Headaches and migraine are often dismissed as minor annoyances, but for millions of people, they are debilitating conditions that affect every aspect of life. In this episode of The Happier Life Project, Gabby Sanderson sits down with Dr Katy Munro, Senior Headache Specialist at the National Migraine Centre, to explore the complex world of headaches and migraine.

Dr Munro explains what headaches and migraine really are, how they differ, and why migraine is far more than just a severe headache. She sheds light on the multiple symptoms of migraine, the stigma that often surrounds it, and the challenges sufferers face in daily life. The conversation then dives into the connection between migraine and mental health, exploring why conditions such as anxiety and depression are common among those living with migraine.

Gabby and Dr Munro discuss practical strategies for managing migraine, including identifying triggers, making lifestyle adjustments around sleep, diet, and stress, and seeking appropriate medical care. Dr Munro emphasizes how education and awareness, for both patients and healthcare providers, can transform the experience of living with migraine and improve quality of life. She also shares how the National Migraine Centre offers support, resources, and consultations for migraine sufferers.

Dr Munro was an NHS GP and now works as Senior Headache Specialist at the National Migraine Centre, a charity offering consultations on a prepay or voluntary donation basis. She co-founded and hosts the Heads Up podcast and is the author of Managing Your Migraine (Penguin Life Expert Series). A migraine sufferer herself, Dr Munro is passionate about raising awareness and improving care for those living with this debilitating condition.

Tune in to gain expert guidance, insights and practical advice for anyone living with migraine or supporting someone who is.

To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/

To follow the National Migraine Centre on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/national_migraine_centre/

To follow Dr Katy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/migrainedoc/

National Migraine Centre Website: https://www.nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk/

Head’s Up podcast: https://www.nationalmigrainecentre.org.uk/understanding-migraine/heads-up-podcast/

Dr Katy Munro’s book: Managing Your Migraine

This bonus edition of The Happier Life Project shines a spotlight on a remarkable collaboration bringing yoga, education, and empowerment to children in India. Host Gabby Sanderson welcomes Gopala Amir Yaffa, the visionary behind Rainbow Yoga, whose journey from Hindu monk to father and global yoga educator has inspired communities across more than 40 countries.

Gopala’s approach to yoga is playful, social, and deeply connected, rooted in the belief that love and human connection are the most powerful agents of change. Partnering with Yoga Gives Back and Edu-GIRLS, he is helping transform yoga into a tool for resilience, confidence, and joy for underprivileged children in the birthplace of yoga.

Listeners will hear the impact of teaching yoga to young people, how this partnership is reshaping lives, and the global support making it possible. In a special announcement, Gopala shares that our very own host and yogi Gabby will join the project in February 2026, living and teaching at the school in India. An inspiring episode that celebrates the heart, magic, and transformative power of yoga in building brighter futures.

To support the cause, follow Gabby’s journey and make a donation: https://gofund.me/b1321cd12

To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/

To follow Rainbow Kids on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rainbowkidsyoga/

Rainbow Kids website: https://www.rainbowyogatraining.com/

Yoga Gives Back Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogagivesback/

Yoga Gives Back website: https://yogagivesback.org/

EDU Girls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edugirls/

EDU Girls website: https://edugirls.org/

This project is made possible through a partnership between three incredible organizations, each bringing something unique:

Rainbow Kids Yoga Rainbow Kids Yoga makes yoga fun, creative, and interactive for children, teens, and families. They also offer comprehensive teacher training programs for individuals who want to teach yoga to children. Gabby is a graduate of their TTC. Yoga Gives Back Yoga Gives Back is a global nonprofit that mobilizes the yoga community to support women and children in India through education, microloans, and empowerment programs. They transform the gratitude that yoga inspires into direct action, uplifting lives and creating opportunities for those who need it most. Edu-GIRLS Edu-GIRLS provides free, high-quality education for underprivileged girls in India, from preschool to university. They believe every girl deserves access to education and the chance to shape her own future.

Together, these organizations form the foundation of Yoga Without Borders; blending yoga, education, and empowerment into one life-changing experience.

This powerful episode of The Happier Life Project explores the healing potential of creativity and self-expression with artist, educator, and mental health advocate Liz Atkin — a woman who has transformed her experience of Compulsive Skin Picking and anxiety into extraordinary works of art, compassion, and connection.

Liz’s story is one of resilience and reinvention. Once a dancer, she discovered drawing as a way to self-soothe during her daily commute — a practice that soon became both her therapy and her calling. Through her project #CompulsiveCharcoal, Liz has gifted over 18,000 free charcoal drawings to commuters around the world — from London and New York to Singapore and Cologne — sparking conversations about mental health in the most unexpected places.

Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held permanently in the Wellcome Collection, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Derby Museum, and the Bethlem Gallery Collection. Liz also teaches in schools, hospitals, hospices, prisons, and universities, and is an ambassador for The Big Draw, the world’s largest drawing festival celebrating creativity for health and wellbeing.

In this episode, Liz shares her compelling story — from the moment she first realised she was a skin picker to how it affected her quality of life and emotional wellbeing. She also talks about the coping strategies she tried, what led her to begin drawing on public transport to self-soothe, and the birth of her global initiative, #CompulsiveCharcoal. Host Gabby asks Liz about the emotional reality of living with a compulsion, her international work teaching art in schools, hospitals, and prisons, and why creativity is essential for mental health and wellbeing.

A moving and inspiring listen about turning pain into purpose — and how creativity can become one of the most powerful tools for healing and human connection.

To download the free My Possible Self App: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast

To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself/

To follow Liz Atkin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz_atkin/

To check out Liz’s art and information on exhibitions: www.lizatkin.com