Journalist and author Sam Baker noticed an escalation in her anxiety, crashes in self-confidence, and depression in her 40s. “I felt like I had lost sight of myself.” When she was researching her book, The Shift, she realised those feelings weren’t uncommon in women – and they weren’t being discussed. Midway through HRT, she was […]
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Journalist and Author of The Shift, Sam Baker
Mindful Leadership Expert, Pandit Dasa
Pandit Dasa, the child of Indian immigrants, grew up in America. He joined a monastery in 1999, hoping to find clarity and purpose in a simpler life. He spent 15 years living as a monk in New York, before deciding he wanted to leave the monastic order to take his teachings into the corporate world […]
Loving the skin you’re in, Eryca Freemantle
As a child, Eryca Freemantle was bullied at school for being different, and remembers the constant feeling of heaviness and sadness. Home was her safe space. But when a life-changing accident left her with serious facial scarring from burns, those memories of childhood bullying came back. After suffering a breakdown, having suicidal thoughts and finally […]
Tomorrow might be great, Josh Zitser
Josh Zitser was always a deeply sensitive child, but when a teenage friend took her own life, he suffered depression, panic attacks and an eating disorder. But it took a while for him to realise his feelings weren’t the same as everyone else. Josh has had suicidal thoughts, but recent therapy has changed his life. […]
Comedian and mental health campaigner, Juliette Burton
Since her teens, comedian Juliette Burton has been diagnosed with a series of mental health disorders, from eating disorders to anxiety. Juliette says comedy is a way to survive the darkness and making light of her illnesses really helps her. Having to go on stage in front of an audience reduces tension and allows her […]
Don’t run away from panic, Joshua Fletcher
After suffering from anxiety, culminating in a full-blown panic attack at work, Joshua Fletcher studied how he could effectively treat himself. His best advice was “stop trying to fix yourself” which was genuinely liberating. He qualified as a psychotherapist and founded The Panic Room. Josh encourages people just to experience their panic. He says the […]
Music, mental health and me, Jack Williamson
After his brother took his own life, music executive Jack Williamson started to question his purpose and his drive. Artist management was taking its toll on his mental health, and he realised there was a need in the music industry to provide early onset mental health support. Since then, Music and You, which Jack founded […]
Breath: your own ‘life hack’, Max Gomez
Max Gomez was studying neuroscience at university and realised that he was suffering from some learning challenges (ADHD and dyslexia). He became fascinated in how he could build products to help people to improve their wellbeing. Two years after college, he suffered some huge changes in his life and he suffered a bout of deep, […]
Taking time to deal with trauma, Shanie Ryan
Presenter and podcast host Shanie Ryan is a survivor of the 7/7 London bombings. Her experiences led to PTSD, anxiety and depression, but it took her a while to realise the changes in her behaviour were a result of that day. “I couldn’t relax, my behaviour was frantic, I always needed to be in control. […]
Former ‘Bake Off’ Celebrity & Influencer, Michael Chakraverty
The Great British Bake Off star came to national prominence when he experienced a panic attack on television after his choux pastry went wrong. Michael had been learning in therapy that he should try new things; during the show, he found his brain telling him ‘you aren’t as good as you thought you were.’ Michael […]
Fellowship, therapy and our non-stop culture, Henrietta Bowden-Jones
Henrietta Bowden-Jones is a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in the treatment of addictions. She has a particular interest in the treatment of problem gambling. She believes that a combination of therapy and a drug-based approach can be helpful to many of her patients. Dr Bowden-Jones warns of the risks of a culture where we are […]
Journalist & Mental Health Author, Rachel Kelly
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 […]