The Mental Health Revolution Podcast

“I had planned how to die – I didn’t know how to live.”

In this episode of a Mental Health Revolution in the Workplace, Marilyn Hawes explains the impact of the grooming and sexual abuse of her three sons, and how her ‘greatest calling’ came out of the pain is generated.

We go on to talk about how the after-effects can seep far and wide into adulthood and the workplace, and what employees can do to counteract these effects.

Founder and CEO of Freedom From Abuse Marilyn Hawes is a former music teacher whose three sons were sexually groomed and assaulted by their headteacher, a close family friend.

In 2002 the police knocked on her door at home to say “your three boys are being sexually abused by the headteacher at the school where you are deputy's head”. Having pleaded guilty the judge gave the headteacher a suspended sentence. Marilyn took the case to the court of appeal and he was sent down. Because Marilyn did not want other families to go through the trauma she and her family had suffered she began “Enough Abuse”. In 2013 it became a charity and in September 2017 she was awarded “The Most Inspirational Woman of 2017” for the work she has done in educating schools, parents, and children in “grooming” the preamble to child sexual abuse. In May 2018 Marilyn set up “Freedom From Abuse”. Because of the increasing demand from families and the need to act quickly she decided to move from a charity to a company.

So she can deliver a more comprehensive service more efficiently to both prevent abuse and support the abused to rebuild their lives and THRIVE.

As Marilyn’s own knowledge and expertise grew, she became more involved professionally in the world of child protection and safeguarding and set up the charity Enough Abuse UK in 2004.

Today, when she is not presenting training in schools up and down the country, Marilyn is to be found delivering her pragmatic views about child abuse on the likes of BBC Radio and TV, local radio stations, Sky News, ITN, and LBC.

Marilyn Hawes has been Vice Chairman of Governors for nine years at a C of E aided school.

Read A Mother’s Story – Marilyn’s personal recollection of the traumatic aftermath of her boys’ abuse.

https://freedom-abuse.org/

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In this episode of the Mental Health Revolution Podcast, Jean Davison tells of the disturbing chain of events that unfolded when, as a teenager, she became a 'voluntary' patient in the psychiatric system (1968-1974). Heavy drugs and electric shock treatment reduced her to a zombie. Years later, she found she had been given a 'schizophrenia' diagnosis immediately on entering the system.

Since 'jumping out of the net', she married, and while working full-time as a medical secretary, she studied at evening classes, gaining a 1st class degree in combined studies (psychology and literature) and, later, an advanced certificate in counselling skills. After twelve years as a mental health support worker and trainer for Mind, she is now enjoying devoting much of her time to her childhood ambition of becoming a writer.

Her memoir 'The Dark Threads' (published by Headline Accent) can be purchased through Amazon or good bookshops.

Her blogsite address is www.jeanmdavison.wordpress.com and she is on Twitter @jeandavisonTDT and on Facebook.

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On the 13th February 2011, Rob Stewart had what can only be described as one of the worst days in his life. Sitting in a police station, hearing the news that no father would ever want to hear. After seven weeks of anguish and torment, his daughter's body had been found. Six months of non-stop intrusion followed from the media, a high-profile murder trial, and then the stark reality of trying to find a job at the age of 55.

In this episode of The Mental Health Revolution, Rob talks candidly about how he coped emotionally with this traumatic event, and what drives him now, both professionally and personally.

Rob Stewart is Group Sales & Marketing Director for LPD Doors & Furniture, a Leeds-based importer, manufacturer, and distributor of internal and external doors.

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Allister Frost co-founded his own tech business at 17-years-old. He is now an experienced technology advisor: mentoring startups and providing investors with due diligence in areas of AI, Blockchain, AR/VR technologies (often as a CTO). His career to date spans the realms of building PCs, website design, consulting on (financial, government, media, and pharmaceutical) logistics; telecoms projects for ‘Bluechips’ (CGI, Fujitsu, Microsoft, Vodafone), as well as sessional lecturing.

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Julie has worked with over 20,000 Leaders at every level of Management and Leadership for over 30+ years. The latter years working with CEOs, SMTs, boards of trustees & Entrepreneurs.

She is a Coach, a Mentor, a Trainer, an Author, a property investor, and a public speaker.

In this episode of the Mental Health Revolution in the Workplace, Julie talks extensively about the role of stress, and how it relates to your mental wellbeing, busts a few myths, and gives some brilliant advice on spotting the early signs.

She also goes extensively into what team leaders and line managers should look out for to ensure their team is working in a healthy and productive way.

You can reach Julie Hogbin on all the usual social media channels. Her website is www.juliehogbin.com 

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Janey Lee Grace is an author, commentator, and co-presenter on the UK’s biggest radio show, BBC Radio 2’s  Steve Wright in the Afternoon.  Janey has written five books on Holistic living including the #1 Amazon best seller Imperfectly Natural Woman and currently writes columns for many magazines, and runs training workshops and consultations on Media Breakthrough for holistic businesses and solopreneurs. 

Janey used to wake up at 3 am hating herself for drinking too much, until the ‘wine witch’ came calling at 6 pm the next day and it started all over again. In 2018 she quit for ‘Dry January’ and never looked back.

She had stopped before, but this time was different. Why? Because she became aware of a whole new world of possibility!

She saw that alcohol had been stealing her joy, and being sober made her brave! She knew she needed emotional support, encouragement, and the right nutrition and lifestyle advice to really make this behavioral change.

She started the podcast Alcohol-Free Life (200K downloads), and gave a TEDx talk Sobriety Rocks – Who Knew! She is also trained in EFT and as an optimum health and wellbeing coach working with grey area drinkers to help them overcome the ‘alcohol obstacle’.  Her online support platform, The Sober Club, is an amazing hub of inspirational resources and a rocking community where people support each other.

If you’re interested in cutting the booze, you can check out Janey’s Club here - https://www.thesoberclub.com/.

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Craig Brookes is the co-founder and director of Sheffield-based Correct Choice Windows & Doors.

After years of battling depression and anxiety, Craig managed to pull himself back from the brink and has gone on to build a successful and profitable business.

He has also become a bit of a Linkedin sensation, with over 11,000 followers checking daily into often funny, sometimes brutal, daily posts and videos, which cut through the BS about running and building a successful window business.

You can follow Graig here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-brookes-24176310b/

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The next few weeks and months are going to be incredibly tough for everyone, without exception. I've highlighted three key areas for you to focus on to keep a check on your own emotional wellbeing and to keep a check on those you are working with.

Needless to say, if ANYONE needs to rant, rave, talk ANYTHING through, completely confidentially, simply Whatsapp me on 07904 345354, and we can set up a time to talk.

I MEAN IT!

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John Hewitt is the CEO and chairman of the Glazerite Group of window manufacturers. John tragically lost his daughter Kelly to suicide, when she was just 24 years old. He has since dedicated his time and passion to raising awareness of mental health issues and has created the charity We Mind and Kelly Matters, raising £125,000 to help fund mental health initiatives in schools.

In this update to his first podcast interview, John talks about the recent fundraising bike ride he organised from John O’Groats to Lands End, and how the experience of reaching out for help when struggling is a reflection of how we need to do the same when the going gets tough in life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

VALUABLE RESOURCES

You can find out more about John’s charity We Mind & Kelly Matters via the website:

https://www.wemindandkellymatters.co.uk/ 

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Kate talks to Chaya Grossberg, a consultant specialising in the treatment of people coming off psychiatric medication, whose own journey began with an extensive and damaging relationship with these drugs.

Fortunately, Chaya was able to connect with a community determined to help people release themselves from the hold of this medication. Since then, Chaya has become a fierce proponent of ensuring that others can take the same steps she did. 

In this frank conversation, Chaya shares her own journey, as well as some of the advice that changed her life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

BEST MOMENTS 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Mental Health Revolution Podcast

Chaya Grossberg: Freedom From Psychiatric Drugs - https://chayagrossberg.com/2355-2/

Chaya Grossberg - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chayagrossberg/?hl=en

Chaya Grossberg - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6nm1hQ7fJgFAOTQMgaDrnQ  

ABOUT THE HOST

Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives.

Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general.

Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual.

CONTACT METHOD

You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/

You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

www.kateashleynorman.com

You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819

Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: [email protected]

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