Insight Matters

Insight Matters

By Dil Wickremasinghe
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Insight Matters episodes

  • #10 | Launch of the Participating People Report

    This live recording of the Insight Matters podcast comes to
    you from Dublin’s Royal College of Physicians, for the launch of the
    Participating People report, which is a collaboration between The Wheel and Carnegie UK Trust.

    For this episode, we are focusing on active citizenship, and

    how citizens can proactively help to shape the society around them. To help
    with this, we have a phenomenal panel of guests who are going to share their
    story with you and no doubt by the end of this podcast you will be ready to
    start your own revolution!

    Fr. Peter McVerry
    Fr. McVerry is the founder of the Peter McVerry Trust, which has progressed from
    a three-bedroom flat in Ballymun to becoming one of the country’s largest
    organisations responding to the issue of homelessness. In 2018, the charity
    worked with over 5,800 people and was active in 14 local authorities across
    Ireland.

    Peter and Dil discuss how Peter started the Peter McVerry
    Trust, how it all started from taking in and helping a nine year-old, who was
    sleeping on the streets. Then, as one thing led to another—as more problems
    arose, and the trust began to help with them as they could—it grew into what it
    is now.

    Salome Mbugua

    Salome Mbugua is Head of Operations and Strategy with AkiDwA . In June 2018 Salome was appointed by the Tánaiste to chair the

    working group on Ireland’s Third National Action Plan on Women Peace and
    Security. Salome was also recently appointed to the Irish Human Rights and
    Equality Commission by President Michael D. Higgins.

    Salome and Dil discuss how Salome’s curiosity and feeling of
    isolation in Ireland, led her to seek out migrant women to learn what their
    experience living in Ireland was like, which then led to AkiDwA – a network for
    migrant women. Salome also discusses some of the challenges surrounding
    migrants in Ireland including racism, and inequality.

    Molly Mercier Redmond

    Molly is just 16 and is already involved with two

    organisations, which she discusses with Dil: Schools Climate Action Network
    – a network of teachers and students who are fighting for climate justice. SCAN
    has helped to organise protests and strikes for climate justice. Molly is also
    involved with Fridays For Future,
    for which she was recently at a conference in Switzerland, where representatives
    from all over Europe met to come up with European climate change demands. Molly
    is also a delegate for the Youth Assembly, started by RTE. The Youth Assembly
    will discuss proposals for Climate Change and present these to the Dáil.
    Delegates from the Assembly will also be on the Late Late Show.

    Stephen Teap

    Stephen Teap is a leading

    Cervical Check campaigner and the husband of the late Irene Teap. Stephen was
    instrumental in the launch of the 221 Plus
    Patient Support Group, which help victims directly affected by the Cervical
    Check screening failure, as well as their families. He is one of three patient
    representatives on the Cervical Check Steering Committee.

    Stephen and Dil discuss Stephen’s
    experience with his wife’s death from cervical cancer. He explains how tests
    were read incorrectly, and important information was withheld from his wife. He
    also discusses the lack of support for women with cervical cancer and the need
    he felt to do something about it.


    Dil and the panel discuss role

    models that have inspired them to be kind and proactive in their community, be
    it teachers, parents or other members of their community. Dil also asks each
    member of the panel how they can keep going in the face of the negativity we
    see today on the news and in everyday life; Molly explains why she doesn’t
    think Ireland will be able to successfully combat the climate crisis; Dil asks
    each member of the panel why they think more people don’t get actively involved
    with causes important to them; Dil also asks each member what advice they would
    have for people who want to be more proactive citizens but don’t know where to
    start. Dil also discusses the stage of our life where we begin to think about
    legacy, and what we will think of ourselves in relation to what we did for
    issues that were important to us – did we do anything about it?

    Finally, there is a Q & A between

    the panel, joined by Ivan Cooper – Director of Public Policy at The Wheel, and
    members of the audience, which includes questions about changing the system
    that is causing problems, as well as the issue of succession in organisations
    to keep the goal of these organisations on track.

    If you need to talk to someone, call us

    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.


    1 hr 19 min
  • #9 | Dublin Pride 2019

    On today’s podcast we are
    celebrating Dublin
    Pride 2019 and we’ll be joined by special guests, not to
    mention we’ve even got a fabulous live audience to say… HAPPY PRIDE!

    Every year globally the

    wonderful LGBTQI+ community comes together to celebrate Pride in a
    burst of rainbow flags, doc martins, glitter and yes feather boas!

    Joining us first is Clodagh Leonard, Chairperson of Dublin Pride and an enthusiastic human rights

    activist. We are also thrilled to be also joined by Grand Marshall of Dublin
    Pride 2019, Will St Ledger! Will is a Dublin based
    artist/activist – now known as an ARTIVIST – famous for his iconic and thought-provoking street art.

    In this part of the

    episode, Dil, Anne Marie, Clodagh and Will discuss Will’s first Pride in London
    and how Dublin Pride has evolved over the years. They discuss the theme for
    this year’s Pride: Rainbow Revolution, and the history that inspired it, as
    well the effort to make Pride as accessible as possible for everyone. They also
    discuss what can still be improved about Pride and about the work that ACT UP does to help bring an end to the HIV crisis. We also hear Clodagh and
    Will’s coming out stories!


    For the next section of

    the episode, we are joined by Noah Halpin, who founded and runs This Is Me: a grassroots campaign for improved healthcare for transgender and
    non-binary people in Ireland. We are also joined by Insight Matters very own psychotherapist
    and counsellor, Jim Hutton who has been working
    with the Trans community for many years.

    In this second part, Dil,

    Anne Marie, Noah and Jim discuss Noah’s experience with trans help in Ireland –
    how he was on the waiting list for HRT for 2 years, and how his referral letter
    for this was lost three times – which led to him creating This Is Me. They
    discuss the amazing work This Is Me has done, including protests and direct
    action, and how this led them to meeting with Simon Harris. They also discuss
    the barriers faced by trans people to get the help they need, problems with
    therapy for trans people, the value and benefit of group therapy, and the most
    important things a therapist needs to provide for a trans person:
    understanding, self-education and language.

    For the final part of the

    episode, we are joined by Grace McManus who is a newly elected
    Sinn Fein local counsellor in Bray. A proud gay woman, she helped establish
    Bray Refugee Solidarity. And we are also joined by Paula Fagan, CEO of LGBT Ireland – who has been working on LGBT rights for many
    years.

    In this final part, Dil,

    Anne Marie, Grace and Paula discuss what got Grace into politics and her
    experience with it so far, the legislative changes that still need to happen
    for the LGBTQI+ community, the current progress that is being made toward these
    changes, and where should young activists focus on. They also discuss
    homelessness in the LGBTQI+ community – often because young people are thrown
    out of their homes after they come out to their parents. We also hear stories
    from Paula, Dil and Anne Marie about their first Pride!

    If you need to

    talk to someone, call us now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected] for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with
    one of our senior therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking
    form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/) and we will contact you within 24
    hours.

    0 min
  • #8 | Sex Therapist Jo Ryder


    Today on The Insight Matters Podcast, we are super excited

    and thrilled to welcome Jo Ryder!


     


    Jo is a sex therapist, who works with individuals and

    couples who are straight, gay and all sexual preferences in between!


     


    In this episode, Dil, Anne Marie and Jo discuss what made Jo

    want to become a sex therapist, her experience with sex education in France and
    how this differed from sex education in Ireland, as well as common
    misconceptions about what sex therapy is.


     


    They also discuss the most common issues that present in sex

    therapy, the impact of Catholicism on sex education in Ireland, and what Jo’s therapeutic
    process is like, as well as the importance of sexual autonomy.


     


    Find out more about Jo, her approach and the services she

    offers at joryder.ie.


     


    If you need to talk to someone, call us

    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.


    43 min
  • #7 | Actor and Playwright Amy De Bhrún


    Today, we are actually speaking with a Hollywood star – we

    are very excited to have the extremely talented Amy De Bhrún!


     


    She has amazing achievements already in TV, Film and theatre

    and of course


    another talent she has blessed us with is her writing. This

    leads us onto her recent project and one that we are honoured to celebrate
    today “I See You” – which tells the incredible true story of Limerick-born Lady
    Mary Heath and has a particular focus on cycles of female oppression and
    trauma, which here at Insight Matters of course always interests us.


     


    In this episode, Dil, Anne Marie, and Amy discuss how Amy

    looks after her mental health, how Amy’s family have supported her in her
    career, the story behind Lady Mary Heath—challenges she faced, and struggles she
    endured—and what made Amy want to write about her, and the reaction that the
    show has received.


     


    “I See You” is on in Belltable Limerick on the 26th

    of April. For more information, go to www.ladybudproductions.com.


     


    If you need to talk to someone, call us

    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.


    37 min
  • #6 | The Transgender Community with Dermot Mc Carthy and Philippa Ryder

    Today, we want to give
    space to the issues that arise for our Transgender community. We have spoken
    before about Trans Rights, so today we want to focus on where we are at now in
    2019 and how we can move forward into 2020 to make a positive change.

    In today’s episode, Dil and
    Anne Marie are joined by Dermot McCarthy and the awe-inspiring Philippa Ryder.
    Dermot is a psychotherapist and part of the Insight Matters team. He works with
    people in the Transgender community, and is an activist and all round superstar
    in our eyes. Philippa – an LGBT activist and sports advocate – was previously
    the Chair of TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland), was an active
    participant in the Repeal campaign, and she also won a silver medal in last
    year’s Gay Games in Paris, at age 57!

    In this episode, Dil, Anne
    Marie, Dermot and Philippa discuss the Gay Games, the importance and mentality
    of exercise, the importance of being able to talk to a therapist as a trans
    person, as well as what works and what can be improved in regards to Ireland’s
    transgender rights. They also discuss the need for more in-depth teaching about
    sexuality and gender with regard to psychotherapy training, and the fear around
    what others may think of the gender transition, and the transphobia that takes
    place within sport.

    Also in this episode,
    Philippa tells of her experience in therapy and identifying as a trans woman
    for the first time, and Dermot tells of his first experience with a trans
    client as a therapist, and the group discuss what can be done to continue the
    advancement of rights and attitude towards trans people in Ireland, and
    worldwide. Be sure to check out The This Is Me
    National Grassroots Campaign to improve
    transgender healthcare in Ireland on Facebook and Twitter.

    Get
    in touch with Dermot on his website www.innervoice.ie/,
    and
    check out Philippa’s current project, Sporting Pride, and also look out for her upcoming book that
    chronicles her gender transition.

    If you need to talk to someone, call us

    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.


    55 min
  • #5 | Caoimhe Butterly on International Women's Day

    Friday, 8th March is International Women’s Day. This is a day that we celebrate all the amazing women in the world, regardless of colour, social or economic status. We just celebrate being a woman in the world and everything that makes us beautiful on the inside.

    The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is Balance for Better. As they say, the future is exciting, so, let us make it even more exciting by building a more gender-balanced world.

    Joining Dil and Anne Marie in today’s episode is Caoimhe Butterly.

    Caoimhe is a woman who has dedicated her life to helping create a better, balanced and peaceful world for all. She has spent 15 years living and working with social justice movements and accessible community healthcare projects in Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon; and she has spent the past six years working with refugees in Greece, Calais, and Ireland. In Ireland, she teaches. And in case she wasn’t busy enough, she has decided to train as a psychotherapist, and sometimes she makes documentaries! Wow.

    In this episode, Dil, Anne Marie and Caoimhe discuss what International Women’s Day means to Caoimhe, Caoimhe’s background and how she became interested in social justice issues, as well as what made Caoimhe want to become a psychotherapist, and her journey that led to this decision.

    Caoimhe describes the plethora of experiences she has had, from working with refugees in Calais, to being an EMT first responder in the Gaza Strip, to getting shot(!), and explains how she hopes to incorporate psychotherapy skills into these situations to help people who are severely traumatised.

    Follow Caoimhe on Twitter here to see what she’s up to!

    If you need to talk to someone, call us now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected] for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/) and we will contact you within 24 hours.




    56 min
  • #4 | CBT: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

    When it comes to talk therapy there are many approaches that
    can be helpful to our mental health. As part of our efforts to demystify the
    world of psychotherapy, this week we are going to look at Cognitive Behavioural
    Therapy (CBT) and try to debunk the myths around CBT for clients and
    therapists.

    Joining Dil and Anne Marie for today’s episode is Eoin

    Stephens, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Trainer who has more than 25 years of
    experience in the field of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Eoin specialises in
    such areas as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Addictive Behaviours,
    Sexual Addictions and Social Anxiety, as well as in Counselling and
    Psychotherapy Education.

    Dil, Anne Marie and Eoin discuss what CBT is in a nutshell, some

    of the incorrect myths about CBT for both clients and therapists, the
    collaborative nature of CBT—the client learns how CBT works, so that they can
    help themselves, as well as how CBT focuses on the patterns that perpetuate
    mental health problems.

    They also discuss experiential learning: how with CBT, a lot

    of the important mental shifts come between sessions rather than in the
    sessions; the creativity and exploration within CBT; and also, the limits of
    CBT, when it isn’t suited to clients.

    If you need to talk to someone, call us

    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.

    42 min
  • #3 | Eating Disorders & Body Image

    As it is still January, which definitely feels like the
    longest month of the year, it’s safe to say that many of us have fallen off the
    wagon when it comes to our New Year’s resolutions of healthy eating. On this
    episode of The Insight Matters Podcast, we are exploring the topic of body
    image.

    Joining Dil and Anne Marie is Harriet Parsons of bodwhys.ie. Harriet is the Training and

    Development manager for bodywhys.

    Founded in 1995, Bodywhys is the
    national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders.
    Its mission is to ensure support, awareness and understanding of eating
    disorders amongst the wider community as well as advocating for the rights and
    healthcare needs of people affected by eating disorders.

    In this episode, Dil, Anne Marie and
    Harriet discuss the
    state of Ireland in terms of eating disorders (an estimated 200,000 people in
    Ireland have an eating disorder); triggers for people with eating disorders; as
    well as the feelings of control and empowerment that an eating disorder can
    give someone, and the difficulties that this can cause when trying to get rid
    of the eating disorder.

    They also discuss distorted body image, and how this is a
    feature of all eating disorders; the ideal of the woman’s body, and how it has
    changed over the years; the failure to recognise eating disorders as a mental
    health problem; the challenge of eating disorders, considering that we can’t
    stop eating, the way an alcoholic can stop drinking alcohol; as well as the
    best ways to work with people with eating disorders from the point of view of
    the therapist.

    For more information about eating disorders, check bodywhys.ie.

    If you need to talk to someone, call us
    now on 01-891 0703 or email [email protected]
    for a confidential discussion and initial assessment with one of our senior
    therapists. Alternatively please fill in the online booking form (www.insightmatters.ie/book-online/)
    and we will contact you within 24 hours.


    46 min

About Insight Matters

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Welcome to our Insight Matters - Inspiring Change in Self and Society podcast!