Howie Howells

This week on I’m Fine Thanks, we talk to entrepreneur and Founder of Now We Win, Ed Stoner. Ed founded Now We Win in the midst of lockdown, a social enterprise aiming to help individuals recovering from gambling addiction. In this episode, Ed openly talks about his struggles with gambling addiction and what helped him on his recovery journey and how he’s brought that life experience into Now We Win. www.nowwewin.com @nowwewin - IG  @edstoner91 - Twitter 

This week we talk to artist, model, activist and sexual violence survivor Erika Leadbeater.  In 2014, Erika's world was turned upside down when she was sexually attacked coming home from a morning yoga class. Since that very day, Erika has educated herself in the world of sexual violence, where she is now an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) supporting survivors through their journey recovering from sexual abuse.  We discuss the victim blaming culture we live in, what has been her biggest healers in our journey with trauma and The Divine Feminine Project - her exhibition dedicated to survivors helping them step into the goddess they always have been.  Please find below handles to Erika's and The Divine Feminine Project Instagram to keep up to date with her incredible work:  @divine_feminine_project @erika_leadbeater

This week we’re talking to fashion designer, TV presenter and activist, Amal Fashanu. Amal has been an avid campaigner for over a decade fighting against homophobia and racial discrimination in the world of football. Last year she founded The Justin Fashion in memory of her uncle, Justin Fashanu, who was Britain’s first million pound black footballer and first (and only) ever openly gay footballer. Sadly instead of this being an opportunity to change the face of football - it lead to Justin feeling rejected by his communities and lead to him taking his life. This episode we discuss the work the Foundation is doing to help fight to create that safe space within the sport as well as supporting footballers with their mental health to feel open to be their true selves. We discuss what we as a society can be doing more and help see these footballers for the humans they are and not as our performing gladiators. Please find links below to keep up to date with the amazing work that Amal and the Foundation are doing: www.thejustinfashanufoundation.com IG: @thejustinfashanufoundation IG: @amalfashanu Twitter: @TJFFOUNDATION

This week we talk to a dear friend of mine, Howie Howells. Some people may be familiar with Howie from Channel 4 Genderquake. Howie talks about the mental struggles she’s suffered growing up gay in an environment which didn’t speak about it nor really welcome it in. We discuss the power of a world becoming more gender neutral and the mental health epidemic amongst the LGBTQI+ community. Charities Howie references: AKT - www.akt.org.uk for LGBTQ+ youth homelessness Mermaids - www.mermaidsuk.org.uk Helping gender-diverse kids, young people and their families

This week we’re talking to musician Henry Grace. Henry spent a lot of his younger years suffering greatly with his mental health. Having been in and out of rehabilitation centres in the UK, he took himself to a centre out in Arizona, US which changed his life around and opened up his world with new opportunities. Having spent his younger years trying to remove himself from the mental health stigma, Henry now wants to openly talk about his story and his struggles, in the aid that it may help someone else want to open up and speak up about theirs. Henry talks about self-belief being his biggest power that helped him believe life could be better - to the point he’s been able to manifest it into his life. You can find Henry's music on Spotify and fine him on Instagram @henrygracemusic 

Nici Harrison, Founder of The Grief Space joins me to chat about her apprenticeship with grief. Nici has had an incredibly empowering journey with grief and discusses how the fear of grief and the barriers we put up to resist feeling grief, is worse than feeling grief itself. Nici states 'We believe grief is going to break us, when in fact it breaks us open'. In this episode we talk about grief in our society and how absent it is in our culture which is so driven by growth and positivity that we've lost our ability to hold the space for grief and those grieving.  For those wishing to join The Grief Space for either an Open Circle of the Six-Week Journey please find links below.  I look forward to seeing you there!  Six week Journey: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grief-gratitude-grace-a-six-week-journey-starting-6th-october-tickets-120098452705  Open Circle: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-grief-circle-tickets-120105736491 

Tally has spent many years battling with herself, between alcohol and drug addictions to overcoming her biggest battle yet - her eating disorder. Tally has been on a mission to get to know who she really is and build the most powerful relationship - the one she holds with herself. On this episode she talks about learning how to live her most authentic self. She is now a Psychotherapist and yoga instructor and is here talks about her recovery journey. 

Sir Anthony Seldon is a pioneer on holistic education in the UK, as well as being something of a happiness guru. He's the Co-Founder of Action for Happiness, Author of Beyond Happiness (among 30 more books!) Vice Chancellor of Buckinghamshire University, which he's made to be Europe's first 'positive university' and if that wasn't enough - also a contemporary historian. Sir Anthony talks about what it was like bringing Happiness lessons to Wellington College back in 2006 and the power of Mindfulness and if we can see this being part of the future of our education. He talks about the power of stillness and how we need to stop letting ourselves be defined by our thoughts, our anxiety and even our job titles. 

Aimee Robinson is a self diagnosed nutter. She's spent her life feeling ruled by the inner demons in her mind until she realised the most liberating thing of all time - we are not our thoughts. Now she wants to create a community and a safe space for other's to talk about their struggles and how they've overcome their own inner demons in the aid it might inspire others to take back control of their minds and also to not feel so alone on the journey. The aim of the podcast is to liberate individuals from the shame we put ourselves through and admit that maybe in fact we are not fine at all...