Listening In

Content: Please be aware that this episode contains graphic content around sexual violence, sex, misogyny and pornography, that some people may find upsetting. Jocelyn Anderson is CEO of West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, and the NCPS Ambassador for survivors of rape and sexual violence.  Moving from an unfulfilling job in finance to a career in counselling, Jocelyn has become a fierce advocate for victim/survivors, as well as for smaller community-based services that offer them vital support.  In our conversation together, we explore the many barriers that are faced by those who work in this area, and those they support. From stigma and ignorance, to lengthy fights for justice and funding, Jocelyn doesn’t hold back from describing the reality of the situation - because speaking truth openly, can contribute to action, change, and the reduction of shame. For more information about the work of  Jocelyn's team at WMRSASC Home - WMRSASC To learn more about 'Hackett's continuum' Understanding sexualised behaviour in children | NSPCC Learning   Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated

Please be aware that suicide and bereavement by suicide is the main focus of this episode. Steve Roodhouse left for work one day, and never came home. Caroline, his wife was faced with the awful reality that Steve had taken his own life, and found herself in the unimaginable position of having to tell their two young daughters; Evie who was 9, and Ada, who was 2. Since then Caroline has help others understand about the reality of life after a suicide by writing and speaking about her experience and she gives a voice to others impacted by this particular type of grief. In her own sensitive, yet frank and unflinching way,  Caroline describes how anger helped her cope, and protected her from sadness , and how finding the right therapist at the right time helped her through the complex emotions that a grief by suicide evokes. She describes the unique responsibility of being a double parent, living minute by minute, day by day, navigating her own grief, while supporting Evie and Ada with theirs. Now, Caroline feels she is at last able to carry hope. Along with memories of Steve, hope has become part of the story that she and the  girls, are now writing together. Because this conversation is not just Caroline's story, but Steve’s Evie's and Ada's also.   You can learn more about Caroline's experience, work and her book, 'Daddy Blackbird', here: Daddy Blackbird - Surviving and thriving after loss by suicide For more information about child bereavement charity Winston's Wish: Winston's Wish - Bereavement Support for Children Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated  

Lana Foster, Managing Director of Bright World Guardianships, joins us in conversation.  Recorded in February, Lana talks about her niche line of work, which is to ensure that international students who come here to study in the UK, are supported appropriately and adequately, especially with their mental and emotional health. The children that Bright World Guardianships support, find themselves alone in another country, language, culture; there is unfamiliarity all around them. Alongside the usual challenges of growing up, their lives can at times be complex and stressful.  Through a network of host families, care managers, local coordinators and transport services, every step of a child's time at boarding school or university, is supported by the adults at Bright World, all of whom are screened and trained....even the taxi drivers. You can find out more about the work of Bright World Guardianships here: UK Boarding School and University Guardianship service | Bright World Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated  

Content warning: suicide and domestic abuse are briefly mentioned in this conversation. In this episode we are revisiting Northern Ireland, as Eilish Craig clinical lead of West Wellbeing joins us for a chat. We talk about the unique challenges faced by people living in post-conflict Northern Ireland, and shine a light on a service that knows it’s community and holds it at the heart of all it does. In response, that community appreciates, values and gives back to the service . From being a safe space for anyone experiencing domestic abuse, to outreach work with the homeless, collaborating with foodbanks and addressing poverty, the trusting relationships being built by West Wellbeing, with it’s community, are special, and the positive impacts, far reaching. You can find out more about the work of West Wellbeing here: Home - West Wellbeing And for information about supporting, 'Out of the Darkness - A Walk of Hope': Out of the Darkness - A Walk of Hope - West Wellbeing Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated  

From the cradle to the grave, music therapy can support people in a way talking therapy is not always able. Stuart Watson is a music therapist and the clinical lead, of Make a Melody Ltd. based in Northern Ireland and in this episode, he helps us understand who music therapy can help, and how it works. Music is its own language, through which we can communicate, understand each other, and build relationships upon. Stuart explains how it can create bonds between parent and infant, how it can connect in a unique way with non-verbal people, how it offers comfort to people with dementia or at the end of their lives – all  through using the power of music and the framework of psychodynamic principles underpinning the work.   You can find out more about the work of Make a Melody here: https://www.makeamelody.co.uk/ Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated  

Content warning: Please be aware the topic of suicide is the focus of this conversation.   In this episode, we are joined by Charlotte Edwards, service manager of Hopeline247, the helpline for Papyrus - Prevention of Young Suicide. The work of helpline advisors plays a vital role in mental health support, and yet their work is often unrecognised and underappreciated. In our chat, Charlotte explains more about this work, and specifically what it looks like in terms of suicide prevention through Hopeline247. As she is keen to stress, 'We don't save lives, we help young people save their own lives'. To find out more about the work of Papyrus / Hopeline247 Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated

Rory Lees-Oakes, co-founder of Counselling Tutor, shares his journey from commercial manager to counselor and educator, dealing with educational challenges along the way. He passionately discusses the evolution of counseling education and the importance of adapting to meet future needs. Rory emphasizes the significance of understanding neurodiversity, especially with his new Autism-Informed Course. He advocates for a holistic approach to mental health and highlights the necessity for innovative training methods to prepare counselors for tomorrow's challenges.

In this Episode, we welcome Elaine Bousfield MBE, who talks to us about the use of literature in therapy. Elaine is founder and CEO of Zuntold which is a therapeutic service offering bibliotherapy, as well as a publishing company.  Always trying to find ways of making therapy more accessible, especially for young people, Elaine created and founded the online platform Kooth. When she decided it was time to move on and start a new chapter, she turned to the world of bibliotherapy. Please accept our apologies for some sound issues during this recording. Discover more about Zuntold: ZunTold - Fiction as Therapy for Mental Health & Wellbeing — ZunTold Contact Elaine for more information about future projects: elaine@zuntold.com Further reading, as recommended by Elaine: 'Always Hear For You', by Miriam Halahmy 'The Midnight Library', by Matt Haig 'How We Read Now', by Naomi Baron 'Such Stuff As Dreams: The Psychology of Fiction', by Keith Oatley   Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation This episode was recorded on Teams Produced and Edited by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com

Content warning: the focus of this conversation is suicide prevention. When Chris Sibley lost his 16 year old son TJ to suicide, he sought support from a charity where he was able to meet other parents, sharing the same dreadful grief. From this, Chris, along with parents Stuart Falconer and Jane Johnstone, decided to form their own charity; The OLLIE Foundation. Our conversation shines a light on the people and work behind the scenes at grassroot charities. Chris says, "Grassroots charities live and work in the community, and have a real impact on that community".   And when lived experience informs that work, what does that mean? What is the impact of telling your story, over and again? "I can feel it, they're like tiny weights being put on my shoulders every time I talk about it", explains Chris. And yet his drive continues, in memory of his son. "He was the person people would go to. His last act was helping someone else. What I do, is driven by TJ". To find out more about The OLLIE Foundation and all the resources it offers, please visit: https://theolliefoundation.org/ Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS): https://uksobs.com/   Please remember to like and subscribe, so you can always be part of the conversation. This episode was recorded on Teams Produced by Leto Blackwell Created by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Website: www.ncps.com Subtitles are auto generated If you have been experiencing any suicidal thoughts, or require immediate help, please call 111, contact your GP or call the Samaritans on 116 123    

Tony Kelly, a former professional footballer and founder of Red Card Gambling, opens up about his harrowing journey through gambling addiction that led to bankruptcy and homelessness. He shares how acceptance and support from family and faith helped him reclaim his life. Kelly emphasizes the importance of education on gambling addiction for young athletes, advocating for awareness initiatives. His goal is to transform personal struggles into community support, encouraging others to own their addiction for a healthier future.