Join us for the last episode of series six and a joyful exploration of the importance and reality of person centred care. For five years Tommy Whitelaw was a full-time carer for his late mother Joan who had Vascular Dementia. In 2011 he undertook a walk around Scotland’s towns and cities to collect hundreds of life stories and letters detailing the…

While the latest Disney installment in the Star Wars franchise is causing quite the stir with some fans, there are still a handful of nerdy stories across the multimedia that are getting well received, including Apple TV's Dark Matter, the Vampire Dormitory anime, and more. NERDY NEWS: Awakening Horde: Shieldwall Academy Book 1(LitRPG) A Quiet Plac…

Dwarvian warrior princess Madelyn and her band if unlikely misfit companions work together upon finally facing the evil sorcerer, Lord Zenrauch. However, the threat to the world is not exactly what was expected. SHOW NOTES: the Gates of Yoffa the Fae Conspiracy Support the Show.By Stories For Nerds

Pain in the eye? It is a red-flag all healthcare professionals are trained to be aware of. But when spotted, who deals with it? We are joined by Specialist Head and Neck Pharmacist Ann Marie Goacher. Ann Marie describes her journey from a local community pharmacist in Ireland to being the lead pharmacist for the head and neck directorate at Univers…

It's the 800 pound gorilla of the industry and it's shifted the way we've digested books for nearly 30 years! While no one can deny Amazon's ginormous influence across retail--especially in the realm of reading--has the world's largest online retailer proven beneficial to readers or detrimental? SHOW NOTES: A Knack for Being A Hero Star Wars: Acoly…

Do Doctors know best? How do you explain the risks and benefits of a medicine when you yourself don’t really know? We chat to Maricarmen Climént, Research and Editorial Officer at Sense about Science about risk communication and how we best help patients to make better choices in the face of uncertainty? Maricarmen has a diverse background in scien…

Maddy must rise to the occasion when her party must band together in order to thwart off an unexpected threat. As she and the others fight tooth and nail, however, the dwarvian warrior princess grows suspicion regarding one of her would-be companions. SHOW NOTES World of Wreckage: Torth Book 3 Hell Blade 2: Senua's Saga Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Abby…

We chat to Physiotherapist and Consultant Practitioner, Esther Clift about her pioneering role in the management of frailty. A varied career, where a passion for working with older people was ignited in Southampton, where she undertook an MSc in Gerontology. She currently leads an Acute Frailty Service on the Isle of Wight. What is frailty and how …

With Raphyel having gone under a medical procedure, the team keeps the EpiXode light with a great nerdy chat discussion. Abby is prepping for the third book launch in her Torth series while Scott gets recognized for his inclusion in an anthology filled with some good company. SHOW NOTES A Hero of A Different Stripe Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes…

When an evil sorcerer casts an eternal Winter over the realm, a young dwarvian warrior princess named Madelyn must journey to the ends of the world to bring an end to the dark lord's curse. Accompanied by a rather unorthodox party that consists of an elven mage, human priest, a dark elf ranger, and a friendly orc, can Maddy and the others set aside…

Did you know that according to the OECD, a fifth of healthcare costs adds no value to patient care? This, along with the drive for shared decision making is the drive behind Scotland’s ‘Realistic Medicine’ campaign. We chat to Dr Catherine Labinjoh, Consultant Cardiologist and National Clinical Advisor to the Realistic Medicine programme about the …

The past few weeks have offered a plethora of nerd multimedia for the gang, and this nerdy chat covers all of it. X-Men '97, Netflix's Three Body Problem, Capcom's Dragon's Dogma 2, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Star Wars: the Bad Batch, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Constellation, and there's bound to be even more. So get comfy, because we got a l…

It takes a special sort of person to work in paediatric care. We chat to Alison Tennant, Chief Pharmacist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust about the risks and rewards of working with children and their medicines. Parents going home with bags of bottles, the difficulties of shared decision making and instead of DNA we have DNB - Did no…

It's nearly been 900 days since the Siege of Leningrad began, but the city's liberation is at hand thanks to Vitali's modified armed tank. He'll have to collaborate with the uptight acting Commander Dubov's lackies, however, and there's no telling if they'll be willing to play nice with his secret project. Will Vitelli be able to find common ground…

This is an interview with Rox Madeira (she/her) a herbalist based in Scotland. In this episode we explore all her community herbalism work, including solidarity medicine making with refugees, the community learning apothecary and many other projects! Links & resources from this episode Rox’s website Movement in Thyme The Sage’s Cabin Podcast Films …

How do you influence the prescribing habits of an entire country? This is the task of NHS England’s National Clinical Director of Prescribing Professor Tony Avery. We chat to Tony about this new, groundbreaking leadership role and techniques used to influence and improve prescribing practice across a whole nation. In addition to this role Tony is a…

The gang has a bunch of nerdy multimedia to entertain them as things warm up for the Spring Season. Raph and Scott both offer insight and dynamic perspectives on Netflix's Live Adaptation of Nickelodeon's beloved Avatar: the Last Airbender series. Erik set sail on his annual Star Trek crews and got to rub elbows with a multitude of Trekkie icons. A…

In this episode, Nicole (she/her) talks all about the new Herbalism and State Violence book! She shares about the different sections and content of the book, where to buy it and more. The book blurb: State violence is a brutal reality for vast numbers of people. It is an experience that is racialised, classed and gendered in its design and applicat…

This is an interview with Rasheeqa Ahmad (she/her) a herbalist based in Walthamstow, east London. In this episode we explore what community herbalism can mean in practice, drawing on Rasheeqa’s decade of organising as a herbalist in her local area. We learn about the Community Apothecary project, as well as other current and previous herbal project…

A lively chat as we are joined by sexual health pharmacist Sally Kneath. Sally busts the myths that often surround people living with HIV and details how it is managed today - perhaps not how you would imagine. We reflect on the impact of the stigma caused by the 80’s ‘Don’t die of ignorance’ campaigns that still exists today and how we need to mov…

World War 2 Ukranian military engineer Vitali is making the closest thing to a mech suit. While simple in design, it could very well turn the tide of the war for his country during one of its most dire hours. He'll have to face a different sort of battle before he even gets an opportunity to see his mocked-up T-34 tank taken to the frontlines, howe…

This episode is an interview with Layla K. Feghali (she/her), an ethnobotanist and cultural worker living between Lebanon and California. We talk about the current iteration of genocide in Gaza, and the need for resistance, rage and action. Layla shares her experiences within herbalism and how folks can support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions…

We are joined by Professor Bapu Jena. Physician, economist, author of ‘Random Acts of Medicine’ and host of the superb ‘Freakonomics MD’ podcast, we explore with Bapu the concept of ‘natural experimentation’. How might a marathon be bad for your health? Why might you be safer not seeing a cardiologist after a heart attack? What is the impact of str…

This Nerdy Chat discussion faces an extremely thin line, given the key different-yet-inevitable-correlation between stories that are designed to help audiences take a break from reality in the form of escapism as opposed to those that have an underlying message concerning society. Show Notes the Recycler's Paradise: Dust of the Gods Suicide Squad: …

For our first episode of series 6 we are delighted to be joined by former BBC reporter Rory Cellen-Jones. As well as a successful career in journalism, Rory is also part of “Movers and Shakers’ - the hit podcast about life with Parkinsons. Rory was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2019 and has spent recent years investigating the role technology can pl…

The situation is all but dire in 1940s Europe, and Ukranian soldier Vitali has a front row seat to one of mankind's most historical conflicts, World War 2. After losing his commander and being reprehended by the bureaucratic higher ups, Vitali has had it up to here with this terrible war. All he wants to do is be left in peace so he can work mockup…

Content warning – prison, racism, suicide, self-harm, medical neglect, chronic illness, trauma This is part four of a workshop that explores herbalism, incarceration and abolition. This particular section introduces abolition (very briefly!) as well as the roles of herbalists in abolitionist movements. About the workshop: This workshop explores the…

Content warning – prison, racism, suicide, self-harm, medical neglect, chronic illness, trauma This is part four of a workshop that explores herbalism, incarceration and abolition. This particular section introduces healing from prison and herbal support for trauma. About the workshop: This workshop explores the role of herbalism in supporting pris…

Content warning – prison, racism, suicide, self-harm, medical neglect, chronic illness, trauma This is part three of a workshop that explores herbalism, incarceration and abolition. This particular section introduces practicing herbalism in prison based on Nicole’s (she/her) experiences inside with testimonies from people inside that have worked wi…

Content warning - prison, racism, suicide, self-harm, medical neglect, chronic illness, trauma This is part two of a workshop that explores herbalism, incarceration and abolition. This particular section introduces the health impacts of incarceration, looking at medical neglect in prison, as well as what makes incarceration so traumatic. About the …

Content warning - prison, racism, suicide, self-harm, medical neglect, chronic illness, trauma This is part one of a workshop that explores herbalism, incarceration and abolition. This particular section introduces incarceration and the prison industrial complex, with a focus on the so-called UK and US. About the workshop: This workshop explores th…

The crew returns for its 9th, and final, season of the SFN Podcast :(. The farewell tour starts with the crew catching up on all of the nerdy activities, starting with Abby's release to the second installment in the Torth series, Colossus Rising. The gang had TONS of nerdy items to cover, including: Foundation: Season 2 "All the Skills" by Honour R…

In this episode, Nicole (she/her) shares the 2023 Solidarity Apothecary Review and plans for 2024! The episode signposts to all sorts of resources from free workshops, to upcoming courses, podcast episodes, crowdfunders and more. Content warning – some references to prison, suicide, border violence, pregnancy Links & resources from this episode 202…

The 2023 Holiday Season is among us, and that means it's time for the SFN Crew to wrap this year up with one final EpiXode before they go on their Holiday Break. The authors leave with some exciting news with personal project updates, and the entire squad offers a plethora of nerdy items to keep you busy until the next meetup. Abby was a guest on t…

Pull up a chair and join the Three Apothecaries around the fire for our end-of-year chat with friends and colleagues Clare Howard and Jonathan Underhill to discuss another dramatic year.What will 2023 be remembered for? Was it the Year of Community Pharmacy or of Artificial Intelligence? Who would win in a fight – ChatGPT or a clinical pharmacist? …

While he's agreed to help the Department of Antiquities, Magical Creatures, and Arcane Technologies apprehend the werewolf USDA Inspector Arseneau in exchange for a plot of land to call his own, Alejandro still has mixed thoughts about involving himself with such an ordeal that involves far more attention and effort than he's ever asked. Regardless…

After learning that Abby's own Torth series was placed in this category, the SFN gang share their thoughts on this "nuance" grimdark genre and how it either differs or shares similarities to stories with a tragic tale. They also, of course, offer an arsenal of nerdy recommendations leading up to the meaty topic. SHOW NOTES BOOK A Cat & His Human Mi…

Content warning - explicit references to state violence, murder, torture, raids, imprisonment This episode is an interview with Boris (he/him) from Anarchist Black Cross Belarus (ABC) about life under dictatorship, solidarity and resistance. We talk about what the reality of dictatorship means and how even under dictatorship, collective solidarity …

With the Department of Antiquities, Magical Creatures, and Arcane Technologies breathing down his neck, the chupacabra named Alejandro is up to his wits due to all of the unwanted attention. Can he convince the mysterious Inspector Argentos that he wasn't involved in this sudden outbreak, or is there more to this case than he didn't expect? SHOW NO…

In this episode, Nicole (she/her) shares five reasons to join the Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress course which is closing for enrolment on Thursday 2nd November 10pm BST! She shares more about the course, why it matters and why it can be transformational for folks working through it. Links & resources from this episode Herbalism, PTSD and Trau…

In this episode, Nicole (she/her) talks about herbal support for panic attacks. We explore what is a panic attack and why they happen, how to reduce activation in the sympathetic nervous system and how plant medicines can support this. We look at herbs that can be taken acutely during a panic attack, as well as those that can help prevent panic att…

In this episode, Nicole (she/her) introduces nervines - herbs with an affinity for the nervous system. We explore the differences between five kinds of nervines - Relaxant nervines, Hypnotic nervines, Nerve Tonics, Cardiac nervines and Stimulating nervines. Learn what these herbal actions mean and why they are so important to herbalists and anyone …

This episode is an interview with Cyree Jarelle Johnson (he/him) from the organisation Sins Invalid that is a disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralising artists of colour and LGBTQ / gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalised. Cyree also descr…

This episode is an interview with Diffwys Criafol (she/her) a former anarchist organiser, mother and writer who is writing in order to process class-related trauma and how our social movements are so anthemic to working class people. In this episode we discuss narratives around class, how they can flatten people’s experiences, concepts such as the …

Episode 46 of the Frontline Herbalism Podcast is an interview with Dr. Ghassan Hamdan of Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS). PMRS is a grassroots NGO that's provided a much needed response to the medical crises caused by the occupation. PMRS' workers, like other Palestinian medical workers, are constantly targeted by the occupation forces. O…

All hands are on deck during this ghoulish time of the year, with Abby, Scott, Erik, and Raphyel diving into all of the latest nerdy entertainment currently available during the Fall Season. Abby has two book reviews, including a popular read from Royal Road, while Erik, Scott, and Raphyel all have an arsenal of anime recommendations among other ne…

Alejandro Gutierrez doesn't really long for much when it comes to striving for the American dream. For him, it's just a simple job, a tiny farm to call his own, and access to all the goat's blood he can get his hands on. Is that too much to ask for a chupacabra? SHOW NOTES BOOK Witches Sorrow: A Witch Urban Fantasy OTHER NEWS Spy X Family: Season 2…

This super brief episode is just to announce that the Herbalism, PTSD & Traumatic Stress course is open for enrolment!!! Links & resources from this episode Herbalism, PTSD & Traumatic Stress Course Previous podcast episode all about the course (episode 14) Find them all at solidarityapothecary.org/podcast/ Support the show Music from Sole & DJ Pai…

This episode is an interview with Amani (she/her) all about trauma and chronic illness. We talk about her experiences with chronic illness, connections to childhood trauma, medical neglect and the effects of repeated hospitalisations. We talk about medical gaslighting, prejudice around chronic illness and what meaningful support and solidarity can …

This episode is an interview with Aiyana Goodfellow (he/she/they) about age trauma, youth oppression and youth liberation. Aiyana is an abolitionist, writer, liberator and delinquent. We discuss their new book - INNOCENCE & CORRUPTION: An abolitionist understanding of youth oppression. We explore how children are some of the most at risk, coerced, …