In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked in with one of the leaders in the UK House & Disco scene, Louis La Roche. 

Louis has been in the game since 2008 and came to prominence on a track he made called ‘Love’ which sampled Michael Jackson and was originally mistaken by many people to be a Daft Punk record.
 
He formed his own record label ‘Ever After Records’ in 2008 and has put out three studio albums and 10 EPs. 

He has put out official remixes for the likes of Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, DJ Spiller, Aeroplane, Del Marquis (of the Scissor Sisters) and The Supermen Lovers. 

In this episode we discuss his music journey and being in the game for over 14 years, the difference between being independent and on a record label, the impact that touring has had on his mental health  and having to be a 1-man band as an independent artist. 

We also discuss the challenges he has had in separating Louis La Roche the artist from Brett the man, partner, brother and son, the shyness he had as a child growing up and the brain haemorrhage his mother went through in 2020.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to Louis La Roche on streaming platforms below: 

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/iamlouislaroche
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY4xKzZ46Y38S6f0YwDJTJw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0a03X57i18eG1yBzpmhZAs

Follow Louis La Roche on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlouislaroche
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlouislaroche/?hl=en

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: Louis La Roche & Mylo - Lovers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2vegAxWfh8

Strange - Single

Behind The Decks - Louis La Roche

In the ninety-eighth episode of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with Sinéad Watson. 

Sinéad is a detransitioned woman who has spoken openly about her journey from transition to detransition. 

In this episode we discuss the sexual abuse Sinéad experienced as a child, teenager and young adult and how she says this created her gender dysphoria and fuelled her desire to live as a trans man. 

We discuss the double mastectomy she underwent aged 26, how being on testosterone affected her mental and physical health and her decision to come off it. 

We also discuss her issues with alcoholism and how she came to the realisation that she wanted to desist and live as a natal woman again. 

As always, #itsokaytovent 

Follow Sinéad on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ImWatson91

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

TRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains a deep and detailed discussion about sexual abuse and suicide, which some listeners may find extremely upsetting or distressing, so please listen with caution.

Strange

JCIP #98 - Sinéad Watson

In episode 131 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with journalist Charlie Peters.

Charlie is currently a columnist for Mail+ and has written for the likes of Spiked, The Telegraph and the American Conservative. 

In this episode we discuss a GB News panel discussion he did with author Nina Power about masculinity and the themes he discussed, free speech and cancel culture through a mental health lens.

We then talk about a self-described ‘wobble’ he had during his second year of university, how he’s utilised self-development to improve his mental health and better himself and why we need an individual-based approach to men’s mental health, not a one-size-fits-all.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Charlie on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CDP1882

Watch that discussion on GB News here: https://twitter.com/CDP1882/status/1490430700494934020

You can read the American Conservative article we referenced here: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-rise-of-onlyfans-and-its-patreon-for-porn-model/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #131 - Charlie Peters

In episode 132 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with male detransitioner TullipR.

Tullip is based in the UK and contacted us after our JCIP with Limpidă to share his story.

Tullip started life as a very gender non-conforming child but struggled with being small and effeminate. He said he had a lot of internalised homophobia after coming to the realisation he was gay.
 
Tullip suffered from intense and debilitating panic attacks from a very early age and was hospitalised with one when he was just 4 years old. 

Tullip admits he externalised the battle he was having onto other kids and was a bully in his primary school years. However, when he got to secondary school and he failed to develop in size and height like the rest of his peers, in a rough peer group, his effeminate nature and being small led him to being bullied and horrifically abused himself.
 
When he was 10 years old, he was also spending a huge amount of time on his computer and began to go on internet chatrooms and was groomed by older men who sexually abused him online.

By the time he was 13 years old he became an agoraphobe and he stopped going outside regularly for the best part of 15 years. 

Combining this with gender dysphoria, Tullip began to struggle immensely with his mental health.

Tullip has a high diagnosed OCD and is still in the process of getting a diagnosis for autism.

By the time he's in his early 20s, he is on trans chatrooms and asked other users if he was trans because of the symptoms he was experiencing. They affirmed him and he came out as trans and began the process to present as female.

He became convinced that he needed gender reassignment surgery. However, this went horribly wrong.

Despite the doubts he had about the surgery, he thought that if he didn’t do this, he would die. The surgery had huge complications and he has now been left without gonads and may be on HRT for the rest of his life. 

His urethra was constricted and shortened through three separate surgeries and he must live with the complications of this forever.

We discuss all of this and more in our conversation with Tullip. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Tullip on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TullipR

You can subscribe to his Substack here: https://tullipr.substack.com/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains a deep and detailed discussion about sexual abuse and self-harm, which some listeners may find extremely upsetting or distressing so please listen with caution.

JCIP #132 - TullipR

In episode 160 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with journalist Christian Hewgill.

Christian is currently freelance and working for outlets including LBC and TalkSport. 

Prior to going freelance, Christian worked at BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat where he worked as a Reporter and Presenter for five years.
 
Before he got his big break at Radio 1, Christian cut his teeth working for a variety of outlets including BBC Radio Leicester in his hometown, Notts TV and Orion Media.

In this episode we discuss how and why Christian got into broadcast journalism, the mental health difficulty he experienced when he was made redundant from his Newsbeat role and why that role was more than a job for him.

When it comes to issues in the industry, we discuss class, specifically Christian’s working-class background and the all-consuming nature of the UK news cycle.

For Christian’s mental health, he is someone who has lived with anxiety and depression from an early age and often had panic attacks as a child.

Christian comes from a loving and supportive, working-class Leicestershire family but felt huge confusion over his sexuality in his teenage years before coming out as gay. 

Before he could do that, Christian was bullied in school for expressing signs of male gender stereotype non-conformity that led his peers to suspect he was gay before he did and he was also bullied for his weight. 

Between the ages of 14-20 was the most difficult period of Christian’s mental health and we discuss the impact that this period of poor mental health had on him and why he’s found the positive tools he needed through therapy to deal with it and any other challenge life throws at him.  

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Christian on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisHewgill

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #160 - Christian Hewgill

In episode 171 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with freelance writer Freddie deBoer.

Freddie started his career from his public library when he started his own blog whilst in a period of unemployment. After fellow writer and gay rights trailblazer Andrew Sullivan shared his third blog post on his own hugely popular blog, it exploded and he has been writing ever since. 

In recent years, he is now on SubStack where he writes about mental health, politics, media and lots of other issues. 

In this episode we discuss his writing journey, how he became disillusioned from the mental health ‘community’ and why and his Bipolar Disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2002 when he was 20 years old.

Freddie has had several breakdowns because of his Bipolar. He ended up in a state psychiatric hospital on one occasion and had another well-publicised breakdown where he ended up attacking a fellow journalist and writer Malcolm Harris with baseless accusations of sexual criminality and it cost a lot of his reputation as a result. 

We discuss those breakdowns, that incident and how he's tried to repair his career since that moment, where we draw the line between mental health and personal responsibility and the uncomfortable reality that good people, when experiencing serious mental illness can do or say very bad things.

As always, #itsokaytovent 

You can subscribe to Freddie's SubStack here: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #171 - Freddie deBoer

In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked back in with UK producer and DJ, Snowdream. 

In Part 1 we talked to Elliot about music perfectionism culture, his bisexuality and the challenges and positives that has brought to his life.

In Part 2 In this episode we discuss his first ever live DJ set at Just Checking In Live #4 (Take Two), his TikTok following he has built and balancing that new venture with being a music producer.

We also have a discussion about his debut album Open Space and his follow up EP Strike and how he feels they were received as well as moving away from Future-Funk and where that scene is now compared to three years ago.

For Elliot’s mental health, we discuss his full-time job situation, whether he wants to 'work to live' or 'live to work', being made redundant during the Covid-19 period and figuring out what career lane out of the many he could go down in the future.

We finish with an update about his bisexuality and how his perception of himself and how others perceive him has changed now he’s in a heterosexual relationship at time of recording.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to Snowdream on streaming platforms below:

Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2WkJ2Z45d…wOT9qa953TJ3oxAQ
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-447435748

Follow Snowdream on social media below:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@snowdreammusic?lang=en
Twitter: twitter.com/snowdreammusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/snowdreamdigital/

You can listen to Part 1 of Snowdream's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-decks-snowdream

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: Snowdream - Launch Pad feat. Strawberry Station: https://soundcloud.com/user-447435748/launch-pad-feat-strawberry

Behind The Decks - Snowdream - Part 2

In this episode of Behind The Decks, we checked in with DJ and producer Russell Small. 

Russell Small is the founder of two iconic UK house music groups, Phats & Small and later, the Freemasons.

The very first record Phats & Small  ever put out called ‘Turn Around’ in 1999 was a smash hit, peaking at number two on the UK singles chart and catapulted them both into international fame and stardom. 

They performed on Top of The Pops four times and went on global tours. Six years later, Russell founded another iconic house duo called the Freemasons which would reach those heights once more with a string of hits. 

A lot of these came on their album ‘Unmixed’, which contained singles including ‘Uninvited’, ‘Watchin’ and ‘Love On My Mind’ which still get played in clubs and on the radio today. 

This was then accompanied by a string of iconic remixes including ‘Work’ by Kelly Rowland, Beyonce’s ‘Green Light’ and Beyonce & Shakira's ‘Déjà vu’, the latter they were nominated for a Grammy award.

In this episode we chart Russell’s music journey, from DJing in a mobile disco around Brighton with his dad at school discos and youth clubs, to catapulting into stardom overnight, to remixing some of the biggest artists in the world. 

For Russell’s mental health, he lives with diagnosed ADHD which he was only diagnosed with during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

He was able to mask it his entire life but was labelled as a ‘dreamer’ and was told he wouldn’t amount to anything in school because of the way his ADHD presented itself and the lack of education and stigma around the condition at the time. 

We discuss the build-up to his ADHD diagnosis, how it felt when he was diagnosed, management tools he's developed since and finding balance in his life now.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can listen to Freemasons on streaming platforms below: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/49H2dQUNhIlso7VNkS8nFR?si=2e6cd88e4e75458d

You can follow Russell on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freemasonsmusic/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: Phats & Small - Turn Around: https://open.spotify.com/track/60qbU5QgEnzBqUfXSUh0mc?si=ea9b2605cd534354

Behind The Decks - Freemasons - Russell Small

In episode 207 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with entrepreneur Sunil Jindal. 

Sunil is also an old school friend of our Founder Freddie Cocker.

Sunil is the Founder of The Ping Pong Society, a company which offers businesses and their staff bespoke one-hour long events to give them a taste of table tennis in a fun and accessible way.

He is also the Co-Founder of MAGIC, a fitness-technology company which sells unique Mirrors, powered by AI that serve as your own personal fitness trainer. 

The products have been endorsed by a range of celebrities in sport and fitness including former England Men's Cricket captain Alistair Cook. 

He’s also done feature interviews with media outlets including The Evening Standard and The Financial Times to promote the company alongside his co-founder Varun.

In this episode we discuss Sunil’s business journey, from his origins as a school ‘hustler’, founding and co-founding two successful businesses and the challenges of going on those journeys, from setting them up, to work-life balance and taking risks. 

For Sunil’s mental health, we discuss the anxiety of running a business and how that can seep into his own personal mental health. 

We also discuss how he was quite shy and introverted as a child, navigating that in secondary school and sixth-form and how the businesses forced him to come out of his shell and flex those social muscles in order to get the word out there about his brands. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

Find out more about MAGIC here: https://magic.fit/

You can follow Sunil on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5un1l/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #207 - Sunil Jindal

In episode 223 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with George, Founder of from men's media platform, TheTinMen. 

TheTinMen explores issues around men's mental health, aims to widen perspectives around men as a sex, asks uncomfortable conversations, expose ugly truths and discusses the unpopular other half of gender equality.

George started the platform around the end of 2019 and the start of 2020 and started posting on the account and building the platform during the first Covid-19 lockdown. 

Since then, he has built a significant following and has appeared on the likes of Chris Williamson’s ‘Modern Wisdom’ podcast to discuss the issues he highlights on the platform.

George tackles the issues affecting men from a left-wing perspective, like academic and author Richard V. Reeves.

In this episode we discuss the origin of TheTinMen and the issues George discusses through a mental health lens. 

These include: male domestic abuse victims, male suicide, working-class boys and boys more generally struggling in education, fatherlessness, sexual abuse in men’s prisons, the sexualisation of a teenage Justin Bieber by predominantly (but not exclusively) female celebrities and whether male circumcision is male genital mutilation.

For George’s mental health, we discuss anxiety, being a carer for a loved one, the impact that had on his mental health and the wider conversation about carers more generally.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow TheTinMen on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetinmen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTinMenBlog

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #223 - TheTinMen

In episode 226 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Laura Dodsworth. 

Laura is a author, journalist and photographer. 

We came across Laura through her latest book, 'Free Your Mind: The New World of Manipulation and How to Resist it', which she co-authored with Patrick Fagan.

She is also the author of several other books including ‘A State of Fear: how the UK government weaponised fear during the Covid-19 pandemic’, ‘Bare Reality: 100 women, their breasts, their stories’, ‘Manhood: The Bare Reality’ and ‘Womanhood: The Bare Reality’.

In this episode we discuss Free Your Mind through a mental health lens, Laura’s wider journey in broadcasting, media commentary and photography, as well as a very ahead of its time Channel 4 documentary called 100 Vaginas! 

For Laura’s mental health we discuss how the concept of trauma has informed all of her work as a professional, her father’s struggle with addiction and what affect her parents divorce had on her. 

We finish by discussing the mental health impact of the menopause on Laura and the taboo about it in the wider mental health conversation.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can purchase a copy of Free Your Mind here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Your-Mind-Manipulation-Resist/dp/B0BVGL98X9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GMC0LJV1EO0L&keywords=laura+dodsworth+book+free+your+mind&qid=1706960651&sprefix=laura+Dodsw%2Caps%2C307&sr=8-1

You can follow Laura on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BareReality

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #226 - Laura Dodsworth

In episode 227 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Juan Jose Estrada. 

Juan or 'Pedro' as he is known to his friends, works as a personal trainer in his spare time and in this episode we discuss his fitness journey, from being introduced to sport at a very early age by his parents, before focusing on road cycling and weightlifting as he reached his late teens.

As I did with previous guests Mark Wyatt and James Roffey, we emphasise the importance of the relationship between our physical health and mental health, as well as having the right ‘mental diet’ alongside your physical diet.
 
For Pedro’s mental health journey, he was born in Colombia to Colombian parents and moved back and forth between the UK and Colombia several times when he was younger.

This brought a lot of instability and he struggled to fit in at times during this period.
 
He moved to the UK permanently when he was around 14/15 years old and we discuss how he worked to fit in at school as the ‘new kid’ initially before finding a positive and supportive friendship group, with his mental health improving from that point onwards. 

We also discuss his Colombian roots and how his identity as a British-Colombian was formed. 

When Pedro was 19 he moved out of his parents home and wasn’t making the best choices for his physical health, with some bad habits including smoking cigarettes and weed and we discuss the importance of habits and how little habits can have a big impact on your mental health, for better or for worse.
 
We finish by discussing a bad injury he sustained which hospitalised him and made him bed bound for a few weeks, which impacted his physical and mental health to the point where he was really struggling at one point. 

We discuss why having a supportive and emotionally intelligent support network is JUST as important as having the courage to open up about your mental health as a man, if you feel it will help you.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Juan on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dontneedfitness/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #227 - Juan Jose Estrada

In this episode of Behind The Mic, we checked in with R&B and pop artist Yasmin Dyer.

Yasmin loved musical theatre from a young age as well as dance and drama and was auditioning for musical theatre schools before she decided to focus on music. 

She then auditioned for the London College of Contemporary Music during the Covid-19 lockdown and successfully got in.

She then met previous Behind The Decks guest Ryan Doyle and made a track called ‘Cry for Love’ and she began to alter the path she wanted to go on, crystallising a desire to be an artist and began making R&B music after meeting one of her music mentors Marie. 

In this episode we discuss her music journey and her transition from musical theatre to the music industry, her debut EP which will be coming out in 2024 and her plans to do more shows as she develops her sound. 

For music industry issues, we discuss the ultra-competitive nature of the industry and the mental health impact that’s had on her and comparison culture. 

For Yasmin’s mental health, we discuss the impact that her parents divorce had on her when she was 12 years old, people-pleasing and her struggles with that as a teenager, as an adult and what parts of her life it's affected. 

We also discuss her diagnosis of OCD when she was 15/16 years old. 

Yasmin’s OCD manifests in ‘rituals’ and we explore these rituals, how that impacts her daily mental health and the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) she has done to manage these rituals.

We finish by discussing how she finds the right balance in life and her recent ambition to be a personal trainer alongside her music as well.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can listen to Yasmin on streaming platforms below: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4nd0ZOtrG9bfDT10YiSGSt?si=c87a4243d13b4651
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yasmindyerxo

You can follow Yasmin on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasmindyerxo/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: Yasmin Dyer - Demons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_u7HKPOC6s&pp=ygUSeWFzbWluIGR5ZXIgZGVtb25z

Behind The Mic - Yasmin Dyer

In episode 228 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with George Mycock. 

George is the Founder of MyoMinds and a mental health advocate for awareness of Muscle Dysmorphia (MD).

MyoMinds mission is to demystify mental health for exercisers and athletes and to create an understanding future for the exercising community.

Through research, public talks and their podcast, they work with universities, schools and other public institutions to change the conversation around Muscle Dysmorphia.

In this episode we discuss George’s experience of Muscle Dysmorphia, which some listeners may know by the term ‘bigorexia’. 

Muscle Dysmorphia is a form of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which is defined by: “Being preoccupied by worries that one's body is “too small” or “not muscular enough” despite having a normal build, or in many cases, an objectively extremely “buff” physique.”

It can cause the person to create obsessive rituals, behaviours and a mindset that can cause serious psychological distress. 

In its most extreme form, it can also put that person in extreme danger physically and mentally.

George began experiencing MD after he suffered a spinal injury when he was 13 whilst he was playing rugby, a sport he loved and which he had built his identity around. 

He was told never to play rugby again and was signed off school for a year. After he returned, he suffered an identity crisis and began exercising and bodybuilding heavily in order to rebuild his identity. 

Unfortunately, through this, he developed MD (which hasn’t been officially diagnosed) and eventually got to the point where he became suicidal and was only saved because by a coincidental miracle. 

One of his best friends happened to visit his house and she supported him, listened to him and encouraged him to seek professional support. 

He did that, worked through the issues the MD had given him and has now changed his life, founded MyoMinds and has done some brilliant advocacy work.

This includes participating in a LadBible roundtable on Eating Disorders, which included friend of the pod Danny Bowman, Miles Nazaire’s Channel 4 documentary on muscle dysmorphia and many other pieces of work. 

In this episode we discuss his mental health journey, from avid rugby player, to obsessive bodybuilder and now mental health advocate, how he built his self-esteem pyramid through therapy, what ‘vulnerable narcissism’ is and how we can spot the signs that someone may be experiencing muscle dysmorphia.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can find out more about MyoMinds here: https://myominds.com/

You can follow MyoMinds on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myo_minds/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyoMinds

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #228 - George Mycock

In this episode of Behind The Mic, we checked in with artist, producer and DJ Le Dionisos.

Dion puts out brilliant, balearic disco and funk music that is a joy to listen to. 

Hailing from the Netherlands, Dion studied keys and production at The Conservatorium van Amsterdam. 

In this episode we discuss his music journey, the self-confidence you need to succeed in the music industry, how he fell in love with DJing and having his first original single played by the iconic DJ Harvey, as well as a couple of his edits. 

For Dion’s mental health, we discuss the challenge he felt transitioning from high-school to university and the choice he made to spend an extra year in high school to prepare for university. 

We then discuss the ‘hole’ he fell into after completing university and figuring out what he wanted to do with his life full-time. 

We finish by discussing growth, personal development and his outlook on his life now.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to Le Dionisos on streaming platforms below: 

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/60Fms0yhF4pUvCxJ6eEnzH?si=4c16a59fdd5b44bb
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ledionisos4198
Bandcamp: https://le-dionisos.bandcamp.com/album/wanderlust-album

You can follow Le Dionisos on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ledionisos/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: Le Dionisos - Over and Over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q3r6mQDPHU&pp=ygUZbGUgZGlvbmlzb3Mgb3ZlciBhbmQgb3Zlcg%3D%3D

Behind The Mic - Le Dionisos

In episode 229 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with conflict journalist, Andy Hayward. 

Andy currently works as a freelance journalist and has previously worked for VICE News in their international team producing news pieces and documentaries. 

Andy also previously worked on VICE’s flagship, Emmy Award-winning show VICE News Tonight on HBO.

We came across Andy through friend of the pod Jake Hanrahan who interviewed him on his podcast Popular Front about an upcoming documentary he has produced within Russia called ‘Warped by War: Inside Putin’s Russia’. 

The film covers the suppression of the Russian regime of public dissent against the war in Ukraine, speaks to the family members of Russian soldiers who are currently serving and those who have been killed.

In this episode we discuss the film in-depth through a mental health lens, his previous films he has done in Russia and Belarus and his wider journey in conflict journalism. 

For industry issues, we discuss work-life balance and the responsibility he feels as a journalist to capture the stories of those who speak out against the regime but not put their lives in danger. 

For Andy’s mental health, we discuss the importance of having positive relationships in your life as a release valve from the day-to-day of conflict journalism, the stress and paranoia that come with working in a repressive country like Russia and how that bleeds out into his personal life. 

We finish by discussing his family's military background and how that’s shaped his attitude towards mental health. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can find links to watch all of Andy's films we discussed on the podcast in full below: 

'Protesters in Belarus Are Being Jailed and Killed, But That Isn't Stopping Them': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSnZp7_TM28&pp=ygVSUHJvdGVzdGVycyBpbiBCZWxhcnVzIEFyZSBCZWluZyBKYWlsZWQgYW5kIEtpbGxlZCwgQnV0IFRoYXQgSXNuJ3QgU3RvcHBpbmcgVGhlbeKAmQ%3D%3D

'Nationalism or Nothing: Life in Modern Russia': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w56s1tTS9io&t=495s&ab_channel=VICENews

'Putin's Russia: A Country at War with Itself': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rnFtnDa_Oo&ab_channel=VICENews

You can follow Andy on social media below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndyJohnHayward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_andy_hayward/

Support Us:

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Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #229 - Andy Hayward

In episode 230 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Sam Evans.

Sam is a mental health advocate and works in the healthcare industry. He first came on the podcast way back when in JCIP #31.

In Part 1, we discussed his exposure to mental illness when one of his friends tragically took his own life and it ignited his desire to help men with their mental health. 

He has since put his words into action and took part in mental health campaign ‘Movember’ several times and was recently made lead of his internal mental health group at work. 

In Part 2, we discuss that promotion, how his understanding of mental health and mental illness has changed and how he has learned more about his own mental health in the last three years.

We also discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on his mental health and when is the right time to healthily detach from supporting someone’s mental health? 

This is an uncomfortable conversation the mainstream mental health conversation refuses to have because the ugly side of mental illness isn’t surface-level awareness campaigns.

Sometimes mental health support requires huge levels of patience, perseverance and the awareness to recognise there may come a point when a person needs to take personal responsibility for their mental health. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can listen to Part 1 of Sam's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-31-sam-evans

You can follow Sam on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_evans23/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #230 - Sam Evans - Part 2

In episode 231 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with a very old friend of ours, Elliot Pearce. 

Elliot first came on the podcast way back when in JCIP #2! 

At the time we recorded Part 1 he worked at Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA), a very important organisation who deliver Mental Health First Aid training to organisations across the UK. 

Elliot worked his way up to the role of Community Engagement Manager before he was unfortunately made redundant during the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
He now currently works as Senior Partnerships Manager at Oviva, a company who empower everyone to change their eating and lifestyle-related habits, improving their long-term health through personalised support and technology. 

In this episode we discuss the work he does with Oviva, the mental health impact of his redundancy from MHFA and how he needs to work harder to employ mental health tools in his day-to-day life, now he is outside the bubble of the mental health sector.

We also discuss how Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects his mental health and the importance of routine for him.

We then discuss his love of running and the importance of it for his physical and mental health, the Covid-19 pandemic and how it affected him then and his behaviour now and his desire to work in the office as often as possible.

We finish with a reminisce about Elliot and our Founder Freddie's friendship, the gigs they went to together to see long-time friends of the pod and sadly disbanded band Patawawa, who also provide the theme-tune for this podcast and a chat about the future.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can listen to Part 1 of Elliot's journey here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-2-elliot-pearce

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #231 - Elliot Pearce - Part 2

In episode 232 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with academic and writer Dr Samuel Mace.

Sam currently works as a teaching fellow at the University of Leeds and has a SubStack called ‘Theory Matters’. He also holds a BA and MA in Politics and a PHD, which specialised in political theory and middle-eastern studies.

We came across Sam through an article he wrote in The Critic entitled ‘Beyond mental health awareness’. The piece explores a lot of the uncomfortable conversations around mental illness and proposes some solutions we need to have if we are to truly tackle the issue.

In this episode we discuss Sam’s academic journey, a deep dive into the article, socialisation and the lack of connection in today’s society and how that specifically affects men and male loneliness.

For Sam’s mental health, we discuss a year out he took from university between his second year and third year in 2014/15 and the positive affect that had on his mental health and the importance of having strong and supportive networks in your life.

We finish by discussing the grief of losing his dad a few years ago and the metaphorical ‘bolt of lightning’ which it had on him and caused him to make some positive changes in his life.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can read Sam's article we discussed in The Critic in full here: thecritic.co.uk/beyond-mental-health-awareness/

You can subscribe to Sam's SubStack here: theorymatters.substack.com/

You can follow Sam on social media below:


Twitter: twitter.com/thoughtgenerate

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #232 - Samuel Mace

In this episode of Behind The Mic we checked back in with UK band VICTORS for the third time. 

This time we checked in with Simon who plays lead guitar in the band.

In this episode we discuss Simon’s music journey and how he came to form the band with Harry who came on for Parts 1 and 2, playing in various indie-rock bands in his school days and a fond discussion over a shared love of the mid-00s UK pop-punk and rock scene.

For industry issues, we discuss social media and the instability and unpredictability of the music industry.

We also discuss the band's recent experience as headliners of Just Checking In Live #5 and the launch of their new single 'Nothing Seems to Matter Now', which was released the day before the show.

For Simon’s mental health, we discuss the death of a good friend of Simon’s who took his own life on October 30th 2023. Simon had known Ben since childhood and they were part of a group who regularly went climbing together. 

We discuss the shock of his death, the grieving process and how we can stop other men like Ben from taking their own life and help them find the release valve that works for them.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to VICTORS on streaming platforms below:

Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/163g9TCjT…hwS7Gs2Ka3bPfubA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCq-H6qmB1U59D2XqRNl2EcQ
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/victorsofficial

Follow VICTORS on social media platforms below:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/victorsofficial/
Twitter: twitter.com/victorslive
Facebook: www.facebook.com/victorsofficial/

You can listen to Parts 1 and 2 of VICTORS' journey below: 

Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-mic-v-i-c-t-o-r-s?in=venthelpuk/sets/behind-the-mic
Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/btm-victors-part-2

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk
Outro: VICTORS - Nothing Seems to Matter Now: https://open.spotify.com/track/3YktaxfQzXAAVY5utLFdKP?si=cea98896ea8a4d35

Behind The Mic - VICTORS - Part 3

In episode 233 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with academic Dr Susie Bennett.

Susie currently studies at the Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab (SBRL) at the University of Glasgow, researching male suicide.

We came across Susie through friend of the pod George from TheTinMen and for her PHD dissertation, she conducted one of the largest studies of suicidal men ever done. 

She interviewed 32 men who had either attempted to take their own life or had suicidal thoughts and also heard from people bereaved from male suicide.

Susie’s interest in men’s mental health started from an early age as she has three brothers she is close with. 

In 2017, as #MeToo was exploding into the public consciousness and a lot of men were rightly brought to justice for their crimes, Susie began to feel concerned about the overspill of it into men who did not fit the criteria of men like Harvey Weinstein but were being compared with him in the same breath. 

She also became uncomfortable with what she says was a growing narrative around ‘male privilege’ whilst also gaining knowledge about the statistics about suicide being the biggest killer of men under 50. 

She could not square the circle that all men seemingly simultaneously had all the privilege and power but were also taking their own lives at a much higher rate than women. She wondered if there was a part of the story that was missing. 

Fast forward to now and she is dedicating her work and career to helping men with their mental health. She does this through carrying out research into why men take their own lives and what society needs to do to listen to them and stop it from happening. 

In this episode we discuss her academic journey, how she became, in her words an ‘accidental academic’ and her desire to help men’s mental health.

We discuss what she learned during the study she conducted and the biggest risk factors for men to take their own lives in childhood and adulthood. 

For Susie’s mental health, she struggled with high anxiety levels and traits associated with OCD during her childhood. These included intrusive thoughts and rituals which she hasn’t got diagnosed at time of recording. 

She is also trying to get assessed for ADHD at time of recording and we discuss those symptoms too. 

We also discuss her struggles with sexuality during the 1990s as she is a Lesbian, suicidality and the power and beauty of platonic friendships between lesbian girls and heterosexual men. 

We finish by wondering whether Gen-Z is in danger of losing these friendships as boys and girls in their cohort are increasingly moving further apart politically. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Susie on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/male_suicide_research/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susie_research

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #233 - Dr Susie Bennett

In episode 234 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jonathan Lee. 

Jon is currently a Creative Director at an advertising agency and the Founder of mental health initiative The Life Jacket (TLJ).

After Jon’s friend Alex took his own life in 2023, he wanted to create a new suicide prevention tool that would have intervened in the period building up to Alex’s death. Jon tragically discovered Alex had been researching suicide methods online for a year prior to when he did it.
   
Jon then created an initiative in partnership with R;pple Suicide Prevention and The Life Jacket was born. 

The Life Jacket aims to give people the skills, knowledge and confidence to take action and turn someone else’s life around.

In the UK alone, there are over 1.2 million internet searches every month on how one can take their own life.
 
TLJ work with organisations, alliances, universities and schools to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide through collective, preventative action.

To launch the platform, 17 life jackets were placed in locations around the UK, with each jacket dedicated to someone who has tragically lost their life to suicide.

In this episode, we discuss the journey of The Life Jacket, what Jon wants to achieve with it, the bubble which exists in some mental health spaces and how Jon wants to break out of that. 

We also discuss his plans for the future including workshops and international Life Jacket chapters across the world. 

For Jon’s mental health, we discuss the impact that Alex’s suicide had on him and his mental health, why he wanted to take that grief and turn it into TLJ and how we can positively intervene and spot the signs of a man or anyone when they are suicidal.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Find out more about The Life Jacket here: https://thelifejacket.co.uk/

You can follow The Life Jacket on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifejacketmission/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #234 - Jonathan Lee

In episode 235 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Diane Porterfield. 

Diane is a menopause Nurse Practitioner, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescriber and the Founder of Bourne2Care.

Bourne2Care is Diane's own private consulting practice, where she sees female clients struggling with the menopause and she can prescribe HRT as a course of treatment, where appropriate. 

Diane has gone through the menopause and takes HRT herself. 

Diane's expert knowledge spans a 30 year nursing career in women's health, which she began her training at just 17 years old. 

In this episode we discuss her healthcare journey, her training as a nurse and her travels across many different countries for work including the middle-east in Oman and Abu Dhabi and even the Isle of Man. 

We then do a deep dive into her work at Bourne2Care and every aspect of life which the menopause affects women’s health and wellbeing. 

This includes physical health and stereotypical symptoms like hot flushes, muscle aches, joint pains and headaches as well as others like low mood, anxiety, mood swings, low self-esteem and problems with memory or concentration. 

We break down the myths around the menopause and also how it impacts so many other areas, including relationships, friendships, social life, work and even driving ability.

We then explore the various types of treatment women can access for support with the menopause, the self-awareness that women need when they are experiencing menopausal symptoms and how men in these women’s lives can be an effective and compassionate support pillar. 

For Diane’s mental health, we discuss her own experience of the menopause, the identity crisis she experienced when the Covid-19 lockdown hit and she lost most of her work as a nurse temporarily, and the death of her mum in May 2020. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can find out more about Bourne2Care here: https://www.bourne2care.co.uk/

You can follow Diane on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianeporterfield_bourne/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #235 - Diane Porterfield

In episode 236 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Oliver Tennant. 

Ollie is an actor and the Founder of Run4Hope, a campaign he has created where he is running 12 marathons in 12 months to raise money for men's mental health charity, James’ Place UK. 

In this episode we discuss how and why he started Run4Hope and his fitness journey into getting ready for the marathons. 

We then explore how his skills as an actor have helped him promote the campaign and why he allowed other runners to join him on the marathons if they want to.

For Ollie’s mental health, we discuss bullying he experienced whilst at boarding school from his peers, suicidality, how acting gave him a tool to develop his self-confidence and self-esteem and the fresh start which acting school provided for him.

We also discuss how he came to terms with his bisexuality, accepting it and embracing it as he entered adulthood.

We finish by discussing perfectionism which the bullying gave Ollie as a scar, how he manages it and harnesses it as well.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Find out how you can donate to Run4Hope or take part in one of their marathons here: https://linkin.bio/runforhope2024/ 

You can follow Run4Hope on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_run4hope/

You can listen to our previous episode with Andy Noon from James' Place UK here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/jcip-224-andy-noon

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #236 - Oliver Tennant

In episode 237 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked in with Jordan Nimmo. 

Jordan is the Founder of men's mental health platform, 'Men Behind The Masc' (MBTM), which he started in 2018.

MBTM aims to promote positive mental health in men and change the conversation around men’s mental health more generally.

Jordan became a father aged 19 years old with his childhood sweetheart Ashley and went onto have three children together.
 
Two years ago, Jordan lost his grandfather, who was a father figure to Jordan as his own father was absent during his childhood.

Losing his grandfather and Jordan’s father’s refusal to have a relationship with him was, in Jordan’s words ‘like losing two dads’ and it had a big impact on his mental health. 

Tragically, the grief was not to end here as in April 2023, Jordan’s wife Ashleigh was taken to hospital suddenly and without warning.  
Within a day, Ashleigh was in a coma and then died, rocking Jordan’s world in the blink of an eye.
 
Ashleigh’s official cause of death is encephalitis, which is colloquially known as 'meningitis of the brain'.
 
Since that moment, Jordan has been forced into a grief he could never prepare for, become a single dad to his three boys and give them the stability and love they need to stop the death of their mother derailing their entire life.
 
In this episode we discuss the story of Men Behind The Masc, the impact of growing up without his father and how it created a desire in him to start a family and be a good and present father for his own children. 

We also discuss the important roles that his grandfather and his step-father have played in his life. 

We then dive deep into the grief of his grandfather’s death and for his wife Ashleigh respectively.
 
We discuss the health anxiety he now has in himself and his children after Ashleigh’s death, the decision he made to move house to the countryside to give him and his kids a fresh start and how he manages his children’s grief on a daily basis.

We also explore the conversation around paternal grief and the taboos that exist for single dads like Jordan.

We finish by talking about the strength his children give him, resilience vs antifragility, the concept of ‘The Wounded Healer’, why men evolutionarily take on a support role for others during times of grief and trauma and how he keeps moving forward day-by-day.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can follow Men Behind The Masc on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menbehindthemasc/

You can read the 2018 Vent article we discussed in full here: https://vent.org.uk/men-behind-masc-breaking-boundaries-smashing-stigmas-unlocking-potential

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #237 - Jordan Nimmo

In episode 238 of The Just Checking In Podcast, we checked back in with previous guests Claudia Van-Nimwegen and Tobiah Frei for a special episode.

Claudia is a a teacher, photographer and creative. Tobiah Frei is an artist and sound engineer. They both met each other through the London church, Liberty London.

In this episode we discuss their friendship, faith, creative commonalities and how our Founder Freddie and Tobi supported Claudia through a very serious mental health crisis she had in December 2022. 

Claudia was hospitalised from a Stroke and was struggling with her finances at the time due to the low paying role she was in at the time and not being able to work. 

Tobi set up a crowdfunder through the church to give Claudia the support she needed to get back on her feet and begin her recovery properly when she was discharged from hospital.

In this episode we have an honest and open conversation about how a crisis like Claudia's doesn't just affect the person but everyone around them, how you can support someone in your life who might be going through their own crisis and encourage that person to take ownership of their mental health, at the right time. 

We also discuss the uncomfortable conversations around detachment if a person's mental health crisis becomes too difficult for you to sustain.

Claudia and Tobi are two of our favourite guests and have been on the podcast a combined seven times! 

We're very proud of how far they have both come and are a shining example of the power of the community that we have tried to build here at Vent.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can listen to all of Claudia's previous episodes here: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/sets/claudia

You can listen to all of Tobi's previous episodes below:

Behind The Mic - Tobiah Frei: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-mic-tobiah-frei
Behind The Mic - Tobiah Frei - Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/venthelpuk/behind-the-mic-tobiah-frei-part-2

You can find out more about Claudia's photography through 'The LDN Perspective' on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.ldn.perspective/ 

Listen to Tobiah Frei on streaming platforms below:

Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/1hqQ69Hma…e019cc4d139c4ac8
Apple Music: music.apple.com/gb/artist/tobiah-frei/1099190702
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCfJd3FlQOgWfoyKvR_WVPtw

You can follow Tobiah Frei on social media below:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tobiahfreimusic/?hl=en

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #238 - Claudia & Tobi

In episode 239 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Gary Hayes. 

Gary is the Co-Founder and CEO of PTSD999, which is a charity that was set up in 2015 to support those in the emergency services, and their families, living with Post Traumatic Stress. 

Gary lives with Complex PTSD himself and was undiagnosed for many years when he worked in the British Transport Police (BTP) as a Police Officer.
 
Gary’s journey began when he joined the Army in the mid-1980s and spent many years in non-active service. He then met his wife, who was joining the police force and he was growing tired of military life. 

He was encouraged to join himself and he did in 2003, passing through the recruitment process and joining the BTP. 

He started by policing football matches in London, largely for West Ham United before then joining a specialist counter-terrorist policing team.
 
The year is 2005 and sadly, Gary’s policing work coincided with 7/7, which is the biggest and most deadly terrorist attack that has hit London in recent memory. 

52 people were killed in bombings on London tubes and buses, with a second failed attack coming on 21/7.

Gary was seconded to the temporary mortuary that had been set up at Charing Cross to identify the victims and spent two harrowing months going through hundreds of body parts, identifying people and notifying their families.
 
This work had a huge impact on Gary’s mental health and he began to go off the rails, drinking heavily to cope with the horrors of what he saw. 

Fast forward to the 2012 Olympics and at this point, Gary felt ‘broken’. 

He got into an altercation with a member of the public whilst off-duty and he was suspended from work and given the ultimatum of either resigning or going to a tribunal and risk losing his pension. 

Sadly, after 11 years of policing, he made the decision to resign and his mental health spiralled further.
 
He made a plan to take his own life and came extremely close to doing it. Thankfully, something stopped him from doing it. He told his wife and that moment of rock bottom was the start of his journey to recovery to where he is now and the work he does with PTSD999. 

In this episode we discuss his career in the military, police to the work he does with PTSD999 now, PTSD and the mental health state of men like him in the emergency services.
 
For Gary’s mental health, he was sexually abused by two men in his childhood, firstly a babysitter when he was just six years old and the second was a football coach when he was eight years old. 

This abuse had a monumental impact on Gary and were suppressed memories for many years. We discuss this, the suicide attempt he made after resigning from the British Transport Police, the dark and ugly side of mental illness and the recovery journey to where he is now. 

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can find out more about PTSD999 here: https://www.ptsd-999.com/

You can follow PTSD999 on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ptsd999official/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

TRIGGER WARNING: this podcast contains a deep discussion about suicide, sexual abuse and the terrorist attack of 7/7, which some listeners may find distressing or upsetting, so please listen with caution.

JCIP #239 - Gary Hayes

In episode 240 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Amelia Wrighton. 

Amelia is the co-founder of mental health charity, Suicide & Co, a charity which supports those bereaved by suicide.

Amelia started Suicide & Co with her friend Emma Morrisoe, who she met whilst working in her media and marketing career and she discovered they had both lost parents to suicide. 

Amelia lost her mother when she was just 19 years old and it hugely impacted her mental health and even caused her to have grief and stress-induced alopecia. 

Amelia’s mother had lived and struggled with Bipolar Disorder (BD) for the time Amelia was alive. 

In this episode we discuss: the journey of Suicide & Co and how she saw a gap in the mental health conversation five years ago around suicide loss, the counselling service and other services the charity provide to people. 

We also discuss the importance of language around suicide in the mainstream conversation, as well as how we support others who have been affected by it. 

For Amelia’s mental health, we discuss the grief of losing her mum and what it was like to live with someone with Bipolar and the differences between how it affects men and women. 

We finish by discussing burnout, medication and how she manages her self-care when her full-time job is dealing with suicide and intense mental health conversations on a daily basis.

As always, #itsokaytovent

You can find out more about Suicide & Co here: https://www.suicideandco.org/

Follow Suicide & Co on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suicideandco/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #240 - Amelia Wrighton

In episode 241 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Russell Payne. 

Russ is a qualified painter and decorator and the Founder of 'The Talking Tradesman' (TTT) podcast. TTT aims to entertain, connect and raise mental health awareness for tradespeople throughout the UK.

Russ set up the podcast in November 2023 where he interviews tradesman from across the sector about their mental health journeys, as well as non-tradesman from all walks of life who can provide valuable insight for his audience. 

Russ started the podcast after studying for a BSC degree in Psychology and volunteering on the phonelines for The Samaritans charity. 

His conception of his own mental health began after his divorce from his first wife, which culminated in his children being moved to the other end of the country and a family court case which dragged on for several years.

From that moment, he began investing in himself and that was, in his words, his own form of ‘self-therapy’. 

In this episode we discuss: the genesis of The Talking Tradesman, the stigmas in the trades sector and how we as a society need to be better at listening to these men's needs, social class and how that plays into the way tradesmen's mental health is perceived and supported in society.

For Russ’s mental health, we discuss that divorce he went through and his experience of the family court system, which triggered him to have anxiety and panic attacks.

We also discuss his parents' own divorce when he was 8 years old. As a result of the divorce, Russ's father experienced mental health difficulties and it forced Russ to raise himself in many areas of his life.

We then discuss the positive impact his mother’s grandparents had on him, whom he viewed as surrogate parents for him and the impact the death of his grandfather had on him when he was 24/25 years old. 

We finish by discussing his own experience of fatherhood, self-development and his goal of one day becoming a therapist in the future.

As always, #itsokaytovent

Listen to The Talking Tradesman on streaming platforms below:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-talking-tradesman/id1723229824
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7kgT8QKfW4xzBG8U6XC57m?si=CIhHMUewTU2EFxg0Tkayaw&nd=1&dlsi=7da0237d8a5b4459
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTalkingTradesman

You can follow The Talking Tradesman on social media below: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_talking_tradesman/

Support Us:

Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health
Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop

Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

JCIP #241- Russell Payne

The very first episode of the Just Checking In Podcast with Tim Fletcher is here!

Amongst other things, we chatted about music, dancing, poetry, grief and of course, mental health!

Give it a listen! 

#itsokaytovent

Music: @patawawa - Strange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk

The Just Checking In Podcast #1 - Tim Fletcher

The Just Checking In Podcast is another step in Vent’s mission to give people a voice, change the conversation around mental health and provide an outlet where everyone, but especially men and boys, can express themselves.

Each pod we check in with a special guest. We have a natter and a chat about all things mental health as well as anything and everything else they're passionate about. 

If it helps that person with their mental health, we'll discuss it!

Popular tracks by The Just Checking In Podcast by VENT