The Just Checking In Podcast

In episode 318 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Canadian lawyer Eric Frydman.We first checked in with Eric in January 2024 in JCIP #222, which formed part of two episodes we did covering the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Eric providing the perspective from a Jewish perspective. Since that date, Eric founded the Canadian Jewish Lawyers Association in the summer of 2024, which has grown to over 1,000 members in that time.Through that role, he has also run several public events and created a cultural exchange programme with Ethiopian Israeli young people.For Eric’s continued mental health journey, it centres on the death of his father, who died on New Years Eve in 2024. His father had been diagnosed with cancer several years ago, but he was also diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) a year and a half ago at time of recording, which accelerated his decline. In this episode we discuss his continued professional journey, the life and death of his father and how the grief impacted his mental health, having to navigate 'death admin' and family politics at the same time, and where his mental health is now.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to Part 1 of Eric's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-222-eric-frydmanSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 317 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Russell Payne. Russ is the Founder of The Talking Tradesman (TTT) podcast and also a qualified painter and decorator. Since he started the podcast in November 2023, TTT aims to entertain, connect and raise mental health awareness for tradespeople throughout the UK.Since we first checked in, in JCIP #241, the podcast has gone from strength to strength. In November 2024, he took a huge risk and bought a plot on his local high street with the aim of refurbishing it and turning it into a brand-new studio for the podcast. In January 2025, the studio was finished and he sat down to record with his first guest in it. The podcast is now in the top 250 podcasts in the world, and has over 12,000 followers on Instagram and over 10,000 on TikTok, with brands across the trades sector approaching him for sponsorship opportunities now. In Part 1 of Russ's journey, we discussed the genesis of the podcast, the origins of his journey of self-development and mental health education, the stigma that exists in the trades sector and how Russ is tackling it. We also discussed his own mental health journey, which included his parents’ divorce, his own divorce from his first wife, fatherhood, his relationship with his father and his goal to become a therapist in the future. In Part 2, we discuss: the explosion in growth TTT has had and what’s been key to it, how he’s developed as a presenter and editor, adjusting to the role of gamekeeper on the podcast, and the weight of responsibility he now feels as the pod has grown to where it has. For Russ’s continued mental health journey, we discuss how he’s become hyper self-aware of his own mental health, how he sometimes struggles to switch off, and navigating the reality when people now come up to him and disclose their mental health history, often unprovoked. In June/July 2024, his wife also went through severe mental health difficulties after she had to close her business, and we discuss how Russ and his wife navigated it, the guilt he felt when he didn’t spot the red flags in his wife straight away, and how they both came out the back of it and moved forward.We finish by discussing the ‘Climb from Darkness’ he did with 20 men and women in May 2025 when they climbed Snowdon Mountain in Wales. They set off at midnight and summitted the mountain at sunrise, as an analogy for overcoming a mental health crisis by climbing out of the darkness. The group raised over £7,000 for the charity The Lost City, who help provide funding for therapy sessions for construction workers.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can listen to The Talking Tradesman on streaming platforms below: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kgT8QKfW4xzBG8U6XC57mYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTalkingTradesmanYou can follow The Talking Tradesman on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_talking_tradesman/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.talking.tradesmanYou can listen to Part 1 of Russ's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-241-russell-payneSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 316 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Brian Kapuku.Brian Kapuku is the man behind ‘Read with Kapz’, a book review social media platform he runs, which has amassed over 33,000 followers on TikTok and over 41,000 followers on Instagram in just a year and a half, when he set it up in January 2024. We first checked in with Brian all the way back in July 2020, in JCIP #44! We discussed his experience of being bullied in secondary school, racism and his journey in law up to that point.In Part 2, we discuss the incredible rise of Read with Kapz and how he’s grown the platform, his favourite books he’s reviewed, what he loves about reading and some of his favourite pieces of feedback he's had from his followers. For Brian’s continued mental health journey, we discuss how he adjusted to the new world after the Covid-19 pandemic and his engagement to his fiancé in August 2025.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Read with Kapz on social media below: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@readwithkapzInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/readwithkapz/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 315 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with George Mycock. George is the Founder of MyoMinds, a platform which aims to bring awareness of a form of BDD called Muscle Dysmorphia (MD), demystify mental health for exercisers and athletes and to create an understanding future for the exercising community.He is also currently finishing his PHD at the University of Worcester, studying muscularity oriented psychosocial issues in men.We first checked in with George in JCIP #228 in February 2024, before checking in with him and another great friend of the pod, Danny Bowman in JCIP #266, in November 2024. In this Part 2, (and unofficially Part 3) we have an update about George’s PHD, including the results of a study he conducted about men with EDs and what he discovered about the ED services in the UK and what they do and don’t do for men. We also discuss the stresses and all-consuming nature of a PHD, comparison culture he’s experienced to other academics in his position, the lack of work-life balance in academia and why he doesn’t give himself enough credit for his own work and how far he’s come with it. For George’s continued mental health journey, we reflect on his journey since his pod with Danny, how he aims to move forward once his PHD has completed and that chapter of his life closes.We also discuss his struggles in social settings, how his PHD has impacted that, panic attacks he has been having, at their worst on a daily basis and how talking therapy has helped alleviate them.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about MyoMinds here: https://linktr.ee/MyoMindsYou can follow MyoMinds on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myo_minds/You can listen to Part 1 of George's journey, and his episode with Danny Bowman below: Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-228-george-mycockDanny & George: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-266-danny-bowman-george-mycockSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 314 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Loti Diangana-Nambombe.Loti works as Charity Lead for the Make Life Kind Foundation (MILK).He also works as Relationship Manager for MILK’s education programme, MILK Unbottled.MILK Unbottled partner with youth clubs, football clubs, community hubs, and local organisations across the UK to deliver powerful youth workshops and talks that tackle real-world challenges.They address critical issues such as knife crime, misogyny, social media, anti-racism, body confidence and rising mental health concerns.Loti started working for MILK six years ago when the Foundation’s owner Emma Walsh came across posts he was writing on LinkedIn about his mental health journey.In this episode we first discuss Loti’s mental health journey, which began when he was born in Angola and then moved to Belgium as a baby where he lived until he was 10 years old.He then moved to the UK in 1998, specifically London where he lived in a variety of places in London, before moving permanently to Manchester in 2000 where he lived for the next 25 years.During childhood, his father was an authoritative figure and beat Loti regularly.These experiences and the lack of love he felt for and from his father traumatised him and in his words, was the catalyst for his mental health struggles.When he was 15, he visited his GP to disclose his mental health difficulties and at 17 was prescribed antidepressants for the first time.Growing up, people often said he had a personality disorder but he always laughed them off as jokes.As he became an adult, he began to use alcohol as a coping mechanism, and it soon became an addiction.He had become a father by this point, and had separated from the mother of his child, with his addiction causing massive damage to the relationships around him.In 2019 the addiction and his mental health difficulties spiralled and resulted in a breakdown. On 11th January of that year, he went to the gym one day like normal, but then proceeded to go to a place where he could take his own life.Thankfully, Loti did not go through with that plan and he is here today to check in with me.In March 2020, he was formally diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and from there, he began his mental health recovery.In this episode we chart that mental health journey, from Angola to the UK, fatherhood, addiction, BPD and everything in-between.We then discuss the brilliant work he does with MILK, the work they do with young people and the impact they have, becoming a role-model for young men and how he adapted to that, given his childhood with his own father.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Loti on social media below:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/loti-nambombe-830360108/You can find out more about MILK Unbottled here: www.unbottled.co.uk/.You can follow MILK on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milk_education/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 313 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with journalist Andy Hayward. We first checked in with Andy in February 2024 in JCIP #229, where we discussed a documentary he produced and directed about Putin’s Russia called ‘Warped by War: Inside Putin’s Russia’. We also discussed his conflict journalism career up to that point, work-life balance and how his family’s military background shaped his upbringing and his mental health. Since then, for reasons we will expand on in this podcast, Andy has stepped away from conflict journalism into more traditional journalism, has entered the YouTube space and has gotten married! In this episode we check in about all of those updates, how he plans to shape his USP as a journalist content creator on YouTube, where he sees the journalism industry going in the next 5-10 years, and the important role his wife plays when he experiences tough times in work and life.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can subscribe to Andy's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@AndyHaywardJournoYou can follow Andy on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DAYuK3nClJX/You can listen to Part 1 of Andy's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-229-andy-haywardSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 312 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Neil Peters. Neil is the Founder of Nuthatch Consultants, a suicide prevention and consultancy which works with public health, charities and business to reduce suicide and improve mental wellbeing.As part of Nuthatch, Neil also runs Nuthatch Retreats.Nuthatch Retreats uses nature to support people’s wellbeing, creating opportunities for people to get outside and take part in activities such as mindfulness and forest bathing.Prior to starting Nuthatch, Neil worked at the Samaritans charity for 10 years, before leaving them in 2020 when he had the desire to use nature and the outdoors to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing.In this episode we chart the journey of Nuthatch and the work they provide for their service users, what his retreats offer in-depth and his most recent work with fathers.For Neil’s mental health, his mental health difficulties started after he had got married and become a father when he began experiencing low level anxiety and depression. He stopped using some of the release valves which had previously been working for him, like playing sport, being outside and seeing his friends.In 2017 he accessed the Samaritan’s in-house counselling service, and in 2022/2023 he accessed a ‘walking therapist’ as well. We explore why that walking therapist was helpful for him vs sit-down traditional therapy, how that could work as a method for more men as it utilises the walk and talk and where he is now with his mental health.As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Nuthatch Retreats here: https://linktr.ee/nuthatchretreatsYou can follow them on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuthatchretreats/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 311 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with journalist Christian Hewgill. We first checked in with Christian in December 2022, in JCIP #160!At that point in time, he had recently left the BBC where he worked on BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat programme as a reporter and presenter for five years, and was working freelance. In 2025, he is still working freelance but in 2023, his old work colleague, Radio 1 presenter, DJ and superstar Greg James messaged him to ask him to form a super-team of presenters and co-host a new Formula One podcast, ‘The Fast and The Curious’. Alongside Greg and sports journalist Betty Glover, they began carving out a unique space in the F1 podcast space, being able to cater to F1 aficionados and new, casual fans, young and old alike. Since then, the podcast has exploded in popularity, with the three of them hosting live shows at F1 races at Monaco and Silverstone, securing interviews with the top stars in Formula One, including drivers like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and Team Principals like McClaren’s Zak Brown and now worldwide star and former Team Principal for Haas, Gunther Steiner. As well as this new adventure, Christian co-hosts another F1 podcast, ‘F1 Explains’, which is aimed at helping people learn more about the sport – and is an official Formula 1 podcast.In Part 2 of his journey, we discuss this massive change in Christian’s journalism career. We talk about how he’s adapted to the increased level of fame he now has, some of his favourite episodes, his relationship with Betty and Greg, his growth as a presenter and the reality of running a podcast, even one as big as FAC. For Christian’s continued mental health journey, it hasn’t been as plain sailing in the last three years. First of all, in 2023, his relationship with his then partner of 10 years ended, which naturally caused a lot of mental health difficulties in adapting to life without that person in his life.Then, also in 2023, Christian’s mum was diagnosed with dementia, which took hold very quickly, and his dad had to take on a new role from purely loving husband to full-time carer for her too.In addition, Christian’s dad also had a heart attack, which naturally caused Christian a lot of stress and upheaval.Thankfully, Christian is now in a new relationship, and engaged! However, his mum’s dementia has remained difficult to deal with on a weekly basis. We discuss the grief he has experienced for the loss of the person his mum was, the relationship breakup, his dad’s heart attack and his relationship with his dad now, following his mum’s dementia diagnosis.As always, #itsokaytovent You can follow Christian on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christian_hewgill/You can subscribe to The Fast and The Curious here: https://linktr.ee/thefastandthecuriousYou can follow the podcast on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fastcuriouspod/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fastcuriouspodYou can listen to Part 1 of Christian's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-160-christian-hewgillSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 310 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Sam Northwood. We first checked in with Sam Northwood in November 2021 in JCIP #77! In his Part 1 we discussed his journey of acceptance as a gay man, the difficulties he had during his university degree, and his love of cooking, which manifested in his ‘Sam Well Cooks’ Instagram page. In those four years, Sam may have found an answer as to why he struggled in university, because in February 2025 he was formally diagnosed with ADHD.In this episode, we first discuss his new clothing brand, ‘Not Made For This, which he co-founded with his partner and the first man to ever write for VENT outside of our Founder Freddie, Steve Hanmer.We talk about Sam's new journey of entrepreneurship, burnout from his last full-time job which caused him to resign from it, and the ups and downs of running a start up business.For Sam’s continued mental health journey, we discuss that ADHD diagnosis, his and Steve’s decision to postpone their wedding for financial reasons, and how he’s adjusted to people in his life reaching out to him and confiding in him because of his openness about his ADHD. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Not Made For This here: https://notmadeforthis.co.uk/You can follow Not Made For This on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/not.madeforthis/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@not_madeforthisYou can listen to Part 1 of Sam's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-77-sam-northwoodSupport Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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In episode 309 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Georgie J.Georgie is a marketing professional, describing herself as a ‘disruptive marketer’, and works in the men’s space, as well as with other brands in contentious topics who wish to work with her.However, Georgie began her career in a very different space, as she completed her university degree in contour fashion, before completing her first internship in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and switching career path into social media. She worked with a lot of feminist accounts and brands before, in her words, she began to move away from that political arena. In this episode we discuss her professional journey, how her political views have changed and evolved over the last few years, and the impact that her partner and previous guest George from TheTinMen had on her in exposing her to a lot of issues men face. Some of these issues include domestic abuse, sexual abuse, family breakdown and fatherlessness.For Georgie’s mental health journey, we discuss her upbringing and growing up in a household that in her words was ‘angry’, her diagnosis of ADHD and how, unlike many of her peers, her ADHD presented much more male-typical and the possible reasons behind that.We also discuss her masculine traits more generally and how she balances her feminine and masculine traits and behaviours in harmony, the challenges girls like her face now in not being pigeonholed or stigmatised because of them, and using nature as a tool to benefit her mental health when she experiences Seasonal Affective mood changes. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can follow Georgie on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegorgii/Support Us:Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpukPayPal: paypal.me/freddiec1994?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBMerchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shopMusic: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

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