Wintering in the face of tinsel: a guide for sensitive folk to survive Christmas, with ChaNan Bonser

Life - An Inside Job

Life - An Inside Job
Wintering in the face of tinsel: a guide for sensitive folk to survive Christmas, with ChaNan Bonser
Dec 20, 2025 Season 3 Episode 120
Kate Codrington and ChaNan Bonser

I am delighted to welcome ChaNan back again for her second visit to Life An inside Job, her first, season 3 ep 12 Inside the Highly Sensitive Person, is my most downloaded episode ever. Seeing as there is an interest in sensitivity, I thought it would be good to talk about the perils of Christmas.

 ChaNan Bonser is a highly experienced therapist and trainer who is dedicated to helping others find their own unique way. She works with clients  both personally and in an organisational context, fostering resilience and calm.

 She holds regular Dreaming Circles in which participants develop a deeper connection to Earth and their interrelationship with our human selves through embodied imagination and creative prompts. 

We talk about:

  • What sensitive folk need in winter
  • How to get out of overwhelm
  • What keeps us from resting
  • The perils of perfectionism 
  • How to manage our expectations
  • How to recover from the rescuer role
  • The effect of alcohol and sugar on sensitive people
  • The value of understanding your own particular sensitivities 

ChaNan's website is: https://chananbonser.com/
IG : https://www.instagram.com/chananbonser/
A cracking 40% off ChaNan's online course available here until 24th Dec 2024

These people have books and courses to support your sense of safety:
Kimberly Ann Johnson
Gabor Maté
European Association for Body Psychotherapy

Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenbery
Stressed and Overwhelmed  an excellent article by Brenee Brown
Polyvagal theory

You can buy me a cuppa here - https://buymeacoffee.com/katecodrington
 The Perimenopause Journal and Second Spring are available from all good retailers
Kate's free resource library is here https://subscribepage.io/kates-resource-library  
Instagram @kate_codrington 
Perimenopause Starter Kit online course https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/perimenopause-starter-kit-online-course/

Music
Trust Me by RYYZN

Artwork
Kate's portrait by Lori Fitzdoodles

Episode Artwork Wintering in the face of tinsel: a guide for sensitive folk to survive Christmas, with ChaNan Bonser 55:02 Episode Artwork Inside Samhain with Moya McGinley 56:26 Episode Artwork Perimenopausal vulvas and Lichen Sclerosus with Becca Scott 1:00:54 Episode Artwork Cyclical Living Unwrapped final episode with Leora and Kate 1:08:52 Episode Artwork Inside Lammas and Early Perimenopause with Clarissa Kristjansson 51:31 Episode Artwork Inside Summer Solstice with Rebecca Beattie 1:00:48 Episode Artwork Inside Pelvic Pain 51:11 Episode Artwork Inside stress and urgency incontinence 46:19 Episode Artwork Inside Beltane with Sophie Messager 48:28 Episode Artwork Inside Erotic Seasons with Kimberly Ann Johnson 1:04:01 Episode Artwork Inside balance with Lucy Blunden 58:58 Episode Artwork Inside Ageing Well with Gary Carter 1:01:03 Episode Artwork Cyclical Living Unwrapped featuring Claire Baker 24:43 Episode Artwork Inside heavy bleeding with Sophie Fletcher 54:21 Episode Artwork Inside shame with Julia Davis and Tessa Venuti Sanderson 1:08:58 Episode Artwork Inside The Perimenopause Journal 49:11 Episode Artwork Inside Boredom with Lisa de Jong 1:01:40 Episode Artwork Inside sleep with Dr Jill McGarry 1:05:01 Episode Artwork Cyclical Living Unwrapped featuring Abi Denyer-Bewick 24:28 Episode Artwork Inside the Feel Good Fix with Lavina Mehta MBE 58:27 Episode Artwork Inside pleasure and fear with Niamh Daly 1:05:23 Episode Artwork Inside burnout with Sara Slattery 58:16 Episode Artwork Cyclical Living Unwrapped featuring Tara Ghosh 17:44 Episode Artwork Inside gut instinct with Abi Adams 48:03 Episode Artwork Inside endings with Stella Duffy 55:43