Drawn to a Deeper Story

Every parent hopes to give birth to a healthy child, but what happens when things don't go according to our hopes or plans? Are you prepared for the possibly of your child having a medical condition that requires medical interventions and consistent care? This week, Kate Tuckwell shares the complexities and experiences of parenting her son, who has Treacher-Collins Syndrome. Treacher-Collins Syndr...

In 2003, Lori’s son Braden was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This milestone event changed her focus from teaching elementary students to advocating for all children and inclusive education. In this frank conversation Lori talks about what it's like to have raised a son with additional needs. What you will learn: What skills and emotional resources you need as a parent of a child with ad...

Being a death care tutor is probably one of the most unusual jobs there is. Every single human being is going to die, but despite this, death and dying are still considered a taboo subject in many societies. In this episode, we're going to the heart of the subject. With a wealth of knowledge and a passion for their work, Angie, a seasoned death care professional, shares their unique experiences an...

Motsabi grew up as a ‘mixed-race’ child in the 1990s in the UK in a blended family in which she was the only person of colour. Her parents took a ‘colour blind’ approach to raising her which meant she ended up navigating the experiences of race and racism on her own. As a result, Motsabi spent much of her childhood believing there was something wrong with her and suffering from high levels of inte...

Receiving the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness is not what anyone wants to hear. Yet, is it the doom and gloom so many fear? In this episode, Maria Baggaley Runningwater shares her experience of a cancer diagnosis, how she has chosen to live and offers an approach that could benefit everyone. Maria is also a good friend of my wife and mine. She’s a beekeeper, a soap maker, a deeply spiritual w...

Regina Petra Meyer is someone who chose to follow her desire for an adventure. So many people dream about adventures, but never do them and regret it. But when we do follow our dreams, it brings all kinds of life experiences, we never imagined. It also often challenges other people, including ourselves! This week, Regina talks about her experiences of living her dream. She shares the challenges of...

After experiencing 6 deaths of people close to her, and most recently her son's, Antonia reflects on these key moments in her life. She shares wisdom about the evolution of her experiences of grief and the ways in which she has chosen to transmute it. Follow Antonia: Twitter Facebook Website UK Resources: Samaritans  – FREE Help – Tel: 116 123, E: jo@samaritans.org Adfam  – help for fami...

Loving an addict is one of the hardest things someone can do. This week we hear people's reactions to Antonia's Rolls' exhibition, 'Addicts and Those Who Love Them'. In episode 1 of Drawn to a Deeper Story, Antonia spoke about being the parent of an addict. She invited me to her exhibition in Brighton and I went along to to talk to people as they came out. This type of exhibition creates a viscera...

Even for the most-informed parent, unlearning racism and having tough conversations about race can be confronting. For families formed through transracial adoption, it's essential. This week, I'm talking with Dr Laura Anderson about transracial adoption and particularly, why nurturing a child's racial identity is critical. In this episode, Dr Anderson talks about racism, unconscious bias and why W...

Care 4 Calais states that the world's refugee crisis is the greatest humanitarian issue of our generation and how we respond will define us for years to come. Among the support and work being done to support refugees however, are the voices of descent; those who seek to demonise refugees and their desire for a safe new life. This attitude has always bothered me intensely. I want to set the record...

The devastating impact of the overturning of Roe v Wade is very real for millions of women and trans men. In this special episode Cath reflects on the public outrage and pleads to not make injustices 'normal'. She explores the links between #metoo last year and recent events, shares personal stories and offers a 30% discount on her ' Roeing and Wading through the sea of misogyny ' tshirt. Listen t...

You think you've done everything you can to prepare your child for protecting their physical boundaries and consent and then the devastating happens. You learn that your child's boundaries have been broken. The impact of this kind of trauma is incredibly painful, damaging and long-lasting. The ripple effect means that not only the child suffers, but so do parents and siblings. Personal and shared...

In the expat and globally mobile community we are familiar with adjusting to new cultures, new countries and new homes. In our processing, we often look to our families, our roots, our ancestors and our childhoods.  What happens though when that avenue is not available to you? How does it feel to not have the same connection to your roots? Where does that leave you emotionally? In this episod...

"You never drank THAT much." How often have you heard this yourself or said the same to a friend or family member? Many people consider their level of drinking as 'normal', when in reality it's masking a distressed emotional state. We all develop coping mechanisms to deal with stress and people drink alcohol for a variety of reasons. So when does a self medicating vice become an addiction? As Roby...

What's it like living with a physical disability? We understand that a person may use a wheelchair, but what does that really mean on a daily basis? This week Nicole Demos talks honestly about living with a disability. Nicole opens up, not only about her own emotional journey, but how she's been able to use her life experiences to better serve the students she teaches in special education. In list...

False memory isn't a subject you hear much about. If you haven't heard about it, consider yourself lucky. Its impact on the individuals involved and their families can be catastrophic, not to mention the cost to the justice system. Psychiatrist, Paul R McHugh, describes false memory as “a condition in which a person’s identity and interpersonal relationships are centred around a memory of tra...

The hetero-normative view of family is what we mostly see represented publicly and in the media. We might hear about LGBTQ+ families, but commonly we're shown a couple or a single parent. What about polyamorous families? Can you remember the last time you saw these types of relationships on TV or in the newspaper? In this episode, Adrienne Sweetwater talks about her life in a poly triad. She share...

The extent to which patriarchal history still shapes women's lives today is extraordinary. In this episode, we explore just quite how much - from medical treatment, women's experiences in employment, and the social expectations placed upon them. Chrissy Ward offers a fascinating insight into how this history plays out every day in women's lives. Chrissy Ward describes herself as a woman, a witch a...

Today's episode is the last in this first series. We've looked at eight different lives, all challenging in their own way, to the individuals themselves, but also to the people that they encounter. And now you've heard some of these stories, I wanted to conclude the series with giving you something practical, a 'how to'. How do we deal with these unexpected moments? How do we be present with someo...

What kind of life must you have lived, when friends ask mutual friends if everything you say about your life is actually true? I invited my wife, Angie to the podcast, not because Ang is my wife, but because having lived with Ang for 14 years, I see the other side of having lived that interesting life which makes people ask such questions. The lives that challenge us are also the lives that aren't...

The number of menopausal women is expected to reach 1.1 billion by 2025 . Whilst virtually every woman will go through menopause, it remains a hushed subject, a taboo, that in many countries sees women suffering in silence. Out of the 48 symptoms named in the Invisibility Report 51% of women can only name 3. Woman often start to feel the symptoms in their 40s, when at the peak of their careers. In...

We all appreciate that being poor and struggling to make ends meet is difficult, but what about being wealthy? Is it really as desirable as we might think? Does it solve our problems and make us happy? I invited Alice for an honest conversation about what it's like to grow up in a wealthy family and to live with wealth. It's certainly not a very woke subject, but it has a place in this series of c...

Twenty five years ago Sue's life changed forever. Unexpectedly and suddenly, she found herself on a murder charge. How does a person cope with this kind of 'life shock'? The unexpected collision point which takes over your life and leaves its mark indefinitely? In this episode, Sue talks about the traumatising events that led to her arrest, how it completely blindsided her, and the ways in which s...

Women are commonly asked, "do you have children?" It's a loaded fact-checking question and the woman's answer hovers as a tenuous balancing point from which they know there are two choices, being met with approval or judged. In this episode, Sarah talks honestly about the prejudice she faces in being a woman without children. She shares personal stories about her experiences, when and why she's fe...

What happens when you find yourself before someone who challenges you because their experiences are outside society's accepted norm of good behaviour? Do you judge? Do you make a note to keep your distance? Do you politely remove yourself from the conversation because they are not like you? I invited Harvey to Drawn to a Deeper Story to talk about being in prison. It felt pertinent to understand w...