Richie Norton discovered yoga when struggling to recover from injuries from his rugby career. The different forms of movement, plus the connection to his breath, helped him deal with what was going on in his mind at the same time. “That took me into breathwork, and meditation, and the power of restorative movement, and functional movement.” […]
Videos
Related content
Closing your mind’s apps, Richie Norton
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Former Gang leader turned Campaigner & Poet, Karl Lokko
Karl Lokko grew up on a south London estate where gang violence was all around him. He saw friends killed and became involved in crime himself, until he managed to turn his life around. Now he’s a mentor, campaigner and poet. Karl says he knew little about mental health when he was younger and that […]
Author, Journalist & social media influencer, Scarlett Curtis
Scarlett Curtis is a writer, podcaster and activist. Her new book, It’s not OK to feel blue (and other lies), is a collection of writings on mental health from high-profile figures. Scarlett tells us about how she gets through some of her own dark times — they’re less frequent now, fortunately, but still affect her […]
Psychotherapist & Former Mental Health Nurse Lead, Owen O’Kane
Owen O’Kane is a psychotherapist with a medical background. He’s the author of Ten to Zen, a guide to meditation and mindfulness that he says anyone can use to calm their mind. Owen grew up amid the Troubles in Northern Ireland and has seen how anxiety affects a place and its people. He has also […]
Globally recognised teacher of Science-Based Mindfulness, Dr Reena Kotecha
While Dr Reena Kotecha was working in the health service, she began to realise she was burnt out. She learned that she had to look after herself in order to help her patients. When Dr Reena took time out with anxiety and depression, she studied meditation, mindfulness and the traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda. Now she […]
Adversity happens: how to face it, Charlie Cannon
Charlie Cannon and his sister only just survived a car crash: he fell asleep at the wheel. It took Charlie a long time to come to terms with the accident and the terrible mistake he had made. Now he works as a coach and an expert in resilience who teaches others how to overcome their […]
Ayurvedic Sleep Coach, Anandi
Anandi is an Ayurvedic coach who specialises in sleep and stress. After years of suffering from a lack of sleep that made her ‘want the ground to open up’, she found the importance of breath and routines for good sleep. Anandi’s advice includes respecting the body’s natural Circadian rhythms, avoiding the blue light of screens […]