Adversity is inevitable, how we respond to it can change everything.
Between economic uncertainty, political instability, and personal challenges with health, finances, or relationships, life can be overwhelming. Yet there’s still so much good worth celebrating. How do we balance it all and hold on to hope and happiness? The answer is resilience.
Broadcaster and author Gill Deacon joins Diane to share her journey through serious health challenges, showing how perspective, gratitude, and acceptance can create space for healing and hope. Later, psychologist Dr. Randy Mackoff returns to share practical tools for building resilience, from mindset shifts to self-talk strategies. In this episode of PSYCHEDUP, Dr. Diane McIntosh explores resilience—the science and practice of not just surviving hardship, but emerging stronger.
What You’ll Discover:
What resilience really is and why it’s more than “toughing it out.
Gill Deacon’s journey through multiple potentially deadly health diagnoses and the strategies that helped her thrive.
The role of perspective — how small moments can mean the most.
Practical resilience-building tools — from managing expectations to reframing negative self-talk.
The truth about control — why accepting what we can’t change is just as important as taking charge of what we can.
Resources:
Explore Dr. McIntosh's page on resilience here.
To listen to Gill Deacon's podcast, listen here. To listen to her podcast, click here.
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PSYCHEDUP is Back!
PSYCHEDUP is back with more episodes on Oct. 10, 2025. Mental illness touches us all, whether you've experienced it yourself or supported someone who has. Let’s get educated, because there is help.
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A Love Affair with the Unknown
More episodes coming soon!
Dr. Diane McIntosh is hard at work exploring social anxiety disorder, psychosis, dementia, and more for our next season, which launches OCTOBER 10.
In the meantime, enjoy this episode of A Love Affair with the Unknown. Host Gill Deacon is a friend of the show and a guest of an upcoming PSYCHEDUP episode. In this episode, she talks to former federal cabinet minister Lisa Raitt about strength and power in the face of caring for a loved one with a debilitating disease.
We can’t wait for you to hear it.
You can also catch up on past episodes or share them with someone you know.
Resources:
Dr. Diane McIntosh
A Love Affair with the Unknown
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This is Panic
Anxiety is something we can all relate to. But how do we distinguish between normal worry and pathological anxiety? What’s the difference between a panic attack and panic disorder?
In this episode Dr. Diane McIntosh gets into the science behind this disorder, explains symptoms and talks about why it’s so important to reach out for help. We also hear from Annette, who did everything she could to pretend she was ok, until there was no hiding that she wasn’t. She shares her firsthand perspective of what it’s like to have panic disorder. Then, Dr. Diane McIntosh along with her friend and colleague Dr. Randy Mackoff, explores the latest in treatments from talk therapy to medication.
Listen to this episode of PSYCHEDUP for credible, current and empathetic information on panic disorder.
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This is PTSD
What is post traumatic stress disorder? Do childhood traumas make some of us more susceptible to it than others? How can we tell the difference between emotional trauma and PTSD?
In this episode Dr. Diane McIntosh answers these questions and many more. Chelan is our guest and she shares her experience with PTSD and the steps she took to a diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Randy Mackoff and Dr. McIntosh explore the benefits of talk therapy and the latest advances in medication for treating PTSD.
Listen in for an honest and empathetic conversation about PTSD, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Mental illnesses are tough, frightening, isolating, and sometimes even life-threatening. Whether you’ve experienced one yourself or supported someone who has, mental illnesses touch us all.So let’s get educated, because there is help.Each episode of PSYCHEDUP focuses on one mental illness: depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar and panic disorder.We hear directly from people living with these illnesses, gaining an honest glimpse into their realities. We also cover symptoms, diagnosis and treatments, from medications to talk therapy or both.Hosted by Dr. Diane McIntosh, psychiatrist, author, educator and passionate advocate for better mental health care, PSYCHEDUP is your guide to understanding mental illness and finding hope.This podcast was created as a follow-up to Wicked Mind, which explored ways to inspire change in mental health care. PSYCHEDUP builds on that foundation by focusing on understanding mental illnesses, sharing patient stories, and exploring treatments and expert insights.
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