Aaron Stadlin-Robbie with his wife, Amy, and son, Archie.
Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/2184491/inspiration-young-fathers-mental-health-podcast-series-and Health & Wellness
The inspiration for a young father’s mental health podcast series, and why it will be different
- A New Zealander raised in Hong Kong, Aaron Stadlin-Robbie sees series as a way to reach out to experts and break stigma of men talking about mental health
- Having suffered anxiety attacks for years he knows what he’s talking about; he hopes podcasts’ frank discussions will leave Hongkongers better informed
Launched on Thursday, Talking Mental is a podcast series with a difference, says its host, Aaron Stadlin-Robbie.
“There’s no tiptoeing around the big issues, no massaging egos, no soothing whale calls,” he says – this is mental illness talked about with necessary kitchen-sink frankness.
We talked to Hong Kong-based New Zealander Stadlin-Robbie, a married father of one in his early thirties who was raised in the city and trained as a TV and radio host, about the series’ genesis.
Q: What was the inspiration for the podcast?
A: The inspiration for this came to me a year ago when I was at a point where I realised talking about my issues was helpful. I decided to put myself in a public space for a few reasons.
One, it was going to push me to talk more, two it gave me an opportunity to speak to experts in the field and thirdly – and most importantly – I wanted to break the stigma of men talking about their mental health. I have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for six years and for the first three, talking about the problem was the last thing I wanted to do.
At the beginning, it felt like I was very alone – I had no real understanding of the topic which made it difficult to explain it to others. But after educating myself, speaking to the right people, I have begun to realise how many people deal with what I’m dealing with and how much we need to air it.
Q: What shape will Talking Mental podcasts take?
A: The podcast will be a guest-based series. It will be unfiltered so I won’t tiptoe around my own vulnerabilities or the issues that surround it. As I air my own problems, I hope simultaneously to help others, too, and to let them know they’re not alone.
Q: Who is on the first show?
A: The first episode is where I hope to set the tone. It is me and some rugby mates sitting in a pub while they ask me questions about my issues and why I have decided to do this. It’s very relaxed; I wanted to show people that speaking about mental health is possible with friends in an environment you normally don’t consider.
Q: Who will feature on the guest panel in future – any key names?
A: At the moment, I have a list of experts that [local non-governmental organisation] Mind Hong Kong have helped me to connect with, which includes everyone from sleep therapists, a top clinical psychologist to a sex therapist. As well as that, I have a long wish list of people that I admire who are talking openly about mental health. At the very top of the list would be [British actor, writer and mental health advocate] Stephen Fry – he would be the most incredible interview ever.
Q: What subjects will you address in the series?
A: Season one will be centred around my own anxiety and panic attacks and how I aim to go about helping myself. During the series, I will be addressing everything from my youth to family issues to my horrible sleeping patterns. We have a total of 15 episodes lined up for season one and lots of experts from all fields lined up to help me – and listeners – understand more about anxiety.
Aaron Stadlin-Robbie starts the series by talking about his ovwn experience and how he has helped himself cope with anxiety. Photo: Aaron Stadlin-Robbie
Q: How much guest/listener participation do you anticipate, will you encourage it – how?
A: I hope a lot. Once we get enough traction, I would love to add a 10-minute section where I can ask specific questions of the public. For a lot of people, seeking help can be daunting and I hope I can be a bridge for them to start that important conversation.
Q: How often will it run?
A: I’m really excited about the launch. It’s been a long time coming, but now the real work begins. We are going to be releasing an episode every week.
Q: Are we talking mental enough in Hong Kong? What should we be doing?
A: No way, not even close. Especially in Hong Kong. It’s so far off the radar it’s shocking. Hong Kong as a society doesn’t deal well with mental health and I think the majority of issues come down to knowledge. I still believe we have a very old-fashioned mindset with regards to the perception of mental health in Hong Kong. This stigma needs to be busted and I believe we can change that by the language and tone we use regarding mental health.
First though, we need more knowledge on the topic and that comes from people openly talking about it.
Tune in from today at www.talkingmental.com.