Christine Dunkley DClinP is a Consultant Psychotherapist, author and international speaker on Dialectrical Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness and Emotional pain.  She is a consultant trainer with the British Isles DBT training team .In 2012 she retired from the NHS after 30 years of clinical work and is the Clinical Director of the mental health training company Grayrock in the UK. Grayrock is a training company providing CPD for mental health professionals – Psychologists, Counsellors, Social Workers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Psychiatrists, Coaches and other allied occupations. As clinical director my job is to ensu  Christine completed a 4 year degree to qualify as medical social worker in 1982, first working with patients with terminal conditions and their families, then moving into physical trauma. She found her niche in the emergency department working with clients who had self-harmed, which led her to undertake further qualifications in counselling and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. She gained her doctorate in the University of Southampton school of health sciences on the communication of emotional pain in suicidal clients. She worked for 20 years in the Psychological Therapy Service in Winchester, delivering DBT and Counselling to patients with severe mental health problems. She also supervised in Primary care, developing a placement service for trainee counselors.  In 2006 Christine was invited to join the national DBT training team and began to train and supervise new DBT teams and therapists across the UK and Ireland.  She completed training as an adherence coder with staff from the University of Washington and the Linehan Institute. Her specialist subjects are teaching regulation of painful emotion, and mindfulness.  She has over 30 publications including ‘Regulating Emotion the DBT Way’ ‘Teaching Clients to Use Mindfulness Skills’, and ‘Using Mindfulness Skills in Everyday Life,’ . She also co-produced the ‘Core Components of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy’ DVD series with Michaela Swales. She has provided numerous book chapters and articles for British, American and European Journals (see below)  Christine is Vice President of the Society for DBT and was the first chair. She was awarded a fellowship of the Society in 2016. She has also received a NICE ‘shared contributor award’ for work relating to developing counselling services in Primary Care. She sat on the national Personality Disorders reference group in University College London, and is an honorary lecturer for Bangor University. She assisted in the treatment development for Radical Openness in the large multi-site NHS RCT.  She has lectured to mental health professionals in the UK, Channel Islands, Ireland, France, Poland, Belgium, Lithuania, America and New Zealand.

On today’s podcast I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Colman Noctor, Colman is an assistant Professor of Mental Health and Nursing at University College Dublin and is a child and adolescent psychotherapist. Today we touch the surface to speak about The impact that Technology has on Young people’s Mental Health and their developing mind. We also discuss the impact that Bullying has on young people, how prominent it is in todays society and discuss steps that can and need to be taken by both schools and parents.  Colman has a weekly column in the Irish Examiner, has published and presented at many international Conferences in the area of child and adolescent mental health and is also the resident child psychotherapist on the Ray Darcy Show and has his own podcast series Asking for a Parent which I highly recommend.

On today’s podcast I have the pleasure of speaking with Terence Moriarty. Terence is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Iowa, which is one of America’s premier public research Universities. Terence studied sports and exercise sciences at university of Limerick here in Ireland, from there he went on to do his masters in Exercise Physiology at Michigan University and then onto do his doctoral training at the University of New Mexico and is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Iowa.  WE talk about Exercise Physiology and the important role its research plays in our mental health and wellbeing. We discuss some of the research he has been doing in this area and the important role of exercise in the aging process and also its role in the recovery and prevention of many diseases.

Robert Cronin is Speaking with Doctor Alan Desmond, Alan is a Consultant Gastroenterologist who is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet.  They speak about Alan's new book The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 days to a happier gut and a healthier you, many of the health benefits that a plant based diet can bring to all our lives and the relationship between gut and brain health.   Alan has made evidence-based dietary advice an essential part of his practice as a doctor specialising in gut health problems. He has presented at numerous international medical conferences on the benefits of this approach to food. Alan is also an Ambassador for Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, a not-for-profit group which educates members of the public, health professionals, and policy makers on the incredible health benefits of a plant-based diet. Certified in both Gastroenterology and General Internal Medicine, Alan completed his specialist training in Ireland and Oxford. He has a specialist interest in the role of diet in the prevention and treatment of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. A member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, he has published several influential research papers in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and is a dedicated advocate for the gut health benefits, and overall health benefits, of a whole-food plant-based approach to nutrition. 

Robert Cronin is chatting with none other than James Leonard. James came to the attention of the nation back in January when he was on the Tommy Tiernan show stealing the show on the night. James story is one of addiction and redemption and the Cork man's transformation is nothing short of remarkable. James is a former drug addict that has been homeless and spent time in jail after committing crimes that were associated with his addition.  Earlier this year James received a first-class honours Masters degree in Criminology and has been accepted for his PHD in UCC. James is also hosting a successful podcast, "The Two Norries" along with his Co Host Timmy Long and more recently, he celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife, Gillian. James now works with The Cork ETB where he helps others who were in a similar position to him.

Talking with Mark ward TD, around family, being Sinn Féin's spokesperson for Mental Health, both personal and work challenges in respect of Covid 19 and living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Chatting with Photographer Trevor O Donoghue about Mindful Photography, his business Focus on Happiness. Also talking about the amazingly Positive Social Media space himself and his partner Ciara set up and about his life living with Cystic Fibrosis.  Check out his website:   https://focusonhappiness.ie/

Join Robert and Clinical Psychologist Prof. Julia Rucklidge chatting about her incredible research in the area of micronutrients in supporting our mental health and wellbeing. Julia is the Director of the Mental Health and Nutrition Research Group at the University Of Canterbury in New Zealand. Julia is one of the world leaders in this area offering new options for Clinicians and the field of Psychiatry in supporting, treating and overcoming a variety of mental health conditions. She talks about the dramatic role that micronutrients can have in supporting our mental health and wellbeing. Some of the conditions Julia's research has focused on are Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD and Stress. They also talk about the importance of nutrition and her new book Better Brain which Julia co wrote with Bonnie Kaplan, PHD.

Robert Cronin is talking with High Performance Coach Bobby Enright owner of Peak Performance Academy in Killarney. They talk about the different aspects of Bobby's Gym and Taekwondo Academy and many of the challenges his business like many others have faced over the past year navigating their way through Covid 19.   Bobby shares how these challenges have impacted him personally, adapting to these challenging times and shares some really helpful tips for those that may be struggling with implementing training into their week and not having access to a Gym, which is often peoples sanctuary, a place of positive connection and extended family.  Hope you enjoy 😀💪💪💪

This is a quick intro to my new Health and wellbeing Channel. I will be covering topics in areas such as Coaching, Counselling, Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. I also will discuss the key role that exercise and nutrition play in us maintaining our mental health and aid us all in having a positive sense of wellbeing. It would be great to have you follow me along this journey.