On The Mend

This week’s guest is Davinia Taylor, who challenges the traditional narrative of addiction and opens up about her journey from shame and self-doubt to embracing recovery on her own terms.In this episode, Davinia talks candidly about her realisation that addiction isn’t always tied to trauma, and how understanding the biochemical and genetic basis of her struggle, low dopamine, ADHD, and even Viking ancestry, helped remove the shame she once carried. She reframes addiction from a moral failing to a biological reality, offering a powerful shift in perspective.Davinia also shares the truth about recovery: it’s messy, it’s imperfect, and it doesn’t always follow the rigid rules we’re told to follow. She opens up about the constant negotiation of active addiction and the exhaustion it creates, and the surprising discovery of true energy, not from alcohol, but through biohacking and ketones, which have become her source of fuel to live, not just survive.Honest, raw, and deeply human, Davinia’s story is about rebuilding beyond perfection and finding peace in being imperfectly present for the people who matter most.This episode covers the following themes: addiction, shame, self-acceptance, and vulnerability.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_AUHeights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/au3-OTM20 Randox Health 👉 Take care of your health today and into the future. Save 20% on all health checks now with the code OTM20 at: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Randoxhealth_au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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:https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_Simba_AUHeights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM 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_AUHeights👉 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.orgNarcotics Anonymous: na.orgAlcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukMental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.ukShout: https: giveusashout.orgIAPT: 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_AUHeights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTMNeed Support?Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgNarcotics Anonymous: na.orgAlcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukMental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.ukShout: https: giveusashout.orgIAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ruby Wax has spent decades making people laugh, but this conversation is about what happens when the jokes stop working.In this episode, Ruby speaks with rare honesty about living with depression, relapse, and the exhausting work of trying to hold yourself together when your mind won’t cooperate. She talks about coming off antidepressants to explore psilocybin therapy and ending up in a mental health ward, the shame that can creep in when you “should” be better by now, and why mental illness doesn’t care whether you’re on holiday, winning awards, or doing everything “right.”Ruby also opens up about letting go of old identities, including the version of herself built for attention, validation, and success, and how terrifying it was to walk away from a huge TV career to start again. She describes fame as addictive, relapse as confusing, and recovery as anything but linear. This isn’t a polished guru’s guide or a neat redemption arc. It’s a conversation with someone still doing the work, falling over, starting again, laughing at herself, and telling the truth about how messy it all can be. 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_AUHeights👉 Join Matt in getting your energy back with Vitals. 20% off here: https://highpfrmc.com/OTM_heights_auNeed Support?Samaritans: Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgNarcotics Anonymous: na.orgAlcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukMental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.ukShout: https: giveusashout.orgIAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roxie Nafousi joins Matt for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about addiction, healing, and the long journey toward self-worth. She speaks candidly about how her search for confidence and belonging led her into a cycle of shame, isolation, and rock-bottom moments, and how she came to believe there was no way out.What makes Roxie’s story resonate is her understanding that struggle is universal. She explains that pain, addiction, and the search for meaning affect people from every background, and that recovery isn’t just about overcoming substance use, it’s about rebuilding your relationship with yourself.A turning point came when Roxie discovered manifestation as a tool for healing, not as a superficial trend but as a practice rooted in agency, responsibility, and self-belief. She talks about shifting out of a victim mindset, aligning her actions with her values, and letting go of what no longer served her.Roxie also highlights the role of compassion, the unconditional support of her family and partner, and the kindness she learned to extend to herself. With honesty and practical guidance, Roxie discusses gratitude, affirmations, and the importance of finding purpose through community and service.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_AUHeights👉 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.orgNarcotics Anonymous: na.orgAlcoholics Anonymous: alcoholics-anonymous.org.ukMental Health Mates: mentalhealthmates.co.ukShout: https: giveusashout.orgIAPT: england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.