JCIP #275 - Anthony Bedward

In episode 275 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Anthony Bedward. Anthony is a qualified person-centred psychotherapist and the Founder of a2btherapy. In this episode we chart his vast professional journey, from working as a mentor in a learning provision for young people expelled from school, to applying for a 10-week course at the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute based at the University of Staffordshire and then completing a three year degree there afterwards. He then landed two part-time jobs, one working for a company that delivered Princes Trust courses to 16–25-year-olds and another as a youth worker. Anthony then found a new job, working with survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) at a charity called Imara Nottingham where they work with children and families to recover from the impact of sexual abuse on their lives. He worked there for eight months, before leaving to join the job he is in now and went onto set up A2BTherapy. We also discuss the lack of male therapists in the mental health space and why we need more men like Anthony, not just to help men, but working-class men and especially working-class black men like Anthony who will hopefully be able to put their trust in. We then explore his dyslexia diagnosis and how its shaped his life pre and post-diagnosis and the work he does with A2B. For Anthony’s mental health journey, we discuss: the impact that being sexually abused as an adult had on his life, the importance of boundaries, figuring out his triggers and the levels of mental toughness you need to do the work he does. As always, #itsokaytovent You can find out more about a2btherapy here: https://a2btherapy.co.uk/ You can follow a2btherapy on social media below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a2btherapy/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a2btherapy Support Us: Patreon: www.patreon.com/venthelpuk GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/help-vent-supp…ir-mental-health Merchandise: www.redbubble.com/people/VentUK/shop Music: @patawawa - Strange: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d70wfeJSEvk