Trigger warning — Suicide & Miscarriage

This episode discusses suicide, miscarriage, grief and trauma. Please take care while listening.

In this one-off special for Suicide Awareness Month, we bring the much-missed Liz Sizer back into the room. Tom Mitchell is joined by Kate Beed, Liz’s sister, for a candid, moving conversation about Liz’s life, career and the circumstances that led to her tragic death by suicide in 2016.

Kate and Tom trace Liz’s story from her physical presence and determination — a 6ft-1 anaesthetic trainee who moved into a male-dominated specialty and later became a consultant at King’s — to the pressures and hidden traumas that accompanied life as a doctor. They reflect on how doctors face repeated exposure to distressing events, how desensitisation can become a coping mechanism, and how that coping, left unsupported, can become dangerously isolating.

Kate speaks openly about her work with Mind following Liz’s death and shares practical guidance on recognising emotional pain in colleagues — what to look out for, how to ask the right questions, and how to offer support. The conversation also touches on miscarriage, grief, generational shifts in how mental health is handled, and the tension between the drive to appear resilient and the real need for headspace and sustainable support.

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of professional pressures, personal trauma, and the consequences of not having the right structures in place to care for those who care for others. It’s a respectful tribute to Liz and a call to action for better duty of care in healthcare.

What we discuss / Key themes

• Liz Sizer’s life, career and legacy
• The pressures of working in medicine: burnout, trauma exposure and desensitisation
• Miscarriage, grief and their impact on mental health
• How to spot if a colleague is in emotional pain and what to do next
• The experience of grieving a colleague and surviving unanswered questions after suicide

If this episode affects you — support & resources (UK)

If you are in immediate danger or feel you may harm yourself, call 999.

• Samaritans: 116 123 (anytime) — samaritans.org
• Mind: mind.org.uk
• NHS mental health services: nhs.uk/mental-health

If you’re outside the UK, please consult your local emergency services and mental health organisations.

About Kate Beed

After a successful career spanning over 20 years in central government delivering diversity and inclusion programmes as well as large scale change programmes, Kate experienced the trauma of losing her sister, Dr Liz Sizer, to suicide. They were close in a way that sisters often are sharing special memories and fun times. Kate was completely devasted by Liz’s suicide.

Kate’s need to know more about how Liz got into such a dark place, led her to join Cambridgeshire Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind to develop a suicide mitigation training programme for GPs and other primary care staff. The programme was recognised nationally when it was awarded a ‘This Can Happen’ award in 2020 for the Best Mental Health Initiative in the Workplace. Kate was instrumental in influencing system-wide thinking across both primary and secondary care in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, as well as working hard to engage the wider community to raise awareness of suicide.

🎙️This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

💜 A big thank you to our sponsor, Pastest for supporting this episode.

👉 Don’t forget to download, rate, subscribe, and share to spread the word and support those who take care of us.

Dr Natasha Binnie is no stranger to the You Okay, Doc? community. In 2024, she completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with us, and today she serves as a valued trustee of the charity. Tash is also a major voice in the mental health advocacy sphere, bringing a unique blend of personal experience, professional insight, and leadership to the conversation.

In this episode, host Tom Mitchell sits down with Natasha to explore the realities of mental health in medicine. Together, they navigate a wide range of topics, from identity and resilience to the stigma that still surrounds mental health in the medical world.

Tash speaks candidly about her own struggles with mental health during medical school and the importance of seeking support through appropriate avenues. Her openness shines a light on the barriers many young doctors face and the urgent need for cultural change in healthcare.

Beyond her personal journey, Natasha’s achievements are remarkable. She is an award-winning Foundation Year doctor with a keen interest in a career in Psychiatry. In 2023, she received the prestigious Diana Award for her work as co-founder of Future Frontline, a community interest company that inspires and supports both current and future healthcare professionals.

Her influence extends beyond the wards: Natasha has been featured in The Times for her positive impact on social media, where she shares insight and encouragement with her community of over 60,000 followers on @tashbinnie.

🎙️This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

💜 A big thank you to our sponsor, Pastest for supporting this episode.

👉 Don’t forget to download, rate, subscribe, and share to spread the word and support those who take care of us.

We're joined by the infamous Manley Hopkinson. Manley needs no introduction, he's an adventurer, explorer, yachtsman - having circumnavigated the world, faced polar bears on artic expeditions, raced to the North Pole and is a You Okay, Doc? Patron. Tom and Manley from the start enter a conversation packed with pearls of wisdom from managing failure to tips on treating yourself with compassion, this episode is brimming with information. You'll be hanging onto their every word as Tom and Manley effortless navigate the life philosophies of purpose, courage and humanity to live an aligned life.

Manley Hopkinson is a polar explorer, round-the-world yachtsman, and former naval officer who has built his life around the lessons of leading under extreme pressure. He captained teams through the BT Global Challenge yacht race and the Arctic Ocean Race, later applying those hard-won insights into leadership roles in business, the military, and humanitarian projects.

Today, Manley is recognised internationally as a thought leader in Compassionate Leadership — a philosophy that blends courage, resilience, and humanity to help people and organisations thrive. He is the founder of the Compassionate Leadership Academy, an acclaimed keynote speaker, and author of Compassionate Leadership: Sustaining Human Flourishing.

Manley’s mission is simple but profound: to show that compassion is not weakness, but the most powerful form of leadership in the face of adversity.

🎙️This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

💜 A big thank you to our sponsor, Pastest for supporting this episode.

👉 Please download, rate, subscribe, and share to spread the word and support those who take care of us.

Dr Jo Larkin is a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine and works as the Global Medical Director for Sale GP, an international Grand Prix of F50 racing. Previously Jo was the Chief Medical Officer for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and for 8 years worked with the England Rugby team. During her time with England Rugby, Jo travelled to Rio as the team physician for the men's and women's GB rugby 7s squad, with the men (including your Host Tom Mitchell) successfully winning a silver medal!

In this episode, Tom & Jo explore life lessons learnt from medical training - from facing tragedies and managing death at a young age, to the resilience these experiences demand of doctors. Jo also shares her lessons from working in elite sport, from the importance and power of human connection, especially in times of difficulty to learning how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

🎙️This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

💜 A big thank you to our sponsor, Pastest for supporting this episode.

👉 Don’t forget to download, rate, subscribe, and share to spread the word and support those who take care of us.

We’re kicking off Season 6 with a cracker. Our resident host — Patron of You Okay, Doc?, former England Rugby 7s Captain and Olympic Silver Medallist Tom Mitchell — is back at the mic!

Joining Tom are members of the 2025 Mt Toubkal Team, who earlier this year braved –20°C conditions to summit the highest peak in North Africa at 4,167m (13,670ft), all to raise awareness and vital funds for You Okay, Doc?.

Our guests:

• Darren Lunz – Chair of Trustees, You Okay, Doc?
• Dr Elle Todd – Founder of The Clinical Shift, entrepreneur & portfolio doctor
• Lt Col Ben Caesar – You Okay, Doc? Ambassador, Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Member of the British Army.
• Dr Dan Gearon – Founder of You Okay, Doc?

Together they share the challenges, obstacles, highs and lows of mountain climbing — and reflect on the importance of disconnecting to reconnect, of collective resilience, and the metaphorical power of climbing together.

Expect crampons, crazy stories, and reflections on why hiking can be one of the most magical healers. 🌄

💜 A big thank you to our sponsor, Pastest for supporting this episode.

👉 Don’t forget to download, rate, subscribe, and share to spread the word and support those who take care of us.

In the season 6 finale we are joined by our co-founders Dr Daniel Gearon and Chris Cherry. They are two individuals that have been with You Okay, Doc? from the beginning. This fascinating episode gives a snapshot on how YOD was started, including the very first crowd funder - a tough mudder! This is a behind the scenes episode and gives a candid view on the working relationship between Chris and Dan, which at the very core is why YOD is a success.

Dr Daniel Gearon is a surgical trainee, NHS clinical entrepreneur and recently has completed his Masters with the Judge Business School at Cambridge University. He is enrolled on the Cambridge Social Ventures programme, an incubator for social enterprises, and recently completed the Accelerate Programme at Cambridge. Daniel's wealth of knowledge he has accumulated over the last 4 years are fascinating to listen to in this episode.

Chris Cherry is a UKCP psychotherapist and a leader in his field. He is a season professional with over 30 years experience to his name. Having founded multiple organisations including the Men's group in the 90's Chris' therapy experience and insights are endless and make for a great listen.

This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

Please Download Rate, Subscribe and Share with your friends!

Greg O'Shea is an Olympian, TV personality and all round athlete. Greg represented his country, Ireland at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics playing Rugby 7s and was the winner on the show 'Love Island' in 2019. If that wasn't enough, Greg now is a presenter of The Six O'Clock show and is pursuing a number of ultra endurance events. Amongst all these achievements, Greg has been open about his personal struggles with mental health, his voice in this area is powerful and he is a real change maker in the mental health arena. His insights, openness, and willingness to talk about mental health in combination with his societal status is a powerful tool that saves many lives.

In this episode Greg and Tom discuss an array of topics from Mental Health in Men, barriers to getting help, purpose and signals to getting help.

This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

Please Download Rate, Subscribe and Share with your friends!

Chris Cherry is a man that needs no introduction in the You Okay, Doc? world, but just in case. Chris is a co-founder of You Okay, Doc? a UKCP psycotherapist, with over 30 years of experience across the sector. In the 90's Chris set up the men's group and has featured in an array of media including BBC Radio 4 and the BBC News for his work. A talented therapist, a kind man who has given all of his time to YOD - this episode gives insight into this world, his therapeutic practce and the foundations of You Okay, Doc?

Chris and Tom Mitchell (our co-host) navigate a variety of topics and adress some of the keys to facilitating a healthy relationship with yourself, which include taking charge of your narrative to staying curious in the thereapeutic space. Chris and Tom give tips on how to get to know yourself, the evolution of the acceptance of therapy through the generations and the good, the bad and the ugly of social media.

This episode was presented by You Okay, Doc? Patron, Former England Rugby 7's Captain and Silver medalist Olympian Tom Mitchell.

Please Download Rate, Subscribe and Share with your friends!