The Emetophobia Free Podcast

Episoder

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  "Stop Talking To Yourself Like That." | Why Your Inner Voice Is Key to Beating Emetophobia 01.07.2026 42min

  In this week's episode, host Michelle Johnson sits down with Theresa Saludo, an ex-emetophobe living in Sydney, Australia. Theresa shares the one thing that really changed things for her, and it wasn't more exposure to the thing she feared. It was learning to tackle the inner critic and get on her own team. Understanding the Critical Voice How many times a day do you think you put yourself down without even noticing? Not the big, obvious moments, the quiet ones. "I can't handle this." "I'm be...
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  'Being sick in public would be unbearable,' : Why social anxiety plays a huge part in Emetophobia 11.06.2026 42min

  This episode highlights a common misconception around social anxiety. It is often thought socially anxious people are shy, reserved and likely to avoid public situations. When in reality social anxiety is often much more subtle. Examples include: Dreading a phone call, rehearsing what you'll say at the checkout, worrying what others think of how you look, worrying you've said the wrong thing or come across incorrectly, tensing up before a meeting you've attended a hundred times... Soc...
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  I don't know who I would be without Emetophobia: Emetophobia and the Identity Crisis 23.03.2026 39min

  This episode centres around the concept of Emetophobia forming part of a person's identity. Identity as defined by Erikson, E. H. (1968), is a coherent sense of self that develops over time. Once a person has created Emetophobia, it can become all consuming very quickly so that many people start to identify as 'an emetophobe' and then struggle to understand or ever imagine who they could be without it. Research suggests the mean onset of Emetophobia is age 11 and, if left untreated, alm...
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  Emetofobie overwinnen zonder exposure: hoe Sophie en Lisanne dit deden en nu anderen helpen 20.03.2026 33min

  In deze eerste Nederlandstalige podcast over emetofobie delen Thrive Programme coaches Lisanne Prooij en Sophie Hintzbergen hun inspirerende verhalen over het overwinnen van hun extreme angst voor overgeven. Zij weten als geen ander hoe het is om met emetofobie te leven en niet volledig begrepen te worden door je omgeving. Lisanne ontwikkelde emetofobie op haar 15e. De constante angst voor buikgriep en voedselvergiftiging, overmatig handen wassen, en obsessief op letten bij eten maakten dat z...
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  The Language That Fuels Emetophobia and How to Change It 18.02.2026 33min

  How often do you tell yourself: “I can’t handle this” or “That would be absolutely awful”? Once a day? Ten times? Every time you feel slightly nauseous? In this episode, Michelle Johnson and Samantha Marker explore how language quietly fuels emetophobia and how changing your words can begin changing your fear. Because your inner voice isn’t just background noise… it’s running the whole show. Emetophobia isn’t maintained by physical sensations; it’s maintained by the meaning we a...
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  Exercise and Emetophobia - How to reclaim your fitness! 05.02.2026 42min

  Do you avoid exercise because of your fear of being sick? Do you fear you will accidentally push yourself too hard and vomit? Or do you fear you will see someone else be sick while exercising? Do you also find exercise disheartening because you never feel fit enough or good enough? This episodes delves into the relationship between emetophobia and exercise. Michelle Johnson is joined this week by ex semi-professional football player and ex-emetophobe, Sophie Lee. Sophie shares her pers...
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  Reclaim your Christmas: Navigating the festive season with Emetophobia 06.12.2025 38min

  In this festive episode, Coaches Michelle Johnson and Joy Ferguson discuss specific strategies for managing emetophobia during Christmas gatherings. They emphasise the importance of understanding that emetophobia is not actually about sickness, but rather an interplay of limiting beliefs and thinking styles that can be tackled without exposure. The conversation covers practical tips for setting boundaries, managing expectations, and focusing on positive experiences. The hosts encourage...
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  Hope for the most 'complex' cases of Emetophobia: Sophie's self-led journey to freedom 04.12.2025 53min

  We have had lots of incredible guests on the Emetophobia-Free podcast but today's guest Sophie is truly exceptional. Sophie's Emetophobia started at a young age and was so severe that she spent the full 7 years at CAMHS. Sophie's Emetophobia was so debilitating that she was unable to leave the room without the assistance of someone else and at one point she made an attempt to end her own life. The professionals involved in her care held case study meetings about her as she...
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  Breaking Generations of Silence & Stigma: Grandmother Deb’s Journey to Freedom from Emetophobia 20.10.2025 29min

  ‘Don’t be embarrassed by anything, because this is a real thing, and you are not the only one suffering!’ are the supportive words of advice from long-term Emetophobia sufferer and Grandmother Deb. Deb first remembers struggling with the phobia as a young child. During her childhood, Deb experienced her father suffering with the same fear. She also recognised his resistance to seeking any help for fear of ridicule, judgment and shame. Deb remembers her Emetophobia worsening as she becam...
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  Emetophobia Has No Gender: Kane's Journey to Emetophobia-Free 06.10.2025 45min

  Research suggests that the majority of Emetophobia sufferers are female but Kane's inspirational story shows that it can affect anyone. Kane developed emetophobia while serving in the royal navy in his 20’s and the phobia got progressively worse over the years. In Kane’s words, his life with emetophobia was ‘bland’. He didn’t get excited, didn’t enjoy partaking in experiences and didn’t know who he had become. Kane avoided social events, created excuses and restricted his life to such ...
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  I Shaved My Head and Survived on 500 Calories Because of Emetophobia: But it Didn't Win! 15.09.2025 44min

  In today's episode, Melina discusses her experience with severe emetophobia. Melina’s anxiety began at a very young age and after 10 different diagnoses of mental health issues, Melina finally discovered her true struggle of emetophobia. This had been missed due to lack of knowledge and understanding. Once discovering that she wasn’t alone, Melina began her journey to becoming emetophobia-free, and has never been happier! Melina’s diagnosis struggles After her Arfid diagnosi...
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  Why Chronic Illness Won’t Stop You from Overcoming Emetophobia 01.09.2025 36min

  We receive many emails from people who are suffering from Emetophobia alongside a diagnosed medical condition (IBS, Crohn's disease, POTs, Celiac disease to name but a few). Many are concerned that their diagnosis will stop them from overcoming the Emetophobia and so are reluctant to engage in the programme. In today's episode, Sam Marker and Michelle dive into why a medical condition is not a barrier to you overcoming Emetophobia and how the programme will ultimately help you to manage...
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  Why Thriving Parents Are Key to Helping Kids Beat Emetophobia 18.08.2025 59min

  Coach Chloe joins Michelle Johnson on this week's episode to discuss her tumultuous journey through the programme with her daughter Ava who was suffering with Emetophobia. Despite supporting Ava as best she could through the programme, Chloe was struggling to see the progress in Ava. It was only once Chloe turned the spotlight inwards did she discover the barriers that were preventing herself and therefore Ava from thriving and overcoming Ava's phobia. Ava was 11 when she finally began ...
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  I Could Handle Blood and Violence—But Not Vomit: An Ex-Police Officer’s Emetophobia Journey 04.08.2025 43min

  In today’s emotional episode, ex-police officer and Kindergarten teacher Steph joins Coach Michelle & Coach Lauren discuss Steph’s journey to becoming Emetophobia-free. From her career as a police officer turned Kindergarten teacher, to being a mother, to simply cooking, all of it was impacted on a catastrophic level by Emetophobia. Nights were a key area of hardship for Steph, which she described as being a ‘constant evil bully’ which she couldn’t shake. After various aggressive a...
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  Too Afraid to Eat: Why Emetophobia Didn't Take Our Granddaughter From Us 21.07.2025 46min

  In today’s episode, Debi Morgan joins Michelle Johnson to discuss her journey of supporting her granddaughter through the Emetophobia-free programme. Debi discusses the best ways to support family members who are experiencing emetophobia, pitfalls they may experience along the way and tips on how to avoid them! Debi’s granddaughter began showing signs of emetophobia at the age of 11, despite spending her childhood in great spirits with lots of friends and hobbies. During the period of change ...
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  Why is imagination SO important when it comes to overcoming Emetophobia? 07.07.2025 39min

  In today’s episode, Coach Matt and Coach Michelle discuss the power of our imagination when it comes to overcoming emetophobia. If you're not actively using your imagination to help you, it will likely be working against you... so get comfy and get ready to really explore what it means to use our imagination well. The power of our imagination Michelle discusses the use of imagination in overcoming Emetophobia; If you imagine yourself not coping, despite really working hard and putting in effo...
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  No Coach, No Problem: Sarah’s Solo Journey Through the Emetophobia-Free Programme 23.06.2025 35min

  We were delighted to welcome Emetophobia-Free Thriver of The Year 2024 winner Sarah to join us on the podcast! Sarah shares her story of overcoming emetophobia with just the Emetophobia-Free manual. The phobia began for Sarah at 12 years old when she experienced an episode of public sickness. The embarrassment Sarah felt caused her to create avoidance techniques in all areas of her life to try and ensure that she never experienced it again. Sarah explains that after vomiting in public s...
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  How do you know when you’re over Emetophobia? 09.06.2025 39min

  It seems like an obvious question doesn't it... but the unhelpful thinking styles and limiting beliefs shared by emetophobes the world over often create doubt and uncertainty when it comes to knowing if they are over their emetophobia or not... so let's dive in! How do you know when you’re over Emetophobia? Emetophobia is experienced when you are plagued with negative thoughts surrounding sick, whether this be yourself or other people. It drives your decisions and behaviours which end up limi...
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  Years of Nausea, Physical Pain and Endless Tests — Then I Learned It Was Emetophobia, Not Illness 26.05.2025 39min

  In this episode Shannon shares her long journey to discover the root cause of her physical pain, nausea and discomfort. From a young age, Shannon was living with almost constant nausea and a belief that she had something wrong with her, and was returning to doctors for years of testing! She was given an IBS diagnosis but Shannon knew deep down this wasn’t what she was experiencing... Shannon wasn’t aware of what emetophobia was at the time, however was aware that she struggled to cope with fe...
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  I Lost Who I Was While Trying to Help My Daughter Overcome Emetophobia: A Mum's Journey 11.05.2025 30min

  Navigating life as a parent when your child is suffering from Emetophobia can be really difficult. Claire shares the difficulties she faced while helping her daughter through Emetophobia and how the pressure of the situation took a toll on her sense of self and identity. This is an inspiring story of a mum who dedicated so much of herself to her child that she lost herself along the way and had to rebuild herself in the wake of her daughter's experience. Claire’s daughter, Lauren, was ...