Inner Peace Coaching by Amanda Gardiner

**It's not a yoga class.**

It's not a sound bath,

and it's not a meditation group where you're expected to sit cross-legged and empty your mind.

The Calming Voice is something different.

It's a gentle, multi-sensory experience designed to help busy minds slow down, busy bodies relax, and busy people take a proper pause.

Just an hour where you can step away from the demands of everyday life and give your nervous system a chance to reset - without any pressure!

People tell me they leave feeling:
✨ Lighter
✨ Clearer
✨ Calmer
✨ More like themselves again

Sometimes that's just what we need!

Maybe it's time to try something that's a little different.....

Wednesday Wellbeing thought.....
✨ The World Can Wait 20 Minutes. ✨

Every now and then, I head to my local coffee shop on my own, order a coffee, switch my phone to airplane mode and simply sit.
No scrolling.
No emails.
No notifications.
No solving everyone else's problems.
Just me, a coffee and a little space to think.
The world really can manage without me for 20 minutes.

It's ok to simply sit and watch the world go by for a short while and see what you notice....

Sometimes wellbeing isn't about adding something else to your already busy day - it's about giving yourself permission to switch off for a while.
☕ When was the last time you enjoyed a coffee, a cup of tea or quiet moment with no distractions?

What's Weighing You Down?
Have you ever noticed how stress can feel almost physical? I always notice tension in my shoulders and upper back - like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.

My clients often tell me that they 'feel so much lighter' even after just one session.

Are you a busy professional female, juggling work, family and everyone else's needs? I can remember what this is like, the manic school run, rushing to be in the office or online in time, dealing with work demands and office politics, then what's for dinner....it's endless and it becomes heavy!

I don't wave a magic wand that solves every problem, I provide a safe space to chat things through, and help you to gain clarity on what you can change. You will leave feeling lighter, more focused, with tangible, realistic steps you can take that feel right for you.

If life feels a bit heavy right now, perhaps it's time to make some changes.
📩 Send me a message with LIGHTER if you'd like to find out how coaching could help.

🧠 What if the best Father's Day gift wasn't another "thing" to unwrap?

This week is Men's Health Week, and while we often talk about physical health, we don't talk nearly enough about the pressure many men carry every day.

The responsibility.
The mental load.
The constant problem-solving.
The feeling that they always need to keep going.

Sometimes what people need most isn't another gadget, bottle of aftershave or pair of novelty socks.

Sometimes they need permission to switch off.

That's exactly what The Calming Voice sessions are designed to do.

An hour to:
✨ Slow down a busy mind
✨ Release tension from the body
✨ Step away from the noise and demands of everyday life
✨ Leave feeling calmer, lighter and more refreshed

and before anyone asks...no, these sessions aren't just for the ladies.

There are already men attending and enjoying the sessions, and everyone is welcome.

If you're looking for a different kind of Father's Day gift this year, or perhaps you're the one who needs an hour to recharge, I'd love to welcome you.

🌿 Thursday 25th June
Belmont Community School, Durham
6.30pm – 7.30pm (£14.79)

🌿 Friday 26th June
1st Burnmoor Scouts Hall, Fencehouses
2.00pm – 3.00pm (£13.00)

Because sometimes the strongest thing you can do is stop for an hour.

Booking link in the comments ⬇️

🌿 Who looks after the people who are always looking after everyone else? 🌿

This week is both Aromatherapy Awareness Week and Carers Week, and it feels like the perfect time to talk about something many of us struggle with...

Taking care of ourselves.

Whether you're caring for children, parents, a partner, colleagues, customers, or simply carrying the mental load of everyday life, it's easy to keep going without ever truly stopping.

That is exactly why I created The Calming Voice.

These sessions combine the power of relaxation, gentle guided hypnotherapy and carefully chosen aromatherapy to help you slow down, switch off and give your nervous system the reset it deserves.

✨ June Sessions - Now Booking ✨

📍 Belmont Community School
🗓 Thursday 25th June
⏰ 6.30pm - 7.30pm

📍 1st Burnmoor Scouts Hall, Fencehouses
🗓 Friday 26th June
⏰ NEW afternoon session: 2.00pm - 3.00pm

Also into July I am formally launching the Sunday Slumber - this one is a Ladies only event 💜

📍 Mae Rae's, Carrville
🗓 Sunday 12th July
⏰ 7.30pm - 9.00pm

A slightly longer evening experience designed to help you leave the week behind and head into Monday feeling calmer, lighter and more rested.

I'm also currently viewing a number of new venues across the area, so keep an eye on this page as I hope to be bringing The Calming Voice to some more locations soon.

If your mind feels busy, your shoulders feel tense, or you've forgotten what it feels like to properly relax, perhaps this is your reminder to make some time for you.

Because wellbeing isn't something we find when life gets quieter.

It's something we create.

Message me for details or book via the link in the comments. 🌿

💙 I don't get a day off from diabetes.

As it's Diabetes Awareness Week, I thought I'd share a little of my own story.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in my twenties.

Now, over 30 years later, I can honestly say that managing it is much easier than it used to be thanks to advances in technology. I have an insulin pump and a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) which work together in what's known as a closed-loop system.

I'm incredibly grateful for that technology.

But whilst it helps enormously, it doesn't take away the responsibility.

Every meal requires thought.

Every walk requires thought.

Every journey requires thought.

Every night's sleep requires thought.

There is no pause button.

One thing I'd love more people to understand is that Type 1 Diabetes is not the same as Type 2 Diabetes.

It isn't caused by eating too much sugar.

It isn't caused by poor lifestyle choices.

And unfortunately, it can't be reversed.

Living with Type 1 Diabetes means constantly balancing food, insulin, activity, stress, illness and countless other factors that can affect blood sugar levels.

Most of the time, that planning happens quietly in the background and becomes part of everyday life.

I'm not sharing this for sympathy. In many ways, diabetes has made me stronger, more resilient and a very good planner!

What it has taught me most, however, is that we rarely know what someone else is carrying.

The person who looks fine may be managing a health condition.

The colleague who seems distracted may be dealing with something difficult behind the scenes.

The friend who cancels plans may be exhausted from carrying more than you realise.

A little kindness, patience and understanding can go a long way.

Because everyone is fighting battles that we can't always see.

💙 If you live with Type 1 Diabetes, or support someone who does, I'd love to hear about how you manage it.....

🌿 What smell instantly brings back a happy memory for you?

As it's Aromatherapy Awareness Week, I've been thinking about just how powerful our sense of smell can be.

The smell of freshly cut grass.

A cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

Sun cream on a summer holiday.

Freshly baked bread.

Flowers in the garden.

Certain scents have a remarkable way of transporting us back to a particular moment, place or person in our lives.

Before we've even had time to think about it, we're already feeling the emotions connected to that memory.

I've always found that fascinating.

It's one of the reasons I enjoy incorporating aromatherapy into some of my wellbeing sessions. Not because a scent can solve all of life's challenges, but because it can help create a moment of calm in a busy day.

Sometimes that's exactly what we need.

So today I'd love to know...

🌸 What smell instantly brings back a happy memory for you?

For me, it's the smell of freshly cut grass on a warm summer's day. It takes me straight back to childhood.

I'd love to hear yours. 💚

🌿 Before You Start Another Busy Week...

It's Monday morning.

For many of us, the week begins before we've even got out of bed.

We're already thinking about work, appointments, family commitments, shopping lists, school runs, caring responsibilities and everything else that needs our attention.

As Carers Week begins, I'd like to take a moment to recognise the people who quietly look after others every day.

Not just those in formal caring roles, but also:

💚 The daughter checking in on an elderly parent

💚 The grandparent helping with childcare

💚 The partner managing appointments and medications

💚 The friend who is always there when someone needs support

💚 The neighbour who keeps an eye on someone living alone

Many people don't even think of themselves as carers.

They're simply doing what needs to be done.

What often goes unseen is the mental load that comes with it.

The remembering.

The planning.

The organising.

The worrying.

The constant background thinking.

If that's you, I want to remind you of something this morning:

✨ You matter too.

Before the week gathers pace, take a moment to ask yourself:

What do I need this week?

Not what everyone else needs.

Not what needs doing.

What do you need?

Wishing all the carers and quiet supporters out there a gentle start to the week. 💚

Thank you to the ladies that came along to the first session of the Karma Cafe this morning at Mae Rae’s in Carrville, Durham.

We discussed all things 'mental load' and how our brains react to the things that can cause us to experience feelings of overwhelm. It was such a lovely group of ladies creating a safe space to pause, reflect and support each other through meaningful conversations 🩷
Huge thank you to Claire from Mae Rae’s for hosting us in your amazing venue, making sure we felt really welcome and of course the lovely coffee ☕️

The next session will be coming soon - if you would like to attend comment below and say what kind of topic you would like me to cover next time.....stress, anxiety, and work life balance have already been suggested...let me know what you think!