In this, our second episode of Team Talk, Milestone founder, Chris Paget and clinical psychologist and Milestone trustee, Dr Ilan Ben-Zion chat with with Tom Poynton, the former Derbyshire wicketkeeper about his experiences of dealing with tragedy and grief following the death of his Dad, Keith, in a car accident in which Tom was a passenger.

Tom’s story is incredibly harrowing but also incredibly inspiring. Not only did the accident take his Dad’s life but the injuries that Tom suffered would also force him into early retirement from the game that he loved. At times it’s a pretty raw and emotional conversation but also an uplifting one. Uplifting in the sense that Tom’s story is one of self discovery, growth and emotional connection through the most tragic of situations.

We chat about the accident, the impact of it, how he coped (and continues to cope) with grief (including the challenges of trying to do so while not only fighting for his career but also having it played out in the media). We discuss the impact of having a win at all costs mentality, the need for balance in life and the importance of empathy and kindness in how we deal with ourselves and others.

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The Team Talk podcast is just one of the many initiatives and pieces of content by Milestone, a mental health charity which uses the power of sport to help normalise the conversation around mental health, to remove the stigmas that still exist in today’s society and to act as a catalyst for others to engage with and tackle whatever it is that they are facing in the knowledge that they are not alone.

To find out more about Milestone and all of the stuff that we have got going on give us a follow on Instagram @milestone.uk, Twitter @milestone_uk or through our website www.teammilestone.co.uk. Come and join the team!