In this episode, we talk to Shawn, who has had negative experiences with his mental health in the past and is a member of our Fellas' Forum. Shawn shares his story with us, including how his mental health impacted his life, the support he received as a result of his mental health and what he is doing now to help others improve their mental wellbeing.

In this episode we talk to Sophie, who is one of our Young Mental Health Ambassadors, about the topic of body image. Sophie shares how her view of her body image is shaped by her chronic illnesses/disabilities. We talk about the impact social media and celebrities have on how we feel about our bodies, as well as the people we surround ourselves with in real life. 

For our last episode of the year, we wanted to take a look back over series one and remember some of the funny moments as well as some of the serious moments.

Thank you for joining us in 2022, we'll be back in January with series two. If you have an idea for a topic for us to cover, get in touch by emailing [email protected].

We hope you have a lovely festive season! 

Trigger warning - the later section of the podcast features discussions around addiction and baby loss. 

In this episode we're talking to Ben Gray, who is one of our Research Ambassadors. Ben has schizophrenia and autism and he brings his unique lived experience to his research with us. 

We discuss how he was diagnosed with these conditions and how stigma has affected him. One of Ben's coping strategies is writing, and you can read a special blog post from him on our website here.

In this episode we talk to Debs Crelly about the menopause. Debs started a menopause support group for NHS staff called 'MyPause' following her own experiences.

We talk about some of the various menopause symptoms and how people can experience it differently, as well as how you can support others going through the menopause.

You can find MyPause online @MyPause1.

In this episode we are joined by Lindsay Oliver whose second son, Henry, died shortly after birth. Lindsay talks about the time she was able to spend with Henry, her experience of baby loss and the impact on her life to this day. Lindsay now works with Aching Arms, a charity that gives comfort bears to hospitals and hospices, for midwives and nurses to offer to bereaved parents in their care. Along with the bears, they also offer a support service to parents after their loss, whether it was during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.

In this episode, we speak to Joanne, a transsexual woman who started her transitioning journey in the 1990s. She talks about her experiences at the gender clinic, her media and TV experiences, and how acceptance for trans people has improved over time. 

In this episode, we talk to Steve and Nick, two members of the Essex Fella's Forum. They share their reasons for joining the forum, how the forum allows men to open up about their physical and mental health concerns, and their plans for the future. 

In this episode, we talk to Laura Mathias about her experiences of living with alopecia. Laura tells us what it was like losing her hair as a teenager, how she feels about wigs and we discuss her thoughts on Chris Rock's comment about Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars. Laura is now a proud campaigner for alopecia awareness and other visible differences. You can find her online @relightalopecia. 

In this latest episode, Alex, who is recovering from a prolonged period living with drug addiction, describes her experiences. She discusses the stigma attached to seeking help, the complete loss of control she felt and her hopes for a bright new future with her children.