Episode #42: How Nutrition, Energy, and Cognition Shape the HSP Experience with Claire Thomas

Why highly sensitive people feel overwhelmed, and how food, energy, and brain function play a deeper role than you think.

Welcome back to The Happy HSP Podcast. I’m your host Kimberly Marshall, and today I’m joined by Claire Thomas. She’s a registered nutritional therapist, NLP Practitioner, and phlebotomist who empowers busy, high-achieving women to increase their energy levels, strengthen their resilience, and do more of what they love.

We talk about how energy levels, nutrition, and even brain function can play a much bigger role in our health than we realize. So, if you’re wondering why you’re always feeling so exhausted, overstimulated, or downright hangry — and if there’s anything you can do about it —then this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy it!

Kim: Claire, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s so great to see you.

Claire: Oh, thank you so much for having me, Kim. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Kim: Yeah, same here. I’m so glad you’re here with me. My first question for you is about your own journey with high sensitivity and how you found out and what that looked like.

Claire: So yeah, I was reflecting on this. It’s quite an interesting thing. I can’t pinpoint a time where I was like, oh yes, that’s what it is. But I do remember, it must’ve been a few years ago, it was definitely before COVID, where there was a lot more on the internet about what a highly sensitive person looks like. And I’d read the criteria and I’d go, "Oh, that feels like it’s me. " And then I started chatting to my sister and I was like, “Oh, I think this explains a lot of what I feel and sense and who I am." And she was like, "Yeah, that looks about right.” 

So I think it was just one of those things. I always grew up being told I was too sensitive and I could always feel things so deeply, but I never fully got what it meant, I think, to be a highly sensitive person until I saw this checklist and I was like, “Oh yeah, I get that. I think that’s who I am.” That’s okay. That’s grand.

Kim: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Claire: Yeah.

Kim: What was that feeling like? It must’ve been a recognition or was it a relief?

Claire: I think there was an element of relief because I think when you grow up and you’re told that you are too sensitive, it’s almost in a bad context, there’s something wrong with you. And I think because I feel so deeply, I can have moments where I’m like, is there something wrong with me? I would say also I’m quite empathic and I can feel people’s emotions. And I’ve always felt, is there something wrong with me? Why is it that I can feel this? Does everyone feel this? And then when I started learning, I think it was that sense of relief, that sense of, oh, I’m not the only one.

But I think it’s not a common thing. I forget the statistics, but it’s not a lot of people generally overall who are considered highly sensitive. So, I think it was just nice that I could go, oh yeah, that makes sense. And I could put things in accordingly and I could go, actually, instead of trying to fight this and trying to be something I’m not, let’s actually embrace who I am, embrace that this is a part of me. 

And it’s still a work in progress, I think that embracing it, but I can put things in place now and recognize, actually this is what my body needs and this is in order for me to function at my best, I’ve got to make sure I put these safeguards in place so that I can show up, especially now that I’m self-employed, I could get to show up in the way that I want to for myself and for my clients.

Kim: Right. Yeah. I love that you said making sure you’re listening to your body because it’s more than just emotions that we talk about when we talk about high sensitivity. I think to your point, when we feel bad about hearing that about ourselves, it’s almost like we equate that with high reactivity, emotional reactivity, and we’re not really looking at the depth of it, all the senses. Yeah, it’s not just the emotional depth. It’s like everything, all of our senses we’re feeling from. It’s deeper than that. It’s more wide-ranging.

Claire: Completely. And I mean, I have had chronic fatigue in my past, and now I support a lot with people with fatigue. And so sometimes we have to really look at energy management and really recognize. So, I think for a long time I thought, oh, it was because I had chronic fatigue, that’s why I have to really think about energy management. But actually, I think as a highly sensitive individual, what I’ve learned is that overstimulation, what that can do to the body, how that can drain the battery, so to speak. And just the value of going, actually, just because I can do something doesn’t mean that I need to do something. I can actually go, look, where is my battery at? Is it a bit depleted? Do I need to take that time out? Because I know for myself, I need time by myself. It’s really important to recharge that battery.

And if I don’t do that, then actually I just get really, really grumpy, really sensitive. I just find ... I can’t really explain it, but it’s like everything becomes overwhelming, I think is probably the best word. And yeah.

Kim:  Yeah, I hear you. It’s almost like you can’t take anything else in. It’s like, I don’t know about you, but I get fuzzy and muddy, and it’s like no matter what you’re trying to connect with me, I can’t do it, especially when I’m really overstimulated. 

Claire: True. I find that. I find, especially when I’m tired and perhaps a bit overstimulated, it’s like you can talk to me and I’m like, I can see your lips moving. I hear sound.  

Kim: Cannot compute…

Claire: Don’t tell me what you’ve just said because it’s not going in and it is not processing. Or you just go home and crash because you’ve literally had to focus so hard on what the person’s saying in front of you.

Kim: Or you can’t be diplomatic anymore and you say the most worst awful things and you’re like, Wait, wait, I didn’t mean that. It just came out of me.

Claire: Yeah, the filter goes. It’s like brain, that whole brain to mouth connection. I’m like, I’m sorry, I think I’ve lost it. 

Kim: Yeah, like a short circuiting or something is what it feels like. And everyone gets this. I think just for us, it happens more often, especially if we’re in the wrong environments or around people who drain us or in jobs that we hate, like all of us.

Claire: Yes. I find it quite interesting. Recently I’ve moved. So, I was working on my own a lot and I’ve recently moved into a health and wellness hub and so I’m around more people. And for the first month, I came home absolutely shattered every day and I was like, What is going on? And it took me a moment to realize that I was expending more talking to people and having to read the room more and be like, okay, what’s happening? How do I turn up in a different way because I’m so used to just doing my own thing. Yeah, it’s things like that that I think take more time than perhaps I recognize that before.

Kim: I love that because it’s the sense that you’re adjusting. It’s not that you can’t do that. It’s like there’s adjustment. It takes us time to ease into a new kind of way of being and showing up. When we’re so used to being able to do whatever we want, then we have to interact with people going on here. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So, tell me about energy. What is energy to you, and how do you help people manage that? What tends to happen in that process, would you say?

Claire: Yeah, that’s a really good question. So, for me, it’s a lot about energy levels.

Now that has many, many layers to it. It can be as simple as for myself, if I go networking, I actually have to wear certain earplugs sometimes because the noise is too much. But if say I haven’t got my earplugs with me and it’s a really busy room and I go networking and then I’ve got back-to-back appointments, I find by the end of the day, the battery’s gone, not because my body is tired, but because I think the stimulation, and then you’ve got right through to something like extreme fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, where your body is just the nutrient levels are depleted, you’ve perhaps got gut health issues, the mitochondria, so they’re the little batteries in your cells aren’t working as efficiently, and that’s more of an illness where you are just flat. The battery is flat a lot of the time, and it takes a lot to get it repleted.

And I think for me, it’s really understanding in terms of energy levels, well, what is it that I need to be able to feel that I can show up and say, be able to do a day of work, be able to socialize, be able to exercise, be able to do all the things that I want to do that is realistic. Because I think sometimes we can say, “I can do all the things and I can see all the people.” And it’s actually really recognizing, is this a case of I’m depleted? So, I do a lot of blood testing. So, I’m looking behind the scenes and going, if you look at the common ones like iron, folate, B12, magnesium, or there can be some common ones that if they’re depleted, your energy levels will be off.

Or say your hormone levels are, or blood sugar, you’ve got a hormone imbalance or a blood sugar imbalance that will also impact your energy levels. So, there’s lots of layers. I don’t know if I’m explaining it very well, but it’s really trying to understand your body and mind and what it needs and what could be the underlying cause of what’s causing that depletion.

Kim: Yeah, I hear you when you say layers, because it’s not just the social interactions, it’s what’s going on in your body.

Claire: Yes.

Kim: Yeah. And for HSPs, our bodies are sensitive too, so it’s important to keep the nutritional aspect of that healthy. What do you typically see? I don’t know if you’re allowed to share that in your clients when it comes to energy, is there something like a trend that you’re seeing that a lot of people are suffering with? I know vitamin D seems to be a big thing these days, but things like that.

Claire: Definitely. Yeah, vitamin D, vitamin B12.

Iron, thyroid issues actually I’m seeing a lot of. I think for a lot of people, the biggest place I start and what I find with those that are a bit more sensitive is that they feel these changes more readily than perhaps someone else does. So, they’ll notice when their energy levels are off or they’ll notice when things just don’t feel right in their body, but it’s tuning into that. And so, for a lot of my clients, actually the first thing is blood sugar balance. So that comes back to what are you eating? So, if we look at a plate, it’s are you making sure your plate has protein, complex carbs? So that’s carbs like brown rice, brown pasta, sweet potato that don’t break down as quickly as say white bread, processed cake, biscuits, that sort of thing. And then you look at your veggies, your fiber, have you got enough of those on your plate?

Because when you eat like that, instead of having that high, say you’ve had a piece of cake and you get that kind of high level, your blood sugars go higher and then you get the crash and you’re like, “Well, I feel really sick. I feel really dizzy.” Perhaps you get hangry, you’re a bit grouchy. I definitely ... My husband used to laugh and go, “Oh crap, feed her, please. She’s angry.”

Kim: I have the same thing.

Claire: He said it in love, I should point out.

Kim: Yeah.

Claire: But we are more sensitive to those hides and there’s lows. So, if we can eat in a balanced way, then what we find is that there’s a bit more resilience because you’re fuller for longer, you’re not crashing, you’re not trying to figure out, I need something to eat, I need to eat it now. And then I think when you’re in that panic mode, because our brains are really good at surviving and they need a constant supply of glucose. So, if that drops lower than it likes, your safety officer comes out with a megaphone. And so, it’s shouting at you to go get something to eat. And in that moment, the overwhelm can become ... If you’re hungry and you’re like, “I don’t know where to get food from, I don’t know what’s going on. I know I don’t feel right.” And then you’ve perhaps got the kids shouting, or you’re stuck in traffic, or you’ve got a massive deadline, it all becomes a bit too much.

And then that stress that I feel that we feel more of, then just it all kind of piles up, and you can find yourself crashing or having a massive ... I don’t want to say the word tantrum, but you know what I mean? Just like…

Kim: You can say tantrums. I’ve had tantrums.

Claire: Yeah. Well, me too.

Kim: Let’s be real here. We’ve had tantrums.

Claire: Yes. Usually at my husband, because we see this actually, I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced this. I’ve had moments where I’ve been so overwhelmed, but I’ve managed to contain it until I got home. And we can see this with children as well. And then it was just like I’d explode because I’ve contained it all day.

Kim: Yeah, it’s so funny. You’re reminding me of a quick story. I went on vacation with my ex- husband’s family and we were at the beach and we were supposed to go right to breakfast. So, I’m like, all right, well, I don’t really need to eat anything. We’re going right to eat. But then it was getting hotter and we’re waiting for people and then everyone showed up and everyone’s chatting. And I got to the point where, like you said, you panic almost. It felt like a panic. I had to eat. And I was like, whatever. I was like, I’m going in the restaurant, whoever’s coming with me comes. And I was hangry. And I go in and I came out of the restaurant after I had eaten like golden sunshine, how are you? It was just such a difference. But it is. It’s like our bodies pick up on that and we get nervous and it’s almost like a panic response.

Would you say that? I feel like that’s what it feels like.

Claire: It does because it is effectively, like I say, your safety offer is shouting at you and it is that I’m not safe, I’m not safe. I really need food. Can you please just find some food? And everyone manages that differently. But I think those that are more sensitive to that feeling, which I definitely am. I’m literally like, if you’re with me and I’ve got to that stage, I’m not talking to you. I am finding food, and it’s going to be as quick as I can. I’m not being polite anymore.

Kim: Yeah. The politeness goes out the window. Yeah. When your body’s in fight or flight, it’s time. You got to go. 

Claire: It’s time. I need food. I mean, thankfully I now don’t get to that place because I’ve learned.

Kim: Yeah.

Claire: I know.And I’ve managed to stabilize things and I’m able to catch the flags a bit quicker. Yeah.

Kim: That is so funny. Do you only work with highly sensitive people or do you kind of work with anyone?

Claire: No, anyone really who’s struggling with fatigue and burnout. So mostly women that I seem to work with, but I am starting to see more men come through, which has been quite interesting. I think especially in the UK, I’m seeing a lot more men who are just getting into the interest in their health. They want to know about testosterone levels. They’re like, “Why do I feel so rubbish?” But I think it’s still predominantly women that are coming to see me. But yeah, men are ... It is a really interesting trend that I’m seeing at the moment.

Kim: Yeah. And you must be able to know when you have HSP clients versus non-HSP. You must see that difference. Yeah.

Claire: Yeah, they often talk in a bit more feeling language. You can see that they’re taking it all in and really processing it in a different way is quite interesting. I think that’s where I find it useful understanding, not so I can put people in a box, but that personality profiling that you can go, all right, well, what is that person in front of me? What do they need? How do they need to be communicated with? Especially when I’m writing my protocols, if I write too much and somebody gets too overwhelmed, that’s not going to work for them. So, I think understanding the person in front of you is really valuable in what I do.

Kim: Yep. Yeah, that’s our empathetic nature coming through. You kind of know. It’s like when I send questions in advance, I know for HSPs, it’s more comforting to have all the information you need versus going in blind. You just feel like, well, what would I want and how would I want to be treated and get this information?

Claire: Yeah, that’s true actually. I think there’s that slight feeling of safety. I think we like to feel comfortable and safe. I mean, we definitely will take risks as HSPs, but because we feel it also much more, it’s ... Yeah.

Kim: I love that. That’s such a great point. And not only that, but with each other, I feel like we’re so good at keeping each other feeling safe. We’re so used to everybody else making us feel off or weird. It’s like when we have our conversations, yeah, it’s just that safety that it’s like I get you.

Claire: Yeah, I hear you. I get you. This is what I do. Hopefully that helps you.

Kim: Yeah. Everyone else is like, “What?” And we’re like ...

Claire: Yeah.

Kim: So, what do you find challenging about the trait? What would you say you struggle with when it comes to your sensitivity?

Claire: So, I feel like that empathetic nature is a blessing and a curse becauseI feel, especially with my clients, I do a lot around body, mind, and spirit. It’s like that whole holistic person. And so, I can often feel or see behind ... When I bring it all together, I can feel it and sense it, but also that means that it can be quite overwhelming because I’m trying to ... It’s like I’m receiving too much information sometimes, and it’s like I struggle with the filter to go, what is relevant, what’s not relevant, I don’t need to figure out right now. And especially when I’m really tired, if I walk into a room and there’s a lot of high emotions, I feel like I’m in an antenna for it, just going, yes, oh look, that person’s feeling that. And then you want to fix it and you’re like, I know.

Kim: Yeah. Yeah, that’s such a great point. When do you fix? When do you hold space? When do you lead? And especially when you do mind, body, soul. I didn’t know you did that. I knew you did the nutrition part, but can you also tell me about the others? Because that fits into all of this in our energy. I’m curious.

Claire: So, for me, the mind is obviously ... So, I do a lot of mindset work. So, I’m an NLP practitioner, which is neurolinguistic programming. So, it’s how we recognize behaviors and then help ourselves to rewire the brain. I’m currently doing something called therapeutic coaching because what I see with a lot of my clients is that nervous system dysregulation. And so that shows up in the mind in how we make choices, but also shows up in the body in things like chronic illness. If you look at inflammation, inflammation is a major driver for chronic illness. And then if you look behind that, we often see people who have perhaps had trauma, who’ve got nervous system dysregulation, who are perhaps more sensitive to that nervous system, fight or flight, rest and digest changes. And so that’s quite a big driver for illness. So, what I want to do when I work with a client is basically increase that feeling of safety within themselves.

And now spirit is different for everybody. For me, I have a Christian faith, so that’s where a lot of that will come into play. Whether I’m open with a client or not, it’s my life and how I turn up and how I treat others. And obviously if someone’s a Christian, we might be looking at the spiritual life as well and just saying, okay, what does that look like for you, and how can you support yourself? But I think it’s not seeing ourselves as we are a body or we work on our mindset or we work on our spiritual health. I think we need to see it as we are holistic beings, and it’s all interconnected. So, if, for example, your mindset, you’re really struggling with low mood, is the low mood a physical thing because perhaps you’ve got low iron levels, or perhaps you’ve not slept, or because you’ve been eating lots of processed foods or lots of alcohol, or is it something else you feel disconnected from people?

So, sometimes that spiritual stuff could be community, could be connecting with others. Do you feel that you’re disconnected from people? Do you feel that you don’t have those relationships that sort of feed you?

And that actually could be why you’ve got low mood. So, I think sometimes it’s almost giving people the space to say, right, I might be working on my blood sugar regulation, for example, but actually as I do that, it creates space that I can then start thinking about other things.

Kim: Right. I love that so much. It’s not just one thing. It’s not just your nutrition. It’s also working through your trauma and being able to let that go. It’s also feeding your soul, whether that’s community or Christianity or whatever your faith looks like. Yeah, we are holistic beings. There’s more to us than just surface level.

Claire: Oh, no, I was just going to say what I do is actually called, it’s based on functional medicine.

It’s that root cause analysis. And so that means we’re pulling from everything, not just say someone comes to me and says, “I’ve got diabetes.” I don’t just say, “Oh, let’s work with that.” I’m like, “Well, let’s look at everything that’s going on and try to work out.” Because I have had some clients where we’ve gone through their health history and what it was like growing up, and they’ll suddenly join the dots and go, “Oh, I had that experience as a child, and I’m now seeing that play up.” 

Whether that’s an illness, whether they feel they can’t talk to people in a certain way, whether they find themselves hiding or overeating because of something that happened as a child, but they haven’t quite made the connection. And so, I think that’s why it’s really valuable that we can look across a lifespan and go, “What is it that happened that’s showing up?” It’s not about fixing.

I don’t believe that we should fix ourselves, but it’s just that curiosity to go, “What is driving this behavior? And is there anything that I can do to support myself right now? What is it that I actually need?”

Kim: Right. What do I need? And without the shame, because I feel like we’re so hard on ourselves. When you were saying that, you were reminding me of when I was really struggling in my job, and I was moving from job to job. I couldn’t find what was fulfilling. I couldn’t find what was really clicking, and I started to wonder what’s wrong with me. 

But my energy levels at the time, I was mad at myself for not exercising. I was mad at myself for overeating, but it’s like I was so unhappy with my life situation that once I was able to make those changes, and like you said, not fixing yourself, but more allowing yourself to be in an environment that’s best for you and acknowledging your needs. I mean, that’s what I was doing, was acknowledging my needs. What a difference. 

Claire: It does make a difference. And sometimes it is hard when you are in the midst of that to be curious and to see, and that’s where professional help is really so valuable. It happened to me last year. I know a lot, but I recognized I was doomscrolling a lot and watching a lot of Facebook videos, and I had to start going, “What are you doing?” 

And I recognized, so we’ve been living with infertility for a number of years and we’d hit seven years, and it just got so overwhelming that I was scrolling all the time and I just had to, thankfully I know enough to go, “What’s going on here? Why do you feel that you can’t sit?” And for me, it was like sitting and praying. I couldn’t do that. And I was like, “What is going on?” And then when I realized, I was like, 

“Okay, this is too overwhelming. I need to speak to somebody.” And that’s been really valuable. And I think sometimes instead of having shame of going, I’m rubbish, I’m not doing this, you’ve mentioned what was happening with you when you were moving jobs.

And I think we can be so quick to go, “I’m rubbish. I’m not good enough.” Instead of flipping it and going, “Actually, I’m doing something because I need something different, but what is it that I need?”

Kim: That can sometimes be the hardest part, I feel. What is it? What is it I’m searching for? What is that thing that I’m missing? But yeah, like you mentioned, again, it’s not about fixing. It’s about finding, again, what you need, what lights you up, what gives you energy, what makes you feel whole and healthy and happy. Yeah, it’s a journey.

Claire: It is. It is that I think I don’t feel ever ... I think it’s a constant journey. Yeah.

Kim: Yeah, that’s what I keep hearing everyone say. It just doesn’t end, which is okay. It’s good. We’re all growing. But again, as long as it’s not trying to fix everything, it’s more like trying to become who you are a little bit more fully. It’s weird to think of it that way, but one’s based, I think, in shame and not good enough-ism. And the other one is just sticking up for, again, just the environment that works best for you, the people that you’re really connecting to that genuine, authentic living.

Claire: I think it’s having compassion as well for yourself, that you’re not going to get it right all the time, and that’s okay. And like you say, we don’t have to be trying to fix ourselves, but just being a little bit of grace

Kim: Or a lot.

Claire: Just be me. Yeah. Or a lot of grace. Yeah.

Kim: Just be me, right? Yeah. Yeah, just be myself without having to worry about what others think and a little easier said than done. But again, that’s the journey of being who you are fully and feeling good and comfortable in that. 

But yeah, it’s been a long year. 2025, I don’t know what it was like for you, but on this end it was a little nuts. What do you love about high sensitivity? What do you celebrate?

Claire: I think, again, it’s almost the same as the challenge. I think that intuition is really special. I don’t think we, or myself, I can just be like, oh, everyone does that. Everyone can feel that. And I’m like, no, they can’t. They really can’t. My husband, he definitely doesn’t, and it’s not a criticism on him, but when I’m saying, “But I feel this and this is how I sense things,” and he’s like, “Nah, I’m fine.”

Kim: Yeah, they’re just so straight laced like, “What?”

Claire: What were yout about? I’m like, “Oh, can you not feel that?” I remember going to France and to Normandy and to one of the beaches from World War II, and I said, “I can’t be on this beach.” And he’s like, “Why?” I said, “I can’t be on this beach. I’ve got to get off this beach. I can’t cope with that sense. I could feel the energy.”

And he’s like, “What do you want?” “ I’ve got to go. See you later.” 

But I think especially for the work I do, having that intuition is a real ... I’m really privileged that I get to have that and it can help me sometimes ask the questions because I don’t want to pursue things, but it allows me to, “Actually, let’s ask this question in this way.” And as I do, I’ve had people who, as we talk, as I’ve said before, they can connect the dots, and nobody’s ever asked them that question before. And you sort of think, actually, that’s a real privilege that I can see things in a different way. And I get to ask the questions that they perhaps need to hear, but haven’t realized they need to hear.

Kim: Right. It’s like you’re almost sensing the underlying themes going on where it’s hard for them to see it. So, when you say intuition, for you, is it just the way that, like you said, you come up with the idea of the question that asks to make the progress? How do you explain your intuition and what that looks like?

Claire: It’s a really good question. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just a sense as a feeling.

Just a knowing, a real sense of, I think that could be what’s going on here. Let’s ask the question. Sometimes it does backfire, but I try and do it in the most sensitive way I can. 

Kim: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you got to try.

Claire: I can’t really explain it. It’s just this real deep ... Yeah, I can see it, but yeah.

Kim: Yeah, it’s like a sense, I guess you just sense it.

Claire: Yeah, I just sense it and I’m like, oh, I think I need to ask this. Yeah.

Kim: And like you said, sometimes it goes well and other times they’re like,

Claire: It’s not very often that it kind of backfires, but on the whole, I think people are like, “Okay, let’s see.”

Kim: Well, good for you for continuing to trust that. That’s really important and awesome, especially in the work you do.

Claire: Yeah.

Kim: And what advice would you give to HSPs who are struggling to find meaning and purpose in their lives? What would you say?

Claire: I think for me, it comes back to almost trusting yourself. I think seeing who you are as fearfully and wonderfully made and recognizing that your skills and your talents and how you see the world is pretty awesome. 

And I think don’t try and fit yourself into someone else’s model of the world. Put yourself into your model of the world. And then as you do that, as you kind of ... I think it’s like being comfortable with yourself and going, “Yeah, who I am and what I bring to the table is great.” Now, now I can feel that. What is it that I love to do? What is it that I really find joy from? And okay, sometimes we do have to do things to pay the bills, but can you find a compromise in that? Is there something you can do on the side? Is there ways that you can ... Other things you can bring into your life, whether that’s meeting with friends or being creative or going and doing theater productions.

What is it that you need? If you know that you have to work nine to five and you might not necessarily enjoy that job and there’s nothing else right now, what else can you bring into your world that is going to help light you up so that you can manage that nine-to-five job?

Kim: Yeah, to bring in that joy, kind of get that joy flowing through you so that it can touch other parts of your life. I love that so much because I feel like we all have our own unique light and our unique journey, and a lot of us don’t follow it because of the muddiness or the outside pressure. But yeah, we each have our own light to bring to the world.

Claire: Yes, definitely. And I’ve learned I had a career as a nurse, so it was a very, I would say, successful career, but illness derailed it. And it taught me a lot. It taught me a lot that you can survive on less than you think, and also it is okay to repivot and try again. It’s painful. I mean, it’s painful and it’s almost acknowledging that pain and having time to grieve and go, “It’s not what I expected life to be.” But we can repivot and we can try again. And I know it’s hard. I think when safety and comfort is something that it feels the ... I don’t think the easiest thing, but just I guess the safest thing, that actually it’s finding those baby steps to allow yourself to repivot.

Kim: That’s such a great point. There are things we want to do, and then we get scared because like you said, you have to work on the nine-to-five. And especially when you’re pivoting and jumping around, that sense of safety is really important, but it doesn’t have to be on a grand scale. It can be small ways to just find that joy and bring that back. 

Claire: Yeah. And also how you find that safety for yourself. And it could be that you go, I am going to take these risks, but I’m going to make sure that whatever brings you comfort, that you keep that as stable as you can. So, you’ve got something to come back to. For me, having a really ... My home is my safe place, so making sure that it’s nice and cozy and I can come home and I have time at home without ... Obviously I have my husband, but he’s grand. But without lots going on, I can come home and shut the door and that allows me to reset so that I’ve got the ability to take more risks the next day.

Kim: Yeah, love that. So, you can take a little more risk the next day. Fill your cup so that you can go a little further. And yeah, that’s beautiful, Claire. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you sharing that and for joining me today.

Claire: No, thank you so much for having me.

Kim: Yeah. Where can people follow along on your journey?

Claire: So, you can find me at nourishtosow.co.uk, and I’m also on Instagram @nourishtusow. 

Kim: Awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining me today. It was really nice to meet you.

Claire: Oh, thank you for having me, Kim.

Thanks so much for listening in on my conversation with Claire. I hope it reminds you that the path to healing doesn’t happen from pushing through, but being willing to tap into our minds, bodies, and spirits holistically. It’s only when we simplify our lives and listen inward that we can truly understand what brings us joy and what it is that we ultimately need. 

Until next time. Take care!

About Claire Thomas:

Claire Thomas is a Registered Nutritional Therapist (BANT, CNHC), NLP Practitioner, and CQC-regulated Phlebotomist. She empowers busy, high-achieving women to increase their energy levels, strengthen resilience, and do more of what they love.

Through her practice, Nourish to Soar, Claire takes a personalised, data-led approach, combining advanced testing, nutrition, and lifestyle and behaviour change to join the dots and uncover what’s really driving fatigue and low energy.

She creates clear, tailored strategies that work for each individual, removing guesswork and delivering practical, lasting results.

Claire began her career in children’s nursing, but her own experience of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome reshaped her path. Told recovery was unlikely, she took a different approach, using nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset to rebuild her health. That experience now underpins her work, giving her both clinical insight and understanding of what it takes to increase energy levels and resilience.

She qualified in Nutritional Therapy and NLP in 2022 and founded Nourish to Soar to empower women to take back control of their health without being held back by exhaustion or burnout.

Claire’s approach is both evidence-based and practical, translating complex science into clear, actionable steps. Her clients value feeling heard while gaining the clarity and tools to create sustainable, long-term change. She works with clients across the UK and beyond, both online and in her Devon-based clinic.

Qualifications:

• Registered Nutritional Therapist

• NLP Practitioner and Health Coach

• Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) with a focus on Child Nursing

• Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Leadership

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education

• Postgraduate Diploma in Personalised Nutrition

• Personalised Nutrition Practice Diploma 

• Phlebotomist Competency 

Follow along on Claire’s journey:

Website:  https://www.nourishtosoar.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishtosoar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairethomasdevon/

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Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now helps HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and soul’s purpose so they can live gentle, heart-centered lives in alignment with who they truly are.

Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.

• Hosted/produced by Kimberly Marshall

• Edited by Fonzie Try Media

• Artwork by Tara Corola