Have you ever finished a project, watched everyone scatter, and felt completely invisible the next day? Do you find yourself performing fine to the world while quietly holding everything alone? Are you tired of always showing up for everyone else and never quite knowing how to let anyone show up for you? The Actors Trust Spotlights and Shadows 2026 landmark research reveals that 77% of actors feel lonely often or sometimes, and 85% of those are aged 25 to 34. For the first time, this groundbreaking report gives a comprehensive picture of the UK acting and stage management profession, showing a large and diverse workforce facing widespread and persistent challenges that remain invisible and inadequately addressed. The findings make one thing clear: this is a profession with real and urgent need. This episode is the honest conversation that data deserves. And one episode is not enough, which is exactly why this conversation continues in person. 🎭 PERFORMERS WELLBEING EVENING FOR ACTORS AND CREATIVES Saturday 20th June 2026 at 7pm The Christ Church Venue, Woking, Surrey, UK A safe space to arrive, receive, and be held. https://tinyurl.com/5n6k63aj(Limited seats, so secure your place now!) In this episode of Anchored Actor, Miriam shares her personal journey through loneliness, the shame barrier that kept her silent for years, and what it finally felt like to stop performing fine and let the right people in. This is for every actor who has ever poured from their cup continuously and forgotten, for a while, to water their own plant. We talk about emotional resilience, mental health and wellbeing in acting, anxiety, stress, burnout, stability, and mindfulness. And what genuine connection actually looks like in a freelance acting career when the industry normalises struggle and admitting loneliness feels like admitting failure. In this episode, you will hear about the three phases every actor moves through, a practical thing to do before your next project ends, and why the number of connections you have matters far less than you think. I also share something personal I have never spoken about publicly before. And what happened when I finally did. Research referenced: Actors Trust Spotlights and Shadows 2026 https://www.actorstrust.org.uk/news/spotlights-shadows/ 🎭 🎭 PERFORMERS WELLBEING EVENING FOR ACTORS AND CREATIVES Saturday 20th June 2026 at 7pm The Christ Church Venue, Woking, Surrey, UK A safe space to arrive, receive, and be held. This evening includes an interactive wellbeing workshop delivered by Netflix voice artist and West End actor John Gould, founder of The Actor's Cafe. A Q&A panel bringing together actors, an actorpreneur, and a wellbeing charity for honest conversation. A representative from the Actors Trust sharing what tools and resources are available to support you. And a raffle and silent auction with genuinely incredible prizes donated by industry professionals who believe in this work. All proceeds from the evening go directly to Actors Trust in support of performers' mental health and wellbeing. 🏆 SILENT AUCTION PRIZES Step Into the Spotlight (worth £300+) A full actor training course and showreel session with John Gould, Netflix voice artist, West End actor, founder of The Actor's Cafe, Drama Inspiration Award finalist, and the man who has trained over 1,000 students since 2015. Spotlight listed. The real deal. Your Brand, Your Story (worth £600) A personal branding photography session with Nele Teinfeldt of That Pink Studio and Feldt Photography, Surrey. Because how you show up visually matters, and you deserve imagery that tells your story the way you want it told. Your Headshots, Done Right (worth £220) A professional headshot session with Hugh Mitchell Photography. 90 minutes, 5 beautifully edited images, and a Spotlight-ready gallery. No more putting it off. Rock Star Hair Day (worth £100) A full hair session with Kelly, Director at Rock n Rolla Hairdressing in Walton-on-Thames. A boutique inclusive salon with a quiet room and wheelchair access available. Walk in feeling like yourself. Walk out feeling like a star. 🎟️ RAFFLE PRIZES Lights, Camera, Gimbal (worth £135) A DJI Osmo Mobile 8, sponsored by KCP Network, Awarded Leading Technology Provider 2026. 360 degree pan, 10 hour battery, advanced tracking. Your self-tapes are about to look very different. Your Portrait, Your City (worth £175) A portrait session plus a Photography 101 masterclass with Azem Alptekin, shooting in Westminster and Waterloo. Composition, lighting, exposure. Leave with stunning images and actual skills. Move Like Nobody's Watching (worth £150-£200) A 2 hour private salsa lesson with Azem Alptekin in Central London. Solo or with a partner. Weekday or weekend evenings. Pure joy. Win 6 Classes at Taka Strike Club London (worth £156) Six classes with Adrian C. Falconer, actor and martial artist with credits including Red Notice with Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, RAYE: Click Clack, Little Simz: Young, and multiple Olivier Award-winning productions. Credits valid for 3 months. Your body on stage will never be the same. Train With a Stunt Actor (worth £33) A personal training session or group bootcamp with Raymond Mouzon of RAM Fitness UK, screen stunt actor with credits on Poldark (BBC1) and SAS: Who Dares Wins (Channel 4). Train the way actors on set actually train. Total prize value over £1,753, every single one donated by industry professionals who believe in this evening and what it stands for. Entry is complimentary. Spaces are limited and filling fast, so RSVP to secure yours. We would love to see you there :) Full event info and prize list here: https://tinyurl.com/5n6k63aj RSVP on Eventbrite and save your seat — we cannot wait to welcome you here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/performers-wellbeing-evening-free-woking-surrey-20-june-tickets-1990530721973 🎧 EPISODES YOU MIGHT ALSO LOVE Ep. 1: 3 Tips to Overcome Anxiety and Protect Your Wellbeing As An Actor Ep. 4: When the Audition Goes Silent: Managing Anxiety and Finding Stability Ep. Ep. 6: Exhausted Actor? Why Stability Feels Out of Reach and What RAYE's Story Reveals Ep. 9: No Callbacks: How to Find Stability When Acting Feels Quiet Ep. 12: Didn't Get the Part? How to Let Go of Disappointment, Reset Your Mindset, and Build Acting Resilience 💌 IF THIS EPISODE RESONATED If this met you somewhere real, please leave a short review wherever you are listening and share it with an actor friend who needs to hear that the hard parts are not a reflection of their worth or talent. Reviews and word of mouth are the main ways Anchored Actor reaches other actors and creatives navigating acting jobs, wellbeing, mental health, and real life. It genuinely lights me up to know these conversations are helping you stay rooted, steady, and anchored as you go. With love. 💚