PLAY PAUSE REPEAT podcast

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Breathwork facilitator Jamie Clements. Having met through a shared experience at Soul Circus festival, Kelly thought it would be interesting to have Jamie on the show to talk about all things Breathwork; it's rise in popularity in the last few years, how Jamie found his path into the practice and some fun and interesting links with music.

In this episode, after taking a mental health break, Sophie and Kelly re-unite and talk about what's been happening in their lives. Kelly talks openly about her recent experience with grief and the personal growth she feels she has gained in the past month by having the ability to provide emotional support for her family.

A different kind of episode this week, as Kelly and Soph are still pretty tied up with real life stuff. Sophie comments on some of the latest world news/events and gives her take in regards to their mental health/wellbeing impacts. Olympics, exam results, climate change, Love Island and more. 

In this episode, Kelly and Sophie hit SHUFFLE and share their findings on the topics discussed in the last episode - they discuss Universal Basic Income, Gender Pay Gap and Relationships and how that effects money.

This week Kelly and Sophie get together to talk about all things money and how it can effect our mental well-being, they each pick some tracks that relate to their topic of choice and discuss the many avenues of conversation that this broad subject takes.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie hit SHUFFLE and revisit their topic of Guilt. They delve a little deeper in discussion about these feelings that can be impactful to our daily lives and offer some guidance through their research on ways to acknowledge, understand and ultimately make positive steps forward to release yourself from guilt. 

In this episode Kelly and Sophie come together to talk about the complexities of feelings of guilt. They each pick a song relating to instances in their lives that they can recall guilty feelings and open up about how these feelings can be a useful tool when 'checking in' when understanding decisions and life choices.

In this episode Sophie chats to David Murray ( Neurodiversity Activist and author of http://unidiversity.co.uk ) about getting diagnosed with ADHD in his 40's. They delve into clues that were present throughout his life in regards to career and relationships, and how impactful the treatment has been. 

In this bonus mini episode Sophie chats to Disability, Chronic illness and inclusivity advocate, accessibility consultant, content creator and marketer who founded the first ever UK online space dedicated to adaptive fashion. They discuss how the handling of the pandemic has impacted Disabled people as well as delving into the work Poppy does for adaptive fashion and gaming.

In this week's episode Sophie chats to musician Dewan-Dean Soomary about his new venture Teenage Sequence, including his refreshing approach to the work/life balance. Sobriety, and Alchoholics Anonymous' part in his on-going recovery is explored as well as his thoughts and experiences of Racism in the music industry.

In this episode, Kelly and Sophie hit SHUFFLE and re-visit their topic of Drink Culture - they reflect on what was discussed last time, draw on personal experience and look into some ways to create boundaries when it comes to social drinking.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss drink culture and its prevalence in the U.K - After over a year in and out of lockdown we discuss how this may have affected people's relationship with alcohol and the pressures of social drinking as the world opens up again. 

In this episode Sophie chats to Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats about battling the instinct to compare yourself to others. There is emphasis on this theme in regards to being a band, but also as an individual. The chat naturally meanders to conversation about the power of under-thinking, the guilt we all carry around with us, and the concept of time. There's lots of great insight into Liam's music career, his rad clothing brand Treadwell, and his love of skating/bikes. 

In this episode Sophie chats to Rhian Jones, a freelance music business journalist who writes for The Guardian, The Independent, Music Business Worldwide (and more) as well as co-author, alongside Lucy Heyman, of Sound Advice - The ultimate guide to a healthy and successful career in music. They discuss the importance of having a good lawyer and manager, financial realities, juggling parenthood with your music career, creating during the pandemic, nepotism, the importance of support, and the different ways to be successful in music. 

In this episode Kelly is joined by Will Black, a Yoga and wellness provider based in Colorado. Will, talks openly about his journey from depression which led to uncontrolled alcohol use, and finding a way out through fitness. A change of ways in the form of Yoga and Meditation has led Will to a life of balance and place from which he can now comfortably help and serve others.

In this episode Sophie chats to Kimberley Robinson, founder of Keep Real, who aim to support better mental health and wellbeing through a variety of creative interventions. They talk about all things freelance and weave their way through a whole bunch of topics surrounding the freelance life.

In this episode, Kelly and Sophie hit SHUFFLE and follow up from the first episode to discuss their pondering on Dreams and what they mean to us and our mental health, they elaborate further on recurring and most common dreams and offer their views on tracking and journalling your dreams to better understand them.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss Dreams in sleep. They have each picked some tracks that resonate with them when thinking of dreams and then delve into some of the weird and wonderful dreams that they have had and possibly over-share (a common theme). They discuss the benefits of taking the time understand dream themes as they can be a good indicator of our mental health.

In this episode Sophie chats to DJ, journalist, podcaster and author Matt Stocks about perseverance. As well as discussing recovering from a very serious injury ( which involved months in a hospital bed), they explore the perseverance and resilience initiated during his years in the music industry - graft which has culminated in his hugely successful ‘Life in the Stocks' podcast, and book. Self belief and learning not to care what others think are prevalent conversation topics too.

In this episode, Kelly is joined by DJ and all round vibe provider Rob da Bank. Having co founded and run Bestival and Camp Bestival for close to 20 years, Rob and his wife Josie are now present in the wellness scene with their enterprise Sleep Retreat and most recently, Camp Earth. Knowing the strains life can have on the body and mind their mission is to create safe spaces for guests to unwind and reconnect. Kelly and Rob discuss that journey into wellness, why bringing people together with music has always been such a drive and how lockdown has affected the da Bank family in the last year.

In this episode Sophie chats to music manager and A&R consultant Yasmin Lajoie about her experiences of Borderline Personality Disorder. Yasmin wanted this conversation to include discussion about moments of crisis, so that people can get an understanding of the severity and complexity of the disorder, knowing that the media tends to cover the disorder unhelpfully/inaccurately, or steers away from the severe ends of Mental Health illness completely. They explore how BPD (or EUPD) can impact careers and relationships, and someone's ability to manage certain aspects of adult life, like finances. They also discuss how childhood trauma is a risk factor, with Yasmin recalling moments that may well have contributed to her eventual diagnosis. While this chat covers very serious and sensitive subjects, there is also discussion of acceptance, how beneficial finding a good therapist is, and the positive impact sharing your story can have. (TW. Suicide, self-harm and trauma.)

In this episode Sophie chats to product maker Anastasia Tasou about when she discovered art could be therapeutic, and how useful it can be to help us get through difficult times or work through feelings. They discuss the community Anastasia and her artwork has cultivated online, and how the workshops she puts on have helped people feel confident to express important things about themselves. They tackle some of the challenges that arise when you decide to make a passion your career, and explore how Ana navigates everything that comes with having a large audience online. 

This week Sophie chats to Pete Cann the laughter man, a laughter yoga practitioner who brings the power of this practice to people daily. He talks about the method behind delivery and the benefits giggling has to your wellbeing. Sophie then has a catch up with Kelly to touch on some of the topics about the practice that came up in the interview.

In this episode Sophie chats to Sean Long, guitarist from the band While She Sleeps. Having spoken previously about anxiety, spiritualism, and other topics related to Mental Health during an interview at Reading Festival, they decided to follow up years later to see what approaches and mindsets have continued, as well as any new things that have been learned or explored. Sean share's the importance of acknowledging feelings and manifestations of mental health, and how it can beneficial to your life when harnessed uniquely. We explore the positives that can come from working with, and through things, how his viewpoints have been effected by the last year, as well as discussing his upcoming journey with Hypnotherapy - which is being undertaken to investigate the potential causes of a tick he has been living with.

Thousands of women are expected to attend a vigil for Sarah Everard to ‘reclaim the streets and our public places' following upsetting updates following her disappearance from Clapham Common. Sophie and kelly wanted to talk about how tragedies like this impact women, while sharing our own personal reactions, often drawing from our own experiences of being or feeling at risk. We discuss men's roles in making us feel safe and the practical things they can do to help, as well the systemic issues that need to be addressed. This is only the start of this conversation on PPR - it warrants more conversation on this podcast moving forward. 

In this episode, Kelly is joined by Gina Friel, a life coach and PMDD warrior who is keen to spread the message of this lesser known condition which effects around 3-8% of women. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder can have severe and debilitating symptoms, Gina openly shares her experiences, the effects it has on her daily life and mental health and the work she does to support and inform others.

In this episode Sophie chats to Bury Tomorrow vocalist Dan Winter-Bates about self image and his personal experience of eating disorders. They explore the pressures of being a frontman in the metal scene, the benefits of meditation and self reflection, the impacts of social media, and many more themes related to image and mental health. With Dan's wealth of knowledge due to his many years of work with the NHS and bolstered by his passion for the subject which he shares daily via his social media, it's a deep dive on many topics related to well-being.

This week Kelly chats with Puravi Joshi, who, after working in Finance for 8 years left to pursue a career in the yoga industry, now thrives teaching children and adults alike bringing physical and emotional balance to their lives. We cover a broad range of topics starting with her journey into Yoga, how health reasons encouraged the change, and the positive outcomes from the switch. We also discuss the difficulties faced coming up against discrimination and the importance of having a voice in a challenging scenario where self advocacy is so important. We also discuss cultural appreciation over appropriation and how Yoga studios can do more than just pledge to make positive moves forward following the spotlight on the BLM movement.

After the Government briefing on Monday about the gradual easing of restrictions and social distancing measures in the U.K from March onwards, Sophie and Kelly felt it was an important time to discuss their reactions and feelings. An initial excitement of freedom and human contact gave way to a rising feeling of anxiety about the pressures that come with social interactions. Has the pandemic changed our perception on the world we once knew? How do we move forward with healthy boundaries for our newly claimed time away from potential social pressures?

Kelly and Sophie re-visit their topic of choice by hitting SHUFFLE to give you further insight and advice on the busy epidemic. Are we making ourselves 'busy' or are we actually being 'productive' we talk about signs to look out for and ways to step back to make sure the things that are filling our time have purpose.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss the 'busy epidemic' something particularly prevalent in the global pandemic as our lives have be altered due to lockdowns and restrictions. They have each picked a track to add to the playlist that resonates with them and they discuss the topics that surround this 'need' to be busy.

In this episode Sophie chats to John Barry Waldron, a mental health nurse and host of award winning podcast On the Ward. They discuss how the pandemic has impacted the patients and staff on the mental health ward. They also discuss music therapy, the Mental Health Reform, being sensitive to gender, and how John manages his own mental health alongside his work.

In this episode, Kelly speaks to former Kerrang and XFM DJ, Katie P about the shifts we experience in our lives as we work our way through career changes, marriage, kids and everything in between. It's a little trip down memory lane as Kelly and Katie reminisce about their friendship and Katie speaks openly about her struggle with post natal depression, how she got to diagnosis point and the steps she took to get herself back on track.

In this episode Sophie chats to award winning photographer and owner of Hotdog studios, Corinne Cumming about her experience of living with Endometriosis, and her journey towards diagnosis. They discuss treatments, the disparity in research when it comes to conditions predominantly impacting women, and the difficulties she's faced trying to make progress via medical professionals when it comes to managing the symptoms of this painful condition. 

In this episode, Kelly and Sophie re-visit their discussion on Digital Detoxing and offer some advice on how to take time away from the screen. In a world that relies on us being connected digitally how can we introduce boundaries that encourage digital free time?

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss the benefits (and the difficulties) of a Digital Detox. They have each picked a track to add to the playlist that resonates with them and they discuss the topics that pop up when we try to take a step back from the digital realm.

Please listen to Part One first which focuses more on Ally's experiences/treatment of Eating Disorders. In Part Two we explore some related topics including anxieties related to being a mother dealing with mental health issues, how social media impacts how we view ourselves, how important it is to set boundaries and the concept of connection. Trigger Warning: There are references to suicide and severe mental health symptoms. Whilst we have done our best to remove explicit language, a few words appear in this podcast.

In this episode Sophie chats to Ally Aspinall about her experience of Eating Disorders (Bulimia/Anorexia). The episode also touches on OCD, Self- Harm and Trauma. Please think carefully before listening as this interview also features conversation around Assault, Rape and Suicide.

Kelly and Sophie have a catch up about the Festive season, what it means to them and how it's changed over the years and discuss potential pressures on your mental health. DISCLAIMER This podcast was recorded before the new government restrictions and therefore any plans mentioned have now changed.

Kelly and Sophie revisit their topic of choice by hitting SHUFFLE to give you further insight and advice to get you standing up for what you believe in.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss Self Advocacy. They have each picked a track to add to the playlist that resonates with them and they discuss the topics around standing up for yourself and others.

In this episode Sophie chats to Tom Hawkes (aka Boots) of UK punk-pop band WSTR about grief, following the loss of his father to Cancer. They talk about coping mechanisms, therapy, relationships in the aftermath of death, and changes in perspective.

An honest and open chat between Kelly and Sophie as they discuss their lives and how they are both coping in the current climate. This pod is a relaxed chat with no real agenda other than checking in on each other and speaking openly about their own mental health. 

In this episode Sophie chats to Morgan Richards - freelance journalist, Radio Cardiff presenter, wrestling writer for The Mirror, and one half of the hosting duo for the Sappenin' Podcast. We discuss whether/how Dyslexia has impacted his work and social life as well as issues relating to diagnosis. Expect a brief tangent into football related chat.

In the second of our 'interview editions' Kelly speaks to Helen Campbell, a coach for creative people. Helen specialises in problem solving, goal setting and accountability. As an investor in people Helen feels passionately about being authentic when it comes to putting ourselves out there and offers her insight into how we can achieve this.

Kelly and Sophie re-visit their topic of choice by hitting SHUFFLE to give you further insight and advice to get you backing yourself and being your own champion.

In this episode Kelly and Sophie discuss being your own champion. The have each picked a track that resonates with them when facing the struggles of being able to back yourself and discuss tactics on how put yourself out there.

In the first of the 'interview editions' Sophie speaks to Grant Knight, former bassist of IDIOM and Shvpes about the mental health challenges he's faced on the road as a touring musician. Expect an insight into adjusting to life on and off road and the effects this has on friendships and relationships.

In the third and final part to this three part episode about 'bodies' Kelly and Sophie summarise some of the things they have learnt, and make some suggestions on ways you can seek further information.

Kelly and Sophie re-visit their topic of choice by hitting SHUFFLE but as the topic is so broad when it comes to talking about bodies, this will be the second of a three part episode. After speaking quite openly about the female form last time we discuss male bodies and the issues they may face.

In this episode, Kelly and Sophie discuss the broad topic of Bodies. They have each picked some tracks that resonate with  them and then build upon their thoughts and experiences around the subject.