The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 275 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Anthony Bedward.Anthony is a qualified person-centred psychotherapist and the Founder of a2btherapy.In this episode we chart his vast professional journey, from working as a mentor in a learning provision for young people expelled from school, to applying for a 10-week course at the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute based at the University of Staffordshire and then completing a three year degree there afterwards.He then landed two part-time jobs, one working for a company that delivered Princes Trust courses to 16–25-year-olds and another as a youth worker.Anthony then found a new job, working with survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) at a charity called Imara Nottingham where they work with children and families to recover from the impact of sexual abuse on their lives. He worked there for eight months, before leaving to join the job he is in now and went onto set up A2BTherapy.We also discuss the lack of male therapists in the mental health space and why we need more men like Anthony, not just to help men, but working-class men and especially working-class black men like Anthony who will hopefully be able to put their trust in. We then explore his dyslexia diagnosis and how its shaped his life pre and post-diagnosis and the work he does with A2B. For Anthony’s mental health journey, we discuss: the impact that being sexually abused as an adult had on his life, the importance of boundaries, figuring out his triggers and the levels of mental toughness you need to do the work he does.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about a2btherapy here: https://a2btherapy.co.uk/You can follow a2btherapy on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a2btherapy/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a2btherapySupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 274 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Thomas Mackintosh. Thomas is a Scottish journalist currently working for the BBC. The reason we checked back in with him is that he fronted a fantastic documentary called ‘My Alopecia And Me’, which documents his own, personal journey with alopecia, and interviews men and women from a range of backgrounds about their journeys with alopecia of varying degrees. The documentary is framed around a new drug which is claimed to help directly treat alopecia, and the interviewees provide their thoughts about whether they’d take it or not. In this episode we do a deep dive into the documentary, what Thomas learned about himself through the course of filming it, getting married and travelling around Europe following Scottish international football!As always, #itsokaytoventYou can watch 'My Alopecia And Me' on BBC iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022wtxYou can listen to Part 1 of Thomas's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-162-thomas-mackintoshSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In this episode of Reel Stories we checked in with Jeremy Ojo. Jeremy is a screenwriter, actor and producer. Jeremy fell into the industry when a friend contacted him about getting involved in making a web-series, which he subsequently wrote, produced and starred in. We met Jeremy through a mutual close friend who studied at Oxford University with him.In this episode we discuss how Jeremy broke into the industry and navigated the system when he had no previous experience within it or connections, work-life balance and the difficulty of knowing when to feel comfortable calling yourself the person you are aiming to be in the industry. For Jeremy’s mental health, we discuss: his experience of ‘talking therapy’ which he accessed because of issues he’d had in relationships, being the first person ever from his South London state school to go to Oxford University and his ADHD diagnosis he received whilst he was at Oxford.We finish by exploring how he learned self-awareness about his own mental health and how he now understands himself better as a result. As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @ekkah - Backseat Driver: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFhgxYuoP8U

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In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked in with Tom Forte.Tom is a DJ and producer and started his music journey as a producer before he got into DJing. The first instrument he ever took up was the guitar, before trying a few other instruments and then took up the saxophone from the age of 11 years old.His entry into dance music was listening to dubstep and drum & bass records, before playing in various rock, folk and jazz bands where he grew up in his hometown in Devon. He moved away from Devon and studied for a film degree at university, where he was introduced to now long-running music channels like EtonMessy, particularly artists like FKJ where his dance music taste evolved and he began producing his own records through Ableton.He then moved to London for work after he graduated and he and his housemate bought a DJ controller and began hosting parties with his friends, learning how to DJ at the same time. Fast forward a couple of years and the collective DYSC UK was born and has hosted nights across London, with more planned in 2025 and beyond. In this episode we discuss his entire music journey, from teen saxophonist to fully-fledged DJ and producer, running club nights and the challenges of balancing all of that with a full-time job and career in videography and journalism.For Tom’s mental health journey, we discuss his struggles to fit in at school in his adolescence and some bullying he experienced during this period, his struggles with people-pleasing as a result and how he’s tried to focus more on what he can control in life and his wider self-development. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to Tom Forte on streaming platforms below: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1rZUvbXKG5CsuKxCWSsT29SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thatstomforteYou can follow Tom on social media below:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatstomforte/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatstomforteSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 273 of The Just Checking In Podcast we turned the tables as our Founder Freddie Cocker was interviewed by his best friend of 28 years and previous guest, James Lamb who came on in JCIP #50.Over the years, Freddie has been interviewed by another close friend Lloyd Taylor twice, in JCIP #10 and JCIP #135 respectively. His old friend and work colleague Connor Smart then wanted to try his hand at it in JCIP #144. Now we arrive at the moment where James is conducting his first solo interview.In this episode we discuss the last two years of Freddie's mental health journey, in which a LOT has happened. This includes: two operations, multiple mental health breakdowns, another repressed sexual assault to address, an autism diagnosis, group therapy, more CBT therapy, some rewind therapy and much more! James will take you through those two years, the many downs but also the ups and how Freddie has come out the other side of all of it. True to form, he brings his 100% honesty and dark sense of humour to these events, as difficult as they were for him.As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvkTRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains discussions about sexual abuse, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

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In episode 272 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Rose Rowkins.Rose is the Founder of Start The Conversation.uk, a suicide prevention training organisation. Rose has had a hugely varied career and has worked in the mental health space for over two decades. She started by working at Samaritans in her early 20s and progressed rapidly to become a trainer of other people to become Samaritans. As a long-time Brighton resident, she then managed two mental health youth projects in the city, including ‘Safe Space’ and the ‘Right Here’ project. From there, she trained and worked as an English teacher, then later as a counsellor (working mainly with young people aged 13-25 and women affected by domestic abuse) and in 2015 as a suicide prevention trainer. Last year she was the volunteer lead for the Brighton leg of a seminal campaign called ‘Baton of Hope’ run by Baton of Hope UK. The campaign travelled to 12 cities across the UK in 12 days, where 90 people affected by suicide or had personal experience of suicidality themselves, carried the baton across the city in a 27km route, which culminated in a showcase event at the Brighton Dome.Now, alongside providing suicide prevention training to a host of organisations, she is a Director of ‘Speak Their Name’ (STN) which allows users to create digital memorial pages for loved ones who have died by suicide and provide them with a permanent legacy, like a digital patchwork quilt. In this episode we chart Rose’s career and how it led to her involvement from Samaritans to Safe Space to Speak Their Name - and everything in-between. We then do a deep dive into the work that STN does, what it wants to achieve in supporting those bereaved by suicide and reducing the stigma. For Rose’s mental health journey, we discuss: her perfectionism and people-pleasing she did in her childhood, the suicide of a family friend when she was a teenager and the impact that had on her career, her mental health struggles whilst working out in Australia and the suicidality that accompanied it. We finish by discussing motherhood, Covid-19. the importance of community and in Rose’s words, ‘finding your tribe’.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Speak Their Name here: https://speaktheirname.org/You can find out more about Start The Conversation here: https://www.starttheconversation.uk/You can follow Rose on social media below: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roserowkins/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In this episode of Behind The Mic we checked back in for the third time with UK artist AMiR.AMiR first came on the podcast before the Behind The Mic series started, in JCIP #19. We discussed his debut album, 'All or Nothing' he released in 2019, his refusal to be pigeon-holed or stereotyped and fatherhood. In Part 2, we discussed the impact that Covid-19 had on his career both financially and mentally as he was unable to do any live shows and had to build the momentum he had generated back up, as we came out of lockdown.We also discussed his move to take up boxing coaching to make ends meet and why the lockdown made him confront the mental health issues he hadn't addressed previously.Since then, AMiR has chucked himself into gigging in a variety of different ways, including his own solo work but also performing at weddings in covers bands, doing session drumming for various bands and guitar work too. He has also started producing his own music to improve his skillset and reduce his costs and his upcoming new music he has produced entirely himself. In this episode we discuss his upcoming new EP, a fatherhood update, the relationship men have with money and how his son has caused him to be a lot kinder to himself.As always, #itsokaytoventListen to AMiR on streaming platforms below:Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3sz3zBDij…300a69024c2e493cYouTube: www.youtube.com/c/amirofficialUKFollow AMiR on social media below:Twitter: twitter.com/amirofficialukInstagram: www.instagram.com/amirofficialuk/?hl=enYou can listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of AMiR's journey below:Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-19-amir?in=venthelpuk/sets/behind-the-micPart 2: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-mic-amir-part-2Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 271 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Aaron Pearson.Aaron is the husband of previous guest and Co-Founder of Menstrual Health Project, Gabriella Pearson.Aaron works as an estate planner and as a car salesman and has been with Gabriella for 10 years. Aaron’s mental health journey started when he was between seven to 11 or 12-years-old when he was sexually abused and the majority of his mental health difficulties he’s experienced in life stem from this moment. Aaron then struggled with alcoholism and drugs from a teenager and also had severe issues with anger, likely stemming from the abuse as well. In Boxing Day 2014, he went away with Gabriella to Brighton to celebrate the day and had his drink spiked by a group of men who offered to buy him a drink. The drink was spiked with a mixture of Rohypnol, ecstasy and rat poison. He had no memory of the night after that moment. When they went back to his hotel, he smashed the room up, high and poisoned. The police were called and he ended up fighting them in his poisoned state and was subsequently arrested and taken to the local police station.Once he was at the police station, he had a seizure and woke up in hospital 12 hours later. He later discovered what he had been spiked with, what had happened and even more alarmingly, he had actually died for four minutes, before being brought back. He woke up in a full body brace, couldn’t move his entire body and this was the first time he wasn’t in full control of his body or actions. Aaron says this is the moment when his mental health started spiralling.He started speaking to a counsellor and began exploring his anger management issues and his addiction. However, he didn’t find counselling helpful and after seeing several therapists, decided to deal with his issues on his own. The alcohol addiction took him to breaking point where it was affecting his friendships, his relationship and people began to avoid social situations with him, because of his unpredictability.He decided to give up drinking for 10 months but then decided he could cope with an occasional drink. As you’d expect, the addiction got even worse. Around the time of the Covid-19 lockdown, he started working from home and had no separation from work and home and became drinking heavily again as well as overeating.Thankfully, he’s now over 450 days sober at time of recording, he hasn’t touched a drug in over two years. He also hasn’t smoked a cigarette in a year and a half. He credits the gym, changing careers and the support of his wife Gabriella as key to his recovery. Since childhood, he has now been diagnosed with a Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and has self-diagnosed himself with ADHD, after struggling to get assessed through the NHS. Aaron also suspects he has OCD, which we explore. In this episode we chart his journey of trauma, diagnoses and recovery from start to finish and how we better listen to men like Aaron as a society. As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvkTRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains discussions about sexual abuse, suicide and self-harm which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

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In episode 270 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Robert Grattan.Robert works as a Clinical Physiologist and our Founder Freddie met Rob through playing football locally in north-east London as teenagers.In this episode we discuss his exposure to suicide as a teenager when family friends of Rob took their own lives. We then talk about a relationship break-up Rob went through recently from a five-year relationship and the impact that had on his mental health, his identity and how he’s had to rebuild it in the months since. We also talk about the role he’s played for his friends in their lives as someone they can come to when disclosing their own mental health struggles and having that level of emotional intelligence as a man.We finish by discussing his memories at Aldersbrook FC (where Rob and Freddie met), the power of football in providing an avenue for male bonding at a grass-roots level, friendship and how these teams can get better at allowing men to disclose issues greater than surface-level ones.As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 269 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Antoine Brimbal. Antoine Brimbal is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Modern Insurgent, a grass-roots independent media organisation which specialises solely on insurgencies, rebellions and political movements from around the globe.We first checked in with Antoine in JCIP #164 when he was still a puppy at 18 years old but still the owner of his own journalism organisation. We discussed the origins of the platform, a terrorist attack he witnessed outside his window which he filmed and was interviewed by media outlets about and his French-Serbian upbringing and how its shaped him.He is now 20 years old and has taken TMI to new heights, with their own podcast, documentaries from the frontline of some very dangerous conflicts and has interviewed some very dangerous men. In this episode we discuss that continued growth and a deep dive into a few of those documentaries. This includes one which covered the 12th July protests in Northern Ireland in 2023 and the ‘Orange Order’, embedding with a volunteer unit in the Yekîneyên Parastina Gel or YPG, a Kurdish militia based in Syria who have been a bulwark against ISIS or Daesh.We also discussed some recently published films including one covering a desert blues festival in Morocco and embedding with an autonomous people’s army in Mexico called the Zappatistas who took on the cartels and the Mexican government and won!Antoine has also produced some films for another news organisation called Atlas News, including one in Transnistria, a separatist region in Moldova.In addition, Antoine and his crew were the first international journalists to interview a representative of Hezbollah, the heavily armed and powerful militia group currently in conflict with Israel off the back of the October 7th invasion and massacre by Hamas. For Antoine’s continued mental health journey, we dive into the personal impact of the filming with Hezbollah, interviewing very dangerous men and a couple of life-and-death situations he put himself in.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can watch 'Burning Cedars: Lebanon's Perpetual Crisis', which contained the interview with the Hezbollah commander here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHPPdryb9gYou can watch 'Desert Blues: Saharan Songs of Resistance' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZraT3AYbmQ&pp=ygUYZGVzZXJ0IGJsdWVzIGRvY3VtZW50YXJ5Find out more about The Modern Insurgent here: www.moderninsurgent.org/You can follow The Modern Insurgent on social media below:Instagram: www.instagram.com/moderninsurgent/YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJo0ImLC7qCY6pfr1IpTqQYou can listen to Part 1 of Antoine's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-164-antoine-brimbalSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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