Child Psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor joins me on this episode for a conversation on children’s mental health and the impact we can have as parents. We discuss “parent comparison syndrome” and how it can unintentionally lead to us placing adult standards on our children. We also discuss how we have grown to “demonise being average” and how this leads to placing enormous pressures on both ourselves and our children. The episode is packed with really valuable guidance for parents trying to raise their children in todays fast paced, high achiever society.

Head of Athletic Development for Ireland Mens International football team, Damien Doyle chats about his 20 + year career as a sports scientist in football. Explaining what the role looked like starting out in the UK, with lower league clubs in the early 00’s. And how his methods have evolved as he progressed to bigger clubs such as MK Dons & Leicester City over the years. And the key role he now plays in getting the Irish international players physically prepared for match day since joining Stephen Kenny’s staff. A brilliant insight into what day to day professional football life is like and the crucial role that sport science plays in helping players perform at their absolute best.

Body & Mind performance expert Pat Divilly joins me for a conversation on all things mens mental health . We discuss bringing awareness to our “shadow” and how we can stop it from getting in the way of our happiness. We also delve into the 4 male archetypes King, Warrior, Lover, Magician and how we must harness all 4 to enjoy good emotional health. Understanding these archetypes can help us strike that tricky balance of being both a provider dad and a present dad, breaking down some of the old school stereotypes that are associated with being a man.

Child Psychotherapist Hailey Rice illustrates how we can better understand our children’s emotional needs. We discuss how to help and support our children to better understand and express their emotions, especially when going through the toddler tantrum and the challenging teenage stages. We chat about how as parents we can become better aware of potential triggers we may have inherited from our own upbringings. And how we can work on those triggers once we become aware of them. Hayley also talks about the coaching work she does directly with parents online and in person at her clinic in Wicklow.

Nutritionist Kate McDaid shows us how good nutrition can positively impact all key areas of our life. Including how it can improve our energy at home and our stress management at work. Plus Kate illustrates the nutrition coaching she does directly with sports teams such as Dublin Ladies GAA and Kildare GAA to name but a few. Giving us effective nutrition strategies for activities such as Gym Sessions, GAA/Football, Cycling and Golf. And how these strategies can be applied safely for children involved in similar activities. Plus we debunk some of the great nutritional myths that exist in todays celebrity/social media diet culture.