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Expansion Psychology

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Expansion Psychology

Dr Maja Jankowska,
A Clinical & counselling psychologist (HCPC registered), Cognitive Behavioural T

28/02/2026

In a mad dash to set up the equipment in the recording studio from and I forgot to take a picture. Never mind, next time!

I so enjoyed being a guest on this podcast! I could talk about mental health and the issues performing artists face in one of the most brutal industries and, most importantly, what could be helpful to them all day long!

Good job that the time was limited as I have a pressing court report to write in my other capacity as a psychologist expert witness.

Let's hope we can meet more as there are so many other aspects of this work to cover!

If you want us to answer any specific questions for you, please drop them in the comments 👇

With all my support for performing artists!

27/02/2026

You see me talk and talk about the thing I'm most passionate about which is the wellbeing and mental health of stage performing artists.

But I do talk about other things too.

Today I was in the wonderful twice (yeah, sometimes I just can't be kept quiet and my psychological knowledge is both very narrow and specialist (guess which very specialised aspect of my work I was talking about!) and very broad (have another guess - what wellbeing practice I was talking about, the hint is in my Instagram pictures).
I need to think of some award for the 1st person who can guess both topics.

and are excluded from this competition! They were there too and had their own show between two of mine! So they know. No cheating please!

Thank you to the most wonderful hosts:
& I so appreciate you guys!

26/02/2026

Ever finished a performance and thought…
“Wait. I don’t remember doing that.”

That foggy, out-of-body feeling when your mind blanks?
It’s not failure.
It’s your nervous system trying to protect you.

When stress feels unsafe, your brain checks out and your body goes on autopilot.
You’re not broken.
You’re human.

What matters most isn’t the blank -
it’s how you come back.

Three things that help (and they will come in 3 different short videos from me as I can't fit them all in one short video!)
• One grounding word (“Here” / “Now”) + feel your feet
• A calm reset instead of panic (“Let me start that again”)
• Jumping to a part you know instead of scrambling

Recovery is professionalism.
Presence can be rebuilt in seconds.

If blanking or dissociation happens to you on stage, this is your reminder:
You don’t need to be perfect to stay connected.

Free nervous system reset toolkit in my bio.
Follow me for more performance psychology.

With my support for all the performing artists!

Dr Maja

23/02/2026

Felt relief when your performance got cancelled?

Made excuses not to submit your audition tape?

Called in sick when you weren't really ill?

People think you're uncommitted. Unprofessional.

But you're not. You're an Avoider - and your anxiety manifests as an overwhelming urge to escape.

This isn't a character flaw. It's a classic fear response: fight, flight, or freeze.

You're choosing flight (escape/ avoid/ procrastinate - it comes in different 'flavours').

Here's the devastating cycle:

Anxiety spikes → You avoid → Instant relief → Brain learns "avoidance = safety" → Next time, fear is BIGGER

You're not weak. Your brain is trying to protect you from perceived danger.

But you're not in danger. You're about to perform music. Deliver lines. Sing.

Head over to the longer video on YouTube for a step by step walk through an experience that can help you. Link in the comments.

🎧 When the urge to run hits backstage? FREE FBI Reset Toolkit (link in bio)

🎓 Need support building your ladder safely? I offer 1:1 sessions + group courses (open few times/year) Join the waitlist (link in bio)

💬 Avoiders: what do YOU avoid most? Drop it below. I read all the comments and I'm here to help you.

18/02/2026

Testimonial time!

I'm so humbled by these beautiful words from one of the participants of Stage Fright Shift Masterclass (for performance anxiety).

This is exactly the transformation I'm passionate about facilitating!

If you think you could benefit or know someone who needs help, I offer 1:1 sessions, as well as bespoke courses: Stage Fright Shift for performance anxiety and The Spotlight Switch - a longer transformative psychology-based programme for performers who want to conquer self doubt, anxiety and imposter syndrome and unlock peak performance, while staying mentally strong, resilient and fulfilled on and off stage.

Sign up to receive a FREE FBI toolkit (link in the bio) and I'll notify you when the doors open next time.

14/02/2026

Your stomach drops every time you scroll.

"They got the role I wanted."
"They're at venues I dream about." "Why are THEY succeeding?"

You're a Comparison Constable - and you're bleeding mental energy comparing your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel.

This isn't vanity. It's deep uncertainty about your place in the industry.

Here's what your brain doesn't see:

✗ You see their West End role. Not the 47 failed auditions.
✗ You see their sold-out show. Not the years of empty rooms.
✗ You see their curated success. Not their self-doubt, rejection, struggle.

Social media has weaponized comparison. Your brain thinks: "Everyone is succeeding except me."

That's a lie.

Try this: The Success Redefinition Exercise

1. What does success look like for ME? Not your parents. Not Instagram. YOU. ("I want to perform music that moves people.")

2. What are 3 signs I'm moving toward MY success? Must be within your control. Not "getting cast" - but "I auditioned even though I was scared."

3. What's 1 comparison habit I can replace this week? Replace scrolling with: "What's one thing I'm proud of today?"

This builds an internal compass that doesn't depend on anyone else's journey.

The moment you stop measuring yourself against their highlight reels? You get your energy back.

🎧 Need a 10-second reset when comparison spirals hit? FREE FBI Reset Toolkit (link in bio)

🎓 Ready for deeper work? I offer 1:1 clinical sessions + group courses (open few times/year). Join the waitlist (link in bio)

💬 What's YOUR biggest comparison trigger? Drop it below.

12/02/2026

I really enjoyed listening to Damian Hughes today about all the wonderful conversations that him and the co-host of - Jake Humphrey have had on their podcast and about their new book Micro Habits , which I'm looking forward to reading.
It's lovely to hear things I also say to the performing artists I work with as well as have the validation of how I have been thinking of small, meaning habits that make contribute to the long term success (of well balanced, fulfilling life).

09/02/2026

Do you ever feel like your success is costing you your peace?

You're not imagining it. I see it often in my therapy room. Stage fright often doesn’t get better with experience; for many professional performers, it can actually get worse.

Why? The higher you climb, the higher the stakes. You’re not just performing anymore; you’re maintaining a career, a persona, a livelihood.

Here’s the neurological truth: repeatedly pushing through the panic trains your brain to see the stage as a threat. It’s not a lack of grit - it’s a wired survival response.

Breaking this cycle requires more than willpower. It requires a method.

👉 The first step is clarity.

Want to identify YOUR unique anxiety pattern? Download my free, clinical Stage Fright Symptom Profiler. It’s the first step in the evidence-based process I use with professionals.

Link in bio to get your free profile. Plus you will also get a free audio to use just before going on stage and a PDF guide that explains how to use it effectively.

Comment with you anxiety type (if you used the questionnaire) and tell me what resources you need. I shall try and create these for you!

05/02/2026

If you've ever thought "one mistake and they'll see I'm a fraud", you're what I call an Imposter Perfectionist.

Your performance anxiety isn't really about performing.

It's about this devastating equation your brain created:

Perfect performance = I am worthy

Imperfect performance = I am worthless

This is conditional self-worth. And it's exhausting.

Here's the truth: Your value as a human being doesn't live in your audition scores, your technique, or whether you nailed that high note.

Try this: The Identity Audit

Left column: "I am valuable WHEN I..." (perform perfectly, get praised, don't make mistakes)

Right column: "I am valuable BECAUSE I..." (I'm a human being, I show up even when scared, I care deeply about my art)

The left is conditional. Fragile. One bad show destroys it.

The right is intrinsic. Unshakeable.

Your work is to shift from left to right.

This won't happen overnight. But this audit is your starting point.

🎧 Need a 10-second reset for backstage spirals? Download the FREE FBI Reset Toolkit (link in bio)

Imposter Perfectionists: what's the belief you're working to unlearn? Drop it below - you're not alone.

04/02/2026

The paradox that haunts even the most talented performers: flawless in rehearsal, then a freeze on stage.

Sounds familiar?

It’s not a talent gap - it’s a nervous system gap. Your brain in a quiet studio is fundamentally different from your brain under the lights.

If you only ever practice in "rehearsal mode," you can’t expect to access that skill in "performance mode." The key is learning to regulate under pressure.

Swipe through for the science and a simple, powerful solution

I’ve created a free, 10-second protocol - the FBI Backstage Reset - to help you make that shift. It’s based on clinical psychology, and it works. Link in bio to grab your copy.

03/02/2026

Beta blockers can feel like a lifeline. But what if they’re actually a ceiling?

We reach for them because they work - quickly. But in that quick fix, we miss the profound opportunity to teach our brain its own, unique, unshakable confidence. We never learn that we can develop personalised, evidence-based tools that work for us, not just on us.

Your anxiety has a pattern. A blueprint. And when you understand it, you can rebuild it.

That’s the work we do in Stage Fright Shift. This isn’t about shaming medication. It’s about empowering you with the clinical psychology tools to go beyond the crutch and build a foundational strength that’s yours for life.

Ready to build your brain’s own confidence toolkit?
👉 Join the Stage Fright Shift Intensive: https://forms.gle/JPAqkzSwW2fLRiC98

Or if you'd like free resources please sign up. Link in the bio

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Address

Bedford

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4pm
	7pm - 9pm
Thursday	7am - 4pm
	7pm - 9pm
Friday	7am - 4pm
	6pm - 9pm
Saturday	11am - 1pm

Website

http://www.expansionpsychology.com/

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