"Let’s Talk About Mental Health... because the more we talk about it, the easier it gets."
Coming from an emotionally and physically abusive home, Jeremy Godwin worked hard to make something of himself. By the age of thirty, Jeremy was in a management position earning a six-figure salary. But he soon came to realise it really doesn’t mean much if your mental health is not well looked after. After a series of nervous breakdowns in late 2011 and a subsequent diagnosis of debilitating depression and anxiety, Jeremy began building a new life for himself. A small but important part of that new life was the development of the Let’s Talk About Mental Health podcast and YouTube series.
Each episode begins with an aspect of Jeremy’s life that makes him feel happy and fulfilled. These are then unpacked in-depth, with a focus on how this knowledge can benefit others, as well as exploring practical tools and resources drawn from the cutting edge of clinical treatment and research. “I found that during my own difficult times, even small conversations allowed me to feel seen and valued as a human being,” says Jeremy. “It helped me to feel a sense of connection to something greater than just myself. I have found that many people draw comfort from knowing that they are not alone and that there is hope.”
Mental Health is one of the biggest issues impacting society today. According to the 2020-2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 43.7% or 8.6 million Australians aged 16-85 years have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life. The statistics around young people and those from minority backgrounds are particularly shocking. Research promoted by the mental health support organisation Beyond Blue shows that over three-quarters of mental health issues are present before the age of twenty-five, while the suicide rate for First Nation’s peoples is double that of the national average. Perhaps most shockingly, over 16% of all LGBTQI+ individuals have reported attempting suicide sometime in their lives.
However, the good news is that traditional attitudes against seeking support are rapidly changing, with estimates that half of all people with a diagnosed mental health condition are now receiving some form of treatment.
To produce each episode Jeremy undertakes extensive research to ensure any information provided is based on clinical best practices. He consults and quotes from world-renowned psychologists, peer-reviewed journals, and other reputable experts in the field of mental health. In order to manage such a broad range of topics such as self-respect, positivity, joy, conflict and death, Jeremy maintains it’s vital that “the scientific method underpins the work”. And he’s certainly struck a chord with audiences.
Since its launch in October 2019, over 150 episodes have been released, with 1.7 million views across 170 countries. Jeremy has a year's worth of future episodes mapped out, with upcoming topics including maintaining healthy relationships with parents, embracing greater self-acceptance, and learning how to make meaningful progress in your life. Building on the success of the podcast, Jeremy has also written an accompanying book, Let’s Talk About Mental Health: Volume One, to be released later this year.
Let’s Talk About Mental Health releases new episodes every Sunday and is available on all major podcast platforms and on YouTube.