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1 in 5 people will experience mental illness this year. Do you want to promote and protect mental health in New Zealand? We know how. Get in touch with our experts for commentary and interviews.
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Dougal Sutherland: You should tell off other people’s kids
August 9th, 2025
Umbrella’s Principal Psychologist, Dr Dougal Sutherland joins Tim Beveridge to discuss whether it’s ever okay to discipline a child that isn’t yours.
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The long-term effects of everyday stressors
August 16th, 2025
Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss the long-term impact of everyday stressors and what can be done to mitigate potential harm.
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One in three 18-34-year old New Zealanders using AI for life advice: Study
August 21st, 2025
A study has found one in three 18-34-year-olds in New Zealand are turning to AI instead of a professional therapist for life and relationship advice. Clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland spoke to Corin Dann.
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June 7th, 2025
At some point in their life, most women will experience menopause. It generally impacts women between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age New Zealand women will begin to experience menopause being 52. Significant symptoms are experienced by approximately 70% of those experiencing menopause – common ones including anxiety, low mood/depression, hot flushes, brain fog, nausea, and fatigue. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss menopause, why awareness should be raised around it, and how to support someone dealing with it in the workplace.
Dougal Sutherland: The impact of screen time on children
June 21st, 2025
Are kids spending too much time looking at screens? Dougal Sutherland is dipping into the debate over kids’ use of social media and online spaces, and the impact it has on them.
Dougal Sutherland: The psychological benefits of spending time outdoors
July 5th, 2025
During the cold and wet winter months, people often spend a lot less time in the great outdoors. This can be a bit of a problem, as recent research reveals that spending time outside can have quite a few psychological benefits. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to delve into the findings.
21 June 2025
“Make some accommodations”: Supporting menopausal women in the workplace
7 June 2025
Menopause generally affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age New Zealand women begin to experience menopause being 52. Significant symptoms affect approximately 70% of those experiencing menopause – common ones include anxiety, low mood/depression, hot flushes, brain fog, nausea and fatigue. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss menopause, why awareness should be raised around it, and how to support someone dealing with it in the workplace.
Dougal Sutherland: We can’t stop our children doing stupid things
What was the dumbest thing you ever did in your youth that you thought, “You know what, I should have listened to my mum (or my dad) and I wouldn’t have got myself in so much trouble.” But you didn’t, and you went ahead and did it anyway, and luckily, you’re still around to tell the tale. Lead Clinical Psychologist Dougal Sutherland talks to Tim Beveridge about how to compete with the influence of your children’s peers, rather than trying to stop them doing stupid things.
I got sent something of people shooting themselves’ – research shows young people can’t avoid harmful content online
6 May 2025
A new report from New Zealand’s Classification Office has revealed how young people are being exposed to harmful content online and what it is doing to their mental health.
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Dougal Sutherland: What are children being exposed to online?
10 May 2025
The internet is filled with a wide array of things – more than any one person could experience in their entire life. However, as the internet has developed, spaces dedicated to children have been eroded – gone are the days of Club Penguin and flash games, replaced with adult and advertiser friendly spaces. What this has resulted in is the exposure of generations of children and young …
Workplace bullying: How can we bring the numbers down?
24 May 2025
Last Friday (May 16) was Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand which, as we know, is to promote anti-bullying – serving as a reminder that bullying can happen anywhere. Some people think it only happens in the playground at school but reports show it also occurs in workplaces, with a Massey University study in 2023 reported 1 in 4 people experienced bullying at least monthly in the workplace.
