On The Mend

Recovery isn’t a straight line, and Matt Willis reflects openly on what that reality has meant for him.

In this solo episode, Matt speaks candidly about addiction, recovery, and the long process of learning to live differently. He explores the moments that forced him to confront himself, the challenges of trying to change alone, and the ongoing work required to stay well.

Rather than offering simple answers, Matt discusses the uncertainty, setbacks, and searching that shaped his recovery, alongside the role of responsibility, trust, and fatherhood in helping him find steadier ground.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about resilience, accountability, and what it really means to commit to change, without shortcuts, and without pretending recovery is linear.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This isn’t just a conversation, it’s a live experiment.
TJ Power challenges Matt Willis in real time to face the invisible addictions quietly draining his energy and to decide, on camera, what he’s willing to let go of to feel fully alive again.
From nicotine and endless scrolling to constant stimulation, Matt confronts habits he no longer enjoys but feels unable to escape. TJ also explains how these dopamine loops trap the brain, leaving us restless, flat, and disconnected from real fulfillment.
The moment turns personal when Matt reflects on his children. Without planning or performance, he makes a decisive choice, throwing away his vapes and committing to quit on the spot. TJ lays out the truth: every habit is a trade, between short-term dopamine and the life you actually want to live.
No polish, no easy answers, just an honest challenge to choose presence over numbness, freedom over avoidance, and courage over comfort.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Simba_AU

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM

Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the structure that’s held your life together disappears, what are you left with?

In this episode, Jason Fox talks about the moment everything collapsed after leaving the military, not gradually, but instantly. Twenty years of purpose, belonging, and identity ended overnight, and the relief he expected never came. Instead, he felt more broken than ever, realising too late that the thing he thought was damaging him had actually been keeping him afloat.

Jason also speaks openly about how close he came to giving up, and the uncomfortable truth he had to face: he’d been going through the motions of getting help without fully believing he needed it. He reflects on how much of the stigma he feared came from inside his own head, and how convincing yourself you’re not allowed to struggle can be just as dangerous as the struggle itself.

This conversation challenges the belief that strength means staying silent, and shows how vulnerability can be a source of freedom, not weakness.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Simba_AU

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM

Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest is Tj Power, lead neuroscientist and founder of the DOSE Lab, who helps us understand what’s really happening in our brains when we feel overwhelmed, burnt out, glued to our phones, or stuck in patterns we can’t quite explain.

In this episode, TJ breaks down mental health in a way that feels human, not clinical. He talks about why so many of us feel constantly on edge, how modern life quietly rewires our brains, and why willpower alone is rarely enough when you’re dealing with anxiety, compulsive behaviours, or emotional overload.

Rather than offering quick fixes, TJ focuses on understanding, learning how your brain actually works, why certain patterns repeat, and how small, realistic changes can help you steady yourself again.

This conversation is grounding and reassuring, for anyone realising that real change starts with understanding, not self-blame.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Simba_AU

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM

Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest is Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, a woman who has spent a lifetime living between two selves, and learning what it costs to keep parts of yourself hidden. Known to the world as Lulu, she grew up as “Marie”, a child shaped by chaos at home, silence, and shame, long before she was told she needed to become someone brighter, cleaner, and easier for the public to love.

In this episode, Lulu speaks with striking honesty about learning to hide at a young age, carrying shame that was never really hers, and the confusion of trying to live up to an identity that didn’t fully fit. She also talks about alcohol, relapse, and the long road to recovery, including the relief of finally understanding addiction as an illness, not a personal failure.

This is a conversation about recovery as connection, not perfection. About finding your tribe, telling the truth out loud, and discovering that vulnerability can be a strength, not a weakness.

Simba mattresses 👉Great recovery starts with great sleep. That’s why On The Mend is powered by Simba. Start your 200-night trial & experience the Simba difference:
https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Simba_AU

Heights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM

Need Support?
Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
Narcotics Anonymous: na.org
Alcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Mental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.uk
Shout: https: giveusashout.org
IAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.