In this episode of The Happier Life Project, we dive into the hidden power of our senses with world-renowned experimental psychologist Professor Charles Spence, an expert in multisensory perception and experience design, and founder of Oxford’s Crossmodal Research Laboratory. From working with global brands and celebrity chefs to decoding how we taste, touch, hear, and smell, Charles reveals the surprising ways our senses shape daily life - often without us even realizing.

Together, Charles and host Gabby explore why most of us live in a state of sensory imbalance, and how modern technology plays a big part in this. The esteemed professor explains how our senses are constantly working together and influencing each other; and how companies and brands often tap into this interplay to guide our choices.

The conversation also covers why society today is so “touch hungry,” what we can do about it, and how much better we’d feel if we gave all our senses the attention they deserve. Plus, Charles sheds light on the ripple effect of being more mindful of our own sensory habits; from blasting music to eating strong-smelling food on public transport, and how these choices affect the senses of those around us.

Professor Spence has published more than 1,200 academic papers and authored or edited 16 books, including the Prose Prize-winning 'The Perfect Meal' (2014) and the international bestseller 'Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating' (2017), which won the 2019 Le Grand Prix de la Culture Gastronomique from the Académie Internationale de la Gastronomie. His latest book, 'Sensehacking', was published in 2021.

Tune in to discover the fascinating ways to harness the hidden influence of your senses; to feel calmer, more connected, and more balanced.

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/

In this very special bonus episode of The Happier Life Project, airing on World Mental Health Day and marking the podcast’s four-year anniversary, Gabby Sanderson sits down with singer-songwriter Adam Taylor, better known as ADMT, to explore the powerful intersection of music and mental health.

ADMT is an artist unafraid to de-stigmatise conversations about mental health through his music. Known for writing from the heart, his songs are deeply personal, reflecting his lived experiences, from growing up in a challenging family environment to navigating his own mental health struggles. Steeped in perseverance and Northern grit, ADMT brings a grounded authenticity to his music that resonates with fans.

In the conversation, Gabby and ADMT discuss how music has always been a cathartic outlet for emotions. For ADMT, writing songs has been a way to process feelings, express vulnerability, and cope with mental health challenges. The viral artist emphasizes that sharing personal struggles through songwriting can be transformative, not only for the artist but also for listeners who may feel less alone when they hear someone speak openly about their experiences.

Gabby and ADMT also reflect on loneliness and the importance of connection. In today’s digital age, isolation is a significant mental health challenge, but music offers comfort, companionship, and a sense of community during difficult times. Beyond this, they explore the pressures that come with success in the music industry, while ADMT shares how he manages stress and prioritizes self-care, highlighting the need to maintain grounding practices and supportive connections while navigating the demands of a career in music.

ADMT’s latest single, “Forget You” (or “F* You”),** showcases his talent for blending candid storytelling with memorable melodies, and fans can look forward to his UK tour this October, where he’ll bring his music and message of vulnerability and resilience directly to audiences.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in music, mental health, or the power of vulnerability, offering heartfelt stories, actionable insights, and inspiration for navigating life’s challenges with honesty and resilience.

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 ADMT on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamadmt

https://www.tiktok.com/@iamadmt

https://www.youtube.com/IAMADMT

https://www.facebook.com/IAMADMT/

Website: https://admt.os.fan/

In a culture obsessed with transformation, women are facing new pressures to constantly “optimize” their bodies. From the resurgence of fuller-bodied celebrities to the sudden wave of Ozempic-fueled weight loss, the body image landscape is shifting, and not always for the better. We're witnessing a new wave of beauty standards that is confusing, exhausting, and often harmful.

Gabby Sanderson is joined by body image therapist Lucie Vallée to unpack the complex forces shaping how we see ourselves. Lucie works primarily with women, to help dismantle toxic patterns around food, appearance, and self-worth; drawing from her own experience of recovering from a decade-long eating disorder marked by obsessive control over her body.

Lucie's healing journey transformed her life, and today she is passionate about guiding others on the same path of acceptance and self-discovery. She shares this message not only through her therapy practice, but also through Instagram, where her thoughtful posts and reflections reach women navigating similar struggles every day.

In this episode of the Happier Life Project Gabby and Lucie explore:

• The concept of body surveillance and why it’s so damaging
• How triggers operate, and how to protect ourselves from them
• The cultural hierarchy of body types and its impact on self-connection
• The long-term effects of body image trauma
• The rise of weight-loss drugs and cosmetic "tweakments", and what they reveal about celebrity and beauty culture
• Why self-objectification still flies under the radar
• And how even well-meaning comments about someone’s appearance can do more harm than good

This is a raw, honest, and deeply relevant conversation for anyone navigating their own body image journey, supporting someone else, or simply trying to make sense of the world we live in. Listen now, because understanding the pressure is the first step to breaking free from it.

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 Lucie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucievalleebodyimage/

In this bonus episode of The Happier Life Project, we’re sharing extra insights from Gabby’s conversation with Nahid de Belgeonne, author of our October Book of the Month, 'Soothe: The Book Your Nervous System Has Been Longing For'. (If you haven’t listened to the full episode yet, now’s a great time to catch up!) 'Soothe', is a fantastic read filled with easy to follow exercises to release held stress, restore calm, and bring the body back into balance by working directly with the nervous system.

Nahid is a somatic movement coach, breath and yoga teacher, and nervous system strategist for high-achieving women. She developed 'The Human Method', a radical relearning system using somatic movement, breathwork, and restorative practices. Nahid later created 'The Soothe Programme', a 12-week somatic re-patterning experience designed to help women in particular remember safety at a cellular level.

In this bonus episode, Gabby and Nahid continue their conversation by exploring the role of connection in supporting the nervous system. They also look at how self-image impacts wellbeing, and Nahid offers some simple, actionable ways to be kinder to ourselves every day. Tune in for practical, gentle strategies to nurture your nervous system, bring more calm into your life, and create a deeper sense of self-compassion, connection and balance.

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 Nahid on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumanmethoduk/

Nahid’s Website: https://www.thehumanmethod.co.uk/

Ever felt wired, restless, or unable to switch off; yet not sure how to calm yourself down? In this episode of The Happier Life Project, we explore what it really means to self-soothe and support the nervous system with guest Nahid de Belgeonne; somatic movement coach, breath and yoga teacher, and widely known as “the nervous system whisperer.”

With over two decades of experience, Nahid has developed 'The Human Method' and 'The Soothe Programme', helping high-achieving women reconnect with a sense of safety on a cellular level. She’s also the author of 'Soothe: The Book Your Nervous System Has Been Longing For', The Happier Life Project’s very first Book of the Month (for October)!

In this episode, Nahid shares why true wellness begins in the body’s innate wisdom rather than the mind, the role of micro rests to counterbalance daily stress, and why she encourages moving emotions through the body instead of sitting in them. Nahid also discusses, with host Gabby Sanderson, why modern gyms can overstimulate the nervous system and cultivate an unhealthy rather than healthy culture. Alongside, Nahid offers some suggestions for different movements to help process different emotions, plus suggests some sneaky techniques for taking restorative min-breaks during the workday, without anyone noticing.

Tune in to learn simple, science-backed ways to soothe your system, release held stress, and find a calmer, more balanced rhythm in your life.

(*And keep an eye out for Friday’s bonus episode with more from Nahid!)

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 Nahid on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumanmethoduk/

Nahid’s Website: https://www.thehumanmethod.co.uk/

Welcome to this bonus episode of The Happier Life Project with host Gabby Sanderson. We’re following on from Tuesday’s main episode with Dr. Aimie Apigian, and today we’re diving even deeper. This bonus conversation explores the powerful connection between relationships and trauma; how to support someone close to us who is struggling, and the vital inner work we need to do when their trauma responses trigger our own.

Dr. Aimie is a double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, and founder of the Mind-Body-Biology Institute. She’s changing the way we understand trauma by showing us that it isn’t just stored in the mind—it’s stored in the body at a cellular level.

Her brand-new book, The Biology of Trauma (with a foreword by Dr. Gabor Maté), has just been released. This conversation was recorded shortly before publication, so you’ll hear Dr. Aimie sharing her insights right as the book was about to launch. If you haven’t already, make sure you go back and listen to Tuesday’s episode too as it’s packed with even more tools and insights.

As a practical takeaway, Dr. Aimie has also shared her 5-Day Nervous System Reset, a resource with five somatic exercises (worth $99) designed to calm and reset your body for those who purchase the book: http://biologyoftrauma.com/book

Whether you’re on your own healing journey or walking alongside someone else on theirs, this bonus episode offers practical tools and compassionate insights to help you navigate those challenges.

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/

For all links Dr Aimie Apigian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian

Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/

Podcast: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Book: http://biologyoftrauma.com/book

Trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all; it exists on a spectrum, from quiet emotional wounds to experiences that reshape an entire life. Living through it is hard enough, but revisiting or reliving it can feel even more overwhelming. Joining host Gabby Sanderson is Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician in Preventive and Addiction Medicine, founder of The Mind-Body-Biology Institute, and author of the groundbreaking new book The Biology of Trauma, with a foreword by renowned expert in trauma and addiction Dr. Gabor Maté.

In this conversation, Dr. Aimie shares her journey into understanding trauma, revealing how it’s not only stored in our minds but also in our cells, and why this matters for both mental and physical health. Dr. Aimie explains the crucial differences between stress and trauma, and why time does not heal trauma, but can worsen its effects. She also explores the role of numbing and self-protection, and highlights the importance of creating safety in healing.

The Biology of Trauma is a groundbreaking book that explores the science of how the body experiences trauma, why it holds on, and what it needs for healing. This empowering episode offers fresh insights and practical steps drawn from the book to help navigate trauma responses and move towards a healthier, more authentic life.

Make sure to tune in on Friday for the next bonus episode, where Dr. Aimie dives deeper into how trauma shapes our relationships and what we can do about it.

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/

For all links Dr Aimie Apigian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian

Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/

Podcast: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Welcome to the very first bonus episode of The Happier Life Project! From now on, alongside our regular Tuesday deep-dive episodes with expert guests, we’ll be dropping shorter, lighter episodes every Friday. These bonus episodes will explore a wider range of topics, share extra content from the main shows, introduce meditations we’re loving, or even offer a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of My Possible Self.

The idea? To help you head into the weekend feeling good.

In this first Friday edition, we’re tackling the back-to-scaries, that mix of excitement and nerves when starting something new or returning after a break. Whether you’re heading off to college or university, beginning a new job, returning after the summer holidays, or even picking up a brand-new hobby, those flutters of anxiety can sometimes overshadow the excitement and bring on feelings of dread.

But you’re not alone. Gabby and fellow My Possible Selfer Chlo Hodgkinson are here to share support, encouragement, and insights to help you calm the nerves, ease the transition, and find a little more joy in the journey ahead.

So, join us for this uplifting first bonus episode and discover how to turn the back-to-scaries into a fresh start you can actually look forward to.

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 Gabby on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radiogabby/

To follow Chlo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chlohodgkinson/