Strong Tea

Strong Tea - Episode 41 - Top To Bottom

Welcome to our first episode of our Pride series, 2023!!
Finn is transgender which means he was assigned female at birth but is, in fact, male. Finn came out as transgender in 2012 and began his medical transition in 2013. The medical side of his transition was completed in 2018, but the social aspect of transition is, and likely always will be, ongoing.
Finn has been sharing his story since 2011, in video format on YouTube and in writing on various blogging platforms. While this was once a hobby, he’s come to realise that sharing in this way is his calling in life. He decided to change his career focus and began to turn writing, creating, and public speaking.
Finn recently appeared on the incredibly popular Channel 4 show, ‘Naked Education’ and  discussed transitioning, phalloplasty and bravely got his kit off to show off his body. 
Finn has also written a book all about his physical transition called ‘Top to Bottom’ and it gives an incredible insight into the journey that trans people go through when physically transitioning.
Finn is a returning guest and we absolutely love having him on the show, his honesty and rawness has made him a firm Strong Tea favourite and we loved that you’ve joined us with a cuppa to listen to his journey.
To find out more about Finn, please check out his website here:
https://finlaygames.com 
To purchase his incredible book, click here:
https://gayprideshop.co.uk/products/top-to-bottom-a-memoir-and-personal-guide-through-phalloplasty-book?variant=33039987441718&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=16877874405&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_Ztfhcr3VVxPjLfohFeZbxAFemICNWVS8LCzic529S8PvAKKgvm9utoxJRoCwlsQAvD_BwE 
You can watch Finn’s episode of Naked Education on Channel 4 On Demand.

Quick Brew - Episode 27 - Pregnancy After Loss

Trigger Warning: Child loss, mental health, traumatic birth, and pregnancy after loss.
 
Back in 2021, our very own Katie suffered unimaginable loss when her daughter died. What came next was a traumatic, emotional and grief stricken journey to have another baby. 
Katie shares with us her journey, the feelings she experienced, the things that helped and the things that most definitely didn’t.
This episode explores the anguish and anxiety of Katie’s pregnancy with Freddie, the panic and fear of loss consuming her for 9 months. 
This episode is not an easy listen but it’s Katie’s hope that if it helps just one other person in that situation then it’s been worth it. 

Strong Tea - Episode 40 - Parenting Children with SEN

Sarah Wallace is supermum.
 
Today's episode is like no other, we talk to Sarah Wallace who talks us through her life parenting two children with special educational needs.
Ollie has Down's syndrome and Alfie has autism.
 
Sarah talks us through what it's like parenting with these additional challenges and how she now supports others by sharing her story through a facebook page.
 
To check out Sarah's Facebook page, click here: https://m.facebook.com/people/Special-Needs-and-the-Life-We-Lead/100063665432109/

Strong Tea meets The Bipolar Businessman - Episode 39

Living on the bipolar spectrum, with a side order of PTSD & ADHD, there are very few who command a room like Thomas. After growing up in difficult circumstances, Thomas successfully turned his life around to help other people, saving countless lives along the way.
 
Thomas Duncan Bell is often better known across the UK & Internationally as The Bipolar Businessman. A true enigma, living with a bipolar disorder, Thomas has managed to reach over 1 Million people with his writing, video and various other media work and published articles on mental health in business.
 
Growing up in an extremely volatile environment, his father a destructive, repressed homosexual, Thomas has fought adversity and fear since he was old enough to remember it and is now swiftly becoming one of the UK’s most popular mental health speakers.
 
Thomas has also battled through drug and alcohol addictions, destructive relationships and evolved to become a prominent mental health campaigner. He’s now the primary mental health champion at the UK’s Institute of Directors and is performing his energetic key note speeches and round table discovery sessions at all of their diversity events across the UK. He’s also presenting for a wide range of businesses and implementing change programmes with the use of magic, as a medium to break down barriers.
 
Thomas Duncan Bell is someone that commands your attention. He was thrown out of a top theatre school because of his debilitating mental health, despite an obvious raw talent for the stage. He’s been a FTSE 500 & SME Commercial Consultant for over 14 years and has run sales teams across the UK, Europe and the U.S. He’s able to work with companies to develop their mental health programmes, while understanding the needs of the business, to ensure return on investment while investing in change of culture.
 
A leader to watch out for as the mental health movement evolves globally, with publishers fighting over his first book “Everything’s A Little Bit Mental” as we speak, it won’t be long before his infectious personality and drive is renowned, when the subject of mental health is raised, and people are looking for energy and real change in their businesses.
 
We can’t thank Thomas enough for joining us on the show to talk all about his life, his bipolar disorder and the incredible work he does to raise awareness of mental health issues.
 
To find out more about Thomas and the work he does, click here: https://thebipolarbusinessman.com
 
You can also reach Thomas at on the following platforms:
 
YouTube: @thebipolarbusinessman
Instagram: @thebipolarbusinessman 
Email: thomas@mywholeself.co.uk
 
Additional Web: https://www.mywholeself.co.uk

Strong Tea- Episode 38 - Exercise Addiction

We are so pleased to have our friend and member of the Strong Tea family back with us today! George Mycock’s is the founder of Myominds, a company that works to shine a light on and unravel what mental health means in the exercising community. 
Myominds lead on research projects alongside some of the UK’s top universities whilst also creating conversations through their social media and through the MyoMinds Podcast.
George has had quite the year since we last saw him, he’s appeared in Men’s Health Magazine in the UK and US, he’s contributed to the development of the 3rd edition of the community standards for the Quality Network for Eating Disorders. He’s done an incredibly powerful video with Mind promoting and supporting a healthy relationship with physical activity, and he’s have also started a PhD investigating muscularity oriented psychosocial issues in men. Is there anything he can’t do?!
To find out more about George and the incredible work by Myominds, check out their website here: https://myominds.com/ 
 

Quick Brew - Episode 26 - Cancel Culture

This Quick Brew tackles a really tricky, but relevant, topic. We explore the pandora’s box that is cancel culture. 
 
Cancel culture is the mass withdrawal of support from public figures or celebrities who have done things that aren't socially accepted today.
 
This practice of "cancelling" or mass shaming often occurs on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. We have seen it with politicians, authors, actors, and singers, and we delve into whether it is freedom of speech or rightful erasure that we praise or shame them.
 
Is cancel culture enabling social justice or a mob mentality?
 
Katie and Vikki also talk about the complexities of dividing our feelings towards a “cancelled” artist, with our appreciation for their art.
 
It is a jam packed episode and we would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Strong Tea - Episode 36 - The Importance of Carers

You know when you meet someone who just kicks the butt out of being awesome?
 
Get ready to meet Kaddy, faced with challenging adversity throughout her life, she’s remained strong and positive and has become a force to be reckoned with.
 
Listen to Kaddy’s story as she tells it from the perspective of a mother, a full-time care giver and advocate for carers everywhere.
 
Kaddy is the Founder and Director of Elijah’s Hope and Founder of Carers Collective. Both were established due to the incredible journey she has been and continues to be on and from being the incredibly determined and compassionate mother and caregiver she is.
 
Elijah’s Hope aims to help and support families within the South West regions of the UK who are facing acute challenges due to child illnesses, and was established in honour of her son Elijah Hodges who has a rare genetic disorder.
 
Carers Collective is an incredible support for carers who are struggling with the physical and mental exhaustion that comes with being a carer. They provides resources and coaching to empower and support carers as well as providing an invaluable community for them to join.
 
Kaddy is just so incredibly inspiring and has a story of resilience, determination and love, that you will not forget.

Quick Brew - Episode 25 - Tea Break!

Time for another Tea Break!
 
2023 has been so busy for us already, we wanted to take five, grab a cuppa and take stock.
 
This mini episode sees us chat what's been released this year so far, what topics and guests are coming up for Strong Tea, some highlights and some of the juicy content we want to get into for Quick Brews, all this AND what the best dunking biscuit is. What more could you want from a podcast!

Strong Tea - Episode 35 - Don’t Forget To Scream:Untold Truths About Motherhood with Marianne Levy

The book, Don’t Forget To Scream : Untold Truths About Motherhood speaks for itself when it comes to reviews:
To describe this book as honest, brave, empathetic and powerful doesn't do it justice – it is all these things in abundance, but also funny and beautiful
Adam Kay
 
Don’t Forget To Scream is a stunning, urgent, feminist masterpiece. Many of the essays brought me to tears, and I had to give myself breaks between them to digest their beauty and wisdom and insight before moving onto the next . . . So many mothers will see themselves in this book. And anyone who has ever rolled their eyes while a mother struggles to get a buggy onto the bus needs to read it too. A masterclass in empathy. I'm buying copies for everyone I know
Holly Bourne
 
Honest, witty, powerful and moving... An important book brimming with hard-won wisdom
Robert Webb 
 
Marianne studied Theology at the University of Cambridge. After graduating she spent 10 years as an actor and voice artist before becoming a full-time children's writer. She has published five books for children and teens.
 
Marianne's journalism began with book reviews for The Independent on Sunday, before expanding into arts coverage. She has written for The Independent, The Guardian and The FT. Her roundups and reviews lead The i newspaper's children's books' coverage, alongside her features and book reviews.
 
In 2018, within a handful of days of having her second child, she felt compelled to write the essay 'Two Weeks', which was published on Medium. A few months later, she wrote 'The Mothers'. The huge response to these essays led her to write extensively about motherhood, both on Medium and for The i.
Don't Forget To Scream: Unspoken Truths About Motherhood is published by Phoenix. 
 
This episode sees Katie & Vikki discuss the book, the feedback and all things gritty and real about the truth of parenting.
 
If you want to find out more about Marianne, you can click here: http://www.mariannelevy.co.uk

Quick Brew - Episode 24 - Euthanasia Part 2 with Special Guest, Dr Tom

Katie & Vikki are back again with a follow up to the extremely popular and heated episode discussing Euthanasia, released on February 17th 2023.
This time we are joined by the wonderful Dr Tom Petrie. At the time of recording, Tom is in his final few weeks of medical training at Leicester University. Tom has a special interest in rheumatology and care of the elderly.
This episode was an excellent opportunity to get back in to the nitty gritty and controversy of the topic of euthanasia, providing some new thoughts from a medical perspective.
It’s certainly one not to be missed!