We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson

For Mental Health Awareness Week, we speak with Charlie Mackesy about anxiety, grief, loneliness and the quiet struggles so many of us carry alone. The bestselling author of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse speaks openly about anxiety attacks, loss, vulnerability, male loneliness and why asking for help matters.

In this open and honest conversation, Charlie reflects on the dark periods that shaped him, the friends he has lost, and the inner critic so many of us live with. He also shares the practical tools that helped him through anxiety, and why connection, honesty and feeling loved matter more than perfection. We're Talking Mental Health

If you’re struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. We’ve included support charities below:

Samaritans - call on 116 123 or visit https://g2ul0.app.link/xghDmmYV4Wb

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): https://g2ul0.app.link/npaQKXUV4Wb

(00:00) Intro

(00:42) Charlie Breaks Down the Darkest Period of His Life

(04:36) How Paul and Charlie Actually Deal With Anxiety

(12:48) Charlie’s ADHD Diagnosis and What It Changed

(14:39) How Drawing Became Charlie’s Escape

(16:12) Paul and Charlie on Grief and What Actually Helps

(20:39) Charlie on the Loneliness Epidemic and Why It’s Growing

(23:17) How to Silence Your Inner Critic and Build Gratitude
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Michelle Heaton reflects on the reality of 2000s fame, from competing on Popstars to forming Liberty X and stepping into a pop world that was often chaotic and intense. She opens up about what was really happening behind the headlines: the pressure to look a certain way, the shame she carried around her body, and the early patterns of addiction that followed her long before she could name them.Michelle speaks candidly about alcohol and drug addiction, hiding the truth from her husband and children, and the painful moments where part of her wanted to be caught. Michelle also reflects on the friends who tried to help, the conversation with Katie Price that helped lead her to rehab, and the impact her addiction had on her marriage, motherhood and sense of self.Michelle also shares the emotional toll of her BRCA2 diagnosis, preventative double mastectomy and early hysterectomy, and what it meant to go through menopause in her early 30s while losing her sense of identity.Now five years sober, this is a conversation about fame, shame, survival, family, recovery and learning to give yourself grace.Michelle Heaton, We Need To Talk

This conversation includes discussion of suicide, addiction and eating disorders. Please watch with care. Support resources are linked below:

Samaritans: https://linkly.link/2dx7Z  

CALM: https://linkly.link/2dx8H  

MIND:  https://linkly.link/2dx8b  

Beat Eating Disorders https://linkly.link/2dx8y 

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Follow Michelle here:

https://www.instagram.com/wonderwomanshel/

https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleheatonofficial

(00:00) Intro

(01:26) What Makes Someone a Geordie?

(06:28) Body Image Struggles

(08:44) Being Cast on Popstars

(12:53) Going Back to a Normal Job After Popstars

(16:47) How Liberty X Was Formed

(23:53) Hear’Say vs Liberty X

(27:04) The Highs & Lows of Life in Liberty X

(35:02) Paul Surprises Michelle With a Letter

(37:40) ID Mobile Ad

(38:53) Relationship With the Press

(42:00) Relationship With Andy Scott-Lee

(47:58) ID Mobile Ad

(50:45) First Experiences With Substance Abuse

(56:10) Addiction to Alcohol and Binge Eating

(01:04:33) Impact of Hysterectomy

(01:11:55) Hiding Addiction From Everyone

(01:15:19) How Addiction Affected Her Marriage

(01:28:53) How Michelle Eventually Went to Rehab

(01:40:24) The Reality of Mastectomies & Hysterectomies

(01:57:11) Surprise Message From Her Children

(01:58:14) Paul Reads a Letter From Michelle’s Husband

(02:01:34) Most Memorable Conversation

(02:06:32) Paul’s Takeaways

Sponsored by:

iD Mobile: Ditch the texts and ‘Make it a Call’ - your voice is more powerful than you think: https://www.idmobile.co.uk/make-it-a-call?affiliate=marketing%7CYouTube_Display%7CMakeItACall_Brand&utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Display&utm_campaign=MakeItACall&utm_content=Brand

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AJ McLean and Cody Simpson open up about the darker side of the music industry, from exploitation and manipulation behind the scenes to the personal fallout of becoming famous too young.

AJ reflects on Lou Pearlman, the betrayal at the heart of the Backstreet Boys’ rise, and what it cost the band to break free, while Cody shares how early fame, unlimited access and pressure on a young brain pushed him into a period of partying, substance abuse and psychosis.

Together, their stories reveal the real cost of fame when success comes before you’re ready for it. We're Talking The Cost of Fame

This conversation includes discussion of addiction and mental health. We've included support charities below:

MIND: https://g2ul0.app.link/gbuRaxjM3Nb

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): https://g2ul0.app.link/npaQKXUV4Wb
(00:00) Intro

(00:37) Lou Perlman’s Hold on the Backstreet Boys

(02:50) The Real Dynamic Between the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC

(04:45) What Is Lou Perlman’s Legacy?

(09:14) Cody Reflects on the Dark Side of Fame at a Young Age

(16:42) Cody Opens Up About the Darkest Period of His Pop Career

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James Sexton is one of the world’s most famous divorce lawyers, and in this conversation he explains what divorce, cheating, marriage and prenups really look like behind closed doors. He speaks openly about why marriages fail, why every couple already has a prenup, and why most people wait too long to understand what they are really signing up for.

James also shares what it means to be a high-conflict divorce attorney, why he calls himself “a weapon in court”, and how he protects clients through some of the most painful moments of their lives. He reflects on infidelity, custody battles, domestic abuse cases, and the brutal psychology of what really happens when love turns into war.

But this conversation is also about love. James explains why marriage should be harder to get into and easier to leave, why disconnection starts long before divorce, and why the real work of a relationship is choosing each other again and again.

James Sexton, We Need To Talk

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Follow James here:https://www.instagram.com/nycdivorcelawyer/

https://www.tiktok.com/@nycdivorce

(00:00) Intro

(02:03) The World’s Most Famous Divorce Lawyer

(03:14) “I Hope Your Marriage Ends in Death”

(06:30) Should I Get A Prenup?

(10:54) The Patriarchal History of Marriage

(14:42) James’ Definition of Divorce

(22:18) James Opens Up About His Own Divorce

(24:38) Representing Clients Who’ve Done Terrible Things

(27:25) How to Know If a Couple Should Divorce

(33:31) Shopify AD

(34:42) How and When to Start the Divorce Conversation

(39:45) When Should You Speak to a Divorce Lawyer?

(44:22) Three Things to Consider Before Getting Married

(51:43) James’ Most Memorable Case

(55:39) The Main Reason for Divorce

(57:16) Likelihood of Marrying After Divorce

(01:03:47) Paul and James on Love and Relationships

(01:14:41) Why Checking In With Your Partner Matters

(01:20:16) Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

(01:37:48) Most Memorable Conversation

(01:45:47) Paul’s Takeaways

Sponsored by:

Shopify: www.shopify.co.uk/needtotalk

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Motherhood can feel beautiful, overwhelming and deeply isolating all at once. In this episode of We’re Talking, Cher Lloyd, Georgia Kousoulou and Mel Robbins open up about the side of motherhood no one talks about enough, from postnatal depression and loneliness to shame, identity loss and the pressure to keep going when you don’t feel like yourself.

From not bonding with a baby straight away to feeling alone in a house full of people, this is an honest conversation about the hidden struggle so many new mothers face. It is a reminder that motherhood does not always feel the way you expected, and that asking for help can change everything.

If anything in this episode brings up difficult feelings, there is support available. We’ve included links below:

CALM: https://linkly.link/2dx8H
MIND: https://linkly.link/2dx8b

(00:00) Intro

(00:33) How Cher Balanced Motherhood With Life as a Popstar

(02:25) Cher Opens Up About Postnatal Depression

(07:10) How Motherhood Changed Georgia’s Life

(09:33) The Reality of Postnatal Depression by the Numbers

(10:20) Georgia Reveals the Symptoms She Faced

(15:27) Why Postnatal Depression Needs to Be Normalised

(17:59) Filming a TV Show While Struggling With Postnatal Depression

(19:27) An Emotional Message From Mel’s Daughter

(21:35) Mel Gets Honest About Motherhood and Marriage

(24:02) Mel’s Advice to Parents Supporting Big Dreams
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