Perfectionism can look like competence, control, or high standards, but what often hides underneath is a survival strategy.

In this conversation, I’m joined by, Podcast Host & Mindset Coach, Claire Fealy to explore how perfectionism hides in plain sight - in our work, relationships, bodies, and inner worlds. We talk about how perfectionism develops as protection, how it keeps us stuck in self-monitoring and self-pressure, and why it can feel so hard to let go of.

Together, we explore what it actually takes to heal and gently disrupt perfectionistic patterns - without forcing change, shaming ourselves, or trying to “fix” who we are.

This is a conversation about understanding, softening, and creating safety beyond survival.

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Looking Forward 2026

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be running another 6-Week C.A.L.M. Parent Method in February - Doors open January 26th - Join the Waitlist today.

Here's what some of the parents who completed the course last year have shared:

“Doing The Calmer Parent course was absolutely invaluable” Nicola

“This has been the most impactful course I’ve ever taken” Steph

“I’m sincere when I say my husband and I have repeatedly said this is the best parenting course we’ve ever paid for” Annalisa

BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist and author Dr Rachna Buxani, whose book Unseen: A Therapist’s Reflection on a Daughter’s Journey Through a Narcissistic Father’s Shadow.

Together, we explore what happens when a father’s love feels more like control than care?

We discuss the impact of growing up in emotional silence, the silent erosion of self-trust, and how a child learns to survive by disconnecting from her own voice. Dr Buxani shares reflections on memory, self-doubt, and the invisible grief of never feeling truly seen by a narcissistic father.

If you’ve ever questioned your own experiences, apologised for having needs, or felt like love was something you had to earn, this episode is for you!

Looking Forward 2026

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be running another 6-Week C.A.L.M. Parent Method in February - Doors open January 26th - Join the Waitlist today.

Here's what some of the parents who completed the course last year have shared:

“Doing The Calmer Parent course was absolutely invaluable” Nicola

“This has been the most impactful course I’ve ever taken” Steph

“I’m sincere when I say my husband and I have repeatedly said this is the best parenting course we’ve ever paid for” Annalisa

BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Natalie Fabert to explore a question I often return to: What if a narcissistic family system operates like a cult?

When we hear the word cult, it can conjure images of something extreme, distant, or dramatic, something that happens to other people. But what if a cult simply describes a system. A system where one person’s reality becomes the only acceptable reality. Where it’s “my way or the highway.” Where you’re trained to question yourself, but never the person in charge.

We’ll talk about how these systems are upheld through conditional love, inconsistent rules, and roles that determine your worth based on how well you perform. While education often focuses on the narcissist’s behaviour, this conversation looks beyond the individual to the wider system that protects and maintains the dynamic.

Using real-life examples, we explore how the psychological dynamics of cults and narcissistic families can be strikingly similar.

Dr. Natalie Fabert joins us from the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion, where she serves on the board of directors and oversees continuing education for clinicians. She is an associate teaching professor of psychology at Arizona State University and a licensed psychologist in private practice, specialising in work with survivors of cultic abuse, spiritual and religious abuse, and coercive control.

If you grew up in a family where love felt conditional and you became hyper-vigilant, constantly monitoring and managing your narcissistic parent’s moods. Where you learned not to trust your own mind, and self-doubt became second nature, where obedience felt like survival in a home that trained you to question yourself but never the person in charge! Then this episode offers a powerful new lens for understanding what you lived through, and why it was never your fault.

Dr. Natalie Fabert

Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion

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BEYOND SURVIVAL - The Therapy Podcast