Dysfunctional

Leaving an abusive relationship doesn’t always mean the abuse stops.In this episode, Josh speaks with Miranda Allen, an ambassador for Mums in Need, about post-separation abuse and how control continues through courts, finances, smear campaigns, and children. Miranda shares her lived experience and why believing survivors matters more than ever.Learn more or support the work of Mums in Need:👉 https://mumsinneed.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Dysfunctional, I’m joined by relationship recovery coach Jo Westwood for a deep, honest conversation about toxic relationships, codependency, and what real self-worth actually sounds like in practice.We talk about love bombing and how to spot it early, the moment “the switch” happens after commitment, and why being nice, polite, or endlessly understanding can quietly turn into self-abandonment.We also unpack why so many people rush to defend power, fame, and parents at all costs, using the viral Anthony Hopkins estrangement clip as a real-world example of how society struggles with accountability, family loyalty myths, and reading the energy behind someone’s words.This is a conversation about slowing down, trusting your instincts, and learning to say:“You don’t know me well enough yet.”And meaning it.We explore:The difference between love bombing and genuine connectionWhy codependent people can be manipulative without meaning to beThe “special one” fantasy and how it keeps people stuckWhy healthy relationships can handle a slow startEstrangement, boundaries, and the myth of unconditional family loyaltyPoliteness vs kindness, and why people-pleasing pushes people awayWhy abusive people don’t cut you off, and why survivors often have toThis episode isn’t about blame, cancel culture, or perfect healing.It’s about self-reflection, personal responsibility, and building relationships that don’t require you to disappear to keep the peace.If you’ve ever felt confused, drained, or like you keep ending up in the same painful dynamics, this one’s for you.Find Jo:Website: http://jowestwood.comIG: http://instagram.com/jowestwoodThe Anti People Pleasing Podcast link: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-anti-people-pleasing-podcast/id1576679526Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4av63LLVwYNt8MNMu8YgarAudible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/The-Anti-People-Pleasing-Podcast/B08K61YDSF Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Williams was eight years old when his mum was murdered by his stepfather.In this episode, Alex shares what it’s really like to grow up after extreme trauma, how it shaped his nervous system, identity, and relationships, and why “healing” is often misunderstood.Alex is an NHS mental health practitioner with over 20 years of experience and a suicide and self-harm prevention trainer. He brings both lived experience and frontline insight into what actually helps people after childhood trauma, and what doesn’t.We talk about:Growing up after domestic abuse and parental homicideWhy safety matters more than therapy in the early stages of traumaThe long-term impact of unprocessed grief in childhoodCompassion fatigue in mental health and helping professionsWhy forgiveness is not required for healingHow the mental health system labels people instead of holding themPhone addiction, numbing, and modern forms of escapeMeaning, survival, and choosing a life after traumaThis is a raw, honest conversation about loss, resilience, and what it means to live a good life after something unimaginable.If you grew up in dysfunction, abuse, or emotional neglect, this episode will likely resonate.Find Alex here - https//instagram.com/thealexjwilliamshttps//tiktok.com/thealexjwilliamshttps//www.linkedin.com/thealexjwilliams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trauma doesn’t just live in your head. It can shut down your voice too. Vocal coach Claire Delaney joins me to talk C-PTSD, nervous system survival, toxic industry culture, and finding your voice again."Claire is a vocal coach who works with singers and actors whose voices have to hold up under real-world pressure. She’s coached performers across the West End, Broadway, and the National Theatre, and has worked for Italia Conti and ITV’s Mamma Mia: I Have a Dream. Her approach is trauma-aware and shaped by the belief that you can’t separate a voice from the person using it. Her work blends science, psychology, and practical technique, with a lens shaped by lived-experience. She helps performers rebuild the physical, emotional, and technical foundations of their voice, aiming for long-term reliability, confidence, and self-trust to make singing actually enjoyable again."Instagram: @clairedelaney.vocalcoach Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I’m joined by Jared Shurin, a strategic communications specialist who works in counter extremism, violent radicalisation, misinformation, and social cohesion. We dig into the psychology of people who reach the point of extreme violence, why it often starts with the loss of trust, hope and faith, and how communication can pull people back from the edge.We talk about:How people become vulnerable to radicalisationThe link between extremism, suicidality, and hopelessnessWhy most people sit in the exhausted moderate middleThe role of belonging, community, and agency in preventionHow governments, NGOs and everyday people can reduce social harmWhat actually works when trying to talk someone down from violent thinkingThis episode explores the real human drivers behind extremism, how isolation fuels dangerous behaviour, and why rebuilding local community may be our best defence.Find Jared - https://extra-fox.com/newsletter - https://raptorvelocity.beehiiv.com/https://www.instagram.com/straycarnivore/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.