Libby Nugent: Exhausted? How Fairytales Can Refresh & Move You Forward

The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall

Are you “world-weary”? Exhausted by life to the point where a day on the couch, a mini-break or a night out with friends won’t even touch the tip of your fatigue? This week’s guest, Dr Libby Nugent, is here to help. Libby discusses with Andrew the powerful healing properties of the fairytale.

If you’ve experienced:

• Strains in relationships with your children or parents
• Anxiety about reaching goals you’ve defined for yourself
• A nagging sense that you’re missing out on other ways to approach life

Then this week’s episode is for you.

Andrew and Libby touch on the resonances of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel, and then dive deeper into the story of Frau Holle, the tough, nurturing underworld mother who rewards one daughter with a stream of gold, and the other with a coating of tar. They talk about accommodating the “splits” we find within ourselves and finding the capacity for self-love.

Dr Libby Nugent is a clinical psychologist and groupwork practitioner with expertise in fairytales, Greek myths, reflective spaces and Jungian psychoanalysis.

Subscriber Content This Week

If you’re a subscriber to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Patreon), this week you’ll be hearing:

⭐️Libby and Andrew discuss the myths and symbols associated with queens, with reference to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

⭐️3 things Libby knows to be true.

⭐️AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.

Follow Up

Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there.

Visit Dr Libby Nugent’s blog, where you’ll find more interpretation of fairytales.

Or visit Dr Libby Nugent’s website to learn about the reflective spaces she runs.

Dr Libby Nugent recommends World Weary Woman by Cara Barker if you’d like to go deeper into the Frau Holle story and the “world-weary woman” archetype.

Follow Dr Libby Nugent on Twitter @becomingethical, on Facebook @drlibbynugent and on Instagram @libby.nugent.

If you’re fascinated by some of the Jungian ideas discussed here, listen to some of Andrew’s other interviews with Jungian analysts: James Hollis on Resilience, Lisa Marchiano on Motherhood, Susan Schwartz on Fathers and Daughters and Robert Hopcke on Meaningful Coincidence.

Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: https://www.patreon.com/andrewgmarshall

Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall