Empathy Corner: Conversations with Toad Counselling

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Clare, a student counsellor, to explore the deeply personal journey of becoming a therapist. From the first sparks of inspiration to real world experiences supporting clients with anxiety and depression, Clare shares the moments that have shaped her path. Together, we talk about the challenges, the lessons...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Christine — founder and director of SoulCarers — shares the story of how the company came to life five years ago. Born from her own lived experience with mental health challenges, and shaped by what she witnessed within her own family, SoulCarers was created from a place of understanding, compassion, an...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. Life isn’t just about the battles we face while training, it’s about the ones we fight within ourselves. Fighting Through Life is a deeply personal and inspiring podcast that follows Steve’s journey through martial arts, beginning as a teenager seeking strength after experiencing bullying. Growing up with anxiety and depression, Steve turned to mart...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. In our first episode of 2025, I am honoured to sit down with Mario, a former Royal Marine whose story is as inspiring as it is heartfelt. After dedicating 12 years of his life to the military, Mario faced unimaginable struggles upon leaving in 2018. A marriage breakdown, mental health challenges, and a period of feeling utterly lost left him in a da...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. In our fourth episode focused on Depression and Anxiety, we sit down with Jeff, a resilient entrepreneur and a dedicated councillor in Devon, who has faced unimaginable challenges in his life. Jeff's journey is marked by profound loss and heartbreak, with the passing of loved ones and the sudden discovery of cancer turning his world upside down. Alo...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. In our third episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with L, a student counsellor who opened up about her own personal journey towards a career in counselling and therapy. With compassion and a deep sense of empathy, L shared her experiences of the many challenges she faced on her path, including the ups and downs, worries, fears, and struggles wit...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes a discussion of rape/sexual assault and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. In our second episode, our guest, Anna shares her powerful story of surviving sexual assault and the resulting trauma that led to attempted suicide, and suicidal ideation. Despite struggling with the aftermath of such a violent experience, Anna has found the strength to seek help...

Trigger Warning: Listener discretion is advised. Join us for an insightful conversation with Liam as he shares his personal journey with depression and anxiety. From childhood to joining the army and being medically discharged, we delve into the impact these experiences had on his mental health. We also discuss the difficulties of transitioning from military to civilian life and how Liam found pur...

MHA64 and Toad counselling collaborate again to discuss a where to get help when you discover you need it. It can be a confusing area and not everyone is aware of where to go to. A short quick fire episode but very informative.    www.toadcounselling.co.uk You can join the Mental Health Anonymous Facebook Group Community here - www.mental-health-anonymous.co.uk #mentalhealth #mentalhealt...

This episode is around communication in a relationship and how it can be maintained and what happens when it starts to degrade/get less and less.

This episode was in fact the first one Ian and I did together and I have uploaded t as episode 2 due to the poor sound quality when I spoke. The episode is around a small Q&A over postnatal depression and understanding a bit about it, what to look out for and how common it can be.

I have been getting involved in a new Facebook group called Mental Health Anonymous which has begun to take form and has introduced a new facility in Facebook groups where a member can post anonymously without their profile picture or other details being shared within the group, giving the poster complete anonymity and freedom to ask questions, share their story and seek support, advice and or gui...