Psychotherapist Allan Clarke hosts a fortnightly podcast with worldwide guests talking all things mental health. The difference with the Straight Talking Mental Health Podcast? It is both informative and informal! Complicated and sensitive subjects are presented in a down to earth and relatable manner.
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
95: Dating with Kids & Blended Families (Check In)
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
Tuesday Jul 05, 2022
"You just don't know, the kids have seen their parents break up and I didn't want to introduce another person."
It's our fortnightly check in episode where we discuss what's going on in ours and the greater world. This week we're discussing the difficulties of dating when you have children, our own blended family, the societal shift in using dating apps and we share some of our own bad dates from the past. After last week's episode on sleep, Aisling talks about the night terrors she experienced in the past after a week where she cut her own forehead in her sleep.
Allan is riled by the Roe Vs Wade decision in the U.S. and Aisling is smiling as she re-watches Breaking Bad but the shitty Irish weather is getting to her.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Feel free to email us hello@stmhpodcast with any of your feedback on the show or if you would like to come on and tell your story as a guest. Check us out on www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
94: Sleep (Dr. Jennifer Reid)
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
"We start to panic about our sleep, start to obsess about it, start to work really hard at it"
We're straight talking sleep with Dr. Jennifer Reid MD. Jennifer is a psychiatrist in Philadelphia, we discuss the difference between insomnia and sleep deprivation and the impact of it on your physical and mental health, the impact of alcohol on our sleep quality, the use of melatonin and snoring. She shares some great advice on how to get better sleep for everyone including new mothers with babies and find out why your teenager can't get out of bed in the morning.
We get an insight into Aisling's mind as she tells us about her evening habits of looking at properly porn and her sadistic joy in killing flies and find out why she has a problem with Allan being a guest on another podcast. Allan's riled at the closure of the Fountain Pen Shop in Dublin.
Check out Allan live on TikTok, Sundays at 8pm. Follow us on @stmhpodcast, he will be live to answer all your mental health questions and offer any advice he can.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
About Jennifer:
Dr. Jennifer Reid is a psychiatrist and award-winning educator with a practice in Philadelphia. She writes and podcasts as The Reflective Doc, sharing practical mental health information to those who may not have access to adequate care and support. She trained at Columbia University and UCLA, and is on the clinical faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a frequent guest on podcasts and a regular contributor to Psychology Today and Doximity.
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
93: Co-parenting & Love Languages (Check In)
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
Tuesday Jun 21, 2022
"WE'RE BACK WEEKLY!!!'"
Episode 93:
SURPRISE! Yes, we snuck up on you, we're back with weekly episodes! We discuss the difficulties of co-parenting. Following on from last week's episode we elaborate on the 5 Love Languages (including our love languages), we clear up the differences between life coaches and therapists and bust the myth of 21 day habits.
Aisling is smiling after catching up with Stranger Things and find out why Chris Hemsworth's handsome good looks have Allan riled! After the success of the first TikTok Live, Allan will be jumping on at 8pm on Sunday again, be sure to join us!
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
92: Relationship Coaching (Lisa McFarland)
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
"I was co-dependent for 25 years.'"
Episode 92:
We're straight talking Relationship Coaching with Lisa McFarland. Relationship coach Lisa tells us about her own experience of couple's counselling before informing us about the importance of emotional support. We also discuss co-dependency, sexless relationships, couple's losing their identity as parents and Lisa busts one of the biggest myths your granny probably told you about arguing as well as telling us why love isn't enough!
Find out why we're turning down pay for our principals (again) and why Aisling would choose death when her throat closes up than die of embarrassment. She gives her brutal review of the new Jurassic Park movie while Allan is kinder to Top Gun. He is smiling after bumping into a client he helped while he was in school but is riled by the juxtaposition of George Carlin & Tiktok.
Allan is doing a TikTok Live on Sunday June 19th at 8pm. Follow us on @stmhpodcast, he will be live to answer all your mental health questions and offer any advice he can.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday May 31, 2022
91: American Guns & Derry Girls (Check In)
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
"My mum actually told me the car they were in, lifted off the ground when the bomb went off'"
Episode 91:
Monthly check in time. We discuss America and guns after yet another tragic school shooting, we have some advice for people after a break up and we discuss the finale of Derry Girls, the Good Friday Agreement and the Omagh bombing featured on the show.
Aisling has some advice of what not to say to your mother in law, Allan is smiling after having an open mental health conversation with an old school friend and we're smiling after getting tickets for Kevin Hart.
Our TikTok is blowing up after just a few weeks, you can follow us on @stmhpodcast, as is our username on all the social media platforms.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday May 17, 2022
90:The Psych Ward (Peter Vox)
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 2022
"I spent 15 months hospitalised in psychiatric wards.'"
Episode 90:
We're straight talking The Psych Ward with author Peter Vox. Peter is a former teacher in the Bronx who grew up in a family with a history of mental illnesses and is the author of The Psych Ward Notes. Peter tells us how his health anxiety and existential thoughts developed early in childhood and after a suicide attempt he was hospitalised in various psychiatric wards. He discusses schizoid patients, electroconvulsive therapy and if it really is like One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
Allan got sunburned playing golf in Portugal but he's riling over "ripe & ready" avocados while Aisling still has the Keanu Reeves crush from childhood but is bemused at her TikTok profile picture theft.
We are finally active on TikTok, you can follow us @stmhpodcast, as is our username on all the social media platforms.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday May 03, 2022
89: Check In (Johnny & Amber)
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
"Men don't really talk about this, we don't really hear about men in violent relationships.'"
Episode 89:
It's out monthly check in, no particular theme just what is going in ours and the greater world. We discuss the ongoing case of Johnny Depp & Amber Heard, their toxic relationship, the often unspoken domestic violence on men and Amber Heard's diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. We have covered men in Abusive Relationships & Borderline Personality Disorder in the past, click the links or check our back catalogue.
We return from London - definitely not Aisling's favourite place. Allan quite weirdly is smiling at the traumatic origins of Marvel's Moon Knight but he is most definitely not smiling after being made to watch 50 Shade of Grey by Aisling!
We are finally active on TikTok, you can follow us @stmhpodcast, as is our username on all the social media platforms.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
88: Autism (Kella)
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
"If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism'"
Episode 88:
STMH 2.0 is go! Peter steps out and Aisling steps in. We're straight talking autism with Kella aka Awakened Neurodivergence. We discuss ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and Kella also tells us also about her OCD. We discuss some of the characteristics of autism like stimming, eye contact, social and, sensory issues, the levels of autism diagnosis and we clear up some of the biggest misconceptions. Allan discusses his own experience of being diagnosed and Aisling shares what it's like to be a neurotypical partner of someone that is neurodivergent.
As it is the first podcast with Aisling as the brand new co-host, we discuss our background of how we met so it's a bit of a longer episode but that just means more laughs! Aisling is a fantastic new asset to the podcast as she opens up about her experience of anxiety and panic attacks. Find out how people in public think their chemistry is "magnetic" and how they fell in love over inappropriate memes about Allan's mother!
We are finally active on TikTok, you can follow us @stmhpodcast, as is our username on all the social media platforms.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
Episode 87: Smiles & Riles 2 (S’long Pete...Again!)
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
"The man is a devil!'"
Episode 87:
The second in our check in series! Don't get too attached though as Peter leaves the podcast again! Not to worry though, we'll be continuing on and relaunching STMH 2.0 with a new co-host! Find out all about it on this week's episode. Before Peter goes though, he'll be telling you (sort of) why he is leaving for good this time and why it has him smiling. We also talk about "The Slap" and you can hear why testing positive for covid wasn't even the most exciting thing to happen to Allan on Monday!
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Mar 22, 2022
Episode 86: Addicted Child (Richard Capriola)
Tuesday Mar 22, 2022
Tuesday Mar 22, 2022
"Every child is vulnerable to being captured by alcohol or drugs - every child!"
Episode 86:
This week we are talking to author Ricahrd Capriola about his book "The Addicted Child." Richard tells us some of the warning signs to look out for with teenagers and substance abuse, some of the underlying issues which can lead to addiction, the impact of drugs on the developing brain and what not to do as a parent if your child is abusing drugs.
Allan & Peter discuss the mental health challenges of being a father after a correspondence from a dad who is feeling suicidal, we're riled at the dramatic rise in the cost of living, Peter jumps on the Encanto buzz and Allan has parenting wins and fails.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Episode 85: Smiles & Riles #1 (The Art of Compromise)
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
"The situation in the Ukraine is breeding a lot of anxiety for people'"
Episode 85:
Surprise!!! We're back. You wanted weekly, we'll meet ye half way and give you every two weeks. This is our first check in episode, no particular theme but we look at the world as always, through the lens of mental health. We discuss the anxiety the situation in Ukraine is breeding, Allan goes back to the gym and notices the societal shift since he was last there. We also discuss the recent controversy around The 2 Johnnies misogynistic remarks and once again, Peter's horn let's him down but our former co-host Kamron has him smiling.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
Episode 84: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
"You carry the guilt as a mum, 'Am I affecting them? Am I going to cause damage?'"
Episode 84:
We're back! This month we're straight talking Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). We talk to Emily who tells us about her history of depression and self harm that goes back to when she was 14, the eating order that developed after putting on weight after the birth of her child, the difficulties of parenting and how MBSR helped her to deal with it all.
With restrictions lifting in Ireland, Allan & Peter both plan trips away. Peter is smiling as he hits another parenting landmark (losing the first tooth) but he's suffering "PTSB". Allan's client work has him smiling and riling, as he is saddened by the adults that have suffered throughout their life with undiagnosed autism.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Episode 83: Narcissism
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Episode 83:
We're back! This month we're straight talking Narcissism. We discuss the criteria for someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, the developmental contributors to what causes it, why narcissists are typically men and why Allan hasn't seen many in his practice. We also look at examples of narcissists in popular culture: Trump, Kanye and Dennis Reynolds from It's Always Sunny in Philadephia.
Peter has caught covid since we were last with you but he's smiling as the family get a new car whilst Allan is smiling about the new Peacemaker TV show. As two men we discuss our feelings on women's safety in the midst of the Aisling Murphy murder.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Episode 82:Xmas Craic (Live)
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Episode 82:
This week we're straight talking the Xmas craic live! We had a Facebook Live interactive episode on Sunday 19th for our Xmas party with our audience. Listen back and be regaled with tales of Kamron's hangover, see if you can hear as Peter drifts towards "4 Pints Pee" as the beers are flowing and find out why Allan is so tired after being away for a night in a hotel for his anniversary. We have our usual smiles and riles, 2 truths - 1 lie and we discuss how Xmas can be a difficult time for many people.
Thank you to everyone for your support during the year. We switch to monthly episodes in the new year and so we'll see you all again on January 25th
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Episode 81: Suicide - Left Behind (Amy)
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
"A lot of people don't understand, it's not just something you see it and you get over it."
Episode 81:
This week we're straight talking Suicide with Amy. Amy's boyfriend of almost two years killed himself after a drunken argument. We discuss her experience of finding his body, the nightmares/ flashbacks and PTSD symptoms she has experienced since, the various emotions of her grieving experience and the guilt she experienced as she moved on with her dating life.
Peter has a family emergency unfortunately and is unavailable for this week's show but Allan calls in some serious favours and recruits his girlfriend Aisling to co-host. She picks right up where Peter & Kamron left off - abusing Allan! Allan's smiling & riling about the F1 final race of the season controversy and Aisling is smiling & riling on the covid front as she is out of isolation after covid in the house but has "covid arm" after her vaccine.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, email hello@stmhpodcast or check out www.stmhpodcast.com