Straight Talking Mental Health Allan Clarke

"I don't think the podcast will get the credit it deserves, for what we've done."
For the final time we are Straight Talking Mental Health. The OG hosts return for the final episode - Allan & Peter. We catch up on how Peter is getting on his Morning Show on Midlands 103, we reflect back on all the guests we have had over the last 3 years, the impact the show has had on our listeners and our regrets about the podcast.
Peter is smiling after getting away on a trip with his dad to find the graves of uncles killed in World War 1 and Allan is riled after throwing money away to Ryanair after forgetting to check in for his flight and that's only the start of it!
Thank you for joining us for 3 years and 125 episodes.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
Feel free to email us hello@stmhpodcast with any of your feedback on the show.. Check us out on www.stmhpodcast.com

"If somebody gaslights you over and over and over again, it does a number on your brain!"
This week we're straight talking having a Narcissistic Husband with Erin Riley. Erin grew up in Mad Men era Manhattan with a model "narcissistic" mother and actor father, before she ran away to California as a teen. Erin tells us her rock n roll stories from being in the rock scene for 40 years, including one about Lou Reed. She discusses the cycle of abuse with narcissists, her husband being a covert narcissist, the love bombing, the gaslighting and the impact it had on her. She also shares the early warning signs to look out for.
Erin's dog Murphy has her smiling but people not doing what they say will has her riled. Allan is smiling seeing former co-hosts Peter & Kamron host a charity mental health event but trying to promote anything on social media has him riled.
In major news Allan has decided to finish the podcast with this episode being the penultimate episode of the show.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
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

"I've clients that are being diagnosed and medicated at the age of 4!"
This week we're straight talking Parenting ADHD Children with Avigail Gimpel - an educator and very proud Jewish mom to SIX children with ADHD (and a husband). Avigail tells us about her experience of getting her older children diagnosed and why she stopped getting diagnoses, to diagnose or not, the reliance in Israel on medicating children as young as 2, the importance of having more faith in our children as well some excellent parenting and relationship advice.
Avigail is smiling thanks to some great family news (we can't discuss it here) but the American economy has her riled. Allan is riled by the constant rain but Ireland win the grand slam in the 6 nations has him smiling!
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
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

"I didn't want to die but if that was going to be the best alternative, I was ok with it"
This week we're straight talking Losing A Partner with Will Craig. Will tells us about the mental health struggles he had and the suicidal thoughts he experienced even before the death of his girlfriend who was only in her 20's. He also opens up about what it was like to suspect something was wrong on the day she died when he hadn't heard from her, the grief and trauma around her death, his experience of therapy, the hydrocephalus which requires multiple surgeries and we discuss the resilience he has developed after all he has been through.
Will's riled by the need for perfection, why done is better than perfect and his fearless nephew has him smiling. Allan is riled by the recent shooting of a PSNI officer in Omagh, but a romantic "living autopsy" has him smiling.
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
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

"I was so anxious and very, very suicidal... I'd always struggled with depression and that just amplified it completely "
This week we're straight talking Bullying with "Mollie". Mollie tells us about her experience of being bullied in school, the cyberbullying she endured - from group chats being set up about her, anonymous comments online of how to kill herself and the toll it took on her physical and mental health. Mollie also describes the severe anxiety she had as a 6 year old which lead to being homeschooled and the emetophobia she experiences.
Allan is smiling having got back into building scale models but the recent Tiger Woods tampon issue has him riled!
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
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

"I didn't fight cancer, I embraced cancer!"
This week we're straight talking Cancer with Angelica Alen. Angelica was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer after an admission to the emergency room. She tells us about the emergency surgery to remove the tumor, how chemotherapy treatment was like being blasted "with an atomic bomb", the impact her cancer had on her husband and children and she stresses the importance of taking an active part in your health recovery.
Angelica is smiling about taking a 3 month cross country drive around Australia with her husband and children, but the stresses that come with that have her riled. Allan is smiling about just chilling out with his partner but a head cold has him riled!
Follow Straight Talking Mental Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can also now check out our episodes as videos on YouTube.
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