Thrive with Claire Leahy

Thrive with Claire Leahy Empowering adults, teens and children to overcome emetophobia and anxiety
Licenced Thrive Programme Coach
From Fear - calm - Confident ♥️

A snapshot from my week.On the same day, I worked with:• a parent convinced they were “doing everything wrong”• a teenag...
16/12/2025

A snapshot from my week.

On the same day, I worked with:

• a parent convinced they were “doing everything wrong”
• a teenager avoiding school because anxiety felt overwhelming
• an adult who’s lived with emetophobia for over 20 years
• a child learning how to let uncomfortable feelings pass

Different ages.
Different lives.
Same anxiety patterns.

Each of them arrived with a story about why they felt the way they did, beliefs they’d built over time about danger, responsibility, control and safety.

And here’s the key part: those beliefs weren’t random.
They were learned.

So this work isn’t about digging endlessly into the past
or trying to silence anxiety.

We look together at how those unhelpful beliefs were created and then I teach the skills to challenge and change them.

You learn how a high desire for control feels protective… but actually keeps anxiety in charge.
How certain thinking styles like catastrophising, brooding, perfectionism and black and white thinking quietly fuel fear.
How language matters, because the way we talk to ourselves either shrinks or strengthens us.

Most importantly, you start to feel something shift. Not because anxiety disappears, but because you feel more power over your own life again.

That’s Thriving!

Practical skills.
Clear understanding.
And tools that work whether you’re 8 or 88.

If anxiety keeps showing up wearing different masks…
you’re not broken.You’ve just never been taught how to stop feeding it. Get in touch to prioritise yourself in 2026 ❤️

25/11/2025

Why does my emetophobia feel worse at this time of year?

The truth is… it isn’t actually worse. What does change is the level of control and predictability in your day-to-day life. December brings busier shops, packed trains, unexpected plans, work nights out, family events, and with that naturally comes more uncertainty.

When life feels less predictable, your brain switches into high alert. You become more vigilant, more tuned in to anything that feels “risky,” and without realising it you start scanning for evidence that confirms your unhelpful beliefs about not being able to cope.
And, at the same time, your brain filters out all the times you did cope.

Here’s what to remember:

Thoughts are not facts.
You don’t have to accept the first panicky story your mind tells you.

When you notice the anxiety rising, try asking yourself:

What would be a more helpful thought right now?

What other evidence do I have that I’ve handled similar situations before?

When have I felt uncomfortable… but still coped?

Then gently calm the language you use with yourself.
Instead of “the train was packed, it was awful, I couldn’t cope,” try “the train was busy and it felt uncomfortable, but I managed it.”
Instead of “the crowds were terrible,” try “it was busy and I felt stressed, but I got through it.”

Because the reality is:
You have far more evidence of being able to cope in these moments than not.

This time of year doesn’t make your emetophobia worse , it simply highlights the stories you tell yourself. Change the story, and you’ll change how powerful you feel ♥️

04/11/2025

Do you know what Emetophobia is?

Emetophobia is an intense, often debilitating fear of vomiting (or seeing/feeling vomiting happen). It may be less well known, but it can have a profound impact on daily life.

Here’s what research suggests:
- the fear of vomiting (or emetophobia) may affect somewhere between 0.1 % and 8.8 % of people!

-It appears to affect women far more than men. For example, one study noted that approximately 85-97 % of sufferers identified as women.

👉Why this matters:

⦁ Because it’s often hidden or minimised, those living with it may feel isolated, anxious, ashamed or powerless.
⦁ People may begin avoiding social situations (e.g., eating out, travel, being around children or ill people) through fear of vomiting or seeing others vomit. This avoidance can lead to isolation, low self-esteem, anxiety, and unhelpful thinking styles such as catastrophising and overthinking.
⦁ It affects not only the individual but often their family, friends and social network, because their life becomes structured around avoidance rather than participation.

👉My story:

Having personally experienced the impact of emetophobia in my daughter and how it changed our family’s life, I know how powerful the ripple-effects can be. Our turning point was when we discovered the Thrive Programme, and in particular its specific ‘Emetophobia-Free’ programme.

By working with a certified coach my daughter was able to overcome her emetophobia♥️

This was what began my journey to train as a Thrive programme coach to support others to overcome their emetophobia. A role which I love and find incredibly rewarding.

I learned a set of skills and a toolkit on how to support without colluding, and how to challenge my own unhelpful beliefs as a parent, ally and supporter.

Our whole family regained a sense of agency, control and hope.

If you suspect that you or someone you know may be dealing with emetophobia, please know: you are not alone, and help does exist.

👉 Follow this page for more awareness, resources and support around emetophobia and other mental-health topics.

Let’s open up the conversation, reduce the shame, and give voice to a phobia that often goes unspoken. 💙✨

Address

Carluke

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Thrive with Claire Leahy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Thrive with Claire Leahy:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category