2024 British Podcast Award Winner & 2025 Radio Academy Award Nominated Podcast

Women Episodes

Addiction and recovery often intersect with the broader issues of violence against women and girls, highlighting the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in these situations. This category explores the systemic, societal, and personal factors that link gender-based violence and substance use, offering a space for dialogue and understanding. Episodes feature stories of survivors who have navigated addiction while overcoming the trauma of abuse, along with expert insights into the role of trauma-informed care in recovery. By addressing these sensitive but vital topics, the podcast shines a light on the importance of tailored support for women affected by violence, breaking the cycle of stigma and silence.

The experiences of women navigating addiction, recovery, and societal stigma are deeply personal and often shaped by unique challenges. This category also focuses on the lived realities of women, including those engaged in sex work and those who have survived sexual violence. Episodes provide a platform for women to share their stories, highlighting the resilience and strength required to heal. Discussions explore the intersection of trauma, exploitation, and addiction, while also addressing the systemic barriers women face in accessing support. With a focus on empathy and advocacy, this category aims to empower women and promote understanding of the gendered dimensions of addiction and recovery.
Believe in People EXTRA: Tourette’s - What Tics Really Feel Like
Feb. 27, 2026

Believe in People EXTRA: Tourette’s - What Tics Really Feel Like

In this episode of Believe in People Extra , Bea Wood joins us to challenge one of the most common myths about Tourette’s - that it is simply about swearing. Bea explains the difference between coprolalia and the more common ...

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Lucy Rocca: Grey Area Drinking, Wine Culture & Alcohol Dependence
Feb. 12, 2026

Lucy Rocca: Grey Area Drinking, Wine Culture & Alcohol Dependence

Lucy Rocca joins Believe in People to share her candid story of alcohol misuse, trauma, and recovery, and the creation of Soberistas , one of the earliest online sobriety communities for women. Lucy takes us back to the 1990s...

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Paula McGowan OBE: Autism, System Failure & Oliver’s Legacy - Addiction and Care Reform
Jan. 29, 2026

Paula McGowan OBE: Autism, System Failure & Oliver’s Legacy - Addiction and Care Reform

Paula McGowan OBE joins Believe in People for a full, in-depth conversation about her son Oliver, whose death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training across health and social care in England. Paula ex...

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Believe in People EXTRA: Oliver McGowan Training - Why It Protects Lives
Jan. 23, 2026

Believe in People EXTRA: Oliver McGowan Training - Why It Protects Lives

This short episode of Believe in People Extra shares an exclusive preview from our upcoming full conversation with Paula McGowan OBE , whose son Oliver’s death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training ...

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Believe in People EXTRA: Alcohol & Anxiety - When Drinking Makes It Worse
Dec. 31, 2025

Believe in People EXTRA: Alcohol & Anxiety - When Drinking Makes It Worse

In this episode of Believe in People Extra , Amy Jo Johnson shares why she chose to stop drinking - not because her life had fallen apart, but because alcohol was making her anxiety louder and everyday life harder to manage. ...

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Believe in People EXTRA: The 12 Steps - Why Rehab Wasn’t Enough
Dec. 12, 2025

Believe in People EXTRA: The 12 Steps - Why Rehab Wasn’t Enough

In the first episode of Believe in People Extra , our new spin off miniseries, Michelle Heaton speaks openly about what it feels like to want to stop drinking and not be able to. She explains the medical dangers she didn’t un...

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Patti Clark: Alcohol, Relapse & Women’s Recovery - Breaking Generational Patterns
Dec. 5, 2025

Patti Clark: Alcohol, Relapse & Women’s Recovery - Breaking Generational Patterns

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Patti reflects on a lifetime shaped by silence, trauma, and survival. Growing up in a dysfunctional home in 1970s San Francisco - marked by alcoholism, emot...

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Katie Price & Kerry Katona: Cocaine, Fame & Motherhood - Surviving Addiction in Public
Nov. 6, 2025

Katie Price & Kerry Katona: Cocaine, Fame & Motherhood - Surviving Addiction in Public

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Katie Price and Kerry Katona sit down for a raw, unfiltered conversation about cocaine addiction , recovery, motherhood, mental health, and the double stand...

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Mel Barrett: Cocaine, Alcohol & Boxing - Identity, Recovery & 12 Steps
Oct. 1, 2025

Mel Barrett: Cocaine, Alcohol & Boxing - Identity, Recovery & 12 Steps

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Mel shares a powerful and deeply honest account of her journey through alcohol misuse , escalating substance use, mental health struggles, and the non-linear...

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Emma Hardy MP: Ketamine, Mental Health & Flood Crisis - Community Recovery in Hull
Sept. 8, 2025

Emma Hardy MP: Ketamine, Mental Health & Flood Crisis - Community Recovery in Hull

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Emma Hardy MP returns to the podcast to discuss some of the most urgent challenges facing Hull and the wider UK – including rising ketamine harm , worsening...

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Elly Mortimer: Hepatitis C, Heroin & Harm Reduction - 30 Years of Public Health Experience
July 27, 2025

Elly Mortimer: Hepatitis C, Heroin & Harm Reduction - 30 Years of Public Health Experience

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma , Elly returns for her third appearance to share more than 30 years of insight from frontline harm reduction and public health work, with a particular focus o...

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