Watching your child becoming immersed in mental distress can be so frightening for parents. What can you do? How can you best support them?

In this podcast Liz Scott speaks to someone who regularly engages with young people and parents. Marie Arymar gives an overview of how to assess the situation with a young person. During this conversation Liz and Marie discuss 7 ways to support the child. Here is a run down of the points they discuss:

1.  Listen deeply. Don't try to fix them or rationalise. Just listen. 2. Love them unconditionally even if their behaviour is mean or nasty. 3. Remember your beautiful child is still there - celebrate the moments of connection 4. Boundaries are important. Young people feel safe when they know the expectations. 5. As parents, keep communicating. Back each other up and support one another. 6. What if I'm separated from the other parent? Find a way to speak to each other. Consider how to put your differences aside to ensure you can both support the child. 7. Know 'this will pass' - it might be frightening to feel you're losing the child you once knew. Trust this will pass.

It's also so important to look after yourself and to realise that you're doing a good job (even if it doesn't always feel that way).

Marie Arymar is a clarity coach - you can find out more at Realisationworks.com Become a Wellbeing Listener with Liz at Inner Compass Guide CIC

Buy Marie's book 'Do You Want to Know a Secret?'

Is your child reluctant to go to school? Have they become withdrawn and uncommunicative?

Do you fear your child might be the victim of bullying?

In this podcast Liz Scott speaks to someone who regularly engages with young people and parents. Marie Arymar gives an overview of how to assess the situation with a young person. During this conversation Liz and Marie discuss:

• The signs of bullying - what to look at for
• The importance of working with the school - contacting the school, Head of Year or Safeguarding Lead
• Ensure your child has a trusted adult to talk to
• Be curious about the bully - what is the school doing about supporting the perpetrator?

Marie Arymar is a clarity coach - you can find out more at Realisationworks.com

Her book is 'Do You Want to Know a Secret?'

Become a Wellbeing Listener with Liz at Inner Compass Guide CIC

Are you scared that your youngster may be taking drugs? What can you do about it? How do you talk to them about it?

In this podcast Liz Scott speaks to someone who regularly engages with young people and parents. Marie Arymar gives an overview of how to assess the situation with a young person. During this conversation Liz and Marie discuss:

• The importance of taking stock - ask yourself 'What is going on with my child?'
• Consider why the youngster is taking drugs? Is it masking something, is he/she keeping in with the crowd?
• What boundaries do you have with your child around drugs?
• Is your child getting mixed messages about what is or isn't acceptable?
• Is your fear getting in the way of connecting with them? Do you ask questions which causes them to shut down?
• Be present and aware that your young person, the one you deeply love and care for, is still there. They are not their behaviour. Give yourself time to connect with them in ordinary ways.

Marie Arymar is a clarity coach - you can find out more at Realisationworks.com

Marie's book 'Do You Want to Know a Secret?'

Become a Wellbeing Listener with Liz at Inner Compass Guide CIC

If you're waking up to the climate crisis, the disintegration of the natural world and the fragility of our planet... then you probably feel a sense of urgency, insecurity and helplessness.

At least that's what I felt when 2 years ago the climate crisis hit me between the eyes. For years it had been a periphery thing - it was something that other people were getting worked up about. Then suddenly the enormity and reality of it landed.

In this interview with Kimberley Hare we head towards a heart-based exploration and explore 'What is mine to do?' rather than 'what is going wrong?'

During this interview Kimberley refers to 7 questions to ask yourself when you are reflecting on what you're being asked to do. We don't go into detail with these questions in the conversation - but she sent them on following the interview.

The questions are as follows.

Here are SEVEN POWERFUL QUESTIONS:   RESILIENCE – What is it that we most value and how can we keep that? How can we build and sustain our resilience – both inner and outer? What’s MOST important now?   RELINQUISHMENT – What can we give up in order not to make matters worse?   RESTORATION – What can we bring back that has been lost?   RECONCILIATION/RECONNECTION – What can we do to make peace with, love and support others? How can we live with kindness, joy and peace?   RECLAMATION – What power could we collectively reclaim to reduce harm and improve possibilities?   REVERENCE – What do you want me to know?  Who do you want me to be?  What do you want me to do? (Asked of source, or the universe, or Gaia)   RE-IMAGINING – What’s the story of my life that I’m proud to tell now – no matter what happens? How can we imagine and create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible?  

Email Kimberley at kim@heartofthriving or visit her website to discover events and talks she's involved in https://heartcommunitygroup.org/events

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can often feel like a life-sentence. It manifests after a traumatic experience and you can suffer nightmares, flashbacks, anger, guilt and isolation.

Families, partners and friends can also feel the impact of a loved one going through this unpredictable and life-diminishing disorder.

But what if PTSD was something that needed understanding rather than curing? What if by understanding the nature of thought, you were able to experience real hope in navigating through life?  What if you were to realise you could trust something much more powerful than these frightening flashback thoughts?

Dr Suraj Gogoi, a psychiatrist and Rob Cook, a US Air Force Veteran, join me (Liz Scott) and Stu Newberry to share a hopeful message around PTSD. 

In this conversation we explore: - The power of being in the now - Separating the past from the present - The built-in safety of the psychological system - Trusting the energy that keeps you safe - Seeing through the veil of unsettled thought to the heart of who you truly are.

If you'd like to connect with Rob Cook you can find him at https://imrobcook.com If you'd like to connect with Suraj Gogoi head to https://www.drsranisuraj.com

If you'd like to learn more about being a Wellbeing Listener then check out the next dates on innercompassguide.com

Dr Linda Pettit has a way of awakening the flame of love within those she is talking to and this conversation is no exception.

Linda has had an extraordinary life, which has seen her as a professor, a dean, a counselling psychologist, an author, coach and speaker. 

In this episode Linda shares stories from her life. 

We discuss the loss of her first husband in a car accident and the way she experienced her way through grief. She realised that grief was a moment-to-moment experience - it wasn't there 100% of the time. It was during these times of being struck by beauty, whilst in the midst of sadness, that helped her find her way through.

We talk about life after death and her sense that consciousness does not end at death. 

We explore her Catholic upbringing and her searching for God. When she came across the 3Ps she began to settle and bring together the conflicting Christian messages from her childhood and to see the beauty of God as pure love in motion.

Linda looks to the formless energy in life that guides  us. She is also inspired by the Divine Feminine. We discuss how the world has trampled on 'mother nature' and 'mother earth'. Linda sees that it is time to reclaim this energy. 

If you want to listen into a conversation that explores the spiritual nature of what it is to be human, then look no further. 

Linda Pettit https://lindasandelpettit.com/about/

Dr Amy Johnson has first hand experience of debilitating anxiety and worry for many years. Here's how she describes it:

"I experienced severe anxiety, panic attacks, and binge eating/bulimia for several years. I was told by many well-trained, well-intentioned professionals that these issues would likely be with me for life in one form or another. They could become manageable; I could learn to cope—but they weren’t the kind of things people just “got over”.

Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth today.

Several years ago I came across a down-to-earth spiritual understanding of life that changed everything for me. It is the basis of everything I teach and write about. It is the foundation for how I help people end their own unwanted habits and unnecessary worries."

The 'down-to-earth' spiritual understanding Amy refers to is the 'Inside-Out' understanding and in this podcast she explains what she means by the life-transformative message that, 'We're all sitting in the middle of perfect mental health'.

Amy now supports people in recognising addictive patterns of behaviour and thinking and she points them back towards their source of settled wellbeing. 

If you get up in your thinking, then you'll be relieved to know that this is a human experience. Everyone experiences this from time to time. When you get caught up in thinking  Amy realises it is no big deal ... it will move on .... there is nothing that needs to be done to get rid of it. 

In this conversation Liz Scott and Stu Newberry also explore the power of insights. In other words the inner realisation that seems to magically unstick us from habitual, insecure thinking.

Amy also shares how she helps clients to 'lean in' to feelings, rather than be fearful of them. This is a deliciously rich exploration and a must-listen if you find yourself at the mercy anxiety or addictive behaviours.

When Dr Jack Pransky heard about the Modello housing project he realised  that he was encountering something unique and extraordinary. Jack is quoted as saying: “In all my years in prevention I have never seen this level of change in people!”

At the time (over 20 years ago) Jack was an expert on Community Prevention work and was writing books based on his expertise. 

His whole life started to change when  he listened to the women from the Modello community speak at a conference.  Jack realised that he was witnessing something profound. It led him to write Modello: A Story of Hope for the Inner City and Beyond  and it also took him on a life-long journey of exploring the Three Principles. 

I wanted to speak to Jack because I'm inspired by the potential of the Inside-Out understanding in transforming communities. I was delighted when Jack agreed to have a conversation with me I knew I had lots to learn and I wasn't disappointed.

During our time together Jack talks about his life, about his work and he also answers questions from a small group of people who gathered to hear this podcast being recorded.

Jack also spends time outlining his 4 step model for community change.  This model encapsulates what is needed for transformation in communities to take place. 

Here's a synopsis of it.

Step 1 - Make sure you in your own mental health and experiencing grounded, mental wellbeing. Be certain and steadfast with what you know about the Inside-Out understanding.

Step 2 - Help people settle in their minds. A relaxed mind is one that is able to absorb and listen.

Step 3 - Listen deeply. Listen to the deeper spiritual energy and tune in to what it is saying. This spiritual energy is beyond the core of what we and others know ... allow this energy to reveal the solution to the problem. Stay in the 'don't know' mode until you know what to say.

Step 4 - Don't talk about the Inside-Out understanding or the 3Ps (unless wisdom guides you to do so).

If you'd like to learn more about Jack and his work then go to his website.  You can also buy his books there. In this podcast we talk about the following books: 

Modello: : A Story of Hope for the Inner City and Beyond Somebody Should have Told Us

If you'd like to learn more about the project we're running in Ivybridge, then this interview about Wellbeing Listening will give you a flavour of what we're up to Inner Compass in Ivybridge episode.

Three years ago I felt an intuitive nudge to go into my local community (Ivybridge)to share the Inside Out Understanding. I had no plan, no contacts and no idea what to do. I just felt a strong  intuitive sense to find a way. It was going to be a 6 month experiment, but the experiment continues to this day.

Since 2020 (the start of the experiement) we've started a Social Enterprise, created Wellbeing Listener courses, received Lottery Funding, collaborated with a variety of community groups and businesses, trained up dozens of Wellbeing Listeners and helped to create a group supporting the lonely and isolated ... and I've written a book. 

I don't use social media and I have never sat down and created a plan. I've been muddling my way along, listening into intuition, often feeling scared because I don't know what I'm doing.. so I just keep taking the next step and the next step.

I know (in my bones) that real change in communities comes from people having an understanding that they are much more than they think they are. When people are scared and isolated they build walls and they retreat or attack. When people feel connected, they ooze compassion and love and they reach out to support. I see my role is in helping people realise we are not separate beings but that we are connected to the energy of life itself .... we are all connected.

In the interview my dear friend Otto Collins interviews me about this 3 year journey and what I've learned along the way.

What relevance has the Inside-Out understanding got in the world today?

How do you share it?

Why is this simple message so hard to express?

Jamie Smart (Sunday Times Best Selling Author) joins us on today's podcast. He explains the power of insight in today's unstable world. We also discuss how wisdom (rather than intellect) is necessary to make sustainable global change. We also explore how the Inside-Out message keeps becoming more and more simple.

If you'd like to find out more about Jamie Smart then Jamiesmart.com is the place to go.

For further information on the Inner Compass - visit our website

What is the secret to connecting with young people? Have you ever felt frustrated because you find your teenager shuts down and is uncommunicative?

Marie Arymar works with children, young people and adults, sharing simple ideas on connection, resilience and wellbeing.

In this conversation she explains the four common barriers to listening - this includes:

• Criticism and judgments
• Chatter in the Head
• 'Yes but'  
• Being Solutions focussed

Marie explains that young people don't want to be fixed, they actually want to be heard.

We also explore the 'mental health crisis' and explore whether Social Media is really as bad as it is often made out. 

We see how the pandemic has (for some young people) been a blessing and we talk about Marie's simple, easy book 'Do you Want to Know a Secret?" which is perfect for young and old alike.

You can find out more about Marie and buy her book at realisationworks.com