Episodes
Psychosis is very rarely talked about, even within spaces dedicated to mental health. Actor David Harewood had an episode that saw him sectioned at 23 years old, and wonders that psychosis is still seen as the ‘scary’ mental health issue, a perception he’s now working hard to change.We often hear about post-traumatic stress, but in this chat with Fearne, David discusses the concept of post traumatic growth, and what that’s looked like for him. Plus, he explores how this journey of discovery has changed his perception of his father, who also had psychosis. David’s book, Maybe I Don’t Belong ...
We often write ourselves a story about the type of person we are, and the things we can do with our lives, but YouTuber, actor, and singer Joe Sugg doesn’t like to put limits on what he can achieve. In this chat with Fearne, he explains why he’s given himself opportunities to change as a person and not be limited by what his fans might expect of him. Plus, having grown up online, Joe talks through what he feels needs to be done to make the Internet a kinder place.Joe’s new single, Wild Things, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The concept of a mid-life crisis has become a funny cliché, and that’s what Christian O’Connell jokingly told people he was having when he left his successful radio career in the UK to start a new life in Australia in 2018. The truth was that he had had what he now recognises as a break down, and needed to find adventure and joy as an adult to reignite the fire in his belly.In this chat, Fearne and Christian share their experiences of having panic attacks, and compare notes on how they both use distraction techniques to avoid confronting difficult realities.Christian’s book, No One Listens ...
In April 2021, Ashley Cain’s eight month old daughter Azaylia Diamond Cain passed away. At eight weeks old she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia; Ashley and his partner Safiyya captured the nation’s hearts as they used social media to document their journey, raise awareness for childhood cancer and encourage people to become bone marrow donors both for their daughter and thousands of other children.In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks for the first time since Azaylia’s death about losing his child, about helping others grieve, and about why he feels he now has a real...
Becoming a parent will have its highs and lows for everyone, but Frankie Bridge became a mum knowing she already had existing mental health issues to contend with too. In this chat with Fearne, Frankie discusses how she talks to her children about their own emotions as well as hers. Publicly we’re having more frank conversations about post-natal depression, but antenatal depression still isn’t discussed as widely, so Frankie also opens up about her mental health while she was pregnant. Frankie’s book, Grow: Motherhood, Mental Health, and Me, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...
Confidence fluctuates and has to be practiced daily. Natalie Imbruglia feels writing her new album has allowed her to regain confidence after finding herself on shaky ground. In this chat with Fearne, she explains why she now chooses to live in the moment and not make plans, and why she thinks there’s strength in allowing yourself to fall apart, because there’s often a breakthrough on the other side. Natalie’s new album, Firebird, is out on September 24th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Many of us are guilty of refusing to stop, of continuing to distract ourselves while anxieties build beneath the surface. This is something BAFTA-winning actress Suranne Jones tackles in her new TV show I Am Victoria. In this chat with Fearne, Suranne talks about the grief of losing her mum shortly after having a baby, and why she wanted to draw on her own experience of managing her mental health to create character Victoria.I Am Victoria is available to watch now on All4. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Climate change will cause the biggest mass migration in history. Filmmakers and storytellers Jack Harries, Finn Harries, and Alice Aedy have founded creative studio earthrise to document the human stories of those on the climate front lines. They believe in progress, not perfection, and hope the stories they tell will encourage action through inspiring hope for a better future.In this chat with Fearne, the powerful trio talk through what they’ve learnt about managing their own mental health as activists being constantly bombarded with overwhelming and exhausting information.You can keep up ...
Over the last ten years, author, journalist, and broadcaster Caitlin Moran has learnt that we have to allow feminism to evolve as both society and our own priorities change. In this chat with Fearne, Caitlin explores the benefits of social media in amplifying women’s voices, why it’s so important for women to stop picking apart their own bodies, and how best to prepare children for the adult world they’ll soon find themselves in.CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about eating disorders and sexual assault.Thanks to Stripe and Stare for sponsoring this series of Happy Place. Us...
Nostalgia – keeping souvenirs of poignant moments – plays a big part in allowing poet and bestselling author Charly Cox to fill her life with meaning. Choosing to be sentimental can help us take stock and celebrate where challenges have been overcome. In this chat with Fearne, Charly explains what it means to live with Bipolar II, including both manic highs and depressive lows, and how writing helps her make sense of her thoughts.Thanks to Stripe and Stare for sponsoring this series of Happy Place. Use the code HP20 when you make your purchase at stripeandstare.com for a 20% discount. Hoste...
You might not expect a global pop star to want to embrace being average, but Anne-Marie feels that might be one of the keys to happiness. She’s been seeking therapy from both writing music and seeing a psychiatrist, and in this chat with Fearne shares what she’s learnt about how being bullied at school affected her, and how to boost self-worth as an adult.Anne-Marie’s second studio album, Therapy, is out on 23rd July, and her first book, You Deserve Better, is available from 30th September.Thanks to Stripe and Stare for sponsoring this series of Happy Place. Use the code HP20 when you make ...
Practicing being present has been huge in helping James Arthur manage his anxiety and panic attacks. He’s sold 30 million records worldwide, but with incredible success and adoration comes scrutiny and judgement. In this chat with Fearne, James shares how he handles outside opinion, and what he’s been learning about how trauma during his formative years still affects him now.Vote for Happy Place as your Listeners’ Choice at the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote?utm_source=emailoctopus&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Listeners%27%20Choice%20SellThanks to Stripe...
Wellness doesn’t have to mean crystals and spirulina. Ella Mills, who’s been synonymous with wellness as the founder of deliciously ella for almost a decade, feels that it needs to be rebranded to encompass super simple principles like sleeping well and breathing calmly. In this chat, Fearne and Ella share stories of the people in their lives who keep them rational and grounded, as well as talking about why it’s probably healthy to accept that women can’t have it all.Thanks to Stripe and Stare for sponsoring this series of Happy Place. Use the code HP20 when you make your purchase at stripe...
Some elements of happiness are circumstantial – where we’re born, and our biology – but there are many elements that we personally have control over. Meik Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, based in Denmark, and he feels we’d all be happier if we focused more on the smaller choices we can control. That, he explains, is where the Danish art of hygge comes in.In this chat with Fearne, Meik explores why policy makers would do well to consider the happiness of their country as an important element of national health – happy citizens are more likely to earn more, less likely ...
Radical vulnerability is something New York Times bestselling author Jedidiah Jenkins does his best to practice with those around him. As he entered his 30s, he travelled from Oregon to Patagonia by bicycle, and the journey turned out to be just as much emotional as it was physical. One of the things he learnt is that vulnerability breeds vulnerability, that once you share your truth, others will feel safe to share their true selves with you too, and that can only be a good thing. In this chat, Fearne and Jedidiah explore their own experiences of using disembodying as a coping mechanism dur...
Mike Kerr is the lead singer and bassist of Royal Blood. As the band’s success grew, alcohol became an integral part of his life, but he’s now been sober for two years, and is thriving both personally and as a musician. In this chat with Fearne, Mike explores the new ways he’s found to release the energy and adrenaline that come with being a live performer, including running, kite-surfing, and cold-water swimming. Plus, Fearne explains why she thinks this game-changing moment in Mike’s life might be something to do with his Saturn Return…Royal Blood’s latest album, Typhoons, is out now.Than...
Becoming a father has opened Rag ‘N’ Bone Man - real name Rory - up to being more honest about his emotions both with his family and in his music. In this chat, he and Fearne bond over their shared love of tattoos and inability to sleep well, and talk through how they’ve learnt to say ‘no’ to projects and events they’re just not enthusiastic about.Rag ‘N’ Bone Man’s album, Life By Misadventure, is out now.Thanks to Stripe and Stare for sponsoring this series of Happy Place. Use the code HP20 when you make your purchase at stripeandstare.com for a 20% discount. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Panic, indecisiveness, procrastination – all common, every day moods that can frustrate, and even paralyse, our ability to move forward. Dr Olivia Remes, a mental health researcher at the University of Cambridge, wants to help you overcome these moods so that you can really thrive.In this chat with Fearne, she explains how characteristics like confidence and charisma can be learned, how to make new healthy habits stick, and how real personal growth can come from the most painful of situations.Olivia’s book, The Instant Mood Fix, is published by Happy Place books. It’s perfect for dipping in...
Recently appointed by the Prime Minister as Youth Mental Health Ambassador to the government, Dr Alex George is on a mission to make mental health education compulsory in schools. In this chat with Fearne, the A&E doctor explains why his goal is to ensure mental health sits alongside the likes of maths and English on the curriculum, and what we can all be doing to look after both our mental and physical health every day.Alex’s book, Live Well Every Day, is available to buy from May 13th.Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of...
Former footballer Ian Wright is adored and revered by millions of people, but as a result of his traumatic childhood he hasn’t always recognised or trusted his success. The victim of domestic abuse as a child, Ian has spent the past few years bravely delving into his past experiences, both personally, and for a BBC documentary that he hopes will help others feel supported. In this chat with Fearne Ian is incredibly introspective about what he’s learnt about feeling anger and accepting love over his lifetime.Ian Wright: Home Truths airs on the BBC on May 6th at 9pm, and will also be availabl...
We’re beginning to understand that ‘having it all’ is an unrealistic and stressful goal to work towards. Instead, perhaps we need to be thinking about where to prioritise our energy. Family? Social life? Work? There’s no right or wrong answer, but we do have to be honest with ourselves about how much we can cope with. In this chat with Fearne, Billie Piper explains why she’s so passionate about portraying characters who are just as complex on screen as we are in real life. She’s not willing to hide away from tricky emotions, in fact her latest TV work has seen her really lean into pain, wit...
We’re surrounded by 2 billion tonnes of plastic – 8 million of which flow into our oceans every year. Those are some pretty upsetting numbers, but by the end of this episode you’ll understand that you’re not helpless; you personally have a huge amount of power to reverse the problem.David Katz is the compassionate founder behind a clever enterprise that turns plastic into wealth. Plastic Bank works with communities under the poverty line to simultaneously empower individuals, and reduce ocean plastic. David explains to Fearne exactly how you can make a real difference in reducing ocean plas...
Fear can paralyse us into inaction, but boxer Lawrence Okolie has learnt to use it to his advantage, to motivate him to keep fighting both physically and mentally. In this chat, he and Fearne talk through how to be disciplined, stop making excuses, and keep yourself accountable when you have an important goal to achieve.Lawrence’s is the first of many exciting new voices in the modern wellness space that Fearne’s new endeavour, Happy Place Books, will be championing. Dare To Change Your Life is the first book to be published by Happy Place Books, and is out now.Thanks to the sponsors of thi...
Believing that medicine is more art than science, Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s MO is understanding how lifestyle factors like upbringing, social status, stress levels, sleep, and even phone use might be affecting your physical and mental health. In this chat with Fearne, they talk through lots of practical methods that’ll help you understand and alter the way you feel. For example, the act of journaling won’t change the problem you have, but what it will change is how you interact with the problem – and that could be life changing.Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find ...
Has your life turned out the way you thought it would? Jake Humphrey thinks it’s only with hindsight that he can see that he’s ended up exactly where he’s supposed to be. In this chat, life-long friends Fearne and Jake talk about what role a safe and loving home life plays in allowing us to spread our wings. Plus, they take on grind culture – does a relentless work ethic really lead to greatness? Or are consistency and a work life balance more important? Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of exclusive offers, by visiting we...
Does feeling different to others – or perceiving others as different to you – make you uncomfortable, or do you celebrate uniqueness? June Sarpong reckons we all need to own our differences. In fact, she’s now using her own experience of working in TV to make the industry a kinder and more inclusive place for everyone to thrive in, regardless of their background. In this chat with Fearne, she’s honest about when she, as someone who considers herself an activist, still has had to check her own behaviour and unconscious bias.June’s brilliant book, The Power of Privilege, is out now.Thanks to ...
We're constantly being told happiness will come from material objects, but in this chat with Fearne monk Thubten explains why the outside world is trying to sell us an unrealistic dream. You don't need fixing; Thubten explores how meditation can help shift your focus from outside validation to finding contentment in your inner world.A Monk's Guide To Happiness is out now, and contains lots more detail on those guiding principles.Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of exclusive offers, by visiting wedoact.com/happy. Hosted on...
Meditating doesn't have to mean sitting still, in fact for Stacey Solomon calming an anxious mind is about keeping her hands busy with tidying and crafting. In this chat with Fearne, Stacey also talks about body image, and where she finds her now infamous confidence to stand up to media outlets and trolls who are determined to shame her. Stacey's book, Tap To Tidy, is out now, and has lots of brilliant ideas to help you live by the mantra 'tidy house, tidy mind'.Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of exclusive offers, by vis...
Do you believe the thoughts in your head without question? Rhonda Byrne explores why you shouldn't believe any of your negative thoughts, because none of them are true. In this chat with Fearne, the iconic author of The Secret explains why embracing your inner child might just be the key to ever-lasting happiness.If you feel ready to remove all negative thoughts from your life, Rhonda's latest book, The Greatest Secret, is out now.Thanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of exclusive offers, by visiting www.wedoact.com/happy. Hos...
Insecurity isn’t something you’d expect a Miss World winner to feel, but Priyanka Chopra Jonas has learnt that confidence isn’t ever-present. In fact, in this chat she and Fearne explore how confidence and satisfaction with life have to be actively practiced and cultivated. It’s in her memoir, Unfinished, that Priyanka reflects on the past experiences that built her incredible resilience, and it’s available to buy now www.unfinishedbypriyanka.comThanks to the sponsors of this series of Happy Place, WeDo/. Find out more, and get your hands on lots of exclusive offers, by visiting www.wedoact...