The Proper Mental Podcast

Xani Byrne

Welcome to episode 141 with Xani Byrne, who is currently riding a tandem around the coastline of the UK, covering 3500 miles to raise awareness of suicide and mental health and to raise money for to incredible support charities.

The idea for his expedition came after losing his sister to suicide in 2022.  They had always planned to ride a tandem together but never got the chance and now Xani is offering up the back seat of his bike to a different person on each leg of the journey, all of whom have been affected by suicide in some way.

I caught up with him on a rare rest day when he was about 2/3’s of the way through this 88 day challenge which will finish in Edinburgh towards the end of August.

In this episode I chat to Xani about the story behind his cycle, the logistics involved and how he actually quit his job to make this happen.

We chat about some of the obstacles and challenges he’s come across during the journey so far and he shares some of the incredible stories on behalf of the people who have joined him along the way.

I heard about Xani and his tandem after he passed through where I live and it was such a pleasure to be able to chat to him about this incredible bike ride and the story behind it, especially as he is still in the saddle at the time of recording!  He’s a great guy and he’s doing something really special.

Xani’s Just Giving page can be found here: Tandem Against Suicide UK fundraising on JustGiving

You can follow him on social media @tandemagainstsuicide

There is more info about his chosen charities here:

Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide (papyrus-uk.org)

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide – Overcoming the isolation of people bereaved by suicide (uksobs.org)

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Lucy Nichol

Welcome to episode 140 with Lucy Nichol, who is a writer and mental health campaigner.

Her recent book, Snowflake, takes a deep-dive into some of the most harmful mental health stereotypes and in this episode Lucy and I chat about where these stereotypes come from and the impact that they have.

We chat about Lucy’s own experiences with anxiety and panic attacks and how the conversation around mental health has changed since her teenage years.

We chat about the stigma that surrounds mental health in general but also what the word stigma actually means and how the way we talk to each other matters just as much as what we’re talking about.

We chat language, identity, compassion and some of the wonderful ways that young people are changing and impacting society and we explore some of the reasons why some people are so against that change.

It was wonderful to chat to Lucy, not just about mental health, but about lots of other areas of society that can affect how we think and feel about ourselves and our place in the world.

However, if you are the sort of person that doesn’t like listening to woke, snowflakes having a chat then this probably isn’t the episode for you!

You can connect with Lucy via her website https://lucynichol.com or via social media

Instagram @lucynichol

Twitter @LucyENichol

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Matty Caine

Welcome to episode 139 with Matty Caine, who is the CEO and founder of First Person Project C.I.C

First Person Project is a not-for-profit social enterprise who are on a social mission to promote empowerment in communities across Liverpool City Region, improving mental health through socially progressive action.

Matty has 17 years’ professional experience working in the field of mental health with more than a decade of Matty’s career spent working as a Registered Mental Health Nurse.

During this time Matty became frustrated with the restrictions and barriers in the health care system that get in the way of people getting help.

He had to take some time away from work after he started to experience depression and psychotic episodes which would eventually result in multiple suicide attempts and as part of his recovery Matty started the First Person Project.

Initially knocking on doors in his local area to support anyone in the community who was struggling and unable to access the right help, his work swiftly grew and we now has a team around him and several support hubs in the Liverpool City Region.

It’s an inspiring story and the community-based approach to mental health support just feels exciting and groundbreaking.  I cannot wait for you to hear about this work and the impact that Matty and his team have had in such a short space of time!

Everything you need to know can be found here:

www.firstpersonprojectcic.co.uk

Twitter @FirstPersonCIC / @mattycaine87

Instagram @firstpersonprojectcic / @mattycaine1

www.facebook.com/FirstPersonProjectCIC

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

PC Leon McLeod

Welcome to episode 138 with PC Leon McLeod!

On 3^rd June 2017 three terrorists drove a white van into pedestrians on London Bridge, then leapt out and started attacking bystanders.

As the attack took place, Leon was just starting a night shift and happened to be walking through the area as the attack took place.  He was one of the first officers on the scene, giving chase to the attackers and administering first aid and getting people to safety.  He was later awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal for his actions that night.

Shortly after these events, Leon’s mental health started deteriorate and, in this episode, Leon takes me through his recollections of the attack, how it played out around him and the impact it all had on his mental state.

We talk about the days and weeks that followed, how he dealt with it all and the impact that it had on his personal life and the people around him.

Something that really stands out from Leon’s story is that although the catalyst for him was incredibly specific, the way it impacted him and how it all played out is really relatable and that just shows how much common ground there is when it comes to mental health and why sharing stories is so important.

This is an incredible episode and I cannot thank Leon enough for speaking so openly about his experiences.

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Harriet Dyer

Welcome to episode 137 With Harriet Dyer, who is a stand up comedian, writer and mental health advocate.

Growing up, Harriet just thought that she was just eccentric but as she got older, and people kept trying to have her sectioned, she came to realise that there might be more going on.

She would eventually be diagnosed with bipolar and has incorporated her experiences with mental illness in to her comedy ever since.

In this episode I chat to Harriet about the fine line between being eccentric and mentally ill and we talk about some of the experiences that led to her diagnosis and performing stand up about it.

We chat about mental health in the world of comedy, making mental illness funny and the different ways that people react and we chat about her award-winning mental health comedy night, Barking Tales, and how that came to be.

I also highly recommend the Make Me Better podcast that Harriet co-hosts with Louise Young where they try out different self-improvement fads to see if anything makes them less insane and we chat about some of the things Harriet has tried in this episode too.

It was so much fun to chat to Harriet and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

You can learn more about Harriet and her Barking Tales comedy night via her website www.harrietdyer.com.

Follow her on social media @harrietdyercomedy and @makemebetterpod

Make Me Better is available on all podcast platforms

You can watch her special Trigger Warning here: Harriet Dyer: Trigger Warning - YouTube

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Dan Osman

Welcome to episode 136 with Dan Osman, who is a health and wellbeing coach and educator.

In this episode I chat to Dan about his background, how he got in to the world of fitness and how he became a coach.

We chat about his own experiences with mental ill health and the impact that has had on his coaching process, the way he works with his clients and how he sees the world.

We chat about identity, avoidance, choosing to get help and making big changes.

We also chat about body image, particularly in men, and some of the societal reasons that affect how men see themselves and how they feel about their body’s.

I’m a big fan of Dan’s social media content and how he writes and talks about mental health and life in general so it was great to get the chance to explore some of his ideas.  This conversation goes absolutely everywhere and to a lot of places that neither of us expected. 

There is something really nourishing about two men, who don’t know each other, just chatting openly about their insecurities and being really honest and this was an absolute joy to be a part of! 

You can follow Dan on social media @the.dan.osman and I highly recommend you do so as his content is brilliant!

I also highly recommend Dan’s podcast ‘Ramblings of a Mad Man’ which is available on all podcast platforms.

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Eddy Temple-Morris

Welcome to episode 135 with Eddy Temple-Morris, who is a musician, DJ & Broadcaster.

He is also a patron for My Black Dog, a mental health charity and ground breaking peer-to-peer service that’s hosted by volunteers that all have lived experience so anyone who’s struggling can web-chat with someone who really gets it.

In this episode I chat to Eddy about his work with My Black Dog and his own experiences with anxiety, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.

We chat about mental wellbeing and the practices that Eddy uses every day to look after himself.  We cover meditation, the Wim Hoff Method, food, music, nature and all sorts of other wonderful things that are good for the mind, body and spirit.

And we chat about the importance of talking, connecting with others and the importance of shared experience and using ADHD as a super power.

Eddy has been actively involved in the mental health for a long time and has gained some incredible insights along the way.  He was actually on the dream guest that I wrote up when I first started Proper Mental so to get to chat to him was really special and he is just the loveliest man!

You can listen to Eddy on Virgin Radio through the week 10:00 – 13:00.

Catch up with everything that Eddy does via his website https://eddytm.com or via his social media @eddytemplemorris.

You can learn more about My Black Dog at www.myblackdog.co or @myblackdog_co

You can check out the record Eddy mentions towards the end here: The Nightfly - YouTube

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Suzy Reading

Welcome to episode 134 with Suzy Reading, who is a Chartered Psychologist specialising in wellbeing, stress management and facilitation of healthy lifestyle change.

She is also a yoga teacher, author and coach who is recognised as one of the world’s leading self-care experts.

In this episode I chat to Suzy about her life experience of motherhood colliding with the terminal illness of her father that sparked her passion for self-care.

We chat about the importance of rest, some of the reasons why slowing down isn’t valued by society and why the language we use to talk about resting is important.

Suzy also takes me through her ‘8 Pillars of Rest’ and we look at different ways to rest and how we can start to apply them.

We also chat about setting boundaries, using Mantra’s, switching off and letting go and why we all need a rest prescription based on our own individual needs.

I loved to chatting to Suzy and even just talking about this stuff helped me to feel replenished and energised!  This episode has loads of practical advice and ideas to get you started on a more compassionate and restful way of being.

Suzy’s latest book ‘Rest To Reset: The busy person’s guide to resting with purpose’ is out now and available everywhere.

Everything you need to know about Suzy and her work can be found at www.suzyreading.co.uk and you can follow her on social media @suzyreading and I highly recommend her Instagram page!

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Adam Nutter

Welcome to episode 133 with Adam Nutter who is a guitarist, musician and songwriter.

Adam formed The Music with some friends (Robert Harvey, Stuart Coleman, Phil Jordan) while still at high school and the band were quickly called the best unsigned band in Britain by the NME.

When the group turned 18, they released their debut album which went in to the charts at number 4 and they set off on tour with the likes of U2, Oasis and Coldplay.

After two years of relentless touring, there was suddenly a lot of record label pressure to make a follow up record and the next few years would be complicated by the stresses of touring, music industry politics, burn out and the impact of streaming music.

The band called it a day whilst working on what would have been album number 4 and Adam found himself back at home and estranged from the rest of the band and without the only job that he knew how to do.  He was still only in his late twenties at this point and all of this combined took a massive toll on his mental health and his sense of identity.

He turned his back on music, put his guitars in storage and wouldn’t play again for a decade.  He would also be diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar and had to try and work out who he was and what he was going to do with the rest of his life.  He spiralled in to a really dark and angry place.

An unexpected but lovely series of events, linked to lockdown and the pandemic and a Tim Burgess Twitter Listening Party, would allow Adam to reconnect with this band mates and the fans of the music they made together. 

He started playing guitar again and made peace with everything that happened by writing his new solo album ‘Badlands on Fire’.

It’s an incredible story and it was hard to hear at times but it does come with a really beautiful ending and I can’t thank Adam enough for sharing it with me!

His new record is available here:  Adam Nutter | "Badlands on Fire" - OUT NOW

Adam has his own podcast ‘The Music and More’ which is available everywhere.

Everything else you need is here: adam_nutter | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

Michelle Thomas

Welcome to episode 132 with Michelle Thomas who is a writer and the author of My Sh*t Therapist and Other Mental Health Stories.

One day Michelle started crying at work and couldn’t stop.  She would end up spending the next two weeks in bed and would eventually have to leave her job.

As part of her recovery journey, she started medication and started going to therapy and began looking at different parts of her life that had impacted on her mental health and contributed to her being unwell.

She wrote about this process and her experience with mental illness and bad therapists in her book and in this episode, I chat to Michelle about her mental health and how a series of life events all arrived at once and caused her mental state to collapse.

We also chat about medication, self-care, running and how mental illness isn’t always about the extremes but more often about managing in the middle.

I enjoyed this conversation so much!  Michelle has some wonderful insights about mental health and we explore her traffic light system, the good and the bad things about therapy and why it’s important to include everybody in the mental health conversation.

You can find out more about Michelle and her work here: www.michellethomas.org and connect with her on social media @msmthomas.

Her book, My Sh*t Therapist and Other Mental Health Stories, is available everywhere and it’s really good read with loads of useful and amusing ideas and stories about mental health.

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

A great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!