Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma

ReNew
  • 0.0 (0)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Believe in People is the UK’s leading podcast dedicated to addiction, recovery, lived experience storytelling, and the power of peer support in transforming lives. Produced by ReNew, the series brings honest, unfiltered conversations with people who have faced addiction, homelessness, trauma, stigma, prison, relapse and recovery and found a way forward. Hosted by Matt Butler and produced by Robbie Lawson, each episode provides real insight into the experiences behind substance use, the roots of trauma, and the pathways into healing and long-term recovery. You will hear from public figures, frontline workers, peer mentors, musicians, parents and people with lived experience who are changing communities across the UK. Whether you are in recovery, supporting someone, working in treatment services, or simply curious about what real recovery looks like, this podcast offers depth, truth and hope. With new episodes released regularly, Believe in People is for anyone seeking honest stories, practical learning, and a deeper understanding of how people rebuild their lives. 🎙 2025 British Podcast Award Nominee - Best Interview 🎙 2025 British Podcast Award Nominee  - Best Factual 🎙 2024 British Podcast Award Winner - Best Interview 🎙 2025 Radio Academy Award Nominee - Best Speech & Entertainment 🎙 2024 Radio Academy Award Nominee - Best New Podcast www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com  Search terms: addiction, recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, substance misuse recovery, trauma and recovery. 

  1. Neil Firbank: Heroin Recovery and The National Recovery Games

    2D AGO

    Neil Firbank: Heroin Recovery and The National Recovery Games

    In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Neil Firbank joins us to discuss heroin addiction recovery and how connection and purpose can transform lives.  We explore themes of addiction recovery, trauma, peer support, mental health, and the lived experiences that shaped Neil’s journey - from homelessness, injecting and suicidal thoughts, to treatment, group work, and building what became the National Recovery Games.  This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change. Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, substance misuse. Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    56 min
  2. Believe in People EXTRA: Tourette’s - What Tics Really Feel Like

    FEB 27

    Believe in People EXTRA: Tourette’s - What Tics Really Feel Like

    In this episode of Believe in People Extra, Bea Wood joins us to challenge one of the most common myths about Tourette’s - that it is simply about swearing. Bea explains the difference between coprolalia and the more common motor and vocal tics that shape everyday life and the need for constant safety awareness.  The conversation explores intrusive thoughts and urges, why suppressing tics can make them worse, and how anxiety and social context can intensify symptoms. We also examine the emotional toll of stigma, including the distress of taboo or racial tics, and the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them.  Bea reflects on how media portrayals and selective editing can reinforce misunderstanding, while highlighting practical steps that communities can take to offer meaningful support. This episode offers practical insight for people living with Tourette’s, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone seeking to better understand the neurological reality behind the condition. You can listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MpnmlSImp2ebYTkUXdVCb?si=F3YszPa2RLiMt9sbRnDx3g #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    10 min
  3. Finley Worthington: Ketamine, Bladder Damage & Blood Jelly - Addiction and Education Reform

    FEB 25

    Finley Worthington: Ketamine, Bladder Damage & Blood Jelly - Addiction and Education Reform

    Finley joins Believe in People to share his lived experience of ketamine addiction and recovery, and how a substance that first felt functional and harmless became physically and psychologically destructive. We explore how early use of cannabis and cocaine progressed into ketamine, why it can feel controlled at first, and how denial allows harm to escalate unnoticed. Finley explains ketamine bladder in clear, practical terms, the impact on family and identity, and the turning point that forced change. This is a grounded conversation about stigma, youth culture and what real recovery requires beyond detox. #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra #ketamine Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    59 min
  4. Believe in People EXTRA: Recovery vs Recovered - Why Identity Still Matters

    FEB 20

    Believe in People EXTRA: Recovery vs Recovered - Why Identity Still Matters

    This episode of Believe in People Extra explores one of the most debated ideas in addiction: being recovered rather than simply in recovery. Young Lee unpacks the difference between cured and recovered, explaining the “twist of the mind” that precedes relapse and why the real powerlessness isn’t the first drink - it’s the thought that comes before it. Using a simple Terminator analogy, he describes how addiction doesn’t say “I might be back” - it says “I’ll be back.” Young also reflects on becoming unrecovered, the small daily shifts that lead someone back toward relapse, and why emotional sobriety - not just abstinence - is the foundation of lasting freedom. This episode is for anyone questioning their recovery, currently struggling, or working to understand the psychology behind addiction beyond the substance itself. Listen to the full conversation with Young Lee here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/73A5jN7eetBSMQ45FfJow3 #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    11 min
  5. Lucy Rocca: Grey Area Drinking, Wine Culture & Alcohol Dependence

    FEB 12

    Lucy Rocca: Grey Area Drinking, Wine Culture & Alcohol Dependence

    Lucy Rocca joins Believe in People to share her candid story of alcohol misuse, trauma, and recovery, and the creation of Soberistas, one of the earliest online sobriety communities for women. Lucy takes us back to the 1990s, the rave scene, early drug use, and the beginnings of binge drinking that quickly became unsafe. She explains how alcohol escalated in adulthood, how motherhood and “outward stability” can hide the reality of harmful drinking, and why shame keeps so many people silent. A key part of this conversation is trauma. Lucy describes living with post-traumatic stress disorder for years without recognising it, and how therapy, including eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, helped her process what happened and rebuild her life. We also talk about “grey area drinking”, the gap between “social drinking” and physical dependence, and why so many people feel they are “not bad enough” to seek support until crisis hits. Lucy explains how Soberistas became a confidential, judgement-free space for women who want to change their relationship with alcohol, and why real connection matters more than ever in a world that is increasingly digital. In this episode, we discuss Binge drinking, alcohol culture, and having “no off switch”The rave era, early drug use, and how alcohol became normalisedMotherhood, emotional impact, and the hidden harms of drinkingCrisis, hospitalisation, and the moment denial endedTrauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and why it can go unrecognisedTherapy, including eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing“Grey area drinking” and why people feel “not bad enough” for helpBuilding Soberistas and why community reduces shameHow sobriety changes relationships, identity, and self-respectThe importance of real human connection alongside online supportLinks and resources Soberistas: https://soberistas.com/  If you have enjoyed this episode of Believe in People, please share it with someone who might need it. Subscribe for more conversations that challenge stigma and centre real recovery stories. #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    51 min
  6. Believe in People EXTRA: Steroids - The Real Cost of Performance Drugs

    FEB 6 · BONUS

    Believe in People EXTRA: Steroids - The Real Cost of Performance Drugs

    This short episode of Believe in People Extra features a focused clip from our conversation with Adam Maxted - UK wrestling star, personal trainer, and two-time Love Island contestant. Adam speaks openly about steroids, testing cycles, image and performance enhancing drugs, cutting through myths around quick results and explaining the real difference between use and abuse. He reflects on gym culture, body image pressure, and why many people turn to these substances without fully understanding the risks. Adam also discusses the mental and physical impacts he experienced, including unwanted body changes, changes to libido, and the longer-term consequences that are rarely talked about in fitness spaces or on social media. This short episode is designed to be honest, accessible, and non-judgemental - offering insight for people who may be curious about steroids, gym-goers, and professionals working with image and performance enhancing drug use. You can listen to the full conversation with Adam here: https://www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com/adammaxted/ #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    9 min
  7. Paula McGowan OBE: Autism, System Failure & Oliver’s Legacy - Addiction and Care Reform

    JAN 29

    Paula McGowan OBE: Autism, System Failure & Oliver’s Legacy - Addiction and Care Reform

    Paula McGowan OBE joins Believe in People for a full, in-depth conversation about her son Oliver, whose death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training across health and social care in England.  Paula explains how people are too often doubted, judged, or written off in services, how distress is misread as behaviour or non-compliance, and how bias, fear, and rigid systems can escalate harm. Drawing directly from Oliver’s story, this conversation challenges professionals to reflect on power, responsibility, and what must change in everyday practice to prevent avoidable harm and loss of life. What Is The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training? The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was introduced following Oliver’s death to address systemic failures where autistic people and people with a learning disability were not listened to, misunderstood, or harmed through avoidable mistakes. The training is now a legal requirement for health and social care staff in England. Information about the training and statutory expectations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice/the-oliver-mcgowan-draft-code-of-practice-on-statutory-learning-disability-and-autism-training Training availability and booking information can be found here: https://www.olivermcgowantraining.com/book-training If you found this episode of the Believe in People podcast valuable, please share it with colleagues and professionals who need to hear it. Subscribing, reviewing, and sharing helps this conversation reach the people who can make change happen. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra #PaulaMcGowan #OliverMcGowan Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    58 min
  8. Believe in People EXTRA: Oliver McGowan Training - Why It Protects Lives

    JAN 23 · BONUS

    Believe in People EXTRA: Oliver McGowan Training - Why It Protects Lives

    This short episode of Believe in People Extra shares an exclusive preview from our upcoming full conversation with Paula McGowan OBE, whose son Oliver’s death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training across health and social care in England. This preview focuses on one critical question: why Tier 2 training matters, and why listening to people with lived experience is not optional, but essential for safety, dignity, and life itself. Paula explains why Tier 2 training must be delivered face to face, why it is led by experts with lived experience, and why cutting corners in training is never about saving money, but about risking lives. What Is The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training? The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was introduced following Oliver’s death, to address systemic failures where autistic people and people with a learning disability were not listened to, misunderstood, or harmed through avoidable mistakes. The training is now a legal requirement in health and social care settings in England. You can book the training here https://www.olivermcgowantraining.com/book-training Official government guidance and statutory expectations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice/the-oliver-mcgowan-draft-code-of-practice-on-statutory-learning-disability-and-autism-training #believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra Click here to text our host, Matt, directly! 🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma. 🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it! Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change. If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live: 📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com 🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six) Listen & Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts 🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler 🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson 🏢 Network: ReNew

    5 min
See All (61)

About

Believe in People is the UK’s leading podcast dedicated to addiction, recovery, lived experience storytelling, and the power of peer support in transforming lives. Produced by ReNew, the series brings honest, unfiltered conversations with people who have faced addiction, homelessness, trauma, stigma, prison, relapse and recovery and found a way forward. Hosted by Matt Butler and produced by Robbie Lawson, each episode provides real insight into the experiences behind substance use, the roots of trauma, and the pathways into healing and long-term recovery. You will hear from public figures, frontline workers, peer mentors, musicians, parents and people with lived experience who are changing communities across the UK. Whether you are in recovery, supporting someone, working in treatment services, or simply curious about what real recovery looks like, this podcast offers depth, truth and hope. With new episodes released regularly, Believe in People is for anyone seeking honest stories, practical learning, and a deeper understanding of how people rebuild their lives. 🎙 2025 British Podcast Award Nominee - Best Interview 🎙 2025 British Podcast Award Nominee  - Best Factual 🎙 2024 British Podcast Award Winner - Best Interview 🎙 2025 Radio Academy Award Nominee - Best Speech & Entertainment 🎙 2024 Radio Academy Award Nominee - Best New Podcast www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com  Search terms: addiction, recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, substance misuse recovery, trauma and recovery. 

Information

You Might Also Like