Polly Bloom Divorce & Relationship Coach · Clinical Hypnotherapist

12/09/2026

🌱 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀…undefined

I’m so pleased to introduce Blooming Minds: Calming Stories for Children, a collection of gentle audio stories created to support children with some of the big feelings that are part of growing up.

Having spent many years supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, I’ve always believed in the power of stories to help children explore feelings and experiences they may not yet have the words to express.

Recently, an adult who had listened to one of my relaxation recordings told me how much it had helped him settle when he was feeling angry and anxious.

Later, while travelling with his seven-year-old son, he played the recording for him too. His son listened to my voice, relaxed and fell asleep.

That little story stayed with me and reinforced my wish to create something specifically for children.

And so Blooming Minds began. 🌱

The first two stories are now available:

🌳 The Tree That Knew How to Bend — 27 minutes | £4.99

A calming story for children navigating change and uncertainty.

Moving home, starting or changing school, parental separation or divorce, friendship changes or simply adjusting to something unfamiliar can bring up lots of feelings for children.

Through the story of a tree learning to bend with the wind rather than fight against it, children are gently encouraged to recognise their feelings, discover their own inner strength and understand that they can adapt to change without losing who they are.

🌙 The Moonlit Meadow — 25 minutes | £4.99

A gentle bedtime relaxation story for children who find it difficult to switch off, settle or quieten a busy mind at bedtime.

Children are guided into a peaceful moonlit meadow through soothing storytelling, calming imagery and relaxation, helping them leave the busyness of the day behind and prepare for rest.

There’s no pressure to fall asleep; they can simply listen, relax and allow sleep to come naturally in its own time.

Both stories include soft background music and can be enjoyed at bedtime, during quiet time, or whenever your child could use a little extra calm and reassurance.

And there are three more Blooming Minds stories to come, exploring confidence and self-belief, worry and anxiety, and loss, separation and missing someone.

Because every big feeling deserves a kinder story. 💛

🎧 Find out more and listen here:

https://go.divorceseparationcoach.co.uk/products-list

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

08/09/2026

Even steady boats sometimes bump against the shore.

We can intend to respond calmly, and still find ourselves reacting.

We may raise our voice, speak more sharply than we meant to or dismiss a feeling because we’re tired, worried or overwhelmed.

This can feel even harder when we’re already carrying the emotional and practical strain of separation.

Parents have emotions and nervous systems too.

The aim isn’t to handle every difficult moment perfectly. What happens afterwards matters.

We can return and repair:

💛 “I spoke sharply earlier. I’m sorry.”

💛 “You were trying to tell me something, and I wasn’t ready to listen.”

💛 “It wasn’t your fault that I became overwhelmed.”

💛 “Can we try that conversation again?”

An apology doesn’t remove our authority as a parent, nor does it mean that a boundary was wrong.

We can repair the connection while keeping the boundary:

“I’m sorry I shouted. It was still not okay to throw the toy, but I could have handled that differently.”

The child may shrug, remain quiet or appear to have moved on.

Repair isn’t a formula that guarantees a particular response.

It is an opening.

A way of showing that difficult moments don’t have to define the relationship—and that connection can be found again.

My beautifully illustrated children’s book, *Keep On Swimming Freddie*, offers a gentle way to begin conversations about big feelings and family changes.

A little book for big feelings, together with access to my free Parent Companion Guide.

🐠 Find out more here:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

Children don’t need perfect parents. They benefit from experiencing that after a difficult moment, we can reconnect and try again.

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

04/09/2026

How do you learn to trust yourself again when, for a long time, you’ve been encouraged to doubt what you see, feel or know?

It’s something I’ve thought about a great deal — both personally and through the work I now do with people navigating divorce, betrayal and significant life change.

When your reality has repeatedly been questioned, second-guessed or dismissed, self-doubt can linger long after the relationship or experience itself has ended.

In Bloom Letter Eight – Learning to Trust Yourself Again, I explore what it can take to begin listening to yourself again — not with absolute certainty, but with a growing confidence in your own judgement, feelings and inner voice.

🌱 If this feels familiar, you can read Bloom Letter Eight here:

https://pollybloom.substack.com/p/bloom-letter-eight

28/08/2026

Sometimes, behaviour is the ripple we notice.

The feeling may lie beneath it. 🌊

A child experiencing family change may become angry, clingy or unusually quiet. They may struggle at bedtime, resist going between homes or complain of a tummy ache before a handover.

The behaviour is what we see.

Underneath it may be sadness, fear, confusion or a sense of having very little control.

Rather than focusing only on stopping the behaviour, curiosity can help us look beneath it:

💛 “I’ve noticed that things feel difficult today.”

💛 “You won’t get into trouble for telling me how you feel.”

💛 “Would it help to talk, draw or have some quiet time together?”

💛 “Your feelings are welcome here.”

Listening doesn’t mean every boundary disappears.

It means connection can come before correction.

'Keep On Swimming Freddie' offers families a gentle way to begin conversations about big feelings and family changes.

🐠 Find out more and access my free Parent Companion Guide:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

28/08/2026

Bloom Letter Seven is out today 🌸

This week I’m writing about why saying no can sometimes feel so difficult, particularly when we’ve spent years putting other people’s needs before our own.

We can know we want to say no, yet still find ourselves explaining, apologising or feeling guilty for having a boundary at all.

In this week’s Bloom Letter, I explore where that comes from and why learning to say no isn’t selfish. 🧡

If this resonates with you, you can read the latest Bloom Letter below.

When Saying No Feels So Difficult

25/08/2026

Feelings pushed beneath the surface can pop up later.

When a child is sad, frightened or angry, it’s natural to want to make everything feel better:

“Please don’t be sad.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Come on, cheer up.”

But imagine trying to hold a beach ball beneath the water.

It may stay hidden for a while, but keeping it there takes effort. As soon as the pressure changes, it pops back to the surface.

Feelings can be like that too.

When children repeatedly feel unable to express their emotions, those feelings may reappear through anger, withdrawal, disrupted sleep, tummy aches or behaviour that is difficult to understand.

They don’t always need us to take the feeling away. Sometimes, they need to know that it is safe to feel it.

💛 “I’m here.”

💛 “It makes sense that you feel that way.”

💛 “Would you like a hug, some space or for me to sit beside you?”

We don’t have to stop every emotional wave. Sometimes, being the steady shore is enough.

'Keep On Swimming Freddie' offers families a gentle way to begin conversations about big feelings and family changes.

🐠 Find out more and access my free Parent Companion Guide:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

Much love
Polly Bloom 🧡

20/08/2026

“𝗗𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺?”

I once worked with a young boy whose parents had separated not long before. Some details have been changed to protect his privacy.

His dad had begun bringing a new girlfriend into the home, and for this little boy, it felt like too much, too soon.

It wasn’t necessarily that he disliked her.

His family had already changed, and before he had found his footing, something else was changing too.

But how could he tell his dad?

Would his dad listen?

Would his feelings matter?

Would his dad become upset, or assume that his mum had put the words into his mouth?

He had told his mum, but she was in a difficult position. If she raised it with his dad, her concern could be interpreted as jealousy, criticism or interference.

Perhaps his grandparents, his dad’s parents, could help him find the words or sit beside him while he spoke.

Yet the child cannot be left to create the route through which his feelings are heard.

Children do not need control over every adult decision. They need to know that their feelings matter.

Being heard does not always mean that everything will change. It means being met with curiosity rather than defensiveness:

💛 “Thank you for telling me.”

💛 “I can understand why this feels like a lot.”

💛 “You can tell me how you feel, even when it is difficult for me to hear.”

💛 “We can talk about what might help you feel more comfortable.”

When a new relationship begins, adults may feel ready to move forward long before their children do.

Children benefit from time, reassurance and space to adjust at their own pace.

My beautifully illustrated children’s book, 'Keep On Swimming Freddie', helps families begin gentle conversations about big feelings and family changes.

A free Parent Companion Guide is also available, with practical ideas and conversation prompts to help you support your child.

🐠 Find out more here:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

Adult decisions can still make space for a child’s voice.

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

17/08/2026

“Can I tell Mummy that I had fun with Daddy?”

“Is it okay to miss Mummy when I’m at Daddy’s house?”

Children can become very skilled at monitoring what they say after their parents separate.

They may hide their excitement, play down an enjoyable weekend or feel guilty for missing one parent while spending time with the other.

They may simply be trying to protect the adults they love.

A child’s heart is not a set of scales.

Loving one parent does not make their love for the other any lighter. Enjoying time in one home is not a rejection of the other.

Children need to hear:

💛 You never have to choose between us.
💛 You are allowed to love us both.
💛 You can tell me about the happy times you have with your other parent.
💛 You do not need to protect my feelings.

This does not mean overlooking unsafe behaviour or asking children to hide their true feelings. It means freeing them from the responsibility of managing adult loyalties.

My beautifully illustrated children’s book, 'Keep On Swimming Freddie', helps families begin gentle conversations about big feelings and family changes.

A free Parent Companion Guide is also available, with practical ideas and conversation prompts to help you support your child.

🐠 Find out more here:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

A child should never feel that loving one parent means betraying the other.

Much Love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

13/08/2026

“Tell your dad…”

“Ask your mum…”

“Let them know…”

They may sound like simple requests, but to a child navigating separation or divorce, they can feel like a heavy responsibility.

When children are asked to pass messages between their parents, they may begin to feel responsible for how the other parent responds.

They might worry:

“What if Mum gets upset?”

“What if Dad becomes angry?”

“What if I say it wrong?”

“What if this starts another argument?”

Children need to be held at the centre of their parents’ care; not placed in the middle of their conflict.

Imagine two lighthouses standing on separate shores.

They are no longer in the same place, but each continues to shine a steady light towards the child they both love. Their beams meet around that child, creating a place of safety, reassurance and guidance.

The child does not have to carry messages from one lighthouse to the other. They simply need to know that both lights are there.

That is the difference between being held at the centre and being a piggy in the middle.

A child should never have to be the messenger, the peacekeeper or the person responsible for managing communication between adults.

Whenever possible, communication needs to remain directly between the parents; even when that communication feels difficult.

This allows a child to remain where they belong: outside the adult conflict and free to have their own relationship with each parent.

My beautifully illustrated children’s book, 'Keep On Swimming Freddie', helps families begin gentle conversations about big feelings and family changes.

A free Parent Companion Guide is also available, filled with practical ideas and conversation prompts to help you support your child.

🐠 Find out more here:
https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

Children have enough feelings of their own to navigate. They should not have to carry ours as well.

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡

10/08/2026

“𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗺𝘆. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘂𝗽.”

A friend recently told me about the moment her eight-year-old daughter learned that her parents were separating.

The news was blurted out during a heated exchange, and her little girl immediately began to cry.

She apologised to her mum and promised to do more chores around the house if they would stay together.

At just eight years old, she believed the separation was somehow her fault and that by being more helpful or better behaved, she might be able to fix it.

That’s a heartbreaking burden for any child to carry.

Children often fill the gaps in their understanding with explanations of their own. They may silently wonder:

“Was it because I was naughty?”

“Did I cause the arguments?”

“If I behave perfectly, will you stay together?”

When telling children about a separation, they need to hear these messages clearly and more than once:

This is an adult decision.
You did not cause it.
You cannot fix it.
We both love you.
You will still be cared for.

They may not absorb everything during that first conversation. Reassurance needs to continue through our words, our behaviour and the space we give them to ask questions.

My beautifully illustrated children’s book, Keep On Swimming Freddie, can help begin gentle conversations about big feelings and family changes.

A free Parent Companion Guide is also available, with practical ideas and conversation prompts to help you support your child.

🐠 Find out more here:

https://breathe.pollybloom.co.uk/parent-guide

No child should ever feel responsible for holding their family together.

Much love,
Polly Bloom 🧡