Podcast

“What About Now? – Holding on and moving forward” is officially here.This first episode is raw, honest, and deeply personal — sharing my own experience of being admitted to a psychiatric ward, what happened after, and why I’ve launched this project to support others through the same.💬 It’s not always an easy listen — but it’s real. It’s for anyone who’s ever asked, what happens next?🌱 Listen now, follow along, and join us as we explore stories of healing, hope, and holding on — one step at a time.🎗️ Donate or share: https://gofund.me/a9a5c63a📝 Read the original blog post: http://www.learningtotalk4.wordpress.com📱 Follow us on social media: Facebook – What About Now? Instagram – whataboutnow25? Or whataboutnowtgepodcast 💌 Contact or share your story: ew.whataboutnow@gmail.com

🎙️ New Podcast Episode – “We’re Not All Mad” is now live!This week’s episode dives into the powerful stigma around mental illness — the misconceptions, the labels, and the damage they cause. I share what it’s really like to be treated like you’re “crazy” simply for struggling, and why we need to rewrite that narrative.This one’s honest, reflective, and unapologetically real.🔗 Plus, catch up on our blog and latest updates:https://learningtotalk4.wordpress.com/📲 Follow & share:@whataboutnow25@whataboutnowthepodcastLet’s keep smashing the stigma — because we’re not all mad.#WhatAboutNow #MentalHealthPodcast #EndTheStigma #LivedExperience #WeAreNotAllMad #MentalHealthAwareness #PodcastDrop

In this episode, we explore the unexpected friendships, human complexity, and hard truths discovered inside a psychiatric hospital. From the bonds formed in the most unlikely places to raw stories of addiction, relapse, and recovery, this is a reflection on what it means to truly see someone. We talk about broken systems, unseen strength, and the deep need for community beyond discharge.🧠💬This is for anyone who’s ever felt judged, misunderstood, or left behind — and for everyone who believes we can do better.Share your story. Hold space for someone else’s. Let’s challenge stigma, together.— What About Now?

In this raw and deeply personal episode, I speak honestly about the fear that came with reaching out for help — and how, instead of feeling supported, I felt judged, watched, and silenced.This isn’t just about mental illness. It’s about being a parent who needed understanding, not scrutiny. It’s about the moments I felt I let my child down — not because I didn’t care, but because the systems in place made me feel like the enemy.If you’ve ever felt scared to ask for help, or like you were slipping through the cracks while trying to hold everything together — this episode is for you.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Amazon/Audible, and Apple Podcasts📲 Follow @whataboutnowthepodcast for more honest conversations💛 Please subscribe and share if this resonates — you’re not alone.#WhatAboutNow #MentalHealthPodcast #ParentingAndMentalHealth #SystemicFailure #LivedExperience #NewEpisode

In this deeply honest episode, I share what it’s really like to still be struggling while trying to support others.I talk about the anger I carry, the mask I wear, and the shame of not being “better” yet — even though I write and speak about healing all the time.This isn’t a story about how I made it through.This is a story about staying.About showing up anyway.About still learning — even on the hardest days.If you’ve ever felt like a fraud for not having it all figured out, or if you’re carrying more than you can say out loud, this is for you.

In this raw and personal episode, I reflect on the devastating consequences of inadequate aftercare — both in my own life and in the lives of others. From a formal complaint that left me feeling unheard, to the heartbreak of a misdiagnosis that shaped my youth, I explore the complex emotions of sadness, relief, and long-overdue clarity. This is a message for anyone who has ever felt abandoned after discharge — and a call to share, relate, and push for change. You are not alone.

In this episode, we explore the invisible nature of mental illness — how easy it is for others (and sometimes even ourselves) to forget that it’s there simply because we can’t see it. Drawing a poignant comparison between mental and physical health, we question why it’s so much harder to call in sick for a day of depression than it is for the flu.This episode is a reminder that asking for help is not a weakness — it’s one of the bravest things you can do. If people forget that you’re struggling, it’s okay to remind them. It’s okay to take space. And it’s more than okay to prioritise your healing.

In this deeply personal episode of What About Now? – Holding on and moving forward, we explore the emotional toll of performing for others—wearing a mask to protect those around us while silently struggling inside.Drawing from a recent blog post, I reflect on what it means to “put on an act” in everyday life—why we do it, who we’re really protecting, and what it costs us. This episode is a raw, honest look at how pretending to be okay can become a survival strategy, and how vulnerability might be the bravest thing we can offer ourselves and others.Whether you’ve played the part yourself or loved someone who has, this is a space to feel seen, heard, and held.

In this raw and honest solo episode, I open up about what it’s like to feel worn down by life — even when you’re doing your best to stay strong.“When Life Won’t Give You a Break” is a reflection on those days, weeks, or even years when it feels like everything comes with a fight. From internal battles with your own mind to external struggles against broken systems, I talk about what it means to keep going even when you’re running on empty.This episode explores why the phrase “everything happens for a reason” can feel hollow, why resilience isn’t always about building strength — and how just showing up, especially for others, is a form of courage that often goes unrecognised.Whether you’re in the middle of your own battle or holding space for someone else, this episode is for you.🔊 Listen in for:• Honest talk about burnout, trauma, and mental health• Reflections on systems that fail those who need them most• A reminder that being “still here” is a quiet kind of power• A few words about Archie, of course💬 “You’re not lacking resilience — you’re living it.”

Letting go. It sounds simple — but for many of us, it’s one of the hardest things we’ll ever do.In this deeply personal episode, I open up about what it really feels like to walk away — from relationships, patterns, people, or versions of ourselves that no longer serve us.Why do we hold on when we know we’re hurting?Why does the pain of the familiar feel safer than the uncertainty of freedom?Why do we blame ourselves for being betrayed — or for trusting in the first place?This episode explores the emotional weight of letting go, the fear of change, the cycle of self-blame, and the powerful truth that walking away isn’t weakness — it’s self-love.💬 Whether you’re in the middle of a heartbreak, struggling to set boundaries, or just quietly learning to put yourself first — this episode is for you.📌 Highlights:• Why we stay when we know we should go• The grief of leaving behind people or futures we hoped for• Trusting the wrong people — and blaming ourselves• Reframing letting go as an act of love, not loss• A reminder: you’re allowed to choose you🎧 Tune in, take what you need, and remember —Letting go isn’t failure. It’s the beginning of freedom.

I’m telling the truth I’ve carried in silence for far too long. This is not a story about revenge — it’s about reclaiming my voice after betrayal, heartbreak, and the quiet devastation of being the last to know.For a long time, I protected people who didn’t protect me. I let others share their version of what happened while I stayed silent to keep the peace. But that silence nearly destroyed me.This episode is raw, reflective, and real. I talk about the relationship that changed everything, the people who knew more than they ever told me, and the grief of walking away from a whole life I thought was mine.I’ve never had the full truth. But what I do have is my voice — and I’m using it.If you’ve ever felt left behind, misunderstood, or like your story didn’t matter, this episode is for you.Because this time, I’m not speaking for revenge.I’m speaking for me.

In this episode, I’m opening up about what healing really looks like — not the filtered, polished version we often see online, but the messy, painful, beautiful truth. If you’ve ever felt like you’re getting it wrong, falling behind, or not “healing fast enough,” this one’s for you.I share my personal journey through trauma, relapse, and the quiet moments of progress that no one sees — getting out of bed, walking my son to school, choosing to stay. Because healing isn’t a straight line. It doesn’t come with a rulebook. And it definitely doesn’t mean you’re “fixed.”We talk about: • What healing feels like in the early days • Why it often gets harder before it gets easier • The myth of timelines and “closure” • The little victories that matter most • And the truth: you’re not behind — you’re healing.This is a conversation for anyone who’s still fighting, still feeling, and still showing up. You’re not alone.Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of trauma, self-harm, hospitalisation, and suicidal ideation. Please take care while listening.

What happens when lying becomes second nature?When you lie so often — to others, to yourself — that you forget who you even are?In this raw and deeply personal episode, I open up about the quiet, complicated process of learning to be honest again. After addiction, after shame, after trust has been broken — how do you rebuild? How do you stop hiding? How do you face yourself and start telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable?I share what it was like to live behind a mask, how it affected my family, my ex-partner, and how small moments — like being trusted again with something as simple as a bank card — became massive milestones in recovery.If you’ve ever struggled with honesty, self-trust, or carrying the guilt of your past, this episode is for you. You’re not a bad person — but you do have to start being honest with yourself. This is where healing begins.🖤 Read the blog post:Learning to Be Honest Again

Healing is often painted as a beautiful, empowering journey — but what happens when it still hurts?In this raw and reflective episode, I explore the side of healing that no one talks about. The contradictions. The confusion. The grief that lingers even as you grow.From feeling proud of your progress while still aching for your old life, to missing the very chaos you had to escape — this episode holds space for the messy middle. The in-between. The place where you’re not who you were, but not quite who you’re becoming.Whether you’re feeling stuck, lost, or just quietly exhausted by your own progress, this is your reminder: you’re not doing it wrong. Healing isn’t linear — and it rarely feels the way we expect it to.You’re not broken.You’re becoming.

In this deeply personal episode, I explore what it really means to belong — and what it feels like when you never quite have. From losing myself in order to be accepted, to chasing connection in the wrong places, I reflect on the loneliness, the masks, and the grief that often come with trying to fit in.This is an honest look at the ache so many of us carry — the desire to be seen, chosen, and loved exactly as we are.If you’ve ever felt like you’re always “just there,” like you’ve lost parts of yourself just to be liked, or like you still don’t know where you truly belong — this episode is for you.Because maybe the place you’ve been searching for… is you.🖤 You belong here. Even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.— What About Now?

Have you ever felt like you were always there for others — but no one was ever really there for you? Like you’re always an option, never the priority? In this raw and honest episode, we explore the quiet grief of feeling invisible, replaceable, and unchosen. From one-sided friendships to the ache of being forgotten, this conversation unpacks the fear of never being someone’s “person” — and the journey of finally choosing yourself.This is for anyone who’s ever questioned their worth because others didn’t see it — and for those learning to reclaim it anyway.

In this powerful and reflective episode, I talk about the painful journey of losing yourself just to belong — and the courage it takes to finally become someone you’re proud of, even if that means standing alone.For so long, I became a version of myself that wasn’t real — someone I barely recognised — just to feel accepted. I acted in ways that didn’t align with who I truly was. And while I may have “fit in,” I was doing so as someone I didn’t even like.This episode is about the quiet strength it takes to rebuild yourself from the inside out — to show up for yourself when no one else does, to become someone you’d choose even if no one else ever does.We explore themes of self-worth, rejection, growing through discomfort, and redefining what it means to be chosen — not by the crowd, but by the right people, and most importantly, by yourself.🖤 It’s okay to lose people when you find yourself.🖤 It’s okay if the old you doesn’t come back.🖤 The goal isn’t to be liked — it’s to be true.

n this raw and deeply personal episode, I open up about what it’s like to feel left behind — and how I’ve slowly started to rebuild a life where I truly belong.From grieving the life I thought I’d have, to navigating the difference between loneliness and solitude, to discovering the cost (and freedom) of living authentically, this is an honest conversation about the fears, the losses, and the quiet wins along the way.I talk about:💔 Letting go of the familiar life I thought I wanted🌱 Building a smaller, stronger circle based on truth🖤 Facing the fear of being “too different” to fit in✨ Redefining what belonging really meansWith reflection prompts scattered throughout, this episode isn’t just my story — it’s an invitation to think about your own journey of belonging, authenticity, and starting again.

In the final episode of the belonging mini-series, I speak directly to the ones who feel too broken, too complicated, or too much to ever truly belong.We talk about:💬 Why being someone you’re proud of matters more than pleasing others💔 Making peace with your story and your scars🌱 Understanding that healing doesn’t make you “belongable” — you always were🖤 How belonging is often found in the quiet loyalty of the people who stayThis is your reminder that your worth has never depended on being “fixed.” You belong here. You always have.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode, I open up about what really happened behind the scenes of my teaching career — the parts most people never saw.This isn’t just a story about burnout or leaving a job. It’s about giving everything to a role you love… and still being made to feel like you didn’t matter the moment you started to struggle.I talk honestly about the years I spent fighting to become a teacher, how hard I worked to stay, and the heartbreaking way it all came to an end. But this episode isn’t just about me — it’s about every person who has been made to feel replaceable, every person who’s been punished instead of supported for being unwell, and every voice that’s stayed silent because they were afraid no one would listen.Because the truth is — this isn’t just my fight. It’s all of ours.🔊 Tune in if you’ve ever felt overlooked, broken by a system you believed in, or are ready to change how we treat mental health in the workplace.

In this deeply honest episode, we explore the messy, complicated reality of holding on when life feels heavy. From the quiet exhaustion that comes after crisis to the unexpected confusion of finding safety, this is a conversation about the parts of healing we don’t talk about enough.We talk about the moments when asking for help feels harder than pretending to be okay, the pull of old coping mechanisms, and the strange comfort that chaos can hold — not because it was good, but because it was familiar.If you’ve ever felt lost after leaving survival mode… if you’ve struggled to offer yourself the same compassion you’d give someone else… if you’ve wondered who you are without the battles you’ve fought — this episode is for you.Because even when healing feels slow, even when you can’t be gentle with yourself yet, the fact that you’re still here is enough.

Not ill enough.That’s what I was told after trying to end my life.In this deeply personal episode, I share the story behind my new campaign — Don’t Make Me Prove It — and why one chance to ask for help should be enough. From being turned away in crisis to the dangerous message that “next time, do it properly,” I talk openly about the failures in our mental health system that are costing lives every day.This isn’t just my story — it’s the story of countless people who have been told they don’t qualify for urgent help until it’s nearly too late. And it’s time for that to change.I’ll walk you through the uncomfortable truths we need to face, the three urgent demands of this campaign, and how you can be part of the fight for reform.Because our mental health system isn’t a safety net — it’s a coin toss. And too many of us are losing.Content warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and self-harm. Please listen with care.

We all have ways of getting through the hardest days — the habits, distractions, or escapes that help us survive. But what happens when the very things keeping you afloat start pulling you under?In this episode, we explore the messy truth about coping mechanisms: how they can protect us in the moment, yet slowly hurt us over time. We talk about why it’s so hard to let go of unhealthy patterns, how to recognise when your “go-to” is causing more harm than good, and what it really takes to build healthier ways of managing life’s pain.This isn’t about shame — it’s about awareness, compassion, and small, brave steps towards change. Because your coping might have kept you alive, but you deserve tools that help you truly live.💬 Trigger warning: This episode discusses trauma, mental health struggles, and self-destructive behaviours. Please listen at your own pace.

The Weight of Suicide: On Both SidesSuicide is one of the hardest conversations we’ll ever have — but it’s one we can’t keep avoiding.In this deeply personal episode, we explore the reality of suicide from both perspectives: being the one in that place, and being the one left behind. We talk about why it’s so hard to discuss, the messy truth of the aftermath, the myths that cause harm, and the moments that stay with you forever.This is an honest, unfiltered conversation about pain, love, anger, and the complexity of healing — because the only way to break the silence is to speak.

We hear so much about healing—about moving on, letting go, and becoming stronger. But what we don’t talk about enough… is what comes after.What happens when you’ve done the work, you’ve walked away, you’ve rebuilt yourself… and you still have moments?In this episode, I’m talking about the reality of being healed—but still being human. The quiet moments where memories resurface, where you feel things you thought you’d moved past, and the confusion that can come with that.Because healing isn’t about forgetting.It’s not about never feeling it again.It’s about learning how to feel… without going back.How to remember… without reopening the door.How to move forward… while still honouring what it meant to you.If you’ve ever questioned your progress because something still hurts sometimes—this episode is for you.You’re not going backwards.You’re human.