Strong Tea

Quick Brew - Episode 20 - Why Are We Obsessed With True Crime?

True Crime is a loved genre of books, podcasts, movies and tv shows and documentaries the World over, but why?
 
Why does watching or listening to, in some cases, seriously hideous crimes, fascinate us so much?
 
In this episode Katie & Vikki delve into the world of murderers, kidnappers, cannibals and cults to discover why true crime has so many fans and at what point does it go from the moderately curious to the downright weird? The absurdity of murderabillia items available and paying to attend a true crime festival and a talk with a murderer?
 
Scratching the surface with this episode, we will be back for more!

Strong Tea - Episode 27 - Surviving an Eating Disorder

Victoria Kleinsman returns as a very loved member of the Strong Tea family to talk openly and honestly about surviving eating disorders.
 
Vic has overcome anorexia, binge eating disorder, and bulimia.
 
Vic’s battle with food started at a very young age and plagued her for many years but strength and resilience has not only helped her survive these disorders but to become an inspiration for others as a food freedom and body love coach and describes it as her life’s mission to help others.
 
Check out Victoria's fantastic website for more on her journey: https://victoriakleinsman.com/

Quick Brew - Episode 19 - The Year Ahead

 
It's 2023, and we are LIVE!!
Happy new year folks and thank you for joining us for another exciting year of podcasting delights!
This episode sees us chat through many of the forthcoming episodes and topics we will be covering in 2023 and what our new year's resolutions are!
Whatever the new year holds for you, we are pleased to have you with us so grab a cuppa of your favourite brew and let's do this!

Quick Brews - Episode 18 - The Big Christmas Tea Party!

Welcome to the last podcast of 2022, the big Christmas Tea Party!
2022 has been an incredible year for us and so we take the opportunity to chat through some of the incredible guests and topics from the year, discuss some of the biggest moment of 2022 in the media (who could forget the slap heard around the World!) and if we actually stuck with any of our resolutions from last year!
Plenty of chat, laughter and festive cheer as we see out 2022 with a brew and a good old chat!
Wishing all our listeners a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!
 

Strong Tea - Episode 26 - My Life with HIV

Have you ever met someone that just oozes with loveliness? That’s Jonathan. 
 
We came across Jonathan Blake following his appearance on the recent Sky documentary, Positive. This incredible three part series looked at the AIDS epidemic during the 80s and how people’s lives were affected, the persecution that the gay community faced and how the media and government reacted. Jonathan was one of many incredible people who featured on this programme and shared their experiences.
 
We were so lucky when Jonathan agreed to come onto Strong Tea to talk about his incredible life. Jonathan was one of the first people in the UK to be diagnosed with HIV back in the 80s and upon receiving his diagnosis, he believed he would be dead in a few months, sadly, like many of his friends. 
 
This diagnosis led Jonathan to meet the love of his life and be a pioneering member of the Gays & Lesbians Support The Miners movement. Jonathan has led an extraordinary life in the face of losing friends to the illness that he lives with. Jonathan is now a gay rights and HIV activist, educating the world one person at a time.
 
This episode is heartwarming, funny and educational. Jonathan is a wonderful human and this is an episode which really shouldn’t be missed!

Quick Brews - Episode 17 - Stress

Stress. Our body and mind’s natural reaction to pressure. Being triggered when we experience something new or unexpected that threatens our sense of self or when we feel we have little control over a situation.
Stress can be experienced anywhere and at any time in many different scenarios, in this episode we talk about when and where it can happen, the impact that it has and our own personal experiences. 
When we encounter stress, our body produces stress hormones that trigger a fight or flight response and activate our immune system. This helps us respond quickly to dangerous situations.
Sometimes, this stress response can be useful: it can help us push through fear or pain so we can run a marathon or deliver a speech, for example. Our stress hormones will usually return to normal quickly once the stressful event is over, and there won’t be any lasting effects.
However, too much stress can cause negative effects. It can leave us in a permanent stage of fight or flight, leaving us overwhelmed or unable to cope. Long term, this can affect our physical and mental health.
We all deal with stress differently. Our ability to cope can depend on our genetics, early life events, personality and social and economic circumstances.
We talk about if stress can be a good thing and how important it is not to ignore it. We discuss our own experiences and ways to manage and cope with stress. 
The bottom line is, don’t just accept stress, if it’s becoming too much, please reach out and get support. Extreme stress can lead to burnout, mental health issues and in some extreme circumstances, suicidal thoughts. Please get support before it gets too much. (Check out our website for support networks and advice).

Strong Tea - Episode 25 -Surviving Domestic Abuse

Trigger warning: This episode contains details of violence, rape, animal abuse, depression and emotive content.
 
Contains some swearing.
 
Victoria Kleinsman is an inspiration. In what is one of the most emotional episodes in the Strong Tea series so far, we cannot tell you how wonderful this lady is.
 
Vic is a coach who provides food freedom and body love counselling. She is also a podcaster and all round fantastic human being. Vic in her own words has been through some "tough shit" and has faced challenges that have meant heartbreak, fear, adversity and incredible growth.
 
This is our first episode with Vic and we are so lucky she has joined our Strong Tea family.
 
This topic will be a tough one to listen to, Vic will tells us about her horrific experiences of domestic abuse. A journey which nearly cost her her life. This is a must listen to episode however there are trigger warnings.
 
If you are affected by this episode and would like to get in touch with Vic, then please go to her website to find out more Food Freedom & Body Love Coach | Victoria Kleinsman - https://victoriakleinsman.com/
 
To those who are being abused and feel stuck....we see you and you don't have to feel alone.

Quick Brews - Episode 16 - Bullying

This episode sees Katie & Vikki delve into the dark world of bullying which happens in school, the workplace, online and in the home. It happens far more than you’d think.
 
Not beating around the bush, we talk about the types of bullying, the stats and our own personal experiences.
 
Bullying is damaging and can have a profound effect on mental health, we explore different tips and advice on how to deal with it and where to get further support if you need it.
Anti-bullying Alliance have fantastic advice, guidance and support including running Anti-bullying Week (14th-18th November). This year's theme is Reach Out. Anti-Bullying Week 2022: Reach Out (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
 

Quick Brews - Episode 15 - Birth Control & Contraception

Birth control.
It's been around for a long long time, and yet this topic is still not talked about enough. This episode sees us discuss the different types, the pros and cons, the dangers, the myths, the politics and the inequalities...we cover it all.
This episode has some surprising moments and includes research that we hope will give you food for thought and a good knowledge to have that informed discussion with sexual partners and beyond.

Strong Tea - Episode 24 - Wobbling About & Rocking Out

This episode brings us the wonderful Dom. And he really is, wonderful that is. Dom is an absolute powerhouse of a human being, his positivity is impossible not to warm to.
This podcast details Dom’s journey with cerebral palsy and how the alternative community became a huge part of his life and support structure. We just had to invite him on and this episode will not disappoint.
Dom is founder of Wobbling About & Rocking Out which promotes disability and mental health awareness, he is a venue accessibility consultant, he works as a journalist in wrestling media. Writer of SoundSphere magazine, a podcaster, a qualified counsellor and has an incredible amount of strings to his bow.
Dom’s story is truly something, this episode will make you laugh, cry and everything in between, but we guarantee you will want to have Dom in your world afterwards.