In this short preview of Ep. 5 I talk to Leah who is a Life Coach with a focus on woman’s wellness. This episode is all about the mind-body connection and Leah’s approach to coaching her clients taking a holistic approach; looking at hormones, the biological connection, mindset and how this plays out within mental health. She affirms with us “You are worth loving!” as she recollects work with her clients and how this powerful statement can be transformative for some of her clients! She shares with me some personal accounts of mental health in her family; and finally we learn a little bit about Tennessee! Leah is a US based Life Coach with a degree in Psychology, she is a pre-med student hoping to study to qualify as a Naturopathic doctor. She also is an accredited Advanced EMT & has worked in a jail as a nurse. You can find out more about Leah’s business at: https://www.livinghealthywithleah.com/ This preview is a culmination of clips from the full episode. Disclaimer: We are not a medical podcast and any information herein is not intended to be used as substitute for your doctors advice. Special thanks to Leah for coming on and sharing her practise and experiences with us!

* DISCLAIMER: Please always seek your doctors medical advice; we do not intend for this information to be used as a substitute for your doctors medical opinion. The views expressed herein are not reflective of The Speak Up Podcast as a platform, or myself as host, however we recognise the importance of alternate treatment options and being forward thinking in the approach to healthcare. In this full episode 4; I talk to Zachary about his condition, Major Depressive Disorder, known as ‘treatment resistant depression’ in psychiatric circles. He comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience, as a trained therapist with some psychiatric nurse experience; he chronicles his own personal experience of having been sectioned in his younger years and struggling through school. He then used his lived experience to his advantage when he trained as a therapist; going on to get involved with various mental health focussed initiatives in his local area. Zac sits on the Board of Governors for his local NHS Trust in a Governance role. In the latter part of the episode Zac talks about taking part in a NHS clinic trial; having TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, in conjunction with Ketamine. He believes Ketamine is the way forward for his condition having tried various medications; Zac makes the case that it should be widely available on the NHS, having even less side effects than traditional anti-depressants currently been prescribed. He is passionate about wanting to open up a regional Ketamine clinical hub in his area for the treatment of MDD. Please note, the views herein are not necessarily the views of the podcast or myself, and therefore not reflective of The Speak Up Podcast, however, on the whole as host I do think Zac has some interesting points and we should be forward thinking about treatments offered on the NHS. Ketamine is not widely available publicly in the UK, although privately a nasal spray - ‘Esketamine’ - is available at a cost. Zac touches on the need to balance cost-effective treatments with what actually works, which would be more cost effective than having the same treatment over and over again. I hope you guys enjoy the journey as we talk to our guest about his unique experiences. KEYWORDS: TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Ketamine, Esketamine, NHS, Clinical Trials, Major Depressive Disorder, Antidepressants, Mirtazapine, Anti-Psychotics, Medications, Treatment Resistant Depression, MDD, Alternate treatments.

In this three part preview of Episode 4: I talk to Zachary, a therapist and former trained psychiatric nurse with experience as a guest lecturer to students around mood disorders, medication, and his own lived experience of mental health. He also has experience as a subcontracted CQC inspector. He talks candidly about his diagnosis of treatment resistant depression. In this excerpt he talks about advocacy and fighting the system. He answers my question “How would you fix the system if I appointed you Director General of the NHS?”, talking about slashed budgets, shortsightedness of the system, and a reluctance to change. Lastly, he talks about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation & partaking in a Ketamine clinical trail for his treatment resistant depression. Ketamine is not available on the NHS outside of trials; and Zac wants to have the drug be available on the NHS and states the case for it been more affordable and risk averse compared to existing drugs on the market. He also talks about existing medications such as Mirtazapine and their own side effects and the reluctancy around Ketamine use in the NHS. This is only so preview of the full episode which will be available very soon! *Disclaimer* We are not a medical podcast and you should not use any information herein as a substitute for your doctors advice. KEYWORDS: TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Ketamine, Mirtazapine, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Advocacy, Governance, Psychiatry, Therapy, EMS, Ketamine therapy, NHS, Service Improvement, Service Delivery.

A short segment of episode 3 - Speaking Up about ADHD with LabyrinthMind

In this episode we talk to our guest speaker ‘Lab’ about ADHD, a neuro-developmental condition which can affect cognition, attention amongst other things. She gives us an insight into how the condition has impacted her life, and the long arduous journey to diagnosis in her thirties. To include been misdiagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, with this making it difficult to get the right treatment or be listened too. We touch on the issues with getting the right support in a struggling health service; and Lab also shares what coping strategies worked for her as well discussing news articles in the media around ADHD that are contributing to misinformation around the condition. Lab also shares with listeners her final words of advice for those struggling through with getting diagnosis or help. This is sure to make an interesting listen for those that are struggling through their own personal battles with a health service that struggles to manage the complexities of mental health crisis in the UK. Please note, we are not a medical podcast and we are not qualified professionals; please don’t use this information as a substitute for advice from your doctor. This is for informational purposes only. Also, we are in no way been defamatory towards the health services or individuals; but we speak from our own personal lived experiences.

A preview of what’s to come in episode 3. We speak to ‘Lab’ about her ADHD, her journey to diagnosis and the difficulties with misdiagnosis & more!

This episode is split into two parts; in the first I talk about what keeps depression and anxiety going: “Cognitive Distortions” which are flawed thinking patterns. There are many but I cover some common ones with a view to allowing you to recognise these in yourself. Part two: I discuss NHS vs private healthcare; pros and cons in my experience and what to expect. I also discuss the ways to find a private therapist, the cost and the going rate. Disclaimer: I’m not a professional so this is intended for information only. Please see your GP if concerned. I have about 15 yrs of living experience with mental health issues so I hope you get some value out of this episode.

In this trailer I will highlight topics of discusssion. Ep2 will be split in two. Section 1: What keeps anxiety and depression going? Talks about cognitive distortions. Section 2: discusses differences between public and private healthcare options in the UK for mental health. Pros and cons. Tips on how to find a private psychotherapist.

I talk about my own mental health journey, childhood - how it all started, depression, anxiety, paranoia and suspected autism. How to cultivate self worth, getting some perspective/fact checking, doing something for you, and getting a sense of community. Please see my 5 key takeaways toward the end!

Introducing podcast trailer preview