The holiday season (the period between Thanksgiving until the New Year) is supposed to be a joyous time, full of celebrations with family and friends. But for many people, "the most wonderful time of year"... tis’ the season to feel stressed and anxious. It's normal to feel stressed or lower than usual at Christmas, especially if it's a time of yea…

Anyone can experience a mental health problem. But those who identify as LGBTQIA+ are more likely to develop problems like low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, self harm, suicidal feelings, post-traumatic stress disorders and substance abuse. Being LGBTQIA+ doesn't cause these problems. But the struggles and challenges commonly faced such as homop…

Recent studies suggest that bullying in adolescence and childhood can have worse long-term effects on young adult‘s mental health than being subject to maltreatment during childhood. According to a report gathered by The Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme; 22% of young people aged 12-20 in the UK say they have experienced bullying beh…

Bullying and harassment is behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated or offended. And when it takes place at work, it can make your working life miserable, subsequently losing faith in yourself and your abilities. It can also leave you feeling ill and depressed, vulnerable, isolated and challenging to motivate yourself to work. In the second in…

In the first of 3 bonus episodes looking at how bullying can effect a person's mental health and what steps we can take to prevent, report and stop it as quickly as possible, host Gabby talks to Alex Holmes about the complex world of cyber bullying. Alex is a leading anti-bullying campaigner, Founder of Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and Deputy CEO of T…

International speaker and best selling author of ‘The Magic of Surrender’, Kute Blackson, joins host Gabby to close season 1 of the My Possible Self podcast. In this episode Kute explains the importance of allowing ourselves to feel our feelings and not suppress our emotions. Why letting go, trusting and surrendering to what is and can not be chang…

While the stigma surrounding mental illness affects people of all genders, research shows that men tend to have an even harder time admitting they need help. In England, around one in eight men has a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)... although these are only the reporte…

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. People with bipolar experience both episodes of severe depression, and episodes of mania – presenting in ways such as overwhelming joy, excitement, happiness, huge energy, a reduced need for sleep, and reduced inhibitions. Dr Nick Prior is a psychiatrist and co-creater o…

We are beginning to understand that exercise is important to help us manage our mental health, working wonders for depression, anxiety and stress relief in particular. But how and why does the magic happen? And what else is going on behind the scenes in our brains when we work out? Andrew Wade, founder and CEO of Case Specific Nutrition, also a reg…

‘Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World’ is the campaign slogan for this year’s World Sleep Day on March 18th 2022. And not without good reason as sleep and mental health are intrinsically linked. Lack of sleep is related to many psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, ptsd and psychosis. And those suffering with mental health problem…

To mark the release of this episode coinciding with International Women’s Day, My Possible Self presents a conversation with a truly inspiring female; international speaker and entrepreneur, Dani Wallace. Having experienced growing up in the presence of alcoholism on the council estates of Preston, Dani then went on to face domestic abuse, homeless…

Eating Disorders are a distressing mental illness that is estimated to affect around 1.25 million people in the UK and at least 9% of the population worldwide. We are releasing this episode to coincide with Eating Disorders Awareness week in the UK, to learn more about the various types of Eating Disorders, how we can support loved ones and why ear…

The amount of pressure put under females during the childbearing years can be inconsiderate, overwhelming, and scary, taking its toll on our mental wellbeing. Societal and loved ones' expectations and interference, even if it is meant with good intentions, can leave a female feeling isolated, burdened, and lacking in confidence. The pressures are e…

Not being comfortable and happy in our body is one of the biggest challenges to our self worth and self-esteem. So often, we can be our own worst critic, not helped by being bombarded with images of the ‘perfect body', in films, on social media, on TV, in magazines or on billboards which for the majority of us, is unachievable. Health, fitness and …

Research has shown that children who eat more nutritional diets, with more fruit and vegetables, have better mental health and wellbeing. Good nutrition can help a child grow strong and healthy whilst also enhancing their cognitive function and brain development. However, what many parents don't realize is that what your child eats can also impact …

February is International Boost Self-Esteem Month, an annual event dedicated to improving self-esteem among people across the globe. While having low self-esteem isn't a mental health problem in itself, living with low self-esteem can be detrimental to our mental health and lead to serious illnesses, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorde…

If you haven't been to therapy before, the thought of seeing a therapist can be intimidating and scary. The fear of opening up to a complete stranger about deeply personal issues is a common one for first-timers, but if you can work through these feelings and take that step, the rewards can be tremendous, even life-changing. Author, influencer, men…

Alcohol misuse interferes with chemicals in the brain that are vital for good mental health. So while initially after a drink we might feel relaxed and less stressed, in the long run the damage from the misuse of alcohol is highly likely to contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety and later down the line, dementia. Millie Gooch, founder of the…

There’s very few of us that escape the clutches of stress and yet are we doing enough to keep it at bay? Stress can take its toll physically, emotionally and mentally. When stress continues for long periods of time this can be detrimental to our mental health and lead to mental illness such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse. But on the fli…

James Withey author of the best-selling book ‘How to Tell Depression to Piss Off - 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back’ is no stranger to clinical depression. The author and editor of five books about mental health and mental illness talks to My Possible Self about why depression is such a life-threatening illness and should be treated as such, drawing f…

Being overwhelmed is a deep emotional response to countless thoughts and experiences. So many of us struggle with feeling like there is just too much going on to cope with, and there aren’t enough hours in the day. Common causes of issues that may lead to overwhelm include underlying physical or mental health conditions, issues in relationships, wo…

Harvard trained psychiatrist Dr. Uma Naidoo is regarded nationally and internationally as a pioneer in the field of nutritional psychiatry. Author of “The Food Mood Connection” an incredible book that takes an in-depth look at how food affects our mental health, Dr. Uma couples her knowledge in psychiatry and nutritional science with her passion fo…

Originating from ancient eastern and Buddhist philosophy, Mindfulness is a quality that every human already possesses, you just have to learn how to tap into it, to live a less stressful, reactive life. Hosts of the Men Talking Mindfulness podcast, Jon Macaskill, a retired navy seal commander turned mindfulness teacher and Will Schnider, a yoga and…

Trailblazing psychotherapeutic counselor, coach and award-winning international wellness expert Grace Quantock hasn’t let chronic illness or disability stop her from living a fulfilled, joyful life. Living – and thriving – with often debilitating illness, she understands the emotional and physical rollercoaster that accompanies diagnosis and life s…

One person dies by suicide every 40 seconds and data suggests for every suicide, there are 20 attempts taken. Taking an in-depth look at suicide and suicide prevention, host Gabby talks to world leader on suicide research and prevention and author of 'When It is Darkest, Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do to Prevent It' Prof Rory O Connor…

Perfectionism is becoming a widespread problem sweeping the globe. While not considered a mental illness itself, perfectionism is a common factor in many mental disorders. Perfectionists tend to beat themselves up and wallow in negative feelings when their high expectations go unmet. Those with perfectionist tendencies can find their mental health …

Perinatal Mental Health problems occur during pregnancy and the very early stages of a child's life. And while postnatal depression is now widely spoken about, mental health problems in the perinatal period are less so and can leave a mother feeling isolated, ashamed and helpless. Carmine Pariante is a professor of biological psychiatry at King’s C…

It’s coming up to 2 years since the first known case of the coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China. Since then, the disease has spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. When zooming out globally although we can say a lot may have escaped becoming physically unwell, there are few of us that have escaped the adverse effects it has had on…

While not considered a mental illness, burnout can be considered a serious mental health issue that leads to poor physical and mental health. Caused by excessive and prolonged stress, burnout takes its toll emotionally, physically, and mentally. The good news is, if you know what signs to look out for, it is preventable and curable. Katie Maycock i…

Depression can affect how you think, feel, and function in daily life. It's a complex mental illness that globally is estimated to affect 5.0% of all adults. Alastair Campbell, the writer, broadcaster and mental health campaigner has battled with severe depression for most of his life, something that he explores in detail in his autobiographical bo…

Anxiety escapes no one but when it becomes disordered it can metamorphose into something quite sinister and debilitating. Joshua Fletcher has spent his entire career devoted to untangling the anxiety web and through his best-selling books, podcast, Manchester practice and legions of social media followers; helped millions along the way. With Gabby …

The term 'Mental Health' gets used a lot, but are we now in danger of using it inappropriately and too casually? Not everyone has a mental health illness, but we do all suffer from times of unease, worry, anxiety and stress. Psychotherapist and a former NHS Clinical Lead in mental health Owen O'Kane offers a simple practical approach to managing yo…

Host Gabby sits down with My Possible Self directors Hana Wilkinson and Fleur Stevenson to discuss why the sisters are so passionate about providing mental health support for all.由My Possible Self