That's Mental Mate

Angela Allen from Bags for Strife joins That's Mental Mate this week. The charity was set up and is run by bereaved who have lost someone they love to suicide. We talk about why the charity was set up and what they do to help people who need it most.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

I'm joined this week by Hester Glenn. Camp Jacko is infamous in the city of Derry for being the hub where people met to help look for Hester's son, Jack, when he entered the River Foyle in February 2017. Somewhere he would stay for 8 weeks due to the cold weather and his body being physically stuck underwater. Hester is a bubbly character who has had to fight her demons from losing her son all those years ago. She talks about those horrific 8 weeks when she just wanted him to come home, as well as how support groups helped her deal with her grief. If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

I'm joined this week by old colleague and friend Libbi Mcilwaine who talks exclusively to That's Mental Mate about dark times in her life and how she is thankful she never went forward with her dark thoughts.She talks about her 'thank God' moments, no matter how small they may be, and how she's always available if anyone needs to talk.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

This week Zoe Dilworth joins That's Mental Mate to talk about how she projects her mental health into her art pieces, including her struggles with borderline personality disorder, depression and psychosis. If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

The lads at Claude's Cafe Men's Drop In joined That's Mental Mate this week for a great chat.Declan Moore, who manages the space, and Thomas Campbell, a recovering addict who originally came up with the idea, joined forces to make a safe space in Derry City where men can go.They've built the meetings from the ground up and are very proud of their accomplishments. They talk exclusively about the idea behind it, how it helps their men and the severe lack of funding for mental health in the city.The lads meet weekly from 4pm to 6pm in Claude's Cafe on Shipquay Street in Derry.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

Tom Forbes joins That's Mental Mate this week to talk about studying psychotherapy, and how he wants to implement his own mental health struggles, as well as his autism diagnosis, into his training to make his patients and clients more comfortable. He also talks about his experiences, both pre and post pandemic, with his health anxiety.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

Welcome back to That's Mental Mate and #MentalMateMondays - we are back after a short hiatus over the Christmas and New Year period. And we're back with a bang!Local comic Luke McGibbon kicks off the first episode of 2024. As well as being a rising comic in Northern Ireland, he is also a trained therapist and works on a suicide helpline. He gives a refreshing look into the 'behind-the-scenes' from the other side of the chez lounge.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.

Welcome to That's Mental Mate's Bonus Christmas episode!First off - thank you all so much to everyone who has listened, and to my amazing guests for making this podcast possible. This will be the last episode of 2023, and we'll be back in the new year well rested with a new round of guests.I kept changing my mind on whether or not to record this episode. I thought 'who would care' and it would sit at 0 views and be an embarrassment compared to all the brave people who have came on before... But if they can do it... I surely can too, right?In this bumper and bonus episode, I come around to the other side of the mic and interview... Me!I've mentioned before about my struggles, and have brought in points in other episodes, but still the thought of staring at a wall and talking to myself for an hour was quite daunting. However, I found it quite emotive to actually say some of the stuff out loud and take the long trip down memory lane. In this episode, I talk about being physically assaulted, having abandonment issues and PTSD, and a particularly hard time where I contemplated actually ending it all.If you're struggling with anything mentioned in this podcast, and are looking for support, help can be found here:Alcohol Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-...Calm:www.thecalmzone.netDrug Support:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addictio...National Suicide Prevention:https://www.spuk.org.uk/Samaritans:https://www.samaritans.org/If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave a review.