Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw chats with Dr Ben Sedley, clinical psychologist, father of three, and author of Stuff That Sucks, a book about teen mental health. Wellingtonian Ben Sedley is a clinical psychologist who works with adults and adolescents. He’s the author of the illustrated book Stuff That Sucks: A Teen’s Guide to Accepting What You Can’t … Read more
Dr Barbara Disley tells Jess McAllen we need a call for action, not another review. This story first appeared on The Wireless. Read the rest of the series here. Newspaper headlines from 20 years ago look surprisingly familiar (“Mental Health’s Revolving Door”, “The Depressing State of Mental Health”, “Conveyer Belt to Psychiatric Ruin”). In 1996, after a damning … Read more
While mental health is an easy issue to campaign on, it’s hard to get right, writes Jess McAllen. This story first appeared on The Wireless. Read the rest of the series here. Ten years ago, when Labour was in charge, I was 14 and losing grip with reality fast. My parents took me to a counsellor and … Read more
Mental health workers and suicide prevention strategists tell Jess McAllen that while the public system has its flaws, the unrelenting attention on a ‘broken’ system is dangerous too. This story first appeared on The Wireless. Read the rest of the series here. Six hundred and six pairs of shoes are currently making their way around New Zealand. They … Read more
More needs to be done to help those at risk, so let’s get the facts straight, says Jess McAllen. This story first appeared on The Wireless. Read the rest of the series here. Suicide is a tough issue to talk about. With 606 suicides last year, there’s no doubt more needs to be done to support those most … Read more
Momentum around mental health is gathering. But where are the voices of the people who will be impacted first-hand by any policy change? Jess McAllen investigates. This story first appeared on The Wireless. Read the rest of the series here. On a Friday evening in May, police released a photo of Vincent Clayton. He had escaped from … Read more
When you’re experiencing mental health issues, finding someone to talk to about it is key. Graham Panther tells the story of his own journey through the mental health system – and why he’s started a uniquely welcoming, no-questions-asked support group, The Big Feels Club. Not long after my 23rd birthday, my life fell apart – … Read more
More than 13,000 abortions were performed in New Zealand last year. Despite this, abortion in this country is enshrined in the Crimes Act. Jessica Hammond Doube doesn’t think it should be, and she’s doing her best to do something about it. The kaupapa of The Spinoff Parents is to uplift, love, and support parents – … Read more
Superhot, an innovative critique on the dangers of hype culture and gamer identity, has been ported to virtual reality. But something critical is lost in translation, writes Matthew Codd. Superhot was one of the most inventive games of 2016. I don’t just mean in terms of its clever twist on first-person shooter mechanics – time … Read more
Childhood is when your inner voice develops into your best friend – or worst enemy. Life coach Charlotte Hinksman shares the lessons she’s learned about positive communication, and how it has changed the way she talks to her child. My two-year-old has been doing something rather unpleasant lately: she’s started telling people off. It’s mostly me … Read more
A moving address on the subject of suicide, caring and love, delivered during assembly at New Plymouth Boys’ High School, Te Kura Tamatane Ongamotu, by headmaster Paul Verić, has been creating waves online. Here we republish it in full, with permission. I have been thinking about this topic for some time, boys, and, to be really honest … Read more
Attitude is nearing 500 episodes over 13 years, and its current mental health series shows that it deserves a far better timeslot than 8.30am Sunday, writes Duncan Greive. New Zealand has been getting more comfortable confronting difficult issues in primetime. Last year, Nigel Latta: The Hard Stuff’s exploration of suicide and teenagers’ online lives was … Read more
The latest episode of Attitude Documentary series In My Mind focused on the mental health of mothers. For Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes, watching it was both a draining, painful experience and a wake-up call about the epidemic of PND in New Zealand. Content warning: This post contains discussions and descriptions of mental health and … Read more
The new Netflix movie is a remarkably tone-deaf and insight-free depiction of anorexia nervosa, writes Lucy Kelly. Content warning: this article discusses anorexia and other eating disorders in detail, which may be triggering to sufferers and survivors. It was summer in 2011 and I lay in my bed and went through my ritual of checking … Read more
The NZ Herald’s recent special feature on teen suicide in Northland was a reminder, should anyone need it, of the tragic cost of suicide in New Zealand. It’s time we all started treating suicide as the national emergency it is, writes Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw. What do I want for my children and what do I … Read more
Getting Your Shit Together is a monthly column on everyday mental health from Auckland mindfulness educator Kristina Cavit. This month she’s talking about the life-changing magic of getting enough sleep. When I don’t get a good night’s sleep, I can turn into a monster. Or at least the worst version of myself – a short … Read more
On Thursday Mark Dawson, the editor of the Wanganui Chronicle, published an editorial suggesting that ‘the growing empowerment of women’ is partly to blame for New Zealand’s high rate of male suicide. The Mental Health Foundation’s Sophia Graham responds. Dear Mr Dawson, I read your editorial ‘Tough topic we need to talk about’ with dismay. … Read more
The Spinoff Parents is very proud to share this beautiful spoken word poem by Talyah Miller, a Year 9 student from South Auckland Middle School. Who am I? I am a person just like you. I get bored easily so if I am in a place too long I will wander off. I can get … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes is an anxious mess, which is why she’s constantly talking about mental health in mothers and the need to get help if you need it. She recently spoke to a clinical psychologist who specialises in treating mothers with anxiety and depression and other mental health issues. This is the fourth … Read more
I once attempted suicide, writes Shaun Robinson of the Mental Health Foundation. And I got help. While all of us call for something to be done about our shocking suicide stats, here are three things you can do if you or people you know are going down that path. Yesterday was not a proud day … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver talks to Peter Dickens from the Music Foundation and Matt Paul from the band Ghost Wave. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to Peter Dickens and Matt Paul about mental health issues in … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. If you’re like me and like to read and follow the stories … Read more
Do you need a guide to reading your teenager? Do you need help to see red flags or warning signs that they might be in trouble? Louisa Woods, a high school teacher, counsellor, and mother of three, shares her advice on supporting your young person through their teenage years. So, let me tell you something … Read more
The government’s budget announcement trumpeted a new $224 million spend on mental health – but is the plan really as impressive as it sounds? Kyle MacDonald digs into the numbers. If you’ve ever shopped around trying to compare mobile phone plans or power company rates, you know how hard it can be to figure out … Read more
Getting Your Shit Together is a new monthly column on everyday mental health from Auckland mindfulness educator Kristina Cavit. Ahead of Pink Shirt Day tomorrow, Cavit talks to two teenage friends about their experience of bullying – and the techniques they’ve developed to fight back. I was lucky enough to work with 15 year old … Read more
Yesterday we published a critical review of First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, Australian writer Sarah Wilson’s book about her anxiety issues. Today Naomi Arnold, a fan of the book, responds. Fucking anxiety, eh. I have/have had anxiety, and so have about three dozen people I know, admire, and love, some of them brilliant and … Read more
“I know it may appear mean-spirited,” says Deborah Hill-Cone, “to write a bad review about anyone who has the courage to speak publicly about their mental illness.” And then she proceeds to write the bad review. Sarah Wilson writes in First We Make the Beast Beautiful, “I’d spent my life agile and I arrogantly traded … Read more
Mum of three and clinical psychologist Holly Coombes has some tips for all parents about supporting children through anxiety. One of the hardest things as a parent can be to see your child struggling, and not know what to do. Parenting a child with anxiety can take this to the next level. You want to … Read more
At The Spinoff Parents we are committed to publishing stories of parents who have struggled with poor mental health in the hopes that others will see they’re not alone and we can break the stigma of mental illness in parenting. Here Kelsie Moroney shares her story of overcoming PTSD after a traumatic birth. Content warning: This post contains … Read more