into this episode if you want to be fit but struggle to show up. Click play and let's dive in.

In this episode, Trisha and I answer three listener questions. We talk about the overlap between anxiety, ADHD traits, trauma, hormones, parenting, and overwhelm — and how to know when something is manageable and when it’s time to seek further support. We also answer a question on nutrition and endurance training, and why nutrition can unravel when training volume increases. Finally, we talk about confidence and identity, and how working from home can slowly change how you feel about yourself and your social confidence. This episode is a practical, honest conversation around issues many people are dealing with but rarely talk about. If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns that feel exhausting, confusing, or out of your control, click play and let’s dive in. To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750 About Trisha MacHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service. Click play and let's dive in.

For a long time, I thought this was just life. Always rushing. Always behind. Always putting myself last. In this episode, I talk honestly about how living in constant rush became my normal, the wake-up moment that made me stop, and the small but powerful change that helped me step out of survival mode. If you feel like you never have time for yourself and you’re tired of living on edge, this one’s for you. Click play and let’s dive in.

In today’s episode, Trisha and I answer three powerful listener questions that so many women quietly struggle with. We talk about family estrangement — what’s really happening when an adult child cuts off communication, the deep hurt and confusion it causes on all sides, and whether these breakdowns can be prevented or gently repaired. We also dive into long-term social anxiety. One listener shares her experience of living with anxiety since her teens, how bullying shaped her fear of speaking up, and the toll it’s taking on a job she genuinely loves. We explore why “just pushing yourself” often makes things worse, what’s happening in the nervous system, and what can actually help when anxiety feels overwhelming and ingrained. Finally, we look at people-pleasing and over-performing in conversations — the urge to say the right thing, be liked, keep the peace, and carry the emotional load — and why these patterns are so hard to break, even when you’re aware of them. As always, Trisha McHale brings a compassionate, practical psychotherapist lens to each question, helping you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface — and where real change starts. If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns that feel exhausting, confusing, or out of your control, click play and let’s dive in.   To apply for membership to Jessica’s Thrive Academy go to www.jessicacooke.ie/apply To contact Trisha for more information on Therapy and Counselling services: galway@mindandbodyworks.com 091 725 750 About Trisha MacHale: Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Director of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service. Click play and let's dive in.

You think you have a weight problem — but what if that’s not actually the issue? In this episode, I share my own experience of feeling tired, overwhelmed, and stuck in the all-or-nothing cycle with food, exercise, and life. I talk about what my days really looked like, why forcing discipline never worked for me, and the moment I realised the problem wasn’t my body — it was overload. We explore how stress, lack of structure, and constant decision-making quietly sabotage progress, and why calm, steady habits create real change. Not through punishment or perfection, but through support, consistency, and meeting your body where it’s at. If you’ve ever felt fed up, bloated, exhausted, or like you “should be further along by now,” this episode is for you. There is another way to do this. Click play and let’s dive in.

I’m starting this year the way I mean to go on — slowly and steadily. In this episode, I talk about how self body-shaming is deeply harmful. I share how learning that where your focus goes, energy flows completely changed my life. I also reflect on the fact that none of us are here forever, and why that matters when it comes to how we live and work.  This episode is a reminder to do the things you want to do, live fully, and leave work on time. Click play and let’s dive in.

After how popular our first Ask Trisha episode (episode 293) was, Trisha is back. In this Ask Trisha, we answer the questions you sent in — the ones about feeling drained after therapy, navigating family dynamics, supporting others without taking everything on, and making sense of the emotions that show up after loss. It’s an honest, practical conversation about protecting your energy, setting emotional boundaries, and learning how to care deeply without burning yourself out. As always, Trisha brings clarity, warmth, and common sense to topics that can feel heavy, helping you understand what’s normal and how to look after yourself through it all. About Trisha Trisha is a Psychotherapist and Manager of Mind & Body Works Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre, based in Galway, with centres in Galway and Dublin. Their team of over 50 Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with adults, couples, adolescents, and children, offering therapies including CBT, EMDR, and Art Therapy. They also run a low-cost counselling service. To contact the Galway centre: 091 725750 galway@mindandbodyworks.com Click play and let’s dive in.

Every Christmas, well-meaning advice gets thrown around like confetti. Swap wine for gin. Skip meals so you can enjoy later. But this advice isn’t helping. In fact, it’s the reason so many women stay stuck in the same December–January cycle year after year. In this episode, I talk about the advice I will never give over Christmas — and why quick fixes, swaps, and control-based thinking don’t work long term. We’ll look at how diet culture sneaks in during the festive season, why all-or-nothing thinking ramps up, and what actually helps you stay steady, grounded, and well. This isn’t about being perfect over Christmas. It’s about breaking patterns, staying connected to yourself, and moving through the season without losing your footing. If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll just get back on track in January,” this episode is for you. Click play and let’s dive in.

In this episode I’m chatting about how I only changed when the pain of my own habits got too big to ignore. I was tired of feeling sluggish, bloated, unfit, anxious, trapped in excuses, trapped in cycles I kept promising myself I’d break. And instead of pretending everything was fine, I finally used that pain as fuel. That pain wasn’t a weakness — it became my turning point. Today, I’m breaking down how I turned the pain of my old habits into power… and how you can use your own pain as the push that gets you out of the patterns you’re stuck in. If you’re fed up with your own bullshit, if you’ve hit a point where you can’t keep living the same day on repeat, this episode is for you. Click play and let’s dive in.

How do you get out of old patterns and cycles that you’re stuck in? How do you talk to your adult children? And how do you stop self-sabotaging on a Thursday when you’ve been healthy all week? These are the questions I put to psychotherapist Trisha McHale on my latest podcast episode. Trisha has a real gift for getting straight to the root of things and explaining it in a way that actually makes sense — it’s why she’s been on the podcast so many times. Contact Trisha: www.mindandbodyworks.com Phone: 091 725750 Email: galway@mindandbodyworks.com Click play and let’s dive in.

Are you done eating crap and drinking too much over Christmas? This will be my 4th Christmas having a healthy one — enjoying myself in ways that aren’t food or alcohol related. I’m blessed. I feel like I’ve broken free from a toxic part of our society that gets pushed on us the second Halloween is over. The idea that we need to spend, eat, and drink to have a good time — and if we don’t, there’s something wrong with us or we don’t know how to have fun. Nobody feels good after overeating and over-consuming, so why do we keep doing it? If you’re sick of how you feel at the end of every December, this episode is for you. Click play and let’s dive in.

I used to feel so bad, stuck and trapped in so many unhealthy habits. It felt like no matter what I tried to do, I couldn’t get out of these patterns. I hated it. In this episode, I’m sharing how I went from feeling so stuck in these unhealthy habits to becoming fit, strong, centred, and calm. If you’re feeling stuck in old patterns and you want to take back control, this episode is for you. Click play and let’s dive in.