10: Bread for the Head with Mark Sephton - Episode 10

10: Bread for the Head with Mark Sephton - Episode 10

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety when their body and mind feel exhausted? This conversation between host Mark Sefton and clinical psychologist Linda Laim centres on exactly that: mental nourishment and truly listening to your body. Linda talks about her daily non‑negotiable: taking 10–15 minutes to "reground" herself, either in the morning or at night, to avoid "bouncing off the walls and ricocheting off the ceiling" under a hectic schedule.

She shares a simple body‑scan practice—closing her eyes, breathing deeply, and checking from the top of her head down to her feet for tightness, discomfort or pain, then responding with stretching, rest or deeper breathing. The message is clear: if you keep ignoring the signals, your body will eventually shout. From there, they move into chronic illness, stress and mind‑body healing.

Linda explains how perception can speed up or slow down illness progression, saying that a positive outlook helps people commit to treatment and follow medical guidance, while negative, catastrophe‑based thinking ramps up stress hormones and worsens symptoms. She also highlights the vital role of social support, emphasising that "it's not a one‑man show". Yoga, breath work and pain management come up as Linda describes working with clients who live with fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain.

She adapts poses to each person’s limits and uses slow movement and oxygen‑rich breathing to help reduce pain levels and increase flexibility over time. The episode also tackles health misinformation, suicide risk and gendered expectations around emotional expression. Linda argues that accurate psychological education is critical, especially in a world where people rely on random online opinions and unqualified influencers for health advice. Her parting wish?

That everyone would "know thyself and respect thyself and care for thyself"—starting on the inside, not just with how things look on the outside. If your body and emotions have been whispering (or shouting), how ready are you to finally listen?