The Laughter Clinic
The Laughter Clinic Podcast brings a refreshingly different approach to mental health education. Your host Mark McConville, is an Australian professional Comedian of 25+ years who also has a Masters Degree In Suicidology from Griffith University. Mark delivers you evidence-based self-care strategies, curated research insights, and meaningful conversations that inspire, educate and entertain.
The Laughter Clinic
TLC PULSE: 5 Global Insights Worth Noting
Insight 1
Australia's National Mental Health Commission's 2024 Report Card reveals increasing financial strain affecting mental healthcare access, with one in four Australians avoiding mental health services due to cost. The proportion of Australians struggling financially has doubled in recent years.
https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/34/insights-from-the-national-mental-health-commissions-2024-report-card/
https://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/publications/national-report-card-2024
Insight 2
Three often overlooked suicide warning signs include: sudden mood improvement after depression, unusual generosity with possessions, and unexpected interest in estate planning.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/up-and-running/202501/3-overlooked-warning-signs-of-suicide
Insight 3
Research published in PLOS confirms that parental humour strengthens family bonds, with adults who had humorous parents describing them as more effective, approachable and loving.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/parenting/moments/being-funny-parent-is-best-hack-3-tips-to-add-humour-to-your-parenting/articleshow/124025354.cms
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0306311
Insight 4
"1 Degree of Separation" program in the US uses comedy and comedians to facilitate mental health conversations through five powerful questions about depression.
https://youtu.be/TOfYXtBTfPU?si=a9n6Dz1zWIIqYbXW
https://www.1degreeofseparation.life/
Insight 5
Bradley Cooper's upcoming film "Is This Thing On?" explores stand-up comedy as a coping mechanism during personal crisis.
https://deadline.com/2025/08/is-this-thing-on-trailer-bradley-cooper-will-arnett-1236497452/
https://youtu.be/TE5v3U79i6s?si=hXsJmXVXpA8vINoK
Please subscribe, share this episode with someone who might benefit, and remember to be kind to yourself and be kind to those around you.
Website: www.thelaughterclinic.com.au
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thelaughterclinicAus
"If you or someone you know needs support, please contact one of these Australian mental health services. In an emergency, always call 000."
Lifeline Australia
Phone: 13 11 14 (24/7)
Web: lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
Phone: 1300 659 467 (24/7)
Web: suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Beyond Blue
Phone: 1300 22 4636 (24/7)
Web: beyondblue.org.au
Kids Helpline (for people aged 5-25)
Phone: 1800 55 1800 (24/7)
Web: kidshelpline.com.au
MensLine Australia
Phone: 1300 78 99 78 (24/7)
Web: mensline.org.au
SANE Australia (complex mental health issues)
Phone: 1800 18 7263
Web: sane.org
QLife (LGBTIQ+ support)
Phone: 1800 184 527
Web: qlife.org.au
Open Arms (Veterans & Families Counselling)
Phone: 1800 011 046 (24/7)
Web: openarms.gov.au
1800RESPECT (sexual assault, domestic violence)
Phone: 1800 737 732 (24/7)
Web: 1800respect.org.au
Headspace (youth mental health, ages 12-25)
Phone: 1800 650 890
Web: headspace.org.au
13YARN (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support)
Phone: 13 92 76 (13YARN) (24/7)
Web: 13yarn.org.au
Music by Hayden Smith
https://www.haydensmith.com
Welcome to the Laughter Clinic Podcast with comedian and suicidologist Mark McConville, bringing you practical, evidence-based self-care strategies, the latest research in mental health, along with conversations that inspire, educate and entertain. This is the Laughter Clinic Podcast with your host, mark McConville.
Speaker 2:Hey folks, mark McConville here. Thank you very much for joining me on this episode of Pulse where I share with you five insights from around the world in the field of mental health, suicide prevention, and humour and laughter and what's been going on. So we've got five great stories for you in this episode. First, I'm going to have a chat about the National Mental Health Commission's 2024 report card, so I've got some stuff to share from that that's been authored by David McGrath. David is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Mental Health Commission, so that's pretty cool to come from David. We're also going to have a chat about three overlooked warning signs of suicide. Okay, we're going to have a quick chat about that. We're going to have a talk about why being funny as a parent is important and what that looks like and how your kids can benefit from that. It's quite a cool story that actually I haven't seen that sort of research come out before. Humour in parenting does it have a role? Well, yes, yes, the research shows that it does. And then after that, we're going to have a chat about comedians using laughter as a tool for suicide prevention, coming out of the United States. It's a fantastic story that's recently come to my attention, very excited to share this with you. And then we're going to wind it up with talking about a new Bradley Cooper film that is coming out at the end of the year that has stand up comedy as a main theme. So lots to get through.
Speaker 2:So let's go into insight number one, and this one was published on the 1st of September 2025. The headline reads my friends, insights from the National Mental Health Commission's 2024 report card, and I've got to tell you you know the news is not great when it comes to this, and if you live in Australia, none of this information is really going to surprise you. To be perfectly honest, the National Mental Health Commission's 2024 report card, released in July this year, shines a spotlight on the urgent need for a more coordinated and equitable mental health system in Australia. Well, like I said, if you live in our country, that is not going to surprise you at all. The report card helps us take the pulse, pulse, pulse episode of Australia's mental health system, measuring its successes and shortfalls. The finding reveals a system that is under pressure, while life satisfaction and psychological distress remain steady. This is interesting.
Speaker 2:Australians' sense of control over events in their life has declined from 75.8% in 2019 to 71.3% in 2023. Australians sense of control over events in their life. That's an interesting metric to be measuring. Young people are at greater risk. Obviously, we know about stressors. Young people are under.
Speaker 2:Young adults age 18 to 29 continue to report significantly higher levels of psychological distress. We know this. A lot of this trend comes from reflecting growing worries amongst young people, including about financial security, concerns about climate change, other life changes that affect their mental health and wellbeing, and obviously, as they enter into the workforce and the impact of AI and cost of living pressures are having a profound impact on mental health. This is in Australia. The proportion of people struggling to cope on their current income has doubled. This is a really glaring statistic, this one. So let me read that again. The proportion of people struggling to cope on their current income has doubled from 17.1% in November 2020 to 34.6% in January 2024. Women consistently report higher levels of financial stress than men. This is not. That's really not good. You know. We need to do better people. We really do.
Speaker 2:The financial strain is directly affecting the access to care. Of course it is. Strain is directly affecting the access to care. Of course it is. In 2023-24, more than one in five Australians delayed or avoided seeing a health professional due to cost. One in five people avoiding seeing a health professional due to costs For a psychologist, psychiatrist and other mental health profession. This figureizes to nearly one in four one in four people not seeing a mental health professional due to cost.
Speaker 2:This report from David goes on to talk about GPs often being the first point of contact for patients experiencing mental health challenges. They also remain the common, most common provider of mental health services. You know so, yeah, seeing a GP straight off is obviously that's where things start. And if you don't have a great GP, find one, because you know having a great GP is, like it talks about here, the first point of call. And if you can't afford to get in to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist, you know having a good GP at least is you find someone that bulk bills get on the Medicare system and at least you've got something he talks about here.
Speaker 2:People experiencing mental health challenges are often left to piece together care from disconnected services. The lack of consistent pathways leads to delays, duplication and distress for those seeking support. Like I said, we need to do better here, planning for a better future, while more people are accessing treatment than in previous years. The service levels fall short of targets set out by the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework. So you know they can talk about it, but you know, is it actually getting done? So he finishes up here as we talk about the mental health is a national issue that demands actions from all levels of government. I love that he puts that all levels of government. You know we can have the federal policymakers in Canberra and the state politicians talking about budgeting and mental health expenditure.
Speaker 2:But community engagements, local government, putting on community events, bringing people out and creating that sense of local community, because that's what really really helps. You know, we know in suicide prevention, community engagement is the first port of call, especially when you've got you know, if you've got people that aren't able to go and connect with mental health professionals. When I travel around regional Australia, if you're living in a little mining town or an outback town, you don't have access to mental health professionals or you don't have the financial ability to be able to access professional mental health services. So what I say to people is your community, your community that you live in, is the first port of call for looking after each other. So, and that doesn't cost anything. You know, it doesn't cost anything to be part of your community and it doesn't cost anything for self-care, to look after yourself. And it also doesn't cost anything to reach out to someone If you feel as though you're struggling, or you know, you know someone in your life who's going through some hard times. Reaching out to them. It does not cost anything to show compassion and care for one another. Uh, he goes on to finish up here. Everyone deserves fair access and the right to mental health care, no matter where they live or how complex this system may be.
Speaker 2:Once again, this has come from David McGrath, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Mental Health Commission, and I will actually put in a link to both this report and also a link of the National Mental Health Commission, and I will actually put in a link to both this report and also a link to the National Report Card 2024 that he is actually referring to. So I'll put that in the show notes, right? So now let's move on to insight number two. My friends, insight number two.
Speaker 2:As I said, we had World Suicide Prevention Day recently, so I just want to talk about a story that came out on Psychology Today, on the website Psychology Today. This was posted on the 30th of August 25, so a few weeks ago now, but I like this one because it talks about three overlooked warning signs of suicide, and these are quite often overlooked warning signs. People who complete suicide can often leave survivors wondering what they missed. We've all heard that time before what did I miss? What did I not pick up on? Paying attention to risk factors is not enough, right? So let's talk about this, let's go into what he talks about here and once, as I said, this is reviewed by Margaret talks about here and once, as I said, this is reviewed by Margaret Foley. Anthony D Smith, lmhc.
Speaker 2:Okay, I don't know what LMHC means, but anyway, now, as a reminder, my friends, warning signs aren't the same as risk factors or psychosocial risk factors. Risk factors, risk factors, are traits, they're characteristics conducive to suicidal activity, you know, proneness to depression, poor impulse control, a history of suicide Whereas warning signs, on the other hand, are indicators that there is a momentum towards suicidal activity. First one they mention here is if someone is clearly depressed or has been depressed for a while, and they have, you know, been struggling, but all of a sudden, somehow they miraculously improve, all of a sudden bang out of the blue, they feel fantastic, everything's great. It is quite possible that they have made up they may have made up their mind that their suffering is about to end. Right, giving levity to their demeanour. This is why it's an overlooked warning sign. Someone's been depressed for a long time and then, all of a sudden, out of the blue, they feel fantastic and everything's great and they're happy with everybody. You know, as it says here, it is quite possible that they have made up their mind that their suffering is about to end.
Speaker 2:So suicide prevention incredibly complicated, okay, but we just need to be on the lookout for everything you know. So the second one someone being more generous than usual, especially regarding sums of money or prized possessions, maybe a red flag. If all of a sudden, people start giving away things that they cherish or they're, you know, giving away money or whatever it is, that could be a warning sign as well, you know, leading up to a suicide. And it says here note while it isn't unusual that elderly people start giving their things away, it shouldn't be taken for granted that their giveaways are always benign, particularly if they have risk factors and or these giveaways occur in a concentrated period of time. So, as I said, it's complicated.
Speaker 2:Suicide prevention pays to look out for everything when it comes to warning signs. Number three on the list here is if someone becomes interested in estate planning, life insurance or pre-planning a funeral, that in itself could be a way of signalling that they are trying to be courteously getting their affairs in order for those people that are left behind. So, as I said, incredibly complex, pays to look out for everything. And I like the fact here, even if it's a false alarm, no one is left wondering what did I miss? Okay, pays to be vigilant, pays to be on the lookout. And that's the thing is being aware of the people in your life, being aware of any change in behavior, change in demeanor in your friends and your family and your coworkers, and you know paying attention, paying attention to what they're going through, and you know, like I said, if it's a false alarm, at least you've. You know you've done something, you've been actively contributing to suicide prevention by looking out for these things, and you're not going to be left wondering what did I miss? All right, so let's go on to insight number three. Insight number three my friends, I really like this. This is an interesting story. This actually because I haven't seen research in this one before. So this is an article that is from the Times of India Times of India and they are actually referring to a study that was done in the United States last year. So this article was published on the 21st of September, so only a couple of days ago.
Speaker 2:Being a funny parent being a funny parent is the best hack Three tips to add humor to your parenting. What an interesting look at parenting. This is A recent study in PLOS, which is P-L-O-S. Reveals that parental humor significantly strengthens family bonds and positively shapes children's perspective of their parents into adulthood. Interesting, you know, and I will actually put up the link to not only this article but the article that they're referring to, the research article. Funny parents are viewed as more effective, approachable, loving, fostering resilience and connection. Incorporating playfulness and self-deprecating humour can create lasting memories and teach valuable coping skills. Well, that's the big one teaching valuable coping skills.
Speaker 2:Reacher researchers noticed that while plenty of studies have explored the role of play in child development, there has been little focus on humour specifically. To dig deeper, they asked adults to reflect on whether their parents used humour at home and how these experiences shaped their relationships later on in life. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Well, of course they were. You know this humour's the best. Humour and laughter are the best medicines. Adults who grew up with parents that used humour described them as more effective, more approachable and more loving. In other words, funny parents often. In other words, funny parents often made for stronger family bonds. Funny parents often made for stronger family bonds. Interesting that one. So you know my mum was pretty funny. I've got to tell you she was the joke maker in our house, which was pretty cool. So, anyway, let's talk about here Tips to add humour to your parenting. Right, it says here.
Speaker 2:Not everyone feels like a natural comedian, but the good news is that you don't need to master stand-up comedy to weave humor into family life. Brilliant, right. So these are three pretty practical tools here. Number one play more, play more. Now, patel, which is the suggestion here has come from parenting expert and psychologist Reena Patel, agreed and explained it can really help kids perspective and help with seeing their parents in seeing things in a positive light. Watching a parent inject humor into stress teaches children a lifelong skill of how to reframe challenges and keep perspective. Brilliant, this is from psychologist Reena Patel. So Reena Patel suggests that even if you are not a jokey type of person, simple play can be enough. Getting on the floor, joining your child's imaginative games and letting go of adult seriousness the laughter will flow naturally. Brilliant, that's tip one number one. Tip number two be the butt of the joke.
Speaker 2:Kids love flipping the power of balance, putting something silly on your head, tripping over your shoelaces in an exaggerated fashion, doing physical kind some way, mispronouncing something on purpose. A little self-deprecating humor goes a long way and I will say that, having had to entertain kids over the years doing kids' shows and stuff, they're 100% right. Number three pick your moments, pick your moments. Humour is one hat amongst many. Kids also need to model seriousness, empathy and discipline. Mixing the right balance shows them that life has both silly moments and serious ones, that both matter. Very, very cool.
Speaker 2:So that's the report from the Times of India, going actually into the research study that they did and, as I said, I'll put both links up. So the study is a research article. Humour and Parenting both links up. So the study is a research article. Humour in Parenting Does it have a Role? We have the author's names here Lucy Emery, anna Libera, eric Lehman and Benjamin H Levi. So this was published 17th of July 2024. So, yeah, last year, but interesting that it's in the news now. So they're the authors. Now, this is a peer-reviewed article. So the background in the abstract despite the wide use of humour in social interactions and the considerable literature on humour in multiple fields of study, the use of humour in parenting has received very little formal study.
Speaker 2:The purpose of this pilot study was to gather preliminary data on the use of humour in the raising of children Very cool Materials and methods they developed. Administered a 10-item survey to measure people's experiences being raised with humour, with the views regarding humour as a parenting tool. Results right now, there's all different percentages in here, okay, but I'm just going to read you the results, okay, so it just reads better if I'm. So. The respondents, which is 312 people in this study, are predominantly identified as male and they were between the ages of 18 to 45 years of age. The majority of participants reported that they were raised by people who used humour in their parenting and they believe that humour can be an effective parenting tool and, in that capacity, has more potential for benefit than harm.
Speaker 2:Either using or plan to use. Either use. Either use or plan to use sorry humour in parenting their own children and would value a course on how to utilise humour in parenting their own children? And would value a course on how to utilise humour in parenting? That's something interesting. Who would value a course on how to use humour in parenting Might have to look into that. Significant correlations were found between the use of humour and both A the quality of respondents' relationship with their parents and B assessments of how good a job their parents had done. Interesting, so the conclusions.
Speaker 2:In this pilot study, respondents of childbearing age reported positive views about humour as a parenting tool. Interesting, interesting, my friends. So the link will be in the show notes. Humour in parenting does it have a role? So, yeah, might want to have a little check that one out if you're interested. Right, that's insight number three. Insight number four pretty excited about this one.
Speaker 2:This was shared with me from a retired police officer that I've been doing some work with here in Queensland, and what a fantastic news article to come out on the PBS News Hour in the United States. This was published 15th of September 2025. And the video is Comedians Use Laughter as a New Tool for Suicide Prevention. Now I will put in a link in the show notes to both the YouTube clip from the PBS News Hour and also the link to the website that they are referring to, and the organisation they're referring to here is called One Degree of Separation. What an amazing initiative. This is a suicide prevention training program combining comedy with life-saving education. Like I mean seriously. I found this and I was so excited. I was like wow, these guys are swimming around different parts of the same ocean as what I'm doing so with the laughter clinic. So here we go On the website One Degree of Separation, our suicide prevention training program combines comedy with life-saving education.
Speaker 2:Through humour, personal stories, our program provides essential mental health first aid by demonstrating what an open, supportive conversation looks like. This interactive approach helps individuals feel more confident and prepared to offer immediate support In the States. This is awesome. I've actually reached out to these guys. I've sent them an email waiting to hear back, because I tell you I'm really excited to at the possibility of you know collaborating with these guys in some way, shape or form. But you know, other than that, I just really wanted to congratulate them in their email in relation to the work that they're doing and the fact that I find it very exciting. So this is how it looks.
Speaker 2:The first segment of the show that they do is an introduction and a brief family-friendly comedy set from each of the four comedians. This introduces the audience to each comic, letting them shine in their element and change the brain chemistry with laughter and humor. That's obviously for the people in the audience. And then, next, the panel of four comedians joined together on stage to answer and discuss the five questions this is brilliant, I have to tell you regarding their own battles with depression. This demonstrates to the audience how to have a conversation right about this. After the show, the audience receives a copy of these five questions to use, a tool to right about this. After the show, the audience receives a copy of these five questions to use as a tool to have their own conversations. So I've got to tell you, these five questions are simply brilliant. Right, they are simply brilliant.
Speaker 2:The guy that came up with this, brad Brad Bonner Jr, when he put these five questions together, he really hit something special. So the questions are my friends, it's all around depression. Questions are number one what does your depression feel like for you, right? What does your depression feel like? Question number two what do others do that makes it worse? What do others do that makes it worse? Question number three what do others do that makes it worse? Question number three what do others do that makes it better? Question number four what do you do that makes it worse? And question number five what do you do that makes it better? I tell you, brad Bonner Jr, comedian creator of the One Degree of Separation. I salute you. This is a fantastic initiative. I'll tell you a little bit about the guy. It's on his website.
Speaker 2:A few years ago I found a suicide note that I had written in the sixth grade. At first I kind of laughed about it, but then it became very sobering to think how, in my 60s, I've struggled with this for at least until the sixth grade, and it's only been in the past few years that I've seriously addressed my depression. That note got me started on a quest to put together a comedy show about depression and suicide. I've spent the past 25 years traveling the world making people laugh. Man, I've been doing stand-up for 25 years as well. I can't believe our paths haven't crossed, but we've crossed now. So I'm very excited to get to meet this guy. Now I'm using my talents for something more personal. It's a time to cast a spotlight that removes the stigma of mental illness. Love your work, brad. Love your work. So that's it, my friends. You got to check that out. One degree of separation out of the United States, brilliant, brilliant. One degree of separation. Funny, look at depression and suicide Using comedians for suicide prevention in the States. Big fan, and yeah, links will be in the show notes Right. Moving on Last one, our final insight for this episode of Pulse Bradley Cooper.
Speaker 2:We all know him, fantastic actor, big fan of Bradley, and Bradley's got a new film coming out and it is entitled Is this Thing On? Is this Thing On? Trailer. Bradley Cooper directed comedy drama heading for the New York Film Festival.
Speaker 2:The official logline for the comedy is as follows as their marriage quietly unravels, alex, played by Will Arnett, faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene, while Tess Lara Dern confronts the sacrifices she has made for their family, forcing them to navigate co-parenting identity and whether love can take a new form. So how's that Getting divorced? And, thinking right, I'm going to start doing stand-up as a way of coping with it. So is this thing on? I'm really looking forward to this. So there'll be a link in the show notes to the trailer and also this story on deadline. So Bradley Cooper and Arnett actually co-wrote it, the script with Mark Chappelle. British comic John Bisham inspired the movie's story and the comedian will be executive producing. So they get a comedian in there getting involved in it so awesome. So the last thing here this is not a midlife crisis, it's a midlife catharsis, cooper told Vanity Fair.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you realise you're coasting and you've lost your rudder and your North Star in life and that takes a toll on whoever you're with. So when's it coming out? Let's have a look here. Okay, the feature releasing on December 19 will have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival's closing film October 10 at the Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. Cooper said the creative team is honored and humbled to premiere the film at the New York Film Festival, since the city serves as the film's backdrop Awesome. So Bradley Cooper's upcoming film coming out at the end of the year is this thing on. Check it out. And, yeah, I'll probably do a review of it after it comes out. I'm pretty keen to see that with a few comics actually, to see how that's gone. So, anyway, that's it, my friends.
Speaker 2:That is the five insights worth noting for this Pulse episode. So the report card from the National Mental Health Commission's 2024 report card's not great, but it doesn't cost. You know we talk about cost of living pressures in relation to accessing mental health care, but it doesn't cost anything to look after yourself and reach out to people and be part of your community and look after each other in that way. The three obviously the three overlooked warning signs of suicide. Once again, you know, just talking quickly about people, you know, miraculously overcoming their depression or something out of the blue, someone being more generous than usual or someone starting to estate plan and get their affairs in order. Very complex suicide prevention. So it pays to look out for everything. And then we had a quick chat about being a funny parent, funny parents in the spotlight. You know, humor in parenting does it have a role? Well, clearly it does. Clearly it does, and I'm sure there's parents out there that would agree.
Speaker 2:And then our fourth one was the comedians in the States, one Degree of Separation Brad Bonner Jr. Brad Bonner Jr sorry Brad putting together this comedy show, using comedians to help with mental health and suicide prevention and dealing with depression. The five questions brilliant, brilliant, and our final one was is this thing on Bradley Cooper doing it up, making a film about being a comedian, getting divorced and doing stand up. Love it Go, brad. So that's it, my friends, for this episode of Pulse. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you got something out of it. Please, if you haven't already subscribed or pressed the follow button, do that That'd be awesome or share it with anyone that you feel as though might get something out of this. Yeah, until next time, my friends. Please be kind to yourself, be kind to those around you. I'll talk to you next time. Cheers.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening. The information contained in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not intended, nor should it ever, replace advice received from a physician or mental health professional. Want more info? Visit the laughtercliniccomau. If you enjoyed the episode, please share and subscribe. Thanks again for listening to the Laughter Clinic Podcast with your host, mark McConville.