Loony Dookers

Suzy Haworth

Loony Dookers podcast is the show which smashes mental health stigmas to start a more honest conversation and a connected community, everywhere but especially in the Scottish Highlands where we live – it’s hosted by Big Juicy Creative podcast host & writer Suzy Bashford and Glen Tonkin, founder of the Highland wellbeing group Hello There. We both like to smash ice in our togs and use our rubbish experiences of mental ill-health to hopefully help others.

Episodes

  1. Ep 002: Why telling your story is liberating & makes you feel better

    13/06/2022

    Ep 002: Why telling your story is liberating & makes you feel better

    A lot of people still hide their mental health struggles due to fear of judgement and shame. This is exhausting and makes those mental health struggles worse. It also creates disconnection rather than connection in your relationships and communities. At Loony Dookers, we believe the world would be a better place, and happier to live in, if we were all a bit more honest – especially as we live in an increasingly perfectly instagrammable digital world. We also believe that no one in life gets off scot-free and everyone has their struggles and their story to tell – if you want to tell yours, to us, on this podcast so others can learn from, and build empathy for, your experiences – please get in touch. Details at the foot of these notes. Glen and Suzy talk in this episode about the experience of sharing their mental health stories openly and some of the surprising benefits. We are always looking for volunteers to help, as currently it’s just the two of us (Suzy and Glen) and we’re doing it around our kids, jobs, hobbies and puppies! We’re also always looking for people keen to tell their honest stories and open up the mental health conversation. To see our Hello There Facebook page where you’ll see updates on our events and content: https://www.facebook.com/hellotherebadenochandstrathspey Update and events etc will also be posted on Suzy’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/bigjuicycreativeliving or Suzy's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bigjuicycreativeliving

    16 min
  2. 13/06/2022

    Ep 001: What's this podcast all about? Chat with local Loony Dooking hero Glen Tonkin

    Glen Tonkin, highland entrepreneur, family man and sporty Shinty lad set up a local community organisation pre-Covid called ‘Hello There’ with the aim of destigmatising mental health issues and getting people talking honestly about their challenges and how they feel. It started when Glen found the courage to stand up on his own in front of a large crowd in Newtonmore Village Hall and tell his story of anxiety depression. This Loony Dookers podcast is a way to build on what Glen started with Hello There and, as we come out of the pandemic, coming together more as a community. To create this podcast Glen has joined forces with local Big Juicy Creative podcast host and writer Suzy Bashford. We plan to use this podcast to foster a stronger sense of community and support, sharing what works to make life better, with the intention to run regular events face to face, too. We are always looking for volunteers to help, as currently it’s just the two of us (Suzy and Glen) and we’re doing it around our kids, jobs, hobbies and puppies! We’re also always looking for people keen to tell their honest stories and open up the mental health conversation. Details of how to contact us below. In this podcast, Suzy interviews Glen - he elaborates further on his story, and how he’s learnt to cope, what the illness has taught him and how he’s found a sense of humour over the years, too. *Please note we've marked this episode as 'explicit' because it covers themes around mental health that some may find distressing, such as suicidal thoughts. To see Feet and Away’s video of Glen opening up about his mental health story, that he mentions see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaKxHpnQ_ig To see our Hello There Facebook page where you’ll see updates on our events and content: https://www.facebook.com/hellotherebadenochandstrathspey Update and events etc will also be posted on Suzy’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/bigjuicycreativeliving or Suzy's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bigjuicycreativeliving To see the coach that Glen talks about, see Paul Mort’s website here: https://www.paulmort.uk/

    52 min

Ratings & Reviews

About

Loony Dookers podcast is the show which smashes mental health stigmas to start a more honest conversation and a connected community, everywhere but especially in the Scottish Highlands where we live – it’s hosted by Big Juicy Creative podcast host & writer Suzy Bashford and Glen Tonkin, founder of the Highland wellbeing group Hello There. We both like to smash ice in our togs and use our rubbish experiences of mental ill-health to hopefully help others.