The Just Checking In Podcast

In this episode of Behind The Mic, we checked back in with Harry from UK alt-pop band, VICTORS. In Part 1, we talked about the mental health impact of the streaming wars on musicians, anxiety and FOMO. In Part 2 we discuss their latest EP, III and getting back into doing shows post-Covid, why their 2022 was a quieter one but why Harry and the band needed this period of reflection to go again in 2023 and not allow the band’s career to plateau.For Harry’s mental health, he moved to London from Leeds in January 2022 and we discuss the challenges of that, what he’s had to overcome and how he now feels much more at home where he lives currently in East London. We also discuss the concept of ‘friend dating’ which he had to do when he first moved to London and why many people need to do this in order to build a new support network when they move to a new city. We finish by talking about a very scary health emergency he had in December 2022 where he ended up having a twisted testicle. He was rushed to A&E, had an emergency operation that same day and thankfully his testicle was saved. As always, #itsokaytovent Listen to VICTORS on streaming platforms below:Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/163g9TCjT…hwS7Gs2Ka3bPfubAYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCq-H6qmB1U59D2XqRNl2EcQSoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/victorsofficialFollow VICTORS on social media platforms below:Instagram: www.instagram.com/victorsofficial/Twitter: twitter.com/victorsliveFacebook: www.facebook.com/victorsofficial/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=d70wfeJSEvkOutro: VICTORS - I Could Be Your World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8mW1MfI9o4

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In episode 173 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Nathan Wilson.Nathan is the Founder of Dads Advocates.Dads Advocates is a social enterprise and platform that seeks to implement change in three areas of life. Firstly, they help separated dad’s create safe, consistent and meaningful relationships with their children, by reducing parental conflict, creating workable co-parenting strategies and if required, guiding Dad’s through the process of family court.Second, they protect children’s rights by instilling a child-centre approach to co-parenting. Reducing emotional harm on children by reducing parental conflict.Thirdly, they campaign for change in legislation, policies and attitudes towards Dads. By challenging stereotypes and breaking down societal barriers to meaningful fatherhood, they are changing the conversation around treatment of fathers in the family court and wider society. Nathan’s drive to create Dads Advocates came from his own story of being domestically abused by his first wife, who claimed he had raped her and domestically abused her in order to gain custody of his children through the divorce process, which initially she succeeded with. Thankfully, despite a lengthy and exhausting back-and-forth legal battle, Nathan gained full custody of his children and has had more children with his second wife who he is now happily married to. In this episode we discuss this rollercoaster journey Nathan has been on and how he used this experience to create Dads Advocates. We then discuss the realities of the family court for fathers, how men are treated within it and the campaigning work he does to change that conversation.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Dads Advocates here: https://dadsadvocates.com/You can follow Dads Advocates on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadsadvocates/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/673200957023912/?ref=shareSupport 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 brief discussion about suicide and a graphic description of a false allegation of sexual abuse, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

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In episode 172 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Matt Henry. Matt is the Founder of YouTube channels 'How To Help Incels' and 'Dad Helping Dads'. Matt is a former incel who 'ascended' in his mid-20s and is now happily married with four children.Matt helps other incels ascend by discussing the issues within incel culture, breaks down myths and challenges their mindset. Matt provides a nuance perspective on this group of men which many in mainstream culture deride, abandon and some even label as terrorists.Matt had a very traumatic childhood, which was driven by his relationship with his mother who had attachment issues, alienated him from his father and was a survivor of sex trafficking. Matt grew up with Autism and also ended up developing other neurological conditions, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and mental health issues including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Matt was also sexually abused by his high-school principal and all of these life events contributed towards him becoming an Incel and adopting that worldview for a period of his life. Thankfully, thanks to the role of three strong grandmothers and his own courage, his desire for self-development and developing social skills through his love of acting, Matt ascended and now helps others to take the path he did.In this episode we discuss that journey from Incel to functioning member of society, how a form of therapy called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) turned his life around and how his faith gave him a compass to follow towards happiness. We also discuss how we practically help incels ascend like he did, making sure the next generation of men and boys follow the right path and avoid labelling them as inherently toxic. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can subscribe to both of Matt's YouTube channels below: 'How To Help Incels': https://www.youtube.com/@docmh'Dad Helping Dads': https://www.youtube.com/@dadhelperSupport 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 deep and detailed discussions of sexual abuse and suicide, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

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In episode 171 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with freelance writer Freddie deBoer.Freddie started his career from his public library when he started his own blog whilst in a period of unemployment. After fellow writer and gay rights trailblazer Andrew Sullivan shared his third blog post on his own hugely popular blog, it exploded and he has been writing ever since. In recent years, he is now on SubStack where he writes about mental health, politics, media and lots of other issues. In this episode we discuss his writing journey, how he became disillusioned from the mental health ‘community’ and why and his Bipolar Disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2002 when he was 20 years old.Freddie has had several breakdowns because of his Bipolar. He ended up in a state psychiatric hospital on one occasion and had another well-publicised breakdown where he ended up attacking a fellow journalist and writer Malcolm Harris with baseless accusations of sexual criminality and it cost a lot of his reputation as a result. We discuss those breakdowns, that incident and how he's tried to repair his career since that moment, where we draw the line between mental health and personal responsibility and the uncomfortable reality that good people, when experiencing serious mental illness can do or say very bad things.As always, #itsokaytovent You can subscribe to Freddie's SubStack here: https://freddiedeboer.substack.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

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In episode 170 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Tim Gibson.Tim is a personal friend of our Founder Freddie Cocker. Tim first came on during the Covid-19 period to talk about his regret at not having friends at school he could talk to about his mental health, overthinking, studying abroad in France and social media perfectionism culture. In part 2 of his journey we discuss a period of mental health difficulty Tim experienced in the second half of the Covid-19 lockdowns after being made redundant from his job. At the same time that his happened, his grandmother also sadly died. We finish by discussing if the ‘roaring 20s’ prediction made by some that would happen post-Covid was false and both Freddie and Tim reflect on where they are as men in life as they reach their late-20s.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to part 1 of Tim's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-36-tim-gibsonSupport 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 in with Dan and Reece from UK-based band Rayowa.

We have already interviewed brothers Mick and Pete Anderson who play percussion and bass in the live band respectively but in this episode we chatted to Dan and Reece who front the band for our longest BTM episode yet!

Dan, Reece and their younger brother Luke all started out in a previous band called Courts which built up its own dedicated following before that project ended. The three of them reflected on the sound they wanted to create going forward and put together a new project now known as Rayowa.

In this episode we talk about their early music journey, transitioning from Courts to Rayowa, their proudest achievements in the band so far, battling music industry politics and work-life balance.

For Dan and Reece's mental health, we discuss their experience of depression, substance abuse, grief and their journey into sobriety and healthy living today.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to Rayowa on streaming platforms below:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6awgjbEndbfu3IpwqKhIFo

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RayowaLife

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/rayowalife

You can follow Rayowa on social media below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayowa/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rayowalife

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Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk

GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health

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Music:

Intro: Rayowa - Chance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6mOAO4vvWU

Outro: Rayowa - Better Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g8gveY6DjU

TRIGGER WARNING; This podcast contains a deep discussion about grief and loss, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

In episode 169 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with journalist Natalie Morris. Since we first chatted in JCIP #41, Natalie has left The Metro and now works freelance.She has also written her first book ‘Mixed/Other’ since then too. In this episode we discuss her decision to go freelance, an exploration of the key themes of the book through a mental health lens and leaving behind the 'Sunday scaries'. Unfortunately, since we last spoke, Natalie also lost her father Tony, a beloved broadcaster and journalist in his own right to cancer in August 2020. We discuss that journey of grief she, her sister and her mum have gone on since his passing and we celebrate the brilliant, loving and larger-than-life character her dad was to so many people, including Natalie. As always, #itsokaytovent You can follow Natalie on social media below:Twitter: https://twitter.com/NmozzYou can purchase a copy of 'Mixed/Other' here: http://hyperurl.co/MixedOtherYou can read Natalie's article we discussed in full here: https://metro.co.uk/2021/01/02/i-had-no-idea-about-the-reality-of-grief-until-my-dad-died-13821249/Listen to Part 1 of Natalie's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-41-natalie-morrisSupport 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 168 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Sicarius McGrath.Sicarius McGrath is a former gang member and street-level arms dealer from Merseyside. He became involved in gangs when he was 15 years old and went to prison when he was 21 for the attempted murder of a man in Birkenhead.Whilst in prison, Sicarius watched an ITV drama series called ‘Little Boy Blue’ which was based on the real life story of the murder of Rhys Jones, an 11-year-old boy who was caught in the crossfire of a gang-related shootout whilst going about his day. Sicarius marks this moment as the turning point for his life and when the penny dropped for him to want to turn his life around and stop young boys and men from going down the path he did. When he came out of prison, he started OCG Solutions UK, an organisation which runs youth rehabilitation programmes to tackle organised crime, young boys caught up in county line drug operations and the victims of grooming by older men into these gangs.In this episode we discuss his journey into criminality, prison, redemption and how he's turned his life around.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Sicarius on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/smcgrath90Support 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 167 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Patricia Faulks.Patricia is the Founder of blog 'Just Me & Lilley' where she writes about being involuntarily childlessness, her life, her wonderful dog Lilley and issues affecting other involuntarily childless people.In Part 2 we reflect on her first episode, how it was received online and how she has grown the platform and done more advocacy work in the last year! We also discuss Patricia’s own self-awareness of her mental health and how the mantra of ‘just reach out’ can be problematic when the reality of that in someone’s life hits. We finish by going in-depth about the current statistics around involuntarily childless people and exploring what societal factors outside of simply infertility are affecting this phenomenon.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can read 'Just Me & Lilley' here: https://www.justmeandlilley.co.uk/You can follow Just Me & Lilley on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justmeandlilley/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustMeandLilleyListen to Part 1 of Patricia's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-92-patricia-faulksSupport 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 166 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with journalist and author Matt Dickinson.Matt is currently senior sports writer at The Times and is the author of two books: ‘Bobby Moore – The Man in Full’ and ‘Manchester United, The Treble and All That’.Matt has worked for The Times for 25 years but when he hit 45 years old, he realised that he had been living life at such a fast-pace in the proverbial rat race of London that in his words, he didn’t have a clue who he was. So, he took stock, evaluated his life and now works part-time studying to become a therapist whilst still working part-time as a football journalist. In this episode we discuss how and why he got into the sports journalism industry, the previous drinking culture that existed in sports journalism and how that’s changed and the competitive nature of the industry too. For Matt’s mental health, we discuss the key moment in his life where he had a mental health epiphany and his therapy journey. We finish by talking about the sudden loss of a childhood friend of Matt’s, the impact that had on his mental health and his attitude towards life from that point onwards.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Matt on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/DickinsonTimesSupport 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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