In this deeply honest conversation, we hear from senior executive James Copsey working at the highest levels of corporate affairs - a space known for its relentless pace, complexity, and high expectations.

But beneath the external success was a personal struggle he could no longer keep quiet. He shares the moment he realised drinking had become a problem, the decision to stop, and how telling the truth about his mental health became a turning point - not just in his personal life, but in how he shows up as a leader.

This episode is a powerful reflection on what it means to drop the mask in a world that rewards control, and how choosing honesty can be the most strategic move of all.

In this Heart On My Sleeve episode, host Michaela Overman sits down with Paul Bennell, Manager of Fundraising & Relationships at children’s grief charity Feel the Magic. Paul shares what it was like losing his mum to suicide at age 10, being bullied for his loss, and growing up hiding both his grief and his queer identity.

Together they explore “winter” as a season of grief, shame as a bodyguard and handbrake, and the coping strategies that look “high-functioning” on the outside but quietly erode us inside.

Paul reflects on learning to separate his worth from his mum’s death, to have hard conversations instead of ostriching, and how Feel the Magic now helps hundreds of kids - and the 10-year-old version of himself - feel seen, safe and less alone.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and childhood bereavement.

When pain is invisible, so is the understanding. In this raw and heartfelt conversation, Michaela Overman sits down with her best friend Emily.

Emily’s pain didn’t show up on scans — until it did. One of just 20 people globally with both cyclical Cushing’s and acromegaly, she shares the years of “it’s all in your head,” the friendships stretched thin, the surgery that changed everything, and what healing really looks like after.

This is a conversation about invisible illness, repair, and choosing hope — even when your nervous system isn’t there yet.