100 Episodes Later: Stories, Gratitude and the Next Chapter

0:00Hello and welcome to the Helian Odyssey, finding your own way forward, where we embark on a journey of transformation, resilience and hope. I'm Emya Host and I'm thrilled to embark on this transformational journey with you, as we explore the complex world of addiction, recovery and mental health. Whether you're struggling with addiction yourself, supporting and loving through their journey, or simply interested in understanding these issues better, this podcast is for you. We're here to break down the stigmas, and my mission is to shed light on the crucial topics that affect millions of lives around the world. We'll be deep diving into the intricacies of addiction and recovery, mental health challenges and solutions, personal stories of heartache, but mainly transformation and resilience. Each week we'll be joined by an array of fantastic guests, including experts in the field, survivors with powerful stories and loved ones offering unique perspectives. We'll be covering topics such as resilience building, positive psychology, healing techniques,

1:00debunking those myths, relatable stories and experiences. And for our members, there'll be exclusive training sessions, and actionable content to support your journey. Enjoy this episode, don't forget to check the links and speak to you soon. One hundred episodes, one hundred voices, and one very big thank you. Welcome to this special episode of The Helan Odyssey, finding your way forward. A genuine, a genuinely cannot quite believe I'm saying this, but we've made it to episode 100. That is one hundred episodes. And when I started this podcast, I honestly had no idea where it was going to go. I didn't know whether anybody would listen. Actually, I remember being excited when one or two people listened in a week, and I almost remember that little voice

2:03in my head, wondering what people were going to think. Who am I to start a podcast? What if nobody listens? What if people judge me? What if I say the wrong thing? And now here we are. At the time of recording this, The Helan Odyssey has had thousands of downloads, and it's doubles. No, it's more than doubled. It's just got huge in the last 90 days. We're now regularly seeing well over a hundred downloads a day. And no, before anyone I asked, that isn't me sitting at home downloading my own podcast a hundred times a day, although I probably would, if I could work out how to do that. But the numbers aren't really why I'm sitting here recording this episode, because from the very beginning, I have always said, if something I do helps that one person, then I've done my job. If it means they're not alone.

3:10And I still mean that. If one person listens to an episode and thinks that's me, if one person realizes, realizes that they aren't the only person struggling, if one person hears somebody else's story and finally finds the courage to say, I need help. Then this podcast has done what I wanted it to do. Over these 100 episodes, I've had the absolute privilege of talking some incredible people. People who have trusted me with some of the most vulnerable parts of their lives with their stories. We've talked about addiction, recovery, ADHD, mental health, trauma, suicide, grief, shame, relationships, relapse, the afterlife, laughter therapy, different roots into recovery. And perhaps most importantly, we've talked about what happens when life doesn't

4:12really fit neatly into the boxes we think we've been given. There's been conversations that have stayed with me long after I've shot record in them. I had a guess that made me cry. I've also interviewed a comedian. And he came on to talk about suicide and we were laughing during the conversation and there's a bonus episode coming up very shortly for World Two Aside Prevention Day. And he's back on the show along with a bonus episode on that day, on the 10th of September as well. Because human beings aren't just one thing. Our stories aren't one thing. We can experience enormous pain and still laugh. We can have trauma and still have hope. We can have an addiction and still be intelligent, funny, successful, loving, created people. We can struggle with our

5:14mental health and still have an enormous amount to give to the world. And recovery doesn't mean pretending the difficult parts of our lives never happen. Sometimes it means learning how to carry them differently. I want to say a huge thank you to every single person who has come onto this podcast. Because I know that sitting in front of the microphone and talking about some of these things is just not easy. When you tell your story publicly, you don't know who's going to hear it. You don't know how people are going to respond. And sometimes you're talking about experiences that you've spent years maybe being ashamed of or hiding from or trying desperately to forget. Yet you've shared them anyway. So I thank you. And somewhere in the world, someone will probably never meet. You will never, probably meet them. And but you may have heard their story. At the exact

6:17moment that you needed to hear it. And that's powerful. Or you may remember it. Months, weeks, years down the line when you know you need it, it'll pop back into your head. I've learned something from every person I've interviewed. Some of those conversations have even found their way into my writing, into my books. Because there's such wisdom in lived experience. That wisdom is not from a textbook. It's not perfect recovery. It's reality. It's not somebody telling us what our lives should look like. It's real people saying, this is what happened to me. This is what I learned. And this is what helped me find my way forward. And that's what this podcast is all about. To every single listener, thank you so much. Whether you've listened to one episode or all 100,

7:22if you have well done. Whether you've listened while you're driving or in the dog, clean in the house, line awake at night or hide in from everybody with a cup of tea. Thank you. Some of you message me, some of you share episodes, some recommend the podcast to other people who need to hear that voice. And some of you listen quietly. And I've got absolutely no idea who you are. But you're part of this too. There's one listener in particular I want to mention without telling you her name. She's a really good friend of mine. We've tried a podcast before. It was in my very early days. Amazing podcast. The volume didn't work. So I was that was my first ever attempt. And it was years ago. I'd love to have her back on this podcast. But she lives in Bournemouth. And she listens. She supports. She'll text me sometimes saying, I really enjoyed that episode today.

8:30Or I know who they're talking about. And knowing that somebody I care about is out there listening means more than she probably realises. And there'll be other people listening who I've never met and whose names I may never know. And that's a strange and wonderful thing about podcasting. I can be sitting here talking into a mic. Probably with a cup of tea or more lightly as bite slate. But it will be somewhere nearby. And this conversation can reach hundreds and thousands of miles away. Someone having a really bad day. Somebody questioning their drinking or recovery. Somebody who's relapsed. Somebody wondering whether their brain works differently. Someone who's supporting somebody that they love. Someone who simply needs to hear. You're not the only person going through this. There are people there for you. Breaking this stigma matters

9:33so much. It really matters most to me. We have to keep talking. We have to keep breaking the stigma around addiction and mental health. I had a lady who I recorded an episode today who'll be coming up soon again for whilst suicide day in the bonus episode. And she was knocking on doors 20 years ago. 20 years ago to do with suicide and having doors shut in her face but she didn't give up. Mental health has come a long way. We've still got a long way to go. But she didn't give up. And it's people like that that can give us a voice. Because stigma creates silence. And silence can be incredibly dangerous. People shouldn't have to reach absolute crisis point before they feel able to say I'm struggling. Somebody shouldn't be frightened to tell their family that they're drinking too

10:38much because they're worried they'll be judged. Somebody shouldn't, and I know I'm using the shouldn't, but they shouldn't be frightened to tell their employer they're struggling with their mental health. Somebody shouldn't have to wonder what will people think of me before they ask for help. And someone who does finally find the courage to say I'm not okay should not be dismissed. I want people to feel brave enough to speak, but they're not the only one. I want them to feel safe enough to be vulnerable and I want people here and them to understand how much courage it may have taken to say those few words. Because sometimes we don't need somebody to fix us. Somebody we just need sometimes we just need somebody to listen. So there isn't only one way forward. If you've listened to the healing Odyssey for any length of time, you know one of the things

11:39I believe very strongly in is there's no one single root in recovery. There isn't one correct way to heal. There isn't a neat little instruction manual for being a human being. What works beautifully for one person may be completely wrong or disastrous for somebody else and that's okay. The whole reason this podcast is called the Helian Odyssey, finding your own way forward is because that journey belongs to you. You can listen to other people's experiences, learn from them, borrow ideas, try new things, discard things, change your mind, start again, but ultimately you're finding your own way forward. And after 100 episodes, I think I believe that more strongly now than ever. We're not stopping at 100. Actually we're doing the opposite. So because the healing Odyssey is growing, I mean growing, more people are listening, more

12:46incredible guests are coming forward. There are more stories to tell and there's still a hell of a lot of stigma to break. So from September the healing Odyssey is increasing from two episodes a week to three. Instead of Wednesday and Saturday, I'll now release Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Apparently my response to reach 100 episodes is not celebrating, it's given more work to myself. But that's all right. It's about right. My ADHD brain, I need more work. But I'm doing it because this podcast is reaching people because it is making an impact. And if three episodes a week means another story, which is that person who needs to hear it, then it is worth doing. I promise I am going to be adding more videos to the healing Odyssey on YouTube.

13:50That's another big step I'm coming to. I'm going to start getting a healing Odyssey onto YouTube. But my little house on the side of a mountain, my broadband doesn't like it so much. And I know a lot of you appreciate the time it takes to make podcasts and then edit videos for YouTube. But I want these conversations to reach beyond the podcast platform. I want more people stumble across a story that challenges something they thought they knew about addiction. I want somebody searching for answers about their own mental health at two o'clock in the morning to find a conversation that makes them feel less alone. I want these voices to be heard. And this is where I'm going to put a slightly unusual invitation out into the world. If you're listening and have video editing skills, YouTube's ticket skills or content skills,

14:50and would like to volunteer a little bit of your time to help us get. It's going to be a hundred episodes. I've got about 20 on there at the moment, I think. But to get all these videos out into the world, maybe you believe, maybe you believe in what we're doing and have got a few spare hours to help get that message to somebody who really needs it. I would genuinely love to hear from you. Maybe addiction or mental health has touched your life. Maybe you simply believe that people's stories deserve to be heard. Whatever your reason, if you'd like to help me turn these conversations into YouTube content and spread the message, please email me. My email address is Emma at evolve-recovery.co.uk because I'd love the healing odyssey to become something bigger

15:51than me sitting behind the microphone. I'd love it to become a collection of voices helping to change conversation. And perhaps the next voice is yours. There's more than one invitation. If you're listening to this and can I've got a story, please tell me, you don't need to be famous, you don't have to have written a book, you don't have to have thousands of followers, you don't need a perfectly packaged story with a beautiful ending because they rarely are. You need something that might help somebody else. And that's a voice. Maybe you've experienced addiction, maybe you're in recovery, a loved one who's struggling with addiction, maybe you've experienced mental health difficulties. Maybe you found an unusual route towards healing because I'd love to hear that. There's quite a few things that I haven't covered and I haven't found people. I'm not going to let on what they are. There's some other ways to heal that I'd love to hear from other people.

16:59Maybe you're working a field that has something important to add to our conversations. Or perhaps you've been through something and thought, nobody talks about this. Well, let's talk about it. If you'd like to be a guest on the healing odyssey, please email me. Again, that email address, Emma at evolvedashrecovery.co.uk. Tell me a tiny little bit about yourself. I don't research my guests too much because I think if I know the answer, I'm going to miss asking that question. The questions that people listening need to know. Let me know what you'd like to talk about. You never know who needs to hear your story. So here's to the next 100. When I started this podcast, I couldn't have imagined. I really couldn't have imagined to have fallen episode 100. I couldn't. I really couldn't have imagined the thousands of downloads. Perhaps.

18:03That's why this milestone feels so important. Not because it's reached a number, but because behind every download is a person. Behind every guest is a story. Behind every story is somebody else out there thinking me too. And that's what I want the healing odyssey to continue being. A place for honest conversations, a place where we don't pretend recovery is perfect. A place where different experiences and different routes to healing are welcomed. A place where difficult subjects can be talked about without shame. And a place where somebody listening can feel a little less alone. A little less alone than when they pressed play. So to every guest who has trusted me with their story, to every person who's listened,

19:04to everybody who has shared an episode, can you tell I've been talking a lot today? I am recording a lot of podcasts. So yes to everybody who's shared an episode, to everybody who's sent me a message. And to those of you quietly listening who have never heard, who I've never heard from, just thank you. You've made these 100 episodes possible. And we're only getting started. We're now three episodes a week. We'll have YouTube go coming. More voices, more stories, more conversations that people have been frightened to have, but can now feel safer to have. Because every time somebody speaks openly about addiction or mental health, apologies for that. Because every time somebody speaks openly about addiction or

20:05mental health, another tiny piece of that stigma gets chipped away. And if one person hears one of those voices and realises I'm not alone, every single one of these 100 episodes have been worth it. So here's the episode 100 at 101. There'll be two episodes on episode 100 day as a bonus. There'll be two episodes. So you'll have a bonus for World Suicide Fention Day, which is so, so important. And most importantly, here's to breaking that stigma together, one voice at a time. Thank you so, so much for listening to The Helian Odyssey, for liking, sharing, for the people that have supported me. Take care of each other and take care of yourself. And I

21:08can't wait to speak to you again. Maybe at episode 200. Speak to you next time. Recovery isn't just about the big breakthroughs. Sometimes it's about the little things that help us breathe, smile, and just keep going. That's why I created Come foot Without Chaos. A collection of mugs, books, and thoughtful gifts designed to bring a little comfort to everyday life. If you'd like to have a look, you'll find everything at emigardner.uk. Speak soon. Thank you for listening to another episode of The Helian Odyssey, Find in Your Own Way Forward. A huge thank you to everyone of our guests, for sharing their valuable insights and experiences with us all. Each episode is so important and helping us all understand the complexities of addiction and recovery. If you found today's discussion helpful, please consider subscribing to our podcast and sharing it with anyone who you might think will

22:10benefit from these conversations. Remember you're not to let whether you're struggling with addiction, supporting a loved one, or simply seeing kids learn more, we're all in this together. We'd love to hear from you. If you have any questions, topics you'd like to hear us cover, or stories you want to share, please reach out to us on social media or leave a comment below. Your voice matters, and together we can create a really supportive community. Join us next time for another inspiring conversation that you won't want to miss. Until then, take care of each other and yourself. Remember, healing is a journey, not a destination. I'm not saying the only way is that. I'm saying, let's find the way that's best for you. Thank you for listening.