Stib Meets...Suzy Reading

Suzy Reading is a mother of two, a Chartered Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, and Health Coach. Having figure skated her way through her childhood whilst growing up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney she now makes her home in the hills of Hertfordshire. Contributing editor for Psychologies Magazine and Psychology Expert for wellbeing brand Neom Organics, Suzy tells us how her life experience of motherhood colliding with the terminal illness of her father sparked her passion for self-care, helping people young and old, to manage their stress, emotions and energetic bank balance during periods of stress, loss and change so that they can boost their resilience in the face of future challenges.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I’ve been fascinated by people my whole life and I always knew I wanted to help in some way. My father was a psychiatrist and I admired the difference he made in people’s lives. I spent most of my childhood competing as a figure skater which sparked an interest in the power of the mind and how we can harness it to achieve our aspirations. Psychology was a natural choice when I finished school but there were many twists and turns in my career before I began my professional life as a psychologist – a decade first working as a personal trainer, yoga teacher and health coach. My work now is a blend of all my passions – working with the mind, the body and the breath to achieve wellbeing. Empowering people with the tools of self-care is the thread that draws all my therapeutic modalities together.

What advice would you give yourself as a child?

There are so many ways to shine! There are many different routes you can take, all of which can take you somewhere special. Get to know yourself, your unique strengths, your values, have courage and carve your own path.

What was your 'big idea' which inspired you to set up your business?

It was motherhood colliding with the terminal illness of my father and my own healing journey that lead me to my current business, specialising in self-care. All my disparate qualifications in psychology, fitness and yoga finally made sense when I was trying to rebuild my life. That’s where I learnt first-hand the transformative power of self-care and the fact that we need a broad toolkit to nurture our mental, emotional and physical health. My business keeps evolving with my life experience too. I focused first on working with mums and lovingly tending to their energetic bank balance. More recently I’ve been exploring nourishing family practices, self-care for kids and self-care for teens. I love seeing people blossom as they become skilled in the art of self-nourishment!

What do you say to yourself when you need a confidence boost?

I use my mind, my body and my breath in this confidence boosting practice: I stand tall, feeling the strength of my legs, the length of my spine, the energy circulating around my body, and the support of the earth beneath me. I call to mind my intention or a value I hold dear and breathe life into it with some yoga mountain breaths. Remembering ‘My Why’ galvanises me to press on even when I feel vulnerable. It’s ok! Just keep taking action in service of what matters most.

What's your favourite Stib word and why?

 ‘Joy finder’ really speaks to me. One of the greatest lessons I learnt from my father was the skill of savouring and it’s the thing I love sharing with my kids. The ability to savour gives you access to self-care in any moment – either by reminiscing about a precious memory, enjoying with relish something happening in the present moment or happily anticipating a future event. Joy finder to me is all about savouring – get skilled in the art and you’ll see life through a different lens. Powerful stuff and even my three year old gets it :)

Suzy’s first book, ‘The Self-Care Revolution’, published by Aster, is out now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Self-Care-Revolution-habits-practices-flourish/dp/1912023202

To empower your kids with the tools of self-care, book onto one of these workshops:

Self-Care for Kids: boosting resilience and emotional first aid. A workshop for parents - http://bayoga.co.uk/self-care-for-kids/

Self-Care for Teens: boosting resilience and coping skills - http://bayoga.co.uk/self-care-for-teens-with-suzy/

Join Suzy’s Wellbeing Community at:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/suzyreading/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuzyReading