British Podcast Awards 2022

Proper Mental was recently nominated at The British Podcast Awards!

This is the submission clip that I submitted to the judges and below is the description that went with it.

For a completely independent podcast like mine to even be nominated is incredible really and although I didn’t win, I did get to have a day out to London with my wife and on the whole, it was a positive experience and I’m really proud of the nomination.  I’m pretty sure I was the only mental health related podcast at the event which in itself is a wonderful thing!

Thanks for listening!  Enjoy!

“The aim of Proper Mental is to normalise open conversations about mental health and mental illness.  Some of these are lived experience, some focus on specific diagnosis or an aspect of mental wellbeing and some are just a chat.  

I work hard to include all aspects of mental ill health and additional factors that add to the stigma.  Inclusion and diversity are important to me and I believe that compassion for others and all aspects of mental health is key to the conversations that I have. 

I want to be relatable, to make people feel seen and less alone and I want to create a resource for people to learn about the complexities of mental health.  This isn’t a sad stories podcast and although I’m discussing challenging topics, I don’t want it to be challenging for the listener or the guest.  I always think about how the conversation is helping anyone who listens and I don’t dwell on the hard stuff just for the sake of it.  There is a strong focus on hope and recovery and I’m aware of what can be considered useful or triggering for my listeners. 

My role is simply to make the guest feel comfortable enough to talk.  Creating the space for them to fall into, that’s where the magic happens and I understand when to lean in and when to pull back.  Connecting through stories is a very human experience and having these big conversations, in a relaxed way, can be a powerful thing.”

0:00 – 01:55 Paul Mort is a bestselling author and 2 x Master Coach of the year.  I chat to him about his mental health breakdown that led to a viral video about suicide and the work he does now with men in the mental health space. 

TW: Suicide, substances, strong language.

01:59 – 06:39 Stevie Georgina is a YouTube Vlogger who began making videos about crochet and other arts and crafts as part of her recovery after being sectioned.  She suffered a breakdown due to undiagnosed Type 2 bipolar disorder.  We chat about the importance of creativity and self-expression and how arts and crafts can help us to heal.

06:35 – 10:50 Frank Turner is an English singer/song writer and mental health advocate who recently celebrated a number 1 album.  We chat about his own experience with mental ill health and substance abuse.

TW: Substance abuse

10:54 – 12:50 Brendan Geoghegan and Matthew Riley are the hosts of the LGBTQ+ podcast, Bottoming.  In this clip you can hear Brendan chatting to me about the additional mental health stigma faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of connecting with your therapist.

12:54 – 14:30 Dr Emilia Thompson is a registered nutritionist and women’s coach and we chat about mindset and the role of positive self-talk and how these things impact mental wellbeing.