Mark's sister Alison died of covid-19 on 14 January 2021. She was 39. On this episode of Mentally Interesting, He and Seaneen explore grief and how it affects your mental health.
 
Seaneen gently guides Mark through the story, while he paints a detailed and moving picture of the loss and devastation of losing his beloved sister.
 
Specialist psychotherapist Julia Samuel brings a professional perspective to the table and suggests how Seaneen might tackle her own debilitating death anxiety.
 
With Seaneen Molloy and Mark Brown. Produced by Emma Tracey.
 
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Reach our presenters by email:  ouch@bbc.co.uk

Mentally Interesting: My grief

Weekly podcast about mental health, wellbeing and disabled people.  
Life stories and solutions with a friendly touch – for listeners around the world.

News

It's Access All's 100th edition! To mark the occasion we’ve provided a bumper episode – including an interview with Rose Ayling-Ellis talking about how she is changing the conversation around British Sign Language. Also on the show:  A glimpse behind the scenes – what really goes on when making Access All.  Plus celebs give their advice on how to live your best disabled life. Presenter Emma Tracey. The episode was made by Drew Hyndman, Niamh Hughes and Alex Collins
Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill 
The editors were Damon Rose and Alex Lewis.  To get in touch with the team email accessall@bbc.co.uk or find us on X, @bbcaccessall. Don’t forget to subscribe by finding us on BBC Sounds.

Access All’s 100th episode

Disability activist and commentator Samantha Renke says the law on disability hate speech needs to be strengthened after a podcast discussion about dating someone in a wheelchair goes viral.
 
Also on the show: Actress and comedian Ashley Storrie talks about the autistic character she plays in the new BBC Three comedy drama Dinosaur.
 
The episode was made by Daniel Gordon with Drew Hyndman and Alexander Collins 
Recorded and mixed by Michael Regaard
The editor is Alex Lewis

Outrage at ableist ‘prejudice’

Tom Shakespeare is Access All presenter Emma Tracey's special guest for an Easter spectacular edition of the podcast. He talks about becoming a novelist for the first time in his 50s, and why he created a disabled character to be the hero of his first non-fiction book.  He also discusses the work he is better known for - a lifetime of disability activism and research - and his profile as a commentator on issues that affect disabled people.  The episode was made by Daniel Gordon, with Niamh Hughes and Emma Tracey. The editor is Alex Lewis. Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill. To get in touch with the team, email accessall@bbc.co.uk or find us on X, @bbcaccessall .

Disability academic Tom Shakespeare: Why I've started writing novels with a disabled hero

Heartstopper star Bradley Riches lifts the lid on how he coped with having autism as a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother.  Also on the show: the inventor of a new dating app which he says is fully neuro-diverse friendly. The episode was made by Daniel Gordon with Niamh Hughes and Emma Tracey. 
Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill. 
The editor is Alex Lewis.  To get in touch with the team email accessall@bbc.co..uk or find us on X, @bbcaccessall.

Bradley Riches: autism, Celebrity Big Brother and me

The UN in Geneva questions the UK government on its commitment to disabled people. We speak to two people who followed the proceedings - disability reporter Rachel Charlton-Dailey and Rensa Gaunt from Inclusion London, which campaigns for equality for deaf and disabled people. Actress and broadcaster Madison Tevlin on challenging assumptions about disabled people - and why having Down’s Syndrome is her least interesting trait. Plus Don Biswas talks neurodiverse comedy. The episode was made by Daniel Gordon with Niamh Hughes and Emma Tracey. The editor is Alex Lewis. Recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill.  To get in touch with the team email accessall@bbc.co..uk or find us on X, @bbcaccessall. Don’t forget to subscribe by finding us on BBC Sounds.

Mentally Interesting: My grief

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