The Reset by Sam Delaney

When doctors tested award winning novelist Daan Heerman Van Voss for stress hormones, they found a record breaking level in his bloodstream. This effectively made him the most anxious man in the world. He’d had enough of living with constant worry and decided to deep dive the problem. The result is his first non fiction book, The Anxiety Project, in which he investigates the roots of his condition, the social and economic factors that contribute and the possible ways out.It’s a brilliant book and I was delighted to discuss it with him on this week’s pod.

Barrie ‘Baz’ Rice was a veteran of New Zealand’s SAS before joining the world of the private security contracter. In 2004, his firm - Blackwater - became famous around the world when two of its operatives were hijacked and murdered in Iraq. What followed was a brutal and bloody conflict in post-war Iraq between security firms and insurgents. Barrie was caught in the middle of a fight that nearly cost him his life and his sanity.Buy his book - We Were Blackwater - here

Katy Georgiou is a practising psychotherapist and host of the excellent music and mental health podcast Sound Affects. How does music impact our moods and our minds? Is there really a connection between hedonism and creativity? And how can music help us in our darkest hours? I loved discussing all of this and more with Katy.

Congressman Adam Smith seemed to have everything sorted: a high-flying political career plus a loving wife and kids. Then, in his forties - seemingly without any warning - his body and mind broke. Chronic pain and crippling anxiety almost incapiciated him completely. He joined me to explain how this crisis led him to seek help, open his mind to therapy and become a stronger, happier man in his fifties.Buy Adam’s book - Lost And Broken - My Journey Back From Chronic Pain And Crippling Anxiety - here

Noel McDermott has been a mental health professional for over 25 years. You may have heard me as a recent guest on his excellent Wellbeing Show. A regular commentator in the media on mental health matters, Noel has his own experiences of dealing with PTSD and addiction as a younger man. He was kind enough to share his inspiring life story with me for this week’s episode.

Best-selling author, much-loved columnist and ubiquitous presenter: Danny Wallace is the epitome of the freewheeling Renaissance man. But on this week’s pod, he opened up about some of the mental challenges he has faced: from the sense of awkwardness he writes about so entertainingly, to the anxiety of parenthood to the pain of losing his dad two years ago.This is a rare insight to the mind of one of the nation’s favourite funny blokes.Buy Danny’s books hereListen to the Manatomy podcast here

For this special centenary episode I am joined by one of my all time heroes: hip-hop pioneer and voice of a generation, Chuck D. We spoke about the relationship between art and mental health, his activism, his music career and the reasons behind his lifelong sobriety.Plus, his secret life painting nudes.Buy Chuck’s new book of illustrations Livin’ Loud here

Susanna Hoffs scored a series of hits in the 1980’s with her all-girl band, The Bangles. She has since become a solo artists and recently published her first novel, This Bird Has Flown - a romantic comedy about a one hit wonder.She joined me on the show to discuss how quitting drink changed her life for the better, why she took a therapist on the road with her and her life-changing relationship with Prince.

Simon Waterson trains some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, from Daniel Craig to Tom Hiddlestone to Chris ‘Captain America’ Evans. He joined me to talk about his military background, the relationship between mental and physical health and what it’s like working with James Bond.This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Olympic Studios in Barnes.Buy Simon’s new book “The Ten Week Intelligence Fitness Challenge” here