Brain injury can often leave survivors feeling lost, lonely and suffering from bouts of depression. This is something Emily Bell knows only too well. After her stroke, aged 28, she struggled with her mental health and is now a advocate for speaking out about the issue and sharing some of the strategies she has been using.

In this episode, Emily opens up to Elizabeth and Julia about how the stroke caused her to become more irritable, depressed, anxious, sensitive to noise and suffering from neurofatigue. She honestly shares the impact they have had and how she is managing them.

Emily also opens up about the affect these have had on the relationship with her husband Josh and how they are overcoming them together.

Emily has a background in medicine, working as a physicians assistant. She believes a lot of her past training helped her to identify and improve her situation - and shares the techniques she is using with you in this episode.

This episode covers:

- How Emily had a stroke

- Post-stroke depression and anxiety

- Emily's use of medication to help treat depression and anxiety

- Neurofatigue

- Sound sensitivity

- Relationships after stroke

- Showing vulnerability

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The thought of travelling or going on holiday after brain injury can be overwhelming but with careful planning, going on holiday can prove hugely rewarding.

It is a chance to have a break from the norm, reconnect with friends and family and enjoy different scenery, culture and food.

In this episode, Elizabeth and Julia share some of the travel they have embarked on so far with their husbands, who are both brain injury survivors.

Expect tips and advice on how to plan holidays and some vital aspects to take into consideration when making arrangements and travelling.

Some of the issues discussed by Julia and Elizabeth include:

- The importance of travel insurance after brain injury

- Planning a long haul journey

- Taking positive risks when abroad

- How to manage medication when travelling

- Learn to build flexibility into itineraries.

Listen to our previous episode for more on going on holiday, travel insurance and getting ill abroad.

On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to ⁠episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever⁠. 

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Having a serious illness such as a stroke or brain injury is a terrifying and life-changing experience but it can be even more frightening when it is experienced it while living or travelling abroad? 

In this episode, you will find out the best ways to help protect yourself to help safeguard you against huge medical fees and the importance of travel insurance and tips on getting the best policy.

Joining Elizabeth and Julia in this episode are Nathaniel Martindale and James Riley, from the solicitor’s firm Irwin Mitchell working in the international serious injury team.

Both Julia and Elizabeth have personal experience of their partners becoming seriously ill abroad which they share in this episode.

They also delve into the different ethics practised in medical treatment in different countries.

A must-listen if you are travelling or going on holiday in the near future.

*Since this episode was recorded, Nathaniel has since moved to a different law firm, Leigh Day.

On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to ⁠episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever⁠.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

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Life is busy. We all seem to be living increasingly hectic lives and when you add in brain injury, it can be even more overwhelming.

In this episode, Elizabeth and Julia open up about their challenges as they try to balance life, work, children, managing a house and a husband with a brain injury.

With searing honesty, the two hosts talk about managing fatigue, communication and trying to plan days and weeks. They also discuss the importance of taking time for themselves, although admit it is often hard to find.

They share some of the ways the overcome the challenges but fully admit they don't have all the answers but know talking and listening really helps! They hope this episode helps you!

Previous episodes referenced in this show include, Sara Chalice on Who Cares for the Carer, Serena Banfield story of finding the positives after stroke following her dad's brain injury when she was a teenager. Plus, Fleur Iananzzo's episode on how to navigate changing money situations

On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

And you can join our Facebook community too!

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What are your emotions around money? How can you navigate changes in your financial situation when faced with a life changing circumstance such as brain injury?

In this episode of On A Good Day, Elizabeth and Julia are joined by money coach and author Fleur Iannazzo to get an insight into our behaviours around money and how to recognise and work on changing them.

They discuss the impact brain injury can have on finances and how this affects our emotions.

Fleur talks about the grief and anger that can be felt following a change in a financial situation and how start having conversations with those close to you.

Even though she has been in finance for over 20 years and is a money coach, Fleur is fully aware of her own challenges around money which has enabled to help others with theirs.

Fleur is the author of The Money Pizza, the slice by slice guide to being your own money coach, available to buy from AND the founder of WTF money.

In this episode we also referred to our conversation with Alice Hamilton from Citizens Advice about how to claim benefits.

On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

And you can join our Facebook community too!

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It's often perceived as one of the toughest jobs in medicine, but what does a day in the life of a neurosurgeon look like and how is it set to change over the next ten years?

In this episode, Elizabeth and Julia speak to Kevin Tsang, a neurosurgeon working at Queen Mary and Charing Cross hospitals in London.

He talks to them about some of the difficult conversations he has with patient's family and the tough decisions needed during moments of crisis.

Seeing patients in his clinic following their operatinons has given him a renewed perspective on how far people can improve and how everyone's quality of life is different.

Kevin also shares his insights into how far neurosurgery has come in the past ten years and what the future looks like with increased used of robots, virtual reality and Artificial Intelligence.

On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

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And you can join our Facebook community too!

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How would you like your 2025 to look? What small steps could you take to make progress? And what are the key areas you would like to focus on?

It's the start of a new year and the time when people reflect on the past year and look ahead to future plans and progressing in life.

In this episode, Elizabeth and Julia are joined by life coach Kim Stokes who gives some of her tips on how to set small, achievable goals for the new year ahead.

By using the 'Wheel of Life' tool, she breaks down how to help identify parts of your life which you may like to improve and help put in place some manageable steps to achieve them.

You can download and print Kim's Wheel of Life to complete and her micro moment tracker too.

In this episode you will:

You can discover more about Kim, her strategies and what she can offer on her website, Kindness for Success and follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.

She has a complimentary 60min ‘Kindness Kickstarter’ you can book with her.

Kim is also offering listeners 15% off a coaching package (bundle of 3 or 6) if you reference 'On A Good Day'.

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In this episode we spoke about the live show we recorded at the Irwin Mitchell brain injury conference about finding independence after brain injury. You can also learn more about positive risk taking in the episode with occupational therapist Roisin Hyde.

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On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

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He was one of the most popular contestants on BBC series The Traitors but Andrew Jenkins reveals he hated himself for a long time after a life-changing car accident left him changed physically and he sustained a brain injury.

In this episode, he talks to Elizabeth and Julia about how the impact of the crash, his recovery and how the physical scars may have healed but mentally he felt lost and impacted much of his life.

He felt he lost his identity and had to put on a "mask" on for many years of his life until he started to find himself again, and not only help himself, but others as well.

With honesty and emotion he talks to Elizabeth and Julia about all aspects of his life from family, his past relationships and how meeting the man who saved his life changed the trajectory of his life.

It encouraged him to speak to his parents for the first time about the accident as well as his brothers and son. Andrew he then went on The Traitors, using it as a platform to help others who may be struggling with their mental health and challenges life can bring.

When this was recorded, Andrew was about to set off on his Big Trek, walking 1,200 miles across four nations to raise money for the UK charity Headway which supports brain injury survivors and their families. You can support Andrew's challenge and the charity by making a donation.

Andrew also mentions taking part in a documentary called Sound Lad with his son.

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If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy listening to former stuntman Joe Watts and Joe Borges who says he feels his stroke was a blessing.

Plus, Elizabeth and Julia's husbands Paul and Hector on the progress they have made in the last year.

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On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

And you can join our Facebook community too!

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Joe Watts was a successful stuntman working on films such as Mission Impossible and the Star Wars franchises when it abruptly ended after a stunt went horribly wrong.

Joe fell 25ft onto concrete and was left with a severe brain injury, ending the career he so loved.

In this episode, Joe opens up to Elizabeth and Julia about what happened on the day of his accident and the impact it has had on him and those around him.

Having made a remarkable recovery, he tells Elizabeth and Julia how he is rebuilding his life using a concept he has developed called the Mountain Method.

His goal now is to help others using this method and sharing his story through public speaking.

Joe also speaks honestly about the anger he has felt following his brain injury and how art has helped him channel his negative energy into something positive and purposeful.

He shares his outlook for the future and why he is glad to be the person he is now, rather than the one he was before.

Connect with Joe on instagram @Joewattsart, check out his linktree page and download Joe's Mountain Method worksheet

If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy listening to Charlie Well's story of managing his mindset after brain injury as well as Satinder Sanghera in episode 2 who went on to complete her medical studies after her stroke.

Plus, Elizabeth and Julia's husbands Paul and Hector on the progress they have made in the last year.

There's also Joy and Ross's honest story of stroke, love and overcoming negativity towards disability in episode 12.

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On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

And you can join our Facebook community too!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brain injury changes lives in an instant and not only for the survivor but those closest to them.

In this episode of On A Good Day, Elizabeth and Julia share an episode from the Able To Care podcast which they were invited on to talk about their experiences as a carers.

Hosted by Andy Baker, they talk to him about their personal journeys and how they navigate the challenges of being with someone who has a brain injury.

Elizabeth and Julia explain how they connected and set up On A Good Day and the importance of being about to speak and hear from others who have been in similar situations.

Listeners will gain insights into the complexities of brain injuries, the emotional and practical adjustments and the invaluable support networks available.

Get ready for a heartfelt conversation filled with resilience, understanding, and the importance of community support.

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Find out more about Andy Baker and Able Training.

Listen and subscribe to the Able To Care podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify and watch on YouTube:

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On A Good Day

Thank you for listening to On A Good Day! Please go back and catch up on any missed episodes. For a full recap of Elizabeth and Julia's stories, listen to episode #1: How Brain Injury Came Into Our Lives - And Changed Them Forever.

Please share this podcast with others it will benefit and subscribe, rate and review to help make it more visible! We'd be so grateful!

Connect with Us

On Instagram @onagood.day and X @onagood_day

And you can join our Facebook community too!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices