Hello and welcome to another episode of FIOAIGA, and this time with the wonderful Kiera Ford. Kiera & I met doing student radio, and have got a shared passion for the world of audio, so I knew she’d be an excellent guest on the pod. In this week’s episode, Kiera and I dive deep into the difficulties of seeing your peers with their dream jobs on LinkedIn, whilst battling job rejections yourself, and tackling the conflict of celebrating other people’s wins whilst also crediting our own hard work and effort too! From there, we reflected on how friendships can change drastically in your 20s, as our priorities, routines and locations change drastically from year to year. We talk difficult friendship breakups to touching reunions, and cherishing these connections even if we can’t see people as much as we’d like to! It was a therapeutic episode, I must say, and I really enjoyed reflecting with Kiera about some things I hadn’t thought about much before! Thanks for being a super guest Kiera, and I can’t wait to hear what you guys think! Enjoy - K xxxx

hello and welcome back to a brand new episode of FIOAIGA, and this week I’m joined by the lovely Ben Smith to debate the age-old claim that ‘University is the best time of your life’. Coming at it from different perspectives, this lay down the perfect foundation for an extensive discussion. Ben agreed wholeheartedly with the statement, adding that it has made for a sudden drop back down to reality in post-grad life, whilst I described how I was desperately ready to leave and how this allowed me to find more joy in my life after graduating. From discussing ‘pseudo-adulthood’, to sleep procrastination and the importance of mindset, we really covered all bases and found a way to meet in the middle of the debate. I truly enjoyed reflecting on university with Ben in a way that I hadn’t before, and it was an honour to have him on the podcast. I would be curious to hear your opinions, let me know what you think!

helloooo and welcome back to a brand new episode of FIOAIGA, and this week I wanted to get your thoughts on the matter, all about Transitional Periods! after chatting to some friends recently, I’ve realised that too often we repress uncomfortable emotions that arise during change as we feel unable to understand or articulate them. With a mixture of listener insights & psychological research, we explore the grief that comes with closing a chapter, and the anxiety that can arise when taking on a fresh start. We chat about all the big ‘firsts’ that crop up during your 20s, and the ups and downs that come alongside them (as well as starting off with a little catchup, as usual!). hope you enjoyyyy:))

Hello and welcome to another episode of FIOAIGA, and our first EVER video episode! Ahh I’m so excited ! Today I’m joined with my glorious friend Emma, who honestly is like my soul sister. Emma and I were flatmates in our first year at uni, and bonded instantly as two very nervous girls starting this scary new chapter in our lives. Now, 6 years on, Emma is training to be a psychotherapist over in Greece, and I thought she’d be the PERFECT person to come on the pod. Together, we explore the extremely interesting topic of attachment styles, and how they affect our relationships from infancy all the way into adulthood. Within this, we discuss how childhood trauma can influence our attachment styles and whether or not we can learn to heal from unhealthy relationship habits and break the cycle of toxicity. On top of all this, we also dive deep into Emma’s experiences in training, how we can nurture our inner child, and whether or not ChatGPT therapists are actually legit. Wow, it was so healing to connect with one of my dear friends, even if we are time zones apart, and I truly know you’ll find all that she has to say super interesting. Thank you Emma, and I hope you enjoy! K x

We did it guys - we made it to the 50th episode! After a bit of a break, I’m back at the end of summer, ready to catch you up with what I’ve been up to and share some thoughts with you. We explore the topics of freedom, fresh starts and transitional periods, before diving deep into what you guys at home are still ‘Figuring Out’ as you go along. It truly means the world to get the lovely feedback that I do and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for FIOAIGA! Thank you for everything, here’s to at least another 50:) K x

This week’s episode was a super fun conversation with my lovely friend Harriet ! Now, one of the ongoing jokes we have in our friendship is to do with our age difference. Although it’s only 10 years, we joke constantly about how much things change between your early 20s and early 30s. So, we decided to riff off this idea and talk about the life lessons she’s learnt since she was my age. We explore changes in friendship dynamics, career changes and social batteries, whilst also reviewing societal expectations and how much we’re supposed to have ‘figured out’ by the time our age starts with a 3. We debate whether there really is a ‘right time’ to have children, or really a ‘right time’ to do anything at all! With laughs about funny anecdotes, and emotional reflections about grief, we really covered all grounds. It was truly an honour to share the studio with someone I respect & care about so much and I’m so happy we finally got time in our busy schedules to finally do it! So, thank you Harriet, and I hope you all enjoy! K x

In this week’s episode, I was joined by award winning financial advisor and ‘Financial Wellbeing’ champion, Kaye Price. Now I don’t know about you, but I feel like we were never taught at school how to look after our money, and especially going from being a student to being a graduate, I feel more in the dark than ever. Kaye guides us through her best top tips for managing your finances, from meal planning to avoiding Klarna at all costs. We talk about the social pressures to go out, how financial stress can affect our mental health, and how one can look after their money and their mind simultaneously. Honestly, I learnt so much and I’m sure you will too!

**DISCCLAIMER** Kaye is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Content is for financial education only, and does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to act. Seek professional financial advice before taking action on anything discussed.

hey guys - i'm back with another edition of 'Your Thoughts on the Matter', in which I enlisted the help of you lovely listeners so that we could have a joint reflection on toxic guilt and that inner critical voice that can sometimes get a little loud inside my mind. Now, i'm chronically guilty, and this has something that has come about over the last few years. Feeling guilty about potential misunderstandings, not being able to attend a party or even just calling in sick to work: you name it, I've probably felt guilty about it. But why is this? Why are some people more likely to ruminate about these things than others? In this episode we dive deep into this question, alongside some of your input via instagram, and overall we review how we can take back control over that loud critical voice and use self-compassion tools to show it who's boss. Thank you yet again for getting involved, i can't express how grateful I am! Because when you get in touch, I'm made aware how much we really are just all figuring it out as we go along... enjoy! K x

In this week’s episode, I met with the lovely Emma Brown to discuss her fascinating PHD topic, which explores how accessible the classical music industry really is for physically disabled musicians. As a double-leg amputee herself, Emma is really passionate about exploring whether or not conservatoire settings allow for disabled students to thrive alongside their able-bodied counterparts. We explored the barriers in the industry, ignorance and assumptions about disabled individuals, alongside the importance of the representation of disabled musicians in the media and the impact of internalised pressure and perfectionism! It was a truly eye opening conversation, and Emma is so eloquent about both her experience and her research thus far. With poignant anecdotes, thought provoking opinions, and a sprinkle of humour, this episode provides just a little bit of everything. Enjoy!:) K x

this week's episode is a little bit different, as i put together a list of 24 Life Lessons I've learnt in my 24 years of living so far. From mental health, to romantic relationships, and people pleasing, it encapsulates a variety of things that I feel are slowly starting to click as my frontal lobe starts to develop lol. 24 felt like a monumental age this year, so I was feeling reflective, and I hope that my philosophical thoughts resonate with you too in some way. thank you for all the support as always - love ya x

hellooooo - welcome back to another episode of FIOAIGA, and this time with Callum, frontman of the incredible band ‘Maya Likes To Run Her Mouth’. The other week, we sat down to explore the feelings that arise when navigating one’s entrance into the music industry, from imposter syndrome to performance anxiety (and everything in between!) We chatted about the specific pressures that come with being the frontman, including charging the social battery, presenting an ‘image’ to the audience and handling negative feedback. It was interesting to gather further insight into the industry and really chat about the things that are often not reflected upon. Thank you to Callum for popping on to the pod and facilitating such a great conversation - hope you enjoy! K x

hello and welcome back to another little fioaiga catchup:) in this week's episode, i update you on some things that have been going on in my life recently, vis a vis jobs and the podcast and so much more! Then, I wanted to explore the concept of making mistakes in your 20s, and to what extent it is appropriate to give advice when someone comes to you with a problem. Is it sometimes better to let people come up with their own solutions and offer comfort? Or should we always give advice, even if it is unsolicited? Finally, I discussed a recent article that I'd read about 'Wellbeing Burnout' and the dangers of constantly striving to be happy and healthy. Perhaps it's healthier to find a balance and celebrate the things we're already doing, rather than feeling pressured to do 10k steps a day because that's what everyone on Instagram is doing. As a wellbeing podcast, I thought it was important to explore both sides of the coin with some research to back it up! I really enjoyed having this chat with you so I hope you enjoy listening too:) K x

Today I'm joined by my lovely friend Izzie who decided to make a big change in her life's direction during her second year at university just two years ago. From studying Fine Art in Leeds to then deciding to train to be a paramedic in Bristol, Izzie had to really come to terms with what she wanted to do at only 21 years of age. During our conversation, we explored how she came to her decision and the emotions that arose during this transitional period. We also discussed how the people in her life responded to her decision and what relationship she has with art nowadays now that she's no longer studying it. It was a really interesting conversation as I was so curious to see how she navigated this big change and how this affected her interpretation of her own 'purpose'. She tells her story in such an inspiring way that I hope will help you come to terms with your own purpose if you're currently at a crossroads. I hope it also gives you comfort to know that we truly are all just figuring it out as we go along! K xxxx

hello and welcome to a new episode of FIOAIGA! now, don't fear, this episode might sound like it's going to be super negative, but trust me - it's a good one! I recently read an incredible book titled 'How to be Miserable' by the incredible Randy J Peterson. A controversial take on traditional self-help books, this book doesn't aim to tell you how to be happier, it instead tells you what you're already doing that might be getting in the way. In this episode, I talk about some of my favourite chapters, highlighting why perfectionism, avoidance and assumptions can have such negative impacts on our wellbeing. Using psychological theories and witty retorts, this book allowed me to think about things in life in a way I never have done before, and I really wanted to share with you some of the sections which resonated me with the most. I hope you enjoy ! K x

hellooo! This week's episode is the second edition of our 'Your Thoughts on the Matter' Miniseries, where we collaboratively discuss your opinions, as listeners, on a specific topic. This week's topic refers to Digital Wellbeing and our relationships with technology and its consequential effects on our mental health and wellbeing. Following a framework created by Sentient (2021), we discussed digital wellbeing in respect to six key areas in your life: Wellbeing, Boundaries, Communication, Focus, Connection and Purpose. It was really interesting to explore how our phones, social media and other technology interfere with our everyday lives, and it truly allowed me to reflect about things in a way that I haven't before. Thank you for all of you that collaborated on this episode by responding to the polls over on Instagram, it's truly lovely to connect with you and develop this conversation. PS. As usual, I waffle on about a few other things in this episode too. For example, I explore how I'm feeling since completing my programme of CBT, the nostalgia of going back to my old school and also how things have changed as we commemorate five years since the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you yet again for all your love and support and I hope you enjoy this episode:)

*CW: This episode contains conversations about Panic Attacks*helloooo! this week’s episode features the lovely Lili from ‘The Flutterby Podcast’. In this episode, we explore the topic of finding a balance. When it comes to juggling work, a social life, our hobbies and our wellbeing, it can often feel like it all becomes way too much, especially when you’re a student at university. We also explored the benefits of therapy, academic validation and comparison with your peers in terms of what you’re ‘supposed’ to be doing by a certain age. Lili was also very candid about her experiences with panic attacks and how she’s responded to medication for her mental health, which was extremely interesting and I was so honoured she felt so able to be vulnerable both with myself and with you at home. I see a lot of myself in Lili, and whilst we are four years apart, it was so heartwarming to talk about university with somebody else and learn that I was not alone when it came to the things that had worried me when I was a student. I wish I had an ounce of the wisdom that Lili has when I was back in second year! It was an absolute pleasure to chat to her, and I hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation:)

hello! This week's episode is just a quick reflection on the topic of people-pleasing, inspired by a recent podcast episode that I listened to! I discuss the psychological reasons for why we choose to people-please in the first place, and how it can have an effect on all aspects of our lives, including work and relationships. I am DEFINITELY a self-diagnosed people-pleaser myself, but I've learnt firsthand how fighting to please everyone can actually end up disappointing people in the end, as well as neglecting yourself and your own needs. Here's just a few of my thoughts vis a vis this topic - let me know what you think! K x

hello and welcome to FIOAIGA! This week's conversation is
with the lovely Martha, all about her experiences navigating
life in her 20s as a neurodivergent person. Martha has her own wonderful podcast, "Inside Voice", where she explores openly her experiences with dating and work, and so I really wanted to pick her brains further over here on FIOAIGA! We talked about her autism diagnosis at age 4, her relationship with burnout, as well as inaccurate media depictions of autism.  We also discussed her opinions on choosing not to engage with full time work and how she approaches the dating scene. Martha is beautifully eloquent and tells her story so well, and it was an honour to talk to her. I hope that her story resonates with you as much as it did me!

hellooooo - welcome back to another catch up episode! I felt it was about time to touch base and share my thoughts about a variety of different things going on in my life at the moment! I talk about my frustrations with job applications, finding a routine as well as inaccurate media representations of how your 20s 'should' be. I also talk a little about how friendship dynamics can change as you leave university, as well as a short conversation about self-compassion in respect to body image. To finish off the episode, I also added a quick update to how I've been finding taking SSRIs for my recent diagnosis of OCD, and more thoughts on that matter - so stay on until the end if you're intrigued to hear about my journey with all of that thus far! hope you enjoy this little chat ! K :)

in this week's episode, I got the opportunity to talk to thewonderful Dr Laura Golding. As a clinical psychologist, DrGolding has vast experience in the psychology field, and has a particular interest in critical psychology more specifically.With this thought process, one is encouraged to explore mental health with a more person-centred and less clinical approach. We discussed the medication vs therapy debate, the 'Threat-Power-Meaning' Framework and to what extent one requires a diagnosis in order to address their mental health. We also explored her career journey, her reasonings for getting into psychology and the path that got her to where she is today. It was a really interesting debate, and we got really in to the nitty-gritty of it all. Since recording, I have started medication for OCD, and have actually found the clinical approach to be particularly beneficial in my specific circumstances. However, I also do agree greatly with the person-centred approach and Dr Golding'sexcellent research, so I have enjoyed getting to explore all sides of the debate in the last few months. I would be really interested to hear your opinions on the topic as well, so please do let me know what you thought!Thanks so much to Dr Golding for this glorious conversation. She is an inspiration to so many people and it was an honour that she gave me some of her time to have this fascinating conversation! hope you enjoy - K x