Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD

This week, for the Spring Equinox and World Oral Health Day, I’m sharing some self-care ideas for supporting yourself through dental treatment with sensory differences.

I’d been feeling quite proud of myself for handling the gum surgery and all it brought up (flashbacks etc) but then, boom, dental claim rejected.

So this whole episode about advocating for yourself, with sensory differences and other AuDHD traits and symptoms, while helpful, didn’t help me with the finances of it all as I’d thought I had been advocating for myself and don’t know enough abo...

It was such a delight to talk to Therapy Growth Group and Good Enough Counsellors founder and fellow ADHDer Josephine Hughes again for Episode 101. Josephine hosts two podcasts (there’s a link to an episode I was on with her in the links below), Good Enough Counsellors and Gloriously Unready.

Previously, the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, you’re listening to what’s now the Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD with Eve Menezes Cunningham podcast. Learn to love and care for all your parts, including your AuDHD and trauma, from the soles of your feet t...

Happy 100th Episode to Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD with Eve Menezes Cunningham (formerly Feel Better Every Day)! Am sorting all the links to ensure my biggest rebrand since 2010 and some aren’t there yet so while I’m hoping you can watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts, please let me know if you have any issues (as well as any feedback, comments or questions!).

Am so delighted to have the fantabulous Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas back with me to talk about how his self-care, Self care and collective care have evolved (since epis...

This week’s episode follows on from Episode 98 and the seemingly endless trauma triggers from the news. It feels like it’s been getting more triggering for years and years but amping up even more recently. I keep telling myself it’s all coming up for healing and sunlight is the best disinfectant. That, ultimately, we are in the process of remembering we’re all connected, we all deserve safety, connection, love and the potential to thrive and we’re creating a new, more peaceful, free and equitable – for ALL – world.

And we can do nothing to help ourselves...

This is an unexpected episode on account of the pain the news is causing so many survivors (myself included!). How do we continue to function let alone thrive when the messages we keep on getting is that perpetrators rights to do whatever they feel like doing trump our basic human rights including safety?

I realise that this is a very sensitive topic and it is also a topic that impacts an enormous amount of people, huge amount of people, not just women but predominantly women and girls.

An enormous amount is coming up for healing...

“We get a lot of meaning from creating spaces where people can come and connect, and feel like they’re in a place where they’re welcomed, and that some good things can happen.” ~ John Wilson, Co-director, Online Events

It was SUCH a joy to talk to Online Events’ co-director, John Wilson. As well as talking about his own ideal and actual self-care, Self care and collective care practices, he shares some of what he’s learned through co-creating such a nourishing online community for therapists, counsellors and supervisors.

Chapters

0:01–2:26 Introduction, movement and nervous system...

Sensory Soothers for Trauma and AuDHD this Brigid: Episode 96 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast

Do you want to learn to soothe and support your extra sensitive (whether through trauma/s, AuDHD (autism and ADHD) or anything else) nervous system?

The Goddess Brigid (we had a bank holiday yesterday to honour her, as well as her namesake, St Brigid, yesterday) is associated with so many wonderful qualities. Use her inspiration, healing and wisdom energies to protect and work with your sensitive nervous system instead of pushing through.

I share some of my...

Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) can feel debilitating when you’re living with AuDHD (autism and ADHD). In this episode, I share some of my personal journey with RSD - even at age 50! - and introduce some practical tools that help me and which can support you in stopping rejecting yourself.

CHAPTERS

0:00–2:22 Introduction to RSD and nervous system–informed support

2:22–5:23 Why RSD is so excruciating and how self-rejection develops

5:23–8:15 Early criticism, negative conditioning, and the ADHD/RSD cycle

8:15–11:47 RSD in creativity, work, relationships, and self-worth

11:47–13:45 Self-acceptance, self-love, and healing RSD in...

Am delighted to be sharing this interview with the fantabulous Dr Emma Bede. We met online when we were both presenting at Online Events’ Living and Working with Neurodivergence Conference last year and she is SUCH a joy.

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Here are some of my favourite quotes from our conversation:

“These are the structures I need to have in place. I think as someone with ADHD, I think if I think of that as like, ‘Come on, you’ve got to do this every day for...

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If it hadn’t been for the immediate pain relief from the endometriosis, I’d have run a gazillion miles in the opposite direction from yoga, breathwork and meditation. Back in 2001, I didn’t understand about the impact my trauma history had on my capacity to feel safe around other humans, let alone my differently wired brain and extra sensitive nervous system.

I’d adore elements (was getting up for 6.30am classes in London at one point) but be full of angst – which I blamed myself for – around many other s...

Happy New Year! And welcome to Season 3 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast!

As we move into 2026, am delighted to share my (Eve Menezes Cunningham, author, podcast host, columnist, trauma-informed and neuro-affirming therapist, Self care coach and senior accredited supervisor – https://selfcarecoaching.net has more information) interview with yoga teacher, Roxy Romaniuk.

I adore her yoga classes and really loved our conversation and her honesty about moving through difficult feelings, emotions and situations by paying attention and moving them through her body with movement and journalling.

I know yoga students and groups ha...

Happy New Year!

Do you love New Year’s Eve? Do you hate New Year’s Eve? Do you feel indifferent to New Year’s Eve?

However you feel, I hope you have a wonderful New Year! Watch or listen to episode 91 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast wherever you get your podcasts for some of the self-care rituals and practices that I do every year or most years.

I hope they’ll help you work with your own ADHD brain, AuDHD brain, and also to continue to heal from any trauma. Use this...

With ADHD, with AuDHD, with trauma, our nervous systems can really struggle with rest. It can feel unsafe to rest.

Why do I share how hard I find rest this while extoling the virtues of rest? Because it’s STILL an advanced practice for me. The whole point of this podcast is to show the gap, sometimes gulf, between what we – as self-care and Self care professionals – want to be doing and are actually doing. Especially with trauma histories and the hypervigilance that comes with having needed to survive. And AuDHD and ADHD where endless cycles of burnou...

A Polyvagal-informed approach to the seasonal energies for trauma, AuDHD and ADHD

Feeling the weight of the darkest days? In this episode of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast,

I’m sharing gentle, nervous system-friendly rituals to help you honour the seasonal energies of Yule (Winter Solstice) while healing your trauma and befriending your AuDHD or ADHD brain.

Discover how to:

✨ Use a Yule log tradition for releasing and renewal

✨ Navigate seasonal overwhelm with polyvagal-informed practices

✨ Honour both the darkness and the returning light

✨ Set intentions...

Do you feel overwhelmed not just by your own intense feelings but by everyone else’s too? This episode will help you honour and appreciate your sensitive nervous system.

I (Eve Menezes Cunningham, author, columnist, trauma therapist, senior accredited supervisor, coach, trauma survivor and AuDHDer) share practical strategies for managing hyper empathy which is common with ADHD, autism, AuDHD and trauma histories.

I encourage you to create protected silence in your life, from daily meditation to weekly 12-hour mini retreats, explaining why this isn’t indulgent but can be especially helpful for sensitive nervous systems.

Get your free weekly journal prompts and more here

Watch here or listen here or wherever you get your podcasts

Dance movement psychotherapist Gwen Williams joins me (trauma therapist, AuDHDer, senior accredited supervisor, coach, author and columnist etc, Eve) to discuss how she combines yoga therapy, dance, art, and psychotherapy to help people reconnect with their bodies and heal.

Gwen shares her journey from yoga therapy training (while pregnant!) to completing her MA in dance movement psychotherapy, plus her exhibition “Reclaiming the Wild Body.” She offers practical insights on movement practices for ADHD and neur...

Welcome to the Feel Better Every Day Podcast! Today I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Tracy Otsuka, host of the ADHD for Smart Ass Women podcast and author of the book by the same name.

Get your free weekly journal prompts and more here

Tracy was one of the first voices I discovered on my own ADHD journey, and her strengths-based, neuro-affirming approach has been truly transformative. She’s a former lawyer who boldly celebrates the brilliance often overlooked in ADHD while being refreshingly honest about the challenges.

In this episode, we e...

Do you feel like your vegan diet or food allergies make you “difficult” at restaurants and social gatherings? You’re not alone. And you deserve better.

In this World Vegan Month episode, I (author, trauma therapist, senior accredited supervisor etc, Eve Menezes Cunningham) share some of my journey from being an “awkward vegan” with a severe bell pepper allergy to (more) confidently advocating for my food needs. Learn how to:

✨ Ask for what you need without shame

✨ Use somatic techniques to feel empowered when ordering

✨ Navigate social situations where you’re the only vegan

Be Kinder to Your Extra Sensitive Nervous System: Episode 84 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast

Struggling to show yourself the same kindness you’d give others? If you have ADHD, autism, or trauma, your nervous system needs extra care—not extra pressure. This episode explores why self-compassion is essential for neurodivergent and trauma survivors—and how to practice it daily.

Topics covered:

Menopause? Perimenopause? Post menopause? A new diagnosis, illness or injury? Any kind of transition? Join me at the Yoga Root on Saturday 15th November at 1pm for a special workshop: Befriending your Changing Body and Mind

Watch here

Hi, I’m Eve Menezes Cunningham, and welcome to the Feel Better Every Day Podcast.

This week we’re talking about why it’s often easier to hold space for others than to let ourselves be held.

I’m joined by Elizabeth Potts, one of my favourite yoga teachers from The Yoga Root in Westp...

Inspired by the stunning film “I Swear” about living with Tourette’s, this episode explores why self-compassion is so difficult, especially with trauma, ADHD and AuDHD (autism and ADHD). Discover how acceptance and love can transform shame into advocacy, and learn practical ways to be gentler with yourself.

Using my Feel. Love. Heal framework, I (trauma therapist, ADHDer, only recently recognised AuDHDer - brand new emotional rollercoaster - senior accredited supervisor, Self care coach, author and columnist, Eve Menezes Cunningham) share some self-care ideas the film inspired. You deserve the same compassion you give others.

Is the...

Am so delighted to welcome the Peace Begins at Home Summit Director, Gina Miltiadou, for Episode 81 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast. Access full transcripts, links, show notes, and other resources at http://thefeelbettereverydaypodcast.com

The inaugural Peace Begins at Home Summit will take place on Wednesday, 29th October 2025 (and you can listen to the recordings for 30 days so don’t worry if you can’t make that day).

At a time of rising authoritarianism, climate crisis, and lost hope, the Summit combines lived testimony, research, and practical solutions to reclaim a culture of part...

Stop feeling guilty. Start making a difference.

In Own Your Privilege, Change the World: Episode 80 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, I (trauma therapist, senior accredited supervisor, Self care coach, author, ADHDer etc, Eve Menezes Cunningham) explore why owning your privilege (rather than apologising for it) can support sustainable activism.

Learn how guilt disempowers you while self-care and honest acknowledgment of your advantages can fuel meaningful change. Discover why thriving isn’t selfish, it’s necessary for the resistance.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, welcome and loved and able to thrive and the...

And you can find out more by booking your spot, from as little as £25, for Online Events’ Living and Working with Neurodivergence conference where I’ll be presenting on Cattitude: A Polyvagal Informed Approach to Self Care for ADHD and Trauma – selfcarecoaching.net has a link to book tickets)

I was able to own that part of myself that wants to do it all in one go. I can say, “Oh that’s so sweet! So delusional! Let’s not do that this time! Let’s be gentler!”

Struggling with the overdoing-overwhelm-collapse cycle?

In this episode...

Join me (trauma-informed therapist etc, Eve Menezes Cunningham) as I welcome Alice Tew and Carly Radford, hosts of the podcast “Too Much… Apparently.”

We explore sensitivity as a gift rather than a flaw, sharing practical nervous system regulation techniques and the power of radical self-acceptance.

Discover why tiny non-negotiables work better than perfect routines, how the pandemic became a turning point for Carly embracing authenticity, and why building chosen family through friendship can be transformative.

Perfect for highly sensitive people, those with ADHD and autism, trauma survivors, and anyone who’s ever been told the...

You’ve heard of the Fight or Flight Stress Response but what about Tend and Befriend?

Ever wonder why you automatically say "yes" to everything, even when you don't want to? You're not broken - you're responding from a place of survival. In this episode, we explore the "tend and befriend" stress response, why it's so common in women, other minorities, and ADHDers, and how it kept our ancestors (and us when we were younger) alive.

You'll learn:

JOIN ME (AND OTHERS) FOR THE LIVING AND WORKING WITH NEURODIVERGENCE CONFERENCE ON 10th OCTOBER. I’ll be presenting Cattitude: A Polyvagal Informed Approach to Self and Self-Care for ADHD and Trauma and you can book here

EPISODE 76

Do you constantly forget your accomplishments while ruminating on what’s gone wrong? You might be experiencing "success amnesia" - the tendency for trauma survivors and ADHDers to completely forget positive achievements while remembering every mistake.

In this episode of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, I (trauma therapist and ADHDer, Eve Menezes Cunningham) explain why...

Celebrating 21 years as a professional writer and in practice, I (Self care coach, supervisor and trauma therapist, Eve Menezes Cunningham) share 21 lessons I've learned in hopes of saving you years or even decades in your own trauma and ADHD recovery journey.

From my early days discovering "you're not broken" to advanced insights about nervous system regulation and embodied healing, I reveal what really works (and what doesn't), why your body's wisdom trumps any technique, how trauma healing can be gentle, and why following your life force is the ultimate GPS.

These aren't just textbook theories...

In this episode, I (trauma-therapist, supervisor, Self care coach and author, Eve Menezes Cunningham) share how I transformed (and continue working with it) my inner critic using my rescue cats and better understanding of how trauma and ADHD affect the brain as inspiration. From 21 years of helping others, I reveal some simple shifts that have really helped.

✨ Key takeaways:

• Replace harsh self-talk with gentle "Evie Cat" (well, your equivalent) moments

• Remember, you're not stupid - you just have ADHD or trauma! Challenge that internalised ableism!!!

• Progress over purrfection, always

• Find peopl...

You were NEVER too much.

In episode 73 of Feel Better Every Day Podcast, trauma therapist, author, producer and host Eve Menezes Cunningham shares some of her decades-long journey of Inner Child work.

You’ll learn:

• Why children with ADHD internalise significantly more criticism and shame

• How to identify different Inner Child parts / subpersonalities (playful, creative, curious, wounded)

• Eve's recent breakthrough with crisps about feeling "too much" from babyhood and how childhood coping mechanisms shaped her adult patterns

• Gentle approaches to Inner Child work that won't overwhelm you

• The...

Do You Have High-functioning Co-dependence?

Feeling exhausted despite "having it all together"? You might be trapped in high functioning co-dependence. Especially with trauma and ADHD, we’re so conditioned, from a preverbal age, to ignore our own knowledge, wisdom, wants and needs and prioritise others’. And it’s never too late to step into your power.

In this episode, you’ll:

For Black Cat Appreciation Day this week, we explore how we "other" creatures like sharks and black cats - and how this mirrors the parts of ourselves we reject. Join the Sole to Soul Circle for a live (online) deeper dive into your own shadow on Monday 18th August

🖤 Join Eve Menezes Cunningham as she dives into shadow work using the Feel...Love...Heal framework. Inspired by Netflix's "Shark Whisperer" and her own rescue cats (especially Rainbow MagnifiCat), Eve explores how embracing our whole selves (including the parts we've labelled as "monstrous") can transform our relationships and cre...

🐱 What if the secret to better self-care was as simple as being more cat?

In this special International Cat Day episode of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, Eve Menezes Cunningham shares how her rescue cat, Rainbow MagnifiCat transformed not just her life, but her entire approach to trauma-informed self-care and nervous system healing.

Whether you love cats or just need permission to prioritise what feels good, this episode will help you reconnect with your innate wisdom and give yourself more of the curiosity, love and care you deserve.

You'll discover:

In this Episode 69, I share my unfiltered daily video diaries from the first 8 days starting ADHD medication (Tyvense 30mg, then 40mg).

After getting diagnosed in August 2024 and waiting months due to required cardiology tests, I finally began this journey during a particularly stressful time (seriously sick loved one).

I share:

Feeling suicidal? Worried about someone you love? This episode, inspired by an interview I did for BACP, explores how to navigate life's darkest moments with compassion and practical support.

It covers:

• A recent NHS survey finding that 1 in 4 people have felt suicidal (and why it's likely more)

• How working with your body can help lift you out of despair

• What to say (and not say) when someone is struggling

• Creating a world worth living in - for yourself and others

If you're struggling right now, please remember you dese...

I started this podcast to show the gulf between self-care professionals' ideal and actual self-care.

When life hits you with unexpected challenges, how do you maintain your wellbeing? In this episode of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, trauma-informed therapist Eve Menezes Cunningham shares practical strategies for creating an emergency self-care plan using emojis - perfect for those with ADHD and trauma backgrounds.

Drawing from real-life experience during a family crisis, Eve breaks down her Feel-Love-Heal framework into manageable emergency practices:

✨ FEEL: Active self-care that regulates your nervous system (even when time is li...

Does even the thought of money trigger an instant stress response?

In this episode, bestselling author and certified trauma of money coach Keris Fox she shares how to transform your relationship with money by rewriting your money story. She explains why so many women believe they're "bad with money" and offers practical steps to befriend your finances.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why knowing your exact financial position reduces anxiety

• Simple daily self-care practices that help money management feel better

• How to recognise and soothe your nervous system around money...

You're never too old to play. And your brain will thank you.

In this episode, I share why play isn't just for children and how reconnecting with your playful side can be transformative for ADHD brains and trauma survivors.

From my dolphin encounter to pretending to be dolphins on the harbour with a friend, I explore how silliness and joy can heal.

This episode includes:

✨ Why our brains learn so well through play (and how to do it deliberately)

✨ Permission to be 'foolish' and silly, even as an adult

Are you dealing with trauma? PTSD? Complex PTSD? ADHD? Feeling overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world?

In this PTSD awareness episode, trauma therapist Eve Menezes Cunningham shares some of her personal journey from PTSD diagnosis to healing, and uses the Feel better. Be better. Do better method to support you in navigating personal and collective trauma.

‘Instead of being consumed by hate, his hope was that Israelis and Palestinians and Christians could live in peace and harmony. And he created this school, Hope Flowers.’ Eve also reflects on an interview she did 20 years...

Do you wish you could help heal the world but find yourself overwhelmed? Learn to Feel Better, Be Better and DO Better. Subscribe for trauma-informed and ADHD-friendly self-care ideas every Tuesday.

Are you navigating trauma and ADHD? This episode is for you. As we approach the Summer Solstice, it's a powerful time to reflect on what you're giving your energy to and how you allow yourself to shine.

But what if you don't feel ‘shiny’? Or have the energy you wish you did? Learn to honour your current capacity, especially when living with a trauma hist...