Category: Uncategorized

Brought to you through the fog of excruciating lower back pain* and fuelled by analgesics, today’s episode is an interesting discussion about how we can Reset in everyday life.

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Be it a daily action to clear your mind of the stresses of work, or a full-tilt reboot to change careers, a reset can be valuable, frightening and exciting.

Pamela and I discuss examples of where we’ve employed this either by choice or by circumstance, how this has affected our mental health and where we find ourselves on the cusp of another opportunity to press the big red button.

Lift with your knees, kids!

#keeptalking

Simon & Pamela

In a change to the planned episode, today’s is a recumbent bedcast, because we can.

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I always planned to have my wife Pamela as a regular guest on the podcast as there is much we can discuss together in the arena; in particular it’s a privilege to have her talk about her experience with MS and mental health.

Great fun doing this episode! I think we’ll record more joint podcasts in the future, I hope that you find some common ground in this one, even if MS ins’t specific to you.

Sound levels peak a bit at the start, apologies for that – they settle down a few minutes in.

Links as mentioned:

The Mighty – in particular articles here and here for starters
MS Society

Thanks again and #keeptalking

Simon (& Pamela!)

When David messaged me to tell me he had something he wanted to discuss on the podcast, I knew it would be a powerful, emotional episode.

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I am humbled and proud to be the vehicle for David’s message. It will be a difficult listen for some; there are several content warnings (rape, LGBTQIA+ issues, HIV, trauma/PTSD, language) so please listen with care if you are affected by any of this content.

Whilst this episode is not themed as previous ones, it epitomises the aim of the podcast – to allow a safe space for conversations to be had when people feel ready to do so.

As I mention in the podcast, David’s Website is here which carries with it the same content warnings as above.

Support sites here:

RSVP
Survivors Manchester
Rape Crisis
Here are the EP05 Citations I reference in the episode also.

Thank you, and #keeptalking

Simon

Content Warning: Suicide

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A two-stop podcast this week, with the intro done stood in a field.  A beautiful couple of days in Langdale with friends was just the ticket.  Here’s what our view looked like:

 

Beautiful.

This week I reflect on the tragic recent deaths in the public eye, and I take a personal look at an article which made me think about my relationship with medication. No spoilers but it made me really annoyed.

I’m still finding my feet with the podcast and this episode comes across as a bit of a stream of consciousness, but it is intended to open debate with the ultimate aim of talking more.

Lots of links, take a look below to follow them and draw your own conclusions; as I say in this episode these are my opinions and may not be anyone else’s. And I am happy to have my mind changed with further research (y’know, science).

If you need to talk to the Samaritans  or Blurt Foundation these are the links.

The original VOX Article by Johann Hari is available Here

Counterpoint articles 1, 2 and 3, with a very important notice about stopping medication Here.

Articles about the meta-analysis of research 1, 2 and 3

#keeptalking

Simon

In starting this podcast I knew that I would have to manage the episodes around working full time and other commitments.

To that end, Sunday seems the most logical day for me to upload episodes, as I can draft them during the week, meet up with people and have interesting chats over coffee and cake, then splice it all together over the weekend.

I am aiming to release weekly; this may slip to bi-weekly but I will make that judgement call based on my time/energy/spoons etc.

I’m learning every day – I used to work for an ISP so I’m not a total novice but 10+ years of nursing knowledge has overwritten a fair amount of the techy stuff… and in the meantime it’s all shiny and new!

Excited and nervous about Episode 02, it’s a big one for me.

#keeptalking

Simon

The first episode is up! Listen here.

I decided to leave a few of the ‘Umm’s in this time, editing them all out was proving a chore.

Today I had the pleasure of talking to Jonathan Midwood about his mindful social venture Head to Heart Network. A fascinating chat with a lovely chap.

Visit H2H on Instagram and Twitter @headtoheartnetwork

#keeptalking

Simon

This is the Thinking Habits Podcast website.

There are a few excellent Mental Health podcasts out there but there’s  definitely room for more conversation. Here is Thinking Habits.

It’s going to be part exploration of conditions, social stigma, policy etc and part frank discussion about living with mental illness.

Most importantly though it is going to be humorous, irreverent and relaxed. I want it to be sensitive but at the same time humour (often dark) goes hand in hand. It’ll find it’s own path and we’ll see how it goes.

I am a qualified Mental Health Nurse with a background in Forensic and addiction services. I know a lot of people who have first hand experience of mental health issues as practitioners, patients or (like me) both!

Find me on Audioboom, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Email

Thanks for reading, please feel free to get in touch! #keeptalking

Simon