The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments

In this fascinating episode, Naomi and David talk with Leon Towers who shares his extraordinary journey from a challenging childhood in foster care to becoming a multifaceted professional, including roles as  a performer, dog behaviourist, and advocate. His story highlights resilience, forgiveness, and finding purpose in helping others, all while navigating complex personal struggles.

Main Topics Covered:

Leon’s early life in foster care and the childhood adversities that shaped him

The impact of childhood trauma on trust, vulnerability, and social relationships

How therapy, self-awareness, and forgiveness foster healing and growth

The significance of purpose: from dreaming of TV stardom to helping people and animals

Transitioning careers: from boy band vocals to dog hydrotherapist and behaviouralist

The lessons dogs teach about human emotion, trauma, and forgiveness

The importance of freedom, boundaries, and letting go of toxic relationships

Insights into resilience, resourcefulness, and making meaningful change

The role of spirituality, kindness, and love in mental and emotional wellbeing

Practical advice for those feeling trapped by their past to find hope and change

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Leon’s background in overcoming adversity
01:06 - Childhood in care: stigma and early influences
02:04 - How media influenced perceptions of childhood adversity
03:03 - Impact on friendships and social environment
04:31 - Childhood labels and their emotional weight
05:22 - Lessons from difficult childhood: trust and vulnerability
05:52 - How childhood experiences shape adult trust and suspicion
07:19 - Vulnerability and naive trust: the risks of openness
08:47 - Managing social perceptions and approaches to trust
09:46 - Dealing with rejection and misunderstanding in social settings
10:25 - Healing through rehab and EMDR therapy
11:23 - Rediscovering kindness and emotional expression
12:50 - Life transitions: from music and entertainment to dog therapy
13:09 - Personal spiritual visions and purpose at age 8
14:38 - Childhood resourcefulness: using imagination as a survival tool
16:37 - The accidental journey into dog hydrotherapy
18:07 - Learning and qualifications in dog behaviour
19:59 - Working with challenging dogs and trust issues
21:22 - Making sense of seemingly unrelated career paths
22:36 - The impact of negative foster experiences and finding a voice
23:34 - Childhood silence and the significance of expression
24:33 - Imaginary escapes and how fantasy helped survive trauma
26:01 - Forgiveness and emotional detachment as pathways to freedom
27:28 - Resourcefulness: focusing on hope and survival
28:51 - Letting go of hate and embracing emotional resilience
29:19 - Instinctive kindness and natural forgiveness
30:19 - The importance of freedom in healing and life choices
32:18 - Parallels between human and dog behaviour in trauma response
34:13 - Lessons from dogs about emotional health and human behaviour
35:12 - Reinventing careers: courage and inevitable fear
36:02 - Moving beyond toxicity and the importance of self-belief
37:56 - The cyclic nature of life journeys and purpose
39:22 - Defining a purposeful life: helping others and spiritual growth
40:20 - Following love's guiding principle in decision-making
41:04 - Advice for those feeling trapped by their history
42:01 - How change begins within: inner transformation as key
43:24 - Personal stories of survival and resourcefulness
44:50 - Words to younger self: focus on identity, self-belief, and authenticity
46:09 - Reflections on growth, change, and staying true to oneself
47:07 - Closing notes and gratitude

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-towers-6899791ba/

https://thepowerofdog.com/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fix-Your-Three-Easy-Steps/dp/1788405005

Discover how strength training can revolutionize health, aging, and self-confidence through evidence-based insights from Dr Lynette Ewart. This episode explores the intersection of medicine, coaching, and the psychological power of physical resilience.
In this episode, we discuss:

Lynette's journey from NHS GP to strength coach and health advocate

How strength training can serve as a cornerstone of preventive healthcare

The psychological transformation that comes with building physical strength

The barriers that prevent people from adopting healthier habits

Myths around weight, health, and beauty standards online

The importance of function, capacity, and resilience over appearance

The impact of social media on health perceptions and misinformation

The differences in fitness culture across genders and generations

How to rebuild trust in one’s body after injury or trauma

Strategies for shifting from coping to thriving in health and life

Lynette’s upcoming book on strength as a central pillar of health

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Lynette Ewart and her mission
01:14 - Transition from GP to strength coaching
02:38 - The magic of weightlifting in health
04:13 - Medicine vs coaching: understanding behavior change
05:57 - Challenges faced by GPs in motivating patients
07:35 - Realities of system constraints on doctors
08:57 - The mental health of healthcare professionals
10:36 - How social media influences health perceptions
12:19 - The risk of early GP retirement and workforce shifts
13:54 - The influence of online coaching and misinformation
16:16 - Myths about weight and fitness
18:22 - The psychological effects of feeling physically strong
22:41 - Overcoming body shame through strength
24:55 - The importance of functional fitness in aging
26:26 - Rebuilding trust in your body after injury
30:35 - Self-compassion and managing self-critical voices
34:43 - Moving from punishment to restorative activity
37:12 - Gender and generational differences in fitness culture
39:00 - Shift from appearance to function in health
43:50 - The evolving goals around health and confidence
44:23 - The psychology of stepping into a new identity
50:12 - Moving from coping to thriving in life
52:12 - Lynette’s upcoming book on strength and health
54:24 - Final thoughts and meeting in October

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-prescription-strength-podcast/id1762298788

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555348196566&locale=en_GB

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lynette-ewart-23323b80/

In an unusual move for us we are re releasing this podcast. The reasons are clear if you read on, Please circulate to all friends and contacts.

Jeffrey Lee remains alive and on death row at Holman Correctional Facility, Alabama, as of 30th June 2026.. Here is the latest update from his legal team received yesterday.

“On the evening of June 11, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a reported 6–3 vote, denied Alabama's emergency request to lift the injunction and block its planned nitrogen-gas execution of Mr. Lee, with Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch noting their dissent.

The denial upheld lower-court rulings that found the nitrogen protocol violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, effectively sparing Mr. Lee from that specific method.

On June 12, the day after the stay, Attorney General Steve Marshall's office filed in the Alabama Supreme Court a new motion seeking another execution date for Mr. Lee, this time by lethal injection rather than the firing squad he had proposed.

In that filing, state lawyers argued the Department of Corrections "has not been barred from executing Lee, only from executing him by nitrogen hypoxia."

The next procedural step is for Mr. Lee's attorneys to respond to the request at the Alabama Supreme Court, which must authorize any new death warrant.

As of late June, the execution has not been rescheduled, and Mr. Lee remains on death row at Holman Correctional Facility while his clemency request based on the now-abolished judicial override stays pending before Governor Kay Ivey.”

 

Click the links here to sign the petition and phone the state Governor

Life for Jeffery Lee — Learn more about Jeffrey Lee’s story and how to help

https://www.lifeforjefferylee.com/action   PETITION

 

Here is some additional background. It is a difficult read;

The US Supreme Court denied Alabama’s request to execute a man using nitrogen gas late Thursday after two lower court rulings blocked the method and found it violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The state had filed for an emergency order just hours ahead of the execution of Jeffery Lee, 49, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday local time.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch noted their dissent and would have granted the state’s request to overturn the lower courts.

Lee, who was convicted of murdering two people in a 1998 pawnshop robbery, is effectively spared from being put to death via nitrogen, but the state can still try other methods, and it’s unclear how quickly it would seek viable alternatives.

“Tonight’s ruling is a miscarriage of justice, not for us, but for Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson, who Jeffery Lee brutally and senselessly murdered,” Attorney General Steve Marshall said. “I want their families to know that we will never stop seeking justice for Jimmy and Elaine.”

Jeffery Lee.Alabama Dept. of Corrections

Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement that the state can still reschedule Lee’s execution.

“While I am disappointed the Supreme Court did not allow the state to proceed with Lee’s chosen method of execution, I remain committed to ensuring that justice is ultimately served for his victims,” Ivey said, noting that Lee elected nitrogen over lethal injection in 2018, years before the state had developed a nitrogen protocol.

Last year, Lee filed a legal challenge to the nitrogen protocol, and instead asked to die by firing squad, a method not legal in Alabama.

Whether or not the state could execute Lee, who has been on death row for more than 25 years, by nitrogen gas was the question at the heart of his litigation that came to a head this week.

On Monday, a federal district judge in Alabama initially found the method was constitutional. Lee’s legal team appealed, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the opinion, saying nitrogen executions most likely violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, and ordered the district court to rule on the feasibility of a firing squad execution.

When both the district and appeals courts ruled in favor of Lee, the state filed an application for an emergency order to the Supreme Court.

The high court has upheld other methods of execution throughout the country, including lethal injection, electrocution and firing squad, but nitrogen gas has been the subject of intense litigation since Alabama became the first state to begin using it in early 2024.

The method of nitrogen hypoxia requires prisoners to breathe in the gas through an industrial-grade mask while they are strapped to a gurney and deprived of oxygen. In its filing to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the state said the method “rapidly causes death,” describing the process as “humane, painless, effective, and reliable.”

Death penalty opponents, however, have criticized it as torturous. The American Thoracic Society also filed a brief in opposition to the state, saying “nitrogen hypoxia executions cause intense, inhumane suffering.”

Witnesses have described the condemned person shaking on the gurney, struggling against restraints and gasping for air. According to media witnesses, it took 30 minutes for Anthony Boyd, who was convicted of helping burn a man alive in 1993, to be declared dead during the last nitrogen execution in October.

The Supreme Court declined to intervene in that case. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a nine-page dissent, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, saying “firsthand accounts from those executions reveal that nitrogen hypoxia is not at all what it was promised to be.”

“Boyd asks for the barest form of mercy: to die by firing squad, which would kill him in seconds, rather than by a torturous suffocation lasting up to four minutes,” Sotomayor said. “The Constitution would grant him that grace. My colleagues do not. This Court thus turns its back on Boyd and on the Eighth Amendment’s guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment.”

Alabama has executed seven prisoners using nitrogen, while Louisiana has executed one. Alabama’s primary method of execution remains lethal injection, which it last carried out in April 2025, but sourcing the drugs has been difficult in the last several years.

The Rev. Jeff Hood, the spiritual adviser for two of the men who were executed in Alabama with nitrogen gas, reacted to the Supreme Court’s denial Thursday.

“This is the beginning of the end of the most horrific execution method this country has ever devised,” he said.

summary In this episode which is a bit outside of our usual conversations, we meet  Max Schurer who shares his multifaceted relationship with comedy, exploring what makes things funny, the purpose of comedy, and its impact on society and individual well-being. We look at the art of stand-up, societal boundaries, and how comedy can both divide and unite.

keywords comedy, stand-up, societal boundaries, humour, mental health, cultural boundaries, comedy festivals, audience engagement

key topics

What makes people laugh and the subjectivity of humour

The purpose of comedy beyond entertainment

The role of comedy in reflecting and challenging society

Different genres of comedy including stand-up and TV comedy

The relationship between comedy and mental health

Cultural boundaries and societal norms in comedy

The craft of performing and the importance of audience reading

Using comedy for societal healing and community engagement

Sound Bites

"What makes one person laugh can insult another"

"Comedy can challenge society and hold a mirror up"

"Laughter releases chemicals that are good for you"

Chapters approximate

0:00Introduction to Max Schurer's Background

01:00Max's Relationship with Comedy

02:36What Makes People Find Things Funny?

04:54The Purpose of Comedy

06:38Genres and Forms of Comedy

07:07Timelessness of Certain Jokes

09:05Repeating Comedy Acts and Audience Loyalty

10:28Visual Comedy and Persona (Tommy Cooper)

10:57Defining 'Good' Comedy and Cultural Boundaries

12:02Different Forms of Comedy: Stand-up, TV, and Sketches

15:26Comedy's Role in Well-being and Happiness

17:03Offense, Boundaries, and Audience Reactions

19:21Comedy and Audience Expectations

20:56Performance Variability and Audience Reception

23:42The Challenges of Being a Comedian

25:37Mental Health and Comedy

33:14Power Dynamics in Comedy

35:35The Challenge of Being Funny on Demand

38:40Authenticity and Boundaries in Comedy

41:52Societal Boundaries and Evolving Norms

45:39Comedy as a Reflection and a Tool for Society

51:40Max's Work in Promoting Comedy and Well-being

Simon Scott 2 (Video); The Hidden Emotional Toll on Families of Long-Sentenced Prisoners

This episode examines the often-overlooked emotional and social consequences faced by families of prisoners serving lengthy or life sentences. David Jones and Naomi Murphy talk with Simon Scott, a researcher with lived experience, about his groundbreaking PhD study on the ripple effects of incarceration on loved ones and society.

Main Topics:

The emotional burden and "dark sentences" borne by families of long-term prisoners

Challenges and systemic absurdities within probation and criminal justice support systems

The societal stigma, moral contamination, and moral judgments attached to familial ties with convicted individuals

The concept of a "dark sentence" and its relational impact

Recommendations for recognizing families' roles and improving systemic support structures

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Simon Scott’s background and research focus
02:46 - Exploring why family impact of long sentences is vital to understand
04:28 - Methodology: research with family members of prisoners
06:00 - The importance of closeness and confidentiality in research
08:33 - The theme of family as emotional "punch bag" and displacement
11:09 - Family members’ roles in absorbing emotional blows
13:24 - Use of phenomenological language like "Kafkaesque" to describe systemic absurdities
14:11 - Real-life examples of systemic absurdities impacting families
16:06 - The political and systemic obstacles to compassionate policies
17:13 - Society’s difficulty in understanding and supporting families of prisoners
18:49 - The systemic assumption that more conditions equate to safety
20:20 - The absurdity in supporting evidence requests and policy inconsistencies
21:22 - Emotional distress, grief, and stigma experienced by families
23:03 - Coping mechanisms: silence, peer groups, and advocacy
24:49 - The social and relational "dark sentences" that extend beyond incarceration
27:16 - The concept of "dark sentences" and their emotional weight
30:07 - The relationship between families and probation services
32:56 - The societal tendency to stigmatize and judge loved ones of offenders
34:42 - The moral contamination of families associated with serious crimes
36:19 - Media influence on public attitudes and policy priorities
37:38 - What needs to change: recognition and systemic support for families
39:12 - Practical suggestions for offering support without systemic fear of repercussions
41:02 - Community-led and peer support networks as vital resources
42:07 - Personal reflections from Simon on the emotional toll of research
44:57 - Final thoughts on change and systemic reform
47:13 - Closing remarks and appreciation for sharing this challenging and vital research

Resources & Links:

Partners of Prisoners (POPs)

Probation Services – Official UK Gov Site

This episode examines the often-overlooked emotional and social consequences faced by families of prisoners serving lengthy or life sentences. David Jones and Naomi Murphy talk with Simon Scott, a researcher with lived experience, about his groundbreaking PhD study on the ripple effects of incarceration on loved ones and society.

Main Topics:

The emotional burden and "dark sentences" borne by families of long-term prisoners

Challenges and systemic absurdities within probation and criminal justice support systems

The societal stigma, moral contamination, and moral judgments attached to familial ties with convicted individuals

The concept of a "dark sentence" and its relational impact

Recommendations for recognizing families' roles and improving systemic support structures

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Simon Scott’s background and research focus
02:46 - Exploring why family impact of long sentences is vital to understand
04:28 - Methodology: research with family members of prisoners
06:00 - The importance of closeness and confidentiality in research
08:33 - The theme of family as emotional "punch bag" and displacement
11:09 - Family members’ roles in absorbing emotional blows
13:24 - Use of phenomenological language like "Kafkaesque" to describe systemic absurdities
14:11 - Real-life examples of systemic absurdities impacting families
16:06 - The political and systemic obstacles to compassionate policies
17:13 - Society’s difficulty in understanding and supporting families of prisoners
18:49 - The systemic assumption that more conditions equate to safety
20:20 - The absurdity in supporting evidence requests and policy inconsistencies
21:22 - Emotional distress, grief, and stigma experienced by families
23:03 - Coping mechanisms: silence, peer groups, and advocacy
24:49 - The social and relational "dark sentences" that extend beyond incarceration
27:16 - The concept of "dark sentences" and their emotional weight
30:07 - The relationship between families and probation services
32:56 - The societal tendency to stigmatize and judge loved ones of offenders
34:42 - The moral contamination of families associated with serious crimes
36:19 - Media influence on public attitudes and policy priorities
37:38 - What needs to change: recognition and systemic support for families
39:12 - Practical suggestions for offering support without systemic fear of repercussions
41:02 - Community-led and peer support networks as vital resources
42:07 - Personal reflections from Simon on the emotional toll of research
44:57 - Final thoughts on change and systemic reform
47:13 - Closing remarks and appreciation for sharing this challenging and vital research

Resources & Links:

Partners of Prisoners (POPs)

Probation Services – Official UK Gov Site