Harry Potter Saved My Life

Writer and fellow Harry Potter superfan Phoenix Huber drops in to talk about a JK Rowling-inspired spell she uses to manage her eating. She also discusses: The need to create good habits when you use games and fantasy worlds such as Hogwarts to manage challenges of being trans What she tried before this spell to improve her eating habits One example of a spell inspired by The Goblet of Fire Non-Harry Potter spells Cool synchronicities that happen as a result of these spells How these spells help her get more present with eating The power of imperfectionism The grape spell was: Uvecrece Escribeste! How the world of Hogwarts has helped Phoenix The way that this book series has helped her connect across different communities   Resources Find Pheonix' articles at Medium.com and Peaceful Dumpling https://phoenixhuber.medium.com/ https://www.peacefuldumpling.com/author/phoenix The Eating Coach Podcast Motivational Fasting Contact: info (at) theshiftinside.com

An interview that makes no mention of Harry Potter – yes, it's true! I interview artist Catherine Rains and we discuss nothing to do with the boy wizard. BUT I wanted to bring you this interview because I extracted so much wisdom from it. Catherine is an amazing human being who has just as many life lessons for us as Harry himself. Find out more about Catherine here https://catherinerains.com/ And on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/catrains.artist/ At the end of the interview, I make some remarks about how what is discussed relates to the world of Hogwarts. In particular *Catherine's double pronged non resistance and how we see this in The Deathly Hallows *The passage from childhood to adulthood Some highlights from this interview: How to be unintentionally intentional The five words anyone can use in a negative situation to feel more empowered Catherine's epiphany about non resistance The non linear nature of change. How she diverted her energy to sidestep jealousy and intended her way to the job of her dreams Why affirmations don't work for so many people - because they are doing this thing alongside the affirmation Her strategy for releasing fear and dread after her cancer diagnosis (I have never heard this from anyone else) How she developed compassion for her husband in the midst of her divorce but still shielded herself from his manipulation Her hilarious way of managing old resentments Email Harriet; info (at) theshiftinside.com Watch the video - which has some extra content   - but not  my commentary at the end https://www.theshiftinside.com/catrains/

Heads Up – Boundary Setting 101 week is comin on May 17th …and it’s completely free Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ What if Hermoine had not been clever? This episode takes what some might see as a bit of a controversial stance on her relationship with Harry and Ron…but that’s not the important thing here. Rather I am interested in what she symbolises for you. Email me more What If? Ideas: info {at} theshiftinside.com    

Heads Up – Boundary Setting 101 week starts tomorrow May 17th …and it’s completely free Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ The death of Harry’s godfather is in my opinion the biggest blow to Harry of the entire 7 books. Today I ask: what would have happened if Sirius had NOT died? And what lessons do we glean from the tragedy? What would we have lost that is perhaps useful to our own escape from anxiety and depression if The Order Of The Phoenix had not ended the way it did? Find out in this episode. Women Who Run With The Wolves is by Clarissa Pinkola Estes https://www.harrypottersavedmylife.com/

In today's minisode, I ask What if Luna Lovegood had had more friends?  Discover the surprising answer to this question - and the double contrasting power that she holds. Grab your spot for Boundary Setting 101 Week here:  https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ Masterclass 1 ~ Turn Down The Volume on Your Fear of Setting Boundaries Discover why you are already better than you think at boundary setting, and learn all about your fear centre. Something akin to a blind and stubborn bouncer living inside your head, your fear centre is actually trying to protect you by resisting setting boundaries. By the end of this session, you will understand how you have more influence over this part of your mind than you think.   Masterclass 2 ~ Setting Your First Empowering Boundary Learn what the crucial difference is between reactive and empowering boundary setting. In this liberating masterclass, I take all the pressure off this challenge in two important ways that allow you to step into your power.   Masterclass 3 ~ From Struggle To Adventure How to reframe this skill so that it excites you instead of fills you with dread. Step two foot to the side of the nonsense your inner critic tells you as we uses two powerful and inspirational reframes that will make you want to stretch your comfort zone.   Q: HOW DO I ACCESS THE MASTERCLASSES? Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ You can attend on Zoom or get the videos in your inbox.  

The ill-treated orphan trope is such a well-worn dramatic device. However, in JK Rowlings hands, it works. But what if the Dursleys had been kinder to Harry? Of course if we just stick to literary interpretation, there are certain consequences that would have affected the story if the author had made a different decision regarding Harry’s muggle relatives. However, in this minisode, we go deeper and look at the life lessons for us that Harry’s uncle, aunt and cousin deliver. Heads Up – Boundary Setting 101 Week is coming on May 17th …and it’s completely free Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/  

Heads Up – Boundary Setting 101 week is coming on May 17th …and it’s completely free Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ You can attend on Zoom or get the videos in your inbox. How would The Harry Potter series have been different had Draco killed Dumbledore in the Astronomy tower at the end of The Half Blood Prince? How would it change what this character means, as well as others? Find out in this minisode. https://www.harrypottersavedmylife.com/  

If Voldemort had not taken Harry’s blood, he would not have made love an integral part of his regeneration – and therein lie the seeds of his own self destruction. Find out more today. Heads Up – Boundary Setting 101 week is coming on May 17th …and it’s completely free Make sure you sign up https://www.theshiftinside.com/freed/ You can attend on Zoom or get the videos in your inbox.

What if Voldemort had not taken Harry’s blood? What if Draco had not Killed Luna? What if Luna had had more friends? In this series of minisodes, I explore what might have happened had key events NOT happened – or indeed HAD happened in the Harry Potter book series. The point is to show you how even catastrophic events can have positive side effects. Straight after this one - What if Voldemort had not taken Harry’s blood? Harriet Morris   Harriet Morris is a HP superfan. This podcast is all about how we can use the characters, spells and places in JK Rowling’s magical universe to deal better with anxiety and depression. Harriet also hosts The Eating Coach and Stop People Pleasing podcasts.

https://www.theshiftinside.com/stop/ Neville Longbottom certainly learns to stand up for himself during his time at Hogwarts. But there is more to Mr Longbottom than meets the eye. In this episode, I make the case for Neville being more heroic, more of a role model for fighting bullies than Hagrid, Hermione or even Harry himself. Listen in and hear why I make this bold claim, as well as explain the two lessons that Neville has for us in helping us stand up to people. RESOURCES Eating Coach episode on people pleasing https://www.theshiftinside.com/stop-people-pleasing-and-compulsive-eating/ Stop People Pleasing Programme https://www.theshiftinside.com/stop/ The Stop People Pleasing Coaching Programme - enrollment open now! Do you long to accept yourself, but have no idea how to do this? Would you like to develop emotional resilience and navigate life more powerfully? Would you like to learn how to stand up for yourself and say no without being aggressive? Do you want to build your self confidence in a real way, without having to fake it til you make it? Would you like to learn how to put food out of the job of life manager? Do you want to learn how to become the role model that you long to be?    Who Is This Programme For? I have designed this programme for empaths.  An empath is someone who has a strong tendancy to soak up others’ emotions. There are many positive aspects to being an empath such as an ability to read people well and high intuition. However, most empaths are so weighed down by how their emotional sponge nature has taken over their lives that they fall into the habit of people pleasing, finding it hard to say no and stand up for themselves.  The aim of this transformative 8 weeks is to shift how you are showing up in the world by learning to rein in these disempowering behaviours and start playing to your strengths.    How The Programme Works This programme has two separate strands. #1 The Empath Sessions Managing your empath nature, self acceptance and how to start showing up in more powerful ways so that life becomes rewarding instead of draining for you. 1 x 90 minute Zoom session a week over 8 weeks   #2 Eating Psychology Sessions Put food out of the job it was never meant to do. This part of the programme comprises 4 x 90 minute sessions that give a solid foundation of how to eat better using the principles of eating psychology. You will dive in and try out doable food-rebel proof changes that are not too extreme. These changes have been shown time and again to reduce cravings and binge eating. We look at the HOW of eating, which is a hugely underrated part of reclaiming your life from food. I devote a whole session to sugar and give you some practical ways to free yourself from those little white granules.  IMPORTANT: If you have worked with me previously, or you do not have eating issues, you can choose to omit part 2.  The programme fees will be reduced by 25% if you opt to just attend the empath sessions

This episode explores the meaning of polyjuice potion and how it can help us live more empowered lives, free from anxiety and depression. Instant physical transformation, or shapeshifting, is something that has existed in myths and legends for centuries. Humans crave it big time. But, as you shall hear, JK Rowling highlights the shortcomings of shapeshifting in the very way she crafted the idea of Polyjuice potion. There is so much to learn about self acceptance here. Who knew that Crabbe and Goyle had so much to teach us?!? 3m20: The meaning of shapeshifting in myths and legends 5m27: How the meaning of shapeshifting has become corrupted today 9m30: How Polyjuice can help us against the backdrop of this modern craving for uniformity, especially when contrasted with Tonks’ ability to transform at will   RESOURCES The  Body Confident Project – try it out for free http://www.theshiftinside.com/tryit/ Polyjuice potion intro https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/polyjuice-potion Wikipedia entry on shapeshifting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapeshifting

Today’s Quotefest focuses on something Dumbledore says to Harry at the end of The Goblet of Fire after his horrific experience in the graveyard, being forced to watch Voldemort come back to human (ish) form. “Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it” Dumbledore says to Sirius’ protests. I am exploring this quote as a metaphor for addiction in this episode.   RESOURCES Russell Brand: Recovery – Freedom From Our Addictions Flaws by Bastille: https://youtu.be/gzRBoZb3GKw

“Dobby will have too punish himself most grievously for coming to see you Sir; Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this” (from The Chamber of Secrets). Today’s Quotefest episode uses this seemingly simple quote from Dobby to illustrate a deeper understanding of self-sabotaging behaviour. I am talking about Invisible Pricetags. Dobby creates a very visible pricetag for speaking the truth about his abuse at the hands of the Malfoys, and wanting to help Harry: he self harms. The lessons we can draw from this are many and varied, but today I focus on the invisible version that I used to create for myself on a pretty much daily basis. I talk about what invisible pricetags are and how you can stop paying them.   FUNNY QUOTE …comes again from Dobby   RESOURCES Email info (at) theshiftinside.com Eating Coach Real vs Fake Pleasure episode : http://www.theshiftinside.com/audio-real-vs-fake-pleasure/ Find out more about Cavebrain: http://www.theshiftinside.com/rum-what-is-cavebrain/  

Today’s quote is about - not from - one of the Potter books and it comes from John Green, author of Paper Towns “Harry Potter isn’t real? Oh no! Wait, wait, what do you mean by real? Is this video blog real? Am I real if you can see me and hear me, but only through the internet? Are you real if I can read your comment but I don’t know who you are or what your name is or where you’re from or what you look like or how old you are? I know all of those things about Harry Potter. Maybe Harry Potter’s real and you’re not.” Today I discuss  how this quote plays with the idea of truth, and how you need to challenge truth that your anxiety is telling you is fixed and certain.   FUNNY QUOTE Fred and George in book 2 - The Chamber of Secrets   RESOURCES Quote source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/451540-harry-potter-isn-t-real-oh-no-wait-wait-what-do Check out my other podcast The Eating Coach Email me: info (at) theshiftinside.com

Welcome to The Harry Potter Saved My Life Quotefest. Every episode for the next few weeks or so, I will bring you two quotes – 1 meaningful and 1 pure comedy. I give you my spin on how these words can you life an more empowered life. MEANINGFUL QUOTE “Great, Tell me when you’ve defeated Voldemort for me, will you?” from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows I talk about what this quote means to me and how it can help you deal with anxiety, depression and live a more empowered, resilient life. I discuss: -Living in struggle and learnt helplessness -The empowering questions that will get you to reframe lockdown and how you are moving through it to help you connect with the same strength that Harry does in his innumerable challengesthroughout the course of the seven books. -The relief of being able to talk about mental health   FUNNY QUOTE …comes from Ron, talking about Percy, possibly the most fertile ground for comedy of anyone in the whole series! Check out my other podcast, The Eating Coach Email; info (at) theshiftinside.com

If Coronavirus Were A Harry Potter Character, It Would Not Be Voldemort. So Who Then? Why, Peeves The Poltergeist of course. For me, the most useful metaphor for Coronavirus in the world of Hogwarts is Peeves the poltergeist. Hogwart’s most un-favourite poltergeist is pretty unmanageable. The only souls, living or dead, that have any impact on his mischief-making are Dumbledore and The Bloody Baron. Everyone else must put up with him - because what else can they do? Whether he is lobbing water balloons at the students during the welcoming feast or making Neville set fire to his own pants, Peeves seems to have some kind of superhuman (super ex-human?) ability to be undetectable before he strikes. Sounds a bit like Coronavirus if you ask me. Peeves stands for chaos and disruption. But look a bit deeper, and he is also a powerful metaphor for how to cope with that disruption. In this episode I explain the hidden goodness of Hogwarts' most onerous ghost. Enjoy!    RESOURCES Contact me: info @ theshiftinside.com The One-Minute Thought Experiment to lower your anxiety http://www.theshiftinside.com/minute/

A quick update on what I am working on - and one of my favourite passages from the entire series, taken from The Goblet of Fire

In this episode, I explain how I used Harry Potter to help a client deal with her suicidal urges. Please note that my area of expertise is compulsive and binge eating, not suicide – so take everything you hear as anecdote, rather than expert advice. In addition, my client has never attempted to take her own life – we are talking about passive suicidal ideation (i.e. dealing with thoughts such as ‘I don’t want to be here anymore’ rather than any active intention to end her life).   4 min 30: HOW TO CHANNEL SUICIDAL URGES USING THE DEATHLY HALLOWS I talk about the work I did with my client around safely channelling and releasing her desire to die via the 3 chapters The Forest Again, King’s Cross and The Flaw In The Plan from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. This is all about the power of imagination instead of well-worn clichés that try and fail to appeal to logic. Sharing Harry’s terror and hopelessness then return to Hogwarts allowed Sophie to connect with her desire to live and resilience. If you are not already a member of Audible, you can get this audiobook free. Go to http://www.audibletrial.com/EatingCoach and you can help support the show.   20 min 16: THE 5 QUESTIONS TO REFRAME THE DESIRE TO DIE Q1: Can you translate this desire? Q2: What in your life must die? Q3 relates to expressing suicidal urges Q4: Have you met Cavebrain, your secret superpower?   CONCLUSION What to do at the end of this podcast   RESOURCES Suicide Prevention Help: UK – The Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/ Tel: 116 123 In The USA: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Tel 1-800—273-8255   Karla McLaren – The Language of Emotions   Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – if you are not already a member of Audible, you can get this audiobook free. Go to http://www.audibletrial.com/EatingCoach and you can help support the show.   James Altucher’s article : https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/i-want-to-die/ Matthew Hussey http://www.matthewhussey.com/ The Eating Coach episodes on Cavebrain: http://www.theshiftinside.com/audio-why-cant-i-stop-stress-eating-ask-your-cavebrain/  http://www.theshiftinside.com/how-to-stop-stress-eating-part-2/   CONTACT ME Info (at) theshiftinside.com Or leave me a voice message here: www.theshiftinside.com/harry

Hogwart’s favourite half-giant teaches us three important life lessons throughout the course of the seven books. What are they? Loyalty? Being a good father figure? Well, although these are traits that many people think of, I believe they are least interesting for our purposes here. Instead, let’s talk about: #1 Building Better Boundaries. Hagrid is an anti-teacher in this respect – he shows us what happens when we fail to build healthy boundaries. This is apparent not just in his naïve love of all things monster, but in the varied and horribly hilarious examples I give from the whole series. #2 Acknowledge your strengths. We all know Hagrid is physically strong, but he is more resilient and mentally tough than anyone – especially Hagrid – gives him credit for. I discuss exactly how, and how to start giving YOURSELF credit. #3 ??? In this episode you will discover: *The difference between taking responsibility and taking the blame *Some powerful questions to ask yourself if you feel people are asking too much of you *The very rare ability Hagrid shares with Harry, Dumbledore, Sirius and Hermione   Potter Fan of The Week Our featured listener is Kristen Chavez from the Your Biggest Fangirl podcast http://www.yourbiggestfangirl.com/ To be featured, just go to http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/   Podcast of The Week ...is Caskets and Cocktails   Quote of the episode: ‘Life doesn’t get easier for Hagrid just because it should’.   RESOURCES One-to-One coaching: http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry-potter-coaching/ Episode 1 of The Eating Coach on Harry and the hero’s journey: http://eatingcoach.libsyn.com/ec0001-from-struggle-to-adventure Find Caskets and Cocktails at:  https://anchor.fm/casketsandcocktails

A choc-full-of-spoilers review of the latest Fantastic Beasts installment. I  talk about what was great, and what was not so great. In particular: *The theme of belonging and can an isolated outsider ever become a leader? *The surprising symbolism of the niffler stealing Grindelwald’s  blood pact trinket *What I think about Queenie’s defection to Grindelwald *Is it right for it to take such a dark turn after Fantastic Beasts?   RESOURCES Episode on Draco: http://harrypottersavedmylife.com/7-draco-the-loneliness-of-change   GET IN TOUCH www.theshiftinside.com/harry info {at} theshiftinside.com

S2E1: A no-spoilers episode to kick off season 2. I give you a review of the latest Fantastic Beasts film that contains absolutely no major plot giveaways – beyond what your local cinema might have in their description blurb. I talk about what’s good and not so good about The Crimes of Grindelwald so you can decide for yourself. I talk about where I disagree with the criticisms levelled at this movie – and where I think the naysayers are right. In particular: *The issue of exposition in a prequel and where the film fell down *Where I thought there was real emotional depth *How Leta Lestrange was portrayed *Johnny Depp as Grindelwald – total dud or just right *The problem of Dumbledore being played anew by a third actor *What we all need to remember about exposition in the Harry Potter films *My favourite special effects Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss the full spoiler-filled review coming later this week. Contact me: info {at} theshiftinside.com Check out The Eating Coach podcast - just search that title wherever you get your podcasts or go to www.theshiftinside.com/blog      

Season 2 of this podcast is just around the corner! Be sure to subscribe so you get the next episode the moment it is released. I include an excerpt about Jacob Kowalski (the thoroughly befuddled muggle from Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them) which was featured in episode 14 of my other podcast, The Eating Coach. Here is the full episode that extract comes from, plus all the video clips for each Hollywood Rebel: http://www.theshiftinside.com/films/  

Wouldn’t we all just love a Time Turner? How fabulous would it be to go back in time and wipe out that awful interview, the person you wish you had never met, or the job you would avoid like the plague if you had your time over again.   However, I believe that the REAL fantasy pull of the Time Turner is two-fold: to help us turn away from the inevitable forward march of time and to avoid having to feel regret.   Sorry, ain’t gonna happen. In this episode, I discuss how JK Rowling’s very interesting limitations on this invention gives us a clue to why we are better off without them (and Harry and co. helpfully smashed the lot in the department of mysteries at the end of book 5 anyway) and how we can neutralise regret instead.   Olivia from The Super Serious Social Justice Podcast drops in to give her a few of her favourite bits of all things Potter.     RESOURCES: To contact me or record your audio to be on the show: http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/   https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/time-turner   http://www.theshiftinside.com/podcast-me-too-release-your-trauma-and-put-food-out-of-a-job-it-was-never-meant-to-do/   Super Serious Social Justice Podcast:  https://www.sssjcast.com/   The Eating Coach podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 In the USA https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 SFX By www.zapsplat.com

So many of our fears have a very powerful misunderstanding at their core. Find out why so many of us are servants to our fears, instead of brave adventurers who dismantle them at every opportunity. Harry chooses to face Voldemort in the forest – and we too can stand up to our fears…with equally powerful results.   New section: Who’s Your Favourite…? Thanks to Marina Darlow from www.vision-framework.com who hosts the Better at Business podcast at http://betterat.biz/ for being the first listener to tell us her favourite character and why, and also what spell she wishes she could use, and why.   To get on the show with YOUR answers, simply go to http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/ and record your answers there! If you have a podcast tell what it is and what it’s about!   RESOURCES Episode on Cavebrain: http://www.theshiftinside.com/audio-why-cant-i-stop-stress-eating-ask-your-cavebrain/ The Eating Coach podcast: If you have an Apple device, go to https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375   In the USA https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375   ‘Rejection Proof’ is by Jia Jing

Today I look at the significance of omnioculars in the Muggle world. If you have forgotten, they appear at the start of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire when our hero is watching the Quidditch World Cup: "You can replay action ... slow everything down ... and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need it. Bargain - ten Galleons each." Find out what they mean to us in our life, and how they can help us be happier and more empowered.   RESOURCES Ideas for future show topics? Email me: info {at} theshiftinside.com or leave me a message at  http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/ Check out my other podcast The Eating Coach If you have an Apple device and are in the UK, go to https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 In the USA: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 SFX by the ever-splendiferous Zapsplat

Today we look at our own tendancy to use events and actions of other people to confirm our pre-existing beliefs through Snape...and indeed Harry. Find out exactly how they are inverted mirror images of each other, a kind of mutually destructive, corrupted yin and yang. And of course we take this lesson out of JK Rowling's world, and into our own. Find out what feeling is a pretty good clue that you are suffering from confirmation bias, as well as the question that can help you be more objective. Quote of The Episode: Fred and George's U-No-Poo poster from The Half Blood Prince Resources The episode about Harry and Snape and The Shadow: http://harrypottersavedmylife.com/2-harry-and-self-acceptance   The Psychology Today Article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/automatic-you/201710/confirmation-bias-why-you-make-terrible-life-choices   Check out The Eating Coach podcast wherever you get your podcasts

What surprising lessons can Harry Potter's hideous relatives have to offer us? The hidden benefits of jealousy, that's what. Another shot of inspiration from superfan Harriet Morris who can seemingly find not exactly a font of wisdom from Privet drive, but some backwards, unintended life advice Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never intended to give their nephew, but is writ large in neo lights whenever either of them open their (rather mealy) mouths.   RESOURCES Episode 2 (mistakenly I called it episode one) about Harry's shadows: http://harrypottersavedmylife.com/2-harry-and-self-acceptance   Contact me at http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/   The Eating Coach podcast on iTunes is at  UK - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 USA - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375  

The 31st October is massively significant in the Potterverse, and even more meaningful for us – if we look deep enough.   How we do it is by unearthing the strange paradoxes that occur every Halloween to Harry and his friends. His parents died on this day – but it is also the day that he, Ron and Hermione join forces as a powerful trio that will eventually work together to defeat Voldemort.   These conflicts of meaning continue throughout the whole series – listen today to decipher what they can signify for us.   QUOTE OF THE EPISODE …actually we have two quotes. One non-JKR (sacrilege? Maybe, but it’s worth it) plus Harry buying books in Flourish and Botts.   RESOURCES Check out my Eating Coach podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375

Draco Malfoy is much more than a bully gifted with magical powers. He offers us two very different sources of inspiration when it comes to empowering ourselves. First of all, he makes us ask What is great about that person who drives me crazy? It is the ONLY question we can ask. Without Draco, Harry would not be master of The Elder Wand. We too can use bullies and other difficult people as sources of resilience. Secondly, Draco exemplifies the loneliness of true change. Nobody is there to help him transition from eager Death Eater in waiting to the better man he is growing into. I get enormous comfort from Draco's very real struggles in the last two books.   RESOURCES Check out The Eating Coach Podcast

How can we shed our victimhood using the metaphor of Felix Felicis? This is the continuation of last episode on Ron - so go back and re-listen to that first if you haven't already.    Lucky potion, as introduced by professor Slughorn in Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince, can be used to talk about many different challenges - but here I am going to focus in on the episode where Harry pretends to give Ron some Felix.   This potion allows Ron to change the victim story he is telling himself about. He is no better a player after Harry's 'ethical lie' than before, but this feat of the imagination is available to all of us.    Find out:   What story the victim narrative tells   How it does half a job   How story helps us process and recover from trauma, and protect ourselves from future hurts   How shedding inappropriate shame makes the victim story redundant   QUOTE OF THE DAY: From The Goblet of Fire, what the Quidditch World Cup merchants are selling.        RESOURCES Leave me a message at http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/   The Sebastian Junger interview where he mentiins war veterans https://tim.blog/2016/05/22/sebastian-junger/   http://www.harrypottersavedmylife.com

I HATE being poor! I'm not wearing that! I'm no good at Quidditch! Just exactly what IS up with Mr Ronald Weasley? Why would such a self-styled victim be part of the most powerful wizarding trio Hogwarts has ever seen?   In this episode I discuss the two great gifts Ron has to offer us on our own journeys to empowerment: his sheer ordinariness and the way he sheds his victim identity.   I love the way JK Rowling holds her ginger-haired hero up as a refreshing counterbalance to the cult of the talented unique genius. Unlike his two friends, Ron has no outstanding talent....but he still plays a vital role in the downfall of Voldemort. What better lesson for all of us?   But it is the way he exits his deeply ingrained victim identity that I find most profound about Ron. Discover what I mean in this episode, and its second part: Felix Felicis, out on Saturday.   QUOTE OF THE DAY We have two quotes from Ron himself. All I can say is this: mobile libraries have never been so hilarious.   RESOURCES Leave me a message at: http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/ The Eating Coach Podcast is at  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 or if you are in USA https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375

How can 'the best witch of her age' help us live more empowered lives? Isn't she, as Snape puts it, just 'an insufferable know-it all'?   Yes she is. Of course she is. But Hermione is so much more than that. It is she, not Harry or Ron, who punches Draco in year 3. It is she who masterminds Dumbledore's army when Harry is a bit too consumed by rage to organise anything.    By comparing Hermione to Percy Weasley, we see her in a new light, and understand the lessons she has to teach us about the necessity of rebellion to our own inner conformity that forbids us to make the courageous, soul-saving changes that we need to.   Despite outward appearances   QUOTE OF THE DAY ... comes from ch 8 of The Chamber of Secrets. We find out that snakeoil sales still exist in the world of Hogwarts. This quote is about the Kwikspell course that Filch the caretaker is interested in.   RESOURCES Leave me a message at: http://www.theshiftinside.com/harry/ The Eating Coach Podcast is at  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375 or if you are in USA https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eating-coach/id1258258375

Today I talk about the role that the idea of Hogwarts has for us in healing from anxiety, depression etc. Nobody transitions from abused child to powerful leader without some form of social support – and we CAN do this, even without a half-giant on a motorbike whisking us off to a strange new world! So much of people’s misery is down to the fact that we are essentially tribal creatures living in a tribeless society. In this episode, you will discover: The specific ways we are still cavedwellers with smartphones *Why the dementors and Quirrell as are essential to Harry’s development as Ron and Hermione  *The mental shift inside we need to make to get more Hogwarts in our lives   QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: Fred and George's epic exit from Hogwarts, and their parting words to Umbridge: "We won't be seeing you"...and other comedy gems.   *RESOURCES* The Johann Hari TED Talk on Addiction: https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong   Article About London in WWII: http://www.express.co.uk/news/history/603421/Britain-1940-bomb-World-War-II-history-facts

In this episode, we look at how you can accept yourself better – not via useless affirmations, but by integrating the shadow within. This concept, coined by Jung is “the unknown ‘‘dark side’’ of our personality - dark both because it tends to consist predominantly of the primitive, negative, socially or religiously depreciated human emotions and impulses like sexual lust, power strivings, selfishness, greed, envy,  or rage, and due to its unenlightened nature, completely obscured from consciousness.” One of the reasons for the phenomenal success of JK Rowling’s favourite boy wizard is that he succeeds in integrating his shadow – or, as I show you, shadowS during the 7 books. Discover: *Why Voldemort is not Harry’s shadow *Who is *The one aspect that sets them apart from everyone else that is  integral to Harry’s development *How Harry Potter has helped me recover from food compulsion *Why empathy for some of the most nasty characters can be helpful   *QUOTE OF THE DAY* …comes from Aberforth, when Harry is about to enter The Battle of Hogwarts. The most (unitentionally) hilarious line of the whole series, IMHO   *RESOURCES* https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/201204/essential-secrets-psychotherapy-what-is-the-shadow   Leave me a message at www. theshiftinside.com/harry    

A glimpse into what to expect from Harry Potter Saved My Life, the show that explores the soul-saving lessons hidden in JK Rowling's magical world.