

The Mind Mate Podcast
Tom Ahern
The Mind Mate Podcast explores the human condition at the intersection of philosophy and psychotherapy. Hosted by counsellor and psychotherapist and writer Tom Ahern, the podcast engages deeply with questions of meaning, anxiety, freedom, identity, death, love, and what it means to live authentically in the modern world.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 17, 2024 • 42min
201: Personal Experiences, Insights and Tools to Manage Depression and States of 'Deep Rest'
Welcome back everyone! In this podcast, we, Tom and Paul, (holistic lifestyle coach) delve into the complexities of depression, exploring its causes, symptoms, and impact on daily life. We share personal experiences and insights, emphasising the importance of recognising early signs and seeking help. We discuss the correlation between states of non-clinical depression and existential crises/midlife awakenings and opportunities as well as practical tools to manage depression, including lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices. We also highlight the significance of social support, self-care routines, and developing coping strategies to enhance mental well-being and resilience. We hope you enjoy the show!

May 10, 2024 • 59min
200: The Science of Sleep with Registered Nurse Deb Herdman
Deb Herdman is a Registered Nurse, entrepreneur and certified sleep practitioner. She is the creator of Nigh’ Nigh’, an author of two e-books and has been published in print, online, radio, and podcasts both in Australia and across the world. Deb presents sleep seminars to parent groups, health institutions, schools, and workplaces and virtual consulting to all ages that require better sleep/life balance. Opening the world’s first music and play therapy Sleep School, her resources are evidence-based and different from other resources. Deb offers Consults in home/clinic/virtual/phone anywhere in the world.

May 3, 2024 • 34min
199: The Grieving Brain, Accessing Flow States, and Exploring Spiritual Practices with Paul Glezer
Welcome to episode 198! In this episode Pauly and Tom touch on a multitude of topics ranging from the grief and what the brain does in response to grieving to ways to access the flow state, The boys also touch on what Pauly learnt on his trip to India as well as his silent retreat meditation experiences; why Tom is feeling called to actively practice spirituality, whether secular or religious. We hope you enjoy!

Feb 15, 2024 • 30min
198: Forming New Habits, and Why the Terror of Death Shapes Us All with Paul Glezer
Paul has been immersed in the Health and Wellbeing space since 2003, with extended experience in strength and conditioning, calisthenics, mobility, and stress management. Paul’s approach to training is ‘client first’ training. His experience training hundreds of people over the years has taught him that balance is the key ingredient to progress. Strength means very little without space and vice versa. It has been Paul’s mission to explore and negotiate the dynamic nature of life to move forward through movement, mind, and heart.

Aug 21, 2023 • 54min
197: The Secret Life of You with Kerri Sackville
Kerri Sackville is an Australian author, columnist, and social commentator. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including The Sunday Times UK, SBS Life, http://news.com.au , mamamia.com, The Australian Women’s Weekly, and Prevention Magazine. A long-time contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and Sunday Life magazine, Kerri’s columns are regularly amongst the most widely read across the sites. Kerri has written five works of non-fiction and contributed to three anthologies. Her latest book is The Secret Life of You: How a bit of alone time can change your life, relationships, and maybe the world (Pantera, 2023). Kerri is a regular guest on ABC radio, commercial radio, and podcasts around the country. She lives in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs with her kids and cat.
Connect with Kerri Sackville
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/Kerri.Sackville
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrisackville/
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb

Jul 3, 2023 • 59min
196: The Rise of AI, Echo Chambers and Cultivating Self-awareness with Craig Harper
Craig Harper is one of Australia’s leading presenters, writers and educators in the areas of health, high-performance, resilience, self-management, leadership, corporate change, communication, stress management, addiction and personal transformation. Craig has been an integral part of the Australian health and fitness industry since 1982 and in that time has worked as an Exercise Scientist, Corporate Speaker, Consultant, University Lecturer, AFL Conditioning Coach, Radio Host, TV Presenter, Writer and successful Business Owner. In 1990 Craig established Harper’s Personal Training, which evolved into one of the most successful businesses of its kind and inhabited the Australian fitness landscape for almost a quarter of a century. Craig currently hosts a successful Podcast called ‘The You Project’, is partnering with the Neuroscience Team at Monash University, exploring the spectrum of human thinking and behaviour, with a specific focus on addiction and its treatment. He’s also completing a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology.
Connect with Craig Harper
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigharpercorporate/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraigHarperOfficial/
Website: https://www.craigharper.net/about/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiteboardlessons/
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb

Jun 26, 2023 • 57min
195: Religion, Death, Drugs and Sexuality in the 21st Century with Gary Laderman
Gary Laderman is a professor of American religious history and cultures At Emory University. He teaches and writes about death and dying, religion and sexuality, and sacred drugs. He is the author of Don’t Think About Death: A Memoir on Mortality. His other books include an exploration of the sacred in the new American religious landscape: Sacred Matters: Celebrity Worship, Sexual Ecstasies, the Living Dead, and Other Signs of Religious Life in the United States; two books on the history of death in America: The Sacred Remains: American Attitudes Toward Death, 1799-1883 and Rest in Peace: A Cultural History of Death and the Funeral Home in Twentieth-Century America.
Connect with Gary Laderman
Website: https://garyladerman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garyladerman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/garyladerman?lang=en
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb

Jun 19, 2023 • 1h 2min
194: The Future of Psychotherapy with Dr. Margaret Ross
Dr. Margaret Ross is a senior clinical psychologist at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne working in Psychosocial cancer care and Palliative Medicine depts. Marg is the Chief Principal Investigator for Australia's first Psilocybin assisted psychotherapy trial to treat depression and anxiety associated with terminal illness.
Connect with Dr. Margaret Ross
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-ross-0aa26925a/
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb

Jun 12, 2023 • 46min
193: Using Music as a Powerful Healing Modality with Rodney Pollak
Rodney is a Registered Music Therapist who has a passion for connecting people to their internal and external worlds through music.
Since completing his Masters of Music Therapy in 2017, Rodney has worked across a multitude of settings in both:
Hospitals
Community
Not for Profit Organisations
He has experience providing music therapy to support people within the contexts of:
Mental Health
Progressive Neurological Disorders
Schizoaffective Disorders
Paediatrics
Adolescents
Disability
Aged Care and Dementia
Palliative Care
He now also facilitates sound bath meditations to the general public
Connect with Rodney Pollak
Website: https://www.musictherapyhub.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-pollak-66073870/
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb

Jun 5, 2023 • 48min
192: Movement as an Integrative Therapy for Life with Oscar Meerman
Oscar Meerman is a holistic strength and calisthenics coach who draws on a variety of different fields to get the best out of his clients. Beyond his work, however, he is also a deep thinker, a reflective and wise soul, and someone who sees movement as a pathway to greater learning and self-understanding.
Connect with Oscar Meerman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscarmeerman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oscar.meerman
Connect us here
iTunes: https://apple.co/3W14wjk
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/42S3mcb


