The Bibliotherapists S2 Ep #5: Helen Marie on books to soothe your nervous system

Welcome to the second series of The Bibliotherapists, and our fifth episode featuring Helen Marie, a professional therapist sharing thoughts from the therapy room.This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling overwhelmed, depleted and/or disconnected and looking for tools to soothe.🎧 5 takeaways from our conversation with Helen1. Regulation is the Foundation of EverythingHelen explains how nervous system dysregulation lies at the heart of burnout, anxiety, people-pleasing and shame, and why addressing this from a place of safety needs to come first.2. Boundaries are Acts of Self-LoveHelen reminds us that saying no, prioritising ourselves, and protecting our peace isn’t selfish, and that these things are essential for healing and wholeness.“Boundaries are the gateway to self-worth.”3. Rest is a Right, Not a RewardThe therapist challenges the hustle paradigm, inviting us to embrace stillness and softness as powerful antidotes to survival mode.4. Self-Abandonment is Learned (and that means it is UNlearnable)Many women are conditioned to disconnect from themselves. In this conversation Helen offers gentle tools to rebuild that trust and return to the body,“Healing doesn’t mean you never get triggered—it means you know how to return to yourself.”5. Healing is a RememberingThrough tools like therapy, embodiment and inner reparenting, Helen invites clients/readers/listeners to come back to who they are.-The Bibliotherapists is a podcast celebrating the healing power of words, hosted on - and featuring writers and creatives from - the Substack platform.Find Helen on Substack > https://substack.com/@helenmariesToni (The Shelf Help Clubhouse) on Substack > https://shelfhelpclub.substack.com/Tanya (withEase) on Substack > https://tanyalynch.substack.com/WATCH THE VIDEOVideo recordings of The Bibliotherapists interviews are available exclusively to our Substack subscribers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shelfhelpclub.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebibliotherapists.substack.com