Psychology with a Sparkle

Ep 17 - Faith, Dignity Humanity and Mission Purpose with Ronan Scully

In this episode Dr. Dee chats with Ronan Scully - a Humanitarian, Author, weekly Columnist and Speaker, as well as Regional Representative for Irish Charity, ‘Self Help Africa’. Ronan has dedicated his life’s purpose to helping the poorest, most socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged people in the world. His sovereign belief in the universal power of kindness, integrity, human dignity and respect, and that our common humanity is greater than our differences, has guided Ronan’s mission for over 30 years, with his work taking him to Ethiopia, Malawi, India and beyond. Unsurprising, Ronan has received many awards over the years, including Young Person of the Year (1997) Galway Person of the Year (2004) Mayor’s Award (2018), Doctor of Laws Degree, University of Galway (2022) and the Oireachtas Human Rights and Dignity Award ( 2024), honouring his many years of service to the world’s poorest, in addition to his unrelenting commitment to youth development, service provision, education, and bettering the lives of others – nationally and internationally. In this episode Ronan and Dr. Dee explore themes of faith, humanity, mission purpose/dharma, dealing with external bigotry & criticism, finding peace & connection, mental health maintenance, mortality, having fun, and being of service. Ronan explains how faith and connection to God has shaped and offered a road map to his life – from his global work with Self Help Africa and other charities, to his 2 books ‘Hold That Thought’ and ‘Time Out’ (all proceeds of which go to charity), his weekly columns with The Tullamore Tribune, Offaly Express, Midland Tribune, Clare Echo and Ireland Live, as well as his day-to-day guidance, intention, intuition and purposeful action.

Ep 16 - Elevating Interiors to Support Personal Wellbeing with Niamh O'Donovan

In this episode, Dr. Dee is joined by Niamh O'Donovan, of 'Simple Styling' to chat about all things interiors and design, and their impact on our personal psychology and wellbeing. Niamh established her business, 'Simple Styling' 13 years ago, drawing inspiration from her many trips abroad as a former Aer Hostess with Aer Lingus. Inspired by international fashion, design and architecture, Niamh channeled her passion for fashion and interiors, into creating 'Simple Styling' in addition to her recent launch of 'The Ava Collection' - a stunning collection of lambs wool throws. From consultation to completion, Niamh collaborates with each of her clients, to create a personal home and environment that reflects timeless elegance and depth, as well as functionality and character. With her wealth of knowledge and experience, she offers tips and tricks for maximising space, elevating visuals, experimenting with light, and choosing sound and texture, to create a self soothing, soul enhancing, aesthetically beautiful personal surrounding.   This podcast is part of GK Media Studios Creators Network. gkmediastudios.com

Ep 15 - Farming, Influencing, Living off-grid and Rising Above with Maurice Fitz

In this episode Dr. Dee is joined by Maurice Fitz; a Farmer and Founder of 'The Long Acre', which is his own modern farm land, as well as a metaphor for the journey he has been on from childhood to date. Maurice accidentally became a Social Media Influencer after buying a small farm and voicing his opinions publicly on everything from living off grid, to politics, to the importance of mental health. Adopted shortly after birth, Maurice grew up in Dublin and the Midlands, and at the age of 16 he dropped out of school, after being falsely accused of a serious allegation. With the support and positive influence of his grandparents and uncle. Maurice later went on to successfully create and build his own farming business in 2018, which he passionately works and manages, in addition to his work as a Tyre Fitter of heavy agricultural equipment. A contemporary advocate for freedom of speech and truth, Maurice co-hosts 'The Silent Majority Media' Podcast with partners in crime, James Conway and Catherine Ryan. His philosophy, 'Live each and every day as though your very existence is an act of rebellion itself' is embodied in this episode, as Maurice and Dr. Dee chat about all things farming & living off grid, to re-building your life after a serious life setback, identity and the pitfalls of the school system, strategies for maintaining positive mental health, social echo chambers and broadening perspectives, spirituality and the importance of community and meaningful connections, life lessons, building resilience and remaining true to one's authentic self. This podcast is part of GK Media Studios Creators Network. gkmediastudios.com

Ep 14 - Psychology, Neurodivergence, Liberation & Holding Space, with Dr. Sarah Cassidy.

In this episode, Dr. Dee is joined by Chartered Psychologist and President elect of ‘The Psychological Society of Ireland’ (PSI), Dr. Sarah Cassidy.    Dr. Sarah is the Founder and Director of Smithfield Clinic, where she provides psychoeducational, neurodevelopmental and mental health assessments. Sarah is also Co-Founder & Co-Director of New England Centre for OCD and Anxiety (NECOA) as well as Co-Founder & Co-Director of Maynooth University Research Company -  www.raiseyouriq.com [http://www.raiseyouriq.com/]   Sarah is a Lecturer in Child, Counselling and Educational Psychology, the Author of many peer reviewed scientific papers, and Co-Author of 2 best selling books.    Dr. Sarah is a peer-reviewed ‘Acceptance and Commitment Therapy’ (ACT) Trainer, and regular Speaker at the Oireachtas about various Disability Rights, Inclusion, and the importance of formalised assessment in directing services and tailoring bespoke interventions.    A late diagnosed member of the neurodivergent community, Dr. Sarah is “an out and out proud autistic, dyspraxic, ADHD-er, who believes passionately in the equitable, collaborative, scientific and compassionate support of humans”.    In this episode Dr. Sarah offers a rich, embodied perspective - both as a professional and someone with lived experience of neurodivergence. She highlights the importance of conscious listening and responding, as well as tailoring environments to effectively accommodate work, education, therapeutic, living and social settings, to support, optimise and normalise the experience of a growing, neurodivergent population.   This podcast is part of GK Media Studios Creators Network. gkmediastudios.com

Ep 13 - ADHD, Stimulant v Non-Stimulants, Mental Health and More with Dr. Nina Byrnes

In this episode, Medical Doctor, Nina Byrnes joins Dr. Dee to chat all things ADHD, stimulant versus non-stimulant medication and diagnosing people effectively at her Generation Health Clinics, in Castleknock and Monkstown, Dublin. Dr. Nina brings her wealth of knowledge, research and experience to the conversation, to discuss the myths, benefits and challenges of having a diagnosis of ADHD, effective treatment and management of ADHD symptoms, the influence of diet and other lifestyle factors, and her bespoke pipeline formulation of a supplement, to effectively support ADHD presentations.   With 30 years of medical experience, and postgraduate training in Clinical Psychiatry, Dr. Nina is both founder and practicing Doctor at her Generation Health clinics, where she leads out her team in holistic patient care, and the important interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit.   Dr. Nina is the author of 'Your Health Matters' and a regular contributor and commentator across various national media platforms, where similar to this episode, her pragmatic and personable style ensures an informative and hugely relatable experience.   This podcast is part of GK Media Studios Creators Network. gkmediastudios.com