Find the Gap Podcast

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-roos-pbd/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-morgan-03391831/?originalSubdomain=au will.morgan@vis.org.au

https://www.linkedin.com/in/junior-viranatuleo-33a7b2249/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgranthamconsultancyltd/?originalSubdomain=uk https://nickgrantham.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-whitaker/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-sophoulis-2660835b/ https://www.thetennismenu.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-wooding-93444a1ab/ Email: gcain@scarletknights.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-williams-0584144a/ Email: tlwilliams56@gmail.com

Email: gcain@scarletknights.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-lazarus-phd-63376842/ Email: brendan.lazarus@nmfc.com.au

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylah-l-jack1295/?originalSubdomain=au Email: Taylah.Jack@saints.com.au

This episode with Thomas gave me a real insight into the high-pressured environment of American sports. It is of great value to hear practitioners' experiences in such environments and to understand how they help maintain their own mental health and wellness. For Thomas, he schedules in things to help him relax, so that he can maximise his time. One of the main triggers of anxiety for Thomas is the fear of being fired at any time, which is a common trait in such an unforgiving league. Listen in this episode to give you an insight to the type of practitioner that works in such high paced environments, and for some tools and techniques that are fundamental for health and wellbeing while feeling like you're always on the go. Thomas mentions his experiences in a ‘flow state' where he feels comfortable in a high-pressured scenario, such as dealing with an injured athlete helping them in their rehab and return to play. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-barbeau/ Email: Thomas.Barbeau@panthers.nfl.com

I really enjoyed this discussion with Aaron, it felt like we could have spoken for hours. We went on so many different tangents, but it was well worth the ride! We started off talking about his battles through the never-ending attempt to balance work and life commitments. It's a discussion that we can all have, it's just very interesting to hear it from someone who was working with the Australian Men's Cricket team at the time. Additionally, we discussed his time in COVID lockdowns. It feels like a long time ago now, but we all remember how tough it was. Aaron reflects on his struggles being away from home and being stuck in hotels for weeks on end during specific tours with the team. One of the main things he recalls was his inability to maintain a healthy diet and regular healthy eating habits just because of the pressures of the job, lockdown requirements, and much more. This came to a point where he had to refuse to go on a tour to Pakistan with the team and organise a replacement. This decision reflects Aaron's strength and self-awareness, that he understood how being away, locked in hotels again, would have such an immense impact on him mentally and physically, and he knew what it would look like for his own health, but also for his performance at work. We then discussed the differences between the day-to-day pressures that presented with job; such as helping the team perform for their country, nurturing other people dreams, and basically the high pressured demands of high performance sport; to personal expectations/pressures ontribution to family, things/events you're missing out on, things to juggle, etc. Very relevant topics of conversation. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkellett/?originalSubdomain=au Email: aaron@physipro.com.au

We started this episode with talking about Jay's travels overseas. His spontaneous time away in America helped him grow in confidence in the field of strength and conditioning. This major change in lifestyle came at a time and age when people often question ‘what do I want to do?' This can be a struggling process for young/new practitioners in their mid 20's, and Jay describes this time of his life in detail. He was encouraged to challenge himself as a coach and to Immerse himself in the experience rather than coaching from afar. Additionally, Jay shares his views on giving value for time and finding a balance between providing advice/helping young professionals and charging for his time. With 15 years of coaching and all of the investment that he has put into his own development, Jay is proud to value his time and advocates that others should do the same in the field of strength and conditioning, instead of giving up years for little return in the pursuit of ‘experience'. He compares the industry of strength and conditioning to that of law and medicine. This topic can be a very high stress point for coaches around the world who might not have found their right place in the industry to date. How much is my time worth? How do I put value to it? Listen to this podcast to give yourself a good head start. ‘You wouldn't ask you accountant: Hi, can we catch up for a coffee and chat about my tax return?' In saying that, Jay discusses the other side of the coin, in that he credits his development to many of his mentors from the past who gave their time for him. The industry just hasn't got the right balance and there is a long way to go. ‘It's very easy to point out the problem, but hard to find the solution' Another main point of this episode is how Jay reflects on his early days as a strength coach, doing what he could with what he had. This could be running strength sessions with nothing but a weight plate and an oval. Jay shares how it can be toxic to only be thinking about you don't have or trying to control things you can't control. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-ellis-a8022bb0/ Email: jay.ellis@melbourneutd.com.au Phone: +61 413 753 319

Daniel and I discussed how his career developed to date, and how he hopped from state to state following a few different opportunities in both education and elite sport. We proposed the question of how do you manage expectations in such high-pressured environments such as in the pro sports industry? Daniel believes that having a high alignment and good communication levels with the staff alongside you is key. But even more importantly is having all staff understand what their role is. And we're not talking about a title, but to be able truly understand how the specific roles and responsibilities are directly impacting the overall goals of the organisation and being able to comfortably express themselves in such roles. Where does this role sit in the broad aspect of the program? Having this degree of freedom and understanding helps drive the direction and specific tasks. This is such a healthy part of a high-performance program. Additionally, Daniel spoke very passionately about the topic of self-awareness. Not only his own self-awareness but being able to give others the opportunity to become more self-aware, creating an environment to explore your own personality. This could involve feedback, open communication lines, staff PD/education sessions, and much more. ‘What makes you operate at your best and what does it look like at your worst' And finally, upon reflection on what has influence dhis life to date, Daniel speak of his responsibilities as a Dad. The impact of having kids has had on his life (outside of the obvious) is immense. It has given him a much greater understanding and appreciation for respecting his work/life balance, and it gives him something to be grateful for every. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-duvnjak-zaknich-80a41231/?originalSubdomain=au Email: d.zaknich@gmail.com

I had such a great time speaking with Analisse on this episode. She is someone I have followed on social media for some time, and she always includes posts full of life and energy. It was very interesting to discuss some of her experiences to date in the industry and her overall perspectives on life. Being appointed her role in the WNBA during COVID was no easy task. Especially when she is forced to organise her program from zoom meetings while her athletes are in a bubble. Additionally, Analisse discusses her struggles as she juggles her two roles based on the seasons, shifting from the WNBA season to the period when her college athletes are back on campus. Being on top of this transition involves a lot of time management and a lot of early morning lifts! In the WNBA, one of the biggest challenges is maintaining consistency with while having limits on time. For herself, she always makes sure she can go for a run on game day, just to clear her mind and focus on the tasks ahead of her. Analisse shares her own coaching philosophy which has helped her be successful in this role in the league. This philosophy also involves checking in and knowing her athletes in detail. She believes that knowing your audience knowing their capabilities is a key part of leadership with the roles she is currently involved with. Adding to that she also believes that understanding her own limits is equally as important. This ensures she maintains respect and loyalty with her athletes that she is not going to give anyone a miscalculated answer. Insta: @plantsandburpees LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/analisse-rios-06b6b0206/

In this episode, Jeremiah shares some specific moments of discomfort and vulnerability during his early days in his career and how they have helped him become the coach he is today. He phased some of his time in the college scene as if working for 4 years within the 1 year, as he has so many responsibilities with such large groups and athletes. Jeremiah admits that this wasn't something that would have been sustainable, however he views this challenge as being beneficial for his development. This has also helped develop his mindset and overall coaching philosophy to get to know the individual that he is working with, rather than them just being another name or statistic on his program. Additionally, Jeremiah stresses the importance of finding little brackets of time to work on himself in any way. This could be a small as a walk around the block or getting a coffee to blasting out an intense workout. He strongly believes that it is important to keep him healthy, so he can look after his squad to the highest capacity. Insta – @jeremiahflys

In this episode, Dr Daniel Taylor and I discuss the aspects of people's moods and how it can relate to performance in both and athletic sense, but also a from a workplace standpoint. Daniel himself feels like he needs to be happy to perform, and he details some small tips and tricks that he regularly performs to help him do so. This can be a small as gratitude training, as Daniel travels around the country for his employment, he tries to explore the wonderful cities and areas when he can, instead of being completely overrun with his tasks surrounding the team. Appreciating the small things around you can have a massive impact your mood. We tend to get lost in the job and tasks at hand or forget a beautiful and majestic view/landscape just because our minds are elsewhere. But exploring a city and appreciating how lucky we are to travel to the areas we go to can go a long way. I also appreciate Daniel's passion for mental health support within the big sporting leagues of the world. He believes that we need to be more proactive instead of reactive with mental wellbeing, treating it as if it were a physical injury. Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-daniel-taylor-762a8714/

On this episode, I'll be talking to the CEO and Co-Founder or Rewire Fitness, Sun Sachs. We delve into what motivated Sun and his partners to help create the resilience and self-care application known as Rewire Fitness, which is utilised by many high performance sporting and non-sporting organisations around the world.    Sun details how he was wanting to fill the hole for individuals who are looking to train more efficiently, safely and being able to reach their full potential without experiencing burnout. Traditional way to experience greatness in sports is to push athletes to their limits, which can have negative connotations to it. However, Rewire helps athletes, coaches, nurses, doctors and so many more people in very demanding roles build mental toughness within a healthy training cycle based on real time feedback from physiological and psychological responses, instead of sending them into the ground with unbalanced training advice. Sun reflects on his own experiences with burnout when he was an elite cyclist and how difficult it can be to get out of the dark pit of demotivation, depression and heavy training load.    Rewire only takes a few minutes each day can help trigger mindset and emotional states that either ramp up or settle down the individual to best help them in that specific moment. This can have a massive effect on longevity not just in sport but in general life.   Linkedin rewirefitness Email – sun@rewire.team Website – rewirefitness.app

In this episode, I chat to David about athlete and practitioner health and well-being within the high-performance sports industry. One of the main point that we discussed was the ability for a single practitioner to ‘wear several hats' in their role, which can at times be overwhelming. In this situation, David speaks on how he ‘Listens and Refers', but also clearly communicates to the individual that he will find out specific information for them, if he cannot provide it to them himself. Being involved with athletes daily can provide some with the opportunity to be this person that the the athlete can unload certain thoughts and feelings. Knowing your boundaries to give advice to best help the athlete is very important, in order to not provide false information.   Another interesting topic of conversation was on spending time on away trips/tour. Anyone who needs to travel with a team understands there is little down time with these trips. David shares how he feels that who he is outside of the work environment can be exposed a little more than usual. For some, this can cause some anxiety, as they find it is important to separate their work self and private life as much as possible. However, for others, it can have the complete opposite impact. Regardless, it is key is to not let work consume you too much, even during away trips. Allow some time to switch off. David highly values his own down time compared to when he first started in the industry.   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-veli-43778353/ Email: davidpveli@gmail.com

On today's episode I have the absolute honour in talking with Garrison Draper from Inter Miami FC. Garrison shares an experience which many individuals can relate to, in changing career goals and pathways. His success to date shows how completely normal it is to be going down one path and having it not working out, to ultimately finding a better career alternative. For Garrisons love of anatomy and sport, this alternative ended up being involved in the high-performance sport industry. It can initially be very intimidating having dedicated so much to a specific path or journey, to then take a completely different path in the future. Listen for Garrisons specific experience in this. Garrison also shares his experiences early in the industry, where he was given rare freedom in tasks that had a direct impact on a senior playing group. Having been given this ownership of something that impacted the team daily, he initially felt unprepared. But he ultimately benefited from this practice as he became and expert at the tasks. He has since taken on this form of delegation to his own staff as he leads his own group of practitioners. As part of being a leader, its necessary to know when and where to call it quits for the day, and to understand how beneficial it is for creating a healthy work/life balance. Garrison takes inspiration from some of his mentors in being able to switch off completely in such a demanding industry. This becomes even more important when kids are introduced into the picture. Garrison shares some cool tools and techniques that he has used to stay mentally well to date: 1) Being open about speaking to a therapist and accepting that nobody needs an excuse or any negative/traumatic event to be asked ‘are you okay'. He and his wife terms this as helping out the ‘Cactus People'. Those who can survive anywhere but need love as much as anyone and cannot be neglected. 2) Garrison knows his safe space; the tress and with his family. He uses nature to help stay mentally well and handles all of the weight on his shoulders. He shares the term Shinrin-yoku, which was coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982, and can be defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest. 3) And lastly, Garrison took on a challenge of only reading fiction for a year. Which helped him enjoy his reding again, instead of making it a chore. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gldraper-fitness/ Email: Garrison.Draper@intermiamicf.com

In this episode, Ben talks in detail about his steps through the ranks in the industry as a strength and conditioning coach, from training his local clients and family to now being responsible for some of Victoria and Australia's best athletes involved in the institutes. But more importantly, Ben reflects on the revelation he had early on in his career to strive for fulfillment in his work, rather than aiming to get a role for a badge or to build connections, etc. Coming out of what he calls The Vortex, Ben made peace with his journey to where he is now. Talking about the traineeship he is involved in designing at the VIS, Ben wants to create a learning program that doesn't discriminate based on life circumstances outside of the working in the industry. He also shares his thoughts on pathway opportunities that should be in place for younger practitioners. Many coaches out there have the mindset that if they went through a hard journey building up to a paid role, that everyone should go through the same thing. His opinion is that there needs to be more placements and preparation before employment, getting students more aligned with what the industry demands. Ben also describes his experiences with dealing with Nihilism and provides some great advice for overcoming this type of mindset. A) Chasing fulfillment rather than just trying to be happy all the time. B) Staying true to who you are, not being defined by your job. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bwking/?originalSubdomain=au Email: b.king@vis.org.au

Lewis MacMillan shares his experiences from being a recent university graduate to working and having internships with highly decorated high-performance institutes such as Fulham Football Club and the Scottish Ballet. In this episode, Lewis speaks about all the highs and the lows that are associated with working in the best football league in the world. From relegation pressures, to rising to the occasion in the promotion battle, as a practitioner, Lewis has experienced it all and has supported players throughout this contrasting times. He recalls the relegation battle being so stressful, as everyone considered every game as if it was a cup final. Then after the relegation was to finally become reality, the pressure on players and staff would just drop and performances would rise. The dynamics that go on behind the scenes of a professional football club can explain a lot of things but are rarely seen by the public eye. Lewis gives a brief insight into his experiences during this time. Lewis also talks about the uncertainty he felt when in the first few weeks of a new role, when the team's manager was released. Lewis felt like he was walking on eggshells every day, when nobody verbally told him that his job was a risk, this was all created in his own mind. Thankfully, he has continued with the club and continued for an additional 5 years. His family and mentors helped talk him through such an uncertain time. But Lewis admits that having experienced this early in his career has helped him later on in his career. Additionally, Lewis shares the experiences of working within the Scottish Ballet, and how he had to find the middle ground between what he knows/wants to do from a sport scientist point of view and with what the dancers and company wanted. This was an uncertain time, but he learnt a lot through communication, empathy and getting athlete buy in from that experience. He had to be creative with the dancers in areas such as testing and data collection. A really insightful listen to all young coaches who may be uncertain with their own confidence and skillset, and who're looking to progress through the ranks of their own workplace. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewismacmillan/

Jarryd has 10 years of experience as a sports science and performance coach to the position, including time in MLS, USL, NASL, and the NCAA. Phillips arrived in St. Louis after spending eight seasons in MLS, four with New England, nearly three years as Director of Performance & Sports Science for Minnesota United FC and two with Seattle Sounders FC. In Minnesota, he established and directed all facets of the performance department for the first team and academy beginning in 2016, as the club prepared to ascend from the NASL to MLS in 2017. In Seattle, he was a member of the sporting staff that made the playoffs every season he was there. Phillips achieved a similar feat with New England, making the playoffs in all three years he was there while helping the team to a Supporter Shield title in 2021. In this episode Jarryd shares his experiences of being a part of establishing a new team within a league. His experiences have helped him be successful in many different settings, as he applauds the mindset and attitude of his current team's players and their preparation leading into their first every season in the MLS. Jarryd shares his experiences early on in his career when he had many different responsibilities in the one role. He gradually learned how to give off tasks to other people and started to build a team. This helped him grow as a leader and enabled him to leave all the stresses and pressures related to work away from areas of relaxation and comfort. And finally, we touch on the area of having multiple ‘pillars' or support networks. The more pillars you have in life, the more support you will have when one pillar is removed. Having only one purpose or one pillar throughout life can be dangerous, as some get completely lost when that single pillar is removed. Jerryd speaks very passionately on this subject towards the end of this episode.

It was awesome to have Jas come on this episode and talk about the concepts of mental health in pro sport personnel. He is very open and passionate about talking in the area of mental health and wellbeing and had plenty to share. One of the main areas we touched on was the idea of external vs internal pressures. Many individuals create pressures for themselves, which derives stress and anxiety, when it doesn't need to be there. Sometimes we make life hard for ourselves, thinking that the job isn't being done correctly or that we're constantly judged. Setting high expectations can be a very beneficial thing, but it needs to be managed and balanced with health and wellbeing. Jas also talked about the return to play process for athletes, and the pressures that are involved from the practitioner's point of view during this time. In such a demanding industry, it is important to be risk averse, but also being smart about it. Listen for more of this area. We also touched on leadership styles. Jas feels he empower others around him, delegates responsibility, avoids micromanages, accepts when you don't know everything and shows his vulnerabilities to actively ask for help from his support staff. This harvests good performance from others. Trust goes a long way in this industry. ‘The energy you come in with on the day can have a ripple effect in a team atmosphere' ‘Hardest part about being a leader is that same internal pressures' We also discussed the idea of having a purpose, not in the industry of high-performance sport, but as a human being. Jas describes the Pillar Concept, where the more pillars we have in life, the less likely this will come crashing down. Having things outside of work can be immense for ‘keeping the candle alight' and avoiding burnout. Listen for more info. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasraj-sidhu-1243a311a/

James talks about being mentally fatigue/drained when being in his current director role rather than physically fatigued when in more of a coaching role. He admits that he misses being with the player in the gym instead of being in meetings, but that is the nature of the role he currently has. Another certainty involved with this role is needing to have difficult conversations with both staff and athletes. After taking inspiration from Martin Buchheit, he has learned to ‘Turn up and turn down his ego' when necessary. He advises to pick your time when to relay information to certain individuals. To turn up confidence and conviction when talking to a coach, but to possibly turn it down and seem more relaxed with a player. Additionally, James shares some of the difficulties he experienced when he traveled away from home to study. This later resulted in achieving a successful career, but it's a very long journey that can be lonely at times. James credits staying true to who he was when he was first involved in the high-performance industry in the American College setting, instead of being moulded into what he describes as a typical loud weights coach in a college setting. As he transitions into working with athletes in the MLS and being involved in the leadership spare, James talks about the responsibilities that come with these roles. ‘The best thing you can do it be planned and organised for everything you do with the team' A big lesson I have taken from James' episode is to surround yourself with good people and to always support them. The importance of having a strong and enthusiastic team under you, who you can trust, can the difference between success and failure in a sporting organisation. Letting them always know that we have your back is something that can boost motivation and team culture. Even when being pressured by coaches and players, they should always know that they are supported. This drives self-motivation, which can end up helping the whole department. Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescollins50 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-collins-7a069471/ Email: JCollins@revolutionsoccer.net

Guy Molloy is a 35-season coaching veteran who has coached on a state and national level in both women's and men's teams. On this episode, I get an insight into how coaching the game of basketball has changed over the time Guy has been involved in the sport, how he creates and develops organic connections with athletes, how he prepares himself physically and mentally for his game days, and how he keeps mentally well throughout tough competitive seasons in a results-based industry. He credits bouncing back from hard moments or big losses with his ‘Hard and fast rule' in which he gives himself 24 hours to overcome any negative thoughts and emotions to be able to move his focus to the next fixture. Guy is grateful for his own survival in such a demanding role. He has done so by staying true to his own preparations for trainings and game day scenarios. He uses the word ‘Ruthlessness' in describing his own pre-practice habits that have helped him be successful to this point. Being prepared is key, and Guy ensures that he is part of a system where everyone involved understands their roles and expectations clearly. https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-molloy-62095271/?originalSubdomain=au

Ethan talks about his journey from being a carpenter to a body building, to now running his own company. Body building was his first experience doing something to the ‘extreme'. It's a sport based on how you look, which brings on a lot of judgement on yourself. ‘Low calories, high emotions, it's a full-on experience'. Ethan also briefly talks about his experience on reality TV, where he compares the judgement, he felt after being a body builder and being on a reality TV series. Ethan also talks about the concept of pain vs suffering and how it helps him be more present in the moment. This is the kind of mindset that helped him overcome enormous odds. This concept describes what happens when you're not in the moment during times of pain, if that makes sense. You'll need to listen to completely understand….haha. He also adds how this mentality can be applied in everyday life, not just during very outlandish physical challenges. Ethan shares how this mindset has helped him run a very successful PT business Speaking of his challenges, we touch on what were the greatest struggles during some of Ethan's insane events. He recalls his experience in the middle of nowhere, on his way to Melbourne from Adelaide via bike, where he broke down in tears at a bus stop. When the bus just drove past him, his just knew the only way forward was to continue. Ethan always completes his challenges for a specific reason or for a specific cause, which he credits as a main part of the motivation for him to push forward. Something that really hit hard with me was when Ethan talked about finding things about yourself in your adult like, that helps explain things from the past. This can be behaviours or characteristics. It can be very daunting, but also an exciting experience to go through in life. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-fleming-bb79b311a/ https://www.ethan-fleming.com

Justin Crows talks about his experiences throughout his career to date within the Elite Sports Industry. One of most highlighted topic presented in this discussion is the use of language in different environments. This can be useful in setting where it is difficult to talk to players, coaches and staff about certain issues in foreign environments. Additionally, the use of language is important to help be understood and to make sure the right message is being sent across in different settings, such as being involved with Para-athletes, both male and female athletes, as well as youth athletes. In his experience across many environments and dynamics, Justin states that a lot of things are the same across different sports even with the major differences in demands on the athletes and coaches. ‘Put effort into the small details' Additionally, Justin touches on common topic of generalisation vs specialisation. He truly believes that having a greater variety of experiences is valuable, while it also preferrable to be specialising in a specific area. To keep himself mentally well, Justin reflects on the importance of keeping time for himself, where he likes to put himself somewhere that gives him energy. And like many past guests on this podcast, this is usually some kind of reconnection with nature. The attraction to water is something that has come up frequently in the Find the Podcast discussions. The relationships that Justin have made throughout his career are also most important to him. Justin has established long lasting relationships with influential coaches such as Mick Malthouse and Tony Popovic. The job is to support them and understanding how to support them is where a practitioner can be truly successful at their job. Making other people look good rather than yourself. But more importantly, Justin reflects on his strong connection with his family and how they have been an unbelievable source of support. https://twitter.com/crow_justin https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincrow/?originalSubdomain=au

From working in a call centre to the Youth Team in a Premier League Club. Jake Reeve is a perfect a resilient individual who has worked very hard to be where he is today, while also ensuring he is always supporting his partner and young daughter. Being forced out of work in COVID lockdowns, Jake got work in a call centre to support his family. But after persistence and continuously practising her skills as an S+C coach, when possible, he was able to return to the industry. Jakes highlights how supportive and strong his partner has been through Jake's career. In this industry, practitioners are asked to travel cities and sometimes to other countries for work purposes, and we tend to forget that this involved bringing along the practitioner's family along with them. This can be incredibly hard for some people, as it involves giving up friends, family and a familiar routine for the desires of someone else. It is incredibly selfless and admirable. This highlights how valuable it is to have such a strong relationship with those closest to you. Sport is an obsession for some, but when it is your job, finding a good work-life balance is so important. In transitioning between roles, Jake reflects on the struggle she had to overcome. For example, coming into a new organisation that already has its own philosophies and strategies in place, where Jake likes to operate in a different way. This takes time, but it can be overcome in a way that best suits all parties. Jakes also talks about being resilient in finding a role within high performance sport. He recalls many mornings of just searching for jobs and he could feel the anxiety building of not knowing when the next opportunity will present itself. Jake loves a rant, as it helps him get things off his mind, which eventually helps him reflects and reset going forward. He also credits his partner for listening to countless rants over the years. LinkedIn - Jake Reeve Facebook - Jake Reeve Strength Email - jakereeve.strength@gmail.com

This episode details the incredible story and journey so far of Danny Ryan and his build from the graphic design industry to coaching in the AFL and VFL. Danny's message to ‘Jump In', enjoy the present moment, and just give it a go, is something truly inspiring. Danny comments on the topic of being resilient, as he reflects on the many tragic events he and his family have shared throughout his life. When being involved in the AFL Grand Final, going against the Cats, the team that he and his family have supported for decades, Danny recalls how he was completely dedicated to all his boys out on the field, but he kept a spare thought for his father who had passed only weeks prior to the event. “We would win on that day, no matter what”. Danny truly believed that his father, wherever he was and regardless of the fact he was a Geelong fan, would have wanted the Saints to win that day, for Danny. Additionally, we talk about losing as a coach, how to rebuild and learn from a loss, as well as the emotions and responsibilities that are unavoidable. Danny is someone who puts in the extra effort to stay mentally well. His time management skills are profound, making sure his week ahead is planned for success. He still carries a diary and a 4 coloured pen to this day, in which he only includes the important things, not everything that is urgent. When we focus on the small things, such as every email or every meeting, we lose track of what is important. “Don't sweat the small stuff” 0418 862 760 dmryan17@gmail.com

My guest for this episode, Adam Parr, shares the challenging part of being involved with starting a new sporting franchise. Everyone is new, from the kitchen staff to the best players. In the MLS, Charlotte FC faces teams that have decades of history behind them. Whereas Adam and the team at Charlotte are create their own history. But this is never easy and comes with plenty of responsibility and. Adam details the importance of building a good rapport with new playing group, building establish a healthy culture early on so that players want to come and play for this team in the future. Adam is very thankful for his support network, in particularly his fiancé, who has supported him in his role in the elite side of sport. Adam reflects on how often he and his fiancé have important conversations with each other, putting everything on the table, so nothing is hidden, and that they both understand each other's needs professionally. Being completely honest is key when dealing with relationships in the high-performance industry, so that the paths are aligned. Furthermore, Adam highlights the importance of building relationships for the long-term effects and how to provide value when trying to connect with someone. This advice is gold and can should be utilised for most student trying to expand their level of knowledge and experiences. aparrfitness@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcparr/

This is a slightly different episode than usual as I chat with Sports Scientist, Psychologist and Author, Tim Harkness to talk about several of his theoretical frameworks around staying mentally well within high performance sport. First thing that fascinated me about Tim is his combined role in the areas of psychology and sports science, which is not usually seen in elite sport. Tim credits his success to his fabulous team that works along side him at the club. Tim shares his motivation behind writing ‘The 10 Rules of Talking' and how it helped broaden his own conversation skills. The book details techniques to help initiate and deal with difficult conversations. These involve being more invested in understanding the other persons point of view and being void of assumptions. While also trying to still get the message across and press for a certain point of view. It's important to not sacrifice your own needs/points of view when undertaking a difficult conversation. A very important part of having a difficult conversation is the importance of listening. People tend to go to fully formed opinions from very small amounts of info, making assumptions, jumping to conclusions and trying to fix things straight away. One of my main takeaways from Tim's advice was to listen more and to gather more information before undergoing a difficult conversation. Another topic that Tim and I discuss is the theory of the Hedonic treadmill. This is a metaphor for the human tendency to pursue one pleasure after another, being continuously unsatisfied and needing/wanting more. This can be in the form of fame for a celebrity, a new car or suit for a businessman, championships and titles for an athlete, or a job title for a practitioner. Overall, it sparks the question ‘Is this as good as it gets' once such pleasures/goals have been achieved. This is important to be discussed and Tim raises some very interesting points in this episode. ‘Dream jobs are oversubscribed……There are many elements of luck……. What matters is the work being done and the human interactions' In his explanation, Tim brings up the concept of P.E.R.M.A, which are 5 things that lead to a positive life (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment). This concept highlights the importance of having a sense of meaning and accomplishment in what we do. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-harkness-59a63440/ tim.harkness@chelseafc.com

Jeremy shares his experiences across different sports throughout his career, and how he overcame the initial anxiety moving to a foreign environment. He believes that it is fundamentally important to respect the area you're coming into. Many practitioners wish to bring in their own systems into an already established culture. Transitioning into a new environment, a new sport, a place where some staff have been there for decades can be tough. People can be very defensive of their own systems. A practitioners whole identity becomes wrapped up in getting these results. Jeremy and I discuss how important it is to be able to handle the situation when this sense of identity is questioned and challenged. He recalls his experiences transitioning to the Brooklyn Nets and how he credits his own wellness practices and life coach in aiding that exciting yet uncertain time period. Having his life coach and therapist became so important to him to be able to go into these new environments and deal with bigger personalities. Staying connected with his staff was important during his time at the Ducks while in lockdown. In talking about his time over the COVID lockdowns, Jeremy raises a good point about being seen at work and satisfying role requirements. When working from home in an industry that is very results driven and ‘hands on', some practitioners can get lost as there is only some things that can be done from a desk at home. As they are not seen doing their work by their employers r by the athletes the work with, some practitioners start to overthink and contemplate their own workload and impact in the organisation, creating stress and anxiety. This can be applied to many other hands-on roles when forced to stay home from work. Transition into a new environment, a new sport, a place where some staff have been there for decades. People can be very defensive of the system. Your whole identity becomes wrapped up in getting these results. How to handle when this identify is questioned and challenged. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-bettle-56603526/ jezbettle@gmail.com

I really enjoyed having a very open chat with Dion as he shared some of his own experiences dealing with childhood struggles and his own internal battles later in life. As a past chef and current massage therapist and running coach, Dion reflects on how difficult it can be to overcome lifestyle changes and trying something new. Right now, he is living the lifestyle he wants to live. We discuss the atmosphere and environment at trail running events, and the level of camaraderie between all the runners. All runners have a common goal, and there's something very moving in sharing that with a large group. Dion loves the social aspect of these runs, which has helped him excel in trail running, as he holds many records for different circuits. Additionally, Dion shares the reasons why he runs ultra-marathons and other large trail runs around the world. During a long run Dion seems to find inner peace. As he takes off for a long run, it helps him get into the right headspace, which can help him feel more engaged, clear and alert afterwards. This benefits him in the workplace and throughout life in general. https://www.evolverunclub.com.au/dion-finocchiaro https://www.facebook.com/dion.finocchiaro Instagram - @dion_finocchiaro Twitter - dionfinocchiaro

Coming from the recent Concacaf Champions League Win, I catch up with the head of Fitness at the Seattle Sounders FC, Adam Centofanti, to talk about his experiences transitioning from being a player and practitioner within the Australian football community, to tackling the MLS over in America. Adam recalls how he adapted to the new role without having his normal support network in his immediate family and closest friends. However, he shares how he overcame the struggles of working in another country, adapted to the lifestyle and became comfortable in a new setting. Adam shares some key skills and characteristic that he has retained from being a athlete himself, and how they have helped him now as a practitioner in high performance sport. He's one to bring the energy to the team and give the players a boost when they need it most in their training. Being competitive is something that he also credits to his past days as an athlete, and how that has helped drive his professional development to always seek out the next challenge. And lastly, he shares how being disciplined as a player is like how you need to be disciplined as a coach. How an athlete approaches each game is like how Adam approaches each working day. It's very interesting to get Adam's take on how to overcome a bad day to be able to bring the energy, stay disciplined and be competitive in his role. ‘You must be switched-on all the time.' Something that Adam mentions in our discussions that he has picked up from one of his mentors is the importance of managing self and managing home. Prioritising self and creating a home that is safe and comforting will help ensure that better work can be completed. https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-centofanti-04224790/ adamcento@gmail.com

It was a pleasure to sit down with John and chat about the different roles he has played in elite sport, as well as his huge achievement in publishing ‘Football Belongs'. John shares how writing the book and creating the podcast series were ways for his love for writing and creativity to thrive. Having a large passion for Australian Football, and having many burning opinions on some issues surrounding its history, the book is a perfect canvas for John to express these opinions. Each chapter in his book tells a different story of Australia through football moments and helps shift the Australian people's attitude of football away from it being a part of a ‘secret society'. ‘People should be proud of loving football and how it is a great reflector of Australian life' Talking to John and reading his book has helped my own understanding of multiculturalism and the power of sport. It is an understatement to say that Football has had a huge contribution to Australian life. Furthermore, John shares some details of how he handles his job in elite sport and stay mentally and physically well. Being on the biggest stage, he is constantly being monitored, judged and watched by thousands of fans and critics. In an industry that is mainly driven by results, where others may perceive a success as a failure, John is challenged every day, having to overcome many anxiety provoking moments. John shares how he manages his daily tasks of directing an elite sporting organisation. Another interesting topic that comes up in our discussion is that of emotional intelligence. This being the innate ability to manage emotions. John reflects on the importance of self-awareness and how that relates to acting with emotions. Acting with emotions can be a good thing, but not when acting on the urge of emotion. This can compromise an individual's ability to do the best possible job. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-didulica-ba-llm-352b036b/ https://sport.optus.com.au/articles/os6229/introducing-football-belongs-an-optus-sport-originals-series

In this episode, I sit down with Head Sport Scientist from Luton Town FC, Jared Roberts-Smith. Jared shares how he climbed through the ranks as an intern to become the head sport scientist within the Championship in England. After a crazy season with the boys at Luton, on the brink of promotion to the Premier League, Jared reflects on his time with different teams throughout his professional development. From his duties in the u21's, to being released by a club, Jared reflects on how everything that has happened to him in his career has helped him become a better person and practitioner. He recalls how he has dealt with tough seasons and bad days in the past, and how his social connections inside and outside of football are essential to bounce back from these days. From very linear progression in the early days of his career to more uncertainty in his most recent years, Jared shared how his love the job and the sport helps him stay motivated and focused on his overall career goals. ‘You must stick true to your beliefs and your gut. You need to back yourself and your abilities' We also talk about the importance of building relationships and the value of being the ‘middle-man' in an elite setting. He discusses how important but difficult it can be to be a friend to the players and relate with them, while also being a professional at the club. Regarding his co-workers, it is essential and more efficient to be able to appreciate the individual their profession, to allow them to do their work that they've been trained to do. This collaboration helps build relationships, which practitioners can come to be thankful for in the future. @jrs_performance https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-roberts-smith-334aa7192/

Despite my horrible knowledge of Australian hockey, I felt like I could've talked with Keira for many hours! Keira speaks of how she retains a sense of home, no matter where she is in the world. Being from Canada, she has grown up playing the sport of Hockey, and later states that she likes to ‘go where the sport is'. Retaining her love for the sport of Hockey has helped her during the transition to living down in Australia. She believed that she needs to be immersed in an uncomfortable environment in order to grow and progress professionally. Keira shares some of the struggles she went through in traveling abroad and how she keeps a good reputation and respect amongst her athletes in what is considered a tough sport. Now having lived in Australia for many years now, she is flourishing in her the industry, having worked for many hockey teams in Australia, and now owner a training facility in Melbourne. @keira_dunwoody @weareinsideedge https://www.linkedin.com/in/keira-dunwoody-152a68111/ https://www.insideedge.net.au

This episode is a very raw chat with Dr Peter Braun as he shares his own experiences as a student where he was overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, to a point where he didn't know how to deal with it. We also touch on the hardships he has had to overcome in his career to date. There are so many lessons to take out of this discussion! Being overwhelmed as an intern in a hospital was a very prominent experience for Dr Braun. At the time, he didn't recognise these episodes as panic attacks that were caused by anxiety, and his way of dealing with it was to just ‘muscle through it'. He describes it as being paralysed and being overwhelmed with fear and panic. We discuss how times have changed since then, and how he would have received more help if he had known. He admits that his biggest mistake was not seeking advice for help. Because of the way that mental health was spoken about back then, Dr Braun felt like he was on his own and he was forced to fix the issue himself. Many people can still relate to this feeling of loneliness when dealing with mental health issues. We also touched on his fear of not being in control. Dr Braun has always been comfortable when he is in control but has become better at being comfortable when not being in control. He deals with it through his confidence in his experiences and having the right resource on hand. As the CMO, Dr Braun treats mental health as equally important as physical health for the winter Olympic athletes. Dr Braun shares a few tragic experiences during his time in the Winter Olympic Team, and how he could only be in control of certain things at a time. And on top of this, Dr Braun has an unreal story about being stuck in the middle of the ocean a few years ago. Speaking on anxiety triggering events and building resilience! What was amazing about this story was how Dr Braun and his friend delt with this trauma. They just spoke about it, together, and wrote down each other's events of the days at sea. https://www.absolutehealthperformance.com.au/948-high-street-armadale peter.braun@absolutehealthperformance.com.au

Kurt and I could have spoken for hours. I was very grateful for his time in the early hours of the morning, with what I'm sure will not be our only encounter on this format. We initially spoke about how Kurt's job has taken him around the world and what that experience is like for an S+C coach who has a family. Now having returned to Australia, Kurt is excited to re-establish his roots and find a sense of community again. Kurt is a firm advocate on Holistic Development, which can mean for an S+C coach to be able to really tap into the different areas of the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual aspects of the athlete and the person. Addressing all of these results in getting the best out of the athlete or person for the purposes of boosting performance and overall quality of life. Or as Kurt puts in, ‘being seen for who you are'. He picked up the love for breath training at an early ago, having been exposed to meditative practices and slow deep breathing techniques within his family as he grew up. Having applied some of these techniques in his own sporting performance, Kurt realised the power of mindfulness and meditation, that has the potential to instil both an excitatory and inhibitory effect on his body. This would help him rise to the demands required on the sports field, as well as tap into the parasympathetic nervous system to calm down and let the body relax and recover. We talked briefly about the concept of CO2 tolerance development, meaning the ability to tolerate carbon dioxide, and how this can not only benefit the performance of athletes, but also become a measure used more regularly as a measurement of health and wellness. This concept has been getting more attention recently, and practitioners such as Kurt, who're now implementing this form of assessment into regular practice, will help perfect its use and application within a high-performance setting. Instagram - Kurt.tropiano Email - Jurttropiano@gmail.com

Joel talks about his experience from drinking a 6 pack of beer and just choosing the courses he enjoyed most, to now being one of the most respected physiotherapists in the greater Melbourne area. He shares the struggles of once owning his own business, and how he bounced back from some rough times in the business. One of Joel's specialties is dealing with pain and explaining exactly where pain comes from. We know that we feel pain when the brain perceives danger based on the information it has received. It's fascinating to realise that experiencing stress and immense emotional distress can light up the same pathways that are involved with physical injury. In explaining this, Joel talks about how we create neural pathways from injury and what the long-term impacts of these neural pathways have on the body. We talk about how factor such as fear and focusing too much on specific pain can fuel it, but confidence in the body and person can be a way to overcome it. Joel himself can relate to this as he shares his experience of being stood down at work due to the pandemic, and how the pain from a previous injury came back. Unexplained pain can be explained! Joel and I also discussed the state of flow. A new term to Joel, but the feeling and experience of being in ‘a flow state' was not uncommon for him. It's a state of being lost in time with what you're doing in the present. Time passes by while you have such immense focus and concentration. He relates this to his experiences with his clients, as he gives them his complete concentration. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-laing-a581a922/ joel.laing@absolutehealthperformance.com.au

I could spend hours talking with these two! They're a good laugh and have a lot of interesting things to share from their own experiences as both performers/athletes and now as practitioners. This episode really shines a light into the very exciting and intense life inside the Australian Ballet and the world of dance. Both Sakis and Sam experienced major injuries that accelerated their transition out of their own careers. From a Dancer to Strength Coach, and a Footballer to Welfare and Development Coordinator, these two have the very valuable trait of being able to empathise with their athletes as both Sakis and Sam can understand what it is like to push through the hard days at training, how to get through tough rehabilitation, and how to build a life outside of the sport/artform itself. We talked about current and past player welfare and development systems. Today, athletes have access to so much in terms of physical preparation, recovery, and mental preparation, which is a large difference from a few decades ago. Especially in the field of mental wellbeing. It is an important part of Sam's role, to make sure his athletes are planning to have a backup plan from sports, and how other hobbies can increase performance rather than be a distraction. A big topic we all discussed was that of an athlete being defined by the sport. Some athletes get lost, when they cannot perform their sport for injuries, illnesses, etc. Today, more and more athletes and performers are taking up studies and other hobbies, so they have a life outside their sport. This helps them stay focused and provides a purpose, rather than the sport being the only option. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sakis-michelis-1144a068/?originalSubdomain=au @sakismichelis @sam_wright19 sakism@australianballet.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-wright-308849124/?originalSubdomain=au https://australianballet.com.au/the-artists/artistic-health-team/meet-the-artistic-health-team

I really enjoyed talking with Ryan and getting an insight into his philosophy on physiotherapy and movement in general. Ultimately, Ryan aims to bridge the gap between rehabilitation and performance. This podcast aims to find the gap between those within a performance setting and their own vulnerabilities, so I'm all about building bridges. His motivation and purpose come from the joy and satisfaction that he gets from giving a successful and new service to his clients. Additionally, Ryan and I spoke about reference points, and how we should really be measuring our success/happiness. True and long-lasting happiness doesn't come from the new car or good grades in a degree, it comes from simply giving others, and doing it consistently. Studies show that this can be as simple as a gift as little at $5 to a loved one or even a stranger. Ryan is in the business of serving people and helping them become better. We talk about this being a reference point for his own job satisfaction, rather than his yearly wage. ryan@reloadpt.com Insta: dr.ryanchow Website: https://www.reloadpt.com/ryan-chow-pt-dpt

Individual sport can be so rewarding, and yet so punishing. Alex has built a career in an individual sport that requires such deep focus in the present. A focus that is constantly being battled by internal pressures. Alex and I spoke about his long-term relationships with athletes. Building a relationship with an athlete for such a long time can be hard. Alex has known a few of his top contending athletes for about 13 years. It's tricky to build these relationships as you must the success rate or acceptance is so much harder to achieve when compared to a group of athletes in a team. Alex touches on both the highs and the lows of such a relationship that occur both on and off the track. Alex considers himself lucky and privileged to be able to guide someone for such a long period of time. He admits that these relationships are far from being smooth all the time. But Alex links that to life outside of sport, we cannot be perfect all the time, and we work on bettering ourselves and each other through collaboration and fixing it together. We then discuss the topic of the mindset of an individual athlete. Alex main point surrounds the idea of being dismissive. No matter what the last attempt/point looked like or ended up like, whether it was a positive or negative result, the athlete must dismiss that attempt and focus on the present. We talk about how these can transfer into life outside of competitive sport and the difficulty of trying not to bring things from outside the track into training. A common theme of those I have talked to in the past is compartmentalising. Alex likens this to learning a specific skill. Alex admits how he has had his share of bad days and he has carried heavy loads with him during some sessions. This is something that Alex really wants to improve on. Lastly, Alex talks about the importance of curiosity. He believes that staying curious with people, occupation, and the world will lead a practitioner to success. Curiosity needs to be paired with truth. Even if the truth may be harsh or difficult, it will always lead you to the best outcome. ‘I am where I am because I chose to be here' @alexstewart81 stewartalex_ alexstewart@hotmail.com.au

Spending 25 years at Athletic Club Bilboa, Maria certainly has a lot of stories to tell. She discusses how her time at Athletic Club has been a personal journey, as well as a professional one. She has learned to develop people, not just players and coaches. Maria grew within the club with help from the coaches and people she was involved with. She shares how important it was for her to develop herself in order to develop others. ‘Develop means to learning, to learn means to change, and in change we always lose something'. Maria shares how change can initially be confronting, but if the goals and purposes of the organisation are aligned with all the stakeholders, the change is inevitably for the best and allows for further opportunity. Maria is the Guru for Leadership. She believes that is is important to questioning yourself as a leader. In being comfortable, we become complacent. And we must never assume that we know everything. Always looking to improve, build and learn from others are strong characteristics of a leader. Another important characteristic is showing vulnerability. We discuss how vulnerability is a HUMAN characteristic, and no matter your experience, we are all vulnerable in certain ways. Maria shares how she is vulnerable every day in her role. She also reflects on the feelings she had as a teenager when she got her first role in a sporting organisation. Finally, we touch on the topic of having difficult conversations and how this is important as a practitioner within elite sport. It is essential not to make the topic personal when addressing hard conversations. Speaking in first person is key, avoiding putting blame on others. Maria shares some great ideas on how to deal with hard conversations for us all to take into our own workplaces.

Beatrice and I talked about her experience playing at the highest level of AFL for women while also balancing study and work. She recalls being in the AFLW and working at subway as a ‘sandwich artist' at the same time. This shows the one of the many differences between the men's and women's game. However, being proactive and getting a lot done while at school and University helped her keep her options open. After her injury, she realised there was a lot more to life than just sport and study and is now grateful for her past experiences. We also briefly talk about the future of women's sport and what that looks like. We agree that there has been a lot of progress in cricket, soccer and AFL, but there still needs to be much more done. Now as a practitioner, Beatrice discusses the topic of female strength coaches within the high-performance industry and how they are commonly depicted. We talk about being judged on image vs character, and also on not caring what other people think I was keen to talk to Beatrice about how her experiences as an athlete have helped her empathise with her clients/athletes while working in the industry. How not only experiencing the physical struggles (injuries, etc.) but also the mental battles (being able to talk to someone). She admits to being someone who would consistently adopt the common ‘I'm fine' mindset and shrug some things off when she was struggling internally. Now she understands that it's okay not to be fine, and it is important to find someone you trust or who will at least listen in order to get through certain mental struggles. https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatrice-devlyn-b3081b161/ https://open.spotify.com/show/1bKkvaEA6pdJwu1AT62NwR?si=rWqSfLtZTd2ygrPf7H8gPQ https://instagram.com/bea_devlyn?utm_medium=copy_link https://instagram.com/sheba_the_dobermann?utm_medium=copy_link beadevlyn18@gmail.com

Ashley and I discuss how having experiences and studies in other fields can be beneficial. For example, Coaches getting sport science courses or a strength coach getting a coaching course, etc. This proactive mindset can help practitioner's emphasis with others within their organisation. Ashley has a sport science degree which he believes has helped him immensely while working in a high-performance setting. We also talk about the experience that a physiotherapist must undergo while being the first responder on the field, assessing for issues/pain/consciousness with athletes. We touch on topics such what they need to prepare for, any possible feelings of anxiety that arise, etc. Ashley paints a good picture of what it is like in the day-to-day operations within high-performance sport. There are stressors that you become immune to, particularly the dynamic and fast paced environment. The whole day rushes by as there's so much going on. And it the culture set in the club that helps deal with such immense loads throughout the day. Ashley mentions how he treats everyone in the club with the same amount of respect, from the star athletes to the kitman, creating relationships instead of creating assumptions based on labels. Ashley also shares how trying to achieve a balanced life is hard to achieve in his industry. It's different from working Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm with weekends and holidays off. This industry demands a lot from him, which he acknowledges and is doing his best to deal with it now. Another part of regular life within the industry is change. Ashley and I discuss how he best deals with change and how it shouldn't always be feared. Change can take up energy but may be worth it in the long run with the right resources. Refer to Claes Janssen Four Room Apartment Model for change. http://www.fourroomsofchange.net.au We also discuss the relationships that are built within high-performance settings. Being the middleman between athletes/clients and employer/coach for practitioners such as strength coaches, sports scientist and physiotherapists can e a confronting and confusing situation. Ashley shares his opinions on what you should filter, get involved with or avoid, discuss etc. as some things can ‘chew you up' if you're not careful. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-lynch-732a54121/ ashlynch7@hotmail.com

Dr Mcleod and I discuss her transition into the field of psychology. She details how her work satisfies her desire and passion to educate, heal, change, and optimise the potential of individuals, groups and organisations. For her, stress is trying to do too much at once. She needs a lot to fulfill and satisfy her passion mentioned above, and as she is involved in so many organisations, she certainly has a lot going on. Samantha shares how she relates to some clients, after being a female athlete and working full time during her athletic career. Her role as a point guard gave others the opportunity to score instead of scoring herself. This sence of support and contribution to something outside of herself is now expressed through her field in psychology. Now in a world dealing with COVID-19, Samantha shares what people in the psychology field are going through during such a struggling time. The demand for psychological help has grown immensely during the lockdowns, which is such a large bourdon on the practitioners. Samantha tells how her team manage this stress and heavy workload, and how she is also expanding out to any practitioners who are on their own during the lockdown. ‘Physical activity is now proven to be the #1 factor to decrease depression and anxiety, over and above drugs and therapy together' – Dr Samantha Mcleod. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-samantha-mcleod-9b020739/ http://www.samcentre.com smcleod@samcentre.com.au