The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 193 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Dr Rakib Ehsan.Rakib is an academic, commentator and the author of 'Beyond Grievance: What The Left Gets Wrong About Ethnic Minorities', which was published in June 2023.He is currently a columnist at Spiked magazine and a regular contributor for Mail Plus and The Telegraph. He has also written for other outlets including The Independent, The Jewish Chronicle, UnHerd, The Times Red Box and CapX.He has also done broadcast work, with regular appearances on GB News and TalkTV, as well as occasional features on Sky News, BBC Newsnight, BBC Sunday Morning Live and ITV’s Good Morning Britain (GMB). He has also made radio appearances for stations such as LBC, Times Radio, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio London, and BBC Asian Network.In this episode we discuss his academic journey and how he’s got to where he is today as well as a deep dive into the key themes of his book through a mental health lens, including family, race and faith. For Rakib’s mental health, we discuss the importance that his family background and upbringing had on him and the power of his Muslim faith in shaping his life, values and ethics.As always, #itsokaytovent You can buy a copy of 'Beyond Grievance' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Grievance-Wrong-Ethnic-Minorities/dp/1800751044/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rakib+ehsan&qid=1690299061&sr=8-1You can follow Rakib on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/rakibehsanSupport 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 192 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Patrick Moore. Patrick is a sports journalist and has worked for rugby league team Huddersfield Giants and the BBC, the latter of which he is leaving for a new role at time of recording. In this episode we discuss his journey into sports journalism, work-life balance in sports journalism and working in a highly-pressurised environment on match-days.For Pat’s mental health, members of Pat’s family have gone through severe mental health difficulties. This exposed Pat to mental illness and gave him a greater understanding of it, how to recognise when someone is struggling and a self-awareness of his own mental health going forward.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Pat on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/patmoore97Support 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 191 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Jacob George.Jacob works as an engineer and is a childhood friend of our Founder Freddie Cocker. He first came on the podcast three years ago in JCIP #23.In Part 1 of Jacob’s journey, we discussed his experience of anxiety, panic attacks and depression. We also discussed his experience of fatherhood, having become a dad when he was 23 years old. In Part 2 of Jacob's journey we discuss his separation from his then partner and mother of his child, getting greater control over his mental health, meeting his new partner and going on a sponsored bike ride to raise money for the mental health charity MIND. We also discuss how the bond between him and his son has grown, how his son gives him drive and purpose but also how he wants to find another purpose outside of fatherhood too. We finish by discussing the tools he’s learned in managing his anxiety better, growth, self-care and how his new partner supports his mental health and vice versa. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to Part 1 of Jacob's story here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-23-jacob-georgeSupport 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 190 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with journalist Matt Graveling. Matt currently works freelance for a range of outlets including the BBC, predominantly on sports stories.In this episode we discuss how and why Matt got into journalism, his previous lives as a dogwalker, an NHS worker and packing boxes in a factory before he broke into journalism, fighting tooth and nail to get to where he is today but yet still not feeling stable and the anxiety of being a freelance journalist when it comes to getting work. We also talk about the competitive and brutal nature of the industry and how the constant news cycle can affect a journalist’s mental health.For Matt’s mental health, Matt went through two big life events in his late teens which had a huge impact on him and his family; the first was when his mums' friends' son took his own life. The second was when a teenager was hit by a bus outside of the school his dad was headteacher at and died.Both these events rocked his family’s world for a significant period of time and Matt spiralled into a depressive state. He got to the point where he realised if he didn’t get help, he could have felt suicidal. He sought out his family GP and was eventually put on medication. We finish by discussing the death of his father from blood cancer on 19th February 2022. We explore that grief, why he felt he had to step up in his family as a man, how his family has changed since his dad’s death and how he used running, specifically running the London Marathon in October 2022 as a way to channel his grief.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Matt on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattgravelingSupport 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 189 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jennifer Jordan. Jennifer is a Freelance Digital PR Manager and lives with a female health condition called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder(PMDD).PMDD is a rare form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) which causes a range of emotional and physical symptoms every month during the week or two before a woman’s period. PMDD usually occurs during the luteal phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle.In this episode we discuss Jennifer’s childhood as an only child and how she navigated periods of loneliness in school. We also discuss abandonment and attachment issues she’s had to deal with from growing up in a single-parent household and not knowing her biological father from birth. We finish by discussing body image issues and self-harm behaviours she experienced as a teenager and in her early 20’s, the grief she experienced from losing her grandparents and a deep dive into her experience of PMDD.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Jennifer on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferjordanzSupport 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 188 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with sports journalist Bryn Law. Bryn has worked in sports media for 30 years. He spent 21 of those years at Sky Sports where he made his name as a reporter, commentator and presenter. Four years ago he left Sky Sports and has been working freelance ever since for a range of different outlets.He is also the author of two books: ‘Zombie Nation Awakes: Welsh Football's Odyssey to Euro 2016: The Diary of a Reporter Supporter’ and ‘Don't Take Me Home: On Tour With The Red Wall at Euro 2016’. In this episode we chart his journey of 30 years in sports journalism, class, work-life balance and his love of Wrexham Town FC.For Bryn’s mental health, we discuss the pressure of doing a job where you constantly have to put on a brave face and smile through whatever you might be going through in your personal life, the state of men’s mental health, the Covid-19 lockdowns and the power of exercise.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Bryn on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrynLawFind out more about Bryn's work here: https://t.co/94AKpWnnzLYou can purchase a copy of 'Zombie Nation Awakes: Welsh Football's Odyssey to Euro 2016: The Diary of a Reporter Supporter' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zombie-Nation-Awakes-Footballs-Supporter/dp/1902719468/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Bryn+Law&qid=1688545688&sr=8-2You can also purchase a copy of 'Don't Take Me Home: On Tour With The Red Wall at Euro 2016' here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Take-Me-Home-Tour/dp/1902719514/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bryn+Law&qid=1688545744&sr=8-1Support 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 187 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Alfie Fitzsimmons. Alfie is the Founder of Alfie's Squad, which is is a non-profit organisation working to help children bereaved by parental suicide.Alfie started this charity because when he was eight years old, in May 2017, Alfie tragically lost his father Keith to suicide.Initially, his mother Allison was worried about telling Alfie the truth and told Alfie his dad had had a heart attack. However, even at that age, Alfie knew something wasn’t right and realised that his dad had taken his own life. After getting some advice from children’s charity Winston’s Wish, the day after, Allison then disclosed to Alfie in an age-appropriate way that Alfie’s dad had taken his own life. Remarkably, despite him losing his father and his main male role-model in his life, in the depths of that grief, Alfie wanted to help other young boys and girls not go through what he went through.So, Alfie started Alfie’s Squad and since then, it has grown and become a support organisation for people in the Merseyside area and hopefully beyond it in the future.In this episode, we discuss the impact that losing his dad had on him, how he processed the grief and why he was initially frustrated by the reaction of the children around him to his grief. We discuss how his mum helped him navigate the grief and channel it through outlets like the charity and playing football with his friends. We finish by talking about the charity, the success its had and what he wants to achieve with it going forward.As always, #itsokaytoventFind out more about Alfie's Squad here: https://alfiessquad.org/Follow them on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlfiesSquadSupport 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 Decks we checked back in with UK producer and DJ, Snowdream. In Part 1 we talked to Elliot about music perfectionism culture, his bisexuality and the challenges and positives that has brought to his life.In Part 2 In this episode we discuss his first ever live DJ set at Just Checking In Live #4 (Take Two), his TikTok following he has built and balancing that new venture with being a music producer.We also have a discussion about his debut album Open Space and his follow up EP Strike and how he feels they were received as well as moving away from Future-Funk and where that scene is now compared to three years ago.For Elliot’s mental health, we discuss his full-time job situation, whether he wants to 'work to live' or 'live to work', being made redundant during the Covid-19 period and figuring out what career lane out of the many he could go down in the future.We finish with an update about his bisexuality and how his perception of himself and how others perceive him has changed now he’s in a heterosexual relationship at time of recording.As always, #itsokaytoventListen to Snowdream on streaming platforms below:Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2WkJ2Z45d…wOT9qa953TJ3oxAQSoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-447435748Follow Snowdream on social media below:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@snowdreammusic?lang=enTwitter: twitter.com/snowdreammusicInstagram: www.instagram.com/snowdreamdigital/You can listen to Part 1 of Snowdream's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-decks-snowdreamSupport 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=d70wfeJSEvkOutro: Snowdream - Launch Pad feat. Strawberry Station: https://soundcloud.com/user-447435748/launch-pad-feat-strawberry

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In episode 186 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with writer Will Hayes.We came across Will through a response piece he wrote on the Centre for Male Psychology website entitled 'Why Men don’t write about Sex and Dating'. The original piece was published in The Guardian by journalist Imogen West-Knights entitled 'Why do hardly any straight men write about sex and dating?'Will started his writing journey by writing screenplays with his brother before he realised he needed to improve his skillset so, in his mid-30s, he went to university and did an undergraduate in English Literature, before doing a Masters in Creative Writing. Whilst doing his Masters, he became disillusioned with the way his course was taught and how elements of the teaching was descending into identity politics and he then started writing about male issues and mental health. In this episode we discuss how that disillusionment came about, a deep dive into his article about why straight men have no interest in being dating columnists, male desire and why Will says its being eradicated from society.We also discuss the importance of men supporting other men as a sex class like women do with the sisterhood and a brief discussion about male domestic abuse victims.For Will’s mental health, we discuss his negative experience of going to boarding school when he was 11 years old, the impact that boarding school has had on other men in the public eye and the positive tools he’s found to manage and improve his mental health.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can contact Will at [email protected] can read Will's article on the Centre for Male Psychology website in full here: https://www.centreformalepsychology.com/male-psychology-magazine-listings/why-men-dont-write-about-sex-and-datingYou can read The Guardian piece by Imogen West-Knights here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/29/hardly-any-straight-men-write-about-sex-and-datingSupport 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 185 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with food entrepreneur Josh Storkey. Josh is the Founder and inventor of Stork Sauce, a range of hot sauces that can be used on a range of foods to inject flavour and excitement.Josh has always been intrigued by how fermentation can change and develop new flavours in food. During the Covid-19 period in the summer of 2020 and with a lot of time on his hands, he began experimenting.After he landed on the ideal recipe and formula, Stork Sauce was born.In this episode we discuss Josh’s culinary journey and the brand of Stork Sauce, the challenges of being an entrepreneur whist juggling a full-time job and the connections he’s made with other entrepreneurs and influencers. For Josh’s mental health, Josh moved around a lot when he was a child and struggled to achieve stability as a child and teenager as a result. At one point he had moved house five times in seven years. This had an impact on his ability to build friendships, fit in and feel comfortable. He says he is still feeling the aftershocks of this to some degree today.We go onto discuss his university years where on the one hand, he found that stability he had been craving and forged strong positive connections and friendships. However, on the other end, Josh went from being one of the highest achievers in his school intellectually to in his words, comparatively ‘fairly average’ on his university course, such was the level of intellectual ability at Bath where he studied and he experienced some imposter syndrome here as a result.We finish by discussing a serious stroke his mother had in 2022, how that impacted his mental health, his family's and why it's given him a greater perspective on life.As always, #itsokaytoventFind out how you can buy your own bottle of Stork Sauce here: https://www.storksauce.com/You can follow Stork Sauce on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storksauce/You can also follow Josh on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshstork/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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