Mental Health Monday

Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Mick Coyle meets CEO of Ditch The Label, Liam Hackett.

DTL are a youth charity offering advice, resources, and access to counselling services to people impact by mental health problems, bullying and much more.

In 2023 they're launching a therapy service in the "metaverse" which will allow young people to access counsellors in an online world.

They're also teaming up with global brand Maybelline to provide more than 17,000 hours of therapy for free over the next two years, as part of the Brave Together initiative.

Find out more about Ditch The Label and Brave Together.

See images of the Metaverse spaces

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And get video previews of all our guests on the MHM Facebook Group page.

This week Mick has some brilliant news about our sister-podcast Football Untold.

Following the six-part series featuring football players sharing their stories about gambling addiction, sponsors Beacon Counselling Trust saw a 200% increase in the number of peoople coming forward to get help.

This translates as "hundreds" of men getting advice, support or therapy in regards their gambling, after hearing our players share their stories.

Mick meets Lauren Campbell from BCT to talk about the impact, why Football Untold has found an audience, and the power of people telling their stories.

You can listen to Football Untold on the dedicated website or where you get your podcasts

And find out more about Beacon Counselling Trust

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, and join the MHM Facebook Group for video previews of our guests

Mick is joined by Mair Howells from the I've Been Spiked campaign

In his "other" job as Senior News Editor for Bauer Media Audio, Mick has been leading a national investigation into spiking, looking at how common it is, who is being targeted, and what powers authorities need to bring perpetrators to justice.

The investigation heard how:

11% of women have been spiked

So have 6% of men

Only 1/10 cases are ever reported to the Police

Just a handful of cases end in conviction each year.

And the impact of being targeted can have long term consequences.

You can read more about his findings here

And there are signposting services to get support, information and advice if you, or someone you know, has been spiked at the bottom of this article.

You can follow Mair's I've Been Spiked campaign on Instagram

And follow Mick Coyle on Twitter, Instagram and now THREADS

And get video previews on the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group.

Mick is joined by actor and writer Natasha Rea, ahead of taking her "A Night With Me, Myself and Bipolar Brenda" performance to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Natasha explores her bipolar journey, and how late diagnosis made her think back to earlier moments in her life when it may have been a factor.

She explores her school days, the pressures of performing, and how she creates characters to help he son understand how she's feeling on any given day.

We wish Natasha all the luck in the world with her shows - which are in Edinburgh at "theSpace at Symposium Hall" 21st-26th August

And there are previews at Liverpool's Hope St Theatre on the 12th and 15th of July.

Follow Natasha on Instagram

She's also an ambassador for Bipolar UK

Follow host Mick Coyle on Instagram, Twitter, and on via the Mental Health Monday Facebook page

TOPICS: Bipolar, school, pressure, anxiety

Mick is joined by mental health advocate Jack Dodd in episode 294 of Mental Health Monday.

Jack discusses his experience of losing his dad at a young age, living with OCD, dealing with bullying, and how all of those things built up to impact his mental health.

Jack also talks about how opening up the taboo conversation of crying at work, through the LinkedIn social media channel, saw him go viral online.

He tells Mick what he's learned from his experiences, and how we can learn to cope with the sum of our experiences across our lifetimes.

You can follow Jack on LinkedIn - where you can also see his viral post

Follow host Mick Coyle on Twitter, Instagram, and get video previews of each episode on the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group

Topics: Grief, anxiety, OCD, Linkedin, LGBTQ+

Mick is joined by architect and app creator Gareth Dauncey.

Gareth's on the programme to talk about how his mental health breakthrough (during the lockdown period) inspired him to help other people get a better understanding of their own mental health.

He describes how colour-coding his days, based on how he was feeling, was the starting point for the idea behind the Mood app, which is available to download now.

Gareth and Mick talk about the benefits of being self-aware when it comes to your mental health, and seeing the bigger picture about your emotions, to give you the skills to change things on your terms.

Find out more about Gareth on LinkedIn

Download the Mood App

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter, Instagram and join the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group

Signposting services are included at the end of each episode.

Mick Coyle is in Parliament this week at a Baton of Hope event at the prestigious Terrace Pavillion in Westminster.

Mick was representing the Bauer Media Where's Your Head At? campaign - which secured more than 200,000 signatures on a petition calling for mental health first aiders to be available to in all UK workplaces.

The event was hosted by Dean Russell MP, and was highlighting the Baton of Hope's campaign and UK Tour coming to 12 cities across the UK. It was set up by Mike McCarthy after he lost his son to suicide.

We hear Mike's story on this week's show and we'll hear from Dean Russell MP about the work he's doing to bring political change to the mental health issues we highlight on a regular basis.

Dr Alex George and Campaigner Chris Murray also drop by to talk about why these sorts of conversations - and action is so vitally needed.

Get more information about the Baton of Hope and its UK tour

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter and Instagram

And join the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group

Mick is joined by legendary club DJ Brandon Block on episode 291 of Mental Health Monday.

Brandon shares his story of addiction, and how he used SMART recovery to find the tools to move on with his life in a safe way.

Brandon struggled with cocaine use, alongside anxiety and imposter syndrome at the height of his fame.

Combined with Hepatitis C and Tuberculosis, he lost half a lung and doctors gave him two weeks to live unless he changed his lifestyle.

Three decades on, he's fronting up the www.uniteforrecovery.org.uk round-the-world challenge to tackle the stigma around addiction. Sign up and pledge your support on their website.

Follow Brandon on Twitter.

Follow host Mick Coyle on Twitter, Instagram and join the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group

Photo credit © Alamy

Back after a never-ending series of bank holidays, Mental Health Monday takes a look at the theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week - Anxiety.

Mick is joined by Sahara, who is taking part in the BACP's new AI Art project, which is creating computer generated images inspired by the spoken and written words of people who struggle with anxiety.

Sahara describes what life was like for her growing up with anxiety - and the physical and mental impact it can have on you.

The images went on display at Waterloo station, and are also available on the BACP website.

Sahara's image, which you can see in the podcast artwork, reflects her own experience of the mental health issue.

Find out more about the project

Follow Mick Coyle on Twitter and Instagram

And get video previews of each episode in the Mental Health Monday Facebook Group

Mick has some exciting news about a new Podcast series he's been working on with a team of footballers past and present.

Football Untold will look at the darker side of the beautiful game, and the first series focuses on players who've struggled with gambling problems.

Former Burnley and Preston defender Clarke Carlisle, Ex-Wigan, Tranmere and Wales striker Simon Haworth, Ex-Spurs, Liverpool and QPR defender Steven Caulker and former Macclesfield and Wrexham midfielder Sam Wedgbury are among those sharing their stories.

The six part series runs from mid-April to the end of the football season.

This week, co-founder Simon Haworth drops by the Mental Health Monday studios to talk about what he hopes to achieve with the series.

So now you get two podcasts for the price of one! (£0!)

You can listen to Football Untold by subscribing where you get your podcasts, and checking out the website

Follow Mick on Twitter and Instagram - and Football Untold on the Twitter and Instagram