Crisis What Crisis?

In one of our most valuable crisis conversations yet, we’re joined by one of the world’s best psychotherapists – author and fellow podcaster, Julia Samuel – and in this episode we focus on possibly the most important theme that has come out of our conversations so far. That is grief. How we approach it, how we accept it and how we then move forward productively. In the sixty episodes we’ve recorded so far, we’ve had some incredible discussions with our guests on this subject - and so today we look back on some of those conversations with a real expert; someone who can help us navigate our way through this most difficult of crisis subjects.Julia has been helping people through loss and a range of other issues for more than thirty years. Her first counselling job was as a volunteer for Westminster Bereavement Services - where Julia found herself stepping into the homes (and indeed the lives) of people whose children had died under some of the most challenging of circumstances. It was clear early on that Julia had found her vocation. Ever since Julia has worked both in private practice and in the NHS, at London’s St Mary’s Hospital, where she pioneered the role of Maternity and Paediatric Psychotherapist. In 1994 Julia helped launch Child Bereavement UK, and as Founder Patron she continues to play a role in that brilliant charity today. Moreover, she has written a number of successful books including Grief Works, This Too Shall Pass and Every Family Has a Story, and she also hosts the successful podcast Therapy Works - which I could not recommend more.A huge thanks to the guests we discuss in this episode – for sharing their stories, but also to Julia for taking the time to help us take stock. You can find the full episode transcript at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/julia-samuel-on-facing-loss-managing-grief-and-finding-joy-again/Topics covered:– Grief– Acceptance– PTSD– Good death vs bad deathJulia’s Crisis Comforts: Recognise that you are suffering. Let the emotions of the pain, of your suffering, through your system.Kickboxing. Keith, who’s my kickboxing teacher, I’ve been with him for 28 years. He cannot believe how much I want to hurt him… physiologically exercise is the equivalent to a low dose of antidepressants.I make sure I have fun. I don’t watch frightening things on TV – I drive my husband nuts because he wants to watch all the kind of frightening dramas, and I want to watch Mamma Mia. I want happy endings.Links:Julia’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/juliasamuelmbe/Grief Works app – https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/grief-works-self-care-love/id1558867513Therapy Works Podcast – https://juliasamuel.co.uk/podcasts/guest-appearances-2Every Family Has A Story: How we inherit love and loss – https://amzn.to/3JXfDnRThis Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings – https://amzn.to/40uYDMNGrief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving – https://amzn.to/3zjjx5DThe Road Less Travelled – M. Scott Peck – https://amzn.to/3M5ozu6On Death and Dying – Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross – https://amzn.to/42UNZQWStream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

“Cancer not only makes the person going through it appreciate every nuance of life, it also make the people who love you speak their minds.”In this episode we are joined by Sarah Standing – journalist, toy shop owner and author.On the face of it, Sarah has enjoyed – and appreciated – a charmed life. The daughter of actress Nanette Newman and director, writer and actor Bryan Forbes, and sister of well-known TV presenter Emma Forbes, Sarah is also married to the brilliant British actor Johnnie Standing.Mum of three, grandmother to two … Sarah is the glue at the centre of a talented loving family and a network of friends that includes Sir Elton John.But in the space of a few hours on a November day in 2020 Sarah’s life changed forever. At 10am that day she went to see her GP, complaining of feeling breathless. By 4pm she’d been diagnosed with grade III Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.Sarah’s brilliant new book – Dancing With The Red Devil – tells the story of what happened next. It’s an account of facing down cancer and chemotherapy during those dark days of COVID but also the most wonderful, valuable memoir of family, of love and the power of friendship in crisis.Sarah is someone who loves to laugh but who also tells it like it is. This conversation, like Sarah’s book, is brutal in its honesty, moving, at times hilarious and full of insight that I think is valuable to anyone facing tough times or for that matter anyone who is in the orbit of someone dealing with crisis.Topics covered:- Cancer diagnosis- Chemotherapy and hair loss- Setting small goals - The language of crisis- Grief-TachycardiaSarah’s Crisis Comforts: 1. Cooking engages your senses and can sometimes invoke happy memories – comfort food in particular has the power to lift your mood.2. Music – Not just listening but getting up and joining in. Dancing and singing will trigger your brain to release endorphins which will automatically make you feel happier. 3. Jigsaw puzzles although requiring a huge amount of concentration can put your brain in a relaxed state of mind whilst distracting you from your problems. Links: Twitter - https://twitter.com/skstanding Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarahkstanding/?hl=enDancing With the Red Devil - Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dancing-Red-Devil-Sarah-Standing/dp/1472296354/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=YVWXO24F2QJ6&keywords=dancing+with+the+red+devil+by+sarah+standing&qid=1663700541&sprefix=%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-1 Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

In this special episode, which is brought to you in partnership with the Centre for Social Justice, we’ll be shining a light on the crisis of modern slavery, and in particular the increasing prevalence of Cuckooing – a terrible new trend that you might have seen featured in the TV show Happy Valley. Cuckooing is a deeply damaging and frankly cruel practice used by criminals to take over someone’s home, someone’s life, as a base or as a cover for their own illegal activities.Led by the former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, one of my guests today, the CSJ’s vision is for those living in the poorest and most disadvantaged communities across Britain to be given every opportunity to flourish and reach their full potential. The CSJ, which Iain founded 20 years ago, was one of the first to call for greater action around modern slavery and is now focussing its efforts on Cuckooing.Also joining us is Louise Gleich, a senior researcher at the CSJ whose brilliant work is centred around the Modern Slavery agenda. And finally we’ll also be joined by Declan, a former police detective turned Victim Navigator for Justice and Care. Declan is operating day in, day out on the Modern Slavery frontline. This may feel like a crisis that is very unlikely to touch your life, but the reality is that it’s very likely to be happening right now, in a property not that far from you.Declan works closely with Modern Slavery victims, as such we won’t be revealing his surname or his full identity. For further information, advice and guidance on the contents of today’s episode – call the Modern Slavery helpline on 0800 0121 700.Topics covered:- Slavery- Cuckooing - Exploitation - Human Trafficking & Migration- Community- Policing prioritiesFull episode transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/special-episode-slavery-at-home/Links:CSJ report – Slavery at home - https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/slavery-at-homeThe Centre for Social Justice - https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/aboutJustice and Care - https://justiceandcare.org/Iain’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/MPIainDSLouise’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/GleichLouise Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682 Host – Andy Coulson CWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

“I’ve got the ability to kill people and not sort of worry about it too much.”In this episode, I’m joined by the former SAS soldier, hugely successful writer, campaigner and clinically diagnosed psychopath Andy McNab. Andy’s life began in crisis .. abandoned after birth on the steps of a London hospital, he was later adopted and raised in Peckham. After several run-ins with the law as a teenager, Andy’s life was transformed when he was given a choice – prison or the army. He went on to become one of the most decorated soldiers of his generation.In 1991 Andy commanded an eight-man SAS squad designated Bravo Two Zero, who were dropped behind enemy lines in Iraq on a mission to destroy Saddam’s lines of communications. His best-selling book about those events has sold over six million copies and has never been out of print.It told the incredible story of how, after seeing three members of his squad killed, he was captured and tortured. Andy was only released after enduring an horrific mock execution.Months after experiences that would break even the toughest of individuals, Andy was back to work in covert operations. How he coped, he tells me, is in large part due to his mental make-up. Years after leaving the army Andy was clinically diagnosed with psychopathy. “But I’m a good type of psychopath,” he says whilst admitting that his lack of empathy means that he is capable of killing for money, if his circumstances demanded it.Thankfully with a further 52 books now under his belt, that is unlikely to happen. Andy’s latest book, Shadow State, the first in a new series focused on the murky world of cybercrime, is out now.Essentially a psychopath’s guide to resilience, this is an episode you will not want to miss. Andy’s face has been obscured in the video recording of this episode. He explains exactly why at the start of our conversation.Full episdoe transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/andy-mcnab-on-being-tortured-facing-an-execution-squad-and-the-upside-of-being-a-psychopath/Topics covered:– Abandonment– Psychopathy– SAS selection– Withstanding torture– Bereavement– Stoicism and the power of perspective– Money and moralityAndy’s Crisis Cures:1. Don’t start flapping. Just accept what’s going on. There is a crisis. It’s here. It’s happening.2. Take action. Once you’ve accepted the truth, you’ve got to get on. You’ve got to rectify it slowly to get out of the crisis. Take responsibility for it.3. Accept that the world isn’t that perfect. You may not come out of that crisis completely clean. You’ve just got to get on with it and try and get some resolution. Because the next one is coming down the road, and you don’t want them to all compound on top of each other.Links:Shadow State – https://amzn.to/3XzhcxeDown to the Wire – https://amzn.to/3I9ixVCBravo Two Zero – https://amzn.to/3KdihHPTwitter – @The_Real_McNab – https://twitter.com/The_Real_McNab?s=20 Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682 Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

The two guests joining us in this Crisis Cures episode have both enjoyed stellar careers in broadcasting, but it’s not been a straightforward journey at all for either of them.Richard Bacon started out as a fully paid-up Blue Peter badge holder, presenting one of the longest running and most successful children’s television programs of all time. A tenure cut short when his private life came under tabloid scrutiny, temporarily bringing his time at the BBC to a premature conclusion.Ruby Wax, of course, has been a regular fixture on our screen since the mid-1980s, both as a writer and television personality, interviewing some of the biggest names on the planet. But behind all the comedy, all the professional brilliance, ruby was struggling with her bipolar disorder and ongoing battles with depression, something she now campaigns for and speaks very openly about.So in this Crisis Cures episode you can expect to learn about:Resilience and hard workCommunity and belongingState of mindPersonal enrichmentAs you will hear, it seems that there is much common ground in Richard and Ruby’s approaches to finding an equilibrium and the right state of mind in order to see them through the tough times. Richard’s Crisis Cures:Avoid alcohol: ‘I think if I’m going through a dark day the thing is to not drink because that can very quickly bring out anger.’Vinyl music: ‘I often play sixties bands, whether it’s The Who or The Kinks or The Beatles or The Stones… nothing makes me happier than putting on a piece of vinyl, I just love everything about it.’Babington House: ‘I got married there and it still retains its kind of magic quality…it’s hard not to go there and do anything other than feel much better.’Richard’s full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/richard-bacon-on-battling-scandal-addiction-and-nine-days-in-a-coma/Ruby’s Crisis Cures:Community: ‘Not just a wine tasting club, but a place where you genuinely talkto each other’.Compassion: ‘When I’m in a queue sometimes I’ll find somebody in a really bad mood, and I’ll start talking to them or somebody who’s giving me grief. It’s just an experiment… I’m trying to exercise those [stress] muscles.’Mindful exercise: ‘Tai chi, Pilates, Yoga… but not something mindless. You have to notice what’s going on in your body.’Ruby’s full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/ruby-wax-on-anger-optimism-and-taking-ownership-of-your-crisis/Links:ADHD Foundation – https://www.adhdfoundation.org.ukRuby’s Frazzled Café – www.frazzledcafe.orgRuby’s latest book – A Mindfulness Guide for Survival – https://amzn.to/3xbSEzHStream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs, Jane Sankey, Linus Difford.With special thanks to Global.

“You start wondering if your own life is worth continuing. It’s obvious that you think about that. But what do you learn? I don’t know. I think people learn different things and people react to grief very differently.”Joining us for this episode is Professor Robert Winston – scientist, author, broadcaster and politician. Devoting much of his adult life to the crisis of infertility – IVF pioneer Lord Winston is that rare breed … a scientist who can speak fluent human.With fertility and genomics never far from the headlines, Lord Winston continues to face down considerable controversy – periodic media storms that would send most scientists sprinting back to the safety of the lab. In this conversation Lord Winston lays bare the harsh statistical truth about IVF … facts, he says, you will not learn from the fertility industry.A one-time Peer of the Year winner, Lord Winston also has an active political life beyond his career addressing the crisis of infertility. Sadly, it was in the Lord’s last year, that he revealed an altogether different, very personal crisis with the sad loss of his wife Lira, who died suddenly at their home. In this episode you’ll hear how, with Lira in his arms, he called 999, only to be met with an operator who wasted precious time in getting an ambulance. Lord Winston also tells us movingly how Lira’s death caused him to question whether he could live on without her.Topics covered:The truth about fertility success ratesCollaboration & resilienceHow to cope with public scrutinyGrief & guiltThe NHS CrisisThe dangers of genomicsRobert’s Crisis Cures:Find mentors who you trust. Anne McLaren was a very good example – a brilliant female scientist.Work in collaboration with a team you get on with.Be persistent but recognise your failures. Because failure teaches you to do it better next time.Links:Twitter – https://twitter.com/ProfRWinston?s=20&t=VwMwUWMFtNTrBsbDXgHvzAWebsite – https://www.robertwinston.org.uk/Genesis Research Trust – https://genesisresearchtrust.com/Inventors: Incredible stories of the world’s most ingenious inventions – https://amzn.to/3Xtp04qAsk A Scientist: Professor Robert Winston Answers 100 Big Questions from Kids Around the World! – https://amzn.to/3GXY7ya Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682 Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

This is one of the most difficult crisis conversations we've had to date and some will find this episode distressing. It’s a discussion about unimaginable trauma - the loss of a child in the most horrendous circumstances. Our guest is Lisa Squire, mother of Libby, a 21-year-old student who disappeared after a night out in Hull with university friends in January 2019. 48 days later Libby’s body was discovered in the Humber Estuary. She had been raped and murdered by Polish 24year old Pawel Relowicz.The terrifying initial uncertainty of Libby’s abduction, the horror when her death was discovered and the pain of a court case that ultimately offered only some degree of closure, make this a crisis like few others. Lisa, as you will hear, has taken these experiences and is now putting them to work in her own unique way, on behalf of others and, of course, Libby. Relowicz had committed a number of non-contact sexual offences against other women in Hull before he abducted Libby. Lisa is now campaigning for those types of crime to be taken more seriously, to encourage victims to report them, but also for sentencing levels to be raised. She is also campaigning for mandatory life sentences for those convicted of rape and murder.My thanks to Lisa who felt strongly that this episode should be heard. First and foremost to raise her campaigning issues in Libby’s name. But also to offer perspective and lessons to those facing grief or other challenges.Full episode transcript available on our website.Lisa's Crisis Cures: 1. Talking – Whether that's to my husband, the children, my friends, my mum and dad, or Libby. You have to get it out.2. Writing – I write things down when they come to me, that lessens it because you can see it in black and white.3. Work out what you can and can’t manage that day – break it down into little bits, because the mountain is huge. I take it in five-minute blocks.Get involved:We’ll keep you updated on the Libby’s Legacy campaign on our social media channels. In the meantime, if you take anything away from our conversation today let it be the following: 1. Report. Report. Report. Take non-contact sexual offences seriously.2. If your friend can’t get into a nightclub there’ll be another opportunity. Don’t leave your friends.3. If you see somebody, like Libby, and you feel it in your gut that something doesn’t seem right, pick the phone up and call the police, call an ambulance.4. Don’t let the conversation end here.Links:The Compassionate Friends - https://www.tcf.org.uk/Police launch campaign with Libby Squire's family urging people to report low-level sex offences - https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/police-launch-campaign-libby-squires-7810156 You can watch Libby, Are You Home Yet? On Sky Crime or online at - https://www.nowtv.com/watch/libby-are-you-home-yet/iYEQYZaTURDhxvGMpm3auU/iYsxVNCF7Je7re1w9JukrJ/seasons/1 Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682 Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global

In this Crisis Cures episode we hear from two remarkable women who faced down two very different challenges. For Roopa Farooki, that took the form of facing down the daily crisis of Covid, with all its drama and tragedy, during the peak of the pandemic in her role as an NHS junior doctor. And for Virginia Buckingham, the former boss of Logan international airport in Boston, it was the shocking personal impact of being widely, and very unfairly, blamed for the 9/11 attacks in New York. In these extracts from our full podcast conversations (links below) both women explain what they relied on to get through the toughest of times. Roopa & Virginia’s Crisis Cures: 1st Crisis Cure –Roopa – Stick to your routine during a crisis.Virginia – Create a haven in your home in which to heal.2nd Crisis Cure –Roopa – Writing – I like to make sense of what’s happening in my life.Virginia – Find a purpose outside of yourself and your crisis.3rd Crisis Cure –Roopa – Believe in what you’re passionate about.Virginia – Do Good with something badLinks: Virginia’s full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/virginia-buckingham-on-9-11-the-unbearable-burden-of-blame-and-moving-forward/Roopa’s full episode: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/shortcuts-roopa-farooki-on-grief-betrayal-and-boris/Charity – https://www.911memorial.org/donate‘On My Watch’ – Memoir by Virginia Buckingham – https://amzn.to/3RJ8pGOEverything is True: A junior doctor’s story of life, death and grief in a time of pandemic – https://amzn.to/3U6KfrpStream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs, Jane Sankey, and Linus Difford.With special thanks to Global.

Legendary musician Nile Rodgers has endured and managed dramatic crises for him and his loved ones throughout his life. Here he gives us his three top Crisis Cures for when life unravels. You can listen to this valuable conversation in full and all previous episodes, here or wherever you get your podcasts.Nile's full interview is available here: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/nile-rodgers/Full episode transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/nile-rodgers-crisis-curesNile's Crisis Cures: 1st Crisis Cure – Work – I look to my art and my work. 2nd Crisis Cure – Simple exercises – I train myself to do something new to make my body and brain aware.3rd Crisis Cure – Music – John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’. It puts me in a space where the world becomes a peaceful place.Links: https://www.wearefamilyfoundation.org/Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy Coulson.CWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane Sankey.With Special thanks to Global.

Andrew Milburn is the British educated would-be lawyer who became a decorated US Marine Colonel. A 31year career spent in the midst of crisis in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Now, as the Founder and CEO of the Mozart Group – a response to Putin’s evil Wagner Group – he trains and rescues Ukrainian civilians. In this conversation, Andrew gives us an extraordinary insight into the psychology of those fighting on both sides and describes how Putin has misjudged the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian people. Andrew is also no stranger to personal crisis. He suffered a terrible personal loss with the death of his daughter, Kaela in a road traffic accident. Andrew sets out in moving detail how, despite a life of successfully managing extreme crisis, he could not, for a period time, cope with his grief. A conversation that provides crisis lessons from geo-politics to the most personal of challenges. My thanks to Andrew.Full episode transcript available at: https://www.crisiswhatcrisis.com/podcasts/col-andrew-milburn-on-putins-big-mistake-addiction-to-crisis-and-grief/Andrew's Crisis Cures:1st Crisis Cure – Writing – Alongside my book I also enjoy writing articles – it’s something I will always maintain.2nd Crisis Cure – Reading has been my companion since childhood. Most of my favourite books are non-military with one exception – Quartered Safe Out Here by George McDonald Fraser.3rd Crisis Cure – Exercise – It’s a daily graft for me but essential for my mental health – it’s more about clearing my mind.Links:Support The Mozart Group - https://www.themozartgroup.com/donate/Andrew's book - When the Tempest Gathers - https://amzn.to/3hPaELv Stream/Buy ‘Allies’ by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bmSome Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.ukYour Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682Host – Andy CoulsonCWC production team: Louise Difford, Ed Isaacs and Jane SankeyWith special thanks to Global