The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 184 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Dr Joe Whittaker.Joe is a Lecturer in Cyber Threats at Swansea University’s Cyber Threats Research Centre, housed in their Law department. His PhD analysed the online behaviours of Islamic State terrorists in the USA from the years 2012-2018, conducted as a joint degree with Swansea University and Leiden University. He has also researched how social media platforms’ recommendation systems promote and amplify extreme far-right content, as well as publishing on topics such as counter-narratives and extremist video games.Joe has also conducted a lot of work into the subject of incels and in this episode we discuss his academic journey, what the risk is from incels to wider society, whether they should be treated like a terrorist group and the other subjects he covers in the counter-terrorism space through a mental health lens. For Joe’s mental health, we talk about the mental health impact that viewing extreme and harrowing content for research has had on him and his peers and what support he and they have had in managing this as well.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Joe on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CTProject_JWSupport 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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

This is Part 2 of personal trainer and mental health advocate James Roffey's story. In Part 2 we explore the origins of his eating disorder, the destructive behaviours and habits it made him adopt and the eight years he was trapped in its grip. We discuss why his sports psychologist was a massive influence on his recovery, why traditional therapy didn’t help him and how he successfully moved away from his identity being attached to his ED.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow James on social media below:Instagram: www.instagram.com/james.the.mental.health.pt/Twitter: twitter.com/JamesRoffey88Support 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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 183 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with personal trainer and mental health advocate, James Roffey.James brands himself as ‘The Mental Health Personal Trainer’. When James was in his 20s, he developed an eating disorder which was triggered by three key life events: being released by Charlton Athletic FC’s academy, failing a business studies exam when he was doing his AS levels and subsequently being kicked out of his then school and the sudden death of his grandmother when he was 18 years old.These three events caused James to develop his eating disorder (ED), which started by presenting as anorexia and then morphed into bulimia which he had for the next eight years. After a lot of soul-searching, hospital admittances and self-development, James managed to recover and get to the position he is in now. In Part 1 of his podcast, we discuss his fitness journey, from starting it because of a relationship break-up to making it his passion and now his career, breaking his leg three times over the course of two years from 2019-2021 and the three key pillars he tries to instil in his clients: mindset, nutrition and training. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow James on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/james.the.mental.health.pt/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesRoffey88Support 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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In this episode of Behind The Mic we checked in with Berlin-based House and R&B artist Fletchy Boy.Fletcher was born in New Zealand and moved to Berlin for a fresh start in music after he appeared on The X-Factor New Zealand when he was 17 years old. Since then, he has carved a new path in Berlin's electronic and live music scenes.In this episode we discuss how he’s tried to find balance as an artist, validation and the gap between signed and unsigned artists when it comes to the opportunities presented to you.For Fletcher’s mental health, we discuss his experience on the X-Factor from a professional and personal perspective, his move to Berlin and this new life he has built for himself. As always, #itsokaytovent Listen to Fletchy Boy on streaming platforms below: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Ed55mxbrhQa3P3DjzrJxuYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fletchermills865You can follow Fletchy Boy on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fletchy.boy/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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 182 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Founder of AC Milan platform SempreMilan Oli Fisher for a special reason.In April 2022 a Huddersfield Town fan called Daryl Hopson tragically died from liver cancer. Before he died, then-Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberan held up a shirt with his name on the back at the last home game of the season and offered his support to Daz in what many in his close circle knew was his final days of life. We at Vent wanted to celebrate Daz’s life so to do that, we asked his friend Oli Fisher to reminisce about his life, their friendship and the bond they forged through supporting Huddersfield Town at live matches around the country. We split this episode into four sections: Oli and Daz’s friendship, Daz’s life and the person he was, when Daz became ill and his death and the grieving process Oli went through. The pod concludes with a group of voicenotes from Daz’s friends and loved ones about the man he was and the legacy he’s left.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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked back in with Jafunk. Lachy was the first DJ/producer that we interviewed on the series so we thought it fitting to get him back on to talk about his journey in the last three years since we checked in.In those three years he's moved away from Berlin back to Australia and now resides in Lisbon in Portugal. In this episode we discuss his continued music journey, why he felt Berlin wasn’t the right place for him to succeed musically, the reasons behind the move to Portugal and the pressure he sometimes feels to post continuously on social media.For Lachy’s mental health, we discuss the improvements he’s made to his physical health and the benefits that’s given his mental health and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people in life. We finish with a smaller section where our Founder Freddie Cocker and Lachy talk about their growth as people and Lachy asks Freddie a few questions about Vent, his life and the three years between that first episode to now.As always, #itsokaytoventListen to Jafunk on streaming platforms below:Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/5KtUig38e…TcS2-BrAM1HHYvbAYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCfSzUSW4K6OkGpQ56zp2MzgYou can follow Jafunk on social media below:Facebook: www.facebook.com/jafunkofficial/Twitter: twitter.com/jafunkofficialInstagram: www.instagram.com/jafunk_official/Listen to Part 1 of Jafunk's story here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-decks-launch-jafunkSupport 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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 181 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Claudia Van-Nimwegen.Claudia is a mental health advocate, teacher and theatre artist.In Part 3 of her mental health journey we discuss an Eating Disorder (ED) which Claudia had previously been bottling up and suppressing for a long period of her life. In December 2022, the ED, the fibromyalgia (which Claudia had been diagnosed with and discussed in Part 2) and general stress combined into a dangerous cocktail and exploded, causing her to collapse at work. The left side of her body became immobile and she was admitted to hospital where she stayed for three weeks. During that time, she had to learn to deal with her ED, change her eating habits and tackle the voices in her head that were telling her to take her own life. These voices came in the form of an imaginary friend which Claudia said has been with her since childhood. Eventually, after lots of checks, delays and frustration, Claudia got some clarity on why she collapsed and was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). She says this has explained so many things in her life and plays a part in every other diagnosis she has had. Despite that traumatic moment and all of these diagnoses, she has never let this define her. She was discharged after a month in hospital, is in recovery and back at work doing what she loves in teaching and drama.We finish by discussing how her faith got her through this traumatic event, how her church community supported her financially whilst she was off work and finding her voice. As always, #itsokaytovent You can follow Claudia on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudi.van/You 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-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=d70wfeJSEvkTRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains a deep discussion about suicide, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 180 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with Tunde Ogunsina. Tunde is the Founder and CEO of Forest Colard, a brand and influencer marketing agency that strives to help their clients connect with their target audience using real, authentic content, tailored to their unique needs whilst staying ahead of the curve.In this episode we discuss Tunde’s business journey, how he came up with the idea of Forest Colard and turning his dream into a reality.We also discuss the transactional nature of a lot of relationships in the industry he works in, getting on 2023’s ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ list and his desire to seek validation throughout his life and how he manages it on a day-to-day basis. For Tunde’s mental health, we talk about bullying that he went through in his childhood for his race and being intellectual at school, the impact that had on his mental health and the importance of two mentors who have helped him with Forest Colard and his personal life too.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Forest Colard here: https://www.forestcolard.com/You can follow Tunde on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tundeogun/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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 179 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Aaron Terrell.Aaron is a transman, co-host of the 'Transparency' podcast and Director of the Gender Dysphoria Alliance (GDA).In this episode we discuss Aaron’s transition from female-to-male presenting, how and why his experience of transitioning through testosterone changed his sexuality and his social transition. We discuss how transition was the right choice for him and how he came to that conclusion and the impact that Covid-19 had on his mental health.We also discuss various issues in the trans conversation, including how he got involved in the GDA, how sex dysphoria is affecting the mental health of teenage girls and his frustration with ‘trans allies’ claiming to speak on behalf of him with views he does not agree with.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Aaron on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/elegationvainYou can find out more about the Gender Dysphoria Alliance here: https://www.genderdysphoriaalliance.com/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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise

In episode 178 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Torren Danowski.Torren is the Founder of 'Don’t Tread On Philly', a U.S. libertarian political organisation and the former Libertarian candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has also transitioned and then detransitioned at two different stages of his life.In this episode we discuss his experience of anxiety and depression, workplace bullying, perfectionism and how all of these factors led to the sex dysphoria he went onto experience. Once he began experiencing this dysphoria, he says he saw it and transition as an escape from the issues he was running away from. He is also brave enough to admit there was some elements of what my previous guest N-Jada called ‘romantic autogynephilia’. Torren transitioned and began going by his trans name of Audrey.However, after a dream he had followed by a 3-week period of realisation, he came to the conclusion that continuing to live as a transwoman was not the path for him and he subsequently detransitioned back to living as Torren. We discuss this entire journey, from transition to detransition and how he’s got to the state of stability and happiness he is now. We also discuss how sex dysphoria is affecting the mental health of other young boys and men like him, why he thinks we need to move away from a black and white thinking towards treatment of sex dysphoria itself and what we need to do to help these boys find purpose, direction and the right path for them, whether its transition or not.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can subscribe to Torren's Substack here: https://tpdanowski.substack.com/You can follow Torren on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tpdanowskiSupport 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

Support Us:

• Patreon
• PayPal
• Merchandise