The Mind Mate Podcast

Welcome to episode 145! A client recently asked me about the best ways to reduce his anxiety at work; we spoke about how different tools work best at different times. She told me how he would do his best to sit with his fears and stress, but sometimes they got the better of him. So, I asked her to rate his anxiety levels on a scale of 1-10, and then asked him what his different tools were for the different numbers on the scale. She didn’t have a variety of tools . . . We spoke about how different intensities of anxiety require different tools because - as this video discusses - if the anxiety is at a 10 and the “bath tub is overflowing” - there’s no point simply being with it; or in other words, trying to stay calm whilst watching the bathroom flood. If your anxiety is at a 10: move. Dance. Get up out of your seat and shake your arms. Walk. Exercise. Anxiety is energy and at that level, that energy needs to go somewhere. In my opinion, meditation is a preventative practise; it’s not necessarily the best thing to do when you’re in the middle of a panic attack. When you’re at a 10, then it’s about working with the body, not so much the mind. Please reach out if you’d like some clarification about your own anxiety! And remember: view your emotions like water in a bath!

Writing helps with the consolidation process because writing (hand-thinking) slows and filters thoughts emanating from significantly affective experiences into coherent analytical structures. Put simply, we slow the mind down because we can’t write as fast as we can think and that slowing down helps us formulate our opinions, conceptualisations and assumptions. Additionally, by doing so, we remind ourselves that the past is the past, not the present. The degree to which the past shaped or dramatically influenced our lives is open to interpretation and depends on our current emotional states. Expressive writing, therefore, is a call to cultivating greater self-awareness. “The neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux and his colleagues have shown that the only way we can consciously access the emotional brain is through self-awareness, i.e. by activating the medial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that notices what is going on inside us and thus allows us to feel what we’re feeling.”  Writing helps integrate emotionally charged experiences and beckons (forces) us to contemplate our lives, and how they came to be. The future, once the past has been reconciled, is ours for the taking. We can end those shitty chapters and write new ones, akin to who we’d like to become. 

Snippet From Chapter 20 of my Book: Echoes From The Past! "I tried to find my purpose for far too long. I read every book, watched every YouTube lecture and demanded that each of my therapists and counsellors show me the way to liberation and fulfilment. The thing is, “your purpose” doesn’t exist. It won’t every exist. “Your purpose” is a marketing ploy designed to keep you attached to an idea that will always keep you searching, unfulfilled and lost. Your purpose isn’t your purpose. Your purpose is purely and simply what you’re interested in right now and who you want to be—which is another of saying “what you want to be doing”—in six months’ time. Chase the “you” in six months. Don’t worry about five or ten years. Our brains aren’t equipped to conceptualise such illusory spans across time and space; but the “you” in six months is practical and relatively tangible. The cool thing about the “you” in six months is that you really could become that person. They’re not that far away. Chase them down! Maybe they’re only six months ahead of you in their savings; in their training, writing or relationship status. Beat them!" 

Bee Mohamed is the Head of Patient Advocacy & Engagement of Astrid, the first female-led dispensary in Australia. She made her mark in the medicinal cannabis industry in 2019 when she joined Canopy Growth Asia Pacific as the Stakeholder Relations and Advocacy Manager (Asia Pacific) and saw the regulatory barriers patients faced in Australia in accessing medicinal cannabis. Prior to the cannabis industry, Bee was the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of ScriptWise, a not for profit organisation dedicated to prevent the harms associated with prescription medication dependency and overdose. Working closely with both patients and families affected by this issue, the organisation was successful in bringing changes around the issue such as: commitment by the Federal Government to implement a nation-wide Real Time Prescription Monitoring system (RTPM), rescheduling of codeine-based medications (in 2018) and to introduce best practice in prescribing opioids. She holds a Master in Social Science (International Development) and has worked in both the public and community sector for close to 8 years. Her true passion is to influence health policies through patient-led advocacy and engagement in improving access to progressive medicines. ***Social Media*** https://astrid.health/ @astrid.dispensary #medicinalcannabis #plantmedicine #astridhealth

Though psychedelic drugs remain illegal, guided ceremonies, or sessions, are happening across the country, especially in major cities. But more people seek out safe, structured environments to use psychedelics for spiritual growth and psychological healing. For today's episode, Tom Ahern with his guest, Dr. Dan Engle will discuss what you need to know about psychedelic therapy and how psychedelic substances can be used for treating illnesses such as addiction, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Yes, the extraordinary therapeutic potential of psychedelic medications explained in this podcast! Stay tuned! #drdanengle #mdmaassistedtherapy #psychedelicmedicine What to expect from the episode: What is psychedelic medicine used for and works in the brain. A psychedelic drug boom in mental health treatment comes closer to reality. Post concussion syndrome: Symptoms a person may display traumatic brain injury. Things you need to know about ayahuasca. Evolution of our medical system explained. And many more! Author Bio Dan Engle, MD, is a psychiatrist with a clinical practice that combines aspects of regenerative medicine, psychedelic research, integrative spirituality, and peak performance. His medical degree is from the University of Texas at San Antonio. His psychiatry residency degree is from the University of Colorado Denver, and his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship degree is from Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Engle is an international consultant to several global healing centers facilitating the use of long-standing indigenous plant medicines for healing and awakening. He is the Founder and Medical Director of the Kuya Institute for Transformational Medicine in Austin, Texas, Full Spectrum Medicine, a psychedelic integration and educational platform, and Thank You Life, a non-profit funding stream supporting access to psychedelic therapies. www.drdanengle.com www.fullspectrummedicine.com www.kuya.life www.thankyoulife.org Connect with Dan: Website: https://drdanengle.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDanEngle Twitter: https://twitter.com/drdanengle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdanengle/ Connect with Tom: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.ahern Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombahern Medium: https://medium.com/@tom.ahern YouTube: https://bit.ly/2shhVqM Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-mind-mate-podcast

During this pandemic, most people are in social distress, and that affects their mental health. For today's episode, Tom Ahern, with his guest, Nick Bracks will discuss the struggles people face that leads to questioning their self-worth and how stories of other people give us hope and comfort in a way that what you are going through is relatable. They will also talk about different kinds of techniques, tools, activities, and resources that will support your mental health! Stay tuned! #moveyourmind  #mentalhealthmatters #nickbracks Here are the things to expect in the episode: The importance of looking after your mental health and getting the most from life. How to train your mind to see good in every situation. Being real and honest to yourself is a way to live through and live life. Letting yourself vulnerable and accepting that you are not perfect can change your life. Benefits of using podcasts to build a unique connection to others. Using stories, narratives, and storytelling to go beyond defining and addressing problems. How a person with OCD can experience guilt and shame. People did not receive enough education of mental health awareness. And many more! About Nick: Nick Bracks is a storyteller who has dedicated his adult life to creating positive conversations around mental health. An acclaimed mental health advocate and successful multi-entrepreneur, Nick has delivered 1,000+ mental health seminars around the globe, including two TEDx talks. This came about following his own personal and public battle with mental health and wellbeing. Creative at heart, Nick is an actor with several films to his name and a two-year role on the well-loved Australian soap, Neighbours. Acting, along with exercise and meditation, is Nick’s foundation for vibrant mental health. Nick now spends his time advocating for mental health, speaking and interviewing, creating content and acting. His professional life and personal development are perfectly intertwined. Connect with Nick: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbracks/ Book: https://bit.ly/3svd8QK Connect with Tom Ahern: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.ahern Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombahern Medium: https://medium.com/@tom.ahern YouTube: https://bit.ly/2shhVqM Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-mind-mate-podcast

Love. What is love, and how do you define it? For today's episode, Tom Ahern will narrate how you view yourself in a relationship. In many ways, relationships determine who you truly are. To understand yourself is to know the way your mind works. It's a vital key to any healthy relationship and can lead to so many amazing things like self-love and compassion. Uncontrolled emotions like anger and fear affect your growth in a relationship. Let’s listen to this podcast and discover that true love has no opposite! Stay tuned! #gottmaninstitute #relationshipgoals #relationshipadvice In this episode we cover: Understand your partner and see things from their perspective. Anger can be a positive and useful emotion, if it is expressed appropriately. Common problems people have in relationships – and how to solve them. Surrendering: Not a weakness but a total openness to who you are. Dealing with anger and fear before it controls you. Why do people choose to suffer in a relationship. Learning to integrate emotional intelligence into our daily lives. And many more! Connect with Tom Ahern: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.ahern Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombahern Medium: https://medium.com/@tom.ahern YouTube: https://bit.ly/2shhVqM Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-mind-mate-podcast

For today's episode, let's listen to Tom Ahern as he reads a wonderful story of Debbie, a 46 years old woman who happened to be a victim of unfolding circumstances. How she overcomes the fear of losing control and how psychological healing helped her through self-understanding. Stay tuned! Here are the things to expect in the episode: How to deal with intrusive thoughts. What does it mean to let life unfold? How do you stop worrying about things before they happen? Why fear is one of the most powerful emotions. The causes of disgust sensitivity. The impact of obsessive-compulsive disorder to people. Moving from detachment to acceptance. Avoiding the spiritual ego trap. And many more! Connect with Tom Ahern: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.ahern Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombahern Medium: https://medium.com/@tom.ahern YouTube: https://bit.ly/2shhVqM Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-mind-mate-podcast

What thoughts come to your mind when you think of death and dying? Some people identify themselves as spiritual but not religious and that can be interpreted in so many different ways. In this episode, let's join Tom Ahern with his guest, Gary Laderman as they talk about cultural-religious, spiritual beliefs and how death is related to life. Stay tuned! #sacredmedicine #religiousstudies #psychedelics In this episode we cover: Can a person be spiritual but not religious? Religious beliefs, practices, and values. Cultural influences on conceptions of death and dying. Living With Death: The meaning of acceptance. How do religions view death? The psychology of psychedelics. Religious issues. Is atheism a religious belief? And a lot more! About Gary Laderman: Gary Laderman is a professor of American religious history and cultures at Emery University. He teaches and writes about death and dying, religion and sexuality, and sacred drugs. His most recent book is Don’t Think About Death: A Memoir on Mortality. Connect with Gary Laderman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garyladerman/ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cE3apo Connect with Tom Ahern: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.ahern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombahern/ Medium: https://medium.com/@tom.ahern/ YouTube: https://bit.ly/2shhVqM Podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-mind-mate-podcast/

Man am I excited to be releasing this podcast! THIS IS WHY WE DREAM. Dreams function as a way to “forget”8 experiences which no longer apply to an individual’s life; a kind of re-structuring, re-mapping process. Dreams appear to act as an intermediary, making distinctions between which memories will help navigate the uncertainty of the future and which ones are to be rendered obsolete. If we remembered everything—all stimuli ever encountered since birth—we would blow-up!  The brain needs to filter the infinite amount of information it receives from the outside world across time, deciding which of it will be strategically useful for survival purposes. How does the brain know what to remember? Well, shouldn’t it remember only the really important stuff? Shouldn’t it focus its attention on when we nearly died, for example, so that that never happens again? Emotionally significant experiences take priority. The brain needs to remember emotionally significant experiences so that if they were to happen again, it will know what to do; it will know how to respond.  This is why people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder relive they’re frightening, nightmarish experiences. They cannot get over the emotionally significant experience; they cannot detach the overwhelming emotion from it. The brain is constantly trying to map the experience, which can be—and often is—incredibly volatile, existentially speaking. An aspect of trauma therapy, therefore, is to help the client detach from the experience.   Reach out if you want your dreams analysed! It's something I love to do with people to help them cultivate greater awareness! Enjoy the show guys!