Mental Health

On 1 Feb the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced that - from the 1st July 2023 - the medical use of MDMA and Psilocybin will be rescheduled from Schedule 9 (prohibited substances) to Schedule 8 (controlled medicines) of the Poisons Standard. This will enable authorised psychiatrists to prescribe these substances for treatment-resistant depression and treatment resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. Today we speak with Peter Hunt who is not your conventional mental health practitioner. Peter is in fact a career investment banker with 35 years of experience as a banker. He has advised local and multi-national companies and governments in Australia.  The reason why we're speaking with Peter is also an active philanthropist involved in funding, developing and scaling social sector organisations with the goal to create a better and fairer world.  Specifically, Peter is the Chairman of Mind Medicine Australia which he established with his wife, Tania de Jong, in 2018. Mind Medicine Australia supports clinical research and works towards regulatory-approved and evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies.   In our conversation today we explore a course that Mind Medicine Australia has developed to help train the next generation of clinicians. Peter shares his views on the applications of MDMA and psychedelic assisted therapy as well as some of his own personal journey.   You can connect with Mind Medicine Australia via their website mindmedicineaustralia.org.au

Dr Stephen Bright is a clinically trained psychologist and senior lecturer on addiction at Edith Cowan University. Dr. Bright is the director of PRISM, the Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine organisation which is a not for profit, independent research charity developing medical and legal processes for the application of psychedelic medicines for improved well being in Australia.   In this conversation Dr. Stephen shares an update on the research for MDMA and psylicybin in the US and Australia, some of the results of the studies, the reactions from the clinical community, regulators and the public as well as Dr. Bright's view on how psychedelic assisted therapy will come to play a role in clinical practice.   Some websites we discussed: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ is the platform to find out which studies are running https://www.prism.org.au/prismsresearch/ is a summary of research and PRISM's website You can connect with Dr. Bright here: s.bright@ecu.edu.au   The drug-harm chart by Prof David Nutt has been summarised well here: https://www.businessinsider.com/chart-drugs-that-cause-the-most-harm-2013-9   The original paper from Prof David Nutt was published in the Lancet and can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47635105_Nutt_DJ_King_LA_Phillips_LD_Drug_harms_in_the_UK_a_multicriteria_decision_analysis_Lancet_376_1558-1565

Today we're speaking with Dr. Tracey Sletten, a senior research fellow from the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University.   Dr. Sletten is an expert on sleep and in our conversation we do a deep dive into how shift work affects sleep and how to improve sleep as much as possible while still working as a shift worker.   If you'd like to connect with Dr. Tracey or her team you can do so via tracey.sletten@monash.edu or on twitter @tracey_sletten

At 16 Emma attempted suicide and was left paralyzed. Now, at 21, Emma is a passionate mental health advocate. She take us on a journey of what led up to her attempt and her thought processes immediately before, during and after and ultimately her recovery. Emma reflects on meaningful ways in which to reach out and support someone that may be at risk. She now uses her story as a powerful instrument to support others.   Emma's story is particularly relevant this week as it's suicide prevention week.   You can reach out to Emma's team as well as finding out how to watch her incredible documentary My Ascension here: https://www.myascension.us/   For emergency support contact: 13 11 14 in Australia for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service 1800 273 8255 in the USA for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Today we continue speaking with Professor Sean Drummond, a Cognitive Neuroscientist and Clinical Psychologist at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. In part 2 of our conversation, we explore the relationship between poor sleep and mental illnesses - how one can be caused by the other. We talk about cognitive based therapy for insomnia (CBTI), the current gold standard for the treatment of poor sleep, medication for insomnia and the role that it has in treatment. Finally we circle around to the resources available to help people with poor sleep, and some tips to achieve better quality sleep. Resources: The Australasian Sleep Association (offers a list of providers) https://www.sleep.org.au/ The Sleep Health Foundation https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/sean-drummond

Today we're speaking with Professor Sean Drummond, a sleep expert, Cognitive Neuroscientist and Clinical Psychologist at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. We have split this conversation into 2 parts, in this, part 1 we cover the mechanics of sleep, how much sleep do we need, how much we actually get, the price for insufficient sleep, Sleep patterns, Caffeine and alcohol and how they impact sleep, Insomnia and sleep apnoea. We touch on 4 key things that you can do to improve your sleep.

Today we're speaking with Dr. Jarrod White, a Clinical Psychologist working in private practice at The Viewpoint clinic in Caulfield Melbourne. During Dr. White's research he had the opportunity to conduct face to face interviews with holocaust survivors and Sudanese genocide survivors. During our conversation, Dr. White shares some of his research and the key themes of how trauma is processed and expressed differently within different cultures.  

Today we speak with Professor Paul Fitzgerald who has been involved in the development, evaluation and clinical implementation of new treatments for mental health disorders for 2 decades. He pioneered the use of TMS in Australia and is internationally renowned as a leader in the field of brain stimulation and device based treatments in psychiatry. In our conversation we discuss what TMS is, the mechanisms of how we believe it works, we discuss how it's administered, side effects, it's efficacy and the costs and funding available in Australia. This conversation was recorded in November of 2021, since this time the Australian government has added TMS to the  rebate scheme as Prof. Fitzgerald mentioned. Professor Paul Fitzgerald has been the Director of Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (ECIMH) but is currently in the process of transitioning to a role as Director of the School of Medicine and Psychology at ANU through which you can connect with him. You can find a list of TMS relevant publications by Prof Fitzgerald on his website at paulbfitzgerald.com/

Today we talk to Phil Armstrong, CEO of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), about the ethics of client patient dynamics and what happens when a clinician develops romantic feelings towards their client or visa versa. Phil, as the head of the ACA, is in the perfect position to provide some guidance and boundaries on these sorts of ethical questions. As you'll hear from our conversation, Phil draws on his own clinical experience as well as that of their 7000 members.

We'll be taking a break over December and Jan and will post our next podcast in Feb. Thank you for your support and for tuning into conversations about mental health. We hope these conversations have sparked your curiosity and have given you new insights into your own lives and of those close to you. We wish you a safe festive season, take care of yourself and we'll see you in 2022.

What is the difference between a counsellor and a psychotherapist? Today we're speaking with Dr. Di Stow, the President of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) who will explain this in detail. PACFA is a leading national peak body and professional association for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia with over 4500 members nationwide and as one of the leaders of this organisation, Dr. Stow is well placed to explore the similarities and differences between these two mental health professionals.   Dr. Di runs her own private counselling practice in Hobart, Tasmania, working a lot with grief and loss, anxiety and depression, and many other issues.   Links: https://www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/data/suspected-deaths-by-suicide/data-from-suicide-registers

Today we speak with Dr Zac Seidler who is a clinical psychologist, researcher and leading men's mental health expert. Zac currently holds dual roles as Director of Mental Health Training at Movember and Research Fellow with Orygen at the University of Melbourne. We speak about men's mental health, masculinity, the idea of toxic masculinity, how men relate to seeking support and help, the role of men in relationships and society, consent, and the Movember movement and support out there for men. At the time of release (November), many men are in the full swing of supporting men's health awareness by growing out their mustaches. If you are keen to get on board it's not too late to start your mo. Head over to movember.com to get the details.   Resources: https://www.zacseidler.com/ (Zac's training program for clinicians) https://familyman.movember.com/ (Resources for young fathers) https://meninmind.movember.com/  https://au.movember.com/ Mo-Conversations – A podcast by Movember on all things man-related https://mensshed.org/

Dr. Gery Karantzas, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Science of Adult Relationships (SoAR) Laboratory at Deakin University and is one of Australia's leading relationships experts. Prof Gery has edited and authored over 100 publications including a handbook and co-authored text on relationships. Gery writes for the Conversation and Psychology Today, and is regularly contacted by the media to discuss all matters on relationships. He is also the founder of Relationship Science Online, a website that curates and delivers the science of relationships to target the needs of relationship counsellors and the general public. In this conversation we explore the impact of COVID and lockdowns on couples and the Vulnerability, Stress Adaptation Model of relationships. We also discuss some of the most common types of conflict patterns experienced couples and how to improve the ways in which couples fight so that they deal with conflict in more constructive ways. Prof Gery offers lots of roleplay style scenarios and gives great insights into some things to say, different ways to approach difficult conversations as well as pointing listeners to some great resources. You can find Dr. Gery as well as much of his writing for the Conversation, Psychology Today and helpful insights on relationships at www.relationshipscienceonline.com To find out more about the Science of Adult Relationships (SoAR) Laboratory at Deakin University, go to: www.scienceofadultrelationships.org The article that Ruan and Dr. Gery refer to: https://theconversation.com/love-lockdown-the-pandemic-has-put-pressure-on-many-relationships-but-heres-how-to-tell-if-yours-will-survive-135824 Dr. Gery referred to the work by Professor Andrew Christensen (UCLA), specifically Professor Christensen's co-development of Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy( IBCT). He and his former student Professor Brian Doss (University of Miami) have developed an online couple program based on IBCT, the “OURRelationship Program” – a program to help couples become unstuck from their core relationship issues.  To find out more about the OURRelationship Program go to: www.ourrelationship.com

Today we speak with Dr. Ranjani Utpala, the Clinical Director of The Butterfly Foundation. Dr. Ranjani Utpala a clinical psychologist specialised in working with eating disorders over the course of her career in the public and private sectors. The Butterfly Foundation is the national charity for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, and for the families, friends and communities who support them. Butterfly operates a National Helpline that includes support over the phone, via email and online, reaching 20,000 people each year. The Helpline is staffed by trained counsellors experienced in assisting with eating disorders and body image issues. https://butterfly.org.au 131 450   https://edfa.org.au/ Free online course for those supporting someone with an eating disorder: https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/resource-library/supported National Eating Disorder Collaboration for publications, journals, fact sheets and infographics https://nedc.com.au/ Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders for supervision and training for clinicians  https://www.anzaed.org.au/

We take a deep dive in Personality Disorder, specifically looking at Borderline Personality Disorder. We speak with Prof. Andrew Chanen, a psychiatrist, head of Personality Disorder Research and Director of Clinical Programs and Services at Orygen and a Professorial Fellow at the Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne. He is a Board Director of NEABPD Australia and a past President of ISSPD (International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders). Some resources discussed were: https://www.bpdaustralia.org/ https://www.orygen.org.au/Training/Resources/Borderline-personality-disorder

Today we speak with 'Lucy' (not her real name) about her journey of living with, and managing, a mother with borderline and bipolar. We look at the impact a serious mental illness can have on family members. It's a raw, real and honest chat.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Prof James Ogloff is a University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science and Director at the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology. In this chat we deep dive into the dark and complex world of psychopaths. We look at what a psychopath is, how they are made, how the tests for psychopathy work and psychopathy in criminal contexts. Prof. Ogloff reflects on some of his clinical and personal experience of working with a broad spectrum of psychopaths over his long career.   Prof. Ogloff is also Executive Director of Psychological Services and Research at Forensicare and a Fellow of the Canadian, American and Australian psychological societies. Professor Ogloff has worked in clinical and forensic psychology in a variety of settings for more than 35 years, publishing 18 books and more than 300 scholarly articles and book chapters. He has conducted assessments for courts and has given evidence in all Australian jurisdictions. In 2015, Professor Ogloff was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, recognised for significant service to education and to the law as a forensic psychologist, academic, researcher and practitioner. Some resources that Prof. Ogloff has recommended can be found at www.talklink.com.au/podcast They include: Conceptualizing Psychopathy: An overview by Theodoros Papagathonikou Psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder conundrum by Prof James Ogloff

Amber Rules is the co-founder and director at Rough Patch - one of the few brick and mortar mental health social enterprises in Australia. Amber is a psychotherapist and a supervisor for other clinicians. She is a passionate about subsidising the cost of mental health for those that need it most.   You can find Amber here: https://talklink.com.au/psychotherapist/amber-rules Rough Patch's socials are @roughpatchcounselling https://www.roughpatchcounselling.com/about-us

Prof David Coghill is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who holds the Chair of Developmental Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. Professor Coghill has a particular interest in ADHD, disruptive behaviours and psychopharmacology (the study of the use of medications in treating mental disorders). In this conversation we cover what ADHD / ADD is, how it's diagnosed, the difference between child and adult cases and the difference between how males vs females express their ADHD. We talk about how it's treated, the medication and what it means to have ADHD.   Resources https://www.additudemag.com/ a great resource with loads of good info https://aadpa.com.au/  - the official Australian ADHD page, lots of very authoritative information The paper with all of the charts that Prof Coghill refers to can be found at www.talklink.com.au/podcast The organisation that organised the ADHD Conference is: www.myspecialchildonline.com  

Emma Cholakians is a psychologist and director of a private practice in Melbourne, Australia (Couples Therapy) that specialises in relationship counselling and therapy. We discuss couples therapy as a specific treatment type, what is involved, the costs and level of buy-in required from each person. We also do a deep dive into cheating and what some of the themes are that Emma has observed in her clinical practice.   You can find Emma at: https://couplestherapymelbourne.com.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Wendy Coombe is the founder of the Australian Peak Body and charitable organisation, Animal Therapies Ltd with the goal to advance the understanding, acceptance and accessibility of animal-assisted services for those suffering trauma, disability and adversity. In our conversation Wendy explores how animals from lamas to lizards and miniature ponies on airplanes can help people cope with different challenges. We discuss how we can now use dogs to detect seizures up to 45 mins before the event, help regulate insulin in patients suffering from diabetes (they can smell insulin levels in your blood) and detect ingredients in food that some may be dangerously allergic to. Wendy shares her story of her own mental breakdown from a long career in senior management after which she turned to her faithful dog, Jack, for support. This started her on the journey of establishing Animal Therapies Limited as a charity to help connect people interested in using and receiving animal assisted services. It's an ancient partnership, modernized into today's sophisticated world.   Find Wendy at: https://animaltherapies.org.au/   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Dr Sam Vaknin is a Professor of Psychology at Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don in Russia. He is also a Professor of Finance and Psychology in SIAS-CIAPS (Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies). Dr Sam has a PhD in quantum Mechanics and he is a medical doctor. He is the author of many books but, amongst others, Malignant Self Love, Narcissism Revisited which is considered by most as the authoritative guide on narcissism. Sam has a Youtube Chanel with over 170 thousand subscribers and over 35 million views. In his capacity as a psychologist, he is one of the world's leading experts on Narcissistic Personality Disorder and is responsible for much of what we know about narcissism, as well as the popular vocabulary that most clinicians use to describe narcissistic behaviour today.   Check out Sam's YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/samvaknin   You can follow Sam on Twitter @samvaknin   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Professor Steve Ellen is an honorary Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of the Psychosocial Oncology Program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. In this role, Steve and his team support and work with patients suffering from cancer as well as their families. Steve is the co-author of “Mental - Everything you Never Knew you Needed to Know about Mental Health". In this episode Steve shares his own personal mental health crisis and shares how he, as a Professor of Psychiatry, navigated this path forward. We touch on personality disorders and what people suffering from cancer most often reach out for in terms of mental health support.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Dr. Graham Wong is a consultant psychiatrist and the Medical Director of the Epworth Hospital Mental Health Unit and the Director of the Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) Service in Melbourne. Dr. Wong explains how ECT (formerly referred to as “electroshock therapy”) is used in a modern context in the treatment of severe Major Depressive Disorder.   You can find Dr. Wong at: https://www.epworth.org.au/who-we-are/find-a-doctor/dr-graham-wong   The SBS Insight documentary that Dr. Wong referred to can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq0n8Hh9J8E   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Bianca Lebenholc is a Clinical Psychologist and runs a private psychological practice in Melbourne called Brighter Skies Psychology. Bianca has worked across a range of settings with children, adolescents, and young adults. We take a deep dive into the world of eating disorders as Bianca reflects on some of her time working at an in-patient unit admitting some of the most severe cases of eating disorders.   You can find Bianca at: @brighterskiespsychology www.brighterskies.com.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Georgina Mitchell is a clinical hypnotherapist and counsellor with 10 years of experience helping her clients out of destructive or unhelpful habits and patterns. Georgina runs a private practice in Melbourne called Hypfocus Therapy and walks us through the process of hypnotising someone, what to expect and how it all works. You can find Georgina at: hypfocus.com.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Jo Baker is one of the Bereavement Counsellors responsible for intake calls and support groups at the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement. Through her extensive experience and deep empathy Jo shares what she has learnt about grief and how people can deal differently with it. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is an organization providing a service for people who have experienced death related loss.   Find out more at https://www.grief.org.au/   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Our biggest sex organ is our mind. We speak with sexologist and sex therapist, Dr. Linda Kirkman about sex and the psychology of pleasure. Dr. Kirman is also the current Victorian President of the Society of Australian Sexologists. You can find Dr. Linda Kirkman at: www.lindakirkman.org Dr. Kirkman's Sexuality resources for young people: Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski https://www.emilynagoski.com/ Young women, sexual expression, and pleasure: https://www.ted.com/talks/peggy_orenstein_what_young_women_believe_about_their_own_sexual_pleasure A Teen Girl's Guide to Getting Off https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/a-teen-girls-guide-to-getting-off_eva-sless/18608210/#isbn=0992351421&idiq=26773801 https://megjohnandjustin.com/ Read their book, listen to the podcast, check out the zines under the publications tab. These people are awesome. See also https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/ https://www.scarleteen.com/ has many fabulous resources, information, and access to chat. Victorian Women's Trust resources for teenage women—click through to the blogs: https://www.vwt.org.au/projects/rosie/ Victorian school education resource on love, sex and relationships with excellent animated videos www.lovesexrelationships.edu.au/ Norwegian sex education videos that tell and show it like it is, on YouTube, with English captions http://bit.ly/NWsEd Booklet (44 pages) for teens about choices http://www.rfsu.se/en/Engelska/Sexuality-Education/Sex-your-own-way/ This Australian ABC program (only free on iView till 3 October 2020, although it comes and goes) is just delightful and shows the diverse qualities of young women https://iview.abc.net.au/show/field-guide-to-being-a-12-year-old-girl Justin Hancock is a youth worker and his site http://bishuk.com/ has some fabulous resources, with an excellent e-book (for you and your 14+ teenager) http://bishuk.com/book/   e-Safety iParent resources https://esafety.gov.au/education-resources/iparent e-Safety Education resources https://esafety.gov.au/education-resources https://esafety.gov.au/about-the-office/resource-centre   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 1800 642 066 Centre for Grief and Bereavement 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

As a GP with over 25 years of experience and the lead clinical advisor for the not for profit organisation Beyond Blue, Prof. Grant knows a thing or two about depression, anxiety and the human experience. Prof. Grant is an Associate Professor at the Nossal Institute and the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne. He is an Honorary Professor at Luohu Hospital Group in Shenzhen, China and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Prof. Grant's research has three themes: General Practice/Primary Care, Sustainability and Mental Health. He has co-authored 125+ publications in peer reviewed journals, six books and more than 20 government/policy reports. He has co-convened conferences about GP Psychiatry in Australia, Italy and Israel and leads the Master of Public Health subject, Environmental Challenges and Global Health. In our conversation we discuss depression, anxiety, social media and much more. With Prof. Grant's experience as a GP and his extensive exposure to the voices of those struggling through a mental health battles Prof. Grant offers many insights and reflections and pointers to the amazing resources available. Some links from our chat: http://www.blashki.com (links to all of Prof. Grant's books, publications and other podcasts can be found here) https://www.futureleaders.com.au/book_chapters/Climate-Health-and-Courage/Susie-Burke-and-Grant-Blashki.php (we talked about this a little offline, not enough to include in the podcast but climate change mental health impacts is a trending area and a big issue for many people, in this chapter Prof Grant shares some great insights into this topic). For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

A guided mindfulness meditation episode with mindfulness expert and Psychologist Anna Davies.

Anna Davies is a Psychologist, Mindfulness Trainer and Yoga and Meditation Teacher. Anna runs a private practice called Ubuntu Wellness. Ubuntu is a South African philosophy which states that “I am who I am because of who we all are”. Ubuntu speaks of the very essence of being human; our capacity for openness, understanding, respect and compassion. Human beings are social creatures; we influence each other, depend on each other and can grow and expand together in the most powerful ways. This philosophy guides much of Anna's works and it is her belief that by finding peace within ourselves, we allow ourselves to be in peace with the world around us.    You can connect with Anna via her website ubuntuwellness.com.au/   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

It is with sadness that Dr. Harte has passed away. Dr. Harte was a leader and educator of Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidence based therapy used to help people with emotional injury and trauma. Dr. Harte spoke through the identification of emotions during therapy (there are 7 primary emotions: sadness, joy, anger, fear, disgust, interest/curiosity and shame). Dr. Harte explained how a trained therapist emotionally tunes into the feelings of their clients and helps process what they are feeling as well as using other cues to identify the emotions that someone may be experiencing. For example fear is felt in the solarplex, a restriction in your throat represents words unsaid, weight or pain in your heart represents sadness and a churning or bloating of the stomach is often associated with disgust. Dr. Harte explains how, once identified she helped her clients re-attach meaning to past events and change the future emotional response someone may have as a result of a past trauma. Dr. Harte new book for clinicians is an excellent professional resource: “Processing Emotional Pain Using Emotion Focused Therapy, A Guide to Safely Working with and Resolving Emotional Injuries and Trauma.”   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

It is with sadness that Dr. Harte has recently passed away. Dr Harte was a leader and educator of Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidenced based therapy mainly used to help people with emotional injury and trauma. Dr. Harte walked us through the identification of emotions during therapy (there are 7 primary emotions, sadness, joy, anger, fear, disgust, interest/curiosity and shame). Dr. Harte explained how a trained therapist emotionally tunes into the feelings of their clients and helps process what they are feeling as well as using other queues to identify the emotions that someone may be experiencing. For example fear is felt in the solarplex, a restriction in your throat represents words unsaid, weight or pain in your heart represents sadness and a churning or bloating of the stomach is often associated with disgust. Dr. Harte explains how, once identified she helped her clients re-attach meaning to past events and change the future emotional response someone may have as a result of a past trauma. Dr. Harte new book for clinicians is an excellent professional resource: “Processing Emotional Pain Using Emotion Focused Therapy, A Guide to Safely Working with and Resolving Emotional Injuries and Trauma.”   Find Dr. Harte at https://www.melissahartepsychology.com.au/   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Tara mentioned that each of us experience a varying degree of hardship over a lifetime. When this hardship evokes emotion that is too intense for us to handle it can cause emotional injury to the brain. This emotional injury is known as trauma. Trauma falls into one of two categories, including little ‘t' traumas (disruption to a healthy bond between a parent and a child, loss of a significant relationship, bullying, harassment, or other non-life-threatening events) and Big ‘T' traumas (abuse, neglect, violence and other life-threatening events). Although Big ‘T' traumas are life threatening events, little ‘t' traumas should not be dismissed. Research has shown that in some cases repeated exposure to little ‘t' traumas, can cause more psychological damage than a single Big “T” traumatic event. If left untreated emotional injury to the brain can contribute to psychological symptoms and diagnosis, particularly if it occurred during important periods of brain development such as early childhood and adolescence. Tara Hicks focuses in a treatment model, which is a little like emotional surgery, called Emotion Focused Therapy. Listen to how Tara can identify emotional injury caused by little ‘t' or Big ‘T' trauma and help her clients to re-process the emotion associated with the traumatic memory. Sceptical? We were too but this is an evidence-based treatment style and Tara shares some pretty amazing case studies. Find Tara at her clinic in Beaumaris - www.mindedpsychology.com.au  For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Over 2018 to 2019 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated psilocybin (one of key ingredients in psychoactive mushrooms) and MDMA (one of the key ingredients in ecstasy) with “breakthrough status” given the huge promise they've both shown in the first stages of clinical trials. Psilocybin showed incredible promise for Major Depressive Disorder (something affecting up to 15% of people living in developed countries at some point in their life). MDMA showed significant promise for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. One of the most curious things about the proposed therapies are that they're once-off or just a few dosed sessions that could cause lifelong changes unlike existing antidepressant medication. The proposal is that the substances are to be taken under supervision of a trained mental health professional and this is where Dr. Alana Roy and Mind Medicine Australia come in. Mind Medicine Australia believe that Australia should be taking advantage of the completed body of science and take lessons from the US to move forward to having similar therapies legally offered in Australia.   Check out and share this 2 minute animation to find out why psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy needs to be available to those who are suffering.   To better understand how these medicines offer promise in treating mental illness, please visit our  website and https://mindmedicineaustralia.org/psychological-support-services/   Please also read https://mindmedicineaustralia.org/important-resources/    Mind Medicine Australia relies on tax-deductible donations to create a pathway for the regulatory approval of medicine-assisted therapies. We invite you to donate HERE. Future research in Australia is on the way. If you would like to be kept aware of when such research is announced, and whether you may qualify for inclusion, please follow us on facebook,  twitter and join our  mailing list and attend our next educational events. There are some ways to stay in touch and become involved in the meantime.  Dr Alana Roy (Ph. D Psychology, B. A Social Work (MHSW)) National Practice Manager Psychological Services Dr Alana Roy is a psychologist, social worker and therapist and has spent the last 13 years working in mental health, suicide prevention, trauma, sexual abuse and family violence and the disability sector. Alana has worked with borderline personality and dissociative identity disorder in various roles in the community such as; Rape Crisis Centres with victims of ritual abuse, childhood and adult sexual assault, supporting women in the sex industry, survivors of human trafficking and now as a psychedelic integration specialist. Alana focuses on harm minimisation, community and connection. She is dedicated to psychedelic assisted psychotherapy and plant medicines. She has engaged with, and provides integration therapeutic support services for communities across Australia. Alana works at several universities as a Research Fellow and supervisor of students on placement. Alana passionately advocates for public policy, community education and legislative changes so that these treatments are regulated and supported by a strong, connected and skilled sector. Alana utilizes a range of therapies such as emotion focused therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive-behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness and meditation approaches. In Alana's spare time she is kept busy by her young sons, her love of traveling the world, and connecting with the diverse and creative medicine community. alana@mindmedicineaustralia.org 

(Part 2 of 2) This week we complete our conversation about Borderline Personality Disorder, possibly one of the most misunderstood and confusing of mental illnesses. Dr. Yvette Vardy speaks specifically about an evidence-based-treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder called “Dialectical Behavior Therapy” (DBT). Find out what this therapy is and how it can be used to help those who have Borderline Personality Disorder. Join us for a free webinar with Dr. Vardy on Mon 14-Dec at 7pm. Register here: https://www.yvettevardy.com/events/ask-me-anything Dr. Vardy has developed an online training course on DBT, connect in with Dr. Vardy or check out her online courses at https://www.yvettevardy.com/  Although becoming a skilled DBT therapist requires in-depth training and experience, Dr. Vardy wishes to emphasize that there are a number of other effective psychological treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder. Even for health care providers in supportive roles, there are now well established, evidence based generalist approaches that are known to be effective. This means we can all learn to engage with confidence and remain therapeutic, regardless of our role.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

(Part 1 of 2) This week we talk about Borderline Personality Disorders, possibly one of the most misunderstood and confusing of mental illnesses. Dr. Yvette Vardy helps us navigate this topic with skill, sensitivity and a huge amount of insight. As a clinical psychologist with a doctorate in the area, Dr. Vardy is passionate about a specific treatment called “Dialectical Behavior Therapy”. Find out what Borderline Personality Disorder is and how it can be managed. Join us for a free webinar with Dr. Vardy on Mon 14-Dec at 7pm. Register here: https://www.yvettevardy.com/events/ask-me-anything Dr. Vardy has developed an online training course on DBT, connect in with Dr. Vardy or check out her online courses at https://www.yvettevardy.com/  Also, the Royal Commission referred to in our conversation was still ongoing at the time of this conversation. We look forward to seeing the outcome of this Commission.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Professor Dan Lubman is an addictions expert. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University, the director of Monash Addiction Research Centre, and the director of a not for profit, Turning Point, that helps people struggling with addictions. This is part 2 of a 2 part conversation. In this part, we talk about social media addictions specifically. This podcast also tees into a documentary “Addicted Australia” that Prof Dan and his team with Blackfella Films have made for SBS, following the stories of people struggling with different addictions. It airs on 10-Nov-2020 and is then freely available at sbs.com.au/ondemand/ Turning Point are also running a campaign to “Rethink Addiction” where you can read people's stories and even share your own as well as join a petition to raise awareness of increase funding for addiction.   www.rethinkaddiction.org.au www.turningpoint.org.au   Want to ask Prof Dan a question? You can do so at talklink.com.au/podcast   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Professor Dan Lubman is an addictions expert. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University, the director of Monash Addiction Research Centre, and the director of a not for profit, Turning Point, that helps people struggling with addictions. This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation. First up we chat alcohol, drugs and gambling.  This podcast also tees into a documentary “Addicted Australia” that Prof Dan and his team with Blackfella Films have made for SBS, following the stories of people struggling with different addictions. It airs on 10-Nov-2020 and is then freely available at sbs.com.au/ondemand/ Turning Point are also running a campaign to “Rethink Addiction” where you can read people's stories and even share your own as well as join a petition to raise awareness of increase funding for addiction.   www.rethinkaddiction.org.au www.turningpoint.org.au   Want to ask Prof Dan a question? You can do so at talklink.com.au/podcast   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

It turns out that sometimes having a baby brings things to the forefront that you may not have noticed before. In the case of Josie, her General Anxiety expressed itself as a birth related anxiety and depression with both of her kids. Now, a passionate ambassador for perinatal depression and anxiety, Josie is sharing her story online, through her platform, “Smiling After PND”. Josie has featured on major publications, websites and is a public presenter, visiting workplaces and institutions as she continues her quest to increase awareness and remove sigma.   You can find Josie at: https://smilingafterpnd.com/   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

You are more likely to develop a mental illness during a pregnancy or in the 12 months after birth according to Dr. Nicole Highet of the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE). Dr. Highet takes us through the difference between baby blues and perinatal depression and anxiety. You can find the Centre for Perinatal Excellence at: www.cope.org.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Perinatal depression and anxiety is experienced by 1 in 5 new mother's and 1 in 10 new fathers/partners. Having a baby is a big change for a mother and their partner. Not only will the baby impact the mother physically, emotionally, socially and their relationships, it will also impact hormones and the mental space of both the mother and their partner. We speak with Julie Borninkhof, CEO of Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) about this transition. PANDA offer the only national helpline focusing on perinatal anxiety and depression. Julie reflects on what they've observed and heard from mothers, partners and friends via their support line as well as the services available to new families.   You can find Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia at: panda.org.au   The PANDA helpline is: 1300 726 306   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Jane takes us on a journey of how she uses horse assisted therapy (see episode 7) with Gestalt therapy to bring about awareness in her clients of their reactions and their emotions to ultimately empower them to have more choice in how they respond to external and internal triggers. Jane has a master's degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy and owns and runs Equine Assisted Therapy Australia in the hinterland of tropical Queensland. Jane is also a registered nurse and yoga instructor. You can find Jane at: equineassistedtherapyaustralia.com.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Horses are large, imposing animals. For Jane Faulker, they are an amazing partner to effective therapy. Hear how Jane uses horse assisted therapy (also called equine assisted therapy) to help people ground themselves in the present moment and to start the healing process. Among many topics, we also discuss negative emotions and the role that a therapist and an animal such as a horse can play in helping someone sit with, and process, heavy emotions. Jane has a master's degree in Gestalt Psychotherapy and owns and runs Equine Assisted Therapy Australia in the hinterland of tropical Queensland. Jane is also a registered nurse and yoga instructor. You can find Jane at equineassistedtherapyaustralia.com.au   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Anyone can call themselves a "counsellor" and start seeing clients. Unlike psychology and psychiatry, counselling is not government regulated and this makes finding the right counsellor tricky. What makes this even harder to navigate is that counsellors range from having no formal training through to having PhD's as well as those who have no experience through to those with decades. Confused? It's hard not to be. That's where peak bodies like the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) come in. The ACA is the largest, non-profit peak body who basically police their own members (they have about 7000 members). Counselors who are members of the ACA can call themselves "registered counsellors" and have to demonstrate that they know what they're doing. The ACA even have a black list of people who should not be practicing that they publish publicly. We speak with Philip Armstrong is the CEO of the ACA who helps to demystify the profession of counselor and how to find the right person to talk to.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue

Family doctors (General Practitioners) can be the gate keepers to connect the community to the right mental health support. Hear directly from Dr. Chris Fildes - a family doctor for 37 years. We speak about depression and antidepressant medication, anxiety and benzodiazepines, and about the process of seeing a mental health practitioner. Dr. Fildes explains how government supported Mental Health Care plans work, how much they fund and what to expect out of the whole process of reaching out and speaking with a professional. For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue  

Rhiannon Thomas shares some of her experience in responding to and working with Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorders. Rhiannon is a clinical psychologist and works in the public sector responding to acute mental health cases. For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue    

Rhiannon Thomas shares some of her experience in responding to and working with adolescents suffering from psycosis. Rhiannon is a clinical psychologist and works in the public sector responding to acute mental health cases.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue    

Clinical Psychologist Rhiannon Thomas shares some of her experience in responding to and working with adolescents at risk of suicide and self harm. Rhiannon is a clinical psychologist and works in the public sector responding to acute mental health cases.   For emergency support contact: 000 for police, ambulance or fire services  13 11 14 for Lifeline, a crisis support and suicide prevention service for all Australians 1300 726 306 Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (PANDA) National Helpline 03 9935 7400 GriefLine National Helpline 1800 250 015 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 858 858 National Gambling Help Line 1300 22 46 36 Beyond Blue