This episode contains discussions of childhood trauma, substance abuse, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and mental health struggles, which some listeners may find upsetting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

In this episode of JPF First Aid we speak to Sean, a hypnotherapist and coach who shares his personal story of overcoming anxiety through understanding its root causes from his childhood. He experienced trauma growing up with alcoholism in his family and negative experiences in school that led him to use drugs as a coping mechanism.

As an adult, Sean struggled with addiction, mental health issues, and suicidal thoughts before seeking help. He discusses how anxiety stems from past experiences and the importance of hypnotherapy to help clients understand and reframe their root causes in order to release trapped emotions and beliefs. Sean provides tips for managing anxiety through nature, meditation, breathing exercises, and finding a trustworthy therapist.

Key Takeaways

Anxiety stems from past experiences and events, not just recent ones, so understanding the root cause is important for overcoming it.

Unaddressed anxiety can lead to further mental health issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs or alcohol.

Finding a safe, trusting person like a friend or therapist, to talk to can help when anxiety becomes overwhelming.

Key Moments

"Anxiety does play a role, it's a normal part of us as human beings, you know, it has that role to keep us safe. And to protect us, if we were standing on a cliff edge, for example, it would do the right thing. And it would make us feel that moment that we need to look after ourselves and protect ourselves because we could be in danger.”

"I grew up in a normal working class family. I got two brothers, mum and dad, which was fine. There was just one issue with me growing up and that was that I was surrounded and grew up around alcohol."

"I woke up one day and it was literally at the crossroads. And I was like, Okay, what are we going to do, we are going to do one or two things right now. Or take my life. And this is going to happen today. Whatever happens today, this is going to happen, I'm going to take my life, or I'm going to get help.”

About the Guest

Sean, is a hypnotherapist and coach who specialises in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, addiction, and depression. Through understanding his own trauma history and reframing negative beliefs, Sean became a therapist to help others overcome anxiety and addiction using hypnotherapy techniques

About the Host

John Fogarty has a training background dating back to 2005, with achievements including a teaching qualification and assessor standard. He has previously worked with two first aid charities, delivering sessions in workplace and educational environments.

John has consistently received excellent feedback for his delivery and customer service, as evident in numerous reviews. He ensures learners enjoy and achieve their goals, and works with customers to select the right courses and resolves any issues promptly.

Find out more at www.jpffirstaid.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the JPF First Aid Podcast, John Fogarty welcomes back children’s author Jessica Radford to discuss her latest book, The Wolves Who Wouldn’t Fit In. A follow-up to her previous appearances, Jessica introduces this new story that tackles themes of bullying, judgement, inclusion, and the power of kindness. Inspired by her own experiences and conversations with children, Jessica explains why it’s important to help young readers understand the value of compassion, especially when dealing with people who may feel different or excluded.

Key Takeaways

Judgement is human, kindness is a choice. We all make snap judgments, but we can choose how we act on them. Jessica’s book encourages children to take time to understand others before forming opinions.

Everyone has something going on behind the scenes. The story helps young readers recognise that people may be facing challenges we can't see, and that kindness can make a big difference.

It’s okay to be different. Children who feel like they don’t ‘fit in’ may find comfort in this story and realise they’re not alone.

Books as a tool for emotional understanding. Jessica believes storytelling is a powerful way to teach empathy and spark meaningful conversations, especially in schools.

Key Moments

“We can’t stop ourselves forming first impressions, but we can control how we treat people after that.”

“The children who seem the happiest can often be carrying the heaviest weight.”

“A little girl once told me, ‘If you don’t fit in, people think you’re weird.’ That really stuck with me.”

“These stories aren’t just for children to be kind, they’re also for the ones who need kindness.”

About the Guest

Jessica always had a love of books and reading from a very early age. She attempted to write a few stories when she was a child and after losing touch with writing for a while, sat down at her laptop a few years ago and her first story, ‘The Squirrel Who Couldn’t Balance’ just ‘happened’. Since then, the stories just seemed to have flowed and Jessica’s love of writing has returned with a vengeance.

Find out more: https://www.jessicaradford.co.uk/

About the Host

John Fogarty has a training background dating back to 2005, with achievements including a teaching qualification and assessor standard. He has previously worked with two first aid charities, delivering sessions in workplace and educational environments.

John has consistently received excellent feedback for his delivery and customer service, as evident in numerous reviews. He ensures learners enjoy and achieve their goals, and works with customers to select the right courses and resolves any issues promptly.

Find out more at www.jpffirstaid.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the JPF First Aid Podcast, host John Fogarty speaks with Lynne Walsh, a counsellor specialising in bereavement, loss, and health-related issues. Drawing on her background in palliative care and counselling, Lynne offers compassionate insights into how people experience and cope with grief. The conversation explores the uniqueness of bereavement, the impact of resilience and vulnerability, and the importance of personalised support.

Key Takeaways

Grief is different for everyone. Each loss brings individual emotions based on the nature of the death, personal relationships, and life circumstances.

Bereavement doesn’t follow a set path. Some may feel worse after the first year as the reality of the loss sinks in.

Our past experiences, support systems, and overall wellbeing, including housing, finances, and mental health shape our ability to cope with loss.

Overworking, alcohol, or emotional suppression may offer temporary relief but can delay healing and increase pressure over time.

Key Moments

“We never get over the loss of someone significant; we adjust to a life without them.”

“There’s often relief after the first year of milestones, but sometimes that’s when the sadness deepens.”

“Staying busy might work for a while, but emotions can build up like pressure behind a dam.”

“The person struggling may not be who you expect; it’s important not to make assumptions.”

About the Guest

Lynne Walsh is a qualified, BACP-accredited counsellor with over 20 years’ experience, including work in palliative care and with a national bereavement organisation. With a background in nursing, she offers compassionate support across a wide range of issues, including grief, loss, illness, disability, carer support, and life transitions. Lynne creates a calm, safe space for clients and believes counselling can be life-changing, helping individuals make sense of their experiences and find a way forward, whatever challenges they face.

Connect with Lynne: https://www.bacp.co.uk/therapists/71282/lynne-walsh/burton-on-trent-de15

About the Host

John Fogarty has a training background dating back to 2005, with achievements including a teaching qualification and assessor standard. He has previously worked with two first aid charities, delivering sessions in workplace and educational environments.

John has consistently received excellent feedback for his delivery and customer service, as evident in numerous reviews. He ensures learners enjoy and achieve their goals, and works with customers to select the right courses and resolves any issues promptly.

Find out more at www.jpffirstaid.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.