Trauma-informed and Neuro-affirming Self Care Rituals for NYE and NYD
Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD with Eve Menezes CunninghamShow Notes
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 time of year, where there is so much external pressure in terms of how you might be thinking you should be celebrating or what you should be doing to go for it with all that appeals and ignore all the rest! [Link to selfcarecoaching.net/blog for show notes, full transcript and more] le grá (with love), Eve LINKS Sign up for Míle Buíochas Mondays (Polyvagal-informed and more every Monday) here Westport Lunar Circles Your vibe for 2025: Episode 38 of The Feel Better Every Day Podcast Choose your transpersonal quality for the year ahead Happy New Year and bring what was good about the break into your year ahead Make the most of the seasonal energies CHAPTERS 0:00 – Mixed feelings about New Year’s Eve? 2:28 – Checking in with what actually appeals 4:53 – New Year intentions and PDA-friendly resolutions 6:01 – Lessons, blessings and reflecting on the year 8:18 – Choosing a guiding word or theme for the year ahead 10:26 – Clearing space and symbolic release rituals 12:02 – Self-acceptance instead of self-improvement 13:39 – Community, connection and designing New Year’s Day 16:12 – Creative visioning and sensory mood-setting FULL TRANSCRIPT 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 and in this episode, episode 91 of the Feel Better Every Day Podcast, I’m going to be sharing some of the self-care rituals and practices that I do every year or most years in order to help you work with your own ADHD brain, AuDHD brain, and also to continue to heal from any trauma and just to really use this time of year where there is so much external pressure in terms of how you might be thinking you should be celebrating or what you should be doing and they’re very tentative invitations in terms of if anything appeals, go for it and ignore all the rest. I’m your host and producer, Eve Menezes Cunningham. I’m an author, columnist, trauma therapist, self-care coach and senior accredited supervisor specialising in ADHD and ADHD friendly trauma-informed, neuro-affirming, transpersonal and somatic approaches. I help people heal through self-care practices that honour your body and your brain and your nervous system as well as your Self, that highest, wisest, truest, wildest, most joyful, brilliant and miraculous part of yourself. With new episodes every Tuesday, you can either subscribe or follow to make it less likely that you’ll miss new episodes and if you’re new here, even if it’s nowhere near New Year’s, when you’re listening to this, you might still enjoy this episode. It can be great for a fresh start at any time of the year. The PDA, “Don’t tell me when to celebrate New Year! I can redesign my life anytime I choose!” but you might also enjoy some of the older episodes and access deeper dives with the Sole to Soul Circle, access free resources and more information at thefeelbettereverydaypodcast.com As you listen to today’s episode or watch today’s episode, ask yourself what appeals. Just check in with yourself. Notice how you feel. Do any of the ideas make your heart sing? Do any of them feel really heavy, too much pressure? You don’t have to do anything. You can completely ignore the New Year! It is just another day and it can be a wonderful time to reset, to remind ourselves of all the choices we have in terms of doing things differently. As always, it’s aimed especially for trauma survivors and people with ADHD or AuDHD brains and I’ll be going through the Feel. Love.
More from Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD with Eve Menezes Cunningham
As we get closer to Samhain, the start of the Celtic New Year, original Hallowe’en and time where the veil between the worlds of the living and dead are said to be thinnest, it’s an especial delight to welcome the fantabulous Lisa Taylor. She shares her ideal and actual self-care, Self care and community care including some of the ways in which she (and you can too) protects her energy, connects with Spirit and stays grounded. What are your favourite ways to connect with your highest, truest, wildest, most joyful, brilliant and miraculous Self? Let us know and thank you for being here. le grá (with love) Ev3 #lisataylor #embodiedwellbeing #grounding #energymanagement #solestosoulcarefortraumaandaudhd CHAPTERS 0:00 Energy management and the nervous system 3:25 Lisa’s work in travel, design and wellness 4:52 Looking after your energy 10:51 Self-care, trauma and working for yourself 14:35 Creating a morning self-care routine 16:23 How sea swimming can help reset 21:06 Creativity, play and switching off from work 27:12 Community, retreats and collective care 34:30 The cardamom pod question 37:15 Advice to a younger self LINKS https://www.lisataylortravel.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/lisataylortravel/ https://www.instagram.com/luckylisat/ Transcendental Meditation https://www.tm.org/en-gb Vickie El-Rayyes https://www.dilligrey.com/ If you enjoyed this, check out: Episode 93: More Joy, Less Angst: Trauma-Informed Yoga for AuDHD https://solestosoul.ie/2026/01/13/more-joy-less-angst-trauma-informed-yoga-for-audhd-episode-93-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 99: Defy Dystopia! Energy Clearing Meditation for Trauma and AuDHD https://solestosoul.ie/2026/02/24/defy-dystopia-energy-clearing-meditation-for-trauma-and-audhd-episode-99-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 130: Wayward Women Co-author, Tracey Davies https://solestosoul.ie/2026/09/29/wayward-women-co-author-tracey-davies-episode-130-of-soles-to-soul-care-for-trauma-and-audhd-with-eve-menezes-cunningham/ Choose your own adventures: https://solestosoul.ie/adventures/ Book your free telephone consultation and access 100s of body-mind practices at https://solestosoul.ie/free-downloads
I so loved talking to Sue Reed about her books, trauma recovery, late diagnosis of ADHD, graveyards, blackberries, nana naps, sea swims, trees and so much more. What part/s of your story have you been told others don’t care about? What might you be able to alchemise if you give yourself permission to care about it and trust that others will too? You can watch or listen wherever you podcast and access full transcript, show notes, links and more here le grá (with love), Ev3 #suereed #therewildingofmollymcflynn #authorlife #latediagnosedadhd #traumahealing CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the podcast and meeting Sue Reed 04:10 From therapy to creative writing and The Rewilding of Molly McFlynn 10:14 Self-care, cold water and finding space to regulate 15:27 The importance of movement and learning to feel lovable 20:57 Addiction, trauma and understanding what happened 23:32 Finding your voice through writing and an ADHD diagnosis 27:13 From shame to self-compassion 30:57 Realising it wasn’t your fault 34:09 Learning to set boundaries 35:52 Finding community, connection and support 40:26 Throwing cardamom pods for Gill Castle 42:41 What Sue would tell her younger self 45:20 It absolutely was not your fault 46:22 Grounding and checking in with yourself LINKS RIPE Post-trauma badassery, unapologetic ageing, gardening as witchcraft, menopausal resurrection, van life joyrides, and neurospicy chaos. By Sue Reed
I’ve been sober (alcohol and drugs, mostly alcohol) since 2001. Quit smoking in 2001, too. Became vegan in 2017. And (drumroll) it’s nearly 7 weeks since I quit the crisps! In this episode, I share what may sound like a silly example of dorsal vagal (aka Freeze! with the Polyvagal Purrs approach – journal and planner coming soon!) numbing and yet it was challenging. I remember contemplating quitting crisps in 2008 doing my NLP master practitioner training but not wanting to be “crisp sober” so not going ahead. I hope this episode will help you untangle some of your own numbing go to behaviours and remember that you deserve better. le grá (with love), Ev3 HASHTAGS #iamjanedoe #polyvagalpurrs #sobriety #embodiedwellbeing #solestosoulcarefortraumaandaudhd CHAPTERS 00:00 Struggling to do what you mean to do 03:19 When behaviours help us feel safer 06:48 Learning to feel good in your body 10:12 Understanding your nervous system responses 12:18 Getting curious about what a behaviour is trying to do 14:03 Learning to love and care for yourself 15:55 Healing through community and support 18:19 How the body can teach us what we need 20:56 Sending love back to our younger selves 25:24 The cardamom pod question 28:43 The Body is Not an Apology (Sonya Renee Taylor) 30:26 Grounding and listening to what you need LINKS Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/ Meggan Watterson: https://www.megganwatterson.com/ onlinevents: https://app.onlinevents.co.uk/ If you enjoyed this, check out: Episode 25: ‘My needs are high’ says Louise Lucas (formerly Brown), the delightful queer, neurodivergent therapist, supervisor and trainer https://solestosoul.ie/podcast-feed/my-needs-are-high-says-louise-brown-the-delightful-queer-neurodivergent-therapist-supervisor-and-trainer/ Episode 127: Compassion and Pandas with Louise Lucas: Episode 127 https://solestosoul.ie/2026/09/08/compassion-and-pandas-with-louise-lucas-episode-127-of-soles-to-soul-care-for-trauma-and-audhd-with-eve-menezes-cunningham/ Episode 94: Neuro-affirming Self Acceptance with Dr Emma Bede https://solestosoul.ie/2026/01/20/neuro-affirming-self-acceptance-with-dr-emma-bede-episode-94-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 97: Movement and Meaning with John Wilson https://solestosoul.ie/2026/02/10/movement-and-meaning-with-john-wilson-episode-97-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 28: COOKING as self care? Psychotherapist and nutritional therapist Jayne Leonard has revolutionised my LIFE https://solestosoul.ie/podcast-feed/cooking-as-self-care-psychotherapist-and-nutritional-therapist-jayne-leonard-has-revolutionised-my-life/ Episode 42: On Inner Royalty with Jayne Leonard https://solestosoul.ie/2025/01/21/on-inner-royalty-with-jayne-leonard-episode-42-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 50: Neurodiversity Celebration Week with Jayne Leonard https://solestosoul.ie/2025/03/17/neurodiversity-celebration-week-with-jayne-leonard-episode-50-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 60: Jayne Leonard on food and mood https://solestosoul.ie/2025/05/27/jayne-leonard-on-food-and-mood-episode-60-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 48: Cattitude: Purr! Hiss! Freeze! Polyvagal informed self care for trauma and/or ADHD. With cats https://solestosoul.ie/podcast-feed/cattitude-purr-hiss-freeze-polyvagal-informed-self-care-for-trauma-and-or-adhd-with-cats/ Choose your own adventures: https://solestosoul.ie/adventures/ Book your free telephone consultation and access 100s of body-mind practices at https://solestosoul.ie/free-downloads
From dogs to isolated cabins, graveyards to comedy, late diagnosed ADHDer and Wayward Women co-author, Tracey Davies, was an absolute delight to chat to for episode 130 of Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD. If you're a late diagnosed AuDHDer (autism and ADHD), autistic or ADHDer, did your school report cards help in the process? I only had one school report to hand over and it was very helpful. I hope you enjoy this episode and thanks again for being here. le grá (with love), Ev3
Am beyond delighted to share this conversation with the magnificent Mattia Maurée of AuDHD Flourishing. I can’t believe I’ve gone from literally sobbing on my kitchen floor a few years ago (when I came across their podcast when I was going through my own late diagnosis. Listening to all the episodes, I felt like they were inside my head) to sharing their ideal and actual self-care. Mattia shares their love of camping, awe-inspiring nature and more. le grá (with love), Ev3 #audhdflourishing #audhd #neuroqueer #lgbtq+ #mattiamauree CHAPTERS 00:00 Mattia on the restorative power of camping 04:03 Mattia created AuDHD Flourishing 07:45 Mattia’s ideal and actual self-care 11:07 Learning to listen to the body 14:05 Finding connection through nature and awe 18:08 Combining nature, movement and connection 19:21 The communities that help Mattia feel held 23:48 The power of group somatic work 25:10 Who Mattia would throw cardamom for 27:40 Sending love to a younger self 30:04 What Mattia needed to hear when they were younger 33:09 Grounding and listening to what you need LINKS https://www.audhdflourishing.com/ https://linktr.ee/mattiam https://www.patreon.com/mattia/about https://www.tiktok.com/@audhdflourishing https://www.youtube.com/@MattiaMauree https://www.rewilding.cc/ If you enjoyed this, check out: Episode 83: Community as self-care with Elizabeth Potts https://solestosoul.ie/2025/11/04/community-as-self-care-with-elizabeth-potts-episode-83-of-the-feel-better-every-day-podcast/ Episode 111: Survival for Sensitive Souls with Zeenat Ahmed-Peto https://solestosoul.ie/2026/05/19/survival-for-sensitive-souls-with-zeenat-ahmed-peto-episode-111-of-soles-to-soul-care-for-trauma-and-audhd-with-eve-menezes-cunningham/ Episode 126: Trauma, AuDHD (autism and ADHD) and Your 9 Senses https://solestosoul.ie/2026/09/01/trauma-audhd-autism-and-adhd-and-your-9-senses-episode-126-of-the-soles-to-soul-care-for-trauma-and-audhd-with-eve-menezes-cunningham-podcast/ Choose your own adventures: https://solestosoul.ie/adventures/ Book your free telephone consultation and access 100s of body-mind practices at https://solestosoul.ie/free-downloads