White Fox Talking
Talk About Mental Health & Well-Being… Why Not? Mark ‘Charlie’ Valentine suffered life changing mental illness, before beginning a journey to recovery and wellness; the darkness of PTSD transformed by the light atop mountains and beyond. Mark is now joining forces with Seb Budniak, to make up the ‘White Fox Talking’ team. Through a series of Podcasts and Vlogs, ‘White Fox Talking’ will be bringing you a variety of guests, topics, and inspirational stories relating to improving mental well-being. Find your way back to you! Expect conversation, information, serious discussion and a healthy dose of Yorkshire humour!
Episodes
87 episodes
E86: Calm Under Pressure – What Combat Sports Teach Your Mind with Rich Cadden
Getting hit is the least interesting part of combat sports. What matters is what happens to your mind when pressure rises and how training teaches you to stay calm, focused, and in control when your instincts want to panic.We sit down w...
E85: When Words Aren’t Enough with Lesley Andrew – How Art Therapy Speaks for You
You can be “fine on paper” and still feel like your nervous system is on fire. That’s why we sit down with artist and registered art therapist Lesley Andrew to unpack how art therapy works when talking isn’t enough, and why the smallest creativ...
E84: Finding Stillness After Suicide — Martyn Watson On Grief, Poetry, And Healing
What happens when grief becomes too heavy to carry alone?In this episode, we sit down with a guest who turned unimaginable loss into something quietly powerful. After losing his sister Nancy to suicide, he found himself searching...
E83: From Bartender To Ironman — Jake Speakman On Running, Identity, And Self-Discipline
What if the thing you use to numb the noise is the same thing keeping you from real rest? We sit down with Jake Speakman to unpack a life spent under club lights—shots to start shifts, finishes at 4 a.m., and the illusion tha...
E82: A 1% Chance Of Survival — How Georgia Carmichael Rewrote Her Story
A 1% chance of survival. Two spinal injuries. A terminal diagnosis. Georgia Carmichael heard every reason to stop, and still chose to fight, visualise, train, and rebuild. We welcome the GB para-rower to share how a kayak accident led to months...
E81: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies w/ Ricky Moore
What if the gym could be your most reliable tool for mental clarity, resilience, and purpose? We sit down with British and world champion lifter Ricky Moore to unpack how strength training, disciplined routines, and small daily wins can pull yo...
E80: Hope In Pink: How Candlelighters Lifts Families Through Childhood Cancer
A three-year-old is diagnosed with a brain tumour and loses his sight, a family’s world tilts, and somehow the ward becomes a place where breakfast can be unicorn toast and music therapy softens the edges. We sit with Natalie from Candlelighter...
E79: How Gratitude, Coaching, And Small Wins Help Carol Rebuild After Assault
Some stories arrive as a whisper and land like a bell. Carol joins us to share how she moved through the aftermath of sexual assault and years of domestic abuse—not with a single breakthrough, but with steady steps, messy courage, and tools tha...
E78: Chris Jones - One Man, 6,500 Miles, And The Courage To Talk About Suicide, Purpose, And Recovery
A trophy on the table can’t soften the moment Chris admits he once sat under a tree with a rope. What follows is a frank, energising journey from lost purpose to a coastline walk that rebuilt his mind, his daily habits, and his mission to help ...
E77: From Stress To Stillness with Bonnie - How Conscious Breathing Rewires Your Body And Mind
Your most powerful tool for calm might be hiding in plain sight. We sit down with Bonnie from Bonnie’s Breathwork to unpack how conscious breathing can transform stress, sleep, pain, and emotional resilience—without apps, gadgets, or long routi...
E76: Three Peaks, Three Times In Thirty Six Hours - One Purpose with Bailey Backhouse
A dying head torch, a cold wind on Ingleborough, and a 19-year-old who refuses to quit—Bailey Backhouse joins us to share how he tackled the Yorkshire Three Peaks three times in 36 hours to raise funds for Andy’s Man Club. He’s an electrical ap...
E75: Adventure Neuroscience: From Fear to Resilience in the Wild with Dave Gallagher
What happens to your mind when the ground wobbles and the stakes feel high? We explore the frontier of adventure neuroscience with resident psychologist and mountain leader Dave Gallagher—measuring fear at 45 feet, restoring calm with targeted ...
E74: Breaking the Silence - Kaylee Thompson's Courageous Justice Journey
Imagine carrying a traumatic secret from age four until adulthood, then finding the strength not only to seek justice but to transform your experience into advocacy for others. This is Kaylee Thompson's remarkable story.Thirty years aft...
E73: Inside the Storm: Sip Powers Veteran's Journey Through PTSD
What does it take to paddle, mountain bike, and run 350 kilometers without sleep? For Sip Powers, it's about making visible the invisible struggles of veterans living with PTSD.After 34 years of military service and the devastating loss...
E72: Healing Through Trauma: Miranda Arieh's Journey from Patient to Practitioner
Miranda Arieh's journey from mental health patient to pioneering trauma specialist will forever change how you understand recovery and healing. After spending her teenage years in foster care and being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, Mir...
E71: Walking Out of the Dark - Kelvyn James
The healing power of nature and human connection takes centre stage as Kelvyn James returns to White Fox Talking, sharing his transformative journey from profound darkness to founding a thriving mental health charity.Kelvyn lays bare th...
E70: From Homelessness to Community Healing: Imran Shah's Journey
What happens when hate crime tears through a community? Behind the headlines and political noise, real people suffer lasting trauma that transforms into a "siege mentality," severely impacting mental health and wellbeing. Imran Shah, recently h...
E69: Woolly Therapists: How Grace Olson's Sheep Are Teaching Children Mental Resilience
Grace Olson's sheep aren't livestock – they're therapists with woolly coats and gentle souls that can transform lives. During this captivating conversation, Grace shares how her journey through bullying and suicidal tendencies led to unexpected...
E68: The Wim Hof Method: Breath Work, Cold Exposure, and Mental Resilience with Jack Walker
Ever wondered how something as simple as your breath and cold water could completely transform your mental state and physical health? Jack Walker, certified Wim Hof instructor and founder of Wellness Retreat Spain, takes us on a deeply personal...
E67: Padraic McDonagh - Loss, Resilience, and Community Create Champions
What happens when the fighting spirit meets profound loss? Two-time British Thai Boxing Champion Padraic McDonagh takes us on a raw, unfiltered journey through his remarkable life—from discovering Thai boxing as a 12-year-old on a Leeds council...
E66: Never Mind the Bollox, Here's Dave Beer - Good Times, Bad Times & 'Music for the Beloved'
What happens when you leave school to follow a band and end up shaping an entire era of clubbing? Dave Beer, the trailblazer behind the legendary Back to Basics, did just that. In our latest episode, Dave shares his remarkable journey from punk...
E65: Abbie Barnes on Breaking Barriers and Embracing Identity
Have you ever felt like the healing power of nature could transform your life? Meet Abbie Barnes, a filmmaker, presenter, inspiring public speaker, mountain leader, and YouTuber, whose remarkable journey through adversity has led to the foundin...
E64: Navigating Menopause - Catherine Childe's Mission to Embrace Awareness and Break Stigmas
Have you ever wondered why menopause isn't a standard topic in our educational curriculum? Join us on a journey with Catherine Childe, the Menopausal Teacher, as she takes us through her personal story of transitioning from a teaching career to...
E63: Nicky Chisholm - Pink Nicky's Journey of Empowerment and Community Connection
What if the secret to true wellness lies just beyond our comfort zones, in the embrace of nature's vast landscapes? Join us as we explore the adventurous world of Nicky Chisholm, affectionately known as Pink Nicky, whose journey from organising...
E62: Exploring Authenticity and Mental Resilience - Ed Stafford's Journey of Adventure and Self-Discovery
World-renowned explorer and TV star Ed Stafford, the first person to journey the entire length of the Amazon River on foot, joins us to share his compelling life story. From tales of his rebellious youth and army days to his transformative expe...
