Raise Her Up

Welcome to our Series 1 retrospective. Here's Episode 1: Mental HealthThroughout series 1, we have spoken with some amazing, strong, inspiring women - about their lives and areas of expertise.In this episode host Cathy Walker takes a look back at the moments our guests spoke openly about Mental Health. Journalist and author Harriet Walker on the powers of journaling; psychologist Dr Tina Mistry on how young people learn to find their tribe, and how parents and carers can support them; Natasha Devon MBE on how her mental campaigning led to her writing her first Young Adult novel; and Professor Abi Gewirtz on reassuring our children and validating their feelings when the modern world feels like a scary place. Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any episodes of season 2 - and you’ll also be notified about our next special where we will hear from some brilliant and influential women giving their take on the future of the workplace.

For Season 1's finale: influencer; activist; writer and columnist; broadcaster : Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka launched the Flex Appeal campaign to show Flexible Working as a way of bringing about greater inclusivity and gender equality in the workplace. She’s also the co-writer, with her husband Matt, of bestselling book UnderBelly, writes for Grazia and Marie Claire, has her own podcast and hosts a show on Heart radio. She talks about her campaigning, her experiences of parenthood, career changes, life in the public eye, and why she is doing everything she can to make sure the workplace is a more equitable place for her two daughters. Thank you for listening to Season 1 of Raise Her Up! Look out for Raise Her Up miniseries roundup episodes coming out over the summer, and Season 2 landing this autumn.

Our guest this week is Natasha Devon MBE. Mental health campaigner, journalist, broadcaster and now Young Adult author, Natasha joins us to talk about her new novel Toxic, which addresses topics of friendship issues, well-being and sisterhood. Natasha discusses the findings of her research around young peoples’ mental health, and shares insights into her career as an outspoken woman in the public eye, touching on how she has handled online backlash and come back stronger.Natasha’s young adult novel Toxiccomes out on 7th July and is published by UCLan.

The Department for Education has shifted its Early Years focus to put communication and language at the top of the list for Early Childhood Education. Communication brings children’s thought processes to life, as they articulate how they feel and what they think through dialogue and discussion with others.In short: initiating and maintaining conversation with their child is one of the most important things that a parent can do to support the work teachers do in the classroom. This episode Phil Armstrong joins us from Early Excellence, to suggest ways for parents to make the conversations they have at home with each other and with their children as rich, meaningful and enjoyable as possible.

On Episode 21 of Raise Her Up our expert guest talks us through how to approach cyber-security in our homes and with our families. As BT’s Director of Security Michala Hart works with governments and businesses across the globe. Her work as a cyber-security expert has also led her to co-found E-Aware, an organisation which works with parents and schools to help teach their children and young people to stay safe and confident online, and to thrive in a digital age.

Our guest on this episode is a leading voice in women’s health. Professor Dame Lesley Regan is Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at St Mary's Hospital, London. She remains only the second woman, and the first in 64 years, to be elected the President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Professor Regan joins us to share her experiences and insights on the importance of open communication around periods and women’s health, gained from her decades of experience in this area, both in the UK and with the WHO in Sub-Saharan Africa.