From Punk to Breathwork: A Creative Journey (Podcast Interview)
At the end of 2025, I was invited by Henry McGrath to take part in a film he was directing. Stepping onto set and finding myself on the other side of the camera was both fascinating and unexpectedly grounding.
It was there that I met Daniel Mandel, who was in the UK producing documentaries and podcasts for his YouTube channel. The film involved expressing ideas largely non-verbally, including a dream sequence — and I quickly realised how much my Tai Chi and Qi Gong training supported the process. Years of embodied practice, subtle movement, and presence translated directly into performance.
It was a powerful reminder that creative skills compound. Nothing is wasted.
Between takes, we spent hours talking — about art, music, life, creativity — and sharing stories. I handed out my card to a few people that day, not thinking much of it. A couple of weeks later, Daniel emailed to invite me onto his Creative Engagement podcast.
In the interview, we explore my creative journey:
Forming punk bands at school and art college
Working as a graphic designer and building my own business
Integrating video and music into my professional work
Training and qualifying in breathwork and Qi Gong
And discovering a new way of expressing creativity through movement, breath and presence
What began with loud guitars and DIY energy has evolved into something more embodied and expansive. Today, creativity shows up in my breathwork sessions, Qi Gong practice, music production, and teaching.
The tools have changed. The thread hasn’t.
I’ll share the film footage when it’s released — and you can listen to the podcast interview here: [link]
It feels profound to meet someone like my guest Andy Squiff. Andy describes himself as a creative and I am so impressed how Andy’s stories put engagement and passion and curiosity front and center. Andy’s enthusiasm and energy were apparent when I met him on a recent trip to the UK and the Forest of Dean. Andy is also very honest about looking back and understanding his path to exploring and leading breath work and energy movement groups. It’s always exciting to meet a kindred spirit who appreciates the mystery and awe of exploring creativity.