🎙️ Ep. 50 – Anne Widdecombe: Politics, Pressure & The Paso
Recorded inside a bee pod, because why not?

What do you get when you mix a political heavyweight, two pals reflecting on 50 episodes and the gentle hum of 60,000 bees? An episode that’s part celebration, part provocation — and 100% Mind Cake.

In this special milestone instalment, Lee Crompton and Paul Beeson sit down with the inimitable Anne Widdecombe to talk mental health, public scrutiny, reality TV resilience and why “nothing lasts forever.”

🔥 Expect discussion on:

• Anne’s take on the mental health conversation — controversial, yes, but revealing

• The difference between stress, struggle and serious illness

• What Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother taught her about pressure

• Freedom of speech in the age of social media

• The unexpected calm of bee therapy

Love her or loathe her, Anne doesn’t hold back. And that’s what makes this episode worth hearing — not to agree, but to listen, reflect and keep the conversation going.

🎧 Listen now and celebrate 50 episodes of curiosity, chaos and cake.

💬 Let us know what you think
📸 Follow us on Instagram @mindcakepodcast
🧠 Catch up on past episodes via linktr.ee/mindcake

What does a box of tangled old cables, a Turkish delight cake and a Netflix documentary about waste all have in common?

They’re all in this episode—along with a deep, funny and practical chat about how clutter affects our mental health.

This week on Mind Cake, we’re joined by Kerri from KC’s Clutter Cure, a professional declutterer who’s seen it all—from overflowing sock drawers to garages that haven’t seen a car since 1998. Kerri takes us through the psychology of clutter, how it impacts our wellbeing, and why the simple act of tidying might be more therapeutic than you think.

We cover:

• 🧠 Why clutter increases anxiety and stress (and it’s not just laziness)

• 📦 What your “clutter tolerance” says about your emotional load

• 🔌 That one box of cables we all pretend we might need someday

• 🍰 A surprise cake chat (yes, Turkish delight is involved)

• 📉 Why things are designed to break—and how that fuels our throwaway culture

• 🏭 A peek at the scale of global waste, the rise of fast-consumption, and what China’s mega shipping ports say about our modern lives

Kerri also shares practical, compassionate tips for:

• Letting go of sentimental items without guilt

• Creating systems that work with your natural habits

• Reframing decluttering as emotional self-care—not punishment

“The brain is incapable of being both creative and anxious at the same time.” — Kerry

Whether you’re a minimalist in training or still hoarding cables “just in case,” this episode will give you permission to let go—and breathe a little easier.

🎧 Listen now and start decluttering more than just your living room.

LINKS:Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy

Pulls back the curtain on the world's top brands, exposing the hidden tactics and covert strategies used to keep all of us locked in an endless cycle of buying, no matter the cost.https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81554996

KC's Clutter Cure

https://kcscluttercure.com/

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What if your dreams are more than just random brain noise?
Renowned dream psychologist Ian Wallace joins Mind Cake to explore how understanding your dream life can unlock emotional growth, creativity — and even control.

In this fascinating episode, we’re joined by psychologist and dream expert Ian Wallace to uncover what our dreams are really trying to tell us — and how we can use them to navigate emotional challenges in waking life.

💤 From recurring nightmares to flying fantasies, we explore:

• 🌙 The surprising connection between our emotions and recurring dream themes

• 💭 How dreams act as emotional problem-solvers — not just random brain static

• 🛌 Lucid dreaming: can you really learn to control your dreams?

• 🧠 Why understanding your unconscious mind can boost your mental health and creativity

• 🤖 The eerie overlap between dream logic and artificial intelligence (yes, really)

Ian also shares his unique perspective on why every dream has meaning, and how we can shift from fearing our dream world to working with it.

If you’ve ever woken up wondering what the hell was that about? — this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now and explore the psychology of dreaming in a whole new way.

LINKS

Ian Wallace's Website

Mind Cake Newsletter

What happens when the man behind Atari’s most infamous video game becomes a therapist?
Howard Scott Warshaw joins us to talk burnout, chaos addiction, and how programming skills can actually make you a better communicator — and a better human.

In this episode of Mind Cake, we sit down with Howard Scott Warshaw, aka the Silicon Valley Therapist, to explore how a lifetime of high achievement, adrenaline addiction, and public failure became fuel for healing — his own and others’.

We talk about:

• 🎮 How programming and therapy both rely on language, negotiation, and clarity

• 🔥 The “firefighter complex” — thriving on chaos until it burns you out

• 🧠 Why workaholics and high achievers struggle with emotional health

• 🤝 Attachment theory, decision-making under ambiguity, and choosing partners for growth

• 👾 The psychology of gaming, "Doers vs. Beers", and the danger of chasing high scores

If you’ve ever worked in a high-pressure environment or felt the weight of doing more, being more, or never stopping — this one’s for you.

🗣️ Links:

• Howard’s book, Once Upon Atari

• The Silicon Valley Therapist

🎧 Subscribe, share, and review if this episode hits home.
Your support helps us reach more curious, creative minds.

What if your anxiety isn’t from this life at all?
Renowned hypnotist John Koenig joins Mind Cake to explore how past life regression can reveal hidden wounds — and help us heal them in the present.

Is it possible that our deepest fears, relationships, or patterns come from lives we’ve lived before?

In this fascinating episode of Mind Cake, we’re joined by John Koenig, a certified hypnotist and past life regression therapist from Rhode Island. With decades of experience helping clients explore their subconscious, John brings a grounded, engaging approach to a topic many find mysterious — or even taboo.

Together, we explore:

• 🔮 What past life regression actually involves — and who it's for

• 🌌 Why our souls might choose specific lives to learn from

• 💔 How unresolved patterns — like low self-esteem or toxic relationships — may link back to earlier incarnations

• 🧘‍♂️ John’s own past life discoveries and what they taught him about grief, karma, and growth

• 📚 Why exploring past lives isn’t about fantasy — but about healing in the present

Whether you’re curious, sceptical, or open-minded, this episode offers a grounded, surprising take on how exploring your inner world can transform your outer one.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: what might your past lives be trying to tell you?

LINKS

Universal Mind Map: Oracle Meditation System for Personal Transformation (Guidebook)

My Autobiographies: An Introduction to Past Life Exploration for Personal and Spiritual GrowthThe Universal Mind Deck

Mind Cake Newsletter

Can ancient Stoic philosophy help you survive modern mental chaos?
Coach Benny Voncken joins Mind Cake to share how journaling, presence, and perspective can transform how we handle anxiety, burnout, and even grief.

In this powerful solo-hosted episode of Mind Cake, Paul Beeson speaks with Benny Voncken, a Stoic coach who helps people navigate the chaos of modern life through ancient philosophy — with humour, honesty, and real-world tools.

Together, they explore:

• 🧘‍♂️ How Stoicism builds resilience in the face of stress, grief, and anxiety

• 🖊️ The power of journaling to uncover clarity and calm

• ⚰️ Why reflecting on mortality can actually deepen joy and purpose

• 🤝 The importance of open conversations among men in breaking shame cycles

• 🛠️ Simple Stoic practices to foster presence, gratitude, and emotional balance

Benny shares personal stories, accessible wisdom, and a few mind-bending truths about how our relationship with control, fear, and community can shift everything.

🎧 Listen now and rediscover what it means to live well — even in a messy world.

Link:

Benny Voncken Website

What does it take to walk from the top of Europe to the bottom — alone?
Poet and mental health advocate Kit Birks shares her story of eating disorders, addiction, and how walking and poetry became a path to survival.

In this raw and inspiring episode of Mind Cake, we speak to Kit Birks, a mental health advocate, poet, and solo adventurer, whose upcoming record-breaking walk from Norway to Greece is a powerful metaphor for recovery.

Kit opens up about:

• 💔 Her experience with anorexia, bulimia, and substance abuse — and the difficult road to healing

• 🚶‍♀️ How walking, nature, and poetry became her tools for survival

• 🧠 The stigma around addiction and how speaking out saved her life

• 🗺️ Her upcoming world-record solo hike to raise awareness for suicide prevention

• ✍️ Why creativity — especially poetry — can be a profound form of therapy

With humour, honesty, and zero self-pity, Kit shares how she transformed pain into purpose and found meaning in movement.

🎧 Tune in for an episode about courage, connection, and the healing power of putting one foot in front of the other.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/stridebeyondsilence

https://www.kitbirks.com/

#explore #nordkapptogavdos #worldrecord #mentalhealth #suicideprevention #solotrek #stridebeyondsilence

Ever wondered what Christmas traditions and mental health have in common? Well, Lee and Paul are here to unwrap the conversation! In this festive episode, they dive into the real talk about Christmas, the pressure of New Year's resolutions, and... a surprise cameo from Officer Crabtree?! 🤔

🎙️ Expect laughter, mental health insights, and a bit of holiday chaos — because, let’s face it, Christmas can be both wonderful and wild.

💬 What’s your holiday stress-buster? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t forget to like, share, and follow for more fun and mental health talks!

#Christmas #MentalHealth #MindCakePodcast #HolidayBanter #ChristmasTalk #MentalHealthMatters #NewYearsResolutions #ComedyPodcast #FestiveFun #MindCake