**Content warning: Mentions suicide, poor mental health, serious mental illness, depression, anxiety, and self-harm**
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re excited to be launching a new podcast – ‘Off the top of your head’.
Over the next week, our Chief Executive Simon Blake and his guests will be unpacking the importance of movement for our mental health. Each episode will offer insights and practical tips to enhance your mental and physical wellbeing.
Make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode!
Listen to the Off the top of your head podcast
Episode 001:
Simon Blake is joined by Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foudation, Mark Rowland to discuss the upcoming Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May 2024) and why movement if good for our mental health.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Episode 002:
Dr Julia Jones, neuroscientist and author, joins the 'Off the top of your head' podcast to share the neuroscience behind why movement matters to our mental health and how we can 'hack' our routines to help.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Visit Dr Julia Jone's website for more information
Episode 003:
In today’s episode, Anil Toraty, Senior Director at Visa, talks to Simon about his lived experience of suicide thoughts and how running helps him look after his mental health.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Follow Anil's running journey on Instagram
Episode 004:
Being able to boost our mental health through movement shouldn’t be a luxury. Yet many people face barriers, with approaches to movement often being restrictive and exclusionary. In today’s episode of the ‘Off the top of your head’ podcast, award-winning disabled content creator and public speaker Gem Turner talks about how we must encourage people to find moments for movement which work best for them.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Visit Gem Turner's website for more information
Episode 005:
Michael Gunning, former professional swimmer and Stonewall Ambassador, and Polly Shute, Co-Founder of OUTspoken Speaker Network and Out & Wild Festival, talk to Simon about encouraging movement within LGBTQIA+ communities
Download the transcript/shownotes
Visit Out and Wild website for more information
For more on Pride Swim 2024
Visit MichaelGunning.co.uk for more information
Episode 006:
MHFA England® Chair, consultant, and keynote speaker Adah Parris talks to Simon about how she explores movement for creativity and how 'shaking it out' can inspire us no matter where we are working.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Visit Adah Parris' website for more information
Episode 007:
“Whether the gym, riding a bike, dancing, yoga, or any kind of movement, however you are struggling with your mental health, it’s vitally important to keep moving.”
Simon speaks to Hannah Moore and Shizana Arshad from Centre for Mental Health. Hannah has a long-standing history of mental health conditions and talks about the importance of getting started, finding something you love, and keeping going, even when you don’t feel like it.
Download the transcript/shownotes
Visit Equally Well UK website for more information
Episode 008:
Finding moments for movement doesn’t have to be going for a 5km run – it could be putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room, doing some standing exercises while you wait for the kettle to boil, or taking a walking meeting.
In our final episode of ‘Off the top of your head’ podcast for Mental Health Awareness Week, Ben Davie, fitness mindset coach, talks about how we can make movement part of our everyday lives
Download the transcript/shownotes
See Ben on Instagram and get even more movement tips
