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You can be “fine on paper” and still feel like your nervous system is on fire. That’s why we sit down with artist and registered art therapist Lesley Andrew to unpack how art therapy works when talking isn’t enough, and why the smallest creative act can be a turning point for stress, anxiety, trauma, burnout, and low mood.

We get clear on what art therapy is and what it is not: not a graded art class, not performance, and not about producing a perfect final piece. Lesley explains how images, color, texture, and even mess can become a safe language for emotions that feel too tangled, too painful, or too hard to name. We also talk about the myths that keep people away, including the belief that you have to be “good at art,” and why creativity can be especially powerful for people who tend to overthink and intellectualize their feelings.

The conversation widens into education and culture: what happens when schools cut arts, phones fill the empty space, and young people lose healthy outlets for expression. Lesley shares what real sessions can look like, how different materials can help regulate the nervous system, and how tiny wins like tolerating a mistake without erasing can build resilience over time. You’ll also hear practical ways to start today with low-pressure tools, plus how to find qualified support through NHS pathways, charities, private practice, and professional directories.

If this resonates, listen now, share it with someone who’s carrying too much, and subscribe for more honest conversations about mental health, self-development, and tools that actually help. After you listen, what’s one creative habit you could try for five minutes this week?

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A New Pace Podcast

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What happens when grief becomes too heavy to carry alone?

In this episode, we sit down with a guest who turned unimaginable loss into something quietly powerful. After losing his sister Nancy to suicide, he found himself searching for a way to process what couldn’t be explained. What followed wasn’t a clear path forward, but a gradual return to stillness—through poetry, nature, and the act of putting thoughts into words.

We talk about the reality of grief that doesn’t follow a straight line, the weight of questions that never fully resolve, and how writing became a way to sit with emotion rather than escape it. From long walks in nature to late-night reflections, this is a story about learning to live alongside loss, not outrun it.

This conversation is gentle, honest, and deeply human. It’s about finding space in the noise, meaning in the pain, and connection through shared experience. If you’ve ever struggled to process something that felt too big to name, this episode might help you feel a little less alone.

Subscribe for more grounded mental health conversations, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with one simple practice that helps you get through hard days.

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Suicide Prevention UK

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What if the thing you use to numb the noise is the same thing keeping you from real rest?

We sit down with Jake Speakman to unpack a life spent under club lights—shots to start shifts, finishes at 4 a.m., and the illusion that sedation equals sleep. A lockdown run in flat Vans cracked that cycle. What began as clumsy first miles turned into a sub-2:45 marathon, and then into a leap that made little sense on paper: signing up for an Ironman without even knowing how to swim.

Jake takes us inside the habits that stuck: early alarms, quiet streets, and training blocks that respect recovery as much as speed. He talks about the brain fog of sleep debt, and learning why alcohol knocks you out but never truly lets you rest. We travel with him to Australia—through pool sessions at dawn, group open-water swims shadowed by the memory of his uncle’s drowning, and a scorching bike leg where fueling decides the day.

The finish line matters, but the bigger win is identity: proof that you can learn new skills, set bolder goals, and put structure back into a life that once revolved around the bar.

Along the way, we dig into the nuts and bolts: building a 130 km training week, planning hangover days with Coach Steve, and swapping road monotony for trails and sensory cues that calm the mind. Jake’s move to daytime work helps break social gravity, creating space for routines that scale—running, yoga, better sleep, and coaching education so he can give others the playbook he had to write the hard way.

Press play for a grounded, hopeful guide to changing course: from hospitality burnout to morning miles, from sedation to true sleep, and from self-doubt to goals that once felt impossible. If this conversation helps you take a first step, share it with a friend, subscribe for more real-world mental health stories, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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