Best Koala Mind Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 331: Finding Happiness when it hurts - with Lisa Brett 30:18

2h ago30:18

30:18

Mick Coyle is joined by author Lisa Brett - who's written a book called "Finding Happiness When It Hurts" Lisa uses her own journey, and the stories of others, to give advice on how to reflect on more difficult times, find positivity in the smallest of places and give yourself a chance to rebuild after grief, loss or trauma. Her book is available n…

1
What is the Society for Creative Anachronism? 53:51

6h ago53:51

53:51

Today we have a special guest with Kadie Isaac who is interviewed by Mark (Jeff is away). Kadie is a long time member of the Society for Creative Anachronism and tells us all about this great organization, what she loves about it and her plans to travel to PennsicBy Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen

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Ep 330: TV star Matt Johnson and Rugby's Ugo Monye talk Movember 25:03

35m ago25:03

25:03

It might be July - but Movember's fast approaching. The international campaign focussed on men's mental and physical health is nearly upon us once again - and this year there's a big focus on inequality. 2/5 men will die prematurely - but where they live is a key factor to how long they live. Mick has pulled together the main findings of the new Mo…

1
Alcohol: How much is safe? 1:06:35

1d ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Alcohol is a significant part of our culture and society at large, but is it good for you? If it is bad for you, how much is too much? What are the risks? Mark and Jeff discuss the swing from people thinking alcohol was good for your in the mid 1980's to people thinking no quantity is safe to a more measured understanding of that actual risks invol…

1
Psychedelics 101 57:21

4d ago57:21

57:21

In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss some fundamental aspects of psychedelic drugs (hallucinogens) and what sets them apart from other illegal drugs such as OpiodsBy Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen

1
Koalas are dying: What's going on? 57:32

11d ago57:32

57:32

In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss what is happening to Koalas in Australia, they are dying off at a high rate from a variety of causes... In this episode, we discuss some of the details of what threatens Koalas.By Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen

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Ep 329: Tackling low self-esteem with Henna Mistry and BACP 50:32

13d ago50:32

50:32

Mick Coyle is talking self esteem as a new BACP survey finds half of women are affected by self esteem issues - with body image the biggest factor, followed by social comparisons, careers, and romantic relationships. Joining him on this week's episode is Henna Mistry - who has tackled her own issues with self esteem, and found a way through using a…

1
Ep 328: Owen from Race Across the World's new mental health journey 29:20

21d ago29:20

29:20

Mick Coyle is joined by Owen Wood from Race Across the World Owen - alongside his race partner Alfie - starred in the latest BBC series travelling through the Far East on a tight budget and even tighter timescale. Now he's back in the UK he's teaming up with The Mix - a charity that supports young people through all aspects of life - to further ope…

1
The Doomsday clock now as close as it was in the 80's 1:02:28

1M ago1:02:28

1:02:28

In this episode, we discuss the deteriorating state of global nuclear balance. China and Russia are now each other's biggest trade partners and things are not getting better globally. This is as bad as it was in the 1980's but it seemed even worse back then and people seem to be oblivious to the state of global precariousness as it relates to nucle…

1
Great Stories: The strength of Iconic Movie and TV Franchises 59:16

2M ago59:16

59:16

In this episode, Mark and Jeff talk about things that have made for great movie and TV franchises, where they have stumbled and what has made them work so well. We focused on Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, James Bond and Aliens (but there are many more). Lots of long lived franchises have definitely had down times and then reboots.…

1
Who is Sleep Token? (it's a band!) 53:46

2M ago53:46

53:46

We're back! Mark and Jeff discuss Sleep Token the Band as well as the controversy related to Ticketmaster's monopoly. This was a result of a recent trip by Mark to NYC to see the band Sleep Token at Radio City Music Hall as part of their Teeth of God tour. Spoiler alert! It was a great concert. There was some drama leading up to the concert but eve…

1
Ep 327: #JoolsLaw with Ellen Roome 29:36

2M ago29:36

29:36

Mick is joined by Ellen Roome on this week's podcast. Ellen's son Jools Sweeney died suddenly in 2022, he was aged 14. A coroner ruled they couldn't register his death as suicide, because there we no signs he intended to take his life. The narrative verdict has left Jools' family with many questions. Ellen's now looking for answers through his soci…

1
Mindful Media: Navigating Mental Health in the Digital Age 1:02:06

2M ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Well, in a not to everyone being replaced by AI, this week's topic (and title) were generated from ChatGPT's new 4 Omni. The suggested topic was more specifically addressing people's mental health when dealing with social media. ChatGPT even provided some talking points. Mark and Jeff took it from that starting point. We also discussed things we le…

1
Ep 326: Running a marathon every day for Samaritans - with James Cooper 32:22

2M ago32:22

32:22

Mick Coyle is joined by James Cooper on this week's podcast James is currently running a marathon every single day in 2024. He'll complete 366 between now and the end of the year! He was inspired to take on the challenge as part of his Smilinggg Project, which he set up after having a difficult time with his own mental health in 2014/15. James also…

1
The Class of '84 - Jeff trying to Go Home 44:19

3M ago44:19

44:19

Jeff discusses his 40 year high school reunion and what he experienced trying to go back. Things have changed a lot, so have the people. Some are recognizable, others are not. Very interesting discussion and experience. We also discuss what we learned in the past week, sample some coffee and discuss what media we are consuming.…

1
Ep 325: Embers the Dragon launch with 'Mr Koala' Nigel Clarke from CBBC 19:47

2M ago19:47

19:47

How do I talk to my child about mental health? Mick is joined by dad and CBBC presenter Nigel Clarke on this week's Mental Health Monday Podcast. Nigel is lending his voice to a new animated series that helps children learn about their emotions - while also equipping parents with the tools to have conversations about mental health in a safe way. Em…

1
The Importance of Sports(ing) 1:02:42

3M ago1:02:42

1:02:42

In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss the importance of sports, both as a participant and as an observer to mental health. They also discuss the difference on a team between talent and teamwork, lessons that can be applied to the workplace. As usual, there are a few dad jokes, coffee sampling, talk about alien life and media being consumed.…

1
Ep 324: Gawain Hewitt - Award-winning music and mental health trailblazer 37:31

3M ago37:31

37:31

Artist Gawain Hewitt is this week's Mental Health Monday Podcast guest. Gawain works in art and music, and leads music sessions at several psychiatric hospitals, including Royal Bethlem, Springfields and Lavender Walk. He discusses how music can create pathways for people to explore their feelings, and find connections when words are not enough. He…

1
Managing Weight by Managing what you Eat 42:56

3M ago42:56

42:56

You are what you eat and weight control is entirely tied to diet. In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss things that worked for them in the past as well as some misconceptions about how you can lose weight. We also discuss what we learned in the past week and media we are currenty consumingBy Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen

1
Ep 323: The Jordan Legacy - I lost my son to suicide, let's stop it happening to others 29:16

3M ago29:16

29:16

Mick is joined by returning guest Steve Phillip, founder and director of The Jordan Legacy. Steve featured in episode 189 of Mental Health Monday, and was part of the #LeaveALightOn project. Steve's latest project sees him teaming up with some incredible individuals and organisations for the Join The Dots tour across the North of England in June 20…

1
Coffee 101 - Basics of Fancy Coffee 55:13

3M ago55:13

55:13

Mark and Jeff talk today about a variety of issues but the main topic is understanding coffee and different types of ways of preparing coffee. This episode will help you when you are considering getting a coffee from your local coffee specialty store (as long as it is not Starbucks because they misuse certain coffee naming conventions). As usual we…

1
Ep 322: Chris Ross - From a suicide attempt to a mentality monster 34:42

3M ago34:42

34:42

Chris Ross is a powerful guest on this week's Mental Health Monday Podcast. Chris shares his story of dealing with trauma, depression and suicidal thoughts - and how he turned his life around as a self-styled "mentality monster" who now supports others in their mental health journey. Chris talks about the very difficult issues he's faced, but also …

1
The Unsettled State of Transgender Research 1:00:01

4M ago1:00:01

1:00:01

Transgender is currently a hot button issue at this time and lots of people have strong opinions on the topic. Unfortunately most of those opinions, on both sides of the topic are not strongly founded on science. The research, for the most part, appears to be quite limited and often flawed. Many of the studies approach the topic from a political ap…

1
Ep 321: Nicole Antoniou and The Butterfly Squad 34:44

4M ago34:44

34:44

Mick Coyle meets Nicole Antoniou, CEO of The Butterfly Squad, in this week's podcast. The Butterfly Squad is a project and animated series to help children build resilience, understand their emotions and give themselves the best chance at being the best version of themselves. Nicole sets out why the project started and the results she's seen since …

1
What forms your identity? What makes you you? 52:26

4M ago52:26

52:26

Mark and Jeff discuss how people thing of themselves and how they form the identity that makes them who they are. We also discuss the politics of identity and the confusion regarding gender pronouns, where it started and where it has ended up as a political thing. As usual we sample coffee, tell some dad jokes, discuss what we learned this week and…

1
U2 at the Sphere and How to attend a WPPI conference 1:01:32

4M ago1:01:32

1:01:32

In this episode, Mark and Jeff discuss Mark's recent trip to Las Vegas where he went to see U2's last show at the Sphere (spoiler alert.... it was amazing) and then attended the Wedding and Portrait Photographer's conference (WPPI) one of the biggest photography events in the world. As usual, the guys discuss what they learned this past week as wel…

1
Ep 320: The Visual Detox with Marine Tanguy 32:19

5M ago32:19

32:19

Mick Coyle is joined by author of The Visual Detox Marine Tanguy on this week's podcast. Marine's new book explores how our brain deals with looking at so many images on daily basis - adverts, billboards, social media posts, TV screens and beyond. The book looks at ways you can apply more critical thinking what you see, and asks questions about wha…

1
Apple killed their Car Project... What happened? 54:07

5M ago54:07

54:07

Mark and Jeff discuss the major decision from Apple to kill its autonomous EV project. Over 10 years of development and $10 Billion and a staff of 2000. Staff will be reassigned and scattered amongst Apple projects. As usual, we sample coffee, tell a couple of dad jokes, discuss what we learned this week and review media we consumed.…

1
Positive Thinking and it's Effect on Your Life 1:00:39

5M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

Positive thinking has long been thought of as important to your health and wellness. Mark and Jeff do a deep dive into how that works and what positive thinking means to them. As usual we discuss things we learned in the past week (often space related), a few corny dad jokes and media we are consuming. Check out our facebook group for links to the …

1
Modern Corporatism and where it leads 1:00:29

5M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Mark and Jeff discuss the concepts of Corporatism vs Capitalism vs the need to regulation in modern western societies. In particular discussing where capitalism and be made accountable for decisions that affect society and the environment. As usual there are a few dad jokes, things we learned in the last week and media we a currently consuming.…

1
Ep 319: Big Narstie's new podcast - Life Gains 23:22

5M ago23:22

23:22

Mick Coyle is joined by Grime legend Big Narstie on this week's podcast. pic credit © Alamy The main man is here to talk about how his life changed forever after appearing on the Celebrity Bake Off, and how his new health regime is allowing him to make plans for the future. We'll hear how weight loss, and improved fitness have made a difference to …

1
Synchronicity.... more than a coincidence? 58:33

6M ago58:33

58:33

Back after a week's hiatus, Mark and Jeff discuss the significance of synchronicity and it's impact on your life. When are things coincidences and when are they more than that? We also discuss things we learned this week including tales of time travel and what media we have been consuming.By Connect2 by Mark Hughes and Jeff Cullen

1
Ep 318: Dave the Running Telephone gears up for his 25th London Marathon 33:13

6M ago33:13

33:13

Mick Coyle is joined by Dave Lock aka London Marathon icon "Dave the Running Telephone". Dave reveals he's signed up to race in this years event, and how his own mental health journey led him to fundraise for Samaritans. He speaks of his own journey, and losing his brother to suicide last year, and how that's a solemn reminder of why Samaritans is …

1
Ep 317: The Lucy Rayner Foundation and their new Snapchat lens 30:34

6M ago30:34

30:34

Mick Coyle is joined by Emma and Amie from the The Lucy Rayner Foundation The LRF has has collaborated with Snapchat to design a new lens that helps users create a snap which talks about their feelings and how they might want someone to talk to. It's utilising every-day technology to make a difference to the lives of young social media users. Emma …

1
Is a Virtual Band Real? Gorillaz! 55:13

6M ago55:13

55:13

In this episode Mark and Jeff discuss fake bands and in particular the virtual band Gorillaz. A band that has had a fair bit of success and was created as a bit of a thumb towards the music industry. The band has a complicated and detailed back story for the animated band members. Gorillaz is the brainchild of Damon Albarn (from Blur) and Jamie Hew…

1
Ep 316: Prince's Trust Natwest Youth Index 2024 - with Naomi and Rachel 33:59

6M ago33:59

33:59

Mick Coyle takes a look at the finding's of the Prince's Trust Natwest Youth Index 2024, on the day of its release. Mick is joined by Naomi Ennis - who created Animal Teach. Naomi shares her own story of growing up dealing with anxiety and other issues at home, and how she uses her story to help inspire young people. Alongside Naomi is Rachel Edwar…

1
What is ASMR and is it what you think it is? 37:02

6M ago37:02

37:02

There are a lot of misconceptions about what ASMR is and why people might like it. Mark and Jeff discovered that ASMR is not really what they thought it was and its a little odd/unusual, bordering on fetishness. Today's episode is a little shorter than usual but in this episode Jeff/Mark used an additional microphone to capture some ASMR trigger so…

1
Ep 315: Dr Alex George talks financial stress, new year's resolutions, and small wins in 2024 18:09

6M ago18:09

18:09

Mick Coyle is joined by mental health campaigner and author Dr Alex George on this week's Mental Health Monday Podcast. Dr Alex is here to talk about starting 2024 on the right footing. Photo credit: © Alamy New data from Nationwide shows 82% of people expect this January to be the worst ever when it comes to our finances - a tough start to 2024. O…

1
The Johnny Depp movie that Nobody Saw (almost nobody) 1:01:00

7M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Mark and Jeff explore the famous photo essayist W. Eugene Smith and his life, particularly when he went to Japan to cover something called Minamata disease. One of his most famous images was taken there and there was a feature film based upon his life and travels to Minamata starring Johnny Depp. The movie is excellent but did not do well at the bo…

1
Ep 314: "Blue Monday" and job satisfaction with MHFA England 29:07

7M ago29:07

29:07

Mick Coyle is back for 2024 with a new episode of Mental Health Monday. Mick is joined by Simon Blake from MHFA England, to talk about the results of a new survey which looks at how people can be struggling in their workplace. Simon walks us through the findings, and talks about the implications for workplaces and the positive steps offices, factor…

1
Dr. Temple Grandin, the Austistic Savanat 58:28

7M ago58:28

58:28

Dr. Temple Grandin is know for two things, her autism and how she has used it to help inform her professional career in Animal Science. She has singlehandedly changed the food processing industry by making it significantly more humane. She is a fascinating individual and the main topic of this podcast. As usual we discuss what we learned in the pas…

1
What’s to come? Predictions for 2024 1:03:06

7M ago1:03:06

1:03:06

Mark and Jeff take stab at predictions for 2024. Recorded during the Christmas break, Mark and Jeff discuss what they were most surprised about from last year as well as predictions (with differing confidence levels) for 2024. This episode covers a lot of territory and is pretty free ranging. Enjoy and have a happy new year!!!…

1
Retiring at 65 was originally political smoke and mirrors 1:05:14

7M ago1:05:14

1:05:14

Mark and Jeff discuss how a retirement age of 65 was originally arrived at. Hint, it's not what you expect and its not scientifically arrived at. The original reason for a social security program was to support people whose physical jobs were something they could no longer do to support themselves, but few were expected to take advantage of the pro…

1
Ep 313: Latest suicide figures announced - with Jakes Mills from Chasing the Stigma 22:20

7M ago22:20

22:20

Mick Coyle has the latest figures of suicides registered in England and Wales for 2022 (released 19th Dec 2023) He goes through the ONS data, and discusses the findings with Jake Mills from Chasing the Stigma - a suicide survivor and founder of the Hub of Hope. Find out more about the 2022 suicide data You can find mental health services using the …

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Bryan Johnson’s Anti-Aging Quest... is it real? 56:20

7M ago56:20

56:20

Bryan Johnson is a Silicon valley millionaire (almost billionaire) who sold his company at the age of 34 and now focuses on his anti-aging quest through the Blueprint protocol. This protocol is an open source method of trying to extend your life based upon empirical data and evidence based science. He sounds a little crazy (and he may be) but there…

1
Real Estate as a Pension for Small Businesses? 1:06:34

8M ago1:06:34

1:06:34

Most small businesses do not have pension plans or easy ways to extract their business' value. To that end sometimes small businesses think they should buy their building to reduce their costs or at least having their payments to back to them. There are pitfalls to this approach and anyone considering doing it should really think it hard and carefu…

1
Ep 312: Tony Mortimer, East 17 & Stay Another Day - raising money for the NSPCC 18:05

8M ago18:05

18:05

Mick Coyle is joined by East 17 singer and songwriter Tony Mortimer. Tony is on the show to talk about his Christmas mega-hit Stay Another Day, and the impact music has had on his and our lives, particularly during the festive season. He hit the top spot with the song in 1994. 29 years later, a tongue in cheek remake by Lidl is helping secure a £10…

1
Understanding Stanley Kubrick 55:54

8M ago55:54

55:54

As part of our series on Neurodivergent (or suspected) celebrities, this episode dives into the enigma that was Stanley Kubrick the auteur film maker known for feature films such as the Shining, 2001: A Space Odessey, Eyes Wide Shut to name a few. A man obsessed with detail, his meticulous attention to all aspects of a film would often mean they wo…

1
Ep 311: Movember Men's Health Institute launch with Sarah Sternberg 22:37

8M ago22:37

22:37

Mick is joined by Sarah Sternberg from Movember - as the charity launches the first ever Global Men's Health Institute. The multi-million pound investment over the next five years will aim to drive research, collect information and inform change that will help men live longer and healthier lives. Stats show two in five currently die before the age …

1
Who is Sam Altman? 1:04:29

8M ago1:04:29

1:04:29

In the past week and a half there has been much turmoil at OpenAI, the company that has developed and launched ChatGTP (as well as Dall-E). Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI was fired on Friday Nov 17, 2023, subsequently tried to come back only to have the board decide not to hire him, hired by Microsoft and then rehired back on the following Tuesday. …

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