The MTU Wellbeing Podcast

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We showcase the Communities of Practice event organized by MTU's Department of Applied Social Studies, featuring expert speakers on recovery, addiction, and trauma-informed approaches that support student wellbeing.

• Communities of Practice bring together students, academics, practitioners, and placement hosts to explore current trends in social care
• Mark Wright shares his journey from addiction to working with the Recovery Academy, emphasizing multiple pathways to recovery
• Dr. Sharon Lambert advocates for "radical self-compassion" and creating trauma-sensitive university environments that prioritize diversity
• Dr. Jane Mulcahy explains how trauma affects neurophysiology and suggests curiosity rather than judgment when supporting individuals with trauma
• Trauma training should be available across all university departments, not just in mental health-related disciplines
• Recovery requires breaking down silos between stakeholders and creating collaborative approaches that acknowledge lived experience
• Self-care strategies for practitioners include setting boundaries, physical movement, connecting with nature, and seeking proper clinical supervision

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This episode focuses on "A Healthy MTU" initiative, emphasizing its efforts to improve health and wellbeing for students and staff. The discussion includes strategies to address common challenges, such as financial stress and the importance of social connections in enhancing the university experience.

Guests Bio:

Dr Andrea Bickerdike

Andrea is a Lecturer in Health & Wellbeing, and health researcher at MTU. Her research interests include health promotion, and the design/delivery of interventions that enhance population health. She has a particular interest in all approaches that aim to maximise the health and wellbeing of university students and staff. Having completed her PhD in campus health promotion, Andrea is Co-Director of ‘A Healthy MTU’ (MTU’s Healthy Campus Programme). Since 2023, she is also the MTU Director of an online MSc Programme in Health & Wellbeing (delivered jointly with UCC). 

Siobhan Griffin

Siobhan is a lecturer on the Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences course on the Kerry campus. She lectures on a number of health studies topics including health and wellbeing & behaviour change interventions. She has a background in corporate health promotion and spent a number of years as a wellness specialist in Apple. Following this she gained an M.Ed from Mary Immaculate College (MIC) and began her journey in the community education sector, working with marginalised community groups and early school leavers. Siobhan is passionate about preventative healthcare, lifestyle medicine, as well as, diversity and inclusion.

Conversation highlights include:

• Discussing the goals of "A Healthy MTU" initiative  
• Understanding the challenges students face during their transition to higher education  • Discussing actionable strategies to enhance sleep and lifestyle habits  
• Recognizing staff wellbeing in the academic environment  
• The vision for integrated health and wellbeing in MTU's curriculum  
• Upcoming events and opportunities for engagement in health initiatives

Links:

https://hea.ie/policy/health-and-wellbeing-landing-page/healthy-campus-landing-page/

https://www.healthpromotingcampuses.org/okanagan-charter

Email: [email protected]

A Healthy MTU (@ahealthymtu) • Instagram photos and videos

A Healthy MTU: About | LinkedIn

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Key Discussion Points and Time Stamps:

 1. 20  - Introductions, Niall McNamee and Michael Guerin
 4.00    -  What is Problem Gambling, what are the challenges of gambling
5.20     - People get addicted to the ritual of speculating money
7. 45      - Niall tells his story from gambling a few bets to losing up to €250,000
18.45   - Niall talks about his low self esteem, negative self talk and how he couldn't see a way out when in the mod
21.40   - Niall talks about the arrogance of winning, how to guard against showing     off and how unattractive trait this is
24.30  - Michael talks about responsible gambling, the increase in young people gambling online and some of the signs and symptoms to look out for.
29.00 -  Michael reminds us that problematic gamblers are in closer proximity to us then we realise
30. 35  - Michael makes the clear distinction  between problem gambling and responsible gambling with the question; Am I using gambling as a distraction or a method to absolve myself from contemplating things that might be bothering me?
32.50 -  Michael talks about the transitioning time for students is such a challenging time with increased stress
35.00  - Niall reminds students how he gambling helped him switch off from the world and forget the problems to take time to be aware of your thoughts
 40.00 - Niall reinforces the message that  when you are problem gambling you need to get help and talks about going to the Rutland Centre in Dublin for help
 44 .10  Niall talks about the importance of going to meetings and surrounding yourself with good people
 46.05- Michael talks about how we need to foster a culture where it is acceptable to come forward provide opportunities for individuals to do so
48 .30  Students Questions Answered- Niall and Michael answer students questions and give some very good advice for a friend who might be concerned about someone else
1. hr 2 min - Michael finishes off the podcast by highlighting the importance of problem gamblers finding answers  through dialogue and telling them not to be afraid to come forward
1 hour 3 mins 30  Niall finishes by sharing the magical feelings of opening up and getting help while encouraging students to get help also


Links and Supports

https://gamblingcare.ie/

National Helpline No. 1800 936 725

Student Counselling Cork Campus:
https://www.mycit.ie/counselling 

Student Counselling Kerry Campus: 
https://www.ittralee.ie/en/InformationFor/CurrentStudents/StudentLife/StudentSupportServices/StudentCounsellor/ 

Part Time Course for Counselors, Health Care and Social Care Staff which is a  collaborative development between Munster Technological University and Cuan Mhuire/Galilee House of Studies. 
https://www.mtu.ie/courses/tlhgamau/ 

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM: mtu_wellbeinghub

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Time Stamps                             
                                                               Introduction to the Student Engagement Office
      | 02:20  | 5 key services that the AnSEO Student Engagement Office have to offer
                                                             
                                                               What you have to look forward to in MTU
    | 13:20  | Staff support and Engaging in all aspects of university life
    | 15:45  | the sense of community, engaging with clubs and societies
    | 18:55  |  You deserve your place, its a fresh Start, it will take time to  settle in, Ask for  help
                                                                Managing  your wellbeing as a student
   | 24:15  |  balance,  plan my weeks, going to the gym in the MTU Arena
     | 26:48| Take 20, helps me switch off and have have a pair fresh eyes
                                          Sunday for me is the rest day

                                                                Overcoming Challenges as a student
  | 29:49  |  "its always hard at the beginning and gets better with time"
| 33:01  |  Finding friends and time management, meal prep- do shopping - "Whiteboard Wisdom"

                                                             Guests Golden Nugget
   | 37:51  | Get out of your comfort zone
   | 39;14  | Golden Nugget-enjoy your time, ask for help
    | 42:30 | Golden Nugget - get the edge award, get to know the staff

Email:     [email protected]

                                                           Useful Links:

AnSEO Student Engagement Office- https://linktr.ee/mtuanseo

The MTU Wellbeing Hub- Instagram         mtu_wellbeinghub

Students Union:                                     https://linktr.ee/mtucsu

Student Counseling:                         https://www.mycit.ie/counselling 

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In this episode I talk to Jack Cooney, Player Development Lead with the GAA.

Jack has played, coached and managed at elite level in the GAA. He also has a Sport and Exercise Science degree and Masters in Sports Performance from University of Limerick. He is currently doing his Professional Doctorate in Elite Performance in Dublin City University.

On this episode Jack shares his insights and experiences in how he supports young athletes in sport. His positive attitude towards sport, young people and how he looks at things from their perspective is refreshing to hear. He talks about his belief in creating a fun and challenging environment where players are "leaders and/or learners". His passion and enthusiasm for sport is evident throughout this conversation.  If you play sport or coach at any level this podcast is worth 40 minutes of your time.

Time stamps:
5:00 – Jack developed interest in coaching and completed a part-time sports science degree and full-time Masters at UL

6:50 – Importance of things other than ‘winning’ in sport, how sport helps with personal evolution and self-reflection

12:15 – There will be tough times during sport, don’t forget the reason why you started playing sport

14:00 – Important to find a balance for young people between college and sport 

14:35 – Have honest conversations with Coach about stress levels, balancing time, etc. 

22:10 – Coaches have a strong impact on athletes 

24: 50 – Characteristics for athlete: willingness to learn, leader or learner, physical and psychological resilience, effort, look for small steps  

31:15 – Importance of having a plan and purpose in order to work towards something

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On today's episode I am joined by clinical psychologist Mark Smyth.  We talk about the new mental health initiative from the HSE. We also discuss the challenges that you, the students are facing on a daily basis and Mark provides some practical suggestions as to how to look after yourself. We discuss areas including; talking about your challenges, social anxiety, focusing your attention, getting the right balance and getting the support when you need it. We also have a  conversation on sports performers and wellbeing where Mark shares some thoughts from his work with Rugby Players Ireland. I loved having this conversation with Mark and I hope you enjoy it too.

You get Mark on Twitter:  @psychpolis  and he is definitely worth a follow.

Time Stamps
4:30 | Description of the HSE campaign designed around your mental health
4:50 | Information about the key aspects of mental health: ongoing stress, low mood, anxiety and sleep patterns
6:00 | How important is your sleep?- recharging the batteries
9:50 | What are what-if thoughts? What do they mean?
15:05 | Being afraid to speak about emotions with others, thinking it is a burden on other people- have a conversation with someone
19:05 | Self-reflection/Addressing issues e.g., how did my anxiety feel last semester?
20:00 | Your Health Balance Sheet-what are you putting in and what are you taking out?
21:40 | How do you goal-set realistically?
22:30|  Put something in your diary that you enjoy doing
27:55:00 | What are you thinking about when you are anxious Vs What are other people thinking about?
32:15:00 | Am I paying attention to too many things at once?
33:55| Be fair to yourself
35:20| Sports People (Rugby Players) and Wellbeing
38:31|  Scholar Athletes and Wellbeing- sometimes good is good enough
41:20| Seek more support when you need to

Links:
HSE Website:               www.yourmentalhealth.ie 

Cork Campus
Student Counseling:        http://www.mycit.ie/counselling
Email Cork :   [email protected] 
Phone:  021 4335772 / 087 7688657

Kerry Campus
Email Kerry:                   [email protected] 
Phone:                               066 7191688/7191722

General
Text 50808  Crisis Helpline https://text50808.ie/
Speak Out in MTU         http://www.mycit.ie/counselling/speak-out

Follow us on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mtu_wellbeinghub/ 

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 On today's podcast I talk to Mary Crilly from the Sexual Violence Centre and of Safe Gigs. We chat about the safe gigs and spiking campaigns.  Mary shares her stories from over  40 years of her work in the sexual violence centre. The purpose of this episode is to raise awareness particularly at this time of year which typically sees an increase in sexual assaults on nights out. Mary also talks about how we should "call each other out and check in with our friends on nights out. She advocates for a zero tolerance policy towards in MTU. We highlight the active consent campaign and the other work being done in MTU to raise awareness. This episode discusses themes that some listeners will find upsetting. We have included links in the show notes where students can go to get support if needed.

Important Links

Sexual Violence Centre 

• Phone  - 1800-496-496  
• Text  087 1533 393  
•  Email   [email protected]

 Safe Gigs 
https://www.safegigs.ie/home
https://www.safegigs.ie/spiking

Active Consent
https://www.consenthub.ie/consent/ 

Supports in MTU Cork
http://www.mycit.ie/counselling   
Email us at : [email protected]   
Call us  021 4335772 / 087 7688657

Support in MTU Kerry
Email us at [email protected]
Call us 066 7191688/7191722

Speak Out in MTU         http://www.mycit.ie/counselling/speak-out

Helpline
Text "Hello" to 50808  Crisis Helpline 
https://text50808.ie/  
 

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Show Notes
Introduction to podcast                                                                       00:00 -  02:00
Introduction of Guests and SU Roles                                           02:00: - 08:40

What should students be looking forward to in MTU?    0 8:40 -  13:32
 Key Messages

•  ready to make a fresh start, get involved in clubs and societies  
• enjoy your time as part of the MTU community 
• embrace the change and allow things to flow 
• the possiblities and opportunities that might come your way 
• opportunity to be who you want to be 
• don’t let anyone dull your sparkle  

Challenges that students should be aware off?  13:32 -  20:20
Key Messages

•   first time on your own so there will be a challenge of adjusting to the change  
•  the size of the campus, everyone is there to help you, don’t be afraid to ask for help  
• having nerves, 1st day jitters, everyone is in the same boat 

What is your golden nugget for students to take away?  20:20 - 33:50
Key Messages

• Get involved in more stuff in the college while not over committing  
• Don’t be a sheep- do what you want to do, it goes by very quickly
• Take your time to adjusting to college, don’t be too hard on yourself, go to as many lectures as you can  

Campaigns/Event you should be aware of as a student.  33:50

• Safety Week, SHAG Week, Exam De Stress Week
• Class Rep

Links

The MTU Wellbeing Hub- Instagram         mtu_wellbeinghub

Students Union
Students Union Website:             https://www.mtucorksu.ie/
President’s email:                              [email protected]
Education email:                                 [email protected]
Welfare email:                                     [email protected]
Instagram page:                                  mtu_corksu
Linktree:                                               https://linktr.ee/mtucsu

Student Counseling:                       https://www.mycit.ie/counselling

Student Engagement:                     https://studentengagement.cit.ie/anseo

Student Services:                             https://www.cit.ie/studentlife.studentsupportservices 

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In this episode I talk to Conor Hammersley and Joe Murphy, Conor has joined us from the National Centre from men’s health and will be talking to us today about all things men’s health and masculinity. We have many interesting points to go through and have even gotten some opinions from students on certain matters





Time Stamps 

00:27 - Introductions

12:48 - How power relations develop within a social group?

23:10 - How could you do it differently?

30:17 – The more extreme the terminology the less likely men will associate with it. 

39:49 – Learnt Behaviours. 

49:25 – Promoting healthy masculinity. 

54:37 – Questions we asked students. 

Resources

TEXT – 50808 Crisis Helpline - https://text50808.ie

Academic Success Coaching - https://studentengagement.cit.ie/asc/what

Student counselling - https://www.mycit.ie/counselling

National Centre for Men’s Health - https://www.itcarlow.ie/research/research-centres/healthcore.htm

YouTube Videos Mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVQ78xZSCG8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHNDg1oByq8&t=27s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbk3iJqmjNU

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On today's podcast I'm delighted to be joined by a good friend of mine, Des Golden, a performance coach who helps leaders, entrepreneurs and business-people improve their performance. To quickly frame our conversation, Des shared the blog “Nailing the Basics” on Twitter which was about getting the very simple things in life right and we will be discussing movement nutrition and sleep and some top tips on they can affect you.


Time stamps

0.36 - Introductions

3.27 - What was interesting about the blog “Nailing the Basics”?

5.22 - Why is movement important to us?

14.13 - Why should we avoid food wrapped in plastic?

24.28 – Thoughts/advise on sleep

31.26 - Take home notes

Golden Nuggets

8.57 - Advice to fit movement into your schedule

19.13 – Tips on breaking habits 

28.01 – Can technology affect our sleep?

32.59 – What affects all three areas?

Links  

Nailing the basics podcast - https://thegrowtheq.com/nailing-the-basics-is-simple-not-easy-the-growth-equation-manifesto/

DesGolden.com -  https://www.desgolden.com

@coachdesgolden https://www.instagram.com/coachdesgolden/