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Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, suicidal thoughts, miscarriage, infertility, mental health struggles and substance misuse.

Endometriosis is often dismissed as simply having a painful period. But for those living with the condition, the reality can be far more complicated and devastating.

In this episode of White Fox Talking, we're joined by Sam Davies and Vicky Taylor, two women from Leeds who share their experiences of living with endometriosis, the years spent fighting for a diagnosis, and the physical and emotional toll it has taken on their lives.

Sam spent around 14 years searching for answers, while Vicky's journey lasted more than 25 years. Both experienced severe pain, debilitating symptoms and the frustration of repeatedly being told that what they were experiencing was normal, stress-related or simply in their heads.

We explore what endometriosis actually is, why it can take so long to diagnose, and how the condition affects far more than just the reproductive system. From chronic pain and fatigue to bowel complications, infertility and miscarriage, Sam and Vicky share the realities that are too often overlooked.

But this conversation goes much deeper than physical symptoms.

We discuss the mental health impact of living with a condition that isn't always understood or taken seriously. The isolation, depression, suicidal thoughts and emotional exhaustion that can come from years of being dismissed, alongside the difficult decisions surrounding medication, hormonal treatments and surgery.

We also hear about the lack of specialist support, lengthy NHS waiting lists and the challenges of navigating a healthcare system that both women feel has repeatedly let them down.

Despite everything they've experienced, Sam and Vicky are determined to make a difference. Through their patient-led support community and campaigning work in West Yorkshire, they're helping others find information, support and, perhaps most importantly, the confidence to speak up and be heard.

This is an open, honest and at times difficult conversation about endometriosis, mental health, medical dismissal and the importance of community.

Whether you're living with endometriosis, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand more, this is a conversation worth hearing.

If this episode resonates with you, please share it. Raising awareness and starting conversations can make a real difference.

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Ayahuasca gets talked about like a quick fix, but the reality is messier, harder, and a lot more interesting. We sit down in the studio with psychologist and researcher Dave Gallagher to dig into what plant medicine retreats in Peru and Colombia actually look like when the goal is trauma healing, not a “trip.” Building on the conversation around childhood trauma and lived experience, we explore why veterans with PTSD and athletes from combat sports often share the same hidden wound, and why identity can unravel when the structure of service or competition disappears.

Dave walks us through the science that’s finally catching up: psychedelic research history, brain imaging, and what the default mode network can tell us about the “autobiography of self.” We talk about integration as the real work, including a practical rule that can save people from impulsive decisions after a powerful ceremony: wait 30 days before you blow up your life. We also get honest about the risks, from re-living trauma to the need for real screening, real support, and a safe set and setting, especially for anyone on SSRIs or with a predisposition to psychosis.

We also go behind the scenes on what researchers measure on these programs, from depression and quality-of-life scores to EEG, cognitive testing, inflammation markers, epigenetics, and the gut microbiome. If you’re curious about psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD, complex trauma, concussion, or traumatic brain injury, this is a grounded conversation that takes both hope and harm seriously. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave us a review with your biggest question about psychedelics and healing.

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He went from being a kid carrying secrets no child should carry to a man trying to turn pain into purpose, and he doesn’t soften a single edge. We’re joined by Matthew Morton, known in the fight world as The Spider, a professional bare knuckle fighter who lays out the real timeline: childhood trauma, sexual abuse, crack and heroin addiction at 12, years of crime and chaos, and the moment it all finally started to shift.

We talk about ADHD traits, shame, and why people often punish symptoms while missing the cause. Matthew explains how structure and discipline became his lifeline after overdose and withdrawal, and how fighting gave him a legal place to burn off energy, stay focused, and prove to himself he wasn’t “too far gone.” Alongside him, our resident psychologist Dave Gallagher adds context on trauma, athlete mental health, and what happens when a combat sports career ends and identity starts to collapse.

Then we get into plant medicine with the detail most conversations skip. Matthew shares what an ayahuasca retreat in Colombia actually felt like, why set and setting matters, what purging and fear can bring up, and why psychedelic integration is where the work really begins. Dave breaks down the emerging science on psychedelics, neuroplasticity, and how field research and brain imaging can capture meaningful changes in wellbeing over time.

If you care about addiction recovery, PTSD healing, ADHD and substance use, combat sports mental health, or psychedelic therapy done responsibly, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway.

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