Growing up in Newport with his mum and younger brother, Connor Allen struggled with his identity as a mixed race kid. He bottled up his feelings and as the anger and frustration built up, could not find the words to express his emotions. When his rage erupted into violence against his mum, she ended up doing the unthinkable and calling the police. He faced a prison sentence, his future at a crossroads.

Connor tells his story to Dr Sian Williams in front of a live audience at the Hay Festival in May 2023.

When Alan and Irene met in 1959, their connection was instant. The two isolated children aged just seven and nine found warmth and kindness in each other in a children’s home that was unwelcoming and strict. They would steal moments together up on Bunny Hill and talk about their lives. But the home had a rule that boys and girls could not mix. So when their friendship was discovered, a year after they first met, Alan and Irene were separated. It would take four decades for them to find each other again.

Many years later, Irene and Alan tell their story to Dr Sian Williams.

In August of 2006, Teresa Clark was driving five of her friends back home after a day at a music festival. Several hours into the journey she fell asleep at the wheel of their people carrier and crashed. Three passengers were killed, two others were injured as well as Teresa herself.

She was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and spent time in prison. The guilt and shame of carrying that loss of life almost destroyed her. But in the 17 years since it happened Teresa has rebuilt; she now works in the mental health and wellbeing sector trying to keep the vow she made to live her life for her friends, and do some good in their memory.

She tells Dr Sian Williams how she has rebuilt her life in the years since - keeping the vow she made to live her life for her friends, and do some good in their memory.

Details of support with mental health issues and bereavement are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Ambitious police officer Clodagh Dunlop, 35, was used to dealing with emergency situations - until it was her own. Whilst training to run a 6-minute mile, her journey took a terrifying turn. Clodagh found herself trapped in her own body, hearing the conversations around her but unable to communicate.

Speaking with Dr Sian Williams, she explains how she found the strength to make a remarkable breakthrough.

Rachel Watkyn’s upbringing was a contradiction: aristocratic but impoverished. She was forced to memorise her father’s extensive family tree and was expected to behave as the 'perfect young baroness'. Despite their status, the family did not have clean clothes or heating and she was called a ‘fleabag’ by other children at school. This left Rachel isolated, never knowing where she fitted in, and feeling not good enough. Years later, when Rachel was in her 50s, her father became unwell and made a startling revelation on his deathbed.

Rachel tells her remarkable story to Dr Sian Williams.

When Will Darby left school in 2007, his peers all headed to university. But Will wanted something different – an adventure. In search of unridden waves to surf, he built himself an idyllic life in the Solomon Islands. Until the sea disappeared, and everything came crashing down…

Will tells Dr Sian Williams about the turn of events that created a lifelong bond with the island and its inhabitants.

It is the summer of 2008, and a bride and groom have just stepped out of a carriage drawn by two white horses. The sun is out, the bridesmaids are wearing beautiful dresses, and everyone has drinks in hands. The day has gone smoothly for the wedding party. But for carriage driver Emily King – things are about to take a terrifying turn, as a chase begins.

Years later, Emily tells Dr Sian Williams how she fought to survive – and why the scarring incident gave her “superpowers”.

Details of help and support are available through the BBC Action Line at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

One Monday morning, Stephen is meeting with his boss in a crowded coffee shop. Minutes later he is at the centre of a horrific and brutal crime scene — his life hanging in the balance. The events leave him deeply scarred, both mentally and physically, but it prompts Stephen to press the reset button for himself and his family.

For the first time publicly, Stephen tells his story to Dr Sian Williams, in the hope that sharing his experience will help him and others too.

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence. Details of help and support are available through the BBC Action Line at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Being a TV news anchor was everything to Polly Evans until she was forced to re-evaulate her identity. Her turning point happened in the spotlight – in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands – when she felt deeply exposed and humiliated. It was caused by a physical condition called Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia, but Polly’s journey since then has been one of self-knowledge and finding fulfilment in other ways, including a new career.

She braves the studio for the first time to tell this story to Dr Sian Williams.

Hazel Ellis-Saxon was brought up in a busy household with four siblings in the village of Tiptree in Essex in the 1960s. She struggled with her school work and was often finishing assignments when the other children were enjoying playtime. One day in a quiet classroom Hazel overheard her form teacher describe her to a colleague as ‘mentally retarded’. These two words had a profound effect — leading her to believe that she must be a huge disappointment to her parents and would never enjoy a full life.

Dr Sian Williams hears how this label shaped Hazel’s decisions for decades and what it took for her to throw it off.