Bernadette Dancy, Health Coach and Stress Management Specialist

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Bernadette Dancy, Health Coach and Stress Management Specialist

I am a Health and Exercise Coach helping people manage stress and burnout using lifestyle interventi

Health Coach specialising in Stress Management using lifestyle interventions.

12/06/2025

Out of office is on for the next 4 days.

I’m heading to Wicklow in Ireland with 10 great people to switch off and enjoy some intentional rest.

Onwards 💚

22/05/2025

This is one of my most requested talks - why?

I think as humans we want to know the ‘secret sauce’ behind what makes a champion. We want to know how they work harder, faster, and make the time to do so much to be so successful. We want to improve ourselves - which is admirable.

The truth is - yes there are incredible scientific techniques and technological advancements that high performers are able to use to perform so well, BUT for the most part, these strategies are simply used to give the body what it really needs in order to perform well…

Our body (athlete or not) needs an exact amount of strain, stress, demand, pressure, and hardship in order to survive let alone thrive. And this varies for everyone, and can even vary daily.

So, in order us to be at ‘our best’, we need to be intentional about recovery. Yes, work hard when we need to, but rest hard as well. The alternative is injury, low mood, burnout, infertility, poor health and wellbeing.

This is imperative to remember if you are a recreational athlete- maybe you have a family, career and high amounts of training to fit in.

Each and everyone person is different but each and every person will suffer if there is an imbalance between work and recovery. There is no ‘secret sauce’. The human body (athlete or not) is not designed for ongoing stress exposure. It responds best to doses of stress followed by doses of recovery.

So, if you want to perform optimally. Start by understanding what you need? Take a look at your lifestyle - if you’re chronically stressed, then you’re not meeting your needs.

Ask yourself, where can you can take make moments of recovery. Start small. You don’t need to build a time consuming complex recovery strategy. It’s about timing and type.

📸 Photos were taken at a recent talk I gave for for Mental Health Awareness week on behalf of Having conversations like this in the workplace is an honour and helps organisations and individuals reflect on their work model therefore reducing stress and protecting mental health.

02/04/2025

Introducing the Stress Ed. Directory! ✨

When you’re stressed or burnt out, the last thing you need is to waste energy searching for the right support.

Our new directory will connects you with trusted professionals and resources to help you remove unnecessary stress and get the support you actually need—right when you need it.

Because stress management isn’t just about coping— it’s about cutting out the stress you don’t need at a time when you have very little capacity.

Maybe you’re a professional interested in joining the directory - If so, DM us for details.

29/03/2025

I absolutely love podcast so when the amazing Lucia reached out and asked me to be a guest I was honestly delighted. Lucia is a powerhouse, and has contagious energy. She really epitomises joy BUT with a compassionate and respectful understanding that life is tough.

In this episode, Lucia and I talk about why we need to stop glorifying overwork and start building sustainable ways to thrive.

I share some practical, science-backed techniques to help people reduce stress, regain energy, and set boundaries—without having to quit their job or making drastic changes.

Tune in - link in bio - and you’ll learn…

✔ Why stress is officially a global health crisis (and why it’s getting worse)
✔ The ABC Framework for real stress relief
✔ Why exercise doesn’t have to mean the gym—movement is key
✔ How better sleep, boundaries, and reducing alcohol can transform your energy
✔ The hidden role of caffeine and carbs in burnout recovery
✔ Why dealing with stress isn’t just about habits—it’s about your beliefs

Thank you I really think the work you do is invaluable and I hope we get to work together again soon.

Visit Lucia’s website www.midlifeunstuck.com

📸 Photo by

05/03/2025

This little guy, Mo the Jackapoo is 6 years old today.
He’s a real character who knows his own mind, loves his routine, wants nothing more than a cuddle, a bite to eat & a belly scratch. In return he makes us laugh and gets us out for lots of walks through all kinds of weather. He drives us mad but he also is a huge part of our lives so deserves a square (rectangle 🤪) on IG

11/02/2025

Every chance meeting/greeting at the moment -

Them- “Hey, how’s things? How’re you doing?”

You- “I’m good, can’t complain, just a bit tired and busy, sure isn’t everyone?!” 🥴 You? How’s it going?

Them - “Yeah, same. Bit hectic at work and can’t wait for a break, but I can’t see that coming anytime soon. Just have to keep plugging away”.

So many of us are tired and exhausted and when we’re stressed these traits get worse.

Tiredness and exhaustion are the most common symptom of short term stress, chronic stress and/or BURNOUT!

When I spoke to the incredible women at SportFive’s Women’s Network in Altrincham they reported the same. That when stressed, they often feel exhausted but feel the societal pressure to work harder OR calm it down and “be better at self care”!

The solution is NOT to work harder.

The solution is NOT to ignore it.

And the solution is not simply to “do self care better”.

Yes, part of the solution can be to add more sleep, have better nutrition and cooing strategies and self care this can help BUT so many women don’t have time or headspace to do this.

The REAL solution is to come together as women and understand why we are exhausted.

The REAL solution is to unpack all the reasons why women experience more stress than men and what we AS WOMEN can do to change the narrative.

Female leaders. I call on you to start talking more. To support each other more and to create workplaces and home lives that allow us to thrive and achieve without suffering.

If you want to talk more about this - get in touch. I’d be delighted to help get the conversation started.

06/01/2025

We all over plan, which can be stressful when we see our long lists and disappointing when we don’t get stuff done (bringing more stress to the next day) but a simple refining of our intentions and expectations can help reduce that stress. This is something I try to remember and have to work hard on myself, especially at the beginning of a new week! So today…what is it you want to prioritise?

30/12/2024

We often think we can’t accept something that’s stressful because it’s inherently bad and we simply can’t accept bad things in our lives!!!

However, bad things will happen to us.

Stressful situations that we have little practical control over WILL happen to us.

And when they do, frustration, sadness and even anger are perfectly normal and healthy reactions.

However…getting stuck in anger and frustration at situations we cannot change simply adds stress to an already stressful situation.

The antidote is acceptance.

We don’t have to like or be happy about a situation but we can accept it and when we do we remove a lot of the threat.

07/12/2024

Chronic stress and burnout have a direct effect on people we live with, work with and love.

The thing is…it doesn’t have time be that way.

Far too often many of my clients keep their stress and/or butnout to themselves. The don’t tell friends, colleagues or partners about what they’re going through.

This secrecy just confuses the situation and increases tension, disconnect and keeps the stress cycle going.

If you’re currently stressed or burning out you will probably have challenges in your relationship that aren’t solely relationship issues. Changes to your mind and body that have been caused by stress will be making relationships difficult.

The first and most important thing to do is to understand how stress is changing your body and mind.

Then appreciate how these changes might be affecting your interactions with those you spend time with.

Finally…TELL people how you are feeling. It will help them to understand why you might be needing some TLC, distance or reassurance. Tell them that you will recover if you have rest and that they can support you by helping you to do exactly that.

Chronic stress and burnout is not an illness per se BUT when we are over exposed to stress we should treat it as any other illness and give ourselves care we need.

We can even have closer relationships when we come through the other side. 🙌🏻

02/12/2024

If you want to give yourself a gift this Christmas, give yourself the gift of stronger boundaries.

Not all stress is down to being a “yes” person BUT for most of my clients experiencing chronic stress it’s very clear that they would and do benefit from being more protective of their time and energy.

Boundaries don’t have to be a flat “NO” they can be a “No thank you, not right now”.

Need tips or practical ways to help you tackle the guilt of saying no?

Get this book “The book of boundaries” by Melissa Urban.

It’s a simple easy to read, dip in and out kind of book. It’s not sciency or even complicated. Most of what she says seems very obvious BUT that’s why it’s great. Most of the best advice in life is simple and obvious.

Here’s to a boundaried and stress free December.

Let me know if you are gonna set any boundaries - feel free to DM if you don’t want the world to know but could do with venting.

25/11/2024

Recovery is a process. It will take time. But it will be worth the investment.

If you want support to navigate recovery from chronic stress or burnout, let’s talk.

I’ll also be announcing the date of my Peer Support Coaching Programme very soon. To find out more make sure you’re on my mailing list as I will be sharing details and giving everyone early bird access at a discounted rate.

You can join my mail list at www.stress-ed.co.uk

01/08/2024

Where does the time go.

July, 2024 that’s a wrap.

It’s been another month of balancing parenting, renovating, work, illness and grief. Saying a final tough goodbye to my uncle Mick who was an important father figure in my family’s life after my Dad passed away in 2004. We were blessed to have him and will miss him dearly.

Grief is an unpredictable thing. It affects all us differently and comes in waves. It also persists through the mundane tasks of family and work life and is sneaky as it takes its toll on our nervous system and health as well as emotions.

I’ve navigated this month by being compassionate and accepting of whatever comes my way. If I’ve learned anything in my 43 years on this planet, it’s that resistance creates anger and rarely makes the inevitable easier. So I try to be accepting and when I can influence and take control I do. This is not something that comes naturally to me, I used to be more emotional and reactive to the stress, strain and unfairness of the world. But I’ve done a lot of work and achieved a lot of emotional growth and even though stress, grief and sadness still come my way (as it does all of us) I feel more resilient.

What about you?

What are your reflections of the past month?

How have you coped and what can you learn from your experiences?

Address

London

Website

http://www.bernadettedancy.co.uk/

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My Story

I am a Health and Exercise Coach with a passion to educate, empower, and inspire people towards a healthier way of living. I work with busy, tired, overwhelmed people who don’t need another health kick that will put more pressure on their time. My bespoke coaching helps people to regain control, feel healthier and more energised by applying tailored lifestyle behaviour changes. I coach my clients through each step, offer a firm hand and a supportive shoulder and accountability that will make the changes more achievable.

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