Journalist Rachel Kelly was working in a stressful job when she had her first serious attack of anxiety and depression which put her in hospital; later, her second episode lasted for two years. Rachel found that her love of words and poetry helped her recovery. She built up from reciting one line at a time […]
Videos
Related content
Journalist & Mental Health Author, Rachel Kelly
Model and body image influencer, Jada Sezer
Jada Sezer found career success at a difficult time for her family, but learned to thrive in a challenging industry as a plus-size model. Since then she has run the London Marathon in her underwear and taken on a swimming challenge. She aims to inspire other women to be proud of their bodies. Social media, […]
Psychotherapist: Best Selling Author of – Fat is a Feminist Issue, Susie Orbach
Psychotherapist Susie Orbach has long studied our relationships with food and eating. ‘Life is full of challenges,’ she says, ‘the question is how to make them interesting.’ Susie is concerned about how parents’ preoccupations with bodies, food and fitness are transmitted to their children, sometimes using food as a substitute for genuine emotion. We have […]
Getting to the next level of life, Linda Mbagwu
Life coach Linda Mbagwu had a difficult start in her own childhood: at eight, she was working to boost the family’s income. Later, the pressure that she put on herself to succeed, as well as a failed relationship, led to anxiety and depression. Linda learned techniques to keep herself grounded and reframe her thinking, including […]
Irish Musician & Rugby International, Niall Breslin
Niall Breslin has been both a professional rugby player and a musician, fronting the band The Blizzards. He went through anxiety and depression when he was injured in his sport. He finds athletes are prone to ‘struggling with their heads’. Niall decided to talk in public about his mental health after experiencing a panic attack […]
Former Olympic Silver Medallist Diver turned Mental Wellbeing & Yoga Coach, Leon Taylor
Three-time Olympic diver and silver medallist Leon Taylor trained hard for his success but his body paid the price. ‘If you were a horse,’ he was told when he retired from the sport, ‘we’d have to shoot you.’ As with many athletes, it took him a while to recover both physically and mentally from the […]
Depression Survivor & Diversity Champion, Hayley Mulenda
Hayley Mulenda is a student and public speaker, and the author of The ABCs to Student Success. When she started university, while she was public speaking and running a business at the same time, she found herself overwhelmed with stress and depression. With the help of family and friends she overcame suicidal thoughts. Hayley says […]
Stress Coach, Anna Percy-Davis
Anna Percy-Davis is a career coach and mentor who advises her clients to seek more genuine, authentic versions of themselves in the workplace. Although she says we can’t wave a magic wand to sort everything out, we can tweak our perceptions and our behaviour gradually. Anna says self-care is vital, as is finding people who […]
Fitness & Wellbeing Guru, Adrienne Herbert
Adrienne Herbert was a professional dancer with much to look forward to — a new husband and a new baby — when her husband’s sudden illness turned their lives upside down. Adrienne took up running as a way to get out of the door and get her energy back. She now runs road races and […]
Depression doesn’t define me, Oliver Chittenden
Two years after Head Talks’ launch, we turn to founder Oliver Chittenden to hear his own story of his mental health struggles. Now meditation is key, especially the discipline of making it a part of a daily routine, adding that 10 day silent retreats have been a game-changer. Oliver is also a fan of cold-water […]
Life after, life with, Alice Liveing
Alice Liveing is a personal trainer, author and wellbeing influencer. She experienced depression and anxiety after several years of suppressing memories of an abusive relationship, and went through panic attacks and night terrors. Now, Alice says, she knows that she can get back up and come through those feelings. Alice tells us that it took […]
All in the Mind presenter on Radio 4, Claudia Hammond
Claudia Hammond’s new book, The Art of Rest, looks at how we can learn to rest better and use rest to recharge ourselves more effectively. As an author, broadcaster and psychology lecturer, Claudia is undoubtedly a busy person. She’s learnt that taking breaks to do something you enjoy, such as gardening in her case, can […]