Send us Fan Mail

For the next few weeks we're going right back to where Shoulder to Shoulder began over two years ago, revisiting the first six episodes of the podcast and the conversations that helped shape the series.

These early episodes introduced us to people speaking honestly about lived experience, mental health, recovery, and what peer support really looks like in everyday life.

Listening back now, they still feel just as relevant. The heart of the series has always been the same: people who have been through difficult experiences, sitting alongside others to remind them they are not alone.

In this second episode of Shoulder to Shoulder by With You, we revisit Mark's powerful story of surviving childhood abuse, living with the impact of trauma, and finding hope through recovery.

Mark speaks openly about the lasting effects abuse had on his mental health and the challenges he faced as he grew up. At the heart of the conversation is the role peer support played in his recovery, sometimes through formal support, but often through the understanding, compassion and encouragement of the people around him.

Now working in policing, Mark reflects on how his own lived experience helps him support others facing difficult times, showing how recovery can become a source of strength and connection.

As we look back on the first six episodes, Mark's story is a powerful reminder of why peer support matters and how lived experience can offer hope, understanding and the reassurance that no one has to face life's challenges alone.

Hosted by Cate Munro, Shoulder to Shoulder explores these conversations with peer supporters from all walks of life.

Please note: This episode contains discussions of historical child abuse, which some listeners may find distressing. Listener discretion is advised.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk

Send us Fan Mail

For the next few weeks we’re going right back to where Shoulder to Shoulder began over two years ago, revisiting the first six episodes of the podcast and the conversations that helped shape the series.

These early episodes introduced us to people with powerful lived experience, honest reflections on mental health, and a deep belief in the value of peer support.

Listening back now, they still feel just as relevant. These early episodes introduced us to people speaking honestly about lived experience, mental health, recovery, and what peer support actually looks like in real life.

They still matter, because the heart of it was always the same, people who had been through something difficult, sitting alongside others who needed to know they weren’t on their own.

In this first episode of Shoulder to Shoulder by With You, we revisit where the podcast began with Anita’s powerful story of identity, culture, motherhood and peer support.

She shares her journey from childhood in Africa to building a life in Manchester, reflecting on the challenges of adapting to a new country and the importance of connection during difficult times.

At the heart of the conversation is the impact of peer support and how it helped her feel seen and understood, and why support from those with lived experience can be so meaningful. Anita also talks about co-founding Holding Her Space, an organisation supporting mothers and families through pregnancy and early parenting.

As we look back on the first six episodes, this conversation captures what the series set out to do: highlight the people behind peer support and the difference it makes in mental health and everyday life.

Hosted by Cate Munro, Shoulder to Shoulder explores these stories with peer supporters from all walks of life.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk

Send us Fan Mail

In this honest and thoughtful episode of Shoulder to Shoulder, Cate speaks with Ciara, a peer support leader, trainer and activist from Ireland, whose own experience of trauma, distress and trying to find the right support has shaped the way she now works with others.

Ciara manages Solace Café in Dublin, an out-of-hours crisis prevention service built around lived experience, connection and compassion. In this conversation, she reflects on growing up in difficult circumstances, struggling with fear, shame and substance use, and spending years in systems that often left her feeling unheard rather than helped.

What changed things was finding spaces where she could speak openly, be heard as a human being, and begin to make sense of what had happened to her. Her story is candid, grounded, deeply human, and speaks powerfully to what peer support can offer when people are properly listened to.

In this episode, we explore:

✔️ How peer support helps people feel understood, not managed

✔️ Why trust, mutuality and human connection matter in recovery

✔️ The difference between lived experience and purely clinical support

✔️ The challenges peer workers can face inside formal mental health systems

✔️ Why honest, compassionate spaces can change the course of someone’s life

Show Notes

Connect with Ciara:
http://linkedin.com/in/ciaraglynn1

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk