We’re People Like You

In the final episode of season one of People Like You, host Cam Solnordal sits down with Peta Antonette Rolfe to explore what it was like growing up in rural Australia in the 1980s as a young person navigating their gender identity. Peta, a proud member of the SANE Australia Peer Support Worker team, shares their powerful journey and highlights how lived experience can become a remarkable superpower.

Cam sits down for a hopeful and honest conversation with Lived Experience Ambassador Shazi Sheppard, who shares her journey and demystifies dissociative identity disorder (DID). Shazi, an award-winning Mental Health Advocate, brings her authentic self and a wealth of insight to this inspiring discussion.

Cam talks with SANE's Manager of Peer Led Recovery Programs Anu Dhingra who is a lived experience leader who has been working in the mental health not for profit sector for over eight years. His own lived experience of mental ill health distress, trauma and recovery has led him to develop a passion for improving mental health service outcomes, be a voice and advocate for those that cannot speak on their own behalf. 

Cam talks with mental health and self love advocate, Ash Paraskevas. Ash is all about empowering individuals to live their best life, no matter what hurdles they may encounter. Along the way, she shares her personal journey of overcoming mental health battles and developing her self confidence, self acceptance and self worth. She is a woman who speaks her truth, doesn't suppress the scary sides of life, has openly recovered from an eating disorder, and who shares her life experiences with her community online in hopes of breaking taboos, stigmas and creating humility in a space where it can feel the complete opposite.

In this episode, host Cam Solnordal talks with Dean Duncan, a proud Aboriginal man of the Kamilaroi people of Northwest NSW and Board Director at SANE. Dean opens up about his experience with PTSD and his service with the Australian Army. This episode will cover racism, mental health challenges, and Dean's path to recovery through helping others. This is a powerful story of resilience, self discovery, and the importance of mental health support in Aboriginal communities.

Cam sits down for a chat with Mental Health Advocate, Poet and Author Sandy Jeffs, as she shares her journey living with schizophrenia and the power of creativity and recreation in healing. 

Join host Cameron Solnordal as he delves into the inspiring journey of SANE Peer Ambassadors, Sarah and Alice Martin, a remarkable mother-daughter duo from Sydney. This episode explores experiences with psychosis, bipolar disorder, and the transformative power of love and support.

Journalist and author Elfy Scott joins Cam for an honest conversation about the challenges of growing up with a parent living with schizophrenia. Elfy opens up about the lack of education and open communication surrounding mental illness, the impact on her family, and her journey to understanding and acceptance.

Author and mental health advocate Jill Stark joins host Cameron Solnordal for an honest conversation about her journey with mental health and her relationship with alcohol. In this episode, Jill challenges the idea of mental health as constant happiness, instead advocating for self-acceptance and embracing the full spectrum of human emotions.

Cam talks with SANE Peer Ambassador and stand up comedian who has toured globally in the USA, UK, Europe and all around Australia, Sam Kissajukian.  Sam was diagnosed with bipolar in 2022 at age 36. He lives in Sydney and has begun touring again after a two year hiatus. This included a multi arts project titled 300 paintings that combines comedy and visual art to explore the bipolar mind. 

1 in 5 Australians live with a mental health condition. That's more than 4 million people. But despite it being one of the most common health issues impacting our community, we still find it difficult to talk about it. I'm one of those 1 in 5 people and I think it's time we changed society's perception of mental illness and how we view those who live it.  Because guess what? We're people like you. So what is this podcast all about? And when you're spoiled for choice, why choose ours? Whether you are living with a mental health issue, caring for someone, want to learn or simply interested in hearing inspirational stories of hope and recovery - this podcast is for you. Hello, I'm your host Cam Solnordal and I want to share with you a little more about this podcast series we're building with SANE Australia.  In a series of one to one interviews I'll be talking with people who have a range of different experiences and perspectives when it comes to complex mental health.  We'll hear how they navigate life's ups and downs, living, loving and making the most of the opportunities that come their way - just like all of us do.  I will be bringing you eye opening and sometimes challenging conversations as our guests welcome us into their world. Most importantly, I'll be asking them what we can all do to shift stigmatising attitudes and unhelpful behaviours so we can get to a place of true acceptance in our society.