So-Called Normal

Mark is joined by Sarah Schuster, the Mental Health Editor of The Mighty. They discuss Sarah's personal mental health story and The Mighty's person-centric approach to health advocacy. They also discuss the use of online platforms to build a community of people sharing their stories and supporting each other.  

Mark speaks with Lee Thomas, a mental health and LGBTQ speaker, on their upbringing in small town Alberta and their early struggles with a mental illness. They also get into how complicated mental health advocacy and mental health issues really are, and the mistakes and assumptions that some forms of advocacy can make.  

Mark is joined by 24 year old speaker Shane Feldman to discuss the importance of community in all aspects of life, from work to school to the home. Shane shares how this stems from his own desire for community as a young man, and the things he believes are holding us back from connecting with each other. 

Mark is joined by Paul Nadeau, a Business Negotiations and Conflict Resolution expert, former police detective and hostage negotiator. Paul tells incredible stories of talking down teenagers considering suicide and terrorists in Jordan as a UN peacekeeper. He also discusses what we can do to help other people in crisis, even though we can't do recovery for other people.  

Mark is joined by Darius Bashar, photographer, speaker, and podcaster. They discuss Darius's philosophy on taking "heartshots" instead of "headshots" and how he went from taking high fashion photoshoots to seeking an intimate, personal connection in his photography. This is a deep, open and raw conversation you won't want to miss. 

This week, Mark is joined by The Globe & Mail's acclaimed health reporter and columnist Andre Picard. The dive into his storied career, starting as one of the first journalists covering the AIDS crisis, to his work in Rwanda during the genocide and how the most difficult stories can take their toll on the journalists covering them. 

Mark is joined by Blake Fly, a motivational speaker who visits universities around the world to help students graduate happy and appreciative. They talk about the many surprising extracurriculars Blake took on in university, how to make a memorable first impression, and the power of a "thank call" over a prank call. 

Mark sits down with Lynn Keane - advocate, speaker, former broadcast journalist, and author of "Give Sorrow Words". 

Since the sudden passing of her son Daniel in 2009, she has dedicated her life to sharing her family’s story, educating about the underlying causes of depression and the importance of treating mental illness.

Join Mark and Lynn as they open up about depression, grief, and moving forward.

Filmmaker and grassroots educator Steph Guthrie joins Mark to talk about her experiences as a feminist advocate who has faced online harassment from the far right and her work with films like the award-winning documentary A Better Man. She discusses what she's learned from legal battles, social media conflicts, and working with men trying to atone for domestic violence.     

Mark is joined by Jeremie Saunders, Brian Stever, and Taylor Macgillivary from Sickboy podcast, a funny and honest look into what it's like to live with sickness and disease. They talk about how a creative project among friends turned into a hit show, the most impactful guests they've spoken with, and the way the podcast has changed Jeremie's relationship with his cystic fibrosis.