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“I had planned how to die – I didn’t know how to live.” In this episode of a Mental Health Revolution in the Workplace, Marilyn Hawes explains the impact of the grooming and sexual abuse of her three sons, and how her ‘greatest calling’ came out of the pain is generated. We go on to talk about how the after-effects can seep far and wide into adulthood and the workplace, and what employees can do to counteract these effects. Founder and CEO of Freedom From Abuse Marilyn Hawes is a former music teacher whose three sons were sexually groomed and assaulted by their headteacher, a close family friend. In 2002 the police knocked on her door at home to say “your three boys are being sexually abused by the headteacher at the school where you are deputy's head”. Having pleaded guilty the judge gave the headteacher a suspended sentence. Marilyn took the case to the court of appeal and he was sent down. Because Marilyn did not want other families to go through the trauma she and her family had suffered she began “Enough Abuse”. In 2013 it became a charity and in September 2017 she was awarded “The Most Inspirational Woman of 2017” for the work she has done in educating schools, parents, and children in “grooming” the preamble to child sexual abuse. In May 2018 Marilyn set up “Freedom From Abuse”. Because of the increasing demand from families and the need to act quickly she decided to move from a charity to a company. So she can deliver a more comprehensive service more efficiently to both prevent abuse and support the abused to rebuild their lives and THRIVE. As Marilyn’s own knowledge and expertise grew, she became more involved professionally in the world of child protection and safeguarding and set up the charity Enough Abuse UK in 2004. Today, when she is not presenting training in schools up and down the country, Marilyn is to be found delivering her pragmatic views about child abuse on the likes of BBC Radio and TV, local radio stations, Sky News, ITN, and LBC. Marilyn Hawes has been Vice Chairman of Governors for nine years at a C of E aided school. Read A Mother’s Story – Marilyn’s personal recollection of the traumatic aftermath of her boys’ abuse. https://freedom-abuse.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Mental Health Revolution Podcast, Jean Davison tells of the disturbing chain of events that unfolded when, as a teenager, she became a 'voluntary' patient in the psychiatric system (1968-1974). Heavy drugs and electric shock treatment reduced her to a zombie. Years later, she found she had been given a 'schizophrenia' diagnosis immediately on entering the system. Since 'jumping out of the net', she married, and while working full-time as a medical secretary, she studied at evening classes, gaining a 1st class degree in combined studies (psychology and literature) and, later, an advanced certificate in counselling skills. After twelve years as a mental health support worker and trainer for Mind, she is now enjoying devoting much of her time to her childhood ambition of becoming a writer. Her memoir 'The Dark Threads' (published by Headline Accent) can be purchased through Amazon or good bookshops. Her blogsite address is www.jeanmdavison.wordpress.com and she is on Twitter @jeandavisonTDT and on Facebook. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 13th February 2011, Rob Stewart had what can only be described as one of the worst days in his life. Sitting in a police station, hearing the news that no father would ever want to hear. After seven weeks of anguish and torment, his daughter's body had been found. Six months of non-stop intrusion followed from the media, a high-profile murder trial, and then the stark reality of trying to find a job at the age of 55. In this episode of The Mental Health Revolution, Rob talks candidly about how he coped emotionally with this traumatic event, and what drives him now, both professionally and personally. Rob Stewart is Group Sales & Marketing Director for LPD Doors & Furniture, a Leeds-based importer, manufacturer, and distributor of internal and external doors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allister Frost co-founded his own tech business at 17-years-old. He is now an experienced technology advisor: mentoring startups and providing investors with due diligence in areas of AI, Blockchain, AR/VR technologies (often as a CTO). His career to date spans the realms of building PCs, website design, consulting on (financial, government, media, and pharmaceutical) logistics; telecoms projects for ‘Bluechips’ (CGI, Fujitsu, Microsoft, Vodafone), as well as sessional lecturing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie has worked with over 20,000 Leaders at every level of Management and Leadership for over 30+ years. The latter years working with CEOs, SMTs, boards of trustees & Entrepreneurs. She is a Coach, a Mentor, a Trainer, an Author, a property investor, and a public speaker. In this episode of the Mental Health Revolution in the Workplace, Julie talks extensively about the role of stress, and how it relates to your mental wellbeing, busts a few myths, and gives some brilliant advice on spotting the early signs. She also goes extensively into what team leaders and line managers should look out for to ensure their team is working in a healthy and productive way. You can reach Julie Hogbin on all the usual social media channels. Her website is www.juliehogbin.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janey Lee Grace is an author, commentator, and co-presenter on the UK’s biggest radio show, BBC Radio 2’s  Steve Wright in the Afternoon.  Janey has written five books on Holistic living including the #1 Amazon best seller Imperfectly Natural Woman and currently writes columns for many magazines, and runs training workshops and consultations on Media Breakthrough for holistic businesses and solopreneurs.  Janey used to wake up at 3 am hating herself for drinking too much, until the ‘wine witch’ came calling at 6 pm the next day and it started all over again. In 2018 she quit for ‘Dry January’ and never looked back. She had stopped before, but this time was different. Why? Because she became aware of a whole new world of possibility! She saw that alcohol had been stealing her joy, and being sober made her brave! She knew she needed emotional support, encouragement, and the right nutrition and lifestyle advice to really make this behavioral change. She started the podcast Alcohol-Free Life (200K downloads), and gave a TEDx talk Sobriety Rocks – Who Knew! She is also trained in EFT and as an optimum health and wellbeing coach working with grey area drinkers to help them overcome the ‘alcohol obstacle’.  Her online support platform, The Sober Club, is an amazing hub of inspirational resources and a rocking community where people support each other. If you’re interested in cutting the booze, you can check out Janey’s Club here - https://www.thesoberclub.com/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig Brookes is the co-founder and director of Sheffield-based Correct Choice Windows & Doors. After years of battling depression and anxiety, Craig managed to pull himself back from the brink and has gone on to build a successful and profitable business. He has also become a bit of a Linkedin sensation, with over 11,000 followers checking daily into often funny, sometimes brutal, daily posts and videos, which cut through the BS about running and building a successful window business. You can follow Graig here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-brookes-24176310b/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next few weeks and months are going to be incredibly tough for everyone, without exception. I've highlighted three key areas for you to focus on to keep a check on your own emotional wellbeing and to keep a check on those you are working with. Needless to say, if ANYONE needs to rant, rave, talk ANYTHING through, completely confidentially, simply Whatsapp me on 07904 345354, and we can set up a time to talk.I MEAN IT! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Hewitt is the CEO and chairman of the Glazerite Group of window manufacturers. John tragically lost his daughter Kelly to suicide, when she was just 24 years old. He has since dedicated his time and passion to raising awareness of mental health issues and has created the charity We Mind and Kelly Matters, raising £125,000 to help fund mental health initiatives in schools. In this update to his first podcast interview, John talks about the recent fundraising bike ride he organised from John O’Groats to Lands End, and how the experience of reaching out for help when struggling is a reflection of how we need to do the same when the going gets tough in life.   KEY TAKEAWAYS John and his team were overwhelmed by the amount of support and encouragement from complete strangers during the course of the ride. Although physically prepared, John realised that the emotional support of his team for him to be able to cope emotionally. The ride itself was like a metaphor for life – team members who were struggling would cry out for help, and they would all come together to help and encourage them through the pain. No matter what pain they experienced at the moment, that pain would be forgotten at the end of the day. There is a real stigma for men like John not to show emotion – he is openly emotional, and wants others to know there is no shame in that. John is looking to educate children in schools and wants businesses to get involved, as the children are the employees of the future.   VALUABLE RESOURCES You can find out more about John’s charity We Mind & Kelly Matters via the website: https://www.wemindandkellymatters.co.uk/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate talks to Chaya Grossberg, a consultant specialising in the treatment of people coming off psychiatric medication, whose own journey began with an extensive and damaging relationship with these drugs. Fortunately, Chaya was able to connect with a community determined to help people release themselves from the hold of this medication. Since then, Chaya has become a fierce proponent of ensuring that others can take the same steps she did.  In this frank conversation, Chaya shares her own journey, as well as some of the advice that changed her life.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   Having freed herself from psychiatric drugs, and realising the benefits of doing so, Chaya has made it her mission to speak out whenever possible on the subject.   The “cocktail” of drugs that are prescribed in most cases build in terrifying intensity. Each drug seems to be added in order to counteract the negative side-effects of the previous one, and all of a sudden, the patient finds themselves taking many different drugs each designed to battle the others.   While coming off the drugs, Chaya faced extreme panic attacks, an intense sense of discomfort and restlessness, extreme insomnia, nausea and seizures.   In the US, around twenty million people are on psychiatric drugs. There is a sense that some would like people to remain on this medication, as it’s a huge money-spinner.   Peer support is incredibly important. We need so many more systems than there currently are, but the ones we already have are crucial to effective withdrawal.   People need to create their own narrative, their own story. By expressing their own experiences in words that feel true, re-synthesis can take place   BEST MOMENTS  ‘It felt like the narratives around psychiatry and medications were still being formed’ ’That’s why they call it a cocktail; it’s a little bit of this with a little of that’ ‘Is it right to take a drug for your mood and emotions?’ ’There’s a stigma around critiquing psychiatry’ ‘You are almost falling backwards into the system'   VALUABLE RESOURCES   The Mental Health Revolution Podcast   Chaya Grossberg: Freedom From Psychiatric Drugs - https://chayagrossberg.com/2355-2/   Chaya Grossberg - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chayagrossberg/?hl=en   Chaya Grossberg - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6nm1hQ7fJgFAOTQMgaDrnQ     ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. www.kateashleynorman.com You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate is joined by Homeworker Magazine creator Louise Goss, to discuss the issues that may arise from working from home; issues that are becoming ever more common and prevalent as more of find ourselves able to conduct business from our homes. Often we do not consider the detrimental effects upon our wellbeing that can arise from being a homeworker, such as isolation or a sense of distance. Kate and Louise discuss these issues, and offer helpful guidance as to how you can prevent them from impacting your emotional wellbeing.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   Loneliness is very common among those who work from home. This method of working is very attractive to those who consider themselves introverted.   A lack of official structure can also be a challenger, especially when transitioning from a work environment, which is built upon structure. By implementing your own structures, times and goals, you can drive yourself to do better and help to differentiate your work time from your free time.   It generally seems to be that men prefer to work from home more than women. Perhaps this is due to the seemingly ingrained belief that men are the breadwinners, and must be the ones who work, and in the main, jobs have always been external.   Our working environments at home can impact on the way we feel, especially due to the “inspirational” home workspaces shown on social media.   It’s important to reintegrate with people often, as it can refresh our mindset. You can do this by working outside, or arranging to see someone else. Try booking yourself into a co-working space, even if only for a few hours.   Switching off from work can be just as hard as switching on. Remember to finish working completely each day and spend time on yourself, and with your family.   BEST MOMENTS   ‘It’s funny isn’t it, how we can manage to do so much without actually talking to anyone’ ’Taking that time out for yourself can take a backseat’ ‘Just going to a different place can spark something. It can inspire you in a different way’ ‘I’ve always liked the idea of “healthy neglect"'   VALUABLE RESOURCES   The Mental Health Revolution Podcast Contact details for Louise Goss: You can subscribe to the Homeworker Magazine here: https://www.thehomeworker.com/   You can join the Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/thehomeworkermag/   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual.   CONTACT METHOD   You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Mental Health Revolution Kate joins Gary who is one of Kate’s old friends and unofficial mentor to discuss how Gary stays positive regardless of his past and how it may have affected him.    KEY TAKEAWAYS   People tend to hold onto things from their past to use as an excuse to not move forward.   Staying positive and being a successful businessman has been very incremental and certainly hasn’t been an instant thing.   Gary explains that marrying a good woman is crucial and it’s helped him learn crucial lessons alongside being the stable influence behind any of the success that they’ve had.  For Gary his motivation has never been about the money, it’s always been about winning, being successful and having a good strong harmonious team.   You’re never going to always win every deal so there’s no benefit or mileage by boiling the person that’s lost the deal out. But ensure you learn from it for the next time.  People want, like and appreciate consistency. Social media often gives people that constancy through likes. However, a lot of younger people often now don’t see what is going on in the real world, which has fed the strong need to have success but not put in the work.    BEST MOMENTS    ‘Who motivates the motivator?’    ‘By being incremental you’re more able to keep your feet on the ground and it’s more sustainable.’    ‘Some people take opportunity and others are unable to see it’    ‘The by-product of success is generally happiness or financial gain’    ‘Great teams recognise that not everyone can be great everyday’    VALUABLE RESOURCES   You can find out about Gary’s charity GM Fundraising through the website https://www.gmfundraising.co.uk/    ABOUT THE HOST   Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual.   CONTACT METHOD  You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/  You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.   You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819  Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After spending thirty years in the corporate world, Sally Brady had forgotten how to live. Work had become her life, and the stress and overwhelm was taking its toll on every aspect of her life.   After a particularly terrifying night, where things became far too much, Sally knew that something had to change.    Sally found the answer in a coach, who caused her to recognise that the fixes being offered were nothing more than temporary, and that the corporate environment was bad for her health.   Listen as Sally describes her fascinating journey, one that led from a place of darkness to a place of hope.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   Sally’s former corporate place of work were not well enough equipped to deal with mental health issues when they arose. This problem is very common and can be avoided is more preventative practices are put in place.   Sally discovered that many companies advocate the use of anti-depressants in what seems like an attempt to mask the troubling pressure that employees are being put under.   The business that Sally has founded aims to provide coaching and real support for people who may be going through the same levels of overwhelm and burnout that she faced.    By recognising her own support network, Sally feels recovered from her ordeal, and by providing others with the same liberation, she hopes to replicate that feeling of security and support throughout the industry.   BEST MOMENTS   ‘I got home that night and literally fell apart’   ‘Drugs are like a sticking plaster’   ‘People are just machines’   ‘I’ve been on this journey, I’ve got something to show for it’     VALUABLE RESOURCES   The Mental Health Revolution Podcast Sally Brady’s website - www.sallybrady.co.uk   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate talks to Rob Smallbone, successful property investor, author, and host of the Property Nomads podcast, about his life and travels, and his experiences with mental health issues.   Rob candidly discusses how these issues have affected him, and how they continue to affect many entrepreneurs, as well as the tools he used to overcome these challenges.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   When you go through something like depression, visiting the doctor often results in a diagnosis, but unless we are given counselling, we often then work through the depression on our own. Sometimes merely being diagnosed is enough to get the ball rolling. Travel altered Rob’s mindset completely and really opened his eyes to the many possibilities of life. It also changed his perceptions about happiness and quality of life. Rob keeps his demons at bay by daily reminding himself of everything he has to be grateful for. He does this by means of a “Gratitude Jar”, into which he deposits at least three things for which he grateful each day. Research shows that when a person has something to care for and live for, it can dramatically increase their life expectancy. Senior citizens given plants to care for are shown to live for 30% longer than those who are lonely or feel they have no purpose. Rob’s way of dealing with an issue is to constantly learn, ask questions, to analyse the issue in detail and construct an answer as to the how and why. Discipline in terms of connecting to the world via social media and the internet has helped Rob to focus on the more important things. Even the smallest of interactions can lead to a rabbit hole of connections that can lead to entire banks of time being lost.   BEST MOMENTS  ‘If I’d been a bit more open and honest about things, then they could’ve played out differently’ ’That gratitude attitude is really important’ ‘Anything that happens in life is objective. But how we deal with it is subjective’ ‘Perfection is not attainable, but if we aim for perfection we end up with excellence'   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Mental Health Revolution Podcast   ABOUT THE GUEST Rob Smallbone is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author, Speaker, Co-host of The Property Nomads Podcast, and Property Investor. For further information check out his website - https://www.thepropertynomads.com/   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual.   CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suicide is devastating. There are no answers to the many questions, and the fall out for those left behind will last a lifetime. In this episode of The Mental Health Revolution Podcast, Kate talks to businessman John Hewitt to share his own experiences dealing with the loss of his daughter Kelly. He felt it was crucial to bring awareness about the effects of dealing with mental health issues, to both keep Kelly’s memory alive, and to help others going through similar situations. As a result, We Mind & Kelly Matters, was established to with several events lined up in the coming months specifically to raise funds for Mind and SOBS (contact details below). KEY TAKEAWAYS Kelly Hewitt’s dream since she was a child was to be a police officer. She studied, passed the exam, and started working at Bedford Prison in April 2017. In October 2017, Kelly was very distressed she was when she witnessed a prisoner’s suicide. It wasn’t just one instance; prison guards witness harm and violence often among the prisoners. She eventually started shunning away her friends and family unintentionally, and started isolating herself. In December 2018, Kelly was supposed to meet up with her family but she didn’t show up. She wasn’t answering the calls of her sister which was very unlike her. Aside from the stress she’s receiving from the workplace, Kelly also has past traumas and has recently experienced a financial problem. John recalls how sweet and gleeful Kelly was when she was a child. It was a lot to handle for her. Most of the time it’s the service providers who are always on the frontline that are in need of maintaining their mental well-being. John wants to spread the word about mental health issues through the charity We Mind and Kelly Matters. Right now, they’re trying to collect funds to reach a larger number of audiences. BEST MOMENTS “There were people who are aware she was struggling; there were people who knew she was self-harming.” “If we see the signs and we don’t act on it, then that’s not right.” “When you lose somebody, you don’t get over it. It’s not the question of that time heals; what happens is it becomes a part of you.”   VALUABLE RESOURCES Official Website - http://www.wemindandkellymatters.co.uk/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ourkellymatters Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Community/We-Mind-Kelly-Matters-370492657038100/ https://www.glazeritewindows.co.uk/ ABOUT THE GUEST John Hewitt is the Chairman of Glazerite UK Group Ltd., leading manufacturer of uPVC windows, doors and conservatories to trade customers throughout the UK. In December 2018, John lost his lovely daughter Kelly through the struggles of mental health. In memory of Kelly and with the objective to spread the word about mental health, he, together with the help of loved ones and friends, set up the charity We Mind & Kelly Matters. Twitter - https://twitter.com/johnhewitt70 ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I will be who I am, and I’m basically in charge of that now.” It’s hard to believe that some of us have lived full of horrors and traumas with our biological family. You’re lucky and privileged if you didn’t have to go through these. But for some who did, how do they look pass them so they can also live their lives fully? In this episode of The Mental Health Revolution Podcast, Kate talks to Liz Scott, a clinical psychologist and the author of This Never Happened, about her experiences dealing with her family secrets, how it helped her finder her identity by trying to unravel the mysteries, how she found much more compassion while on her quest, and many more. Discover how it affected her well-being and relationships when you tune in. KEY TAKEAWAYS There were too many untold secrets in Liz’s family that then affected the state of their relationship. The mystery also has become detrimental to the health and well-being of each; personal identity and personal development were difficult to achieve. For example, Liz didn’t know she was Jewish in her early 30s. Her roots and culture are a great indication of how she grew up, why she looks this way and what not. Liz had to live with her narcissistic mother all her life. It was difficult to grow a strong bond between them. Her mother was also having a hard time dealing with her inner demons. What did Liz learn after writing the book? She found increased compassion for her parents, a stronger sense of where she fits in the world, and the ability to live with unanswered questions. It’s best to not feel any anger and upset to family members who have been toxic. Approach it with understanding and compassion. See pass through the negativities and learn the lessons that present themselves. BEST MOMENTS “When we found out, we certainly feel that some pieces fell into place.” “… there wasn’t a lot of room for me to come into my own as a separate human being in his eyes.” “I didn’t set out to write it as a catharsis, but it did have the same effect.” “It was helpful to feel less agitated with all the unanswered questions and just realise that some questions will never have to be answered.” VALUABLE RESOURCES This Never Happened by Liz Scott ABOUT THE GUEST Liz Scott is the author of This Never Happened, a memoir which tells her stories as she tries to unravel the mysteries in her family. Liz has been a clinical psychologist for over 40 years and has helped various clients deal with life challenges and mysteries. She is currently living in Portland, Oregon. ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Professionals must be given the opportunity to look after themselves holistically in order to fulfil their roles looking after and being responsible for others’ In this episode Kate is in conversation with Dr. Shan Hussain author of  ‘The Big Prescription’ a book which shares the same ethos of the Thrive program, taking a common-sense approach to looking after your mental health. They discuss the alarming statistics surrounding the rates of suicide amongst those in the medical profession and how understanding our own mental health and how we manage stress is key to good mental health.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Why do you feel within the medical profession the rate of suicide is so high? Medical professionals may have concerns around highlighting issues around mental health, worrying that their own competency may be called into question We do need to place an emphasis on practitioner wellbeing because if we can’t look after ourselves it’s very challenging to effectively look after others. There can be a stacking effect created across a medical practitioner’s day through the complex and often upsetting situations that they deal with. It's important to have self-care and self-passion spending time at the end of the day unwinding and decompressing from the things dealt with and the emotions you have had to cope with. Are things changing? Conversations are beginning to take place. It's at an early stage and we need to do what we can to progress these conversations and at the same time acknowledge that the problem lies with the increasing amount of work doctors are required to do. Demand is rising, expectations are rising, complaints are rising and in the midst of this are practitioners who have not had any real increase in remuneration in real terms for 15 years coupled with a loss of 20% of the front-line workforce It's not about unlearning what we already know it's about getting some balance and understanding as to where the stress is arising from and what we can do about it There are only 3 types of stress; Physical stress on the body Emotional and mental stress Social stress coming from the environment We can’t fix an emotional problem with a physical solution and we must streamline our approaches according to what the source of the problem is.   BEST MOMENTS ‘People are now more comfortable talking about mental health and we are seeing more empathy towards others’ ‘Learning to change how we perceive the environment and doing our best to manage it in a healthier way’ ‘Whatever makes you feel relaxed do that activity on a regular basis’   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Mental Health Revolution Podcast Enduring Health podcast The Big Prescription book by Dr. Shan Hussain   ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Shan Hussain is an author, general practitioner, health coach, wellness advisor and ambassador to the World Health Innovation Summit. He is also the host of the Enduring Health podcast. For more information go to www.thehealthstudio.net.   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. Kate Ashley-Norman You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate is talking with Teresa Brooks who has recently launched the Coach magazine and is a business coach and NLP practitioner. They discuss Teresa’s own experiences with mental health and the changing conversations and perceptions of mental health. This interview provides a window into an individual’s personal experiences and opens the discussion around prevention through coaching, education, personal understanding and empowerment.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Business is personal and there is a difference between mental health issues and the blocks people face in business. It’s about the person;  I’m coaching the person behind the business, not the business, you can't coach a business. Early in my adult life my endeavours to move forward brought a huge amount of pressure and stress which resulted in me crashing in all areas of my life. I was doing things, but I wasn’t connected anymore, everything was broken It was scary and very tiring; you cannot have any understanding of it unless you have experienced it. When you are in a state of depression you feel out of control about everything around you. People need a reason, a validation, an explanation and if you are suffering from a mental health issue it's not easy to describe how and what you are feeling. The forums are people all going through the same experiences and this can offer support but lead to you being kept in the same place when what you need to do is work on yourself Ultimately we all want to be heard, understood and helped when you find a place where you feel listened to it can seem like a safe haven. Lots of people will need extra support in their lives for a short period People can be helped and there are hugely varying degrees of mental health With the work I do, I'm not just listening to their words I'm listening to them, everything about them, I'm watching their physiology In children, mental health should be dealt with in ways that empower them and teaches what they can do to feel better and more powerful about themselves For children, it's about developing self-awareness and understanding who they are. It's important we think about our children the next generation must be able to live full and happy lives You are never too old to get to grips with how your mind works. There is always something to learn   BEST MOMENTS ‘ is massively supportive, but we still worry about what others think’ ‘The more knowledge and learning we have from an early age the better’ ‘I continued to suffer from anxiety attacks because I was so scared it was going to come back’ ‘I have always been able to express myself but when I got to a place where I couldn’t speak about it I wrote everything down’    VALUABLE RESOURCES The Mental Health Revolution Podcast You can contact Teresa via her website: https://www.teresabrookscoaching.com/ You can subscribe to Coach Magazine view the website: https://www.teresabrookscoaching.com/coach-magazine/   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate talks to adventurer, explorer and speaker, Richard Matthews about the positive effect of outdoor pursuits upon our mental heath.   Richard has personally experienced and seen how all our mental states fluctuates as well as our understanding of other people around the world. From heading in to countries that the media say are dangerous and full of terrible people to find that this is not the case. Being outdoors can massively help the mental state of everyone.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   After a severe breakup in 2014, Richard found himself suffering from crippling depression that impacted his life greatly. After a two and a half month trip to Mongolia, Richard found himself changed, as though his depression had been left on the trip instead of returning with him.   Through this experience, Richard believes that others can benefit from adventures in the outdoors, which can serve to remove the focus from the internal anxieties that may be impacting our lives.   Richard’s theory is that by feasting upon the sensory overloads of different cultures from around the world, our own minds are given to letting go of the depressions that weigh us down.   Cutting himself off from the world on a solo trip to Slovenia gave Richard time to think and to focus upon himself. It also gave him the opportunity to realise that he could handle being alone.   BEST MOMENTS   ‘I’m trying to promote the idea that everyone should get outdoors. The outdoors is an incredible place for mental wellbeing’   ‘Travelling through different cultures is an overload of the mind’   ‘It’s tough to be alone’   ‘Mental health isn’t something to be tolerated, but something to push through’   VALUABLE RESOURCES   The Mental Health Revolution Podcast   ABOUT THE GUEST   Richard grew up living in seaside town of Teignmouth, Devon. Growing up on the coast, he embraced water based adventures from young age! These included sea swimming, kayaking and canoeing. Changing from water he then took to the land and air getting involved with Ten Tors taking him all over Dartmoor and beyond. Simultaneously Richard joined the Air Training Corps were he had many adventures, flying, shooting, mountaineering and learning a whole host of skills, then went on to gain 30+ hours flying and a few hours solo flights.   The Arctic Survival Challenge in Sweden was the first international challenge for Richard. The Challenge entailed sleeping outside in temperatures as low as -35°C, in snow holes and shelter from the forest.    The Mongol Rally in 2015. This journey from Teignmouth, UK to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia was my first big adventure into the unknown. We drove through Iran, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, and nearly all of Russia, all in a 1996 Nissan Micra. This trip is eye-opening to all that experience it, to have a look into the diverse cultures outside of Western Europe.    www.rmadventures.co.uk Facebook: @theRMAdventures Instagram: theRMAdventures   ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Kate is speaking to Eileen Forrestal founder of the Get Up & Go Diaries.  They discuss the importance of understanding who you are and what you want in a world with ever increasing unfiltered information being directed towards us throughout each day.  If you want to learn more about the journey Eileen has made and the philosophy behind the inspirational diaries and journals then tune in now.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  The Get Up and Go Diaries represent a philosophy  for life encouraging reflection, encouragement, peace, generosity, cooperation, acceptance, forgiveness and love.  They use words as powerful tools and encourage us to consider the words we use both when communicating with others and those we speak internally to ourselves.  Questioning is so important for mental health. People need to be questioning on a deep level why they feel the way they do.  Understanding what is happening is vital, it enables you to take step by step, day by day actions.  We are social creatures, but in today’s society things are becoming very personalised where others have to come into our sphere. We need to be getting out there and in contact with others.  We need to be able to filter what we want as the information stream is now huge.  You have to get to rock bottom and ask yourself the question, is this where I want to be?  We as human beings all have innate abilities. It’s about how you can best use those abilities to get where you want to be.  If we are stuck the next step to get unstuck it is the critical step.  Who do I need to talk to, what do I need to do?  There are all sorts of normal and it's important that everyone gets the chance to be who they want to be.  We are all perfect as imperfect human beings.  You have to learn yourself; what sort of person you want to be?     BEST MOMENTS  ‘I’m engaging and responding to what’s happening around me’  ‘I had loads of ideas but they were stuck in my head’  ‘What else is there? What could I do? It’s the importance of curiosity’  ‘Medication can be valuable but the explosion of its use currently cannot be the answer’     VALUABLE RESOURCES The Mental Health Revolution Podcast www.getupandgodiary.com     ABOUT THE HOST  You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.