http://helenclairediscombe.com/

Helen Claire Discombe, Stokenchurch (2026)

28/08/2026

Sadly this news story from The Guardian comes as no surprise to me. I have both personal and professional experiences.
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Firstly, as a woman who experienced a traumatic birth and was diagnosed with postnatal depression around 12 weeks into motherhood by her GP. PND was completely missed at the 6 week check and it was my partner who encourgaed me to seek help when I did.
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It was around a year into motherhood I was eventually diagnosed with and supported through PTSD, working with a mental health professional outside the NHS.
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However I also see this as a doula supporting multiple families either wanting to have another child, or already pregnant with their next child as I walk alongside these families finding their way back to the birth space, ensuring they feel safe every single step of the way.
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For me, I know I lost the first years of motherhood to the racing thoughts, the recurring nightmares, the constant anxiety associated with PTSD. And trying to hide those things through shame. I know the impact it has on the relationship with your partner (we were "lucky" our relationship survived this). And I know how hard it is to be seen, held and witnessed in your experience. How dismissive not only some healthcare professionals, but other people can be too.
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For me, the ideal would be that birthing women and people are supported in ways that prevent trauma in the first place, but where trauma occurs (and this can happen in births that seem perfect on the surface) those affected must be supported swiftly and appropriately. The sooner they are supported, the sooner they can recover.
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Sending so much love to you, if this resonates with you.
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16/08/2026

Yesterday we spent the day at Brands Hatch watching some club racing that included something called The Fun Cup. I spent most of the day laying in the sun while The Tall Boy watched EVERYTHING.

Luckily, at Brands, there is an area where you can park and have a view of the track from your car, and thankfully we parked there as the 4 hour was race was a bit much for him. This meant he was able to watch from inside the car (though I did insist the windows were open a little so he didn't overheat in there).

I do love how at Brands I never have to worry about finding him a quiet space for if all the noise or the crowds get too much for him (even though he is also wearing Loops, and there was hardly anyone there yesterday).

If like me, your summer is a juggle of supporting a ND child who is out of routine and you're juggling the lack of routine, the balance of over and under stimulation, and work too it may be that summer is getting to be too much for you, don't forget that I am offering another free Yoga Nidra session tomorrow evening, so you can take some time for you and sooth your own nervous system!

You can join via the link in my bio (if you have already registered then there is no need to reregister).

Hope to see you there! xx

10/08/2026

We are now fully into the school holidays and I know in our house the lack of routine is causing quite a few challenges - and throw in there the relentless heat that causes dysregulation (especially when you have a child who forgets to drink and doesn't have the same thirst cues others have) and it's like the wheels have fallen off!
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I LOVE the freedom of the summer holidays, school runs are very tricky for us to navigate, but there comes with them a different kind of pressure and it can still feel like chasing my tail. Which is why it's SO important I continue to make the space for my own practice of Yoga Nidra.
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Tonight I am facilitating a free Yoga Nidra session especially developed to support women caring for neurodivergent children. So if any of the above resonates with you, I invite you to join us online at 8:30pm.
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All you need is somewhere to lay down and close your eyes for roughly 20 minutes (I know how hard it can be to carve out even a smidgen of time for ourselves). Bring a blanket (it can get a bit chilly), and maybe pop in some headphones. There is no movement and no stretches or poses for you to get into.
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And if you're not sure about joining, here are some words from another mum who has come to quite a few of my sessions now “Helen’s yoga nidra sessions are wonderful. They are calming and grounding and lull me to sleep or into a deep state of relaxation every time and as a terrible sleeper this is no mean feat.”.
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Write "Nidra" below and I will send you the link to join us. And even if you can't join live, an audio recording will be available.
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Feel free to share this too - I want to reach as many women who need this as possible!

09/07/2026

All ready to welcome the women of Oh Shala Bhakti Festival into Temple of the Feminine Flame tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.
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17/05/2026

Half way through ! And this was my fastest session so far!
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I used to run. Before I was a mum. It was a HUGE stress release for me. I ran with a women's running group. Made friends there who I ran with. Built distance and pace. Ran in events. Ended up running a half marathon. Just a half. That was enough for me.
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After the baby was born I was told not to run. Or to lift anything heavier than my baby. Then there was nothing. I asked when I'd get physio, but it never came. But I was also processing birth trauma too. So trying to sort that type of thing out was overwhelming to me.
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Then I tried again a few times. Each time I was forgetting both that I wasn't 30 anymore, and forgetting all that my body had been through with an enourmous diastasis recti, a pelvis that was now prone to misalignment and other pelvic health issues. And each time I pushed too hard and too fast. Injured myself. And stopped.
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Now I have an amazing Osteo , who specialises in women's health and I also work with an amazing PT (Vicki at .strong.women.uk ) who specialises in supporting women's pelvic health. It was my Osteo who suggested None to Run ONLY with strict instructions to follow the whole programme. No short cuts. And to go slow.
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It has taken me 8 weeks to get to the end of week 6. I'm listening to my body and how I move my body is different depending on where in my cycle I am.
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There's a lot of information out there around how running is bad for women. And I also believed that for a while. But I recognise how much running helps me to deal with stress, alongside my yoga practice too.
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My body feels so good to be running again (albeit very slowly and currently running 90secs / walking 60 secs for 25 minutes).
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We are the experts in our own bodies. And we must always remember that.
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We really need to rip up the rule books that try to tell us what to do with our bodies and just do more of what makes us feel good. It does mean clearing out some of what makes you feel bad though. Which isn't a bad thing. 😉

15/05/2026

Hey lovely people!

This is a really vulnerable share for me, but I've chosen to write about it because I think these conversations are really important for us to have.

So I have been away for a few months now. And as I find my way back to this space, I wanted to take some time to share some of where I have been these last few months. Largely, because there can be a lot of stigma around what I want to talk about. Particularly in the world of female spirituality.

Earlier this year I came to recognise my body was really struggling. It had been for quite some time. To the point I had come to believe that operating as some kind of permanently exhausted pigeon was normal. At least for me. And I’m sure this is something many can resonate with as I juggled running a home with my partner, running my own business (though this applies to anyone working) and supporting my neurodivergent child - especially the work involved in ensuring his needs are supported in all aspects of his life.

For me this looked like not sleeping properly, being exhausted all the time, lacking motivation to do anything, feeling overwhelmed, and just having zero desire to more than the bare minimum.

And so I started to take some down time to really listen to my body, and to connect in with what was happening for me. This led me to having a 1:1 with (who has held space for me in a truly gorgeous way whilst I’ve navigated this), who then connected me with the fabulous Dr Aadil. Following some blood work I found my body isn’t producing enough testosterone and DHEA. Both hormones that are made in the adrenals, signalling adrenal fatigue which can be caused by living in a state of prolonged stress.

I found myself making a decision I never thought I would here, and I have chosen to take bio-identical hormones to support my body coming back to balance while I offer my nervous system the love and support it needs too.
.. continued in comments...

15/05/2026

Hey lovely people!

This is a really vulnerable share for me, but I've chosen to write about it because I think these conversations are really important for us to have.

So I have been away for a few months now. And as I find my way back to this space, I wanted to take some time to share some of where I have been these last few months. Largely, because there can be a lot of stigma around what I want to talk about. Particularly in the world of female spirituality.

Earlier this year I came to recognise my body was really struggling. It had been for quite some time. To the point I had come to believe that operating as some kind of permanently exhausted pigeon was normal. At least for me. And I’m sure this is something many can resonate with as I juggled running a home with my partner, running my own business (though this applies to anyone working) and supporting my neurodivergent child - especially the work involved in ensuring his needs are supported in all aspects of his life.

For me this looked like not sleeping properly, being exhausted all the time, lacking motivation to do anything, feeling overwhelmed, and just having zero desire to more than the bare minimum.

And so I started to take some down time to really listen to my body, and to connect in with what was happening for me. This led me to having a 1:1 with Adele Wimsett from Harmonise You (who has held space for me in a truly gorgeous way whilst I’ve navigated this), who then connected me with the fabulous Dr Aadil. Following some blood work I found my body isn’t producing enough testosterone and DHEA. Both hormones that are made in the adrenals, signalling adrenal fatigue which can be caused by living in a state of prolonged stress.

I found myself making a decision I never thought I would here, and I have chosen to take bio-identical hormones to support my body coming back to balance while I offer my nervous system the love and support it needs too.
...continued in comments.....

05/02/2026

Sometimes life can get very full and it’s important we acknowledge this and carve out space where we can simply sit in stillness and breathe. For me, I do this best when I take time away from online life. Especially social media. I can find it everything becomes very overwhelming to me, very quickly. And so, I am taking a break. I will, as always, still be quietly working away in the background with my doula work, womb healing and the work I do with our local MNVP (Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership). Plus, of course, taking care of the small boy and spending time with Andy. But otherwise, I shall be simply breathing, resting, and listening to my body - or practicing what I preach, as it’s also known. See you soon! xx

01/02/2026

Did you know there are (at least) 3 possible dates for Imbolc! Many are celebrating today / this evening, in accordance with the gregorian calendar. Others will be celebrating on Tuesday, in accordance with the astrological timing. And others will be celebrating in accordance with the lunar timing on 17 February.
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I intend to work with the energy of Imbolc throughout the early part of February. So what does that look like?
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I LOVE this time of year. We have moved out of the darkness of deepest part of winter. This is the time to reflect on all you have integrated over the darkness and the stillness of winter and to weave this into your intentions for the year ahead. Tonight is the full-moon. And so this is a potent time to allow the light of the moon to illuminate all you need to pay attention to. Then as the moon wanes and we enter the balsamic phase (moving towards the new-moon on 17 February) this is the time to shed, release and let go of all that no longer serves as we prepare to move into the year ahead.
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Imbolc is the time of the year where the earth's energy is rising. The light is returning. The first shoots of spring start to come through the ground. This is where I start to feel the energy coming back into me as I prepare to move into the year ahead.
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And with this, I'm so excited to share with you my return to in-person group work! This Thursday I will be holding space for us to gather in the Womb Connection Circle. Together we will honour and work with the energy of Imbolc as we prepare to move into the year ahead.
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Later in the month, I’m also going to be facilitating a workshop called Moon, Blood and Becoming where we will explore cyclical living, what that means to us and how we can tap into the flow of this in our everyday lives. This is one of my favourite workshops to facilitate as this really is the foundation of how I live my life day to day.
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Both of these will be at on near Great Missenden. You'll find a booking link in my bio.

Do feel free to share the invitation to join with anyone you think may wish to join us. And please do get in touch if you have any questions!

02/01/2026

Morning, morning & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Yesterday was spent resting and sleeping and today I’m ready to venture out again. This morning I tackled my online strength training class and at lunchtime I’m off to a mind & body class I go to most Fridays at our local leisure centre.

Anyway, here’s a photo I snapped after I finished my strength training. Wearing one of my favourite tops.

I’ve spent a lot of my life wanting to fit in - and at times trying really hard by trying to be the same as everyone else. Or what I thought was the same. Trying to behave in ways that I thought would get me accepted by others. And not really being true to myself.

But wearing these masks didn’t make me happy. Not only that, the more I did it, the more disconnected from myself I became. The more I didn’t know who I really am beneath the masks. And this showed up in so many different ways in my life. It affected my sense of self and the ripple effects were huge - and for a long time I didn’t even notice this had happened. Though I was stuck, I didn’t really know how or why.

And so I went on a journey to reconnect with myself on a truly deep and meaningful way and everything was underpinned by coming to understand myself as a cyclical being. Understanding myself by laying the foundation of noticing where I am within the cycles and honouring my needs accordingly. What do I mean by that? At a basic level it’s about understanding where we are in our life cycle, the wheel of the year, the moon cycle and (if we’re still bleeding) the rhythm of our own body’s cycle.

It’s this connection that is at the foundation of The Untamed Woman. As we start to live through the lens of acknowledging our cycles, we start to work with our inner power. And when we’re connected to our inner power, we’re connected with our own wisdom and our inner knowing. And when this happens we feel confident in who it is we really are, and in what we truly need for ourselves.

(Continued in comments)

Helen Claire Discombe

28/08/2026

16/08/2026

10/08/2026

09/07/2026

17/05/2026

15/05/2026

15/05/2026

05/02/2026

01/02/2026

02/01/2026

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