Mental Health in Public Conversation
Psychotherapist Allan Clarke speaks about mental health, trauma, autism, relationships and human behaviour across radio, podcasts and other media.
He has more than 15 years of clinical experience, hosted 125 episodes of Straight Talking Mental Health and has an award-winning acting background. Live interviews, unscripted conversations and difficult subjects are familiar territory.
His media work covers clinical subjects as well as areas he knows personally, particularly late-diagnosed autism, men’s mental health, trauma, relationships and identity.
Straight Talking Mental Health
Clinical experience
Guest commentary and interviews
Award-winning performance background
125 episodes of straight conversations about mental health.
Straight Talking Mental Health ran for 125 episodes, with long-form conversations about mental health and the parts of people’s lives that rarely fit into a neat five-minute answer.
Guests included Premier League footballer and Ireland U21 coach Jim Crawford, Aslan’s Billy McGuinness and former Royal Marine sniper James Boardman.
Topics included trauma, grief, suicide, relationships, parenting, behavioural addiction, neurodivergence and sexuality, along with subjects people often find difficult to discuss openly.
This podcast kept me alive.
One listener later contacted Allan to say that the podcast had helped keep him alive during a particularly difficult period in his life.
Discussed by Allan during an interview with Ballinakill Buzz FM.
Autism, Alcoholism & Self-Esteem
Allan joined Thomas Green to talk about being diagnosed autistic in adulthood, growing up with an alcoholic father, self-esteem, relationships and what love actually means in practice.
#286 – Autism, Alcoholism & Self Esteem With Psychotherapist Allan Clarke
A personal discussion about late-diagnosed autism, childhood, self-esteem and the ways earlier experiences can still show up in adult life.
Long-form conversations.
Selected podcast appearances covering autism, childhood, identity, relationships, self-sabotage and behaviour.
Autism, Acting & Fatherhood
A conversation with psychiatrist Dr Jennifer Reid about being diagnosed autistic in adulthood, childhood experience, acting, music, parenting and identity.
“Like an alien on Earth. That’s how it always felt, until the diagnosis.”
Self-Sabotage & Video Game Addiction
A conversation about video game addiction, escapism, boundaries, autism, self-control and why people sometimes use behaviour to avoid what is happening internally.
“We try to control the outside world because the inside feels out of control.”
The Power of Decisions
A long-form conversation about relationships, therapy, mental health, personal responsibility and the decisions people make about how they want to live.
“Every decision we make defines who we are and who we could become.”
Mental health without the jargon.
Allan has contributed to radio discussions on mental health, including appearances on Midlands 103.
Radio gives very little time to explain psychological ideas. The challenge is to be accurate without disappearing into jargon, especially when the subject is sensitive or personal.
Subjects Allan can speak about.
These include areas of clinical practice, professional training and lived experience that Allan can discuss in interviews, features and panel conversations.
Autism & Late Diagnosis
Trauma & Emotional Regulation
Anxiety & Stress
Men’s Mental Health
Relationships & Attachment
Parenting & Adolescence
Gaming & Behavioural Addiction
Mindfulness & Meditation
Identity & Self-Esteem
Psychotherapy, performance and public speaking.
Allan’s background in theatre includes multiple acting awards, including Best Actor at the All-Ireland Drama Finals.
He has spent years performing on stage, hosting a long-form podcast, facilitating groups and working clinically. He is used to unscripted conversation, live audiences, recorded interviews and difficult subject matter.
Speaking & Training →Looking for a contributor or guest?
Podcast hosts, producers, journalists and event organisers can get in touch with details of the subject, format and proposed date.
Media, podcast or speaking enquiry?
Include a little information about the subject, audience, format and proposed date when getting in touch.