Mind Cake: Not Self-Help. Just Slightly More Helpful Than Doing Nothing

The economy is a bit like a cake. Everyone keeps saying we need to grow it bigger. Everyone wants a bigger slice. But what if the oven is only so big? Katherine Trebeck is a political economist and advocate for the wellbeing economy, and this is one of the most mind-expanding honest mental health conversations Mind Cake has had. Not about therapy or coping with anxiety, but about the system undern...

Tom Radford left a career in corporate communications, got a campervan, and started eating things he found in hedgerows. Now he takes people on walks through the British countryside and teaches them what's food, what's medicine and what might kill you. It turns out foraging isn't really about food at all, it's one of the most honest mental health conversations we've had on Mind...

What happens when a city famous for booing its own players decides to cheer instead? Jon McCann is a Philadelphia Phillies superfan, YouTuber and the man behind one of sport's most remarkable stories ... a social media post that turned a struggling baseball player's season around and became a Netflix documentary. But behind the viral moment is a deeper story: a breakdown, a mental institut...

In 2020, Mr Omar Hilmi sat across from Lee in a Glasgow hospital and told him he had six months to live. Five years later, they sat down for a cup of tea and talked about it. This is one of the most honest mental health conversations we've had on Mind Cake, and it isn't really about cancer. It's about honesty, hope, how doctors carry impossible conversations home with them, and what Da...

Lee and Paul bring you a special edition of Mind Bites, recorded live at the Golden Lion in Stirling. With laughter and camaraderie, the duo catch up over lunch, sharing updates on their lives and the quirky happenings since they last met in person. Join them as they discuss: The joys and challenges of dog-sitting with Lee's collie, Rock. Paul's recent adventures in Japan and the excitemen...

This week Lee is joined by Jo Robinson-Howarth, founder of the Happiness Club — a woman who has experienced pretty much everything life can throw at a person and somehow turned it into a force for good. Jo grew up in a chaotic household with an alcoholic, emotionally abusive stepfather, lost her biological father at 25, and spent years navigating grief, shame and the gap between how life looks fro...

What the heck is neurofeedback? Is it science, is it mindfulness or is it your brain watching itself and quietly sorting its life out? In this episode of Mind Cake , we’re joined by Neurofeedback Scotland founders Suzanne and Helen to unpack what neurofeedback actually is, how it works, and who it might help. Lee also shares his first-hand experience of sitting in the chair with sensors on his hea...

Wrong numbers, witches and an answerphone full of chaos. Happy New Year. As we step into the New Year, Lee and Paul are back in the cosy confines of Mind Cake Tower, ready to share their thoughts on the festive season and the pressures that come with it. In this lively episode, they discuss the often tedious formality of New Year greetings, the ups and downs of holiday gatherings, and the peculiar...

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 c...

It’s Christmas Eve Eve and the Mind Cake team is throwing a festive bash! In this special holiday episode, we’re joined by some very special guests from past episodes who pop round to join the party. Expect laughter, surprises, and plenty of light-hearted holiday chaos as we reflect on the year and celebrate with some Mind Cake-style cheer. So grab a mince pie, settle in, and join us for a Christm...

In this Mind Bite, Kerry explains the simple 5-10 minute nightly routine that keeps clutter from taking over your home — and your mental space. We talk about decision fatigue, the psychology behind “just in case” clutter, the emotional weight objects carry, and why that box of 15-year-old cables absolutely needs to go. If your house feels overwhelming, if you’re forever tidying, or if you have tha...

What happens when the work that once lit you up starts burning you out? This week on Mind Cake , Lee sits down with Sarah Catnach , former global campaign manager at Oxfam, now founder of The Nest Wellbeing , to talk about her extraordinary journey from professional activism to compassionate coaching. After 15 years working on poverty and climate change, Sarah found herself exhausted, anxious and...

In this follow-up Mind Bite, Lee and Amy Alexander dive into the relationship between alignment, intuition and taking action . Is it “manifestation,” or just understanding your mindset , emotion , and opportunities better? Lee talks about chasing Lewis Capaldi, pitching Tom Davis at the Construction Awards and the fine line between luck and boldness. Amy shares a brilliant story about improvising...

This Mind Cake Bonus Slice has everything: ghosts, gongs, NEC mayhem, dowsing rods, funnel hats, Travelodge trauma and a very real conversation about Lee’s recent ADHD diagnosis and mental health wobble. Lee, Paul, and Cousin Carrie reunite to unpack the chaos of the Mind, Body & Spirit Festival at the NEC , where Carrie was in her element and Lee… very much wasn’t. From chanting in a yurt to...

This week on Mind Cake , Lee sits down with Nadine from Ardun Life to explore the growing world of topical wellness patches —a natural, filler-free way to support sleep, immunity, menopause symptoms, anxiety, and more. Nadine explains how her Patchworks range uses clean botanical extracts, vitamins, and minerals delivered through the skin (just like nicotine or HRT patches) for slow-release, all-d...

In this Mind Bite, Lee and actor/coach Amy Alexander explore the surprising science behind visualisation , mindset and why your brain can’t tell the difference between dreams and reality . Amy shares how childhood “pretend adverts” turned into real acting jobs, Lee admits he may be manifesting more Fiat 500s than success and together they break down how attention, awareness and neuroscience actual...

🧠 Mind Cake is what happens when two blokes tackle mental health with humour, honesty and a spiritual divide wide enough to drive a campervan to Glastonbury through. One is very woo-woo. The other ... woo-nooooo. Join Lee Crompton and Paul Beeson as they chat with everyone from comedians to psychologists — exploring the weird, wonderful, and often ridiculous sides of staying sane. This 60-second...

Why do people still believe in ghosts and the paranormal? Lee and Paul chat with Uncanny ’s resident sceptic Deborah Hyde , editor of The Skeptic Magazine , to uncover the psychology behind the paranormal. From moon myths to memory glitches and why fear sometimes feels good, this funny, thought-provoking episode explores what makes us believe the unbelievable.

This Halloween, Mind Cake brews up something a little different. Lee and Paul are joined by Swailes from The Bell Witch Podcast — a self-proclaimed good witch who believes real magic is about connection, compassion, and caring for the planet. Together, they chat about: ✨ Why witchcraft is less hocus-pocus and more mindfulness 🌿 How rituals, grounding, and nature can support mental health 🔥 The...

🎙️ Chris Ingram: Racing, Resilience & Rallying In this episode of Mind Cake , we sit down with British Rally Champion Chris Ingram , who opens up about life in the fast lane — from his rise as the youngest British driver ever to win the European Rally Championship to losing everything during COVID and fighting his way back. Chris talks candidly about: 🏁 The mental resilience needed to compete...

Is your child struggling to get to school? In this bonus episode, psychologist Dr. Carolyne Keenan explains emotion-based school avoidance — why it’s very different from truancy, how anxiety fuels avoidance, and what parents can do to help. We explore: The difference between truancy and school avoidance Why avoidance eases anxiety short term but worsens it long term How parents can validate emotio...

🎙️ Ep. 50 – Ann 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...

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...

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...

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, adr...