Dial Emma

In honour of International Women’s Day, Dial Emma presents The Unsaid – a four-part mini-series exploring the emotional realities many women are living with, but rarely have language for. Each episode features two listener dilemmas and twenty minutes of thoughtful, compassionate reflection on the inner work women are doing beneath the surface of competence, independence and survival.
In this week's episode, I explore the unseen emotional burdens women often carry for others. Many of us become “emotional regulators,” constantly soothing, managing, and fixing for family, friends and even colleagues, but it's often at the cost of our own wellbeing.
I dive into why this pattern forms, how resentment and guilt signal crossed boundaries, and the crucial distinction between being present and being responsible for others’ feelings. I also share some practical strategies for caring without carrying, including setting boundaries, tolerating discomfort, and how to let relationships wobble without collapsing.
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Dial Emma is hosted by Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Lauren Brook.
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Social media:
Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell
Dial Emma @dialemmapodcast
Email: [email protected]

In honour of International Women’s Day, Dial Emma presents The Unsaid – a four-part mini-series exploring the emotional realities many women are living with, but rarely have language for. Each episode features two listener dilemmas and twenty minutes of thoughtful, compassionate reflection on the inner work women are doing beneath the surface of competence, independence and survival.
This first instalment explores a theme that resonates deeply for many of us: doing objectively well in life, but still feeling wrong beneath it all.
Our first dilemma comes from a listener who says that nothing is wrong in her life, but something about it doesn't feel right, either. Our second listener feels like she has ticked every box, but finds herself contending with a sense of itchiness and dissatisfaction.
In this episode, I explore functional freeze, delayed desire, the pressure to feel grateful, and the quiet awakening of something more honest beneath achievement.
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Dial Emma is hosted by Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Lauren Brook.
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Social media:
Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell
Dial Emma @dialemmapodcast
Email: [email protected]

Welcome back to Dial Emma! Each week, I'll be answering your dilemmas with honesty, empathy, and a few therapeutic truth bombs to help you make sense of life's stickiest moments. If you've ever wished you had a therapist in your back pocket, Dial Emma is here to help.
This week on the podcast, I'm responding to a listener dilemma all about empathy - and who better to help me answer it than an integrative psychotherapist who describes herself as someone who 'empathises for a living,' Aimee Cliff.
Aimee joins me to explore the complexities of empathy, emotional sensitivity, and the challenges faced by those who feel deeply for others. We discuss the burden of emotional intuition, the importance of setting boundaries, and the impact of childhood experiences on one's ability to manage empathy. Aimee also emphasises the importance of self-care, and understanding the difference between genuine emotional connection and anxiety-driven responses.
If you have a dilemma for Emma, please fill out this form.
To pre-order Aimee's book, click here.
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Dial Emma is hosted by Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Lauren Brook.
---
Social media:
Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell
Dial Emma @dialemmapodcast
Email: [email protected]

Welcome back to Dial Emma! Each week, I'll be answering your dilemmas with honesty, empathy, and a few therapeutic truth bombs to help you make sense of life's stickiest moments. If you've ever wished you had a therapist in your back pocket, Dial Emma is here to help.
In this week's episode, Dr. Claire Plumbly, a clinical psychologist, EMDR consultant and author, joins me to explore the complexities of burnout, a subject that she specialises in alongside PTSD, anxiety, and trauma-informed wellbeing.
We respond to a listener who is struggling with the constant connectivity of modern life and work, discussing our physical and emotional responses to stress, the importance of understanding the autonomic nervous system, and the practical strategies we can implement to manage energy and set boundaries.
We also talk about the need for self-compassion, the role of personal values in shaping identity, and how creating cues of safety can facilitate relaxation and help us transition more smoothly into rest time.
If you have a dilemma for Emma, please fill out this form.
Find Claire on social media here.
Access her free resource, the 5-step PARKS Method for switching off, here.
---
Dial Emma is hosted by Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Lauren Brook.
---
Social media:
Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell
Dial Emma @dialemmapodcast
Email: [email protected]

Welcome back to Dial Emma! Each week, I'll be answering your dilemmas with honesty, empathy, and a few therapeutic truth bombs to help you make sense of life's stickiest moments. If you've ever wished you had a therapist in your back pocket, Dial Emma is here to help.
In this bitesize episode, I'm responding to two in-the-moment dilemmas: how to escape survival mode, and how to let go of a victim mindset. I explore why survival mode is not a failure but a natural response to overwhelming circumstances, the small, manageable changes we can make to navigate it, and how reclaiming our agency and recognising our influence in the present moment can help us to feel less powerless.
If you have a dilemma for Emma, please fill out this form.
---
Dial Emma is hosted by Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Lauren Brook.
---
Social media:
Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell
Dial Emma @dialemmapodcast
Email: [email protected]