Welcome to Headstraight!
Headstraight
Headstraight
Headstraight: Teen Mental Health Support without Labels with Mark Taylor brings you real answers to the real issues young people face — overwhelming feelings, self-doubt, people pleasing, guilt trips, and motivation that comes and goes. You’ll get honest guidance, practical tools, and straightforward support to help you feel safe, think clearly, and take charge of your mental health. If you’re curious about what’s really going on inside your head, this teen mental health podcast offers relatable guidance and honest support for teens who want to understand their teen mental health on a deeper level.
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Headstraight

Headstraight

Headstraight: Teen Mental Health Support without Labels with Mark Taylor brings you real answers to the real issues young people face — overwhelming feelings, self-doubt, people pleasing, guilt trips, and motivation that comes and goes.

You’ll get honest guidance, practical tools, and straightforward support to help you feel safe, think clearly, and take charge of your mental health.

If you’re curious about what’s really going on inside your head, this teen mental health podcast offers relatable guidance and honest support for teens who want to understand their teen mental health on a deeper level.

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Tired of Working on Yourself? Let Me Tell You Why..

Recent

Jan. 28, 2026

Why Am I So Tired of Working on Myself?

There comes a point where working on yourself stops feeling helpful and starts feeling exhausting. Not because you think growth is pointless, and not because you want to go backwards, but because you’re simply tired. Tired of another tip.Tire…

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Jan. 27, 2026

Tired of Working on Yourself? Let Me Tell You Why..

This episode is about the exhaustion that can come from constant self-awareness. You may feel tired of checking your reactions, analysing conversations, and feeling as though you should always be improving. We explore why thi...

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Jan. 21, 2026

How Do I Know If I’m Still Growing?

  There comes a point in growth where things stop announcing themselves. Nothing dramatic happens. There’s no clear moment where you think, Ah, yes — this is progress. Life carries on much as it did before. You still get annoyed. Y…

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Jan. 20, 2026

How to Tell If You’re Still Making Progress

This episode looks at the stage where progress becomes harder to notice. You may still feel challenged, but things do not spiral in the same way, and because it feels less dramatic, you start wondering whether anything has ch...

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Jan. 14, 2026

Why Do Setbacks Feel Harder Now I’m Doing Well?

Setbacks don’t arrive gently, especially at this stage of growth. They don’t tap you on the shoulder and wait for you to be ready. They hit harder than you expect, often when things already feel a little unsettled. You might snap more t…

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Jan. 13, 2026

Doing Better? Here’s Why Setbacks Suddenly Hurt More

This episode focuses on setbacks that feel bigger than they are. A reaction, a bad day, or an old habit can suddenly make it feel as though all progress has been undone. We explore why setbacks often hit harder during periods...

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About the Host

Mark Taylor Profile Photo
Mark Taylor

Creator, author and host.

I’m a Qualified/Certified Mental Health Nurse with over 35 years' experience supporting young people and their families. I’ve worked in secure hospitals, eating disorder units, and CAMHS crisis teams—walking alongside adolescents during some of their toughest moments.

My focus has always been on helping young people in emotional distress—especially those who struggle to engage or are finding it hard to stay safe.

I also teach at universities and train professionals across health, education and social care to better understand what young people really need from us.

Headstraight brings all of that together. Just real conversations, grounded advice, and ideas that might actually help. That’s the goal: make it easier to understand, easier to talk about, and more useful to you in real life.

Reviews

This will help me.
I can't wait to get started on this. Going to listen to it all on my commute to work. This guy really sounds like he knows his stuff
Such a great find..!
I'm a parent and was desperate to find something for my son to look at. I've tried to encourage him to seek support but he is worried about talking to someone about how he feels. This podcast was just what he needed to find the courage to speak to someone. Now he is talking to his counsellor in school and is noticeably brighter. Thank you so much... !
Always something helpful
I found this clear and straightforward. Something to learn for practitioners and young people alike, both professionally and personally as we all go through stuff! Going to listen to the 'confidence' track with a young person who struggles with low self esteem as I'm struggling to communicate with him!