Straight Talking Mental Health

"So even on my lowest point, I'd get up, still go to work, still do everything I can... while feeling shit."

Episode 59:

This week we're straight talking defense mechanisms with Lloyd Pennington. Lloyd from Wales tells us about repressing emotions since age 3, injections he required directly into his head since a child which caused needle phobia, how EMDR and therapy helped with feeling depressed, the death of his grandmother due to dementia, the anticipatory grief around that and the sadness he felt for his grandfather who had to be her carer. As we talk about emotional repression, Allan explains other Freudian defense mechanisms like displacement, regression, compensation and humour!

Allan and Kamron reflect on last week's episode with Heather, Kamron is as bipolar with his smiles and riles about the weather as the weather has been and he's put in the unfortunate position of having to talk about his father's balls as Allan gets the snip!

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"I would take the weekend to prepare, either for hospitalization or death."

Episode 58:

This week we're straight talking blindness with award winning singer/ songwriter/ author Heather Hutchison. Blind since birth, Canadian Heather talks about her experience of depression and social anxiety, the downside of having a guide dog, the bullying she experienced in school for being blind, she also tells us about her book "Holding On By Letting Go" and her music. Heather also opens up about her hospitalisation as "absolution" before planning on killing herself.

Allan & Kamron are riled about indoor dining being delayed again in Ireland, we discuss Bill Cosby, Britney and... Lil Dicky.

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"We have to meet every individual where they are at and be able to support them at the place."

Episode 57:

This week we're straight talking grief with psychotherapist Mags Bowen. We discuss the different losses we have faced as a society during lockdown, regression at times of loss, different kinds of grief (anticipatory, complicated, disenfranchised, inhibited...). We answer your questions and talk about how to be there for someone that is grieving, grief after suicide and miscarriages.

Kamron's first hosting duties! He shares his own experience of his friend's suicide, the importance of communication in father/ son relationships and he slates his aul lad for enjoying Reeling In The Years!

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"I didn't really get to enjoy being a father and that was borne out of not having a clue what I was doing"

Episode 56:

This week we're straight talking the fatherhood. Peter is back for one week only! We discuss the changing roles of fathers, the change in lifestyle after having a child, the anxiety that comes with having a sick child, parental guilt and losing your identity to being a parent, father's as disciplinarians and "wait until your father gets home." We also discuss father's rights in Ireland and Allan shares some of his experience of having had to go to court over child access and guardianship.

Allan's riled with how limiting social media platforms are in trying to promote the podcast, Peter's bringing his son to a healer and our new guest host pops on to say hello and speak shit about Allan!

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Episode 55:

This week we're straight talking the Inner Child with Fraser Morgan. Musican Fraser tells us about trying to heal the wounds of his inner child, abandonment fears stemming from issues from traumatic experiences in childhood, growing up without a father and then finally meeting his father and what that was like, how he moved to Ireland for a relationship during lockdown, the break up and move back to UK. Fraser also tells us his experience of being English and moving to Ireland AND for the first time ever, we have a live musical performance, with Fraser performing his song "Not Looking Back."

On Michelle's final episode as guest host, she's smiling after meeting her friends for the first time since lockdown, Allan has a pain in his balls and not just because "the black dog" was nipping at his heels and being pure Irish we discuss the weather.

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Episode 54:

This week we're straight talking bipolar disorder with Arlene Bailey. Arlene is a professional singer who tells us about being diagnosed with Type 2 Bipolar after the death of her father. Arlene also opens up about leaving home at 17 to join a band, how self harm marks were ignored by a nurse when she was a teenager, how her history of eating disorders actually helped her to compete in a bikini body competition and how medication has helped her be in a great place personally.

Allan is riled by waiting staff not wearing masks properly, Michelle is riled by someone flat out refusing to wear a mask and we're both riled by inconsiderate drivers. Michelle is smiling after some nice moments in work and she gets back into reading.

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Episode 53:

This week we're straight talking alcoholism with Dave Dunne. Dave tells us how at a young age he was a "pawn" in his father's infidelity that broke up the family, how his drinking got out of control in later life resulting in his being arrested for drink driving twice, losing his job as a result and how he is now able to have a healthy relationship with alcohol. We also discuss the Irish obsession with alcohol (why do communions and confirmations have to be in pubs?) and how Dave was shamed for not drinking on a night out.

Michelle is feeling the effects of not taking her medication, we discuss the negative reactions to medication for mental health issues and Allan talks about how therapists collude in some of the stigma around mental health. 

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Episode 52:

This week we're straight talking Ecotherapy with Malachy Dunne. From Cornwall, psychotherapist & supervisor Malachy tells us about Ecotherapy as well as his story of growing up in a house of 12, his history of addiction and recovery, including contracting Hepatitis C, the Catholic shame of being divorced, his issue with the term "mental health" and he gives some great advice around what acceptance isn't using the acronym ULTRA.

Michelle reflects on hosting her first show last week, what has helped her with her panic attacks and despite the hairdressers being opened again she is riled after giving her own fringe a cut. The honeymoon is over for Allan as he is riled by the dreaded snooze button and multiple alarms!

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Episode 51:

This week we're straight talking motivation. Peter steps out of hosting duties and we introduce Michelle Maguire! Michelle first appeared as a guest on episode 13, don't worry though, we're keeping the craic going as you will hear. We talk about the importance of dopamine in motivation, the self criticism in not being able to be motivated, why parents shouldn't tell their kids "maybe", why it's been so difficult to stay motivated during lockdown and of course we give your tips on how to get motivated!

Michelle discusses her experience of ongoing mental health issues and we talk about how we met. Michelle is smiling about kombucha (whatever that is) and is riled about the Catholic Church interfering in primary school education around same sex parents. Allan is smiling about getting a hair cut and both are riled by being equally shit at sleeping!

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Episode 50:

This week we're straight talking 50 episodes! We discuss hitting the milestone of big 5-0! We reflect on what made us set up the podcast to start with, we discuss our favourite episodes, our guests and the podcast reaching all around the world. Peter's reading Gazza's old autobiography and we discuss the trauma in Gazza's childhood and the impact that has had on his mental health and we also debate whether weed should be legalised.

Allan's smiling as he redecorates the office and the Jehovah's Witnesses find a new way to contact him. Peter is late for crèche again but he's smiling when the kids listen to his radio show and he waits until his last episode to drop a "door knob moment".

Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com