I had the pleasure to have a powerful conversation with Love Island star Malin Andersson. On this podcast, she opens up about things she has never talked about publicly. Devastating, inspiring and enlightening. You must watch this! Please read the full description for trigger warnings ? Malin rose to stardom on Love Island UK and uses her huge following to spread mental health awereness and is a body positivity campaigner, who works tirelessly to spread positivity and joy despite having had to cope with so much pain and trauma in her own life. [TW] Malin has survived the grief of both parents ..read more

[TW//Major depression, panic attacks, anxiety, alcohol abuse] Filmmaker and director Maddie Kitchen was 19 and clinically depressed and suffering panic attacks. At first, alcohol helped relieve her symptoms but years later she found herself suffering a mental breakdown and shaking from alcohol withdrawal every time she tried to stop. Maddie finally surrendered and found recovery through filmmaking and fellowship. Maddie shares exactly how she uses the power of creativity and community to arrest her own and other people's addictions, depression and anxiety. Maddie is a fellow of the Royal Socie ..read more

[TW//Drug Misuse & Violence] Carl Scott suffered childhood abuse, domestic violence and was groomed into a gang at age 13. He's been stabbed 3 times, his best friend died in his arms and at 15 he was living in a hostel addicted to heroin - then onto prison. 7 years ago, Carl changed his life completely and went on a mission to help other people get free of drugs and alcohol and has set up Project Youth to empower Young People to prevent youth crime and violence through education programmes, 1 to 1 mentoring and group workshops. Carl is working with the local police to set up revolutionary ..read more

I have been in recovery for many years and I know, that for those struggling with alcohol and substance misuse, Christmas can be a very challenging time. To help those who are wanting to remain abstinent over the festive period, let me break down the "The 12 Lies of Addiction". If we can spot the intrusive thought as a lie and make a different decision - we have another excellent tool in our recovery toolbox. No more falling for the lies! I'll guide you through recognising the deceptive thoughts and making conscious healthy decisions that lead to freedom. Let's empower ourselves and create a s ..read more

[TW//OCD, POCD, Obsessions, Compulsions] Actor Ria Fay's anxiety, panic, fear, intrusive thoughts and compulsions were out of control. The pandemic proved to be a challenging period for the world, but it was especially harrowing for those dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Ria has suffered OCD symptoms since aged 5 and today she provides a poignant and powerful account of what it's like to live with untreated OCD, recounting how her condition reached it's lowest point during the pandemic, posing a significant threat to her acting career. However, this low point became the cataly ..read more

[TW//Crystal Meth, Intravenous Drug Use] Today I welcome Olivier Award nominated actor Robert Hands who trained at Bristol Old Vic and has been an actor for 35 years appearing in leading roles in film, theatre, television and West End musicals. Robert quit alcohol in his late 20's but many years after was offered to smoke methamphetamine and within three months he was injecting crystal meth. Robert lost absolutely everything but he then went on an incredible journey of recovery and getting his career and life back on track. Robert now has a happy and healthy life and he is a hero for telling h ..read more

[TW//Sudden death of a parent and grief] 8 million people suffered from the sudden death of someone close to them last year. Since the pandemic, 1 in 8 have experienced bereavement and 10-20% will go on to suffer from complex grief or prolonged grief. Today I welcome T.M/O who is a multidisciplinary artist, notorious wordsmith, and an exceptionally inspirational character! UK based T has been performing her hard hitting spoken word since 2017, on stages nationwide from Edinburgh to Weymouth. Most guests on the podcast have been in recovery a long time from their rock bottom and have the benefi ..read more

[TW//Drug Misuse, Suicidal Thoughts] Today I welcome singer, songwriter and author of the Amazon bestseller The Joy of Addiction, Sebastian Wocker. Aged 17, Wocker landed the principal part of Woof in the 1983 European tour of the musical Hair where, suffering teenage angst, low self-worth and low self-esteem, he went into a deep depression and had to throw in the towel after two months. He returned to his safe haven of drugs and alcohol in London, where he auditioned for and got into LAMDA (London Academy of Dramatic Arts), only to drop out after two days because he 'couldn't stand all those ..read more

[TW//Food Addiction, Bullying] At least 5% of the world's population are addicted to foods full of fat and sugar which can supercharge the brain’s reward system similarly to the way addictive drugs do leading to a multitude of health problems, including: Obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, depression, osteoarthritis, cancer, reproductive problems and gallstones. By age 12, former actress and theatre maker Jenny McDonald was a size 16. She picked up unhelpful messages about food being good and bad, which led to 'secret ea ..read more

[TW//Gambling, Love Addiction, Alcohol Dependence, Trauma, Abuse] Today I welcome actor and former magician Nicole Hall as we discuss how genetics and environment may have impacted her journey into love, gambling and alcohol addiction. Nicole generously shares how she used fantasy as a way to escape the negative memories and emotions from childhood trauma. Then Nicole discovered she was very gifted in performing and it also served as the perfect escape. This led her to university and much professional acting work, including a semi regular role in BBC's Casualty. Meanwhile, Nicole had known sin ..read more