Wellness Warriors by Felicity Cohen

Dr. Gabby is known for her popular Instagram page, The Mindful Doctor, where she shares health information that is evidence-based and easy to understand. As a GP in rural NSW, Dr. Gabby is an advocate for slow, narrative medicine, listening to her patients and prioritising connection so they feel seen, heard and valued.

Jen Dugard is a pre and postnatal educator and business coach with a passion for helping fellow FitPro's create values-driven, mum-focused businesses that serve their whole life. Jen and Felicity discuss the importance of the pelvic floor, how women can safely return to exercise after giving birth and Jen's personal journey with motherhood, mental health and depression.

With more than thirty years in the health and wellness industry, Kris Abbey is excited that wellness is finally becoming a lifestyle worth investing in. Join her as she chats with Felicity about how she built her incredible career at the intersection of her two passions: preventative health and communication.

Anthony Burke is an Architecture Professor and presenter on Restoration Australia recognised internationally for his work in architectural design, curation and commentary. He and Felicity discuss the importance of restorative architecture, emerging trends in Australian design, and several simple yet powerful things to promote wellbeing in your home.

Peta Shulman founded Goodness Me because natural, wholesome foods helped her take control of her own health, and she wanted to help others learn how and why they should love nourishing their bodies and make healthy eating fun. Today, she's here to talk about how she's making whole foods more accessible to everyone.

Sahrys Page is a leading personal trainer and fitness expert with a reputation for distilling the BS around exercise in a refreshingly comedic, relatable voice. Sarhys also has an incredible story of regaining her own health as she struggled with a drinking problem from a younger age. Sarhys is 100% sober today, advocating for healthy lifestyles and is motivated by making others feel good. Join Sarhys and WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen as they discuss Sarhys' journey to sobriety, how she manages her own wellness, the importance of exercise and what her next steps in the fitness space might be.

Join wife, mother, holistic wellness expert and Move for Mental Health founder Kylianne Farrell and WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen as they discuss Kylianne's unique approach to wellness, spanning everything from eco-therapy, positive psychology and exercise, the mental health continuum, mental resilience and what exactly mental health first aid is and why it's so important.

Join entrepreneur and holistic life coach Justine Switalla as she talks to WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen about how we approach life and how this plays a massive role in our overall wellness, success and happiness. Listen as they dive into how motherhood has changed Justine's outlook and perspective on exercise, health and wellbeing, and practical tools we can use to protect and nurture our mindset to make sure we're living happy and healthy lives.

Psychologist, author and parenting expert Rachel Tomlinson joins Felicity to talk about the changing pressures our children are facing and how we can set them up to live happy, healthy lives as adults. Join as they discuss the impacts COVID has had on our children's and our own lives, and walk away with a new understanding of how we can empower our children to recognise and process their emotions.

Inspired by her mother and grandmother, Felicity has been on a life-long journey to improve the quality and longevity of people's lives through a holistic approach to weight loss. In this episode, she talks about the stigma around weight-related health concerns, how to open up conversations at home and the WLSA difference in treating obesity.

Anna Heinrich's journey into wellness began after experiencing a lack of sleep during her first pregnancy with her daughter Elle, which inspired the birth of INTU Wellness. Anna shares the life experiences that led her on this new path, one where she is the healthiest and happiest she has ever been.

Dr John Demartini's mission is to share knowledge and wisdom that empowers you to become a master of your own life and destiny. He's here to discuss why positive thinking is nothing more than a distraction from achieving your goals.

RUOK? Ambassador Barry Conrad lets us into his life which has led him down the path of wellness. His mission is to raise awareness surrounding mental health to help de-stigmatise the issue, proudly utilising social media platforms to lead the conversation. No matter what your wellness journey is, let Barry inspire you to find what's right for you.

Daniel D'Appio has always spent time with the trees and it would be his pleasure to share the major benefits of getting out into nature with you. He's a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and the Director of Shinrin-Yoku Australia. In this episode, he uncovers everything you need to know about Forrest Bathing; the history, all the benefits, why it's becoming so popular, and why he is so passionate about it.

Dr Lurve specialises in helping people navigate the science and metaphysics of relationships. A modern-day cupid for individuals discovering self-love, singles ready to find love, and couples ready to make love last forever, she is the singular authority on how to make relationships work. Each relationship we have with family, friends, and colleagues, equates to the quality of our own lives. An episode which is full of insights that will benefit each and every one of us.

Nikki Phillips is a media personality, MC, model, content creator and major talent. She has this enviable cool confidence that has seen her partner with leading brands on ambassadorships and advertising collaborations around the globe. Nikki is also a CEO, with her brand Rattle & Bones, focusing on sun protection for children. An episode not to be missed for any first-time parent!

You may remember Blake from My Kitchen Rules Season 10 on Channel 7, but his journey with food didn't start there. Through a life of many hurdles, Blake shares what he has learnt over the years when it comes to his health and wellness, especially around the major health benefits of food, nutrition, and growing your own fruits and vegetables.

After a diving accident in Bali at the age of 20, Rhiannon was diagnosed as a C-5 quadriplegic and was told she would never walk again. While many may let a life-changing injury hold them back from living their dreams, Rhiannon has used it as further motivation to create a life she loves, helping and inspiring thousands of people along the way.

In a life of adversities and challenges, Suzie managed to stay resilient and open-minded on her journey of self-discovery, and she is sharing that story here with our listeners. She is Australia's boxing golden girl that staked her claim as one of the nation's greatest ever female boxers and solidified her Legacy through strength and resilience.

Lisa Messenger needs no introduction but let's give it a go… Lisa is the vibrant, game-changing founder and CEO of Collective Hub. She has authored a number of best-selling books and has since taken her teachings online into the digital sphere. An episode not to be missed for anyone looking to start up their own business.

Shan Alyce is using her digital platforms to share digestible financial advice to educate and empower people — especially women. Finance is more than just money, it affects our relationships and our mental well-being too.  In this episode, Shan breaks down all things finance with some really helpful advice and useful tips.

Alexx Stuart is a columnist for Wellbeing magazine, an author, a mother and also a sought-after speaker and consultant to businesses committing to change for good. For our listeners, Alexx shares how it all began, her personal health struggles, and some really simple tips on living a Low Tox Life.

In this episode, Dr Gamer Verdian gives us a full 1:1 on oral health, and that also means your overall health. Learn how crucial oral care is for our physical and mental wellbeing, and let Dr Verdian explain the best treatment options for everybody. “Dentists treat people, not just teeth, so I make it a priority to help patients feel at ease,” says Dr Verdian.

Yads Cauchi is a qualified beauty journalist and dermal therapist, based in Canberra. She holds two Bachelor's degrees, an Advanced Diploma in Cosmetic Dermal Science and is currently completing a Masters's degree in Human Nutrition. Yads has spent almost a decade writing about health and beauty for publications including Cosmopolitan, Shop Til You Drop, Beauticate and Gritty Pretty, but now predominantly writes for Adore Beauty and works closely with Go-To Skincare.   Yads knows how overwhelming and complicated the skincare world is made out to be – but she's here to tell you it really doesn't have to be that hard. An episode not to be missed when investing in your skin health!

Why don't we look after our entire body in the same way we do our face? Understand the importance of caring for your whole body with former model and founder of Fig Femme, Lindy Klim.   Wellness is different for each and every one of us with Lindy discussing what that looks like for her. Sharing about why she chose to move her family to Bali, diving into feminine hygiene, and even sharing some of her personal wellness tips that keep her grounded.

Cherry Dipietrantonio is the newest member of the Real Housewives of Melbourne, bringing with her a refreshing and healthy new outlook to the franchise. Aside from being a reality television star, Cherry is a credible yoga instructor and mindfulness coach, skills she has mastered from her own experiences in life. Now she is giving back to the community through her philanthropy work, hosting her next event ‘Mindful Motion Wellness Day' with 100% of proceeds going to the St Kilda Mums organisation.

Learn how to unleash the power of your morning as Felicity Cohen reveals her personal morning routine and how we can set ourselves up for the best day ahead.   References: 5am Club by Robin Sharma [Book Recommendation] The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod [Book Recommendation] Felicity's Smoothie Recipes: Veggie Green Juice, Strawberry Smoothie, Mango Smoothie  Jump To: 1:10 / When Felicity first started her business 21 years ago. 2:16 / The 5am Club & The Miracle Morning. 4:32 / Waking up at 4.10am for a run. 7:00 / Going to the gym. 9:43 / Other mindful practises to add to your routine.  12:02 / Nutrition in the morning.

Sit back and slow down as you take in the latest episode with Euphemia Russell on their new book Slow Pleasure and the health benefits associated with it.

Throughout 2021, Felicity had interviewed some incredible guests for the Wellness Warrior Podcast. At the end of every conversation, she asks this one important question; what does wellness mean to you? And believe it or not, every single response has been so different. We found it really inspiring to listen to our guests' expression of wellness which give us some insight into what wellness actually means to them. It's so interesting to note that wellness is such an individual thing. It is different for everybody. What does that look like for you? Is it about your health and wellbeing? Is it spiritual? Is it something more? Is it about your family, your children? Physical, mental, spiritual health, and all of the different components and pillars of wellness that all come together. They are all exceptional with common denominators that are expressed in so many beautiful ways. We look forward to diving deeper into wellness by bringing you much more variety of exciting episodes in 2022.

We've had so many inspiring and wonderful guests throughout 2021. This episode brings you impactful moments offering you great insights into many different areas of life and wellness. We've had conversations around food, mindfulness, connection, parenting, menopause, fertility and many more that offer techniques to improve the quality of our life. We've also had many of our patients from Weightloss Solution Australia joining our podcast, sharing their inspiring weight loss journey and what led them to find the right solution for them that had completely transformed their lives. Watch this compilation to get you motivated for the good changes you can make this year! We look forward to bringing you many more inspiring conversations in 2022. Check out all episodes here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/wellness-warriors/

Angela Warm is an environmental scientist turned seasonal health coach, with a passion for helping women in their 40's and 50's navigate menopause with ease. After moving to Switzerland with her family, Angela got her health coaching certificate to educate herself and her family, and with what she discovered, she had to share with others.   We go over the simple, yet effective advice Angela shares with her clients, from diet, movement, mindfulness, sleep and how to destress. Outlining the most important topics women need to understand and the symptoms to pay attention to when going through menopause and pre-menopause.   Discover Angela's programs to help you on your journey of health and well-being here, warmwellness.com/ 

On the surface, Alan has lived a few lives. He has lived in the Himalayas; led a team, designing and building an eco-resort on Ambergris Caye, Belize; he has been a CEO of some of Australia's most awarded marketing agencies and as a consultant and advisor helping some of the world's most recognisable brands and businesses find growth in a world and in markets where change is the only constant. Beneath the surface, Alan's life is directed by two of his guiding principles, to live present and to live a life of purpose. In this eye-opening episode, Alan shares his journey towards discovering the importance of presence and how that collates with life, work and living in a pandemic, and discover the depth of connection we can feel through everything around us that allows for a more fulfilling and enriched life. To see more about Alan, partake in his 10 Day of Presence program, or read one of his books, visit www.alanriva.com

With the rise of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Gabriella discusses the missing gaps within the standard treatment, and why there needs to be a holistic, integrative medical model for infertility treatment. We discuss some common issues that cause thyroid imbalances, the importance of diet and lifestyle, but most importantly the mindset when trying to conceive.   Gabriela completed her PhD at Harvard to further help more of those struggling with infertility. With her team, they have developed a program to address every aspect of health possible from the first consultation to treating patients. This precise and extensive system allows them to educate patients and understand how she can best support patients to achieve the desired outcome. To see more of her programs visit https://naturalfertilitybreakthrough.com/

Sarah Callaham shares the fascinating history of Pilates and the philosophy behind it, and how it has progressed over time within the wellness space, explaining the rise of Pilates is due to the realisation that fitness is a more minded approach.   Discovering her passion for sports at a young age, Sarah soon discovered she was experiencing hypermobility within the joints due to it being overworked. After a month of starting Pilates, Sarah could finally walk without any pain, which inspired her work at The Body Method, taking on the vision of being the space for holistic fitness, she ensures that The Body Method's inclusive philosophy and cultural values continue to welcome people into the family. Over the years she has had many little achievements of movements, however, they were massive wins to partially paralysed and quadriplegic patients Sarah treated with Pilates.   To see more about The Body Method, visit www.thebodymethod.com.au

Melo Calarco is a certified mindfulness facilitator and performance coach with over 25 years of experience. Through his work that is based on neuroscience, mindfulness, human behaviour and other unique approaches, Melo continues to transform many lives back to self-awareness, clarity, focus, success, and ultimately wellness of the mind.   Melo draws the lessons he learned from his self-discovery experience cycling and trekking around the world and how mindfulness helped him overcome obstacles including near-death experiences. Melo now shares the wisdom of mindfulness and meditation through his programs with large corporate companies, high-performance athletes, mental health clinics, health retreats and many more.   In this episode, Melo takes us on his evolution and shares what he'd learned along the journey. The valuable messages are simple, yet transformative. This conversation will get you to connect back to your journey and mindfully evaluate the simple things in order to perform at your best and overcome the burnt-out state as we go through the treadmill of life.   Find out more about Melo Calarco and his work here: https://melocalarco.com/

Dr Fiona Tassoni is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine specialising in fertility. As the founder of Solaris Health, a leading fertility health centre for acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine, she integrates these holistic practices to help her patients achieve an optimal level of wellness. Her passion for women's health and healing over the past 19 years brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of gynaecology and infertility.   Listen to this episode to better understand the practice of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Dr Tassoni's empathic and compassionate approach in prescribing a person's or couple's health solution while working intuitively presents a complete integrated perspective.   Discover Dr Fiona Tassoni's Pregnancy Accelerator Program where she helps struggling couples achieve the dream of conceiving a healthy baby: https://fionatassoni.com/

We explore the inspiring lifestyle and mindset of an Australian Football League Women's player, Kate Surman (nicknamed Spud), who is also a physiotherapist. Kate walks us through how she balances the demanding aspects of her life and gives us insights into what it's like to be a competitive sports team player at AFLW.   In this light-hearted conversation, Kate shows us the possibility of achieving greatness whilst enjoying simple things in life. By having core values, consistency in routines and an optimistic outlook, Kate is kicking her goals and showing up strong for her team as her zesty self, while under high pressure to be in her best shape and performance all year round.

Angela Counsel is a clinical Naturopath now incorporating all her health knowledge to support women transition through menopause with ease. For over 20 years, Angela has been primarily in the space of women's health and well-being. She is a mindset coach and also includes naturopathy and kinesiology to treat her clients to gain a deeper understanding of their health issues.   In this episode, Angela shares her personal journey through menopause, showing us that it is possible to go through menopause; lose weight in the process, and come out the other side living the life she desires. Her main focus is on a healthy diet combined with lifestyle changes, which Angela discusses  ‘how' in detail in this episode. Watch this episode and view the transcript here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/transition-from-menopause-into-desired-life/

Over 33 years, Graziella Thake, CEO of The Optimisation hub, has worked across multiple industries for 26 multinationals. Combining her expertise, she is now offering a world-first full curriculum of transitional development programs for sportspeople at every level, focusing on improving the mental health needs in the industry.     Through reflections of multi-facets of her life in this episode, Graziella Thake gives us insights into what makes each of us a human being, with the intention that others would see the unique offering they can provide to the world. Her strong urge to help the world from a very early age has taken her down many paths that have been eye-opening for her.   Her people-first lifelong attitude has been proven through her experiences, earning her a reputation for a sought-after ground-breaking leader. Graziella is a well-respected speaker, project and program lead for highly skilled operational risk environments using her training systems for risk prevention strategies for teams and professionals in specialist industries.   Check out The Optimisation Hub for solutions to increase identity resilience, balance and focus for high performance athletes: https://theoptimisationhub.com/

A true wellness warrior, Dan Neuffer, shares with us how he overcomes the biggest battle of his life for 7 years, suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. A former physicist, a young family man, Dan was once bed bounded to the idea of never getting his life back up again. A smile he couldn't fake for his kids at one Christmas dinner, gifted him the determination to find a way to recover.    This episode digs deep into Dan's personal journey dealing with his sickness. He shares insights on the nature of this group of diseases, its conditions, and how he tackled them back to wellness again. Since his full recovery in 2010, he has proven to himself that it is possible to achieve what he once thought was impossible.   Through many years of sharing his story, Dan has created ANS REWIRE a comprehensive online program to support more people with their recovery journey from this syndrome. The program is now being used in over 60 countries around the world to help people recover from these illnesses.   Dan also wrote two books to help others with the disease; CFS Unravelled, and Discover Hope – 7 steps to help you rediscover hope and cope better with Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, POTS, PVFS & MCS.     Check out his program and other resources here: cfsunravelled.com.   For transcript or to watch this episode instead, click here.   Shownotes: 01:29 - Start out as a physicist, what drove you into that area of professional space originally?  His love for numbers and his amusement in lasers from a very young age led him to study lasers and optoelectronics.    02:43 - So you were struck down literally with a whole plethora of a disease profile that included, Myalgic and Stefano, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, et cetera, this whole group of diseases. What are some of the contributing factors that can lead to this group of conditions that you were dealing with?  Dan explains the various triggers that can lead to the illness and that's different for each individual.    04:58 - Can you talk me through why there's so much uncertainty regarding the diagnosis in the first place? Dan calls it an invisible illness, a disease that its symptoms cannot be easily verified through medical tests. With a variety of symptoms, it is confused into being differentiated into many different illnesses. But from his experience, Dan classifies them under one umbrella when he looks at their causes rather than focusing on the symptoms.     08:30 - So you went on a journey of six and a half to seven years of dealing with being critically unwell. How did you actually cope to survive those? With honesty, Dan shares the extremely difficult journey he's gone through with his illness. The severity of his state he discussed here, as he looked back at that time, got him into accepting that he was not going to recover. One Christmas where I couldn't fake a smile for his kids, got him crawled out of that state to make a conscious decision to seek a way to recovery.   14:50 - So what did you find and how did you actually get to that point in time where you felt that you were well again and obviously functioning as you hoped to?  Through his research, Dan dived deep into the root causes of what he'd experienced. Instead of looking to treat the symptoms, he started to ask why they were happening. That's when he began to see the solutions, one of those being him learning about the autonomic nervous system.   17:51 - Where do we get our magnesium from in our normal day-to-day dietary intake?   Magnesium can be found in a range of food, however, Dan expresses that to return to wellness, we need to address the root cause.   21:12 - So what were some of the other avenues, pathways and mechanisms for recovery? What did you find?  Dan explains the connection he made through his discoveries in treating his illness. He looked into the cellular metabolism, autonomic nervous system and more importantly through his own observation of his own behaviours. Brain training was a big process he had to learn to manage through difficult times.   30:03 - How are you training people to get through the illness conditions through your program? Dan shares that his comprehensive program is all about getting people to utilise the strategies provided they can do at home daily. While not having the answer to this complicated illness, having ealistic expectations and complimenting his strategies have proven to improve the health of many.   35:49 - What is your daily practice look like to self-manage now so that you potentially never have a relapse again in the future? What does a normal day look like to you?  With the strategies he had learned and shared with others in his program, Dan is now able to live his life normally without being cautious of his health at all.    38:22 - What is your daily practice look like to self-manage now so that you potentially never have a relapse again in the future? What does a normal day look like to you?  To me, wellness means not knowing about it. Not thinking about it. That's what wellness means to me. Right. Because I think when you can just engage in life without any awareness of wellness, you've probably got it.   

Former extreme sports enthusiast Adam Bowcutt has had a colourful life, from numerous visits to the hospital with chronic depression, an honours degree in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Southampton, England, writing his first book, ‘Confide: The New Psychology of Confidence. How to Power Up after Experiencing Depression', to eventually being diagnosed with bipolar. Adam has experienced many highs and lows to arrive at this point where he can now share his experiences with the world to help with their own mental health issues through vulnerability, support and hard work.   This episode is a powerful, open and emotional conversation that looks into the life of someone suffering from mental illness. Adam shares his ongoing journey to achieve ultimate balance, confidence and happiness, how he got here and where plans to go next. Currently writing his second book: WORK IS MENTAL: Rethinking Future Workplace Mental Health, Adam continues to work on his men's groups to help build up strength and confidence, with a goal to help 100 people, especially in the workplace.   To hear more about Adam's journey and seek additional advice you can visit his website here https://adambowcutt.com.au/ and as a special gift for our listeners, he has offered a discount for his book here. For transcript or to watch this episode instead, click here. Show Notes 01:01 - At what age of your life did you start your extreme sports journey, most specifically with snowboarding?  His passion and 'obsession' with snowboarding begun at the age of 11. Adam shares how his journey progressed as he moved through the mountains.    04:19 - Do you think you were someone who was achieving at such a high level in sport and placed a lot of pressure on yourself to perform, achieve, and excel? And was that linked to how you got into deep dark depression? Adam believes that although the pressure had allowed him to improve, he stretched himself to the point that it became unhealthy and unbalanced.   06:06 - Do you think we've come a long way to support the mental health of our elite sportspeople? Adam shares his excitement seeing the significant increase in how sportspeople are being supported mentally compared to when he was heavily involved in the area.    07:53 - At what stage did you decide that you wanted to take up studying psychology and sociology? When did that become a passion for you?  Adam developed his fascination with understanding human behaviours from a very young age. He dived deep into sociology and psychology during his study. And that's where the journey began.   10:37 - Did your knowledge from your study in sociology and psychology help you with your recovery through depression? His knowledge allowed him to understand his challenges to a certain extent which did help him. However, Adam points out that, partly, it also became counter-productive in his healing process.   12:07 - Was there a specific moment in time that you can pinpoint that was the catalyst for your depression? How did that kind of roll out over time?  Adam shares his recent finding of the history of his depression. This new learning has majorly shifted his views on his past. His journey in receiving help and giving support to others has played a huge role through his healing also.   18:10 - What did your support network look like outside the professional and hospital setting? And how did that help you with the healing process? The support from his close friends and his sister had a powerful effect on his journey. Adam and Felicity discuss how a support system outside of medical help is critical and can save lives.   22:48 - At what point do you feel like you had gone through that transition of feeling as though your healing process was complete? Adam explains that for him, it's continuous progress. However, there was a certain point where he held as the standard of his balance in wellbeing.    25:52 - What are some of the techniques you've put into practice every day to keep you balanced? Did you change your diet? Besides writing three gratitudes, Adam also embedded a holistic approach to the daily habits in all areas to help him be as close to his optimal self as possible each day.   31:04 - How do you feel that other men can connect with the mindful practices to achieve good health? The stigma of the past of not being strong and manly has shifted dramatically. Adam shares the empowered stories of men, like himself, leading the way and re-imagining what it is to be a man and share who they are.   34:21 - Tell us about how you recently injured your elbow and ended up having the brace you're wearing proudly now? Adam tells how he first dislocated his elbow almost 20 years ago during a skateboarding competition. That injury has left weakness on his elbow. From just putting his shoes on too quickly, it had led him to another surgery.    37:30 - Where did your professional career start?  Adam takes us on a ride from his skateboarding career, and through many leaps of faith later, he's now building impactful businesses of his own to help others.    41:45 - What do you see as being your greatest failure that's helped drive success for you? His greatest failure was not listening to himself sooner, not trusting himself sooner, not having self-awareness sooner. However, it was the right time for him to realise it in hindsight because he was ready to make that one decision now, Adam shares.   45:57 - What inspired the first book, what shaped the first book and how is that helping people here and now? Adam has always been inspired by public speakers, something he's aspired to be great at himself. Then, at a fateful event, a speaker reminded him of the power of writing, where he remembered how much he used to want to become an author too.   50:36 - Tell me what drew you to the Freemasons and what can you share with us with that secret community? Adam shares with us as much as he can about his experience being a part of the so-called secret society. At first, he was only seeking ways to network his business without realising that this community would become one of the top three important things in his life.   58:44 - What does wellness mean to you? To Adam, wellness means loving yourself and helping others to love themselves cells in a beautiful cycle of love, strength, and health. It's all connected for me. Wellness is a continual cycle severe of strength and energy and beauty and love and all those good things.

In this episode with Dr Peta Stapleton, we are exploring the Effective Freedom Technique (EFT) to deal with stress, anxiety, weight management concerns, chronic pain and so much more. As an outside-the-box-mind psychologist, Peta taps into her researches and studies over the decade. She shares with us the improvement she has seen using EFT in her patients. Initially, Peta's dream was to become a lawyer. As fate redirected her to find her true passion in psychology, particularly in EFT, her goal remains to find the right solution to help people. Being an expert in EFT, she sees the opportunity of this “fourth wave” therapy becoming more accessible to all. Peta believes wellness is an all-encompassing concept, and with easy tapping techniques which have been shown to leave a long-lasting improvement on our well-being. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this treatment, Peta guides the Wellness Warriors podcast host, Felicity Cohen through the tapping technique.   For transcript or to watch this episode: https://www.felicitycohen.com/tapping-eft-to-transform-wellbeing/ Show Notes: 01:39 - What took you through choosing to take the pathway to psychology? Dr Peta tells the story of how her plan to get into law redirects her into finding her lifelong passion in psychology.   04:11 - What do you think are some of the things that have shaped the change in the perception towards psychologists?  The wider community starts to have access to psychologists through the Medicare program. It used to be harder for people to access unless they were able to fund themselves or through private health insurance.   06:35 - How has EFT been used effectively with children and in a school setting?  Being recognised by the local schools, Dr Peta and her team helped implement EFT to help students and teachers manage their stress and food cravings. She explains how EFT is a very effective technique for kids as it's very easy for them to do.    10:13 - How you actually entered into the research space with regards to EFT and how did it help grow and evolve the whole movement. Originally specialised in the eating disorder space, she found that many traditional techniques weren't that effective. As she started to see more clients recovering from their eating disorders through EFT and decided to look deeper into it in her researches. She takes EFT into improving many different health issues over the last 15 years.   13:02 - With your current research project on tapping as the chronic pain intervention, what is your findings? In her most recent research in 2020, Dr Peta found that there's an absolute reduction in the severity of pain, psychological things like anxiety and depression respond positive as well as the overall quality of life.     17:26 - What have you experienced implementing EFT into the bariatric patient population?  Through her research and working with bariatric patients over the decade, Dr Peta says she has seen a profound impact on those patients using EFT as part of their treatment.    18:58 - Why do you call this type of treatment the fourth wave?  Dr Peta explains that the recent discoveries within the therapy space have shifted into combining a whole range of treatments that involve the semantic and movements to treat patients in different areas.   22:06 - As far as the fourth wave evolution and just continuing its growth, what's the international landscape look like? And how have you impacted that through your research?  Dr Peta shares with us the fact that these practices are becoming more and more recognised worldwide. This includes having EFT being accepted as a safe therapy for veterans and PTSD sufferers.    24:04 - Dr Peta guides us through how quick and effective the treatment is, as experienced first-hand by the host, Felicity Cohen, in this episode.   29:15 - Where would you like to go next with EFT and what areas of research do you feel have been untapped?  Chronic pain space would be Dr Peta's main focus for a while as it's an extremely emerging area currently. She would also love to seek to have EFT approved as a Medicare item so that more would have access to the therapy.    31:11 - Have you seen EFT patients have a reduction in their medications? In a previous study, they have seen the impact of tapping on the vagal efficiency in people. They also track many physiological measurements as well as people history of medications and how that shifts over time.    33:29 - What does wellness mean to you?  To Dr Peta, wellness is an all-encompassing state of mind.

A boy from a humble farm, an adrenaline-leading broker, and now a meditation coach, writer and producer of The Portal — Tom Cronin takes us along the roller coaster of the work of life in this episode. The highs he experienced through his young adult years, working under immense pressure, led him to the biggest decision in his life. That is choosing whether to break down or make a breakthrough. Transpired to be walking in the journey of light, luckily, Tom discovered meditation. He learned to adapt to stress better from then onwards, and he could see significant shifts happening. In this episode, Tom dives deep into the meditation practice, sharing the tremendous amount of benefits it has on our being. He sees how meditation not only improve his own life but of those around him. His aim is to help bring people back to stillness and peace through his current work. He knows meditation is the portal from within that can take us there and he's here to share it all with us.  Tune in to the end of this episode to experience a beautiful 2-minute meditation guided by Tom Cronin. If you'd like to learn more about meditation practice, check out The Portal book and film, written and produced by Tom Cronin: https://entertheportal.com/ Be inspired to make that life-changing decision, join Tom in The Stillness Project: https://stillnessproject.com/ Show Notes: 2:24 - From growing up in a peaceful environment, what drove you to decide to work under high pressure in the finance industry? The Wolf of Wall Street style career path was something Tom did not plan on doing long-term. He originally wanted to pursue a different path to uphold his values during his early years.  However, the rewards from working on the trading room floor in Sydney kept on extending his stay, running on adrenaline for 26 years. 6:21 - What are some of the biggest things you learned from your time working in finance that you feel like you have translated or utilise now in your work today? Resilience and the ability to let things go were the big parts of what Tom had learned in that industry. He suggests that adaptability is what we all need to work on, now more than ever, to reduce stress in overwhelming experiences. 7:51 - Did you have strategies in dealing with overwhelmed when you were working in the finance industry? Tom shares that, back then, he was using stress management tools that weren't sustainable, which had caused more damage to his nervous system. 8:40 - What was the delineating moment for you that was telling you to make a change? Tom explains that the accumulation of stress responses in his body led to a severe nervous breakdown at the age of 29. That's when the Universe guided him towards the biggest change in his life through meditation.  10:43 - How did you get yourself into that mode of being able to practice meditation successfully? Here he explains how he could have a tangible and distinct experience very quickly through the technique that he learned from a qualified meditation program from the beginning of his journey.  12:54 - Did meditation change your brain chemistry and stress response? How did it alter the relationship within your workspace? Everything drastically changed for Tom. He shares how meditation transformed his biochemicals which moved him out of the sympathetic nervous system. With meditation, he was able to achieve the parasympathetic, which is the peace response.  15:05 - How do you use meditation to improve sleep? Here Tom explains the two reasons poor sleep is one of our greatest epidemics right now; our biochemistry and mental state.   Tom elaborates on how using daily meditation to train and discipline the mind can improve sleep quality. 18:28 - How do we use meditation to manage our stress, anxiety and depression?  Tom points out the way we have perceived stress, and by understanding what it means, we can deal with it more freely regardless of the situation. Here Tom and Felicity discuss the values meditation can bring into the workplace and the potential for meditation to become more recognised in the healthcare industry. 24:15 - What are some of the changes you've seen within the workspace and how you have managed to address them? Tom addresses the adaptability we need when running businesses and how it can help us get through these difficult times.  25:25 - Where did the concept of The Portal come from initially? As the writer and producer of The Portal book and film, Tom dives into the starting point that inspired him to bring together these empowering stories in The Portal. The aim is to provide access to and witness how meditation can transform the lives of those in extreme adversity, Tom states.  27:23 - From a story in The Portal, is it really possible for robotics to have empathy and emotions? What does that actually look like for the future? Tom clarifies whether AI would be capable of the same emotions humans carry. Although, he also states how our emotions keep us stuck in the reactive response unless dealt with a higher sense of awareness.  29:44 - What The Stillness Project is all about, as it is currently one of the most significant parts of your work?  With his intention to impact lives globally with The Stillness Project, Tom shares how he believes meditation can make the world a better place and how he plans on achieving that. 32:26 - I'd love to ask you to guide me and in this process and on this podcast today for anyone who's listening who may never have meditated before. A quick meditation guided by Tom Cronin, experience the power of meditation even just in minutes.  35:25 - What does wellness mean to you?  Wellness means a healthy mind, healthy body that then translates into a healthy life. So that the things that we attract into our life are the result of our inner state, and when we start to address our inner state, that's a state of mind in our physical, mental, emotional body. We'll start to find that the outside world will naturally start to take care of itself and be aligned with that state of frequency that we've connected with the inside of us. So wellness inside first, the wellness outside second.   

Australia's leading facilitators in wellness and pioneers in the fitness industry, Donna and Marcello Abbate share with us how their self-discovering experiences have led them into helping others achieve their health goals. After so many years within the industry, changing thousands of lives, they have realised that good health is not only about physicality but rather the connection individuals have with themselves. As part of their personal journey, the couple cultivates an all-around holistic health foundation into practice for themselves and deliver that to those around them. In this episode, we will get an insight into the root of what it means to have a healthy, well-lived life. With the upcoming Wellness Warriors Retreat, Donna and Marcello are excited to inspire, motivate and enhance a new dimension of experience that leverages your well-being journey. They are ready to empower us to come back to our true nature and make a difference in our daily lives after experiencing the retreat together as a community. Donna promises that this will leave you feeling grounded, whole, and inspired. As Marcello mentions, with a clear state of mind, there's no door that's closed. Are you ready to walk through the door of new possibilities to reach another level of wellness? Join Donna and Marcello at our Wellness Warriors Retreat this November. The door is opened for you: www.wellnesswarriorsretreats.com.au

Back in 2011, Heidi Stepanoff had Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure, a decision that was not taken lightly for someone who always took a more natural approach to things. Luckily for Heidi, she shared a gym with her General Practitioner who noticed her weight gain and ongoing struggles to lose it. After trying every diet and pill known to man, Heidi finally had the courage to see her doctor and seek advice and with the positive support she received, Heidi went to an information night hosted by WeightLoss Solutions Australia where she learned about the surgical options for weight loss and realised it was just another tool to help achieve her goals. Twenty years later, Heidi has found her true self. Now living life to the fullest with more energy, being an active mother to her two children and setting a healthy example, a strong working single mum and becoming the successful Dive Master she is today. This episode is an eye-opener into the life of someone who was never living their truth, one that was held back by excess weight. Heidi's journey is just beginning, she plans to continue writing fiction with the hopes to one day be able to take it to publication. For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com

A psychotherapist, counsellor, trauma specialist and speaker, Heidi Rogers, specialises in children's issues and their solutions. She found her passion in helping others to get through mental health struggles and to come out the other side as she experienced it for herself that it's possible. After working with children for many years, she quickly realises that the impact is so much more magical when she works directly with the parents. She is now helping parents all over the world to manage meltdowns, improve behaviour, and yell less. In this episode, Heidi explains the best way for parents to re-establish and maintain healthy relationships with their children. Especially during this unprecedented time where stress, frustration and a sense of disconnection are being heightened in our society. She wants parents to understand their roles through different phases of children and teenagers' life and the importance of connection that is built upon love, compassion and empathy. That way families can come out of this together, bonded more than ever. For full episode details, go to www.felicitycohen.com Show Notes: 1:26 – Felicity: Why psychotherapy and why did you choose to work in the specific area of working with children and families? Heidi explains how her mental health struggle in her early 20s had pushed her towards sharing the gift of life through her work in therapy. She transitioned from working with children and adolescents to working more with parents instead as she realises how much more powerful the impact is. 4:14 – Felicity: What do you think are some of the greatest challenges that children are facing here and now that is different for you and new in terms of how you treat? Heidi points out the obvious how the pandemic has affected our mental health globally. Backed by statistics and research, she informs us that teenagers within the age bracket of 12 and 25, are the most severely impacted and are going through maladaptive mental health issues more than ever. 5:59 – Felicity: How are you coping with dealing with this and managing and navigating your way through treatment at the moment with children or adolescents and young adults?   Heidi tries to still see them in person as it's not worth it to do it any other way. It's too hard for her young clients who are already struggling with mental health to get consulted online, displaying more disinterests. People in a helping profession needs to be mindful of their own health. Especially having to pivot to online, which is exhausting even more to work with. 13:46 – Felicity: What are some of the positive things that we can take away from this? In terms of they're facing adversity now, it's going to build resilience and strength and possibly some other characteristics that will be more positive in the future. Do you think we can look at this as well from a positive framework? Heidi firmly believes that resilience can only be built, if taught well during the early years. To help enable them to build resilience, it needs to be through connection, not through adversity. Heidi suggests parents facing difficulties in their children's day-to-day with a curious approach. To get into it with curiosity, empathy and compassion and validation that then makes them able to share. She hears a lot that parents want to be able to control their kids, which she believes is wrong. She reminds us that you can have influence over them and influence is way more powerful than control. And to be the positive influence children wants to listen to, you would need to establish a relationship and connection with them first. The work includes being able to recognise our own patterns first and reparenting ourselves and how we deal with negative emotions like anger. Shifting perspective and start showing compassion for yourself within that moment because “Antidote to anger is compassion”, Heidi says.  34:33 – Felicity: The addiction to devices, the addiction to everything that is social media etc we're seeing right now, what do you think about that?  Heidi reminds us that these platforms and devices are specifically designed to keep us addicted. This is the way they can gain that connection and artificially get the dopamine hit through their phone usage in lockdowns. It's out of their control too and parents need to adjust the expectations that are placed on their children. Realising that they are just getting through and as parents, we need to make it easier on them not harder. Heidi stresses the importance of connection. The need for a collaborative discussion, a compromise, meeting them with empathy in your interactions makes them open up to parents more willingly. Parents can look for ways to provide that experience at home, something that facilitates that connection and the dopamine hit. Transitioning out of being a manager and into a consultant in their lives instead. 44:53 – Felicity: I see this increase and I've seen it over the last few years that consistent increase in those diagnoses or are they labels or are children being over-diagnosed with these kinds of conditions?   Is there something that you see in your work? Do you see a lot more people presenting saying, oh, my child has this or that? Heidi explains that this is due to the advancement of research and deeper understanding. Labels are just means to address the different spectrums of how our brains operate.  While labels can be helpful for us to understand ourselves more and have compassion, they can be abused into making up excuses. Heidi likes to look at it as we are all on a spectrum of some sort in different degrees. At the end of the day, it's about acceptance for parents to love and care for the children as they are despite their labels and behaviours to assist them through life.  49:33 – Felicity: Heidi, in your total parenting transformation program, runs for nine weeks. What do parents expect to gain out of a nine-week program working with you?  Heidi focuses on improvement overall. From understanding how we were parented, and what we could do differently for our kids. She provides the parenting style that leans towards vulnerability, compassion, and empathy. Through her academic research and background, she is able to provide parents with ways that will prevent kids mental health and how to support them with what they go through right now.  54:29 – Felicity: What does wellness mean to you, Heidi? Wellness to me means wholeness. And wholeness means if there are all the different parts of me that make me up. I like to use a boardroom table analogy that we have all these little board members that sit around this table and I have present me, little me, anxious me, angry me, mum, friend, sister, daughter, therapist, like all the different parts of myself.  The parts of me that I find hard to love, the parts of me that I want to reject your abandoned, that I go find them. I recover them. I allow them to sit at the table. I reconcile with them and I integrate with them. So that could be things I'm ashamed of that I've done that have happened to me. Parts of me that I struggle with, lazy me, or any of those kinds of parts of me that I find hard to love. I think wellness means wholeness, that all of those parts of me are allowed to sit at the table. All of those parts are loved, welcomed, receive compassion. And that then the wholeness is what equals wellness. 

Former NRL rugby league player Chris Walker completed his 2.5million step expedition in July 2021, he walked from Cairns to the Gold Coast to raise money for charity and raised an amazing $200k in total. Chris covered a brutal 1900 kilometres over 71 days to raise awareness for charities: Beyond Blue, RizeUp Australia and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Demand for specialist services offered by all three charities has been at record levels over the past 18 months, due to the mental health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker has partnered with the new charity fundraising platform Fund My Challenge, a challenge-based charity app which has been created to revolutionise the giving process. Get to know the life of this incredible man, from his upbringing as one of four very competitive boys (they are all professional athletes), his journey as a NRL rugby player, what inspired his epic trek and where he plans to go next as continues to give back to the community. Chris is taking part in the “Face Your Fears” campaign, aimed at raising funds and awareness for domestic and family violence charity, RizeUp Australia this September. The challenge aims to encourage other people to join the campaign, RizeUp and face their own fears in the name of charity, visit www.felicitycohen.com/chris-walker-walk-of-a-lifetime/ to donate for a great cause.

In this digital age, there are an abundance of resources and options when it comes to weight loss and treating obesity. WeightLoss Solutions Australia's bariatric nurse Casey Quinn breaks down the surgical and non-surgical options available for lasting and sustainable results. Casey shares her love of a patient's transformation and the importance of a long term bariatric intervention as a proven successful lifestyle modification. Casey prides herself on helping patients choose the right solution to achieve their weight loss goals by connecting emotionally with people so they feel understood, valued and supported, then evaluating the way they behave so she can suggest the best procedure accordingly. In this episode, Casey explains the various intra-gastric balloons currently on the market because not all balloons are created equal. There are so many different procedures now ranging from Orbera to Spatz and the new and exciting Elipse Balloon which is a real game changer in the field of bariatrics this year. Casey describes this new approach to weight loss in an honest and easy manner, to help us better understand the opportunity to create a healthier life through the revolutionary Elipse Balloon Program. If sustainable weight loss is your next journey, visit www.wlsa.com.au/procedures/elipse-balloon/ to find out more.

Prosperity effects all aspects of life and not just money. Father, grandfather, best selling author and speaker Pat Mesiti shares his sought after advice on how to achieve overall prosperity. In this episode, Pat covers everything from self-love and self-worth, the art of giving, making the most of your failures and how to pivot in a post COVID-19 world. Most inspiring, Pat gives some very useful advice on how we can help the youth, not just as parents but as leaders. We need to give the youth hope and inspiration by having some absolutes in their life and creating traditions, which helps them stay connected with us and disconnected to what's happening out there. A gift for our listening, Pat has graciously given an audio copy of his book “Unbreakable” here: https://www.felicitycohen.com/pearls-of-wisdom-author-prosperity-activist-pat-mesiti/

Olivia Scott is a well known morning radio presenter at Hot Tomato, a radio station on the Gold Coast, Australia. In this open and honest interview, Olivia shares how she doesn't hold back on life being a mother of two as well as a morning radio presenter. We delve into how her career started, her history of travelling and working in regional areas, then starting a family and making her way back to living on the beautiful Gold Coast. We all love radio as it's instant coverage from headline news to celebrity gossips, which makes for a great medium. Olivia shares how she stay connected with the community through events and fundraising but most importantly how she manages a healthy work life balance during a pandemic and Queensland lockdowns. Tune in to Olivia Scott on Hot Tomato 102.9fm between 9am to 12pm. https://www.felicitycohen.com/juggling-life-breakfast-radio-presenter/  

This uplifting episode encapsulates the winning moments of our warriors Candice Charles, Jodie Siggers, Adam Bilsy, Paula Joseph and Kaz Dalton. If you are looking for inspiration and a positive perspective on LIFE, tune in to hear the very moment these legends experience joy, satisfaction, confidence and more. One warrior after another, be ready for a burst of hope, excitement and happiness! Warriors Powered by WLSA www.wlsa.com.au Show Notes: Candice Charles 0:40 - We talked about the incredible transformation that Candice has had and looked back at all her health issues that have completely disappeared including thyroid problems, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure, diabetes risks, and mental health challenges. Jodie Siggers 3:09 - her husband has lost 10kg, a double win for them. The most rewarding outcome is that Jodie's son has become more active, he even competed in the GC 50 and ran the 1km event. As a family, they walked the base of Uluru which was 11km in heat that took up to 3 hours, an accomplishment they would never have been able to do in the past. 5:14 - Jodie has overcome her health complication and right now, she no longer shows signs of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) nor has to take medication for her underachieve thyroid. 5:53 - apply her knowledge of nutrition while caring for her mother who has put on weight from undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancers. Her mother was able to lose that weight and the nutritional meals helped improve her mobility. 7:00 - happily reaping the long-term financial rewards from saving on food, medications, and doctor visits. She is applying the savings towards her wardrobe budget, a very delightful exchange as she is now able to buy clothes from any shops, no longer limited to the plus-size brands. 7:48 - With her newfound confidence, Jodie now holds herself and speaks to people differently. Her happy and calm vibes have changed her interactions with friends, family and colleagues dramatically. Previously prone to depression and anxiety, Jodie no longer needs to take medication, instead, she is now able to get out in nature and go for a run to feel that sense of freedom whenever she feels a need to calm her nerves. Adam Bilsy 9:42 - Adam started to feel healthier, more confident and happier, with many doors starting to open up for him, like starring on the TV show Lego Masters. He has bought a house, had a baby girl and is getting married. 10:36 - Will a grueling film schedule on Lego Masters, Adam confesses that he would not have lasted if he hadn't had bariatric surgery. Paula Joseph 11:20 - For the first time, I'm no longer that sideline mom! Now I'm more active with my kids, like rollerskating, kicking a ball with them at the park, even going on waterslides with them. I never knew I had some of the muscles that I do until now. 13:02 - I'm definitely more productive. And with the kind of work I do, it has helped massively as I manage stock which requires me to get low to the ground, so that has become much easier. 13:34 - I've lost 47kg which is more weight than I expected to lose. One of the biggest surprises for me was the change in my clothing sizes.  Kaz Dalton 15:00 - First thing I noticed was an issue with my knees, and as I started to lose weight I felt that huge burden off them and they didn't creek anymore. The biggest change for me was my sleeping pattern as I used to wake up tired all the time, I couldn't wake up early in the morning and always felt sluggish. 18:24 - We considered In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) but there is always a chance that it won't work, so I'd rather invest that money into my health and hope that could correct some of the issues I had. After losing a massive 45kg 18 months post-surgery, and successfully maintaining that for a further 5 months, I finally fell pregnant on my first try.