Unpacking your life experiences and dealing with the accompanying feelings can sometimes take years. This week we speak to Michael Simon, the founder of a brand new service, The Men Toolbox. We talk about the pressures of being a man, a father or a partner, and the expectations that come with it, that can have profound effects on men’s mental health.

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Choosing to turn her passion into her career, Carly Victoria took the step from a job she loved, into the unknown. Launching her life-coaching and journaling business last year, Carly shares with us the impact of stress on her mental health and how journaling can support a healthier mindset and living.  

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Bipolar can be a very daunting diagnosis, even if you have two degrees in Psychology. This week we are joined by Frenchaire Gardner, our first overseas guest. We discuss her diagnosis, the ups and downs of bipolar, the role history and community plays on our mental health, and finally the success of her business and how bipolar has had a positive impact on her creativity.   

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Have you ever wondered what it feels like to compete at a professional level? To be surrounded by world-class athletes? What it takes, mentally and physically to be on the international sporting stage? It’s time to find out! 

This week we are truly honoured to share an open conversation with Lauren Quigley. Lauren is a competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain at the FINA World Aquatics Championships and England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games - winning three silver medals. Lauren now runs a mentoring organisation, Quigley Sport, to mentor the next generation of athletes.

Following in the footsteps of her aunt and mother, Lauren took to competitive swimming at the age of 10. With the guidance of her family, she quickly made a name for herself on the swimming scene. 

Competing at a professional level can come with a price - long days, nutrition regimes and an impact on your mental health. Lauren faced her first mental struggles after she was made to feel that she wasn’t good enough, despite winning three silver medals. As time progressed her struggles grew, until in 2016 she finally broke down and confided in her family.

With the love and support of her family, friends and coaches, Lauren has found a way through the darkness, and now lives by the motto “celebrate everything”. And we for one, can truly get behind that!

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Your mind is stronger than you’ll ever know. You can overcome anything, as long as you put your mind to it.  

This week we are talking to Ashley Davis. Ashley works for Papyrus, supporting suicide prevention, with a focus on people under the age of 35. In addition to the incredible work he does, Ashley has faced one of life’s greatest challenges.  

When Ashley was 19, one decision changed the course of his life. Following a catastrophic accident, he spent 14 months in the hospital learning how to live again. In this raw and honest conversation, we learn the impact his accident had on his family and Ashley’s experiences with his nurses and medical staff, and not unsurprisingly his mental wellbeing.  

We discuss his mental health struggles after leaving the hospital, and his coping mechanisms which include friendship, sport, and family.   

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In order to believe in your body - its strengths and its capabilities, the first step is to begin to understand it.

At sidekick, we believe in shining a light on subjects that are taboo, or perhaps still face a lot of stigmas - subjects that certainly don’t deserve that label. The more we speak up and share our stories, the easier it becomes for many others.

This week, we’re speaking to Lucia Fontaina-Powell about women’s health and the severe impact this can have on mental health. Lucia is a community lead at Daye, a research and development company that’s just launched the world's first CBD tampon.

Roughly 50% of the world’s population struggle with complications or side effects as part of their menstrual cycle. Whether this is hormonal, medication-induced, or more complex conditions such as endometriosis. The impact this has on a large amount of the population often goes unnoticed, or is considered a taboo.

In addition to Lucia’s mental health journey from university to relationships, we discuss another topic facing stigma - grief. After losing her father earlier this year to Covid-19, we learn how grief and coping mechanisms helped shape Lucia’s mental wellbeing. 

If you have been affected by a sudden bereavement during this crisis and need support, advice, and guidance - please call Sudden Bereavement Help on 0800 2600 400. Alternatively, you can call Grief Talk on 0808 802 0111.

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For those that are new to the show, here is a trailer showcasing some moments from our first 15 episodes that featured video guests. 

The sidekick stories podcast is a platform for people to share their stories to reduce the stigma around mental ill-health and encourage more people to speak out. The show features raw, honest conversations with guests about their mental health journey.  

We are a community creating tools, organising information and encouraging positive conversations about mental health. Download our free sidekick app, connect with us on Instagram and join the community. 

sidekick. boost your mental wellbeing. 

sidekick.org.uk

Understanding and accepting your identity is key to finding confidence and strength in yourself. 

In this week's episode, we're speaking to Hakeem S. Allen. Hakeem is the Founder of The Anti-Racist Social Club which works to create spaces and resources for education and open dialogue with White people and non-Black POC about becoming anti-racist (www.theantiracistsocial.club). In this role, he spends countless hours sharing his lived experiences through original content and the workshops he leads in organisations and businesses. 

As a gay Black male, growing up in a conservative military suburb in America led to a mixture of confusion, bullying, anxiety, depression, and ultimately loneliness. Looking back at the memories that shaped his childhood, we discuss the emotional scars that shape our mindset and identity in our later years. In this fascinating episode we discuss growing up without a sense of belonging, the long-term damage bullying causes, the importance of vulnerability (especially in men), how language shapes us, and embracing your identity and celebrating your true self. A must-listen for anybody struggling to come to terms with or communicate their true identity. 

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What if one phone call could change the whole course of your life? 21 years ago, one sentence brought Philip’s life to a screaming halt, bringing him back down to earth. One phone call, that to this day plays a pivotal role in his everyday life, changed the whole course of his life. 

For over 12 years, Philip faced an addiction to alcohol. Able to keep up a façade and continue his professional career, it took one friend to confront him for the realisation to kick in.

Sharing his experiences of recovery from addiction, the impact of alcoholics anonymous, and finding the right mental health tools - Philip brings to life a community of support and fellowship that frankly, we could all benefit from. 

Through this episode, we realise that no matter the mental health challenges you are facing, the three key takeaways remain the same: gratitude, mindfulness, and self-reflection.

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Philosophy, mindfulness, and meditation. A reflection on how the world around us, impacts our wellbeing. This week, we welcome Andy Hix to our podcast. Andy runs Wellbeing Capital Partners, specialising in providing mental health support to the financial services industry. He is also a qualified mindfulness trainer - educating companies, students, and prisoners about the importance of mindfulness. 

Reflecting on his youth and his strong activist stance on the world, he now recognises behaviours and emotions that he was oblivious to at the time. We learn how this has shaped him today, and his coping mechanisms to get through negative thoughts. Andy also introduces us to his experiences with meditation, and how mindfulness has found a place in his day to day life.

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sidekick. boost your mental wellbeing.

https://sidekick.org.uk/