What happens when you leave a secure career because staying feels like the bigger risk? In this episode of Tackling it Together, “Back to the Breath” we sit down with Evan McKinney-Robinson, who spent five years feeling that the corporate life he was living "wasn't me", before quitting to build an authentic Finnish-style sauna business, Suda Sauna in Chester.An incredibly candid, thought provoking and inspiring listen, Evan shares his path through therapy, from CBT and counselling to finding EMDR. He describes how cold water swimming turned a lake in Wales into a real-life safe space, and made winter something to look forward to, rather than dread. We get into Evan’s creation of Suda Sauna itself, and how heat and shared space "bring walls down". We chat about how the cold pulls you back to your breath and the present moment, and provides huge benefits in terms of nervous system regulation and positive connection.A real family man, Evan describes his children as his anchor, and we talk through the importance of balancing parenting and self-care.Reflecting on a period of significant difficulty in his life, Evan shares how pivotal it was for him to have friends around him who noticed how low he was and actually said something. As such, Evan is a huge advocate for speaking openly about mental health, and we know that his open and genuine approach to this conversation is going to have a really big impact on those who listen. A huge thank you to Evan for taking part.As always, a big thank you to NTS and AW Shipping for sponsoring this episode of Tackling it Together.

Introducing the latest episode of Tackling it Together – “There's a Human, and There's a Being”, in conversation with Tom Hughes.After a long term, successful career in hospitality led to emotional burnout, Tom is now a Life Coach, supporting others in the industry to beat overwhelm and be more vulnerable, taking his experience and turning his passion in to purpose, by creating "Possibilities with Tom".This conversation gives us a completely open and honest account of hitting the wall and feeling unable to continue under incredible pressure, and how not having the skills to sit with feelings of difficulties, and never being taught how to cope had a significant impact on Tom's mental health. With complete transparency, Tom shares how he ignored all of the warning signs that he was struggling, instead choosing to self soothe in unhealthy and unhelpful ways, until he was in crisis. With reflections around the devastation of completely losing a sense of who he even was, Tom's message is clear - Don't pretend you're OK. Don't wait until you're at breaking point until you reach out for support. With brilliant, insightful conversations around challenging limiting beliefs, this episode is perfect for anybody in need of a reminder, that there is a human, and there is a being.A huge thank you to Tom for taking part! Your story will undoubtedly resonate with many, and your outlook will inspire many more.We continue to be very grateful to NTS and AW Shipping for sponsoring Tackling it Together.

Introducing the latest episode of Tackling it Together – “Fast Forward the Tape”, in conversation with Danny Winning.Sometimes, you meet a guest for the first time and instantly know that they’re about to completely capture your full attention, and that’s exactly what happened when Danny walked into the room!This conversation gives us a completely unfiltered, open and unapologetically honest account of Danny’s battle with addiction, his road to recovery, and how he keeps on track. From never liking school, childhood trauma, an early introduction to class A drugs, involvement in violence, lengthy custodial prison sentences, long term drug addiction, and reaching crisis point, Danny is now a successful business owner, living a happy and fulfilled life. With a sense of self-acceptance, gratitude and peace that can only come from overcoming trauma, Danny’s attitude is truly inspiring. Fast Forward the Tape is all about knowing what you have to lose – playing forward a potentially risky situation and using that knowledge to take accountability and make better choices. Danny’s ethos is very simple – “A good life is available to anybody” – it’s about putting in the work, taking accountability and crucially, surrounding yourself with people who are already doing what you want to achieve.This an inspiring, raw and brutally honest reflection of the devastating impact addition can have, and the incredible strength and determination that can be found in recovery. A huge thank you to Danny for taking part! Your story will undoubtedly inspire many others. Trigger warning – this episode includes reference to substance misuse, and suicidal ideation. A huge thank you to NTS and AW Shipping for sponsoring this episode of Tackling it Together.