The Laughter Clinic

⚠️ A note before you listen: this episode includes a frank discussion of Leukaemia diagnosis and treatment, and of the darker places Darren went to mentally during it.   Listener Discretion is advised: Support details are below. When Australian comedian Darren Sanders was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML) in March, his partner Robyn Linkhorn became his full-time carer overnight,...

CONTENT WARNIING: Stories 8 & 9 discuss the topics of suicide and suicide prevention, listener discretion is advised.  In this PULSE episode I run through ten timely mental health stories, pulling out the practical bits you can use straight away and the research that shifts how we think about wellbeing. We move from coping with disappointment and the science of laughter to policy updates, suic...

On this day a year ago, I hit publish on the first ever Laughter Clinic Podcast episode. This anniversary wrap-up is me being honest about the wins, the numbers, the standout conversations, and the parts of producing these first 40 episodes that have been harder than I expected.   I walk through the guests who made the year what it is, from comedians sharing stories about illness, bullying, balanc...

This week I chat grief, humour, and family love as Dane Hiser shares the story of his brother Trent and the decades of care that helped him live a full life with Prader-Willi syndrome. We also get honest about anxiety, OCD, medication, loneliness, and why connection through comedy can be a real path back to ourselves.  • why “laughter is the best medicine” still holds up in dark seasons  • what Pr...

CONTENT WARNIING: This episode does discuss the topics of suicide and suicide prevention, listener discretion is advised.  This week host Mark McConville chats with Buddy Up Australia CEO Craig Heslop, about how laughter, community, and practical decompression keep first responders and defence personnel well during service and after it. We break down what Buddy Up offers, why evidence-based preven...

This week I catch up with Australian comedian Danny McGinlay. We unpack Danny's comedy career, acting gigs, his behind the scenes work as a TV audience warm-up guy, along with his role writing the banners for his beloved Western Bulldogs. We also talk weird gigs, footy culture, why following sport is good for your mental health, and fundraising for Ukraine. • from open mics to paid gigs • why...

In this episode, Mark chats with filmmaker Medhavi Fernando about her upcoming docuseries Seriously Unserious , a project exploring the real-life power of humour and laughter. They discuss documentary storytelling, therapeutic humour, comedy as craft, the science of laughter, and why being unserious might be one of the most serious things we can do for our wellbeing. • what “laughter is the best m...

In this episode, host Mark McConville speaks with Australian comedian and writer David Smiedt about laughter, cancer, stand-up comedy, resilience and mental health. David discusses his journey from South Africa to Australia, his early days in Sydney comedy, the lessons comedians learn from bombing, his throat cancer diagnosis and treatment, and his show Finding Chemo . Mark and David also explore...

In this episode Jodi Allen joins me to unpack the first ever Australia and New Zealand Moral Injury Conference that we both attended recently. We get clear on what moral injury is and what it is not. We talk through how betrayal, guilt, shame, and “stuckness” can show up in service and everyday workplaces, then map out what moral repair can actually look like in real life.  • Why moral injury is d...

"The evidence is no longer the problem. The problem is political will." The central message in this solo episode is clear: Australia now has a government-commissioned national feasibility study showing that social prescribing is evidence-based, internationally validated, economically sensible, and aligned with the real world social drivers of health, yet the 2026-27 Australian Federal Bu...

Content Warning: This episode discusses the topic of suicide, and suicide prevention, listener discrection is advised.  This week I chat with Sue Murray OAM - Practice Leader of the Zero Suicide Institute of Australasia and former CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  We discuss the Zero Suicide Healthcare framework, workforce training gaps in mental healt...

ANZAC Day always makes me slow down and reflect. I’m up before dawn, standing with thousands of strangers, all joined by a common goal, to pay our respects and honour the fallen. Listening to words like the Requiem and the Ode, being moved by the sound of the Last Post being played, and remembering that service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.  In this solo episode I also share a personal m...

This week I sit down with Mathew De Goldi, aka GOLDIE the Clown, to unpack what it really takes to make kids and adults laugh. We talk craft, character, clown fear, and why humour can be a genuine support for mental health when life gets heavy. For 35 yrs he's been a crowd favorite around Australia.  Things we chat about:  • Clowns in pop culture and how scary clown myths spread  • GOLDIE&apo...

What happens when one of Australia's most forward-thinking exponential technology experts sits down with a comedian-turned-suicidologist to talk about AI, mental health, and the future of being human? You get one of the most thought-provoking conversations on the The Laughter Clinic Podcast. In this episode, Mark McConville welcomes Dr Clarence Tan, former Singularity University Asia Pacific...

In this latest Pulse Episode I share ten interesting stories from around the world that sit at the intersection of mental health, suicide prevention, humour & laughter research and everyday self-care. From big system changes like free Medicare Mental Health support and defence reform in Australia, to personal strategies like safety plans, nature connection and even what chocolate does to your...

The series finale of the Life Skills Masterclass. Mark and Jodi bring together the WHO's 10 life skills framework — augmented with mindfulness and lifestyle medicine — into one cohesive, daily-ready integration. In this episode they cover the "Integration Trio": managing emotions, mindfulness, and lifestyle medicine, weaving in personal stories, clinical experience, evidence-based t...

In the 3rd instalment of the Life Skills Masterclass series Mark and Jodi break down how clear language, presence, and empathy turn daily talk into deeper levels of connection. We share simple moves like I statements, active listening, and repair attempts, then zoom out to relationship audits, love languages, and finding your tribe beyond home and work. In this episode:  • Using I statements to re...

In Part 2 of our Life Skills Masterclass Series Mark and Jodi break down the thinking trio, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking and Decision Making. Learn how you can evaluate information, spark creative ideas, and choose with intent. Along the way we unpack bias, sleep, and a simple matrix that turns overwhelm into action. In this episode:  • Defining critical thinking and why evidence and sourc...

In Part 1 of this 4-Part Life Skills Masterclass Series we talk about the foundation trio: Self-Awareness, Coping with Stress, and Problem Solving. Mark McConville and Jodi Allen share lived experience, research-backed tools, and a five-step framework to move from reactivity to calm, clear action. In this episode:  • Defining self-awareness and reading body signals  • Autopilot, avoidance, and mic...

In this rich, wide-ranging conversation, Mark McConville sits down with Jodi Allen— Former member of the RAAF (14 yrs) , clinical nutritionist, trauma-sensitive yoga teacher, and lead facilitator of the 4 Aussie Heroes Foundation's Triumph Over Trauma program. This is a very compelling episode. Jodi's story is extraordinary. She joined the Air Force at 17, suffered a spinal fusion at 24,...

Have you ever felt disconnected from a conversation, unable to contribute because you weren't following the news? That's what happened to host Mark McConville at a social gathering with mates, and it sparked a profound question: Is avoiding the news helping or hurting me? In this vulnerable solo episode, Mark explores the complex dilemma we all face: How do we stay informed about the wor...

What if the root cause of disadvantage isn't a lack of money—it's a lack of love? In this deeply moving episode, Mark McConville sits down with John Godwin, founder and CEO of Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation, to unpack a values-first mentoring model that is changing lives.  John shares the story of how his organisation has grown to over 600 volunteer mentors across Queensland, work...

In one of the most significant episodes in The Laughter Clinic Podcast's short history, host Mark McConville welcomes his mentor, Associate Professor Jacinta Hawgood (AISRAP, Griffith University), for an intimate and wide-ranging discussion about suicide prevention, research, and the integration of lived experience into clinical practice. This powerful conversation explores the evolution of s...

Kicking off 2026 with essential workplace wellness strategies!  Stephen Woods, founder of Employee Wellness Australia joins The Laughter Clinic Podcast to share practical, evidence-based tools for beating burnout and building trust at work. Whether you're a team leader, manager, employee, or solo business owner, this episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement TODAY to reduce wor...

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 La...