My Possible Self

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression, and episodes of mania – presenting in ways such as overwhelming joy, excitement, happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions.

Dr Nick Prior is a psychiatrist and co-creater of the app Minderful, who has lived with bipolar type II for over a decade. ​​Working as a NHS doctor specialising in mental health, whilst living with bipolar, gives Nick a rare 360 degree view into the world of Mental Health. This episode is for anyone wanting to have a better understanding of this complex mental health illness and also for those who have bipolar disorder seeking reassurance and further insight.

We are beginning to understand that exercise is important to help us manage our mental health, working wonders for depression, anxiety and stress relief in particular. But how and why does the magic happen? And what else is going on behind the scenes in our brains when we work out?

Andrew Wade, founder and CEO of Case Specific Nutrition, also a registered dietician and fitness expert, has many of the answers. In this episode Andrew talks about the importance of the major stress hormones, what types of movement work best for our moods and emotions, the best supplements to help support our bodies movement and mental health journey, and how to use mindfulness to get our body in the mood to move.

‘Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World’ is the campaign slogan for this year’s World Sleep Day on March 18th 2022. And not without good reason as sleep and mental health are intrinsically linked. Lack of sleep is related to many psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, ptsd and psychosis. And those suffering with mental health problems are likely to have insomnia, suffer from sleep disturbances, or other sleep disorders.

It’s a vicious cycle that can be difficult and frustrating to break. 

To mark the release of this episode coinciding with International Women’s Day, My Possible Self presents a conversation with a truly inspiring female; international speaker and entrepreneur, Dani Wallace. Having experienced growing up in the presence of alcoholism on the council estates of Preston, Dani then went on to face domestic abuse, homelessness, and single parenthood. A self-proclaimed (former) serial self-sabotager, determined not to accept the fate of her circumstances, Dani turned her life around through patience, hard work and resourcefulness. Dani talks to host Gabby about her journey from being below the poverty line to becoming a successful head honcho with a thriving business. Leader of the I Am The Queen Bee Movement and creator of the Fly Anyway Foundation, Dani helps people the world over 'Show Up, Wise Up and Rise Up' and is a reminder to anyone who enters her orbit that they too, regardless of their journey, can cultivate a better life for themselves.

Eating Disorders are a distressing mental illness that is estimated to affect around 1.25 million people in the UK and at least 9% of the population worldwide. We are releasing this episode to coincide with Eating Disorders Awareness week in the UK, to learn more about the various types of Eating Disorders, how we can support loved ones and why early detection is paramount.

Gemma Oaten - is an actress best known for her work on Emmerdale, Holby City and most recently Coronation Street. She is also the patron and manager of SEED a charity offering Support and Education for Eating Disorders set up by Gemma’s mum and dad while they struggled to get the help  they needed during Gemma’s own 13 year battle with an Eating Disorder that almost took her life 4 times. 

Gemma is joined by Dr Joan Brunton - Clinical Director Eating Disorders from the Priory Healthcare, who has treated hundreds of patients with a wide variety of eating disorders.

*Content warning Some listeners may find some of the conversation around anorexia, bulimia and Eating Disorders triggering, so please take care when listening and proceed with caution. 

The amount of pressure put under females during the childbearing years can be inconsiderate, overwhelming, and scary, taking its toll on our mental wellbeing. Societal and loved ones' expectations and interference, even if it is meant with good intentions, can leave a female feeling isolated, burdened, and lacking in confidence. The pressures are endless from ‘the clock is ticking’, to if you are ready or able to conceive, how you choose to raise your infant and even ‘snapping back’ to your pre-baby body... when do we ever get a break?

DJ, model, presenter, social media influencer and reality TV star Ashley James knows all about the pressures put on us by society, loved ones and even ourselves, when it comes to the childbearing years. And Ashley has spoken candidly in the past about not being ready to have kids. Now a new mum Ashley has shared the challenges she has faced physically, mentally, and emotionally to her audience, offering some much-needed comfort and reassurance on the subject. In this episode, Ashley dives deeper into her struggles getting to grips with motherhood with host Gabby, also looking at why old statistics only unnecessarily heighten ‘baby panic’ and responds to the backlash she received for breastfeeding her child on national TV.

Not being comfortable and happy in our body is one of the biggest challenges to our self worth and self-esteem. So often, we can be our own worst critic, not helped by being bombarded with images of the ‘perfect body', in films, on social media, on TV, in magazines or on billboards which for the majority of us, is unachievable.

Health, fitness and positive body image coach Kayley Sims has built up thousands of fans on social media for going up against the machine and posting content of women of all shapes and sizes, loving life and feeling great in the skin they are in. In this episode Kayley shares some great advice on how you can get into the mindset to be more like the people she champions online, offering tips on how to tackle imposter syndrome and relentless negative thoughts, plus she explains why we should be really careful when using the word ‘body positivity’.

Research has shown that children who eat more nutritional diets, with more fruit and vegetables, have better mental health and wellbeing. Good nutrition can help a child grow strong and healthy whilst also enhancing their cognitive function and brain development. However, what many parents don't realize is that what your child eats can also impact their mental health and learning capabilities negatively, if their diet is lacking in nutrition and made up of unhealthy foods.

Naturopath, Iridologist, Herbalist & Functional Medicine Practitioner Lucinda Miller specialises in working with families, nutrition and mental health. Author of two children’s recipe books ‘The Good Stuff’ and ‘I Can't Believe It's Baby Food!’ Lucinda reassures parents that it is never too late to reap the rewards from improving your child’s diet, eating habits and their relationship with food.

During this episode, Lucinda shares some simple tips on how to sneak healthy ingredients into picky and stubborn little one’s food. She also offers advice on the type of supplements that could work wonders to improve a child’s development, and explains why, when possible, family meal time should be prioritised.

February is International Boost Self-Esteem Month, an annual event dedicated to improving self-esteem among people across the globe. While having low self-esteem isn't a mental health problem in itself, living with low self-esteem can be detrimental to our mental health and lead to serious illnesses, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder. 

The key to combating low self-esteem is self-love. Self-love is to practice a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. It means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others. Which many of us will find easier said than done. 

Jules Von Hep founder of the extremely popular self-tanning range Isle of Paradise, is a celebrity tanning expert, lifestyle podcast host and social media influencer that champions body positivity. 

Jules talks to Gabby about the hard work that goes into being body positive, sharing tips on how to treat ourselves more kindly and explaining why loving yourself, needs to be a daily practise. 

If you haven't been to therapy before, the thought of seeing a therapist can be intimidating and scary. The fear of opening up to a complete stranger about deeply personal issues is a common one for first-timers, but if you can work through these feelings and take that step, the rewards can be tremendous, even life-changing.

Author, influencer, mental health advocate and trainee psychotherapist Jo Love believes everyone could benefit from seeing a therapist and has peeled back the curtain on what to expect from the chair in her debut book 'Therapy Is Magic'. Jo discusses the common excuses used for avoiding seeking professional help, shatters the stigma that therapy is only for those who have a mental illness and advises on the steps you can take to make sure you find the right therapist for you.