177: Ancient Wisdom: Modern Science with Michelle Hammond - Episode 18177: Ancient Wisdom: Modern Science with Michelle Hammond - Episode 18
UK Health Radio Podcast
Dr Julie Payne talks with Michelle Hammond about how childhood worry, adult anxiety and addiction often connect, and how stories and a worry-sniffing dachshund help children understand their feelings. The conversation shares practical ways for families to approach big emotions and build resilience together.
47:48•8 Oct 2026
Big Feelings, Little People: Dr Julie Payne on Worry, Kids and Django the Dachshund
Episode Overview
- Worry is a common human experience, and giving it a voice reduces its power and shame.
- Early conversations about feelings can help children develop agency over anxiety rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.
- Storytelling and being read to support emotional regulation, imagination and deeper family connection.
- Phrases like “don’t worry” can shut down children; validating their feelings and simply listening is more helpful.
- Simple tools, such as a ‘worry dog’ to hold fears, can make abstract coping strategies concrete for young children.
“Worries are thoughts at the end of the day and we’re not our thoughts, even though sometimes we feel we’re controlled by our thoughts.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s *Ancient Wisdom: Modern Science* zooms in on worry, anxiety and emotional resilience, especially in children – with plenty that adults in recovery will recognise. Psychologist and children's author Dr Julie Payne joins Michelle Hammond to share how her unconventional route from investment banking into psychology led her to working in NHS addiction and dual-diagnosis services before moving into private practice.
She talks about seeing “very high-octane anxiety” and low mood in adults, and realising that many of these patterns started in childhood, often in anxious homes or after difficult life events. That’s where Django the dachshund comes in.
Through her book *Joss and the Lucky Boots*, Julie uses the adventures of a small worry-sniffing dog to help six to nine-year-olds understand that worry is normal, that “we are not our thoughts”, and that they can gently turn down the volume on anxiety. The story follows Joss, a young football-loving worrier, and shows how Django helps her shift from catastrophising about failure to focusing on enjoyment, teamwork and trying her best.
You’ll hear how reading and storytelling become powerful tools for emotional regulation, much like talking therapies in adult recovery. Julie explains why telling someone “don’t worry” tends to backfire, and suggests more helpful responses that validate feelings without trying to fix everything. She also shares the idea behind the pocket-sized “worry dog” toy, designed to hold a child’s worries so they can get on with their day.
For anyone supporting kids alongside their own healing journey, this episode offers practical language, gentle humour and reassuring reminders that anxiety is common, change is possible, and conversations really do matter. Could sharing more stories – with children and with ourselves – be the next step in your recovery toolkit?
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