The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 154 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with George Hodgson. George is the Founder of mental health fashion platform Maison de Choup. George founded Maison de Choup in 2017 and was set up to not only share his story of suffering but also encourage others to share their story, breaking down the stigma of suffering from poor mental health.In this episode we discuss how and why he started the brand, what he wanted to achieve with it and the impact that Covid-19 had on the brand and his mental health. We discuss the irony of trying to run a small business about mental health which can cause mental health difficulties and the next stage of the brand he is taking it on, through working with young creatives and building a new community. For George’s mental health, we discuss his experience of anxiety and panic attacks from an early age, a negative experience with MDMA which triggered an episode of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and a flare up with his anxiety he had in 2018/19. We finish by discussing George's gender stereotype non-conformity as a male and how he's received ignorant comments from people assuming his sexuality.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can visit the Maison de Choup website here: https://maisondechoup.com/You can follow Maison de Choup on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/maisondechoup?lang=en-GBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/maisondechoup/?hl=en You can follow George on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgedavidhodgson/?hl=enListen to the episode Freddie did on George's podcast 'Talkin' About' here: https://soundcloud.com/talkinabout/talkin-aboutventing-with-freddie-cocker-episode-48Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 153 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Sarah Lee. Sarah is a journalist, writer and sub-editor who currently works for BBC London.Sarah wrote an article for the BBC News website about her experience of having stage three malignant melanoma in January 2022, which is the most serious form of skin cancer.Sarah had developed a pea-sized black mole on the top of her scalp and after five months and three different doctors failing to recognise its risk, Sarah was finally diagnosed by a second dermatologist who urgently ordered the surgical removal of the moles.It was then a race against time to begin treatment and underwent surgery to remove 24 lymph nodes. In this episode we discuss her journey into journalism, social class and competition in the industry and why shouting about her work on social media doesn’t come naturally to her. For Sarah’s mental health, we discuss that scary period of her life having melanoma and her relief at finally getting diagnosed, her treatment journey, the mental toll that surgery had on her and how she feels now she’s come out of that period.We also discuss a hugely traumatic event which happened to one of her family members when they were sexually abused after a night out. Sarah had to sit through 2 weeks of court proceedings and she consequently found attending court as a court reporter in her professional life extremely triggering after that trial concluded. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can read Sarah's article on the BBC News website in full here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-62044136You can follow Sarah on social media below:Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahkatelee_Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In this episode of our Behind The Mic series, we checked back in with JCIP #19 guest and headliner for JCIL #4, AMiR.In part two of AMiR's journey, we discuss 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 discuss 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.During lockdown he started drinking alcohol heavily because of his loss of music and he decided he needed to detox to deal with it properly. We also reflect on part one of his podcast and finish by talking about his decision to get his ears pierced. This was a life-long desire for AMiR but was something he always put off because of other people telling him not to. As always, #itsokaytoventBuy tickets for JCIL #4 with AMiR, Sirkett & Leroy Select here: https://helmtickets.com/events/8002/just-checking-in-live-4-with-amir-sirkett-leroy-selectListen to part 1 of AMiR's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-19-amir?in=venthelpuk/sets/behind-the-micListen to AMiR on streaming platforms below: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3sz3zBDijQwZ1isnVqjB3j?si=300a69024c2e493cYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/amirofficialUKFollow AMiR on social media below:Twitter: twitter.com/amirofficialukInstagram: www.instagram.com/amirofficialuk/?hl=enFacebook: www.facebook.com/amirofficialuk/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvkOutro: AMiR - Easy (Optixx Remix): https://open.spotify.com/track/7EW6TtHJIa2zyydF6dwNBs?si=7361b07f37cb4130

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In episode 152 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jackie Kibanza.Jackie is the Founder of La Grâce de Françoise, a platform which aims to bring awareness to and give a voice to male and female survivors of sexual abuse and domestic abuse.Jackie was born originally to immigrant Congolese parents but tragically her mother died when she was a baby and she was fostered by a Dutch family in Holland where she lived until she was 11 years old. After discussions with her foster family, they believed it was right for her to know her biological family and so she moved to the UK where she lived with her biological father until she moved out of home and went to university. Tragically, her biological father also died in 2021 when she was 27 years old so legally she is now an orphan. In this episode we discuss this journey across Europe, her relationship with her identity, her foster parents and biological parents throughout her life and those periods of grief as well. When Jackie was in university, she was also diagnosed with Hodgins Lymphoma and we discuss her struggles with it whilst managing her degree and the resilience she needed to complete her degree. In this episode we discuss this rollercoaster journey of life that Jackie has been on, what La Grâce de Françoise has done for her and the guests she’s interviewed, the special meaning behind its name and how male sexual abuse and domestic abuse survivors are coming more and more to the forefront.As always, #itsokaytoventSubscribe to La Grâce de Françoise on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Ii-2qX6If0OG6pIHH2iKgYou can follow La Grâce de Françoise on social media below:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracedefrancoise/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraceDeFrancoisYou can also follow Jackie on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiekibs/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 151 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with photojournalist Hugh Kinsella-Cunningham.He has covered conflict, health and social issues for The Sunday Times Magazine, The Guardian and National Geographic. He works on assignment for organisations including Save the Children and the United Nations and his work has been recognised by Amnesty International and the Sony World Photography awards.Hugh currently works in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country which has been synonymous with civil war and intense and brutal conflict for decades. Hugh has worked in the country for four years and is an expert in the geopolitical landscape and the reality of what is going on. In this episode we discuss his route into photography and photojournalism and why he made the choice to move to the DRC and cover this appalling conflict where war crimes like using rape as a weapon of war and the sexual abuse of girls, women and young boys have been committed. We provide an informative look at the history of the country, the mental stress of doing his job of reporting on the wars in the country and hearing these heart-breaking and horrific stories from its victims. For Hugh’s mental health, we discuss the isolation and loneliness that comes with travelling around the world for his work, not being able to vent to his friends and family about his work because of how detached and abstract it is from their lives and the anxiety he can feel before starting a particular story.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can see more of Hugh's work and find out more about him on his website here: https://www.hughcunninghamphotography.com/Follow Hugh on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hughkinsellacunningham/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 150 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we took it back to where it all began by checking back in with JCIP #1 guest, poet and mental health advocate, Tim Fletcher.In Part 2 of Tim's journey, we reflect on the first episode and how far he has come, how far our Founder Freddie Cocker has come and how Vent has grown alongside his mental health recovery. We delve into why the current political climate, specifically the cost of living crisis and climate change have caused Tim mental health difficulty in recent years, what he is doing to manage it and his hopes and ambitions for the future. We finish by talking about his beloved cocker-spaniel dog Fred and how he helped him with his mental health through the Covid-19 pandemic. Thank you to all the Venters who have helped us reach JCIP #150 and supported us in the last 3 years since the podcast started. Here's to the next 150 JCIPs!As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 149 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with William Jones-Warner.Will is is an immunologist and photographer currently living in London. Will’s photography focuses largely on nature, wildlife and travel. He has produced images for a number of large outdoor brands such as Arc’teryx UK, Sun God and Lindewerdelin and done collaborations with athletes in the outdoor sphere.He is currently working on a special personal project where he is capturing his loved ones and close friends, which we discuss in this episode.In this episode we also discuss how he got into photography and why he loves it, how photography helps keep his mental health balanced and taught him skills like patience and persistence.For Will's mental health, we discuss his move to London for work, managing the ups and downs that come with living in the capital and life generally too.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Will's photography work by visiting his website here: https://www.williamjoneswarner.com/You can follow him on social media and his different work streams below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoneswarner/Instagram (travel): https://www.instagram.com/wjwtravel/Instagram (wildlife & nature): https://www.instagram.com/wjwnature/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 148 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Dulcie Jones. Dulcie currently works as a support time recovery worker in the NHS. Dulcie always had an ambition to become a therapist and during the first Covid-19 lockdown, she felt the urge to pursue this dream fully and left her previous job as a casting director in the arts industry. Dulcie’s day-to-day now involves supporting clients with severe mental health challenges or conditions to reintegrate into society, stop them feeling isolated and improve their independence. In this episode we talk about the work she does, her ambitions in the future to become a fully qualified therapist and the satisfaction she gets from her job. For Dulcie’s mental health, it revolves around a period of difficulty aged 11 where she was sick once in school. After that moment, Dulcie began having panic attacks that she would be sick again and became absent from school until her school nurse recommended she be checked for diabetes to find out what was going on. After many tests, Dulcie was told by her doctors that the problem was completely mental and she then went on an intense course of therapy to find out what the problem was and overcome it. We talk about that process, where the trigger for this fear of vomiting came from and how she looks back on it now as an adult. As always, #itsokaytoventSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 147 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with sports journalist Oli Fisher.Oli is the Co-Owner and Editor-in-Chief of SempreMilan, a football platform dedicated to providing the best news, features and match English-language coverage of Serie A football team AC Milan. The platform formed in January 2016 and in this episode we discuss how Oli broke into sports journalism, founding SempreMilan alongside his co-founders Gianmario and Isak, turning it into his career and the impact that Covid-19 had on the platform.For Oli’s mental health, we talk about the positives he’s had in his life having a supportive nuclear family and a great network of friends and partner. We also discuss his move to London and losing his Friday night routine with his group of school friends as well as his journey of education on mental health through his partner and previous JCIP guest Jordyn experiencing the mental health difficulties she has had in her life.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Oli on social media below: Twitter: https://twitter.com/olifisherSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 146 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 2 of her mental health journey, we discuss her diagnosis in March 2020 of a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia and the impact that has had on her physical and mental health.Since we last checked in, Claudia has also made the decision to no longer identify as non-binary and has changed her pronouns back to 'she/her' and we explore this decision and what it represents for her values and identity going forward.She has also gotten back in touch with her faith, found a new church community in London and we talk about how she's built her relationship with God and this new pillar of support her church has given her. We finish by discussing how she's become more self-aware of her autism diagnosis, her asexuality and how she views labels now.As always, #itsokaytovent You can listen to Part 1 of Claudia's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-47-claudia-van-nimwegenYou can follow Claudia on social media below: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/claudi.van/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukGoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-healthMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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