The sight of a woman breastfeeding her infant in public continues to provoke strong reactions across many societies, with responses ranging from acceptance to active disgust. Despite breastfeeding being a fundamental biological function essential for infant nutrition and bonding, public breastfeeding remains controversial in numerous cultural contexts. Understanding the psychological and cultural mechanisms that generate disgust responses to this natural act requires examining the complex interplay between evolved psychological systems, cultural norms, sexual symbolization, and deeply embedded social anxieties about female bodies in public spaces.

Alex Sterling, a spokesperson for the Global Recognition Awards, offered direct praise for what distinguished Mishra from her peers: "Sam Mishra exemplifies exactly what this award was created to honour, a practitioner who has achieved world-class standards in leadership, service, and teaching, and has done so by turning her own adversity into a measurable force for change." 

For survivors currently struggling, know that the difficulty you experience with mirrors, clothing, touch, or simply inhabiting your body is a understandable response to trauma, not a personal failing. Healing is possible, though it requires patience, support, and self-compassion. Your body—regardless of how it looks, what scars it carries, or how it feels—is worthy of care, respect, and kindness. The violence done to it was never your fault, and the journey back to embodiment, though challenging, is a journey toward freedom.

Death arrives for every living thing, yet among all creatures, humans alone seem to know it's coming. We are perhaps the only species that can contemplate our own non-existence, that can lie awake at night haunted by the knowledge that one day we will cease to be. This awareness of mortality shapes our lives in profound ways, influencing our beliefs, behaviours, relationships, and the very structure of our societies. But why does the prospect of death frighten us so deeply? What is it about the inevitable end that fills us with dread?

The loss of a child represents one of the most profound traumas a human being can endure. Whether that loss comes through death or through parental alienation when a child is psychologically manipulated to reject a parent, the grief can feel insurmountable. The pain doesn't follow a predictable timeline, and there's no single roadmap for survival. Yet countless parents have walked this unbearable path before you and found ways not just to survive, but eventually ...

Professional jealousy is one of those experiences we rarely admit to but almost universally feel. That sharp pang when a colleague receives recognition we coveted, the bitter taste when someone else's success seems to diminish our own, the compulsive comparison that leaves us feeling inadequate, these aren't merely character flaws or signs of insufficient gratitude. Increasingly, psychological research suggests that intense professional jealousy often has roots that extend far deeper than the workplace itself, reaching back into unresolved trauma and the fundamental ....

I recently spent some time trying to support someone who, as the result of severe trauma, became addicted to alcohol. This period of time has been probably the second most difficult time in my life, next to losing my children. I didn't have much experience with addiction and I still have much to learn. As much as I wish, at times, that I could have just walked away, it's not really in me to abandon someone who is vulnerable, particularly when I care so much about them as a person. Actually, despite having felt intense pain at being witness to ...

Misogyny, a pervasive disdain, mistrust, or devaluation of women, has shaped human societies for millennia. Its expressions range from institutional exclusion to subtle internalized beliefs about what it means to be a “good” woman. In common discourse, misogyny is often attributed exclusively to men, those who outwardly exhibit sexist behaviour or perpetuate patriarchal structures. Yet a more complex reality.....

In a world that prizes efficiency, composure, and competence, “I’m fine” has become one of the most socially accepted masks of modern life. It’s a buffer between inner truth and external expectation—a polite nod to self-protection, a way to keep conversations light, polite, and non-disruptive. Yet behind that carefully neutral phrase often sits exhaustion, quiet resentment, or an unspoken fear of burdening others...

In a world that constantly celebrates happiness, strength, and success, admitting that we are not okay can feel like an act of rebellion. From social media feeds filled with smiling faces to motivational quotes urging us to “stay positive,” society often sends a silent but powerful message that to be emotionally or mentally unwell is to be weak, broken, or failing. Yet the truth could not be...

Memory is one of the most defining features of human experience. It allows people to connect their past to their present, to learn from experience, and to envision their future. Yet, for millions of individuals, memory can become unreliable, fragmented, dulled, or even lost, particularly in the wake of trauma or depression. These memory changes can feel frightening and isolating, compounding emotional distress and further ...

In Part 1 and Part 2, we explored the foundations of trauma-informed leadership and the journey from silence to strength. In Part 3, we continue the story with a deeper look into authentic leadership, healthy boundaries, and the transformative power of turning pain into purpose.

My journey has been marked with loss, but out of that loss came clarity. Healing is not only about physical touch, it is about dignity, empathy, and restoring quality of life, and that is exactly what I have committed ...

In Part 1, we explored how trauma-informed leadership begins with personal healing and nervous system regulation. In Part 2 of this powerful story, we dive deeper into therapeutic innovation, community-driven care, and the impact of specialised training.

Today, my work is reshaping how massage therapy is viewed. Integrating modern scientific understanding with time-tested healing practices has been crucial to my success. I have created innovative treatment protocols that ....

The human spirit possesses an extraordinary capacity to transform pain into purpose, wounds into wisdom, and survival into service. My life story is proof that our deepest struggles can become the foundation for our greatest contributions to the world. My journey through domestic abuse, sexual assault, chronic pain, complicated grief, and mental health challenges has been anything but linear, but it has shaped me into someone who ....

In my last article, “Unlocking Pleasure by Exploring the Reasons Why Women Struggle to Achieve Orgasm,” I talked briefly about how, for many women, the social conditioning and perceptions within our external environment affect our view of ourselves and of sex, impacting our relationships, intimacy, and sexual expression and fulfilment...

The conversations I have with clients cover a wide range of topics, often including those that may be embarrassing or taboo. There is an assumption that every woman out there is achieving mind-blowing orgasms, and if you are, then congratulations, but I hear from so many women that they’ve actually never achieved an orgasm or really struggle to do so...

Everywhere you turn on social media, people are talking about cortisol, and it seems to have become the cause of all of our problems. But cortisol isn’t all bad, so how much do we actually understand about it? We have long recognised the connection between cortisol and trauma, but does experiencing trauma inevitably lead to elevated cortisol levels?..

During a counselling session, my therapist asked if I was neurodiverse. At the time, I was somewhat taken aback by the question. I had never even considered the possibility of neurodiversity, despite the fact that I have complex PTSD, until that moment. Autism, ADHD, and other developmental disorders that exhibit atypical brain ...

Understanding the significant physical, hormonal, and emotional changes that occur during the transitional period following childbirth is crucial for women as they adjust to parenting. Postpartum hormonal fluctuations, uterine involution, perineal healing, sleep disturbances, and exhaustion all affect a woman's physical and mental health...

Three generations ago, anxiety meant coping with the aftermath of a world war. Today, it's often about the number of likes on a social media post. The journey from post-war trauma to digital age stress reveals a fascinating evolution of human psychology and societal pressures...

Research on the incidence of post-separation abuse has revealed that up to 90% of women experience it, despite the widespread belief that everything is fine once you leave an abuser. Ten months after I finally ended my nine-year marriage, I suffered my worst assault, so I can definitely empathise. What did I do wrong? I asked him to spend time with the children...

We often hear about how children who grow up, for example, with an abusive alcoholic parent, may experience history repeating itself with them becoming an abuser as an adult, so given the extensive symptomology of trauma on a physiological, psychological, emotional, and spiritual level, it is surely fairly easy to understand how trauma can be perpetuated through generations...

Massage therapy is generally a very safe option, but occasionally, a strong, deep-tissue massage can aggravate certain medical issues rather than help them. I personally give a very firm massage, and while this achieves results, there have been occasions where I have eased off because the client’s condition called for a more gentle approach. There have been reported cases, however, ...

Ernest Hemingway once said, “In our darkest moments, we don’t need solutions or advice. What we yearn for is simply human connection—a quiet presence, a gentle touch. These small gestures are the anchors that hold us steady when life feels like too much. Please don’t try to fix me. Don’t take on my pain or push away my shadows. Just sit beside me as I work through my own inner storms...

Even if we think that our bodies are where we reside, how come so many of us don't fully understand them? Anxiety, panic attacks, emotional dysregulation, insomnia, and irritability, among other things, can be brought on by stress, depression, and trauma. Although the body produces symptoms, we rarely think of it as the root of healing...

Having worked as a surgical nurse, I have cared for many women who have undergone a mastectomy, and this has continued over the last four years in my role as an oncology practitioner, where I have combined my knowledge of mastectomy surgery, woundcare, breathwork, and my experience with oncology, lymphatic, and scarwork massage. I am now starting a breast program ...

At the time of writing this, I have been fortunate to receive sixteen awards in the last three years and am up for another three in the next few months. People have asked me why I'm accepting more nominations when I already have so many, but receiving an award is about more than just collecting numbers...

People often ask me how I managed to overcome all of my traumas and the obstacles that stood in the way of a happy life. The truth is, I’ve not completely overcome them; I would say I’ve found a way to live alongside them. I continue to experience triggers, occasionally make poor decisions, and react with instinctive reactions rooted in the buried trauma in my brain. It’s human nature to make mistakes...

Having just received the Kent Women in Business Award for Women’s Champion on International Women’s Day, I spoke about how my dual medical background, combined with my own personal experiences of trauma and gynaecological issues, really helped me to become an advocate for women. I have dealt with an extensive list of issues affecting women and inequalities...

Having spent a reasonable amount of my nursing career around oncology patients, I am aware of how those basic care measures, such as touch, can make such a difference. Yet when I trained as a massage therapist back in 1996, we were told that cancer was an absolute contraindication to massage, and it seems many schools are still teaching this today...

I have seen an increase lately in the number of teens coming through my door who are suffering with high levels of anxiety, panic attacks, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Having suffered with depression in my teens, having had a nervous breakdown at 19 years old when I was exhibiting harmful behaviours, and having had periods in my life when there were some suicidal ...

The topic that I chose for the final assessment of my midwifery degree, was care measures during labour to reduce the risk of perineal tears, one of which was the valsalva technique when giving birth, i.e. whether a woman should hold her breath to push... Many years have passed, and I am no longer a midwife, but in my capacity as a breathwork facilitator and trauma practitioner, the valsalva ...

I can attest from personal and professional experience to the range of complex feelings that accompany sexual assault. As a trauma practitioner who has assisted victims of rape and abuse in infancy, I have seen firsthand the disparities in attitudes towards and views of male and female victims...

The number of people that walk through my door having never had a stomach massage astounds me, since it is so good for both physical and emotional wellness. Most of my first-time stomach massage clients have said that it was more enjoyable than they had expected, even though a few may not have found it to be as relaxing as other areas of the massage. Although it is assumed that feeling someone's hands pushing on your stomach...

Given that sexualized violence against women is a brutal reality for women worldwide, it is reasonable to adopt an inclusive viewpoint on women's sexuality that emphasises pleasure. I have a keen interest in the application of internal pelvic floor treatment to vaginal wall trigger points, having previously worked as a midwife and gynaecological...

The sudden diagnosis of spastic diplegia cerebral palsy in my 15-month-old daughter was the catalyst for my decision to leave the midwifery profession. Despite her developmental delay and my sense that something wasn't right even during the pregnancy, I had never once given the possibility that she might have cerebral palsy any thought...

Throughout my career as a nurse, midwife, medical and sports massage therapist, and aromatherapist, I have come across numerous women who have a number of common issues, including heavy, painful periods, exhaustion, anxiety, despair, and issues with conception, which are frequently caused by a hormone imbalance...

Following my previous article about the use of massage in clients with unresolved trauma back in November 2021, this article explores, more specifically, the use of massage in those who have experienced sexual abuse. As someone who has their own personal experience of rape, I can say that the extensive list of symptoms and coping mechanisms that we see with other forms of abuse, becomes even more complex...

In this article Sam Mishra offers a greater understanding of cerebral palsy and the gait patterns that can be helped through massage, alongside the other disciplines that will be in place.

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term covering various brain injuries occurring during foetal development, birth and early infancy, which are categorised according to the area of brain damage....

Sam started out as a massage therapist back in 1997 but then pursued a career as a nurse and then a midwife for many years... She specialises in women’s health and pregnancy, oncology, childhood cerebral palsy and trauma and PTSD. Her interest in trauma and PTSD comes from her professional experience of domestic abuse and trauma in her nursing and ...

When I commenced my journey into massage therapy back in 1997, it all seemed very straight forward, the biggest thing to remember was the list of contraindications.

But as massage therapists we treat clients with a whole array of medical conditions, which means we need not only to recognise contraindications, but be competent in working around them to offer our clients a safe service. However, very few massage therapists are fortunate enough to have the medical and surgical background required for this and so they are often uncomfortable and lacking competence in terms of assessing a client for contraindications.