Happy Place

Petrified that your parenting is screwing your kid up? Crying out for support from people around you? Fearne’s pulled together some stories and advice from Happy Place guests who’ll make you feel more empowered and less alone in raising children. Not a parent? Not to worry! You’ll learn just as much about how to regulate your own emotions, how your childhood is affecting your behaviour today, and why feminism might have sold women an unrealistic dream... You’ll hear from Paloma Faith on the pressure for women to ‘have it all’, Kate Ferdinand on caring for her blended family, and Gabor Maté on why we all need wider community support. Kate Silverton asks: “are kids being ‘naughty’ or are they just really struggling to regulate their nervous system?” Alain De Botton explains how your childhood is still be affecting your actions, and Zayn reflects on how fatherhood has changed him for the better. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains some chat about suicide, so take care while listening  Listen to Paloma Faith’s episode Listen to Kate Ferdinand’s episode Listen to Gabor Maté’s episode Listen to Kate Silverton’s episode Listen to Alain de Botton episode Listen to Zayn’s episode  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you describe yourself as a workaholic? Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes has an insatiable sense of drive that’s fuelled her iconic career since the 1960s. In this chat with Fearne, Zandra is honest about how she threw herself into work as a way to cope with things like the death of the love of her life, and her own cancer diagnosis. Zandra is very clear that we need our own sense of creativity, colour, and vibrancy in life. She explains why it’s so vital to have self-belief, and how to make sure you’re not compromising your own values and style for other people. There’s also the story of when Zandra was carted away in a police car for growing marijuana... Zandra’s book, Iconic: My Life in 50 Objects, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you think of yourself as a victim of circumstance? Ella Mills – the founder of Deliciously Ella – used to live with a sense that life was unfair to her. Now, she knows that ultimately the only person in charge of your life is you. In this chat with Fearne, Ella talks about realising apathy was a symptom of depression, and explains why sometimes you have to hit rock bottom in order to acknowledge what needs to change. Ella and Fearne also talk about why the way we eat has become so emotive and divisive. They reckon we should be focusing on sharing joyful knowledge that will make us all healthier and more energetic, so chat through some simple ways to feel good about what you’re eating. Ella’s latest recipe book, Healthy Made Simple, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Make yourself comfy in a quiet space. Lie down if you can. Meditation teacher Rob da Bank is here to guide you through a Yoga Nidra practice. This is 20 minutes of uninterrupted time for you, to feel a little more self-love, and to move you into a deeply restful place through guided mental imagery, intention setting, and breathing exercises. Head back to the Happy Place feed to listen to Fearne’s chat with Rob da Bank. For even more of Rob’s Yoga Nidra practices, download the Happy Place app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all so used to being in a constant fight or flight mode, you might not even realise that your body has the potential to be in a much calmer state. In this chat with Fearne, DJ and meditation teacher Rob da Bank explains how practicing Yoga Nidra is a way to help your body digest stress. He also talks about why we all need to slow down to combat burnout, and how sauna and cold water therapy can help with this. Plus, Fearne and Rob both share the stressful behind the scenes realities of organising big festivals – Happy Place Festival and Bestival respectively – as well as how they see their time as Radio One DJs now... Now you’ve heard about the benefits of Yoga Nidra, you can find a quiet space and do a practice yourself. Head back to the Happy Place feed and you’ll find another episode – Rob will guide you through a beautiful Yoga Nidra there. For even more of Rob’s Yoga Nidra practices, download the Happy Place app.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can feel awful when other people judge you, but it can be even worse when you judge yourself. Despite his immense achievements, Former European, Commonwealth and World Champion 400m medallist Iwan Thomas is no stranger to self-loathing. In this chat with Fearne, Iwan talks about the innate need to make our parents proud throughout our lives, as well as how becoming a dad himself has changed his outlook on life. They also try to figure out the balance of pushing your kid to believe in themselves, without stressing them out with too much pressure. Iwan is honest about the reality of feeling he couldn’t talk to even his closest friends about his mental health during his lowest moments, as well as how he’s learnt to open up. Iwan’s memoir, Brutal, is out on July 4th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer body ready? How about your summer skin and hair? Fearne knows you might be feeling the pressure to look a certain way – both right now, and across your lifetime – so she’s reflecting on Happy Place episodes that stick two fingers up to made up beauty standards and body ideals. You'll learn how to challenge all those social norms dictating how we should look, with some help from chair of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, Rob Wilson, broadcaster Amanda De Cadanet, and activist Emma Dabiri. Plus, hear some deeply personal stories of how things like age, race, disability, and weight all intersect with self worth from Beverley Knight, Jono Lancaster, Adele Roberts, and Emily Ratajkowski. They talk about the moments they personally saw through the cultural crap and embraced their bodies for themselves …and you can too!Watch 'What Is How To' on YouTube Listen to Amanda De Cadanet’s episode Listen to Emma Dabiri’s episode Listen to Beverley Knight’s episode Listen to Jono Lancaster’s episode Listen to Adele Roberts’ episode Listen to Emily Ratajkowski’s episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel burnt out, but also like you’re not achieving enough? Entrepreneur Grace Beverley believes implementing clear boundaries can be the secret to success. In this chat with Fearne, Grace talks through the hard and fast lifestyle rules she sticks to in order to keep her mental health in check, and why self-care needs to be reframed as a valid form of productivity. And stick around to the end, because there are some proper productivity hacks for your daily to do list! Grace also explains the various routes for businesses to get funding... and why they’re so often not available to women (only 2% of venture capital funding goes to female founders in the UK!) They chat about why it’s so dire for society that we’re not investing in women. Getting angry, she says, can have a positive effect in galvanizing change, especially around gender and diversity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s important to live without regrets, to try everything, but also to know when to quit. Jon Bon Jovi feels leaving a legacy isn’t about competing with others, but about being able to say you’ve been the best version of yourself. In this chat with Fearne, Jon talks about why he reckons being hard working trumps talent, and why he continues to demand excellence from himself, even 40 years into his career. Jon also opens up about the reality of working with a bandmate with addictions, and how he’s been able to steer clear of rock’n’roll excesses (for the most part) himself. Are you good at celebrating your successes? Between them, Fearne and Jon wonder if the Americans are better at boldly owning achievements than Brits... Bon Jovi’s new album, Forever, is out now.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the world ready for free women? Paloma Faith feels society grooms girls and women to make themselves smaller, to take up less space, and to dismiss their own needs... and she’s calling bullshit on it. In this chat Fearne and Paloma discuss the exhaustion that can come with being a nurturer – whether you’ve got children or not. They also talk about how over-achievers are often preoccupied with being seen as everything – smart, funny, caring, sexy, independent – and why it’s too much for one person to take on. How can we learn to ask for and accept help from others? Paloma opens up about why she chose to carry on working while miscarrying, and the pressure that miscarriage put on her relationship. Plus, why does Paloma really hate the expression “you’ve got this”? Paloma’s book – MILF: Motherhood, Identity, Love, and F*ckery – is published by Happy Place Books, and is out now.CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about miscarriage, so do take care while listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fearne’s written a novel! It’s called Scripted, and it tells the story of Jade – a thirty-something who, out on a run, stumbles upon a script that seems to predict likely scenarios and relationship dynamics in her life. Having been given a sneak peek at her future, can Jade now speak up, and rewrite her own destiny? You’ve been DMing and voicenoting Fearne, asking her questions about the writing process, who inspired her characters, and whether she’s included her wealth of mental health knowledge in the novel... Plus, there’s an exclusive listen to the entire first chapter of the Scripted audiobook! Scripted is out now. The audiobook, read by Erin Doherty, and brought to you by Penguin is also available: https://adbl.co/3U7EP1P  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How big do you let yourself dream? BBC broadcaster Ashley John-Baptise grew up in care, and knows all too well that love can help cultivate aspiration. In this chat with Fearne, Ashley talks through his childhood, from being bounced between foster parents and care homes, to ending up with a history degree from Cambridge University. He explains how he became a colder and more detached child as protection against constant rejection. Ashley also talks about the very real impact not having access to touch and attachment to a primary care giver can have on a person’s future outcomes. Fearne and Ashley chat about the huge influence kind and persistent adults can have over a child’s life. You don’t have to be a parent to positively impact a child; teaching, mentoring, and community work will make a huge difference to an individual, and as a result, society too... Ashley’s memoir, Looked After, is out on June 13th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being deep in the middle of therapy can be draining. Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete Molly McCann has been working hard to understand her more toxic traits and behaviours, and her vulnerability has made her a stronger fighter. In this chat with Fearne, Molly talks about how she’s learnt not to fear failure, and how to overcome self-sabotage, as well as the very physical way her trauma has been released. She explains how she knew she wanted to break her family’s pattern of addiction too. Fearne and Molly also chat about the movement towards female athletes taking their menstrual cycle into consideration during training, and the fickleness of fandom – how we put people on a pedestal only to tear them down again. How can we learn to seek internal rather than external validation? Molly McCann returns to the Octagon for UFC® 304: Edwards vs Muhammad 2. Tickets for UFC® 304 go on sale at 10am BST on Friday, 7th June via Ticketmaster.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sociopathy should be understood as a spectrum disorder. It’s a disorder that affects roughly 5% of the population – similar to the number of people who have depression or anxiety. Patric Gagne is a sociopath. In this chat with Fearne, Patric explains the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath. Sociopaths have access to inherent emotions like sadness and happiness, but struggle with learned social emotions like remorse, guilt, empathy, and love. There’s also a huge feeling of apathy for Patric, which in the past led her to anti-social behaviours like stealing cars and breaking into houses. Fearne also points out the benefits of not caring what others think of you; while she people pleases a lot, she can see the freedom in having a lack of a filter. They chat about how to function in a relationship when you have to communicate any kind of mental disorder or illness too. Patric’s memoir, Sociopath, is this month’s Happy Place Book Club read. Come and be part of the Book Club discussions on Instagram @happyplacebookclub. Sociopath is out now. Listen to Book Club Meets: Jo Cheetham Listen to Book Club Meets: Jennie GodfreyThanks to Bluebird (an imprint of Pan Macmillan) for the Sociopath audiobook extract.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody’s worse off than you; everyone just experiences things differently. This is what 27 year old Ashleigh has come to understand about her own trauma. Previously, she minimised her own experiences, thinking it can’t be that bad, but learnt that until she acknowledged her own pain she couldn’t move forward. In this chat with Fearne, Ashleigh explains how PTSD led her to develop facial tics and a stammer, isolating her personally and professionally. They talk about how to cope when those around you don’t understand what you’re going through, plus, how the Prince’s Trust have given her game-changing support to start her own business helping others with mental health struggles. Fearne is a Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health and Wellbeing for The Prince’s Trust. They help support young people aged 11-30, and believe that every single young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter their background, or their personal challenges. They offer support into education, training, and jobs; that’s exactly what they did for Ashleigh. As well as catching up on Ashleigh’s progress, Fearne has a very special surprise for her at the end of the episode... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How’s your mental health doing today? Do you ever wish people understood what was actually going on in your mind? As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Fearne looks back at some of the conversations she’s had on Happy Place that shine a light on particular mental health conditions. There’s OCD with Tuppence Middleton, cyclothymia with Matt Edmondson, and psychosis with David Harewood. Plus, neuroscientist TJ Power chats about how to increase serotonin levels, and sleep physiologist Stephanie Romiszewski talks through how to combat insomnia. Hopefully you’ll find a moment’s solace from connecting over stories you might recognise if you have any of these mental health conditions yourself, and if you don’t... you may well know someone who does... CONTENT WARNING: as David recalls racist abuse, this episode contains offensive and distressing language. Watch Stephanie Romiszewski Listen to Tuppence Middleton Listen to Matt Edmondson Listen to David Harewood Listen to TJ Power Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can be tiring being anything but yourself. Musician Zayn has learnt to lean into what really makes him content. In this chat with Fearne, Zayn talks through the quiet lifestyle he loves in Pennsylvania: painting, being outdoors, spending time with his daughter, and staying off his phone. He also explains how fatherhood has changed him, whether he's the parent he thought he would be, and what impact the new depths of emotion he feels has had on his music. They chat about how to find the balance between sharing enough information with others to really connect on a deep level, while keeping some things private just for you. Plus, Zayn gives Fearne a very thoughtful gift... Zayn’s new album, ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you turn to food for comfort? Actor Rebel Wilson spent a lifetime using food to numb herself from difficult emotions. In this chat with Fearne, Rebel shares why she felt safe using her body as a barrier to true intimacy, not having sex until she was 35. Knowing that she was medically obese, Rebel made 2020 her ‘year of health’, but it was working through her trauma that made the most difference, not a specific diet or exercise plan. Fearne also shares the realities of her bulimia, including the secrecy and isolation that can come with shame. Rebel talks about feeling like a ‘loser’ at school and making a concerted effort to become popular through speaking to five new people each day, and being a part of theatre and sports teams for connection. Plus, Rebel explains why it felt so important to speak her truth about what happened on certain sets in her memoir... Rebel’s book, Rebel Rising, is out now.Listen to How To Laugh When You’ve Been To Hell And Back Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you choose uncertainty over unhappiness? Happy Place Book Club novel, The List of Suspicious Things, is the first book Jennie Godfrey has written. She was working in a corporate job before she had a moment of clarity and quit her job with no plan B to become a writer. In this chat with Fearne, Jennie explains why, having suffered with anxiety, she took control and chose an uncertain future over an unhappy present, with a little help from an episode of Happy Place...! The List of Suspicious Things centres around the murders of the Yorkshire Ripper. It sounds like a grim subject, but this story – told through the eyes of a young teenage girl – is incredibly warm and charming. Jennie also reveals her family’s own connection to Peter Sutcliffe, the man known at the time as the Yorkshire Ripper. Plus, you’ve been sending your voice notes, reminiscing about the teenage culture of the 1970s. Join the Happy Place Book Club on Instagram @happyplacebookclub – DM your messages and voicenotes about May’s read, Sociopath, to have your thoughts shared on the podcast! ...and don’t worry, there are no plot spoilers in this episode!Listen to Daisy May Cooper's episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are you dreams trying to tell you about yourself? Neurosurgeon Rahul Jandial feels dreaming is a vital part of being human. In this chat with Fearne, Rahul explains that while our waking brain is generally ruled by the logical executive network... the dreaming brain liberates creative and divergent thinking. We dream, he says, to keep our minds open so they’re able to adapt if our world suddenly changes. They also talk about the role dreams play as our ‘nocturnal therapists’. Dreams allow us a safe space to rehearse real life scenarios we might be anxious or confused about. Sometimes our dreams can reflect what’s happening in our waking life, but what if what you’re experiencing in your dream life is flagging something that you haven’t even recognised about yourself yet? Rahul talks about how to use your dreams as a psychological thermometer. Rahul’s book, This Is Why You Dream, is out now. Listen back to Professor David Nutt’s episode about psychedelics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.