The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 221 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with British-Palestinian journalist Hamza Ali Shah.Hamza has outlets including Tribune Magazine, Dazed, Byline Times, Novara Media and The New Arab. We came across Hamza through his article in Tribune called ‘Palestinian Lives Behind Bars’ which examines the plight, injustice and hardship of Palestinians imprisoned under the current Israeli government. In this episode we do a deep dive into this article and the mental health themes it explores, a brief history of the Israel-Palestine conflict from the Palestinian perspective and what hope he has for the future and peace. For industry issues, we discuss comparison culture, social class and work-life balance.For Hamza’s mental health, we discuss the role that his Muslim faith has had on his life, mental resilience and antifragility and the grief he experienced in losing his grandfather in 2017 who lived in the West Bank.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Hamza on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hamza_a96You can read the article we discussed on the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in full here: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2023/02/palestinians-prisoners-israel-prison-system-administrative-detention*Please note this podcast was recorded before the October 7th massacre by Hamas and their invasion of Israel and as such, this topic was not covered.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 episode 220 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in for the fourth time with Claudia Van-Nimwegen. Claudia is a teacher, photographer and creative. In Parts 1, 2 and 3 we discussed her various struggles with self-harm, gender identity, Autism, an undiagnosed Eating Disorder and a stroke which happened to her in December 2022. Since then she has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and has taken positive steps on her recovery journey. In Part 4 we discuss the work she's done to improve her physical and mental health, her relationship with food and exercise, being baptised, getting back into photography and taking pictures for the first JCIP live show. We also discuss the importance of putting in healthy boundaries, being an advocate for herself, a job promotion which has reduced her financial anxiety and self-development. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to Part 1 of Claudia's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-47-claudia-van-nimwegenYou can listen to Part 2 of Claudia's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-146-claudia-van-nimwegen-part-2You can listen to Part 3 of Claudia's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-181-claudia-van-nimwegen-part-3Support 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 219 of The Just Checking In Podcast, our Founder Freddie Cocker checked in with himself and provided some reflections and updates about what's happened with Vent and the JCIP in 2023!He also shares the key achievements of the year just gone, some milestones and the physical health and mental health struggles he’s had to overcome.This has included: multiple surgeries, mental health breakdowns, finishing CBT therapy, starting group therapy for survivors of CSA and starting the process to be assessed for Autism.Thanks to all the Venters who’ve supported us this year and see you all in 2024! 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 218 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with journalist Melissa Fleur Afshar.We came across Melissa through an article she wrote on Newsweek about the contraceptive pill entitled ‘Did My Pill Cause Cancer?' Women Describe How the Pill Changed Their Lives’. In the article she speaks to women and medical experts about the physical and mental impact of the pill on these women and its wider health implications.In this episode we discuss Melissa’s journalism journey and breaking into the industry without having the family connections.For industry issues, we discuss the challenges she’s felt when receiving feedback on her articles and the vulnerability of that exposure. For Melissa’s mental health, we discuss a tumour that her mum developed when Melissa was 17-years-old and the impact that had on her. Thankfully, the tumour was benign and was removed successfully. Melissa’s father was also diagnosed with Dementia in early 2023 and we discuss the emotional toll that’s taken on her and her wider family in caring for him as the disease affects his mind and behaviour.We finish by discussing her own negative experience of the pill, which she took from the ages of 24 to 25 and which sparked her interest in writing the Newsweek article. We explore why it made her feel ‘lost’, provoked an existential crisis in her and led her to eventually come off it.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can read Melissa's Newsweek article in full here: https://www.newsweek.com/women-open-about-contraceptive-pill-side-effects-1804620You can follow Melissa on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissafleuraSupport 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 217 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with journalist Chris McHugh.Chris currently works as a broadcast journalist for BBC Oxford.We came across Chris through friend of the pod Matt Graveling who sent us a story Chris had done around miscarriage and baby loss with a charity called Wynter’s Wish FC.Wynter's Wish FC are a bereavement football team for men affected by baby, child or pregnancy loss, based in Didcot. The team promotes therapy through sport and have been nominated for a BBC Radio Oxford 'Make a Difference' award. In the piece, Chris spoke to a number of men in the team about their experiences of miscarriage and also shared his own story of miscarriage and baby loss.In this episode we discuss his journalism journey, social media and a deep dive into the piece and all of the issues around miscarriage and baby loss for men. We then explore his own experience of miscarriage, the grief he went through and how and why it differed hugely from his wife’s processing of the event.We also discuss the pressure men feel to emotionally support and protect their female partners after a miscarriage but don’t know where to find support themselves, as well as the guilt some men feel when they do want some time and space to grieve away from supporting their partners. We finish by discussing the tools that people need to support the men and women in their lives, especially men who are going through miscarriage and baby loss and how we improve the conversation going forward and break this very stigmatised taboo.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to the BBC Oxford piece Chris did in full here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0ggl83cYou can follow Chris on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisMcHugh31Support 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 216 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Brett Scott.Brett is the author of ‘Cloud Money: Why the War on Cash Endangers Our Freedom’.Brett also has a SubStack called ‘Altered States of Monetary Consciousness’ where he explores the frontiers of modern money and in his words ‘draws pictures of it to help you see our economic system with new eyes’.In this episode we begin by discussing what it was like for Brett growing up at the tail-end of apartheid South Africa and navigating that as a white man. We then chart Brett's professional career, from working in left-wing politics, to being a financial trader and where he is today. Afterwards, we do a deep dive into Cloud Money through a mental health lens and the implications of a 'cashless' society on how we spend our money, live our lives and our local communities. We also discuss how financial institutions accelerated the move towards a cashless society during the Covid-19 period and their motivations for doing it.For Brett’s mental health, we discuss his diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the challenges that has brought his mental health from adolescence through to adulthood. In February 2022, these OCD symptoms caused Brett to have a mental health breakdown where he experienced huge anxiety, burnout and at one point, psychotic episodes. All of this overlapped with the writing of and publication of Cloud Money and we discuss how it impacted his mental health and how he overcame it.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can purchase a copy of Cloud Money here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/439997/cloudmoney-by-scott-brett/9781529111484You can subscribe to 'Altered States of Monetary of Consciousness' here: https://brettscott.substack.com/You can follow Brett on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuitpossumSupport 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 215 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Amanda Dashwood. Amanda currently works as a Practitioner for The Revenge Porn Helpline. Amanda has worked for the helpline since October 2021, which support all adults affected by Intimate Image Abuse (IIA) in the UK. In the podcast, we refer to revenge porn as IIA throughout as this is the established umbrella term for it. In this episode we discuss what IIA is, the four different forms of it and the disproportionate amount of male victims there are from one form of IIA called ‘sextortion’.We also discuss how IIA is used in domestically abusive relationships and why two forms of IIA, voyeurism and sharing private images and videos are disproportionately female victims. We discuss a prominent example of voyeurism, which was the court case of the convicted reality TV celebrity Stephen Bear and a tool that the helpline have developed where people can protect their sexual images if they suspect a perpetrator might look to publish them on the internet.For Amanda’s mental health, we discuss the mental toll of dealing with distressing calls to the helpline, how she healthily detaches and switches off and protects her mental health and a period of travelling she did to Vietnam and Bali to work as an English-language teacher.As always, #itsokaytoventFind out more about The Revenge Porn Helpline here: https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/If you are someone or know someone who has been a victim of IIA, you can contact the helpline on 0345 6000 459 (The Helpline is open from 10:00am to 16:00pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).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 episode 214 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with entrepreneur, businessman and teacher, Leo Winstanley. Leo is the Founder of Hand-I-Craft, which makes bespoke furniture tailor-made to their customers requirements.They make everything from simple candle holders to kitchen accessories, household furniture and outdoor and garden furniture.Hand-I-Craft was born out of a hugely traumatic moment in Leo’s life. On 5 May 2018, he was involved in a horrific car crash that wasn’t his fault and left him with life-changing injuries. He lost complete use of his right arm, his dominant arm and then suffered a mental health breakdown. He also lives with chronic neuropathic pain in his right shoulder and side he still manages today.After going into therapy, he took up woodworking after his counsellor suggested he learn a new skill. Leo wanted to prove to himself that he wasn’t worthless and useless like his demons had been telling him. In this episode we discuss his teaching journey and the events of that day in 2018 which changed his life forever. We explore the PTSD he experienced as a result of the crash, anxiety, depression, the pillars of support his partner and two older brothers were for him in crisis and recovery and how the genesis of Hand-I-Craft began from that moment of huge trauma. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Hand-I-Craft here: https://www.hand-i-craft.com/You can subscribe to Hand-I-Craft on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@Hand-i-CraftYou can follow Hand-I-Craft on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_and_p_hand_i_craft/?hl=en-gbSupport 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 213 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Jack Sirkett. In part 1 we discussed his events promoter group 'Soul City', which he co-founded with his friend from university, Jack Lydon and his experience of tinnitus.Since we last checked in, in JCIP #28 Jack has now co-founded a record label called 'LoveTime Guarantee' and put more time and investment into his design work, including starting a YouTube channel! In this episode we discuss why he's stepped away slightly from DJing and more into design work, putting out his first ever music record, an update on his tinnitus and self-development he has done as he's reached his thirtieth birthday! As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Jack on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksirkett/You can find out more about Jack and subscribe to his YouTube channel here: https://linktr.ee/jacksirkettYou can follow LoveTime Guarantee on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovetimeguarantee/You can listen to part 1 of Jack's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-28-jack-sirkettSupport 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 212 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Zac Fine. Zac is a therapist, former journalist and host of 'The Masculinity Therapist' podcast.Zac focuses on helping men and boys with their mental health and has a particular focus on helping divorced men through a method he employs called ‘The Ceasefire Method’ and advocates for greater awareness around the UK’s family court system and how men can navigate it.Zac is also a facilitator at Temper Domestic Violence, which offers a therapeutically informed course to people whose abusive behaviour in their intimate relationships is a concern. In this episode we discuss his professional journey, from starting out in journalism and a period of time he spent living in France. He then unexpectedly had a child with his then-partner and moved back to the UK to live closer to her and switched careers to public relations. After a few years of this, he had a breakdown and moved back to his childhood home of Cornwall where he did corporate copywriting and a lot of surfing. After realising he was drifting in life, he began volunteering at The Samaritans and took the plunge to train as a therapist, which he qualified as in 2018. We discuss his work, the ‘Masculinity Therapist’ podcast, parental alienation and the stigma men feel in speaking out about this issue and others when they affect them. For Zac’s mental health, we discuss fatherhood, depression and a very unfortunate sexual accident which caused him a huge amount of sexual shame and caused him to spiral into a very dark place with his mental health. We finish by discussing his decision to be abstinent from alcohol in order for him to be the best therapist and person he can be.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can subscribe to The Masculinity Therapist podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@the.masculinity.therapistYou can follow Zac on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZacFineFind out more about Temper Domestic Violence here: https://temperdv.co.uk/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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