In this final episode for 2025 I reflect on a year of big decisions, both personal and professional. From leaving cruise ships to going off my ADHD medication and growing the Laughter Clinic, it's been a year of significant life changes. I also take a moment to hold space for a national tragedy. • acknowledging the Bondi Beach victims • stepping away from cruise ships to prioritise The Laughter Clinic • delivering 53 Laughter Clinic presentations nationwide • collaborations wit...
Out of the studio and on the road, in this episode I'm chatting with seasoned stand-up comedian Bev Killick. Hear how making people laugh can change your life. Bev shares raw stories of rowdy comedy venues, performing for the troops, and caring for a family member with schizoaffective disorder. Bev also offers great insights in regard to practical advice for carers. We share lived, practical guidance for supporting someone through psychosis and reduce stigma with clear, useful steps any...
This week I catch up with B105 breakfast radio host Stav Davidson. We chat about how he has built a 20‑year career on honesty, quick wit, and mindfulness, and why laughter still works as medicine when the world feels heavy. Stav provides a masterclass in being yourself on air and how that has contributed to his longevity. Stories range from an honorary Knighthood, skydiving cash storms to interviews gone sideways and the quiet wins that have meant the most. • positive mindset as a resilience...
This week I chat with comedian Mike Van Acker and we take a trip down memory lane talking about the origins of stand up comedy in Brisbane and touring road trips. We also explore how Mike enriched his comedy career by running multiple trivia nights that keep people entertained and connected. • from open mic to headlining, the early days of stand up in Brisbane • lessons from the golden era of Australian stand-up • being a good MC and the art of stagecraft • bombing, crutches, and wantin...
In this episode I break down why humour and laughter work differently and how self‑enhancing humour helps reduce stress and build resilience. I also offer a simple three‑step plan to help you bring more laughter into your life and the lives of those around you. • physical effects of laughter • limits of one‑size‑fits‑all comedy in research • four humour styles and why self‑enhancing is the best • how to find what genuinely makes you laugh • building a personal laughter library • micro‑...
Ash opens up about how laughter became a shield, a craft, and a calling. We chat about how laughter boosts immunity, compare cruise-ship crowds with comedy club audiences, and talk candidly about drugs, faith, and the changing face of the comedy industry. How stress harms wellbeing and why laughter mattersBullying and self-deprecating humour as early survival toolsFirst cruise gigs, brutal bombs and the first big winMentors, comedy life, and the toll of drugsChoosing Australia, love, an...
Content Warning: This episode discusses suicide and suicide prevention. Listener discretion is advised. Insight 1 • Pressures facing Australian mental health nurses and the need for formal support beyond AI Chatbots. https://360info.org/australias-mental-health-services-are-buckling-due-to-rising-demand-staff-shortages-and-patient-violence/ • Early evidence for AI chatbots supporting clinicians mental health. https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e67682 Insight 2 • Adolescent menta...
Content Warning: This episode discusses suicide and suicide prevention. Listener discretion is advised. In this ep Mark chats with Dr Nikki Jameson—social worker, suicidologist, and founder of Moral Injury Australia—to unpack how a mother’s loss of her son Daniel to suicide ignited a national push for reform, shaped a Royal Commission, and gave people a new way to understand suffering that doesn’t fit neatly under PTSD. Nikki shares Daniel’s story—his loyalty, humour, and s...
A good joke can change a room; the right night can change a town. That’s the pulse of this conversation with Ellen Briggs—mother of twins, touring comedian, and co-creator of the hit show Women Like Us. We chat about the craft behind creating an “alive silence,” and the hidden workings of a sustainable comedy career that doesn’t rely on festivals or TV appearances. Ellen walks us through a decade of building shows that bring people together across Australia. There are stories that land...
In this ep I catch up with Ivan Aristiguieta, award winning stand-up comedian, writer, and now he's just added acting to his already impressive CV. Originally from Venezuela, Ivan now proudly calls Australia home, and the audiences have been returning the love all around the country. Ivan talks about walking the famous Camino De Santiago, a brutal, beautiful route that ends with the important reminder: we’re all on borrowed time. From there, we peel back common myths about comedi...
Sport is often sold as fitness and fun, but the deeper, quieter gift of sport is its power to bring people back into community. In this episode Mark dives into the hidden mental health superpowers of sport, from the jersey effect that sparks instant connection to the weekly rhythm of seasons that gives us structure, hope, and a reason to reach out. Mark also explores the deeper psychology of fandom and belonging, identity, and how rivalry paradoxically binds communities with resp...
Insight 1 Australia's National Mental Health Commission's 2024 Report Card reveals increasing financial strain affecting mental healthcare access, with one in four Australians avoiding mental health services due to cost. The proportion of Australians struggling financially has doubled in recent years. https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/34/insights-from-the-national-mental-health-commissions-2024-report-card/ https://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/publications/national-report-card-20...
Australian comedian Mick Meredith shares his remarkable journey through 25+ years in the comedy industry and reveals how finding the right balance in his life changed everything. Growing up influenced by his mother's joyful personality and sense of humour, Mick began his performing career in bands before transitioning to stand-up comedy. While he's entertained audiences across Australia and internationally for decades, it was discovering the power of physical exercise that truly transformed ...
Unlock the transformative power of journaling with comedian and suicidologist Mark McConville as he explores a simple practice that's been embraced by history's greatest minds—from Marcus Aurelius to Oprah Winfrey. Drawing from personal experience and scientific research, Mark introduces the WATT Framework—What Action Taken Today—a powerful approach that transforms traditional journaling into a catalyst for meaningful life change. This isn't just about writing down your thoughts; it's about ...
This first TLC Pulse Episode unpacks five developments reshaping our understanding of mental health and wellbeing. Insight 1 Laughter truly might be the best medicine according to groundbreaking research from Japan showing that just four minutes of comedy viewing can significantly reduce stress and improve focus in adults. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-025-04863-5 Insight 2 The alarming state of teacher mental health in Australia demands urg...
Loneliness and isolation contribute to various mental health conditions, but day-to-day community interactions can significantly improve our wellbeing. Research from Blue Zones—regions with high numbers of healthy centenarians—shows social connectedness is a primary driver for living a long, happy life. • Belonging to a community decreases loneliness, lowers stress, and provides crucial support during challenging times • Contributing to community activities fosters purpose, empathy, and enha...
An unexpected birthday barbecue with over 30 friends becomes a powerful reminder of the critical importance of social health alongside mental and physical wellbeing. Mark shares his personal experience of reconnecting with friends after months apart and explores how these connections provide essential emotional support, reduce loneliness, and create a meaningful sense of belonging. • Social health involves building and maintaining interpersonal relationships and effectively navigating differ...
What would you do if doctors told you that you had just 18 months to live? For Craig Coombes, the answer came in an unexpected form. When Craig received his terminal cancer diagnosis in 2012, he made a simple yet profound decision: "Make the rest of your life the best of your life." What followed was an extraordinary journey that has defied medical expectations and inspired countless people along the way. In this deeply moving conversation, Craig shares how humor transformed his relat...
Comedy meets science in this groundbreaking exploration of how both humor and laughter can transform mental health. Comedian and suicidologist Mark McConville takes us on a deeply personal journey that began with a profound encounter – a soldier who hadn't laughed in three years found more healing in one comedy show than years of traditional therapy. Through the Laughter Clinic Podcast, Mark bridges his two worlds: decades of stand-up comedy experience across Australia's comedy clubs, and hi...