Thick No More

Ever walked into the kitchen, grabbed something to eat and then realised you weren't even hungry?

Or promised yourself you'd start eating better, exercising or getting into a routine on Monday… only for everything to fall apart by Wednesday?

What if it's not simply a lack of willpower?

This week on Thick No More, I'm joined by the brilliant ADHD coach Caitlyn Haselgrove for an honest, funny and sometimes very personal conversation about ADHD, food, dopamine and our complicated relationship with ourselves.

We explore:

• Why ADHD can make our relationship with food so complicated.

• Emotional eating, impulsivity and chasing that dopamine hit.

• Why being told to "just have more discipline" isn't always helpful.

• The connection between ADHD, habits and exercise.

• Binge eating, guilt and learning to be kinder to ourselves.

• Why small changes can make a bigger difference than chasing perfection.

Caitlyn also opens up about her own experiences growing up with ADHD, the challenges she's faced and how those experiences now shape the work she does helping others.

And yes, we even discuss why putting away a pile of clean washing can sometimes feel like climbing Mount Everest! 😂

This isn't a conversation about diets, weight loss or getting the perfect body.

It's about understanding why our brains sometimes make the simplest things feel so bloody difficult.

Because sometimes knowing what we should do and actually being able to do it are two completely different things.

Caitlyn also shares a special 20% discount on her coaching programme for the Thick No More community.

If you've ever felt like you're constantly fighting your own brain, this one's for you.

❤️ Jay

Thick No More — Honest conversations. Real people. No judgement.

Mandi Gosling: ADHD, Lost Years & the Courage to Be Yourself

What happens when you spend 31 years believing you're the problem, only to discover your brain simply works differently?

This week on Thick No More, I'm joined by the incredible Mandi Gosling, Neuralign Global Ambassador, for one of the most honest, emotional and powerful conversations I've had since starting this podcast.

And believe me, this one got to me. ❤️

Mandi opens up about growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, struggling with things everyone else seemed to find easy, and finally receiving her diagnosis at 31.

She talks about something that I think so many adults with late diagnoses will understand.

The grief of lost time.

The missed opportunities. The years of self-doubt. The anxiety. The feeling that you're somehow failing at life when everyone around you seems to have it figured out.

There were laughs, there were tears, and moments where I genuinely struggled to find the words.

But this isn't just a conversation about ADHD.

We talk about the damage labels can do to children, the importance of confidence, and why we desperately need to stop judging people by how their brains work.

Mandi also shares how she became involved with Neuralign, the work they're doing to support children with learning differences, and why she's so passionate about making sure the next generation doesn't grow up feeling the way so many of us did.

And during Dyslexia Awareness Week, I can't think of a better conversation to share.

A massive thank you to Mandi for trusting me with her story, and to Neuralign for bringing us together.

If you've ever felt different, misunderstood, or wondered why life seems harder for you than everyone else, please listen to this episode.

You might recognise a little bit of yourself in Mandi's story.

And remember, different doesn't mean less. 💛

🌐 Website: https://neuralign.org/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuralign_edu/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neuralign

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🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Thick No More — Because nobody deserves to grow up believing they're thick.

💛 Find out more about Neuralign🎙️ Follow Thick No More

At 10 years old, Bernadette Haigh was made to stand in front of a classroom of children and explain why she was repeating the school year.

Her answer?

“I can’t read.”

The shame from that moment stayed with her for decades.

Today, Bernadette is a proud dyslexic, mum, author, mentor and founder of Daring Dyslexic helping parents protect something that can so easily be lost when a child struggles at school: their belief in themselves.

In this episode of Thick No More, Bernadette and I have a very personal conversation about growing up dyslexic, being labelled by education, bullying, parenting neurodivergent children and the damage that can be done when a child starts believing they're stupid.

We also get into:

• Why confidence can matter as much as academic intervention
• The signs that a child's self-esteem may be disappearing
• Why parents shouldn't blame themselves for spotting dyslexia late
• Why Bernadette doesn't share school grades with her children
• The pressure on parents to become advocates, educators and even legal experts
• Whether calling dyslexia a “superpower” can sometimes do more harm than good
• Why understanding your dyslexia can completely change the story you've been telling yourself

And Bernadette shares the moment, aged 35, when she finally received her own dyslexia diagnosis and one thought immediately came into her head:

“So I'm not stupid.”

If you're dyslexic, raising a dyslexic child, teaching one, or supporting someone who is struggling to believe they're capable, this conversation matters.

🎙️ Thick No More with Jay Giddens

Because learning to read matters.

But making sure a child doesn't lose themselves along the way matters too.

At 31 years old, Lisa Marshall's life changed with a knock at the door.

Her husband Alan had died by suicide.

She was suddenly a widow and solo mum to three young children, trying to understand something that made no sense while somehow continuing to make packed lunches, do the food shopping, get the children to school and simply survive.

Recorded on World Suicide Prevention Day, this episode of Thick No More is an incredibly open conversation about what happens after suicide to the people left behind.

Lisa talks about the Alan she knew before his death: funny, kind, a brilliant dad, making plans for holidays, coaching his son's football team and even talking about what he wanted to do for his 40th birthday.

There was no obvious goodbye.

No carefully tied-up loose ends.

And no note explaining why.

Lisa describes the moment police arrived at her home, the shock of being told Alan wasn't coming back, and the unanswered questions that followed.

We talk about something people rarely admit openly after suicide: anger.

Can you desperately love somebody and still hate what they've done?

Can you be furious with them for leaving?

Can you blame yourself for not seeing something that nobody else saw either?

And what happens when the “why?” you're searching for may never have an answer?

Lisa also shares how speaking to people who had survived suicide attempts completely changed her understanding of suicide and challenged beliefs she herself once held.

Then there were the children.

Lisa talks incredibly honestly about having to tell her young sons their dad wasn't coming home, how differently they processed their grief and how one son's distress appeared through intense anger before autism was later identified.

That opens another deeply personal conversation about autism, masking, neurodivergence, parenting and the behaviours we see on the outside versus what may actually be happening underneath.

But this isn't an episode solely about death.

It's also about living.

Lisa remembers laughing just days after Alan died — and the guilt and disbelief that came with discovering she was still capable of it.

We even get into dark humour, dating after bereavement and something called “widow's fire” — which definitely wasn't on my podcast bingo card.

And we talk about why Lisa eventually created The Widow Diaries, the community she couldn't find when she desperately needed it herself, and the extraordinary messages she now receives from people who tell her that seeing her content made them reconsider ending their own lives.

This conversation is raw. At times it's uncomfortable. At others, surprisingly funny.

Because grief isn't one emotion.

And surviving doesn't mean forgetting.

Alan died. Lisa didn't.

Living again doesn't mean loving him less.

🎙️ In this episode we talk about:

• Suicide and the people left behind
• World Suicide Prevention Day
• The unanswered “why” after suicide
• Anger, guilt, blame and rejection
• Why suicidal distress doesn't always look like we expect
• Parenting after the death of a partner
• Explaining suicide to young children
• Autism, masking and neurodivergence
• How grief can appear through behaviour
• Finding joy without feeling guilty
• Dating and intimacy after bereavement
• The Widow Diaries
• Why talking openly about suicide matters
• Finding purpose after unimaginable loss

If this episode makes you think of somebody who needs to hear it, please send it to them.

And if you're struggling yourself, please reach out to someone you trust or an appropriate crisis or suicide-prevention service where you live.

You don't have to carry it alone.

🌶️ Thick No More — real stories, real people, real change.

What happens when the signs were always there, but nobody joined the dots?

Adam Petrie grew up knowing there was a gap between what he was capable of and what he actually produced at school.

He was monitored, labelled and struggled with impulsivity, but it wasn't until the age of 35 that he finally received an ADHD diagnosis.

His reaction?

“YES!”

Because suddenly, decades of his life started to make sense.

In this episode of Thick No More, Adam talks openly about his experience at school, the impact of going unidentified for so long, becoming a teacher himself and recognising the same patterns in the children sitting in front of him.

We talk about why ability and performance are not the same thing, why parents and teachers often hold different pieces of the same puzzle, the children who quietly slip through the cracks, and why waiting until a child reaches crisis before offering support simply isn't good enough.

Adam also shares the story behind Early Signals, the system he's developing to help schools capture those small observations, join the dots earlier and build a clearer picture around a child before those signals become something much bigger.

This is a conversation about ADHD, SEND, education, confidence and what can happen when somebody finally looks beyond the behaviour.

🎙️ Nobody Joined the Dots | Adam Petrie on ADHD, School & the Signs We Miss

Because what a child produces on paper should never define what they're capable of.

Thick No More.

What happens when a child fails the same exam again… and again… and again?

Hannah Gee knows exactly what that looks like.

After watching her son struggle through repeated GCSE Maths and English exams, Hannah recorded an emotional video from her car that resonated with thousands of parents.

But she didn’t stop at sharing her frustration.

She decided to fight for change.

Hannah is the founder of the Fair Exams Campaign, and in this episode of Thick No More, we ask whether our current examination system is really measuring intelligence and ability or simply measuring which young people are best able to succeed within that system.

Hannah shares the reality of watching her son’s confidence disappear, the experience of having to persuade him to attend yet another exam, and why she believes repeatedly putting young people through the same system and expecting a different outcome has to stop.

We also discuss:

🎓 Why Hannah believes exams need to become fairer, not easier

📚 Functional Skills and why Hannah believes they could offer a genuine alternative for some young people

💷 Fair Exams’ calculation that around £338 million is spent each year on GCSE resits

📊 Why Hannah says the average GCSE resit pass rate over the last five years has been around 21%

🧠 The huge disparity Hannah highlights between SEND and non-SEND young people achieving English and Maths GCSEs

❤️ The impact repeated failure can have on confidence, self-esteem and a young person’s relationship with education

📻 Hannah and her son’s appearance on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour

🏛️ What Hannah wants politicians and the Department for Education to do differently

✊ And, most importantly, what we can all do to support Fair Exams

This isn't about lowering standards.

It's about giving young people a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they actually know.

As Hannah says in our conversation:

“We’re trying to make them fairer, not easier.”

SIGN THE PETITION:
Create an applied pathway within GCSE English and Maths, like Functional Skills - Petitions

FAIR EXAMS WEBSITE:
Fairer exams. Fairer futures. — Fairer Exams

FOLLOW FAIR EXAMS ON INSTAGRAM:

Please don't just listen.

Sign the petition. Share it with your school WhatsApp groups. Send it to another parent. Talk about it.

The more people who get behind this campaign, the harder this conversation becomes to ignore.

If this episode resonates with you, please follow Thick No More on Spotify and share this episode with one person who needs to hear it.

Instagram:

Every follow, share and listen helps us take these conversations further.

Because a grade on a piece of paper should never determine a young person's belief in their own intelligence.

You were never thick. You deserved to be understood.

🎙️ Thick No More with Jay Giddens

✍️ SUPPORT THE FAIR EXAMS CAMPAIGN🎙️ FOLLOW THICK NO MORE

Millions of adults with dyslexia still believe they're the problem.

Not because they aren't intelligent.

Because nobody ever explained how their brain actually works.

In this deeply honest conversation, dyslexia coach and author Natalie Brooks joins Jay Giddens to unpack the realities of adult dyslexia—from working memory and masking to confidence, executive function and why so many people spend decades believing they simply aren't good enough.

This isn't another conversation about famous entrepreneurs or "superpowers."

It's about understanding yourself.

Inside this episode you'll discover:

🧠 Why working memory affects conversations, meetings and everyday life

💜 Why confidence isn't just emotional—it changes how your brain functions

🎭 What masking really looks like in adults with dyslexia

💡 Why "picture thinking" can be one of your greatest strengths

📖 The inspiration behind Natalie's new book, Dyslexia Unlocked

Whether you're dyslexic, neurodivergent, a parent, teacher or employer, this episode will leave you understanding dyslexia in a completely different way.

🎙️ Guest: Natalie Brooks
📚 Book: Dyslexia Unlocked

If this conversation resonates with you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

What happens when one of Britain's most recognisable TV personalities becomes one of the country's most powerful voices for neurodivergent families?

In this deeply personal episode of Thick No More, Jay sits down with Carrie Grant MBE to explore autism, education, parenting and the fight for a more inclusive future.

Known by millions from Fame Academy, Pop Idol and decades in television and music, Carrie opens up like never before about receiving her own autism diagnosis later in life, raising neurodivergent children and why she believes our education system is still failing too many families.

Together, Jay and Carrie discuss:

• Receiving an autism diagnosis as an adult
• Why so many autistic girls and women have been overlooked
• The emotional toll carried by SEND parents
• Why schools need a complete rethink
• The power of music and creativity
• Hope, resilience and building communities that truly include everyone
• Why labels should never define potential

This is an honest, emotional and hopeful conversation that every parent, teacher, educator and neurodivergent adult should hear.

If you've ever felt misunderstood, labelled or underestimated, this episode is for you.

🎙️ Don't forget to Follow Thick No More so you never miss an episode.

🎙️ When the Headteacher Becomes the SEND Parent | Kate Manning on Dyslexia, Inclusion & Fixing Education

What happens when the person leading a school suddenly finds themselves fighting the education system as a parent?

In this episode of Thick No More, I sit down with headteacher, SEND advocate and founder of Edgewood School, Kate Manning, for one of the most honest conversations we've had about education.

Kate shares the deeply personal story of supporting her daughter Annie through dyslexia and additional learning needs, while balancing the pressures of leading a school herself.

We discuss why so many parents feel lost in the SEND system, why education often measures compliance instead of capability, and why Kate believes it's time to stop trying to "fix" children and start building schools around how they actually learn.

This conversation also explores AI in education, accessible technology, the future of learning, and Kate's vision for a completely different kind of school designed around inclusion rather than conformity.

If you're a parent, teacher, school leader or simply believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

• Life as both a headteacher and a SEND parent
• Dyslexia, additional needs and the reality families face
• Why so many parents struggle to access the right support
• The emotional impact of raising a neurodivergent child
• AI, accessibility and the future of education
• Why schools should prepare children for life, not just exams
• Building a truly inclusive education system
• Why it's time to celebrate strengths instead of labels

Kate's message is simple but powerful:

"It's not about fixing the child. It's about changing the system around them."

🎙️ Follow Thick No More for more conversations challenging labels, celebrating different ways of thinking and sharing the stories that deserve to be heard.

🔗 Follow Thick No More:
https://linktr.ee/nomorepod

📲 Follow Jay Giddens:
https://www.instagram.com/thicknomorepod

If this conversation resonates with you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

In this episode we discuss:

What happens when a parent is made to believe their child is the problem?

In this powerful episode of Thick No More, I sit down with bestselling author, SEND advocate and campaigner Heidi Mavir to talk about the reality facing thousands of families across the UK.

We discuss why so many parents are left feeling like they've failed, why children are being labelled instead of supported, and why Heidi believes the education system is failing some of the very children it was designed to help.

From school refusal and mental health struggles to SEND reforms, class sizes and the future of education, this is an honest and emotional conversation that every parent, teacher and policymaker should hear.

Heidi also shares the deeply personal story behind her bestselling book, Your Child Is Not Broken, and explains why so many families need to hear that message right now.

Topics covered:

• School avoidance and emotionally based school non-attendance
• Autism, ADHD and neurodiversity
• Why parents blame themselves
• SEND support in UK schools
• Mental health and family wellbeing
• School reform and government policy
• The future of education
• Why community matters for struggling families

If you're a parent fighting for support, a teacher trying to make a difference, or someone who has ever felt labelled, judged or misunderstood, this episode is for you.

🔗 Follow Heidi Mavir
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidimavir
Website: https://www.heidimavir.com

📖 Buy "Your Child Is Not Broken"
https://www.amazon.co.uk

🎙️ Follow Thick No More
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thicknomorepod

🔗 All podcast links:
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