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  • Sing me the song of home - what makes a house a home with award winning interior designer Sallie King

    Sing me the song of home - what makes a house a home with award winning interior designer Sallie King
    2026/11/11

    What makes a house feel like home when life changes?


    We often picture home as a place: a particular building, a certain number of rooms, or the life we thought we would have. But what if home is less about getting everything to look right, and more about creating a space that supports the way we really live?


    In this episode of Words in the Wilderness, I’m joined by Sallie King, an award-winning London property stager and interior designer. Sallie shares how, after her divorce, a question from her son, “Where’s home?” made her realise that her family needed a sense of home and a place to land. We talk about creating that feeling within the four walls you have, even when they’re not the home you once imagined.


    Our conversation explores the pressure to create a picture-perfect home, and how easy it is to let images from Pinterest and Instagram shape what we think our space should look like. Sallie offers a different starting point: What would feel nourishing when you come home? What needs to change so that your space works for the people who live in it?


    We talk about making room for yourself, especially when you’re caring for others; letting go of household rules that no longer fit; and designing around real life instead of trying to protect a perfect-looking room. Sometimes that means a bedroom that feels like a retreat, dinner on the sofa, or a home where everyone can relax.


    Home can also carry the story of who we were and what we’ve been through. Sallie reflects on why editing our belongings can feel emotional, and how the things we hold onto may belong to a previous version of ourselves. We also discuss practical ways to make a space feel warmer and more personal, from clearing what no longer serves you to bringing in plants, texture and layered lighting.


    At the heart of this conversation is the question: Does your home reflect the life you’re living now or the life you thought you were supposed to have?


    In this episode

    • How a question from Sallie’s son helped her rethink what “home” means.
    • Why home is about more than the building, its size or the number of rooms.
    • How to begin designing a space around the way you and your family actually live.
    • The pressure of comparing our homes with idealised images online.
    • Why making space for yourself matters, especially when you’re caring for others.
    • How letting go of household rules can make a home feel more relaxed.
    • What small-space living can teach us about using rooms intentionally.
    • How a home can reflect the people who live there, including children’s different needs and interests.
    • Why decluttering can be emotionally loaded, and how belongings can connect us to an earlier version of ourselves.
    • Sallie’s ideas for making a room feel more homely, including plants, texture and layered lighting.
    • How to create a home that reflects your life now.


    Meet Sallie King

    Sallie King is an award-winning London property stager and interior designer known for transforming small spaces into homes that feel bigger, lighter and designed for how people really live. With a background as the founder of Urbansize, she combines design insight with a deep understanding of how people live in compact spaces. Sallie has been featured in Stylist, Country Living and Ideal Homes.


    Studio Nine Staging
    Website: https://www.studioninestaging.co.uk
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studionninestaging

    Sallie King Interiors
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salliekinginteriors/


    Connect with Jacky Power | The Therapeutic Poet

    I’m Jacky Power, host of Words in the Wilderness. Through poetry, therapeutic insight and honest conversations, I explore the experiences we sometimes struggle to put into words, helping us make sense of our feelings and find our way through.


    Website: https://www.jackypower.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_therapeutic_poet/

    Substack – Permission to Feel: https://jackypower.substack.com/

    Listen to Words in the Wilderness: https://wordsinthewilderness.transistor.fm/


    A note for listeners

    This conversation is for general information and reflection, not individual medical or psychological advice. Take what feels useful, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support if you need it.
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    32 分
  • The Fear of Being Yourself: What It Costs Us to Fit In

    The Fear of Being Yourself: What It Costs Us to Fit In
    2026/11/03
    What happens when the things we do to feel accepted start to disconnect us from ourselves? We all want to belong, to feel valued and to know that we have a place in the lives of the people around us. But sometimes, in our efforts to maintain connection, we learn to hide parts of ourselves, keep the peace and become the person we think others need us to be. And while fitting in can help us feel accepted, it doesn't always mean we feel truly seen.In this episode of Words in the Wilderness, I'm joined by Natasha Ramlall of Humanist Coaching for a conversation about belonging, self-expression and the fear of being ourselves. We explore how we learn to curate versions of ourselves to maintain harmony and connection, why certain parts of us can feel safer to keep hidden, and what happens when the ways we've learned to fit in no longer feel right.Our conversation explores the fear that can come with trying to change patterns. When we begin expressing ourselves differently, we may worry about disappointing people, disrupting relationships or being misunderstood. We even risk becoming the villain in someone else's story when we start choosing not to abandon our own needs. Which can feel oh so uncomfortable, particularly when our sense of identity and belonging has been built around keeping other people happy.There's a real difference between fitting in and belonging, which we get into, and we chat about how that can influence feelings of loneliness. Sometimes, we maintain relationships by suppressing the very things that would allow others to know us more fully. We explore the distinction between social loneliness and emotional loneliness: having fewer social connections as relationships change, versus feeling unseen or disconnected even when people are around. What might it mean to let ourselves be seen differently? This isn't about disregarding other people or insisting that every relationship must accommodate us in every way. It's about recognising the difference between caring for our relationships and repeatedly abandoning ourselves to preserve them. We talk about the importance of community, witnessing and experiencing connection where we don't have to hide quite so much of who we are.At the heart of this conversation is a question about what we are really longing for when we seek belonging and how our fears may be prolonging that longing.In this episodeHow our need for belonging can shape the versions of ourselves we present to others.Why we learn to recognise which parts of ourselves feel safe to express and which we feel we need to hide.The difference between fitting in and experiencing a genuine sense of belonging.How people-pleasing, keeping the peace and prioritising harmony can disconnect us from our own needs.Why changing familiar patterns can bring up fears of rejection, disappointment and losing relationships.Natasha's reflection on being willing to become the villain in someone else's story rather than abandon her own needs.The loneliness of fitting in and feeling unseen, even when we're surrounded by people.The difference between social loneliness and emotional loneliness.Why becoming more ourselves can sometimes mean feeling less connected to familiar people and places.The discomfort of moving away from old patterns before new forms of connection have emerged.The importance of community, witnessing and learning to be seen without feeling rejected.What it might mean to honour our longing for connection, acceptance and belonging without abandoning ourselves.Meet Natasha RamlallNatasha Ramlall is an embodied integration coach who helps self-aware women turn what they know about themselves into how they actually live. She works with women who are tired of overthinking, holding themselves back, overriding what they feel or understanding their patterns without being able to change them. Through a combination of coaching and somatic practices, Natasha guides women toward building self-trust, making empowered choices and creating lives that feel like their own.Link to Her Free Guided Audio: https://humanistcoaching.eo.page/free-resourcing-audioNatasha's website: https://www.humanistcoaching.ca/coachingFind Natasha here:Website: https://humanistcoaching.ca/Connect with Jacky Power | The Therapeutic PoetI'm Jacky Power, host of Words in the Wilderness. Through poetry, therapeutic insight and honest conversations, I explore the experiences we sometimes struggle to put into words, helping us make sense of our feelings and find our way through.Website: https://www.jackypower.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_therapeutic_poet/Substack – Permission to Feel: https://jackypower.substack.com/Listen to Words in the Wilderness: https://wordsinthewilderness.transistor.fm/A note for listenersThis conversation is for general information and reflection, not individual medical or psychological advice. The experiences discussed may bring up difficult feelings or reflections about relationships and ...
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    59 分
  • The Sacredness of the Pause: Yin Yoga, Inner Peace and Learning to Honour Our Capacity with Carli Ann Langley

    The Sacredness of the Pause: Yin Yoga, Inner Peace and Learning to Honour Our Capacity with Carli Ann Langley
    2026/10/28
    What happens when we stop striving, slow down and allow ourselves to be with whatever is present? In a world that encourages us to keep moving, achieving and improving ourselves, finding stillness can feel surprisingly challenging. Yet sometimes, it is in the pause that we begin to reconnect with ourselves.In this episode of Words in the Wilderness, I'm joined by Carli Ann Langley, a Yin Yoga and Meditation Specialist with over 1,400 hours of training, who has been teaching yoga full-time for 13 years. Through her work with Yin yoga, meditation and trauma-informed practice, Carli Ann creates spaces where people can slow down, find greater ease and develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves.We begin with a short heart-centred meditation, exploring the connection between breath, gratitude and the nervous system. From there, we talk about why stillness can sometimes feel uncomfortable, how slowing down can bring us into contact with difficult emotions, and why we need to approach our feelings with compassion rather than force ourselves to face everything before we're ready.Carli Ann shares why Yin yoga is so much more than a slow or gentle physical practice. By staying in poses and allowing space between them, we can begin to notice how we respond to discomfort, uncertainty and challenge. We explore the importance of the pause or rebound in Yin, and how learning to rest between one thing and the next can help us cultivate a different relationship with the pace of our lives.Our conversation also explores trauma, the relationship between body and mind, and why talking therapies can be complemented by practices that help us develop a sense of safety in the body. Carli Ann reflects on her own journey towards peace, the life experiences that have shaped her understanding of boundaries, and the ways yoga has helped her reconnect with something she feels was missing earlier in life.We talk about the difference between capability and capacity: the distinction between what we're able to do and what we genuinely have the resources to hold. Together, we explore how hyper-independence, the pressure to be strong and the habit of putting others first can leave us disconnected from our own needs. Carli Ann offers a important reminder that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and that boundaries are a skill we can learn, beginning with listening to our bodies.We also consider the importance of rest, particularly for women, and why it needs to be treated as a skill rather than a luxury we can only afford when everything else is done. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, we reflect on the irreplaceable value of human connection, embodied wisdom, compassion and the felt experience of being alive.And we finish with practical advice for anyone wanting to begin a meditation practice. Carli Ann encourages us to start small, let our minds wander without judgement and release the expectation that meditation means stopping our thoughts.At the heart of this conversation is an invitation to slow down, honour our capacity and trust that we don't have to push ourselves to the limit to grow. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do is pause.In this episodeWhy slowing down and sitting with ourselves can feel so uncomfortable.A guided heart-centred meditation using breath and gratitude.Yin yoga as a practice of self-compassion, stillness and emotional awareness.Why difficult feelings can arise in yoga and the importance of meeting them when we're ready.The role of the nervous system and the relationship between body-based practices and talking therapies.The importance of the pause, rest and the rebound in Yin yoga.Learning to recognise our boundaries through the body's felt sense of what is enough.The difference between capability and capacity, and why being able to do something doesn't always mean we have the resources for it.How trauma and hyper-independence can shape our relationship with rest, boundaries and asking for help.Why rest is a skill to practise rather than a reward for getting everything done.The value of human connection, compassion and embodied wisdom in an increasingly technological world.How to begin meditating with just five to ten minutes, without needing to silence your thoughts.Finding inner peace not through perfection, but through a more compassionate relationship with ourselves.Meet Carli Ann LangleyCarli Ann Langley is a Yin Yoga and Meditation Specialist, Yin Yoga Therapist and trauma-informed practitioner with over 1,400 hours of training. She has been teaching yoga full-time for 13 years and is the founder of Peace Love Yoga.Her work centres on creating space for stillness, inner peace and a more compassionate relationship with ourselves. Through Yin Yoga and meditation, Carli Ann supports people in exploring the connection between body and mind, developing greater awareness of their boundaries and learning to honour their own capacity.Drawing on her personal ...
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    46 分
  • Nutrition, Trust and the Overwhelm of Looking After Our Health with Becky Lavers

    Nutrition, Trust and the Overwhelm of Looking After Our Health with Becky Lavers
    2026/10/14

    Nutrition, Trust and the Overwhelm of Looking After Our Health with Becky Lavers

    How do we know what to believe about our health when we're surrounded by conflicting health advice, supplements promising miraculous results and endless suggestions about what we should be doing to feel better?
    In this episode of Words in the Wilderness, I'm joined by Becky Lavers, a registered nutritionist specialising in cancer and complex health problems. Becky takes an evidence-based, whole-person approach to nutrition and health, exploring how food, lifestyle and appropriate nutritional support can contribute to wellbeing alongside medical care.
    We talk about the overwhelm of navigating health information online, the pressure to try the latest supplements, and how to make informed decisions about our health without getting caught up in the noise.
    From collagen and creatine to vitamin injections, gut health and the gut microbiome, we explore what to consider before jumping on the latest wellness trend. Becky explains why supplements aren't necessarily right for everyone, why food remains an important foundation for health, and how individual needs can differ.
    We also explore nutrition and cancer support, including the importance of supporting quality of life during and after treatment, and why nutrition should be considered alongside other aspects of health, from sleep and movement to stress and social support.
    Becky shares the personal experiences that led her to become a nutritionist, including her family's experiences of health challenges and cancer. Her story offers a moving reminder of why whole-person health matters.
    And we return to a question at the heart of this conversation: how can we trust our own experience while remaining open to professional expertise?


    In this episode

    • Navigating conflicting health advice and wellness overwhelm.
    • The relationship between medical care and whole-person health.
    • What to consider before taking supplements such as collagen and creatine.
    • Nutrition, cancer support and quality of life during treatment.
    • Food, fibre and the gut microbiome.
    • The role of sleep, movement, hydration and stress in health and wellbeing.
    • Why small, sustainable lifestyle changes can be more helpful than perfectionism.
    • Learning to listen to your body and advocate for yourself.

    Meet Becky Lavers
    Becky is a registered nutritionist with a special interest in cancer and complex health problems. She uses evidence-based strategies to support health outcomes and quality of life, bridging the gap between medical care and whole-body health.
    Alongside her clinical work, Becky delivers talks for cancer support groups and charities, including the Hospice of St Francis, on cancer support, wellness overwhelm and whole-person health.
    Find Becky here:

    • Website: https://www.balancednutritionwithbecky.com
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancednutritionwithbecky

    Connect with Jacky Power | The Therapeutic Poet
    I'm Jacky Power, host of Words in the Wilderness. Through poetry, therapeutic insight and honest conversations, I explore the experiences we sometimes struggle to put into words, helping us make sense of our feelings and find our way through.

    • Website: https://www.jackypower.com/
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_therapeutic_poet/
    • Substack — Permission to Feel: https://jackypower.substack.com/
    • Listen to Words in the Wilderness: https://wordsinthewilderness.transistor.fm/

    A note for listeners
    This conversation is for general information and education, not individual medical or nutritional advice. Nutritional needs vary, particularly during cancer treatment. Always consult your GP, oncology team or an appropriately qualified practitioner before changing your treatment or taking supplements that may interact with medication.
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    47 分
  • Poetry as emotional alchemy

    Poetry as emotional alchemy
    2026/09/23

    In this episode Jacky Power shares three practical ways poetry can shift mood, process change, and make sense of big life transitions. Inspired by a conversation between Claire Fitzsimmons and Deborah Alma on A Thought I Kept, this episode explores how poems can be both something we read and something we write to help us feel differently.We discuss how a poem can create collective feeling, why humor can interrupt a spiral of overwhelm, and how playful writing can hold grief and hope at the same time.

    Key topics

    • In this episode: Jacky explains why Deb Alma’s idea behind the Poetry Pharmacy resonated so strongly, especially the belief that poems can change how we feel.
    • She describes using Danusha Laméris’s Small Kindnesses in a local poetry group, where reading about tiny acts of care helped soften a grumpy winter mood and sparked gratitude.
    • Jacky’s first technique is writing a story-poem in the third person, based on Patrick Carnes’s idea from Betrayal Bonds, to create emotional distance and see your own story with more compassion.
    • Her poem Once Upon a Time uses a fairy-tale frame to talk about dismantling old narratives, letting go of self-censorship, and moving forward without needing everything to be factually literal.
    • She emphasises that poetry does not have to be “true” in a literal sense to be emotionally true, and that suspending self-judgment can open up new meaning.
    • Her second technique is using humour to break a “despair magnet” mindset, where one worry leads to another until everything feels overwhelming.
    • She shares a deliberately absurd to-do list poem to show how exaggeration and silliness can restore perspective when ordinary responsibilities feel endless.
    • Her third technique is writing through transition and grief, using recent experiences of children moving out of the house as a prompt for poems that begin sentimental and then shift into lightness.
    • Across all three examples, Jacky highlights poetry as a tool for holding two truths at once, such as grief and pride, fear and faith, or loss and hope.


    Connect with Jacky
    Follow me on Instagram: @the_therapeutic_poet
    Get my book
    Check out my website
    Join my Awakening To Presence course on Insight Timer
    Get my self-paced course: Permission To Feel Loneliness(Use the code TOGETHER for 10% off)

    Timestamps

    00:00 - Why poems can change mood and meaning
    01:02 - How a poem can create shared feeling in a group
    01:23 - Reading Small Kindnesses and the power of tiny acts
    02:53 - Poetry as a tool for making meaning from experience
    03:13 - Technique one: writing your story as a fairy tale
    04:18 - Getting unstuck when you do not know what to write
    05:03 - Once Upon a Time and the collapse of old narratives
    06:57 - Why the poem is really about hope and rebuilding
    08:15 - Letting go of self-censorship and literal thinking
    09:23 - Holding faith and fear at the same time
    10:22 - Technique two: escaping the “despair magnet”
    11:36 - A silly to-do list poem to interrupt overwhelm
    12:51 - Using absurdity to get perspective on real stress
    13:54 - Why autonomy matters in changing your mood
    14:23 - Technique three: writing through children leaving home
    15:09 - Sentimental writing and the ache of transition
    16:56 - Moving from grief into humor and release
    17:34 - Using poems to make space for both loss and hope
    18:13 - Closing thoughts and listener invitation

    Useful links:
    A thought I kept podcast with Claire Fitzsimmons and guest Deborah Alma
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    21 分
  • The Positive Psychology of Poetry

    The Positive Psychology of Poetry
    2026/09/16

    Jacky Power explores how poetry and positive psychology can help us find awe, gratitude, and positivity in everyday life, especially during challenging times.

    Key Topics

    The broaden and build theory by Barbara Fredrickson
    Using poetry to foster positive emotions like gratitude and awe
    The role of mindfulness and presence in well-being
    How to find awe in everyday objects and moments
    The importance of acceptance and self-love in mental health

    Takeaways

    Poetry can be a powerful tool to shift perspective and foster positive emotions.
    Practicing awe and gratitude can help balance negative feelings and improve mental health.
    Mindfulness exercises and poetry prompts can enhance present-moment awareness.
    Creating a sense of awe in daily life can be as simple as observing a spider web or a plant.
    Balancing negative emotions with positive ones is essential for well-being.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to the episode and main themes
    02:17 The impact of uncertainty and negativity on mental health
    03:16 The concept of hope versus hopium in challenging times
    04:09 Living in the present moment and practicing gratitude
    05:06 Using positive psychology to navigate grief and self-acceptance
    06:04 The broaden and build theory and its components of positive emotions
    07:27 The role of poetry in fostering self-love and acceptance
    10:09 The emotion of awe and its significance in shifting perspective
    12:12 How to cultivate awe in everyday life
    13:44 Exercises to bring awe into your daily routine
    15:19 Writing mindfulness and curiosity poems
    17:59 Using objects and prompts to inspire awe and reflection
    19:16 Balancing negative and positive emotions for well-being
    20:14 Encouragement to use poetry as a technology for being human
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    21 分
  • Helen von Dadelszen on courageous action, nervous system regulation, and speaking with confidence

    Helen von Dadelszen on courageous action, nervous system regulation, and speaking with confidence
    2026/09/02
    Helen von Dadelszen on courageous action, nervous system regulation, and speaking with confidence.I (Jacky Power) speak with Helen von Dadelszen, voice and communication coach and author of Courageous Action, about what it really takes to communicate well when you are nervous, under pressure, or worried about getting it wrong. We explore how confidence is built through action, not perfection, and why vulnerability, preparation, and self-trust matter more than sounding polished.We discuss the mindset and body-based tools that help people speak up more effectively in interviews, meetings, presentations, and performances. Helen shares practical ways to quiet the inner soundtrack, regulate the nervous system, and expand your comfort zone through repeated courageous action.Key topicsHelen introduces Courageous Action as a practical guide to building confidence through action, not waiting until you feel ready.We reflect on a real-time example of how nerves and self-consciousness can affect communication.Helen explains that hesitations, stumbles, and rephrasing are part of being human and can create connection rather than weaken credibility.Helen describes the internal “soundtrack” of limiting beliefs, including thoughts like “I’m not confident enough,” “my accent is funny,” or “I’m not senior enough.”Helen recommends asking two key questions before speaking.The conversation covers embodied regulation tools including breath, grounding, power poses, tapping, and low-stakes practice.Helen emphasizes that effective communication is hard in fight, flight, or freeze, so the goal is to down-regulate the nervous system rather than eliminate nerves.Jacky shares performance experiences, including reading from a script on stage and learning from feedback to slow down and trust the poetry more.They discuss how audience silence, awkward moments, small turnouts, or logistical mishaps can be turned into connection rather than failure.Helen share that good speakers often involve the audience more, ask questions, and create participation rather than lecture at people.The episode ends with Helen explaining her workshop Your Voice, Your Calling Card and her four P’s of vocal variety.Timestamps00:00 - Opening stumble and why nervousness shows up when the stakes feel high 03:06 - Why perfection is not the goal in communication 07:00 - The importance of intention and how you want to be perceived 09:30 - The inner soundtrack of self-doubt and fear of judgment 11:52 - Finding 2 or 3 words that anchor your communication 14:22 - Using the body and nervous system to stay grounded 16:20 - Why courageous action means acting while still feeling fear 17:39 - Trusting yourself even when your body is activated 19:14 - How nervousness is individual and shows up differently for everyone 21:01 - Finding the techniques that work for you, then turning them into a ritual 22:03 - Why practice matters before the stressful moment arrives 23:31 - Speaking well means pacing yourself, pausing, and practicing out loud 24:36 - Meeting yourself where you are, including using notes on stage or in meetings 25:40 - Why “good is better than perfect” and waiting can become a trap 26:49 - Learning from feedback when rushing through material too quickly 27:45 - Slowing down so the audience can process and connect 28:45 - Using notes in meetings and breaking the ice with the audience 30:09 - Handling silence, blank faces, and online disengagement 31:50 - Challenging negative assumptions about audience reactions 33:31 - Why the best communication often involves audience participation 34:42 - Turning awkward real-world moments into shared connection 37:45 - Preparing for logistical problems before they derail you 40:11 - Courageous action as a way to expand the comfort zone 42:08 - Helen’s workshop, Your Voice, Your Calling Card 44:06 - Where to find Helen and her bookAction itemsIdentify 2 or 3 words that describe how you want to be experienced when you speak.Practice your message out loud before the real event.Use breathing or grounding techniques before high-stakes communication.Bring notes if they help you stay on track.If the room feels cold, create connection by speaking to a few people first.Review feedback for what is useful, then keep what fits and discard what does not.Treat awkward moments as opportunities to connect, not proof of failure.To find out more about Helen go to: https://academy.presentpotential.ch/ and find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenvond/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-von-dadelszen/ and Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@presentpotential2090/videos
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    46 分
  • When words fail us

    When words fail us
    2026/08/19

    How can we write when words fail us?

    When we face extreme stress or trauma the part of the brain that helps us to put words around the experience goes offline as our brain goes into survival mode.

    Often we are told 'It's good to talk' when we're experiencing difficulty but that is not always possible.

    So is there another way?

    In this episode Jacky Power shares how poetry can be used as a form of somatic witnessing; a way of tuning into the sensations in our bodies and giving them shape through sound, rhythm, fragments and even made-up words.

    You don’t have to explain what happened, make sense of it, or turn it into a neat story. Instead, you can listen to what your experience feels like in your body and allow the sensations give shape to their own sounds.

    It’s an invitation to write without self-censorship, without interpretation, and without the pressure to make something “good”.

    There is a lot of talk in wellbeing spaces about healing or recovery, but this is allowing for something different. It is allowing for what is and trusting that through the process of being 'with' our emotion - energy in motion - will shift.
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    12 分