Hello and welcome back to Making Sense of Women's Health. I am Roberta Bass. I'm a women's health physiotherapist, Pilates instructor, menopause mentor and a CONTROL practitioner.

April is Stress Awareness Month and stress has a massive impact not only on our emotions, but also on our physical health. Stress can manifest in various ways — from sleep disturbances to emotional eating to anxiety. And one powerful way to address these challenges is through the CONTROL system.

So in today's episode, I'm going to share with you some incredible stories from women I've worked with both in the clinic and online. These are real-life experiences of how our subconscious patterns can affect both our mental and physical health.

You may find that some of their stories resonate with your own experiences, and hopefully they offer some insight into how subconscious patterns may be contributing to symptoms you’re experiencing. I’ve previously shared how the CONTROL system works in detail in a previous episode, so if you feel like doing a deeper dive into the method itself, then go back and check out that episode.

But for now, let's jump into the journeys of these amazing women and explore how transforming their subconscious patterns improved their health and wellbeing.

Case Study 1: Recovery After Illness and Anxiety

So firstly, let me tell you about one woman I worked with who came to see me after several months of lingering symptoms following a viral illness. Although the initial symptoms had passed, she was left with constant tiredness, dizzy spells and a racing heart — especially when she was at work.

It became so overwhelming that she had to reduce her hours, and the anxiety that followed started to take over her daily life. She described herself as someone who'd always pushed herself — a perfectionist who wanted to do everything right and be seen as capable. But now her body was letting her down, and the fear of being unwell in front of others had become as distressing as the symptoms themselves.

She wasn't sleeping well, she'd stopped exercising, and her energy was gone.

We began working together using the CONTROL system, focusing on the subconscious patterns responsible for her sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue. During our first session, we explored the protective patterns — and one part of her mind was sounding this alarm every time she felt unwell, trying to keep her safe by encouraging her to stop, sit down or leave the situation.

Another part had decided that any sign of dizziness meant danger because of past experiences.

One of the key turning points came when we spoke to the part of her mind responsible for this response and helped it to realise that the illness had passed and she was no longer in danger. We gave it a new role — not to protect her by shutting her down, but to support her recovery and help her feel steady and strong.

We worked through her sleep issues, her perfectionism and the low energy. She gained insight into why her mind had been reacting this way, and we gave each part of her subconscious a new job to do — one that helped her move forward, not stay stuck in fear.

By the end of our sessions, she was sleeping better, had gone back to her full-time role at work, and even when she had occasional dizzy moments, she no longer panicked. She felt like she had tools to manage her energy — and most importantly, she trusted her body again.

Case Study 2: Emotional Eating and Self-Esteem

Now let's shift to another case that's a little different. This next client was grappling with something many of us can relate to: emotional eating.

But what happens when emotional eating is paired with guilt, low self-esteem, and family dynamics?

This lady I worked with was struggling with emotional eating and low self-esteem — both of which had been part of her life for as long as she could remember. She'd always struggled with her weight, and despite knowing what she should eat and what exercise she should be doing, food had become a source of comfort, control, and stress relief — especially after a busy day or when dealing with emotions.

Her family dynamic had been difficult. Her mum had always made comments about her weight, which left her feeling judged and guilty about having food. This relationship with food was complicated further by childhood experiences of being restricted in her choices — especially at buffets and parties. She felt the need to eat everything she could because she feared missing out.

As an adult, she found herself eating for comfort when she was bored or stressed — like many of us do. She would overeat, then feel guilty, and beat herself up — which led to the cycle of emotional eating.

Her goal wasn’t just to lose weight — it was to be able to enjoy food again without the emotional baggage. To see it as nourishment, not something to turn to for comfort.

We used the CONTROL system to work on her subconscious patterns. One of the key insights we uncovered was the link between her childhood and the belief she held about food. We helped her understand that her need to overeat was linked to a strategy she had adopted as a child to feel safe and in control.

Once we addressed these old patterns, we gave her subconscious mind new strategies that aligned with her goals: eating when hungry, enjoying food without guilt, and making more mindful choices.

After just a few sessions, she began to notice a difference. She felt more confident in herself and her ability to manage her emotions without turning to food. She was able to listen to her body, stop when full, and enjoy food as nourishment rather than a source of guilt.

She even learned how to manage the pressures of family expectations without losing her sense of self-worth. The most striking change for her was when she went to a family event — and instead of using food as a way to cope with stress, she focused on enjoying the experience. She felt in control, confident, and at peace with her choices.

Case Study 3: Longstanding Sleep Issues and Anxiety

Finally, we turn to a story about someone struggling with long-standing sleep issues and anxiety — something many can relate to in our busy, stress-filled lives.

This client came to me with a long-standing issue of disrupted sleep. She had been waking up four to five times each night for years, and often struggled to feel refreshed upon waking.

Her anxiety had started at a young age — particularly around the fear of death and the unknown — and had continued to affect her quality of sleep. Despite trying various solutions like wind-down routines and sleep aids, the issue persisted, leaving her constantly fatigued and drained.

We began working together using the CONTROL system, again focusing on the subconscious patterns responsible for her sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue.

During our first session, it became clear that her sleep disturbances were really linked to that underlying anxiety — particularly her fear of death — which had been triggered by vivid dreams and recurring negative thoughts before bedtime.

Initially, we used one method to communicate with her subconscious, and it worked well — but after a short time, it stopped responding. So instead of giving up, we adapted our approach and switched to a different communication method.

This shift allowed us to address her deep-seated anxieties in a new way. We helped her subconscious understand that the protective response of keeping her awake was no longer necessary, and that she could feel safe and relaxed while sleeping.

As the sessions continued, she began noticing improvements. She woke up fewer times during the night and felt more rested in the mornings. By the third session, she was consistently sleeping through the night without needing external aids like audio to fall back asleep. She was also better able to manage her anxieties during the day.

One of the key breakthroughs was when she realised the connection between her subconscious patterns and her physical symptoms like disrupted sleep. By adapting our communication methods, we were able to replace old, unhelpful strategies with new supportive ones — and this allowed her to feel calmer, more emotionally stable, and more at ease with herself.

These three stories just show how powerful CONTROL is — and how it can help women transform subconscious patterns that impact both mental and physical wellbeing. Whether it’s overcoming anxiety, breaking free from emotional eating, or improving sleep, the CONTROL system can help create lasting change.

If any of these stories resonate with you — or if you’ve been struggling with patterns that you feel might be holding you back — I encourage you to take action. The CONTROL system might be the key to unlocking the change that you’ve been waiting for.

If you’d like to explore how the CONTROL system can work for you, book a free consultation on my website and let’s see if we can work together.

And if it’s not the right time for you to reach out, I still encourage you to try things like journaling, which can help you uncover some of the subconscious patterns that might be affecting you both mentally and physically. There are things you can do — and they really can improve your quality of life.

Thank you so much for joining me today — and I’ll catch you in the next episode. Until then, take care. Bye bye.