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A diagnosis can change your life, but it does not have to decide what comes next. My guest Paul Bugeja has built a life shaped by curiosity, career change, travel, creativity, and a determination to keep moving forward. Paul lives with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, or FSHD, a condition he calls his “dark angel.” We talk about how disability has influenced his choices without defining them, why staying active matters to him, and how personal agency has helped him face uncertainty without becoming trapped by fear. Paul also shares his path from acting and writing into journalism and digital media, where he now works as a quizmaster. We explore disability advocacy, media accessibility, the role of AI in journalism, and the danger of losing critical thinking. Paul's story reminds us that resilience is not about denying challenges. It is about understanding them while continuing to choose how we live. Highlights: 01:10 – How moving often helped Paul learn to adapt. 12:15 – How a gym visit led to his FSHD diagnosis. 20:39 – Why disability gave Paul a stronger drive to live fully. 22:53 – How knowledge of his condition gave him more agency. 38:35 – Why accessible media still has room to improve. 45:57 – How staying present helps Paul manage worry and fear. About the Guest: Working as a quizmaster for a major media organisation isn't somewhere I could have predicted I'd end up professionally, but, then again, life has taken so many twists and turns it doesn't surprise me this is where I currently find myself. Despite early aspirations to be an actor, I completed a double degree in Arts and Commerce at the University of Melbourne, with the final year spent on exchange at UC Berkeley, California. On my return to Australia, not to be denied, the ever-persistent actor in me got me admission to the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts Drama School: the decade or so following saw me immersed in the challenging but exciting life of the struggling actor. This period was also the launching pad into studies in writing, editing, journalism and screenwriting, which I did as I worked in book publishing and wrote half a dozen books, even as I edged into the rapidly evolving professional world of content, digital marketing and journalism. Throughout this entire time, I've lived alongside and managed my “dark angel”—a diagnosis of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy—which has only served to galvanise me further to live a life less ordinary along the road less travelled … And that has made all the difference. Ways to connect with Paul**:** LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peebee/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi, everyone. I'd like to thank you once again for coming to another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. And if you're new to the podcast, we hope you enjoy our episode today. We're glad you're here wherever you may happen to be. Today we are communicating a long way away. We're communicating with Melbourne, Australia, to Paul Bugeja, and Paul is fondly known as a quizmaster. We're going to have to find out more about that, but he's had a lot of interest in acting and media and such things as that, and has had clearly a pretty adventurous life. And again, I'm sure we're going to hear a lot about a lot of that today. So, Paul, welcome to Unstoppable Mindset. We're really glad you're here. Paul Bugeja  01:44 Thank you for having me, Michael. Michael Hingson  01:46 So why don't we start? I love to do this with the early Paul, kind of growing up and how things all got started. If you remember back that far, or at least as far back as you remember, or what you were told anyway. Paul Bugeja  01:59 You know, pretty standard like childhood story for me. Grew up in the green leafy sort of suburbs of Melbourne. You know, did all the things that kids do in their growing up years. My my mother actually divorced my father quite young for me, so that was a little bit of a a critical sort of point for a child to sort of, you know, have to grapple with, but um, it was pretty smooth, and you know, um, it didn't really disrupt my childhood, except it meant that I moved around a lot when I was quite young. So I probably moved about seven or eight times by the time I was maybe eight years old. Um, but I think, in a way, that that that sort of has worked for me because it meant that even as a young child, I had to learn to adapt and change and evolve very quickly. Particularly when it came to meeting people, and you know, as a child, obviously making friends-that's one of the trickiest parts as a kid sometimes. So I think that actually stood me in good stead in in that regard, yeah. Michael Hingson  03:04 Well, I I didn't have to move a whole lot growing up. We moved from Chicago to California when I was five and stayed in the same house since college. I have moved a bunch of times, but those things happen. I understand what you're saying. I'm I'm used to it, but am am of the opinion that I'd rather not move again. It is a lot of work to move, and now also it's just me. My wife passed away two almost two and a half years ago, so I don't want to pack and move again. But yeah, well, we're in a house that we built, and and so we built it really around her because she's in a wheelchair her whole life. So it's an accessible house, but it's a very comfortable house. So I I have no complaints, and and the dog and the cat seem to like it as well. So we're here. Paul Bugeja  04:01 It's a win for everyone, and I think look, that's that's a really interesting. I had this very similar conversation with a friend yesterday about there's a time to put down roots and there's a time to be a you know a rolling stone, and and for some people that's at different times in their life, you know. So I I can understand why you would have chosen to find your comfy spot to settle into and enjoy. Michael Hingson  04:23 Well, and I have a good mortgage rate and all that, so yeah, we're happy with with things the way they are. And as long as the dog and the cat are happy, I can't complain a bit. Paul Bugeja  04:33 Excellent, excellent. Michael Hingson  04:34 But but now you're and and you you're not moving as much around anymore. Paul Bugeja  04:40 Sort of the opposite, actually. I think, like, to to go back to what we were originally discussing. Like, I think having moved so much as a younger person has meant I've lived a life that's almost constantly moving. Like, there certainly have been periods where I've lived for reasonably long periods in the one place, but particularly over the past. We maybe 10 to 12 years or so. I've moved like literally maybe 10 to 12 times. Like it's becoming, Michael Hingson  05:09 it Paul Bugeja  05:10 almost becomes a bit addictive. Sort of the ability to to be transportable when your professional life allows you and your personal life allows you as well. Michael Hingson  05:18 Yeah, I can understand that. For me, I don't want to go through all the rigors of packing and finding a new home and all that, so we're good. But but it it's okay because I can go anywhere from here, and so that works out pretty well. So I'm I'm content, and that that's the way it it should be. So we'll see how it all goes. But I'm glad that you did well, so you grew up, had kind of a normal life, even though you moved around a lot. Yeah, did all the things that that that kids do growing up, and so on. And where did you go to college, or did you? Paul Bugeja  05:53 Yeah, so I my original, I've I was a bit of a perpetual student for probably you know the first several decades as an adult, my original degree was from the University of Melbourne, which is one of the sort of larger universities in both Melbourne and Australia, and I did a double degree in arts and commerce. But you know, I had long wanted to be an actor, and so originally, like when I finished high school, my my intention was to audition for drama school. But my mother very wisely convinced me to go to university first, and then check that out. And if I didn't like it, then maybe audition for drama school a bit later on. And it was, as mothers can be on most occasions, very sagely advice from her, because the thing that she wasn't aware of was that even though I I definitely enjoyed the academic aspect of my studies at MLB Uni, it has a very strong theater department as well, and very big names have actually been through there and gone on to bigger and better things, namely Kate Blanchett. She was one of my colleagues back in the day. So you know, it was a it was a proving ground for talent. And so I did a lot of theater during my my studies at the University of Melbourne while completing the academic side as well. So I never quite lost that sort of underlying desire to maybe go on and and study acting and maybe do some acting. I actually completed the final year of my degree at Cal at UC Berkeley, which was an amazing experience, and sort of also launched me into the next part of my life. So that that was at a time when you know, like I think in a lot of ways, more and more students were traveling between countries to study. It was becoming a real thing to study overseas, so it was such an amazing experience to finish at Cal. Michael Hingson  07:48 So, do you keep in touch with Kate at Paul Bugeja  07:52 all? Haven't seen Kate in probably maybe 20 years or so. We kept in contact during the beginning of her career, of course, and then you know that life has taken her to such places that it's almost impossible to keep Michael Hingson  08:07 touch, right? Paul Bugeja  08:08 That's right. But you know, I dare say, if I think she's probably maintained the sort of personality and character that she had when I knew her, which would mean that if I bumped into her on the street and I said hello and gave her a bit of a nudge about where we knew each other from. She'd be the first one to lean into that and and you know be quite happy to reminisce on old times as you know she's not an aloof sort of person. I think that's my feel about her, even given her amazing success. Michael Hingson  08:37 I've never had that impression of her either, so I I'm with you. Well, that's pretty cool. What What took you to Berkeley for your last year? Paul Bugeja  08:45 Yeah, so I actually started working during my studies on campus at the university, and I worked in the international student office. So I was dealing with a lot of incoming study abroad and exchange students, which meant I began to have a real desire to do the same thing myself, and initially I was looking at a couple of other universities like Georgetown. I think NYU was one of the options, and I actually met a guy from Cal who was like, "You should come to Berkeley and study. It's an amazing institution. You'll love California. It's so similar to Australia, and I'd I'd I'd actually been to California before my first overseas trip when I was 19, and so I had a taste of California already. So initially, I was looking at the whole sort of Cal system, the whole you know UC system. So I looked at UCLA, UC San UCSJ maybe and anyway yeah and and then I fell and I fell in Berkeley as the final one just because what a great city to live outside of you know San Francisco's such a beautiful city and and yeah so I ended up spending an entire year there which was just like you know life defining. Michael Hingson  09:57 What'd your mom think of that? Paul Bugeja  10:00 Yeah, typical of mum's. There was a lot of tears at the airport, but you know, and this was you know like at a time when social media was really not even happening, so it was all about the phone calls regularly. But she was happy. She's I'm very lucky in that, even though I'm an only child, mum's not a clingy a clingy mum, you know, she has always encouraged me to just go out and do everything that I possibly can, and and she would never, she would rarely, you know, get get in the way of me living out my life and my dreams. Michael Hingson  10:33 Do you still? Is she still here? Paul Bugeja  10:35 She is. Yep, she's um 78, so she's you know I'm still a youngish older person, and even though we don't, we sort of you know like see each other as much as maybe I'd like because we don't live in the same place. You know, we we talk every two days or so on the phone, and I stay in regular contact. And yeah, it's it's still a very very strong relationship. Michael Hingson  10:56 That's cool. That that's a good thing though. So you you went to Berkeley. You were here. You were out here in California for a year, and then what happened? Paul Bugeja  11:05 Well, I actually I bounced back to Australia, feeling very encouraged to to follow my acting pursuits because I I did a couple of shows at when I was at Cal. I did one drama class as well in the drama department, you know, made some lifetime friendships and and felt very connected to myself as an actor again. And so, even though originally my plans were to apply to become a diplomat through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the acting thing was a bit too strong. So I came back and and felt a little not torn, but certainly I had to I had to weigh up the competing desire to want to be an actor against the fact that I had a great degree that I could maybe go on and do something completely different with. So in fact, I spent a year thinking about that and ended up quite on a different track and enrolled in a master's of environmental studies, which you know was something that interested me definitely. And but decided that I would, in addition to drama school as well, which I did do, and I got into. So I did one year of that master's, and then I went on to study at the Victorian College of the Arts, which is one of the big three drama schools in Australia, and so I finally got to that took that circuitous route to drama school, despite my mum's earlier advice, and she was happy because you know I got there under my own auspices in terms of I'd made a decision as an adult to finally get there, rather than maybe as an excited teenager who you know could obviously do so many things, and so I had both the academic degree, and now I was into a program that I'd always wanted to sort of be involved with. Michael Hingson  12:49 Right. Well, and and that that's fine. That makes sense. Yes. So I'm not sure when to bring this up. So I'll bring it up now. Sure. Tell us about your dark angel. Paul Bugeja  13:01 Yeah, absolutely. So probably in my in my in my late 20s, I started working at a university in back at University of Melbourne. Actually, my old alma mater, and by then, you know, I was actually you know sort of I I was doing some acting, you know, some professional acting, not a lot of it, but enough to sort of be remain interested. So I needed a part time job on the side, you know, to to keep it going as most actors do. And when I started working at the university, I became very interested in fitness as well. I joined a gym and started going to the gym there and made some sort of friends with the local personal trainers. And one day I was doing some training and on one of the big, big sort of bouncy medicine balls that you can sit on for balance and training work, and one of the instructors came up to me and said, "Do you realize that your scapular wings? And I was firstly thinking, "Well, what the hell is my scapular? And then I sort of made sense that it was my shoulders, you know. And and I said, "What do you mean? He said, "Well, when you do upper body workouts, your scapula has quite a lot of movement in it, and it's quite visible. Now, I've always been a very thin person, like I've always sort of been. We've joked about being a tall, skinny dude, you know, and and so I I'd never thought anything about maybe the fact that my my shoulder blades were a bit more prominent. I figured that was because I was a slim person, you know. Of course, so he recommended I see a physiotherapist, and I did. I saw a sports physio in case I'd injured myself or there was some underlying issue. After a couple of sessions with a sports physio. I was referred to a neurologist because the sports physio had some inklings about it may be being a neurological condition potentially of some kind, but had no idea what it might be. And this is when I guess my dark angel first really. Began alerting me to its presence in the background of my life, and I'll explain why I call it my dark angel in a moment. Yeah, the neurologist and I did some tests, and I went in for a biopsy, a muscle biopsy, and I was diagnosed with one of the variants of muscular dystrophy, which is fascioscapiohumeral muscular dystrophy, so it affects the face, the humerus, and the scapula, but in general affects the muscles across the body. It's a degenerative neuromuscular disease. It's not that common; about one in 8000 have it. So you know, enough people have it that it's out there. Some people live with live with it their entire lives and don't know they have it for the reasons that I've just sort of elaborated on, which are it can it can be there but be so minor that you just think it's because you're a slim person or you don't have much you don't go to the gym so you don't work out so your muscles aren't growing or whatever. So yeah, and I was not that thrown by it at the time. It was it was in our family, so it wasn't that much of a surprise to me that maybe I had it. Given that another family member, even though they're quite distant on the family tree for me, also had it, and yeah, I began to just think about you know like what life would be like with this condition, and you know began to have regular sort of checks with the neurologist and you know other sort of allied health professionals around how to manage that. Luckily, it was very my and still is very mild in terms of how severe that it can be. But as I sort of began thinking more about my professional life. I I actually took on a an editing and writing degree and a screenwriting degree as I started to move away from acting because I figured I am a creative person. I love writing and I want to improve my craft. I was interested in journalism as well and I could do that as part of this degree. Paul Bugeja  16:58 So I started studying and that then led to me actually writing a couple of books, four or five books, working as an editor, and then at one point I began thinking, I think I need to write my own book about my journey with this condition, or you know, disability, whatever you want to call it. And I had watched the TV show Dexter, which you may or may not have watched. Yep, and Dexter talks about his dark passenger. You know, as and that's the the sort of I mean, it's a weird correlation. I know in some ways, but that's the serial killer in him. That's his dark passenger. But it really resonated as um this idea of there being this sort of passenger in your life. You know, for whatever reason, whatever it is, and I didn't obviously want to steal that sort of figurative term, but I began thinking about a dark angel instead because, for me, it's a double thing. I mean, I was whatever Catholic. I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore, but you know, the notions of angels around us is something you know we all sort of think about, I guess. But the notion of my scapular wing and those being wings as well was very sort of resonated with me, and so I began feeling that for me my entire life this dark angel had been somewhere in the background, very very far in the background to the point where I wasn't even really aware of that dark angel, and then of course when the diagnosis came along, the dark angel began to make its presence more known, and yeah, and and then over time, I'm very, I live with, you know, like anyone with any sort of disability or chronic medical condition, like you live with it 24/7, and some days it's more of a burden, other days you don't not even aware of it, but you have to learn to live with it, and and so I now feel like I have this sort of dance with the dark angel, I like to call it, who sometimes is more present in my life and sometimes much more in the background. Michael Hingson  18:53 So, what kinds of things does it sort of limit you, or what what do you have to do to to make sure you don't let it get too much of a control over you. Paul Bugeja  19:04 Sure. So for me, the biggest thing I ever did was start going to the gym. You know, I did that just out of pure practicality because there was a gym on campus. It was very easy to join it. It was very close to go to on my lunch break, and so I've now maintained a really rigorous gym schedule, even though my upper body strength is quite weak and limited. I've been able to, I think, the my GP and say allied healthcare professionals like physios and exercise physiologists and occupational therapists have all commented that my gym program is one of the things that may you know this it's a may but may have prevented the condition progressing more severely than it has. So staying fit has been really important. I think by nature, I like to call myself a pragmatic optimist or optimistic pragmatist. By nature, I'm a practical person. I sort of feel as though, unlike I mean, look, everyone manages the news of some sort of health situation differently. You know, some people it can lay low, and I understand why because it can be very confronting, and every condition has a different set of limitations, like you know, it can be quite severe for some people. Like my my cousin had a different form of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which meant that he was in a wheelchair from the age of five and died at the age of 28. So you know, like like in my case, I feel blessed on some level that my condition is slowly deteriorating, but I do think that I'm lucky that I have enough of a practical and positive attitude about not letting it. I don't call, I never ignore it or or deny it, but I call about. I just resist it. The resistance is there. Like I I push back against it. So mentally, I try to stay positive physically. I try to stay healthy, but you know it does limit me. I have part of the condition. I have something called foot drop, which means that my feet catch a lot as I walk. So I trip a lot. So I I have damaged elbows and knees a lot because of that. So as a consequence, I have to be conscious when I walk. It's not just a. It's not like for most people, walking is an unconscious action. Of course, for me, it's a conscious action to ensure that I trip less. And of course, as I get older, tripping becomes a thing as you get older anyway, because you know your muscle tone changes and you know all kinds of things. So you know, it's about almost in a way you have to become. You do have to be aware of it all the time, and you have to manage it all the time. But that doesn't mean it has to become a burden. I think in many ways it's pushed me the other way, which is it's made me have a lust for life. It's made me want to do more. It's it's probably pushed me to be more nomadic while I can be, just in case there's a point where I can't be, and that sounds a little bit sad, and I mean probably in some ways, but I see that as a positive. Like a really small example I can give you is whenever I visit my mum, like I don't drive, so I use public transport like trains and busses and and the like. And if I catch a train to to go visit my mum, she always insists I'll come and pick you up at the at the train station, rather than you walk to my place, and I insist every time I'm going to walk because while I can walk, I want to walk. You know, so I don't. It's not. I reject. I don't reject her kindness, and I understand it. But it's me saying to the dark angel, "No, I will. Does she? Michael Hingson  22:36 Does she understand Paul Bugeja  22:38 it? I think so on some level, but she still Michael Hingson  22:41 wants to come and get you. Of course, Paul Bugeja  22:43 she does. Of course, there can be the tiniest trickle of rain, and she's like, "Oh, you can't walk in that rain. You know, I've got an umbrella, mum. No, no, no. You know, it's all that stuff. Um, it's it's delightful of her, and I'm glad, and I'll always expect the offer in those situations. But um, yeah, no, she um, you know, unfortunately, and I think a lot of parents will who pass on genetic conditions because this is a genetically passed on condition for me. She feels a sense of guilt about you know having passed on through her line, and so I think she we've talked about it a few times, and it's not a heavy weight on her shoulders, but she has a sense of it. Yeah. Michael Hingson  23:20 Well, I I appreciate that. What was it like when you first got the diagnosis? Though, did it did did it depress you? Did it kind of knock you on your ear in in any way, or did you really decide almost right from the beginning? Okay, this is here, but I can deal with Paul Bugeja  23:37 it. Yeah, it look, you know. So I'm writing a book about this, as I was saying at the moment, and in the in the chapter of the book that I'm writing, I think I wrote something along the lines of life just moved on. You know, like there was no discernible difference. Like I didn't feel physically any difference because there was no physical difference. But for me, I mean, you know, I I work in the media and I've worked in the knowledge industries of any kind for quite some time. Knowledge is power, you know. And and I would rather know about something and then be able to to to have some agency about how to act on it than to bury my head in the sand. Or, but by the same token, I can understand that knowledge can really throw some people. And you know, I have a friend, for example, who I was diagnosed with MS, and that can be an awful condition to be diagnosed with because it can progress very quickly. And for her, the knowledge wasn't great. You know, it's it's been a very big challenge for her. But you know, five years on, now that she has much more knowledge about it because she's had to live with it, she's going the opposite way. So you know, everyone is different, but for me, the knowledge actually catapulted me forward rather than weighed me down. Michael Hingson  24:46 Well, that was a choice that you had to make, or that you got to make, and you made it. And you're you're choosing to move forward with life, which is great. Paul Bugeja  24:55 Yeah, yeah. I feel lucky. As I said, I know. Everyone can can make that choice because of their own set of circumstances, and I do feel lucky about some of my circumstances. And you know, so I don't think everyone can necessarily be that practical or optimistic about things. But I encourage people to you know take a breath and and try and sit with whatever it is that they have to manage at any particular time, because you know people. A lot of people have a lot heavier challenges than I do, and they meet them as well. So it's possible to meet your challenges, I think, even if it limits you still. Michael Hingson  25:36 Well, so it's something that you live with, and so on. And I appreciate that. What what makes you get out of bed every day and and move forward, or is that what what you've been describing? Paul Bugeja  25:48 Look, I think I mean you know I'm I'm an I'm a lark, so I'm at about 430 in the morning, and I'm a Monday person, and I had this conversation with someone just this past Monday at the gym who you know dragged herself into the gym, and she was you know can't be bothered. I hate Mondays so much, you know, blah blah blah. And I get all that, you know. People love their weekends and a break. I love, I love the beginning of a day, and I and I have no problems getting up because I love the thought of there being so much in front of me, you know. And and even as as I grow older, and and you know, life obviously begins to go into a different phase. I still feel there's so much ahead, and and and it sounds a little bit Pollyanna of me, maybe, and a little bit overly optimistic, and a little bit Hollywood. But you know, I feel so hungry for life, and and even though that doesn't mean my life is perfect by any means, and that every day is perfect, and that there are some days that are are challenging. I face that all the time, as do we all in our different ways. But I I just feel so eager for the things that I mean. I have a great professional life, I have a great personal life, I have great friends, I have a good family. You know, my health is fine given the situation. Doesn't mean it's perfect, like I just said. But I don't have much to complain about, really. So, really, getting up is each day is is not a hard thing for me. It's it's it's a joy most days. Michael Hingson  27:15 So, are you married? Paul Bugeja  27:17 No, single. And this is, and I often frame conversations with this because sometimes my friends say to me, "Gosh, you have a great life, and I say, "Yeah, but I chose to be single, to not have children, and to not have pets-the three big things that change the course of your life sometimes in a good way, quite often. But also, I have more choices ahead of me because I am single and childless and petless, you know. Michael Hingson  27:42 Yep. Paul Bugeja  27:43 But you know, I don't. I'm not. I don't. I don't feel. I feel like I could have made other choices around this, of course. And I don't think there is a right or a wrong choice. It's just you have to find the right choice for you, especially when it comes to these big life choices. Michael Hingson  27:59 Well, you know, and when I got married, my wife and I had discussions about children, and she felt that she didn't want to have a child because she was in a wheelchair, and she felt in her specific situation, it would have been a lot harder on the body, and she would have been in bed a whole lot during a pregnancy, and she was afraid she would lose a lot of the the upper body strength and so on that she had. And my belief was that was her choice to make, and so we we both decided that we didn't want children. We would very happily entertain our nieces and nephews and throw them out of the house at the end of the day and send them home, which worked out really well. Paul Bugeja  28:49 I can I can understand that choice, and I I certainly I always thought I would be a father to be to be honest about that. When I was in my late teens and early 20s, it was forefront of my mind. Even though I had all these other adventures planned, and I had a couple of opportunities, actually, probably in my 30s, where I could have chosen to go down that road. And yeah, around the time I was diagnosed, I began thinking what that might mean. Like, and I began to not fear passing on my my FSHD to my potential children, but because often it passes through the female to the male, so it's less likely to pass through me. But if I had a female child, I might have passed it on genetically to her, who then passed it on to my grandchild. And not that that should stop anyone ever wanting children, but to your point and and the way you and your wife discuss the situation, I I made a conscious decision that probably given the life choices I was making around my career as well and other and personal life, it might not be the best choice. So yeah, I can understand where where. If Speaker 1  30:04 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson  30:36 So, in in your life, what is one of the well? What would be the greatest thing in your life, personal or professional, that you've experienced so far? Paul Bugeja  30:47 The greatest thing, yeah, it's a it's a great question. That's a Michael Hingson  30:52 toughie because there are probably several. Paul Bugeja  30:54 Yeah, no, there are, there are. I mean, you know, I think, and this will seem a little sort of not so great. I mean, as in not great. Sorry, but I think the the first job in journalism that I got, which was working for the Guardian, the Australian Mars said version of the Guardian, that was pretty amazing for me because I had I had thought, and it wasn't as a journalist. It was as a like a community sort of an audience sort of person, basically. So I wasn't writing and I wasn't generating content, but just to be finally in a media organization after probably 10 or 15 years of always thinking, God, I'd love to work in the media. I'm a real news hound. I love news. I love current affairs, and even though for some it was just getting a job, for me it was taking a step into something that I had thought about for a while, and finally, and you know, working for a really reputable and very well known masthead as well, that had a lot of credibility. So that was pretty exciting, and and that sort of set me on the path of, I think this is where I will stay now if I can. Even though, as you would know, the media is under a lot of pressure to sort of evolve with a lot of external threats to the way it works and and you know staying financially viable. So I've sort of put myself into a very hot pot, and I hope I'm not the frog that jumps out. But I don't think I will be. I think I've managed to forge a bit of a career now that will keep me going. So yeah, it's not a a life like sort of fireworks sort of moment, but it was a it was certainly the day that I got the phone call saying we'd we'd love you to come and join us was was you know very similar to that? I got the phone call from drama school saying you got into drama school. It was a real like everything felt lifted. You know the whole I felt like I was floating that day. Michael Hingson  32:52 Yeah, I'm with you. So what other kinds of jobs then did you progress to over time? Paul Bugeja  32:59 Yeah, so because because I was pursuing acting for for quite some time, probably for about 10 to 15 years, really. You know, I had to do what most actors do, which is work a lot of other jobs. You know, like you just have to. The work is never constant, even for the for the biggest actors in the world. You know, I mean, most of them obviously work constantly, but you know, like to be a working actor is is never let anyone say that being an actor is not a real job. It's a really hard job, you know. And so, I I worked for a long time in casual jobs. I worked in a lot of theaters in in like the sort of the ticketing sort of area of of theaters. So I worked at both the Sydney Opera House and the Victorian Art Center, two big theater. You would know the Sydney Opera House, obviously, but yeah, Victoria Arts Center is another big theater organization in Australia. And while I was doing that, I began doing some freelance editing as a book editor. This was where I really began getting interested in content and copy, and and I had the part-time job at the university while I was studying and sort of doing all these other casual things and acting, and a role came up working in digital sort of content with a large betting agency. So you know, sports betting, which is very big in Australia, and it was managing their blog, their sports blog. So lots of content about what's happening in all the different sports, but you know, sort of a marketing slash copy role. But it was my first foray into digital content, you know, and this was at a time when it was really starting to amp up, and that therefore, you know, made me really think much more about journalism and and wanting to pursue that. So that was sort of the springboard into working in digital marketing, working as a sub editor, and then sort of finally landing this role at the Guardian, which didn't last super long, unfortunately, because I was completing a master's in publishing and communications at the time, and discovered that I. I'd left I'd left Melbourne to move to Sydney to work in the role and had two subjects left and I'd been told by the university that I could complete them in Sydney, and then I was told by an administrator that that was not possible, so I had to leave my job at the Guardian to go back to Melbourne to finish the masters, which was fine to do, and I kept doing other casual kind of jobs and you know contract roles. Well, I did that, but it meant leaving the Guardian, which was a bit disappointing. But it meant I got my masters, which was really critical because again, that was more of a springboard onwards. In fact, I, as part of my masters, I went to China and did a an intensive class in Shanghai, and from that, got offered a role in China, in Shanghai, with a with a Chinese media company that that produced content for for the very big expat community in Shanghai, and I was about to leave to go to Shanghai to take up the role, and you'll you'll probably will have a wry smile, which was February 2020, and fortunately, not long after that, everything kind of went pear-shaped with COVID, and so had to. I mean, it's sort of lucky in a way because Shanghai had a pretty awful time during COVID, where it was a very strict lockdown. So I probably dodged a bit of a COVID bullet in that regard, even though Australia had its own share of lockdowns. But yeah, so that sort of threw a bit of a spanner in the works of what looked like the next part of my media career. But then, of course, you know, I'm a I'm a fatalist. I I run with fate. I I don't push back against the things that sort of maybe look like negatives or or take us off our path. Paul Bugeja  36:38 And I just feel like it's another another fork in the path that takes us on a on a route that will hopefully get us to where we were meant to be, and not taking that role meant, of course, about a year later, I saw the job with Stuff, which is the New Zealand media company that I currently work for, and that was the middle of 2021. It was based in Auckland. We were still in the middle of COVID, but I applied anyway because why not? And yeah, they offered me the role pending the borders opening, effectively. And luckily for me, there was a two-week window where New Zealand and Australia thought things were going to go okay, and the borders opened, and I jumped on the first flight out and got myself to Auckland, and then I started my current job, or actually a different version of my current job with stuff. Michael Hingson  37:27 And what is your your current job? Paul Bugeja  37:30 So I am currently I create digital content for stuff for stuff digital, as we're called now. I mostly create trivia quizzes, so fun daily quizzes that we have a very very dedicated audience for. People love a quiz. I also create a word puzzle called the Hard Word, which is an anagram kind of puzzle. I create that every day. I create a news quiz for them. I also help manage the community, the online community that interacts with with us as another part of my role, which is the role that I originally went to New Zealand for, but as a full time gig, and now it's just sort of part of my my role. So yeah, I am a quizmaster. I love it. I had previously worked in television quiz shows during my time in Australia when I was juggling other stuff, so I had a bit of a background in in quiz question writing and quiz research and verifying, and so I'm now really in such a wonderful job. But I always like to be very clear about this to people because it sounds like the best job in the world. Wow, sitting and making cool quizzes every day-it's a really involved job, and it it takes a lot of kind of like time to research and put together these quizzes because you know you're trying to please a very broad audience of from you know 15 year olds to 75 year olds. So you know, it's it's a it's a very involved job, even if it's a fun job, and so it does, you know, it it does still have a very critical kind of like professional aspect to it, even though it sounds like to some of my friends and and people who learn about it the best job in the world. Michael Hingson  39:17 Well, I'm sure it's a great job, but it is a clearly a challenging job. Have you ever encountered people who talk to you about making your your quizzes or trying to work with staff to make quizzes and some of the things they do more accessible? So, like people who are blind can solve the quizzes or work the quizzes and use screen readers and so on to do the same things that others do. Paul Bugeja  39:45 Excellent point. So yeah, I feel quite often when I'm making my quizzes that clearly they are for an audience that can access them very easily. You know, as opposed to an audience that might need assistance to access. Them and you know we do the the the basic stuff as we you know you must you know um like you know putting an alt tag so that um you know people who maybe are but are able to to use to access the quiz as a as a an audio rather than a video rather than a written um quiz but you know, I think you're right. And look, to be fair, I think you know the way that the media is going. The media is going very video oriented now, anyway. I think, which is a brilliant thing for people who do need have some access, because you know, with the video, of course, a video quiz, there'll be audio as well as visual, as well as the written word potentially. So there's a way that covers off all the bases, you know, or you know, many of the bases anyway. At the moment, you know, we are starting to bring in some minor changes, but I think going forward, it's pretty critical because you know the world is very aware that people do have some limitations in the way that they can access, especially digital content, and even though there are a lot of great forms of software that you can use to to make like your your life less limited by whatever you know sort of limitation you may have, it still isn't as good as it can be. And and I think certainly as someone with a disability, I'm an advocate for disability. You know, I'm on the board of a major disability organization in Australia. I'm on an engagement advisory committee for the same organization. I'm very pro and very much an advocate for ensuring that anyone with any form of disability can access and have as as great a life as possible, as untrammeled. I'm not untrammeled. That's the wrong word. As as as you know, as a life that has no barricades to them, basically. Michael Hingson  41:49 Well, the the reality is that crossword puzzles, for example, can be made accessible. Yep. And of course, I wouldn't expect the organization to suddenly produce Braille puzzles, but there are there are still ways Speaker 2  42:11 to do it Michael Hingson  42:11 to create audio, for example, kinds of things. And you mentioned the the value of video that only works if people truly put the appropriate descriptions in in audio form, the video, which a lot of people don't do, which is unfortunate, but it is possible to make to make them more accessible than they are. Paul Bugeja  42:36 Yeah, but it is a but it is a it is Michael Hingson  42:38 a challenge, and I hope that over time more more kinds of things will be accessible. I get the New York Times online, and a lot of what they do isn't nearly as accessible as it should be, and I can see how it it could be made more Accessible, but they haven't just been really willing to do it. And and ironically, a lot of the media has been one of the places where access has has truly not been addressed nearly like it it should be. And and the the result of that is that there are problems, and of course they say, well, things change so fast. They they do, except that it's all about coding and it's all about understanding programming and coding. And if you do it right, and if you know it, you can keep up either way. But you know, people don't necessarily do that. Paul Bugeja  43:38 Yeah, look, I agree, and I think you know. Look, without I'm not going to become a defender of the media, even though I'm part of it. But I think they definitely can do better as a as an entire sort of profession. I think that the tricky thing for the media at the moment is, I mean, you look at what happened this week. You know, 300 reporters, you know, sacked at the Washington Post. You know the media is under a lot of pressure to be financial, and that's not a great defense against not being accessible, mind you. But their mind is on survival at the moment, and that's an unfortunate thing because it means that they can't do the stuff that would actually benefit everyone, you know, their entire audience. So, not to defend it, but that's that's the only sort of rationale I can think of as to why they're not doing more. But that shouldn't stop them trying. That shouldn't stop them trying. Michael Hingson  44:32 Well, and I think that's really the issue: is that people do need to try, and people need to make an effort. And if they would, it would help a lot more than than it does today. Paul Bugeja  44:43 Agreed. Michael Hingson  44:44 So, if you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Paul Bugeja  44:47 Not very much. Like I really love my life. You know, I I I even and this will sound quite odd. I even probably wouldn't change having a disability. You know, like it it who I am. It's it's in my. You know, it's it's so it's in my DNA. Like you can't get any deeper into someone than their DNA. You know, like of course I'd rather not have this, but it's it it it doesn't as we've discussed. It doesn't stop me. It doesn't limit me. It just modifies my life on the edges. It's Michael Hingson  45:16 just it's just part of you. Paul Bugeja  45:18 That's exactly right. And so I have to embrace that. You know, as you know, does anyone with any sort of situation that is slightly left of you know what people might call you know normal or ordinary, you know? And I, I always say I try to live my life less ordinary, you know, and and I think it's that attitude which really stands me in good stead because when you choose like I like as we discussed earlier, I'm in a position where I can make different choices to people who do have a partner, or do have kids, or do have a massive mortgage, or do have whatever you know job that keeps them in one place. But you know, you know the old saying about you make your own luck, right? And circumstance does change things definitely, and some circumstances are outside of our control. For example, getting having a genetic disability is outside of my control, but you know you do make your own luck as well. And I sort of feel that I am so about agency, and I'm so about you know like taking responsibility for your actions that I feel that everything about my life is because of the choices that I've made, and I want to own that. So you know why would I want to change any of that? In terms of, if I want to change it, then I will change it. So I think I have a great life. I'm healthy. I'm happy. I've got a you know like I was saying earlier, I have great friends, a good family, a great job. I'm able to you know like talk to people like this about things and and and like it's yeah life's pretty life's pretty good for me. Um, you know, there are things about the world I'd like to change, like as would we all, you know, like, um, but those things we can only sort of change on the edges, and I do that as much as I can as well. So, well, there are things that we don't Michael Hingson  46:54 have control over, and and if we worry about them, that's just going to cause us grief. It's not going to bother others. Paul Bugeja  47:01 No, no worries. Worry. I mean, I worry about something. Of course, I do. We all do. But you know, eventually, I manage to bat most of my worries away because I realize, as you said, it's usually something that is out of my control. It's funny when I talk to my actor friends, and speaking for myself, of course, you know, actors have to rehearse. You know, we rehearse favorite. You know, you rehearse for roles and whatever, and that sometimes for me has meant that I tend to rehearse things prior to you know the situation. So it means that my mind goes at 100 miles an hour about a lot of things, and that can lead to anxiety and worry. You know because you overthink, you worry about a situation that hasn't even occurred yet. You're thinking, not over. Well, that's exactly right. That's exactly right. So, you know, I think the the biggest lesson I've probably taken as well from my diagnosis and and the the thing I committed to this year a little bit as a part of my New Year's resolution or whatever you want to call it is to just be as present as I can. You know, like to live in this moment right now. That doesn't mean I don't have an eye to the future, and and I don't make plans, and I don't am not excited about the future. But I'm I'm trying to be as present as I can because if you're present, then all then all this worry disappears in a way because you just can only deal with with with what's right in front of you. Michael Hingson  48:18 Right. Do you have any regrets? Paul Bugeja  48:22 Um, not really. I mean, you know, like there've been a few moments in my life. So, for example, I can I can name a few things. Like when I was in my early 30s, I entered the the diversity visa program, which is the green card lottery in America. Yeah, and I I got it. I got a green card, you know, and so I was all ready to move to the states back in the late 90. Oh no, when was it? Yeah, the late 90s. Yeah, yeah, um, early noughties, and I got into the writing editing course in Australia. So I was really enjoying that. I was doing some acting and some paid acting work, and so I had to. I had a moment where I was like, "Well, do I really want to take up this green card off and become a resident of America? I have lived there before when I studied. I travel there regularly to see my friends, you know. And so I had this crunch time. It was a sliding doors moment. I I did visit a few times. I spent a bit of time in the states, and then I eventually dropped the green card. Now, occasionally, I look back on that and think, "Was that a silly thing to do with what would have opened up to me had I moved to the states? You know, like would my acting career have taken off? Would I have ended up working for the New York Times? Look, whatever it is. So there's a sense of regret about it, but it's such a faint shade of regret that it doesn't it doesn't hold me back. You know, I don't want to be held back by anything in my life. And I think, for me, regrets can hold you back too much. You know, oh yeah, Michael Hingson  49:49 yeah. Oh, absolutely. Well, and and it seems to me that that it's one of those things that could have gone either way, as you said, a sliding door moment. I think that's a really interesting way to put it. But but the fact of the matter is, you made a choice. You're happy with the choice, and you may or may not have been as happy with the choice if you had moved to America. But you wouldn't have experienced a lot of the things that you have experienced. So it's okay. Paul Bugeja  50:14 That's exactly right. That's exactly right. So even you know occasional relationships that went awry, or you know what else? Gosh, what if I stay pursue my career as an actor? There are always going to be what ifs with life, you know, and it's the what ifs that tend to cause us regret. I think, and Michael Hingson  50:29 well, and and cause us so much fear. Paul Bugeja  50:32 That's exactly right. And regret and fear should be the same word, effectively, because that's all that's playing. And if you can find a way to manage that as best you can, and and look. I always say I try to to look down at my feet on the ground to see where I am, and to look forward to see where I'm going, rather than look back where I've come from. And look, we can learn a lot from where we've come from. And in fact, the book that I'm writing is almost like a detective novel, where I track back through my life to see if I can see moments where I might have known that I had FSHD much earlier, so in that regard, I do look backwards. You know, I'm happy to to to have a critical eye on the past and to learn from it. You know, but I don't ever want it to drag me back to it. I'm always looking to be pulled forward. Michael Hingson  51:18 Well, that's the operative part, right? There's nothing wrong with looking back and and learning from what you've experienced, and and more people should should do more of that. It seems to me, but Paul Bugeja  51:29 oh yeah, let's. That's a much longer conversation, isn't it? It Michael Hingson  51:32 is. Who's been the most most influential person in your life, and why? Paul Bugeja  51:38 Yep. Michael Hingson  51:40 Besides Kate Blanchett, but that's another yeah, Paul Bugeja  51:42 of course, very influential, Kate. If you're listening, if she is, I hope she'll Michael Hingson  51:47 reach out. I'd love to have her on the podcast. But anyway, you Paul Bugeja  51:50 never know, my friend. You never know. Look, I mean, it's it's a hard question because, but it's a good question. I mean, there have been so many influences in my life, you know, and and I don't want to step on toes by not naming people in a way, but you know, for one one really influential person who has given me, you know, I have a friend who's a film journalist actually, and has written, you know, a lot mostly about the production side of the industry rather than film reviews, and I feel she only came into my life about maybe 10 or 12 years ago. So she's a relatively new friend, but a very dear friend. And I think I did an internship at a magazine that she worked for, and she was the the editor of at the time, and I think she had a really great influence on my life because she made me realize that I definitely wanted to pursue a career in the media. That I was done with journalism. That working in the media was exciting and interesting. You know, she made sure she pushed me in a lot of ways that I might not have been pushed otherwise, and she's remained a really dear and constant president in my life ever since. So yeah, I really feel like her coming into my life at that particular moment really was like critical in a lot of ways. But you know, she was one of many that have that have definitely given me great advice, or have been very supportive, or have just been there for me. So, yeah, big call out to her. She's she was being wonderful. Michael Hingson  53:29 Do you think that if you had never been diagnosed with or ever had FSHD, that your your job and your careers would have gone differently, or do you think that this was just a natural progression and FSHD is there, but it didn't really dictate what you did. Paul Bugeja  53:46 I think because of my approach to this situation, which is it's there, but it's not going to stop me. I think that look clearly, it's a physical condition, so it does limit me a little bit physically. So, like, I was never going to be like for for instance even with acting you know it did limit me a little bit with acting like there were certain things that like I can't do a headstand you know and I know that's a really a small thing but like in in drama classes there was I remember one class particularly always asked to do a headstand and I couldn't do it and this was pre diagnosis and I had I just thought it was because I was clumsy or uncoordinated or not muscular enough, so like certainly the diagnosis probably gets in the way of some some some kinds of careers that I might have pursued. But generally, you know, I'm a I'm a computer based person. I'm a knowledge and and and and content based person, and I was already going that way pre-diagnosis, so you know I don't think it really intervened in where I would have gone, whether it helped me or not, or whether you know it was part of the reason why I'm where I am. Look, I think it's it's part of the reason of everything that I do. You know, even if it's not all. That the defining reason, but it's it's a consideration definitely. Michael Hingson  55:04 Well, it is, and and it's helped build your resilience, and there's nothing wrong with that. Paul Bugeja  55:10 Yep, and that's right. And I'm in a career that requires resilience, and so it definitely, in that regard, yes, it's it's helped me build that further resilience. Michael Hingson  55:18 So there you go. Has AI helped you in terms of any of the things that you do on your job? Do you use it to to help in finding out information about quizzes or or that you put in quizzes or any of that? Has AI been a useful tool for you? Paul Bugeja  55:35 So again, this we could talk about this for 12 hours a time. Topics right, especially working in the media. I am. I love the fact that I'm an early adopter. Right, I love technology. I I embrace it. I'm you know I'm that guy who gets the new iPhone not every year but every other year. You know, I I'm really I embrace the new. You know, I was doing digital content well the beginning like not at the beginning of it all but you know I was I was I jump in quickly with AI I have reservations I certainly you know I tend to still use standard search but of course now with Google search AI is built into that Google search so I am using it in that regard as a media organization, we have a very strict policy about AI, as one must. You know, we have to be very careful because while it's definitely the next big revolution for everyone, whoever you are, from you know like a dog walker to a you know president, like it's going to affect everyone's lives, you know. I feel as though, so you know, for example, as a media organization, we're encouraged. We are looking at improving the way we work with AI, but there always needs to be a human oversight. Yeah, Michael Hingson  56:57 absolutely. Paul Bugeja  56:58 Yep, yep. And you would appreciate that, of course. So I don't use it in the way I think. I I think over time I will have to use it because I won't have any choice. But you know, we in the media, I think we're looking at. I don't think this is giving anything away, but we're looking at agentic AI more than generative AI because agentic AI is really useful. If I can ask an AI bot to put together the the not the quiz itself, but the the actual article the quiz will appear in that goes on the site. Well, that's just a practical like role you've given a system if you had one anyway, right? So I definitely think the media and me in in my role will will more and more embrace agentic AI as we're able to build it into our systems to help us with mundane practical tasks that you'd give the intern, that you'd give the the first year journal student out or whatever. Right? In terms of generative AI, I I've used it a bit just to see what it will throw back at me, and for example, I do a lot of quizzes as a quizmaster because I love to just do quizzes. I can tell a quiz that's been made with AI. It's very clear. I did a quiz the other day, and I kid you not. The first question was, "If I'm a Bolivian, what country might I come from? Now, I mean, for an editor or the actual person who put together that quiz, not to realize that a that's a pretty awful quiz question, but but it's such an obviously AI generated quiz question, you know. So yeah, I think we I think, and I'm also very aware that the amount of money that's being poured into AI at the moment is looking like a big bubble that will burst at some point, you know, because they can't keep plowing all this money in and expect big returns because it's not returning anything at the moment to them. Really, that doesn't mean it's not going to continue. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't embrace it. That doesn't mean that it's not going to maybe find a cure for cancer. Like I feel like there is a lot of positive that can come from it, so long as the humans stay in control. Michael Hingson  59:03 Well, I think that's the the real issue in the operative part of it. I have used AI in in writing articles, and the way I've used AI is I've I've asked it to give me give me your thoughts on or write an article about, and I'll do that like about six or seven times, and I will go through all of the things that that are created, and it gives me ideas. But I would never let it write the article, and I I would never do that because I want it to be me. And even if it could get to the point where it truly emulates me, it's not me, and I wouldn't want to do that. I so I'm I'm with what you're saying. Paul Bugeja  59:44 Yeah, yeah, and I think that's the trick. My, I think probably like with all you know, sort of new ages of technology, whether it was just the internet, and then it was sort of probably social media was the next big you know sort of critical juncture, and now it's AI. You know, it it means that the a younger. Generation that comes along that only knows this. So my my probably biggest concern would be, and I don't have children, but you know for my friends' children and the children that are going to grow up with AI, that they come to rely on it so heavily that they lose the ability to critically think, that they that they believe everything that AI says, and it will get better and it will get more accurate, but it's still throwing back. So I'll give you one quick example. When I was playing around with it back in 2022, I think, or whatever year the Queen died, Queen Elizabeth II died. I asked it, "Who's the current monarch of England? And I kept bringing Queen Elizabeth II back, and I kept arguing with it, and it kept saying no, and I started feeding it New York Times articles, Guardian articles, you know the Telegraph articles, and I kept saying these aren't reliable sources. Now this was you know back three or four years ago now, but that really concerned me, and I fear that that's the only fear for me is that people will lose their curiosity and their own ability to critically think and and and rely on it so heavily that they forget how to do really simple tasks that we should still be able to do. Michael Hingson  1:01:04 If you could change one thing about the world, whether it's big or small or whatever, what would Paul Bugeja  1:01:10 it be? I actually, so this will reveal me as a like a bit of a almost a communist. But I wish that people's obsession with money would change. I would love to change that. Like I love that people want to be comfortable and they want good lives and that we want our creature comforts and that we want to travel and have a great TV and all that somewhere to live. But I do feel li

Actors live and work in an environment that asks a lot of them. Auditions, rejections, financial uncertainty, intense rehearsal periods, performance anxiety, public scrutiny, relationship dynamics, creative vulnerability, and the challenge of sustaining a career in a highly competitive industry all place unique demands on actors. As a psychologist who works with artists and performers, I've often noticed that the framework we hold for performers has a specific difference. When people outside the performing arts experience stress, they're often encouraged to step back, do less, or find fulfilment elsewhere. But performers rarely want to care less about their craft. They want to keep creating, keep striving, and keep showing up for the work they love. The question becomes: how do we develop the skills to manage high levels of stress sustainably? In this conversation, we'll explore the psychological realities of life as an actor. We'll discuss the thoughts that can undermine confidence, the emotions that come with putting yourself on the line creatively, the physical demands of rehearsal and performance, and the challenge of balancing the pressures of work with the realities of everyday life. Most importantly, we'll look at practical ways to build psychological flexibility and resilience so that stress doesn't consume the energy you need for what matters most: telling stories, connecting with audiences, and bringing your creative work to life. Whether you're navigating the stress of auditions, managing performance nerves, recovering from setbacks, or simply trying to sustain a long and meaningful career in the arts, this session will offer practical insights and plenty of opportunity for discussion. Bring your questions. The world of performance is demanding, but there are many skills we can learn that help us meet those demands while continuing to grow as artists and as people. Dr Shona Erskine is a registered psychologist in private practice with 30 years' experience working in the arts sector. After graduating the Victorian College of the Arts (Dance, 1994), she spent decades working as a dancer while qualifying as a psychologist. She has an expertise in psychology for performing and visual artists and work through professional companies, universities, and in private practice. The focus of her psychology work includes performance and creativity as well as communication and complex systems. She has a keen interest in best practice models for artists that attend to the whole person with compassion and curiosity.

Ecca Vandal nos ha despeinado con el enfoque musical que ha plasmado en su nuevo álbum, 'Looking For People To Unfollow', donde encontramos una interesante y potente combinación de sonidos que beben del punk, el jazz, el hip-hop y la música electrónica. De hecho, en palabras de la artista australiana: "Para mí, Ian MacKaye es tan expresivo como Billie Holiday", una frase que resume perfectamente su enfoque musical. Criada en el seno de una familia de Sri Lanka, Ecca Vandal se ha nutrido tanto de la música del sur de la India que absorbió en su casa, como del jazz de sus años de formación en el Victorian College of the Arts, pasando por toda la música que le descubrieron sus compañeros de clase: Fugazi, Pixies, Björk o Radiohead.En esta sesión de lunes también te traemos las últimas novedades de Olivia Rodrigo, Charli xcx, Nothing But Thieves, Amaral, The Warning o Blondshell, entre otras, y seleccionamos 'Everyone For Ten Minutes' de Bleachers como nuestro Disco Gourmet de la semana.Playlist:FONTAINES D.C. - Boys in the BetterlandWUNDERHORSE - RainALCALÁ NORTE - Los llamados pitagóricos- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -[Diez canciones nuevas que tienes que escuchar esta semana]OLIVIA RODRIGO - the cureCHARLI XCX - SS26THE LAZY EYES - How Does It FeelTo Be In Love?LEVITANTS - SeñalesAMARAL - No quiero más canciones tristesNOTHING BUT THIEVES - EvolutionMUSE - HexagonsTHE WARNING - EgoECCA VANDAL - BleachBLONDSHELL - Heart Has To Work So Hard- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -TWIN PEAKS - Back DoorTWIN PEAKS - Making BreakfastFINN WOLFHARD - I'll Let You FinishBLEACHERS - Take You Out TonightBRIAN FALLON - Not Bad for New JerseyBRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - We Take Care of Our OwnELASTICA - ConnectionSUEDE - TrashPULP - Common PeopleRAYE - Where Is My Husband!SABRINA CARPENTER - Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix)MARK RONSON - Ooh Wee (feat. Ghostface Killah, Nate Dogg, Trife & Saigon)ANGÈLE - What You Want (feat. Justice) [Fcukers Remix]TAME IMPALA - Drácula (JENNIE Remix) [Boys Noize Disko Version]Escuchar audio

Paul Malek has built a lot of things. A pre-professional dance training centre. A production company. A media company. A 180-seat theatre. A movement for fair dancer pay that went global. And through all of it, one question has driven him: what does it actually take to create sustainable artists in a world that keeps changing? In this Spotlight Series episode, Loren sits down with Paul Malek, Director, Choreographer, Educator, and founder of Transit Dance in Melbourne, Australia. Paul talks about why being a great dancer is no longer enough, what it means to train artists who can build careers that last, and why curiosity might be the most important skill a dancer can develop. He also gets into the mental health side of the arts, his three guides for living and teaching, and what he wishes more dance teachers understood about the human being standing in front of them. If you're a studio owner, a teacher, or someone building something in this industry, this one is for you. A full transcription of the podcast is here: https://www.acrobaticarts.com/blog/ep-135-building-a-dance-business-with-purpose-with-paul-malek About Paul Paul Malek is a renowned Director, Choreographer, and Educator whose influence extends across theatre and stage in Australia and across the globe. With a fervent dedication to artistic ingenuity, he ignites the ambitions of individuals, businesses, and communities, inspiring them to reach their full potential. Having received formal training in Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Paul's early career as a dancer and global performer took him on tours across 5 continents, honing his skills and leadership as a dance captain, rehearsal director, and company manager by the age of 26. Returning to Australia in 2007, the spirit of entrepreneurship beckoned Paul to venture into creating enterprises such as Collaboration the Project (2008 – 2015), which produced ground-breaking events like UNDRGRND Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, Immersed Melbourne Dance Industry Night, DANCE CHAT, DANCE CHAT LIVE, and Project Y (Youth Dance Company), in addition to steering over 16 professional production seasons and tours. This includes award-winning productions Yours Truly, Parkland Avenue and Unanswered. Paul's contributions to the artistic community manifest through his past roles as board member and President of Australian Teachers of Dancing International. A board member of Ausdance Victoria, and the inaugural Artistic Director of the Victorian Dance Festival. A founding member of Dancers Australia, MEAA, Paul champions fair pay for dancers across the industry which goes back to 2013 when he initiated the #paythedancers movement which reached global attention and has continued moving forward. Paul was the co-director of BOOM Media (2011 – 2015), a forward-thinking Marketing and Media Company dedicated to and led by dancers. During this time, he worked as a Videographer, Photographer and Film Editor along his choreographic and producing achievements. He was also the Director of Dance Architect choreographic award and the Dance Architect Education Summit. His choreographic proficiency shines through his work on television shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance Australia, alongside crafting captivating performances for numerous corporate events, award ceremonies, music videos and television commercials. A regular on the Dance Festival Circuit, Paul has taught and lectured at Australian Dance Festival, Victorian Dance Festival, MOVE IT London, Dance Summit New York, Come Together Dance Convention to name a few. In 2015, Paul founded Transit Dance, a ground-breaking endeavour that serves as a testament to his visionary leadership. As Artistic Director (2015 – 2024), he spearheaded a diverse spectrum of performance platforms and educational initiatives, housed within his innovative dance and performance precinct in Brunswick, Victoria. He currently continues his influence as Chairman of the Transit Dance Board of Directors. Beyond his instrumental role at Transit Dance, Paul stands as a prominent figure in the realm of motivational speaking, addressing audiences at corporate events, conventions, and festivals globally. As an avid dance photographer his artistic expression extends through his lens, capturing the essence of movement and grace, working alongside esteemed artists to bring their visions to life. Envisioning a world where art and inspiration intertwine seamlessly, Paul Malek strives to leave an indelible mark on the cultural landscape, shaping the future of dance and performance with his unparalleled vision and unwavering commitment to excellence. If you'd like more amazing content more tips and ideas check out our Acrobatic Arts Channel on YouTube. Subscribe Now! Connect with Acrobatic Arts on your favourite social media platform: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acrobaticarts/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Acroarts Twitter: https://twitter.com/acrobatic_arts/ Learn more and register for our programs at AcrobaticArts.com

Cameron Bajraktarevic Hayward je mladi i svestrani umjetnik - glumac, muzičar i plesač, koji u teatarskom životu Australije već ostavlja zvjezdani trag. Inače iz Sydneya, u Melbourneu je diplomirao na Victorian College of the Arts i kako se nastavlja druga sezona mjuzikla "My Brilliant Career" Melbourne Theatre Company u Southbank Theatru, sljedeća dva mjeseca uz probe i nastupe provešće u Melbourneu.

Really Interesting Women The podcast Ep. 162 Alison Whyte Alison Whyte is one of Australia's most accomplished and versatile actors, celebrated for her commanding presence across stage and screen.  Born in Tasmania she began her artistic journey as a ballet dancer before training at the Victorian College of the Arts, where she honed the craft that would define her career.  She rose to national prominence with her breakout role in the satirical television series Frontline, earning a Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress.  Her screen career spans acclaimed performances in Satisfaction, The Dressmaker, and The Jammed and, I reckon even more impressively, in theatre, she has starred in productions with the Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, and Belvoir, including standout roles in Death of a Salesman, The Testament of Mary, and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll.  She is the recipient of multiple industry awards including Green Room, Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Awards for her work on stage, as well as Logie and ASTRA Awards for her work onscreen.  She is currently at the Belvoir Theatre's ‘the true history of the life and death of King Lear & his three daughters'.Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history. Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friendshttps://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Really Interesting Women The podcast Ep. 159   Catherine Moore  Catherine Moore was a graduate of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts and has become a multifaceted actor, voice artist, writer, and acting coach whose career spans theatre, television, and film.  Known for her compelling performances and creative versatility, she has carved out a distinctive space in the Australian entertainment industry.  No doubt you will be aware of some of her work. In movies there's been How to Please a Woman, Runt and more recently Birthright and in TV there's been Janet King, Drop Dead Weird, Home and Away, Crownies and Rake, amongst others and most recently in The Twelve with Sam Neill. She has worked in collaboration with writing partner Genevieve Hegney which led to a major success for Ensemble Theatre in Sydney with their play, Unqualified – which led to a sequel.  Currently Catherine has co-created and is performing in a play called Fly Girl at the Ensemble Theatre. It's a play about the trailblazing aviator, Deborah Lawrie. It's a fascinating story which we discuss in some detail.  It has already won the Blake Beckett Trust Female Playwrights Award and may still have a few tickets left by the time this podcast is published. But you'd better get to the Ensemble's website pretty quickly.  It was such an open and honest, fun and funny conversation. Head to the link in my bio to have a listen.   Link to Ensemble websitehttps://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/fly-girl/  Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history. Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friendshttps://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

On this episode of Do It Again But Better, Jess chats to a true artistic all sort: actor, educator, director, marketing whizz, and gal about town, Bridget Sweeney. Working tirelessly in the Melbourne theatre scene, Bridge shares some of her stories—including her pitch perfect go-to audition song, the savage feedback an acting teacher once had for her, and how she rewrote a very popular magical tale to insert herself as the new love interest. Enjoy the tangents upon tangents in this episode as Jess and Bridge reminisce on the best of the forgotten 90s kids tv, which celebrity Harry you'd most want to have as your marriage celebrant, and what they got up to under the stage trapdoors in the 2024 season of Rhinoceros...Bridget Sweeney (she/her) is a professional silly goose with feathers in many pies — on stage, off stage, and behind the scenes. A graduate of the National Theatre Drama School, the Victorian College of the Arts, and the London Film Academy, she's now based in Naarm/Melbourne. Her work spans writing and performing weekly children's entertainment and teaching Shakespeare to teens. Bridget's eclectic creative life comes together under her brand artistic allsort — a home for all her artistic adventures, whether performing, directing, teaching, or producing. She is currently the Marketing Manager for Melbourne Shakespeare Company so you can generally find her staring through or at a screen (but preferably a stage). She takes particular delight in capturing moments from the stage for the socials… having created the marketing and content for Othello and other productions in MSC's recent seasons. Other recent credits include Assistant Director for Three Sisters (Theatre Works) and Twelfth Night (Melbourne Shakespeare Company), a performer with Complete Works Theatre Company in Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing and Framework of Ideas and as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Sevenfold Theatre Company)… and crouching under the stage for Rhinoceros (Spinning Plates).Check out Bridget's many range of skills on her website https://artisticallsort.com/You can find Bridget on Instagram at @brsweeney and @artisticallsortYou can find your host, Jess Stanley, on Instagram at @jstanny or at www.jessicastanleyactor.comYou can check out Jess's theatre company, Spinning Plates Co. at @spinningplatesco or at www.spinningplatesco.comYou can follow the Do It Again But Better podcast at @doitagainbutbetterThis podcast was created, recorded and edited on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Always was, always will be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Really Interesting Women The podcast Ep. 156 Chika Ikogwe In the evolving landscape of Australian entertainment, few actors embody the multicultural spirit and artistic versatility of contemporary Australia like Chika Ikogwe. Chika stands out as a trailblazer in Australia's entertainment industry.  She's celebrated for her dynamic acting talent, writing prowess, and unwavering advocacy for diversity and representation.  Born in Nigeria, Chika moved to Australia at a young age and had to navigate, at times, very challenging circumstances. After graduating high school, she enrolled at Victorian College of the Arts before transitioning to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) program at NIDA, Australia's premier performing arts institution.  What followed was a string of successful theatre shows and numerous awards and accolades including the winner of 'Best Newcomer' at the Sydney Theatre Awards in 2019 and the recipient of the 2020 ATYP Rose Byrne Emerging Female Leader in the Arts scholarship. She went on to play a starring role in the Emmy award winning tv series Heartbreak High and, more recently, has worked with Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth in a major film.Chika's journey from a four-year-old immigrant to an award-winning actor and writer embodies the successful integration of diverse cultural perspectives into mainstream Australian arts. But there's still a long way to go.  To listen to our conversation, head to the link in my bio, or wherever you find your podcasts. Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history. Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friendshttps://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Tom Ross is a leading Melbourne-based architectural photographer. He works across architecture and editorial. He studied at the Victorian College of the Arts and Massachusetts College of Art, and keeps a speculative practice on the side—making photos and books about the built world.You can see more of Tom's work at tomross.xyz, or follow him  on Instagram @tomross.xyz.Office Talk is hosted and produced by ⁠⁠⁠Office D.SHARP⁠⁠⁠, a strategic marketing and communications practice for architecture. We work collaboratively with clients across the globe. To learn more about our approach, visit ⁠⁠⁠officedavesharp.com⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of Fearless Conversations, Dimitri and Damian sit down with Cameron Schwab, former AFL CEO turned artist, coach, and leadership thinker. The conversation traces Cameron's remarkable journey from the pressure of football boardrooms to the quiet practice of fine art, and how both worlds shaped his philosophy of leadership.The discussion begins with art as a mindful practice and the courage required to create space for interpretation. Cameron reflects on his time at the Victorian College of the Arts, where a teacher challenged him to bring vulnerability into his drawings — a lesson that resonated deeply with his approach to leadership.From his turbulent childhood and early appointment as CEO of Richmond at just 24, Cameron shares how courage became a learned skill. He talks about the difference between complex and complicated problems, the shift from a “got to” to a “get to” mindset, and the importance of defining reality while giving hope. His long-standing journaling practice — anchored in two questions, What's important? and What's possible? — provides a daily rhythm for resilience and clarity.The conversation moves into authenticity and creativity in leadership. Cameron explains why authentic leadership cannot exist without bravery, and why creativity is essential for leaders facing ambiguity and complexity. He draws on influences from Rick Rubin, Steven Pressfield, and his own legacy in pioneering women's football, showing how constraint often sparks innovation.The episode closes with reflections on legacy, human leadership, and the responsibility to create workplaces that balance high performance with high well-being. Cameron leaves us with a powerful reminder: leadership is less about answers, and more about creating the conditions for people to thrive together.

Jordan Prosser discusses with Ivan six things which should be better known. Jordan Prosser is a writer, filmmaker and performer from Victoria, Australia. He is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, and his short films and screenplays have won multiple international accolades. His short story Eleuterio Cabrera's Beautiful Game won the Peter Carey Short Story Award in 2022 and was published in Meanjin. Big Time is his debut novel. The Philippines. I had the privilege of traveling to and working in the Philippines a number of times throughout the 2010s. It's one of my favourite places on earth. Ivan Sen. Perhaps my favourite Australian filmmaker, helmer of Mystery Road and Goldstone and their multiple spin-off TV series, which are just as good and as specific to the Australian outback as Scand-noirs are to their cultures and landscapes. Wikipedia's ‘Timeline of the far future' and ‘Ultimate fate of the universe' pages. Every year has its own dedicated Wikipedia page, including years in the future. Andy Shauf. For my money, one of the best singer-songwriters of our generation, and something of a folk genius in the lineage of the Donovans and Nick Drakes of the world. His 2015 album The Bearer of Bad News is a modern-day Nebraska. How LLMs actually work. Which is to say: they are statistical models based on pattern recognition and predictability, powered by tremendous amounts of data and processing power. Big tech marketing has seduced so many into seeing them as quasi-mystical entities, when really, they're glorified spreadsheets. Eggnog. Probably the finest beverage on earth, but when you mention it, in Australia at least, people become mystified and their eyes immediately glaze over. I inherited my recipe from my (American) mother and make it every year at Christmas. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

We go inside a London theatre phenomenon with Fabian Aloise, the choreographer whose latest show has made headlines around the world. Every night, Rachel Zegler, playing Evita in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, comes out onto the balcony at the London Palladium and sings Don't Cry for Me Argentina to an excited crowd: a unique moment of London magic. Fabian works with director Jamie Lloyd on starry, groundbreaking productions: before Evita, they worked with Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston on Much Ado About Nothing and Nicole Scherzinger on the award-winning Sunset Blvd. Fabian's work is muscly, characterful, properly theatrical. How does he do it? Fabian Aloise's choreography has been critically acclaimed and garnered, among others, two Olivier Award nominations for best theatre choreographer, WhatsOnStage Award for best choreography, Stage Debut Award for best creative West End debut and the Off West End “OFFIE” award. Born in Canada to proud immigrant parents, Fabian trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance at the Victorian College of the Arts in Australia. His career spans Australia, Europe, the United States, Asia and London's West End. His choreography can currently be seen in Evita (London Palladium) for the Jamie Lloyd Company. Fabian's website https://www.fabianaloise.com/Evita https://evitathemusical.com/Why Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hormonal fluctuations are a normal part of a woman's life—but for many, they can wreak havoc on our mood, cognition, and overall mental wellbeing. Despite the profound impact hormones can have on our psychological state, the conversation is often overlooked or misunderstood in the workplace.In this episode, we're joined by Caroline Gurvich to explore the powerful connection between hormones and mental health across the lifespan. From PMS to menopause, Caroline will unpack how our biology affects our brain function, emotional regulation, and mental resilience.Caroline's biography:Caroline Gurvich is a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry at Monash University. She is also the Deputy Director of HER Centre Australia, Head of the “Cognition and Hormones Group" and Chair of the Victorian College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. Caroline has over 120 publications that have contributed to a better understanding of cognition in mental health and mental illness.In this episode, we dive deep into answering the following thorny questions.0:00 - Intro02:45 - Caroline's journey to become a clinical neuropsychologist03:45 - What are hormones and how do they affect the brain05:30 - What happened when hormones cause havoc on our bodies10:20 - Are the symptoms of hormone fluctuations the same in normal physiology and when things go wrong12:00 - The impact of contraceptive pills on our mental health14:30 - Do men experience similar effects from hormone fluctuations16:00 - How does menopause impact women in the workplace19:00 - What can women do to navigate the menopause transition more easily25:00 - what can workplace do to support the employee26:00 - how can a male manager support female employees28:32 - how does hormones impact pregnant employees or new mum.33:15 - what is the role of hormone replacement therapy36:45 - what is the role of diet and supplements to improve brain health38:45 - The evidence behind mindfulness and therapy to improve cognition46:00 - Can Menopause have a positive impact on women48:30 - Does hormone fluctuations impact neurodiverse individual differently53:30 - Are individuals with mental illness more vulnerable to menopause55:40 - What is the first step if you are concerned about hormones impacting your mental health58:10 - What is Caroline's one wellbeing practice

Cinema can be furtive and intensely beautiful—and it can leave a viewer craving more. Cinemal is Tessa Laird's passionate inquiry into the desire to write about animals and to write about art, juxtaposing the two and burrowing into the ways that films mimic the majesty, mystery, and movements of animals. Here, Laird is joined in conversation with Giovanni Aloi and Caroline Picard, editors of the Art after Nature series with University of Minnesota Press.Tessa Laird is an artist, writer, and senior lecturer at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Her books include a fictocritical exploration of color, A Rainbow Reader, and a cultural history of bats, Bat, in Reaktion Books' celebrated Animal series.Giovanni Aloi teaches art history, theory, and criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is author or editor of many books on the nonhuman and art.Caroline Picard is a writer, cartoonist, curator, and founder of the Green Lantern Press.EPISODE REFERENCES:The Animal That Therefore I Am / Jacques DerridaDonna HarawayArthur and Corinne CantrillMichael TaussigMonocultures of the Mind / Vandana ShivaWhat Animals Teach Us about Politics / Brian MassumiLen Lye, New Zealand modernist artistSergei EisensteinElectric Animal / Akira LippitBaptiste MarizotUndrowned / Alexis Pauline GumbsSriwhana SpongPraise for the book:“Original, erudite, and playful all in one, Cinemal is not only a joy to read but estranges the very idea of cinema, and therefore of life, in ways wondrous and wise.”—Michael Taussig, Columbia University“A sparkling, engaging book, a virtuosic and thrilling interleaving of experimental cinema, philosophies of the more-than-human, and stories of animal encounters. Celebrating the variety and inventiveness of cinematic experimentation, Tessa Laird calls for us to remake our human senses in order to align better with the needs of the planet.”—Laura U. Marks, author of The Fold: From Your Body to the CosmosArt after Nature is a series edited by Giovanni Aloi and Caroline Picard that explores epistemological questions that emerge from the expanding, environmental consciousness of the humanities.Cinemal: The Becoming-Animal of Experimental Film by Tessa Laird is available from University of Minnesota Press.

Does homeopathy really help?   You will never know if you do not give it a try!   Homeopathy has been a great blessing for me and my family. Joining me today is Louise Bentley and we will be talking about her homeopathy journey, the methodologies in homeopathy, and everything about Miasms and Homeopathic Facial Analysis.   All about Louise: Louise has been practicing homeopathy since 1996. She graduated from the Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy and has been the training and administrative manager since 2001. Alongside her partner, Grant Bentley, she has been instrumental in the development and promotion of the Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) system. This has included the production and editing of the four HFA books, the creation of HFA software, the development and management of the college's three websites and clinical training program, and the management of the college's online training program. She has recently hosted the Advanced Practitioner Course in homeopathy and HFA is now available online.   Check out these episode highlights: 02:06 - How Louise was introduced to homeopathy 03:46 - Methodologies in homeopathy 06:32 - What is Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) 10:53 - The three primary miasms 13:38 - Miasms remedies 22:06 - What does “PANDAS” stands for 25:10 - How much can homeopathy do Tune in to learn more wisdom from Louise! Get The HFA Workbook https://www.amazon.com/HFA-Workbook-Louise-Bentley/dp/B09BYDH444   Sign up to learn about HFA http://vcch.org/   If you would like to support the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast, please consider making a donation by visiting www.EugenieKruger.com and click the DONATE button at the top of the site. Every donation about $10 will receive a shout-out on a future episode.   Join my Homeopathy Hangout Podcast Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelloHomies   Here is the link to my free 30-minute Homeopathy@Home online course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqBUpxO4pZQ&t=438s   Upon completion of the course - and if you live in Australia - you can join my Facebook group for free acute advice (you'll need to answer a couple of questions about the course upon request to join): www.facebook.com/groups/eughom

‘Generous, patient and tenacious’ are the three words Des Flanagan says sum him up and always have. Des is a boy from Beechworth in regional Victoria, who found himself performing in the Moulin Rouge kicking a leg, singing some of the greatest love songs ever written and having the time of his life. In his first lead role in a mainstage show, Des spent two years and 10 months playing the lead male protagonist Christian 657 times. His love for the stage began with little concerts with his siblings curated for their parents, until Des realised that family fun was to become his destiny. What followed was years of study at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, beginning his career in musical theatre. While Des has starred in Neighbours and a few short films, he’s definitely ruled IN doing some great Australian film work in the future. TWO AM I Listen Curiously CREDITS Hosts: Jack Riewoldt and Shane McCurry Thanks to our guest Des Flanagan: To learn more about Des: Des on Instagram Des on IMDB Aran Micheal Management Links from this episode: Moulin Rouge How Des Flanagan learnt he had the role of 2021 Find TWO AM I on social media here: TWO AM I YouTube TWO AM I Instagram TWO AM I Tik Tok TWO AM I LinkedIn TWO AM I LinktreeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A trauma-informed boxing course in Melbourne is helping women who've survived sexual abuse reclaim their bodies and rewrite their stories. Left Write Hook was founded by Donna Lyon - who was herself a survivor of abuse. She'd turned to boxing as a way to channel her anger - but instead discovered its power as a mindfulness practice. She gets participants in the programme to write about their trauma and how it affects them, read to each other in a group before they dive into boxing with a qualified coach. Left Write Hook is now the subject of a documentary of the same name, following one group through the life-changing programme. As well as starring in the documentary, Donna also produced it --she's a filmmaker and academic at the University of Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts. She tells Kathryn it's been a long journey to the premiere of the film.

Send us a textMyfanwy Gullifer is represented by King Street Gallery in Sydney. We had a great time chatting with Myf over Zoom before Christmas while she was at her farm in Walcha, NSW. We discussed her ceramic art practice, the challenges of being an artist, balancing life between the farm and the city, and much more.Thanks Myf. Her show will be later in 2025 at King St. Gallery. 'Myfanwy Gullifer graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne.Myfanwy's upcoming 2025 solo exhibition at King Street Gallery on William will showcase a new series of porcelain works. Please register your interest at art@kingstreetgallery.com for a preview.Her work has been exhibited at the Melbourne Art Fair, the Korean International Art Fair and various regional gallery shows such as Interconnected at New England Regional Art Museum, 2022; Paint my place at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, 2016; and In [two] Art at Maitland Regional Gallery, 2012, which toured across New South Wales.In 2019, Myfanwy was a finalist in Still: National Still Life Award at Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, and in 2016, the same gallery awarded her the Artist in Residence at Moonee Beach.Her work can be found in various public and private collections from across Australia, such as the New England Regional Art Gallery, Tamworth Regional Gallery, the Laverty Collection and the Open-Air Gallery, Walcha, where she lives and works. Notably, in 2010, Newcastle Art Gallery acquired two of her sculptures on behalf of the Les Renfrew Bequest, which were subsequently exhibited in Clash: Contemporary Sculptural Ceramics at Newcastle Art Gallery.King Street Gallery has represented Myfanwy since 2012.' King Street Gallery

Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy   Ph: email admin@vcch.org to book a phone call to you Email: admin@vcch.org Web: vcch.org

Lyra Caltabiano is a Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, and producer known for her unique blend of pop and electronic sounds with indie influences. Inspired by artists like David Bowie and St. Vincent, she began her musical journey at six with piano, later picking up the double bass at twelve. Lyra studied at the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Polytechnic, earning a Bachelor of Songwriting and Music Production. After a break in 2017 for mental health, she returned to music with renewed creativity. As a transgender woman, her work reflects her personal journey, adding authenticity to her artistry.In honor of Trans Awareness Month, we are reminded of the importance of elevating the voices and stories of the trans and gender-diverse communities. This November, Queering The Air will focus its programming on TGDNB (Trans, Gender Diverse, Non-Binary) topics, featuring a range of guests who will engage in essential discussions about identity, migration, and belonging. Lyra Caltabiano Website for Upcoming Gigs and Song Releases  

In this episode of Stronger Sales Teams, Ben Wright continues his insightful discussion with Cameron Schwab, a transformational leader and the driving force behind Design CEO. Cameron delves into essential themes such as the significance of a personal leadership brand and the pivotal role of accountability in enhancing team performance. He introduces the concept of “Lift, Shift, Challenge,” which provides a structured methodology for nurturing connection, improving capabilities, and developing character within teams. Cameron underscores the importance of defining reality and instilling hope as fundamental leadership strategies that can facilitate sustained growth and resilience, even amid adversity. About the Guest: Cameron Schwab is a prominent figure in sports management, widely recognised for his tenure as CEO of several AFL clubs, including Melbourne, Richmond, and Fremantle. He began his career as a recruiter for the Melbourne Football Club and made history as the youngest CEO of an AFL club at just 24 years old. Beyond his impressive achievements in sports, Cameron is also a talented artist currently pursuing Fine Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts. Additionally, he founded Design CEO, a consultancy dedicated to leadership and team development, showcasing his commitment to fostering effective leadership in various contexts. Key Takeaways: Establishing a personal leadership trademark that guides your behaviour and decision-making can significantly influence your effectiveness as a leader. Using the framework of storytelling (Lift), implementing actionable ideas (Shift), and challenging oneself (Challenge) fosters a culture of accountability and performance. Successful leaders define the current reality with clarity and offer actionable hope to inspire progress and resilience within their teams. Techniques such as Cameron's "Easy, Tiger" mantra can help leaders maintain composure and make thoughtful decisions under pressure. Simplifying complex situations and focusing on core priorities ("Simplify", to "Amplify") can help drive meaningful and impactful actions. Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 0:58 Guest Introduction 3:39 Leadership Trademarks 11:15 Lift, Shift, Challenge 15:02 How to Apply Life, Shift, Challenge 16:11 Where to Start As A Leader of A Business 19:58 Guest Socials 21:32 Outro Rate, Review, & Follow If you're liking what you're hearing, make sure you ‘follow' the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode!I'd also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you're liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.

In this episode of the Stronger Sales Team Podcast, host Ben Wright explores the complex realm of leadership and team management with Cameron Schwab, a distinguished figure in the Australian Football League (AFL) and an accomplished corporate leader. Cameron offers valuable insights drawn from his extensive career, which included several challenging roles as CEO of various AFL clubs. The conversation centres on the fundamental attributes of leadership, the necessity of maintaining self-composure in challenging circumstances, and the significant influence of personal integrity and awareness in navigating teams through adversity. About the Guest: Cameron Schwab is a prominent figure in sports management, widely recognised for his tenure as CEO of several AFL clubs, including Melbourne, Richmond, and Fremantle. He began his career as a recruiter for the Melbourne Football Club and made history as the youngest CEO of an AFL club at just 24 years old. Beyond his impressive achievements in sports, Cameron is also a talented artist currently pursuing Fine Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts. Additionally, he founded DesignCEO, a consultancy dedicated to leadership and team development, showcasing his commitment to fostering effective leadership in various contexts. Key Takeaways: Cameron Schwab highlights a technique where he writes down what each moment in a negotiation or a meeting requires from him, focusing on traits like calmness, humility, kindness, and bravery. Leadership is about managing the most challenging and ambiguous situations effectively, not just about fulfilling a role. The impact of having strong, insightful support systems—like family or mentors—during tough times can profoundly affect a leader's performance and mindset. Building relationships that combine personal integrity with insightful advice can create meaningful, productive support networks. Maintaining a balance between professional demands and personal wellbeing is crucial for sustained leadership effectiveness. Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 0:58 Guest Introduction 3:35 Players are Leaders 7:10 What The Situation Requires From Me 13:26 Having Good People Around You 23:29 Guest's Socials 25:24 Outro Rate, Review, & Follow If you're liking what you're hearing, make sure you ‘follow' the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode!I'd also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you're liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.

If you would like to support the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast, please consider making a donation by visiting www.EugenieKruger.com and click the DONATE button at the top of the site. Every donation about $10 will receive a shout-out on a future episode. Ep 55: Homeopathic Facial Analysis with Grant Bentley Grant Bentley is from Melbourne, Australia and has been working and studying in various fields of natural therapies since 1987. Grant is a qualified Homeopath and Naturopath and has studied Clinical Hypnosis and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Eriksonian Psychotherapy. Grant is the current principal and senior lecturer of the Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy (1995 – current).  The Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy led by Principal Grant Bentley has been clinically trialing the relationship between facial structure and successful chronic prescribing since 2000. Graduating practitioners use facial analysis with every chronic case. Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) produces consistently successful results using Hahnemannian concepts of homeopathy with a miasmatic diagnostic (facial structure). Trials have been conducted in the private clinics of Grant Bentley and a number of Melbourne based VCCH graduates. Trials have also been undertaken at community clinics located at both Remedy Group (Lilydale, Rowville) and the Orwil St Community House (Frankston). Consistent results of 80%+ across numerous chronic diseases  have occurred. This system doesn't treat specific diseases but treats the patient energetically, allowing their own innate healing abilities to work in synchronicity with their body, immune system and emotions.The clinics have been used to determine a link between facial structure and miasmatic classification of polychrests. From this research Grant Bentley has devised a method known as Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) which he has been teaching to both undergraduate and postgraduate students around the world.

Welcome to Season 3 of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai! Adrian Francis is the filmmaker behind the powerful documentary Paper City, exploring the impact of the firebombing of Tokyo in 1945 and the ongoing struggle for it to be acknowledged and remembered. Adrian was brave enough to come on the show at a point where he has not figured out his next steps yet. I thought this was an opportunity not to be missed: to hear from someone in the midst of a transition after completing a major project. If you are also going through a period of transition and haven't got it all figured out, I think you will find much solace and inspiration in this episode. All those questions? Those hard to grasp ideas and concepts that feel so murky right now? Totally normal…in fact, an essential part of the process!If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. In this episode you'll hear:How Adrian came to make a film about the firebombing of TokyoWhat happens when you finish a project that has been the main focus of your lifeHow you can find meaning for your next challengeFlashing forward and backward in our lives to see what our values are independent of current circumstancesAbout AdrianOriginally from Australia, Adrian Francis has lived in Tokyo for 17 years, working as a teacher, writer, and documentary filmmaker. He majored in documentary film at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University. Francis directed the award-winning documentary short, Lessons from the Night, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. He was invited to participate in the Berlinale Talents program at the Berlin Film Festival, where he began developing the project that would become Paper City—his first feature-length film. Paper City premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2021 and has screened theatrically in Japan, and internationally at festivals and through Al Jazeera's Witness series. It has won numerous awards, including the Audience Award at the Tokyo Documentary Film Festival, an ATOM (Australian Teachers of Media) Award for Best History Documentary, and Best Emerging Director at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. He recently gave a TEDxWasedaU talk on the bombing of civilians, Paper City: Memory, Forgetting, and the Firebombing of Tokyo. Most recently, Adrian has become interested in what we can do to take climate change action.Things mentioned in the episode:Paper City Screening:March 1-7 at Eigakan StrangerScreening daily at 11:20 (with English subtitles)3 Chome-7-1 Kikukawa, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0024https://stranger.jp/movie/2541/TEDxWasedaU Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFr3U3bbuMgConnect with Adrian and find out more about Paper City:Paper City Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papercitytokyo/Paper City Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/papercitytokyoPaper City X: https://twitter.com/papercitytokyoPaper City Website: papercityfilm.comAdrian's Instagram:

Welcome to the 101st episode of The Common Creative podcast!  In this week's episode, we sit down with Nick Jaffe, a multifaceted individual who embodies the ethos of not just creative thinking, but also creative execution. With a diverse array of experiences under his belt, Nick has ventured into solo sales across the globe, established successful businesses centered around Canvas and leather products, and delved into philosophical realms of thought. Nick wears many hats - he's a freelance photographer, filmmaker, sailor, overlander, craftsman, and a writer. Currently he is based in Tasmania, Australia and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts. Join us as we explore Nick's fascinating journey and glean insights into his unique approach to creativity and life.  Tune in now! LINKS: Nick Jaffe - Special Guest  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nick_jaffe/                    https://www.instagram.com/kohuttco/                    https://www.instagram.com/thetinlantern/ Twitter  - https://twitter.com/hellojaffe Website -  http://www.nickjaffe.com.au/ Paul Fairweather - Co-host https://www.paulfairweather.com Chris Meredith - Co-host https://www.chrismeredith.com.au Two Common Creatives https://www.twocommoncreatives.com/podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Debicki joins In the Envelope: The Actor's Podcast to discuss her journey to Hollywood success, from training at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne to learning on-camera acting from Baz Luhrmann and playing Princess Diana on ‘The Crown.' --- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage's podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today's most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ Follow Backstage and In the Envelope on social media: - https://www.facebook.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/backstage - https://www.twitter.com/intheenvelope - https://www.instagram.com/backstagecast Looking to get cast? Subscribe here: www.backstage.com/subscribe Browse Backstage casting listings: https://bit.ly/3mth68e Check out our community-driven virtual programming, The Slate: https://bit.ly/2WDNXf0 Backstage stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement: https://bit.ly/3cuMBt5 Special thanks to... - Host: Vinnie Mancuso - Producer: Jamie Muffett - Social media: Karen Jenkins - Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins - Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Oriella St. Louis

In this episode, Adam and Budi speak with Master Clown Fabio Motta.Fabio Motta is an award-winning performer, clown, and teaching artist who has performed and devised theatre in Australia, Italy, and the United States. He has trained and is a graduate of international arts institutions including The Academia Teatrale Veneta (Italy) and HB studio in New York and has worked with renowned artists and teachers such as Carol Rosenfeld, Larry Moss, Lyndsey Davies, Austin Pendleton, Philippe Gauliere, Zack Fines and Giovanni Fusetti. Working extensively as an actor in Australia and abroad with companies like the Australian Shakespeare Company, Born in a Taxi, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and The Russian Arts Theatre, he also has multiple TV and film credits to his name including Ronny Chang International student, Utopia season 4, Carla Cametti PD, Canal Road, Apparitions, Slant and Little Tornados. His critically acclaimed solo show SPOT had a sold-out season in 2021 at Theatre Works and raving reviews in his return season in 2022 at the Explosive Factory as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Most recently, he has received a Green Room Award for 'Best Performer' for his solo show SPOT in 2022.He is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and the regional coordinator for Australia and New Zealand. He is also the artistic director of the Clowning Workshop where he runs ongoing workshops. Fabio has taught at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, HB studio, and the Ume Group (Physical Theatre Ensemble New York) in the United States. In Melbourne, he runs classes in Clowning, Fitzmaurice Voicework®, Mask, and games for theatre as a freelance.He has taught at 16th Street Acting Studio, Brave Studios, The Victorian College of the Arts, St. Martin's Youth Theatre, and The National Theatre Drama School Melbourne.Integrate spiritual practice into your training and unveil the profound, spiritual depths of acting with Budi Miller, an internationally renowned expert in Balinese Performing Arts Training.. Join this transformative workshop where Budi will guide you through his uniquely crafted spiritual acting techniques, honed over 25 years of meticulous research and global actor coaching. Benefit from Budi's extensive experience in training actors for both screen and theatre.

Damien Richardson (born 2 August 1969) is an Australian film, television and theatre actor. Since 2021 he has been a political campaigner promoting an anti-vax agenda. A graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts, Richardson has appeared in a variety of Australian films and television shows, including Blue Heelers, McLeod's Daughters, Redball, The Hard Word, Rogue, Conspiracy 365 and Wentworth. He and co-writer Luke Elliot won the Best New Comedy-Drama award at the Melbourne Fringe Festival for their play The Belly Of The Whale. One of Richardson's best-known roles is Detective Matt Ryan in the crime drama City Homicide, which he played from 2007 until 2011. Since 2012, Richardson has starred as Drew Greer in the Jack Irish television films and subsequent 2016 series. He played Gary Canning in the soap opera Neighbours from 2014 to 2020. In 2021, Richardson quit acting to launch a failed bid to gain a seat as an independent in the Victorian state senate.

Anthony Yangoyan was born in Sydney, where he grew up in Sydney's inner west. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from The Victorian College of the Arts.  In 2019, Anthony co-wrote and performed in a new work titled ‘Tiger Cage' at The Victorian College of the Arts student run Discord 879 Festival. Anthony aims to create work that promotes both inclusion and diversity amongst the acting industry and is passionate about working with fellow creatives to communicate meaningful and intricate stories. Over the course of his career, Anthony has played a part in multiple productions including: for Griffin: Dogged (for which he was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award) and an acclaimed performance in Jailbaby; for Sydney Theatre Company/STCSA: The Dictionary of Lost Words; for ATYP: A Clockwork Orange; for Red Line Productions/Critical Stages: King of Pigs. Anthony has also featured in Play in a Day for Bell Shakespeare. Other stage credits include: for Company Clan: The Shape of Things; and for VCA: A View from the Bridge, The Cherry Orchard, The Comedy of Errors, Doctor Faustus, Mad Forest. Anthony also worked on the original web series Frank's Patch where he played the lead role of Frank. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

In this episode, we kickstart our 3rd Annual Audio New Play Festival with return playwright, Frazer Shepherdson, to talk through his audio play, Firespeak.Frazer (he/him) is an actor and theatre-maker who has trained with multiple, internationally recognized institutions including the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the Victorian College of the Arts. Frazer has garnered many performance credits across screen and stage. Most recently he played Kostya in La Mama Theatre's production of 'The Seagull' (dir. Bagryana Popov). He has written, directed, and produced two original audioplays; ‘Whale Song' and ‘Firespeak', for the Theatre of Others audio-play festival. Both works received artistic grants. "Frazer has a very organic and considered approach to his work. He is an excellent team player exhibiting a capacity and sensitivity to tune into the work of the ensemble and bigger picture storytelling." - Daniella Farinacci, 2021Support the showPlease help us send BRIGHT LIGHT BURNING to COP28 in Dubai. Support us on our GoFundMe FundraiserIf you enjoyed this week´s podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. To submit a question: Voice- http://www.speakpipe.com/theatreofothers Email- podcast@theatreofothers.com Support the Theatre of Others - Check out our Merch!Show Credits Co-Hosts: Adam Marple & Budi MillerProducer: Jack BurmeisterMusic: https://www.purple-planet.comAdditional compositions by @jack_burmeister

Richard Roberts is an award-winning designer and educator. His body of work spans theatre, ballet, opera, musical theatre, and film, across Australia and internationally. Richard is currently Head of Design and Production at the Victorian College of the Arts.  He has held positions as Head of Design at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Head of Production at The Victorian College of the Arts and Head of Design at The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Richard's designs for opera include: for Opera Australia, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, The Magic Flute and Die Fledermaus (with West Australian Opera); for Victorian Opera, Parsifal, Cunning Little Vixen; Nixon In China, The Magic Flute, Baroque Triple Bill, The Marriage Of Figaro; The Corronation Of Poppea and Don Giovanni; for Opera Queensland, Ruddigore; and for New Zealand Opera, Seattle Opera, and Philadelphia Opera Rigoletto. For dance, Richard's designs include: for Australian Ballet, Don Quixote, Requiem, Molto Vivace and Raymonda; La Sylphide and La Fille Mal Gardee for West Australian Ballet and Queensland Ballet. For theatre, Richard's designs include: for Queensland Theatre, Othello, The Sunshine Club, Death Of A Salesman, Noises Off (with MTC), Much Ado About Nothing, Tartuffe and Managing Carmen (with Black Swan); for Ensemble Theatre, Black Cockatoo; for TML, Fiddler On The Roof; for Melbourne and Sydney Festivals, The Season national tour; for Melbourne Theatre Company, Last Man Standing, Solomon And Marion, Next To Normal, The Gift and Frost/Nixon, Macbeth, Dreams in an Empty City, As You Like It, Hedda Gabler, The Sapphires, All My Sons; for Sydney Theatre Company, Australia Day(with MTC), True West, Riflemind; for Black Swan, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Glengarry Glen Ross; for Belvoir, The Sapphires (with Black Swan). For screen, Richard's work includes production design for George Ogilvie's The Battlers for the Seven Network, the 12-part series Five Times Dizzy for SBS and I Own The Racecourse for Barron Films. Richard has designed the Operatic adaptation of Jane Harrison's The Visitors for Victorian Opera, currently playing The Arts Centre in Melbourne. For Opera Australia's Summer season he is Design Consultant for the Mozart Opera's Idomeneo and The Magic Flute. The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

Once the ‘enfant terrible' of Aussie TV, Tania Lacy soon became ‘enfant unemployable' for being too mouthy. Fortunately for Tania, women are quite ‘in' right now and so she's decided she can be ‘enfant anything she f*cking wants'. Tania Lacy's career has been one big adventure. After attending the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts School of Dance she choreographed and danced with Kylie Minogue - by the way, that's her in the Locomotion clip. After being spotted on pop show (and Aussie TV institution) ‘Countdown' the producer asked her to audition for a new show. That show was 'The Factory' and it made her a household name. Then came Countdown Revolution with Mark Little, award winning short films, stand-up, she's an actor, written for film and television and has two novels on the shelves. Tania believes her rather unusual career trajectory has given her a unique view of the world and taught her anything is possible.Find Tania at:https://www.facebook.com/tania.lacyhttps://www.instagram.com/tanialacy/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-c93W49yk98pctPd7HbJNgTOUR DATES https://tanialacy.com/Become a "Men Brain Member" and get:*over 50 archive interviews via your own private RSS link*early access to our FILMED interviewsGo to https://www.patreon.com/menbrainpodcast or click the LinkTree for ALL for YouTube videos, live comedy dates, socials, contact Producer Paul and everything else https://linktr.ee/MenBrain  Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Fenton is a contemporary dance theatre artist. Born in Tasmania, he completed a Master of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2017 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at Queensland University of Technology in 2010. His masters explored the process of creating and crafting contemporary dance theatre through his SITCOMS task based improvisation practice.Joel received a JUMP mentorship in 2013, where he was mentored by Shaun Parker. This mentorship has been ongoing with Joel currently developing his skills in the roles of Project Coordinator, Tour Manager and Rehearsal Director for Shaun Parker & Company.Since joining the company in 2015, Joel has performed in KING, Happy as Larry, Trolleys, Hover, The Box, Axle & Spin, touring extensively across Australia and internationally to Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Austria and Germany.Joel has also performed, taught or choreographed for Tasdance, Devize Co, Brand X, Lyric Opera, Phluxus2Dance Collective, QL2, Stompin, Arts Tasmania and several independent artists.Joel was Artist in Residence at University of Tasmania in 2018 and undertook an Arts Tasmania Education Residency at Launceston College in 2019.He produced Summer Solo Series in Melbourne 2012-14, Tasmanian Solo Series in Launceston 2020 and The Dance Photography Exhibition in Brisbane 2010.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

Born in Australia, Nicholas McRoberts studied piano, composition and conducting at the Melbourne Conservatory, the Victorian College of Arts, the CNSM in Paris and the Ecole Normale. He studied conducting with Robert Rosen, Jorma Panula and Dejan Savić.Today he is based in France. His works include operas, symphonies, ballets, voice, piano and chamber works.His Symphony No. 1 “From the Old World” was premiered by the Sofia Philharmonic on the 27th of August 2022 with the composer conducting. His "Adagio for Strings" was commissioned for the Nürtinger Chamber Orchestra and first performed on November 14, 2021, conducted by Friederike Kienle. It was written during the Covid lockdowns and recorded with the Janaček Philharmonic in March 2021. The French première was given by the Ensemble Orchestral de Biarritz, conducted by Yves Bouillier in July 2022. In September 2019 he was named conductor of the Orchestre Démos du Grand Verdun with the Philharmonie de Paris. In 2018 he was named artistic director of Opéra Montmartre in Paris. In 2017 he collaborated with the French choreographer Nawel Oulad on a ballet Les Tisseuses de Silence and a duo Femme au Piano for the Semaine de la Danse in Paris which were performed in the Festival Les Aliennes and the Festival Appel de la Lune. His Violin Concerto was recorded in 2017 with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. His operas include "Lyon" (2016) premiered by the Ruse State Opera in July 2016, and "Nera" (2017) adapted from the play "Devojka Modre Kose" (The Girl with the Midnight Blue Hair) written by the Serbian playwright Vida Ognjenović. His composition "Festival Fanfare" was the recipient of the 2002 OpenBook Award for Sacred Music. His works are published by Halcyon Publications in Paris.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

On this episode of Pop Life, Kendall Phillips has the pleasure of speaking with Australian musician WILSN. Born Shannon Busch in Gippsland before the family moved to Geelong and then Melbourne, WILSN studied jazz at the Victorian College of the Arts where she obtained a Bachelor of Music. Here debut album Those Days Are Over, was released earlier this year.WILSN shares at what age she knew she had a gift for music, early performances in Australia, and the influence of music from the United States.Have a questions or an idea for a future episode? Connect with on Twitter and Instagram to let your voice be heard.Want more Pop Life? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for automatic delivery of new episodes.

BONNIE BROWN is a Franco-Australian concert pianist. As a soloist and collaborative musician she has performed across Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, in prominent music festivals and performance venues, including Wigmore Hall, London, the Sydney Opera House, Australia, on Broadway, New York, across France, as well as with Australia's leading orchestras and on the radio internationally.​At the invitation of the French Government, in 2008 Bonnie Brown was Australian Artist in Residence at the Cité internationale des arts, Paris. To assist with her performance research in Europe, she was the recipient of over 20 grants and scholarships. These include, from France, the 2nd Prize internationally from the Fondation Nadia et Lili Boulanger (Paris) for 2009-2010, and from Australia, the prestigious Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, the Australia Council for the Arts Project Fellowship, to name a few (full list of prizes a and scholarships here)​Her mentors and teachers include celebrated concert pianist Cristina Ortiz (2008-2018), renowned French pedagogue and concert pianist France Clidat (2008-2012) and her assistant Paul Blacher at the Ecole normale de musique de Paris, Professor Alexandr Satz (2003-2004) at the Universität für music und darstellende kunst, Austria and Professor Ronald Farren-Price A.M., Australia. She holds the Diplôme supérieure d'enseignement (6ème niveau) from the Ecole normale de musique de Paris, as well as a Master of Music (performance) from the University of Melbourne, Australia, which she completed with a full post-graduate scholarship. She attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in Melbourne, Australia where she graduated Dux of the school, her exceptional results at the end of her schooling afforded her a full scholarship for her undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne. In 2018 Bonnie Brown founded Concerts sans frontières, an international chamber music series for which she is also artistic director, which launched at the Australian Embassy in Paris. Biography https://www.bonniebrownpiano.com/biographyExamples of my work as a concert pianist https://www.bonniebrownpiano.com/watch-listenInformation about my work as a teacher https://www.bonniebrownpiano.com/teaching-experience-1Support the show

This week on A Voice and Beyond, we are so honoured to have Tyran Parke as our special guest. Tyran is an award-winning singer, actor, director and recording artist. Since graduating from WAAPA in 1999, Tyran has played some of the truly great roles written for music theatre, all of which have received stellar reviews. He is currently the Head of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), the Executive Producer of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival and the Artistic Director of Clovelly Fox Theatre Company.In today's episode, Tyran talks frankly about the Music Theatre industry from his own personal and professional perspective as someone who has performed, written, workshopped, directed, taught in the theatre industry and has creatively consulted all over Australia and in NZ for many years. It is a not to be missed episode, especially for anyone who is currently involved in the performing arts in a creative role, or is a student, an emerging performer, teacher, or who simply loves theatre. Tyran Parke shares so many pearls of wisdom for all to learn from. So without further ado, let's go to today's episode.In this Episode0:00 - Introducing Tyran Parke15:18 - Finding the best idea in the room21:23 - The greatest piece of advice he has ever been given31:26 - Checking in with yourself and your biases44:02 - What is the number one mistake people make in auditions?50:13 - How the mega-musical has changed the sound of musical theatre.1:02:30 - Why do we have sensitivity readers for productions?1:12:23 - Advice for those who want to get into the performing arts industry.Find Tyran onlinewww.tyranparke.comAustralian Musical Theatre FestivalFor more go to https://drmarisaleenaismith.com/98Like this episode? Please leave a review here - even one sentence helps!Follow me on Instagram.

We had the pleasure of interviewing WILSN over Zoom video!Australian vocal powerhouse WILSN is thrilled to announce her debut album, Those Days Are Over, out February 3 on Ivy League Records/Universal MusicAustralia (Rolling Blackouts C. F., Hatchie). She also revealed a US headline tour (dates below), following her run with Allen Stone. A fusion of pop, soul, Motown and jazz both classic yet contemporary, WILSN's unbelievable voice & honeyed sound on the record are showcased on single & video debuted today on Under the Radar – “Hurts So Bad” featuring Josh Teskey, lead singer of award-winning Melbourne blues-rock band The Teskey Brothers (even Chris Hemsworth is a fan). Built from a trumpet melody by friend & acclaimed horn player Billy Aukstik (Mark Ronson, Erykah Badu, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley), the heart-wrenching break-up song is accompanied by a video from Triana Hernandez, where the masterful performers are in full flight. “Right before Covid hit, I toured through Europe and the UK with The Teskey Brothers,” WILSN explains. “I was already a fan before this but seeing their show every night and occasionally getting up to sing with them in their set really solidified my love for the band. Josh is one of my favourite singers in the world and I feel super lucky he's singing with me on my debut record.”Studying at Melbourne, Australia's prestigious Victorian College of the Arts and playing shows there, WILSN – real name Shannon Busch - was soon noticed by international publishing juggernaut Pulse Music Group (Kehlani, Yebba) / Native Tongue (Courtney Barnett, Aldous Harding) - even going on to play the Melbourne Grand Prix. She briefly moved to Nashville to work with GRAMMY-winning writers, which helped hone her craft for this full album.The influence of soul and powerhouse vocal divas loom large over her debut album, Those Days Are Over. Songs like “If You Wanna Love Me,” “Tell Me” and “Hurts So Bad” ooze with the sound, feel and all the emotion of classic soul. Yet while the album is steeped in the sounds of yesterday, WILSN and her partner and producer Stephen Charles (Blessed, Tyne James Organ) took care to balance those classic elements with modern production techniques, leaning on Charles' background in hip hop production to amplify the grooves, dialing up the bottom end and keeping a modern excitement in the mix to make sure the record stood up sonically to contemporary releases. The result is a masterful work, at once timeless and of the now. The album will also be on Apple Music Spatial Audio and vinyl via Vinyl Me Please.We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #WILSN #TheTeskeyBrothers #ThoseDaysAreOver #NewMusic #zoomListen & Subscribe to BiB https://www.bringinitbackwards.com/follow/ Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod

Spencer Lai is an artist, writer, curator and DJ in Melbourne. They have exhibited extensively at both artist-run and commercial spaces within Melbourne and internationally. They graduated from the Victorian College for the Arts (BFA with Honours) in 2014. Working across multiple forms and formats, including sculpture, installation, curation, writing, drawing, Spencer's practice produces associative meaning from a range of accumulated materials that are worked into assemblages, installations and exhibitions. These materials often include text, found objects, design elements or images from consumer cultures, lifted from thrift stores, replicated, or traced or by chance encounters. As well as these object based assemblages they produce expanded paintings, often making grotesque use of cut coloured felt, coloured pencils and printed textile offcuts. The resulting outcomes of their practice are rarely singular or stand-alone objects - rather, their identities are intentionally constructed from multiple references, works, as well as contributions from other artists, sometimes resulting in the form of curatorial group exhibitions. Besides Spencer's work as an exhibiting artist, their work as both a DJ and gallerist attests to their commitment to fostering community and contributing to the formation of a cultural scene. Upcoming exhibitions include a curated group exhibition at Inge, NYC and solo presentations at Neon Parc & Asbestos, Melbourne, 2023. Recent exhibitions include: Academy for the Sensitive Arts, Theta, NYC; Oriental Painting., Neon Parc, Melbourne; up the hill in my city shoes with Allan Rand, off-site location, Melbourne; A Patience Game with Jürgen Baumann at Holden Garage, Berlin; buddhaminefield., Ge Hinnom Small Group Love, London. The book mentioned is Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh. Academy for the Sensitive Arts, 2022 Installation view form: egg (army green), 2022 Powder coated steel, foam core, acrylic spray paint, rubberised spray paint, synthetic felt, beads, sequins 68.5 x 47 cm (27 x 18.5 in) form 010 (Princess II), 2022 Resin, spray paint, vintage beaded trim, synthetic fabric trim, butterfly 50 x 14.5 x 14.5 cm (19.68 x 5.70 x 5.70 in)

There is something mesmerising about Fred Fowler's paintings. The multitude of small, colour-filled shapes scattered across a monochrome background raise a lot of questions. Is that a pink cat? A cactus? An alien? Next to a mobile phone tower? Are they related? Other amorphous elements seem purely abstract but still somehow evoke a response; a memory, an emotion. The viewer is taken into an alternate space where objects might be floating or fixed but often not identifiable. Ultimately it's a sensory experience which demands multiple viewings so it's not surprising that these works fly off gallery walls in sell-out shows. Fred's work is held in the National Gallery of Australia and, although his roots are in graffiti art and graphic design, as soon as he began his studies at the Victorian College of the Arts it became clear to him the direction he should take. In this interview he talks about that transition, the artists who have influenced him and the thoughts behind his work, openly sharing the struggles and doubts. It was a revealing and enjoyable conversation.  Fred is represented by Sophie Gannon Gallery and Jan Murphy Gallery. To hear the podcast interview click on play beneath the above feature photo. A short Youtube video of Fred in his Melbourne studio will be uploaded to the Talking with Painters YouTube channel in the coming weeks. Photo supplied by the artist Upcoming shows Solo show at Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne, 2023 Links Fred Fowler website Fred Fowler on Instagram Fred Fowler at Jan Murphy Gallery Fred Fowler at Sophie Gannon Gallery Banksy 'The Element of Crime', Lars von Trier 'Cut Piece' - Yoko Ono Francis Bacon Ramellzee (YouTube documentary) 'In the Making, artist series' which includes part of Fred's video work 'Plc Ntrvw' Digital work 'Samizdat 4' (cropped) 2021 as appears on Instagram 'Mooloomba Rd, Point Lookout' (2020), synthetic polymer paint and oil paint on wood panel,  90 x 100cm   'In this sunset' (2021), synthetic polymer paint on wood panel, 100 x 90 cm 'Overgrown' 2020, synthetic polymer paint and oil paint on wood panel, 100 x 90 cm 'Tarkine (study)' (2019), oil paint and gold leaf on wood panel, 70 x 60 cm 'Above Cylinder Beach' (2018), oil stick on wood panel, 60 x 70cm Still from 'Samizdat 4' 2021, digital, looping See video on Instagram (cropped) here Dimensions: 1078 × 606 Duration: 0:15 Blockchain: Ethereum 'Cultural amnesia (Liquid State)' 2012, spraypaint and synthetic polymer paint on wood panel, 100 x 130cm

Sugarbag is a one-person radio play centered around the story of a young adult farmer living in outback Queensland. Set in a future where a combination of tightened pressure on international agricultural trade, growing populations, and the monopolization of vast farming industries has led to overfarming and a lack of regard for the welfare of the country. Sugarbag is a journey that explores the white colonial farming psyche. A world where in order to survive one has to become thick-skinned, rigid, and emotionally defensive. But when, despite all that, the world around you is still falling to pieces, where do you go? What does it take to unravel 200+ years of compression?Written and Performed by James ReiserFeaturing Mark Nannup as JerryComposer | Sound Designer |  Sound Engineer: Jack BurmeisterDramaturg: Steven GaultneyJames Reiser is an Australian writer, performer, and visual artist. Having trained at the Victorian College of the Arts, James integrates spoken word and rhythm in his work. He plays with the textural and kinetic qualities in language to tell stories that otherwise become difficult to articulate. James makes his playwriting debut with Sugarbag after having written and performed Spoken word poetry to the extent of competing in the Queensland final of the Australian Poetry Slam competition. Support the show

In this episode, Adam continues the 2nd Annual Audio New Play Festival with a conversation with the Sydney-based playwright of the upcoming audio play SUGARBAG, James Reiser.James Reiser is an Australian writer, performer, and visual artist. Having trained at the Victorian College of the Arts, James integrates spoken word and rhythm in his work. He plays with the textural and kinetic qualities in language to tell stories that otherwise become difficult to articulate. James makes his playwriting debut with Sugarbag after having written and performed Spoken word poetry to the extent of competing in the Queensland final of the Australian Poetry Slam competition. Mentioned in this episode:The Biggest Estate on EarthThe Cocoon, Melbourne FringeTo submit a question, please visit http://www.speakpipe.com/theatreofothers for voice recording or submit an email to podcast@theatreofothers.com Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwiseIf you enjoyed this week´s podcast, we´d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest in it and make it even betterMusic credit: https://www.purple-planet.comhttp://www.theatreofothers.comSupport the show

The birth of Artificial Body Transplants (ABTs) have broken new ground for cosmetic and plastic surgery, elevating humanity's obsession with perfection and beauty to greater heights.Cici has dreamt of the day she could transfer her consciousness into her dream body, manufactured with all the physical features she's always wanted on herself. But what was once a dream has turned into a harrowing recognition of self-hatred, through the unleashing of repressed memories. In this journey, Cici is forced to come to terms with her body image, and what being beautiful truly means.Written and directed by Raiya BasalamahSound Design & Composition by Jack BurmeisterCastJustin Tan as Dr. OFrazer Shepherdson as TateSyakirah Noble as Cici's mother and SheilaNatalie Linn Titus as RenRaiya Basalamah as CiciBioRaiya Basalamah is a Singaporean artist who has performed in numerous stage productions throughout her actor/theatre training at the School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA) and Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). During that time, she has written devised works that dealt with gender dysphoria, as well as a cultural and religious identity. She has also written poetry that was included in Write the World's ‘Best Of' annual magazine in 2016.When @raiya_writes, she is especially intrigued by the rawness, passion, and mystique behind her personal experiences. The grey areas of life, society, and culture are constantly on her mind, and as a young woman, empowerment and spiritual healing are her greatest ideals. These form the backbone of her writing.*Note: This play deals with body image, and body dysmorphia, and has mentions of fatphobia.Support the show

In this episode, Adam and Budi continue the 2nd Annual Audio New Play Festival with a conversation with the Singapore-based playwright of the upcoming audio play BEAUTIFUL, Raiya Basalamah.Raiya Basalamah is a Singaporean artist who has performed in numerous stage productions throughout her actor/theatre training at School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA) and Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). In that time, she has written for devised works that dealt with gender dysphoria, as well as cultural and religious identity. She has also written poetry that was included in Write the World's ‘Best Of' annual magazine in 2016.When @raiya_writes, she is especially intrigued by the rawness, passion and mystique behind her personal experiences. The grey areas of life, society and culture are constantly on her mind, and as a young woman, empowerment and spiritual healing are her greatest ideals. These form the backbone of her writing.Mentioned in this episode:BBLUndercover AsiaTo submit a question, please visit http://www.speakpipe.com/theatreofothers for voice recording or submit an email to podcast@theatreofothers.com Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwiseIf you enjoyed this week´s podcast, we´d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest in it and make it even betterMusic credit: https://www.purple-planet.comhttp://www.theatreofothers.comSupport the show

Whale Song is an immersive audio play experience that follows characters, SAM and ROCHELLE, and the crew of a research vessel; scouring the near-empty oceans in search of the last whales on the planet. The play is set fifty years from today in a world so badly ravaged by a climate catastrophe, the human race is being forced to evacuate Earth and start again on Mars. Whale Song explores emerging, present-day attitudes towards the unfolding climate crisis and the value of human and animal life on planet Earth. “They're lonely. Imagine being the last person left on Earth, wandering around every day, calling out for someone who isn't there… they won't stop looking though. We wouldn't.”Written and directed by Frazer Shepherdson CAST (In order of appearance): POLITICIAN: Ella FerrisROCHELLE: Isha MenonSAM: Frazer ShepherdsonSAILOR: Miela AnichREPORTER: Jessica LuPROTESTERS: Endrico Botha, Tayla Abbott, Brittany NgADDITIONAL VOICES: Jessica Lu, Ella Ferris, Tayla Abbott, Hugo Gutteridge, Endrico Botha, Justin Tan & Brittany NgComposer | Sound Designer: Jack BurmeisterSound Engineer: Reuben CummingSpecial thanks to the Newport Community Hub and the Cybec Foundation for their generosity and support. Frazer (he/him) is a writer and actor based in Melbourne, Australia. He has trained extensively in performance at several internationally recognized institutions, receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2021, and has worked on a number of professional films, television, and theatre projects throughout his career. At the beginning of 2021, he co-founded the Dirty Twenty Podcast, a live-play Dungeons and Dragons podcast that has seen perpetual growth and a steady rise in popularity since its founding. When Frazer spends time in the real world, it is in a state of curious observation, taking in nature and people's behavior, and using those things to broaden his imagination and repertoire to fuel the continued growth of his career as an artist.You can find Frazer and links to his various projects on Instagram at Frazer Shepherdson (@frazer.shepherdson)Support the show

In this episode, Adam and Budi start off the 2nd Annual Audio New Play Festival with a conversation with the Melbourne-based playwright of the upcoming audio play WHALE SONG, Frazer Shepherdson.Frazer (he/him) is a writer and actor based in Melbourne, Australia. He has trained in performance extensively at several internationally recognized institutions, receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2021. At the beginning of his final year of university, he co-founded the Dirty Twenty Podcast, a live-play Dungeons and Dragons podcast that is returning soon after a hiatus imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. When Frazer spends time in the real world, it is in a state of curious observation, taking in nature and people's behavior, and using those things to broaden his imagination and repertoire to fuel the continued growth of his career as an artist.Mentioned in this episode:Cormac McCarthyBlue PlanetBlood MeridianIsha MenonD&DPebblebrook High School for the Performing ArtsGary ZukavDon Miguel RuizCharles C. Mann's The Wizard and the ProphetThe Carbon AlmanacCOP27 in Sharm El Sheikh EgyptMichael A Singer's Living UntetheredOn Being- Katy Payne In the Presence of Elephants and WhalesTo submit a question, please visit http://www.speakpipe.com/theatreofothers for voice recording or submit an email to podcast@theatreofothers.com Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwiseIf you enjoyed this week´s podcast, we´d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest in it and make it even betterMusic credit: https://www.purple-planet.comhttp://www.theatreofothers.comSupport the show

Does homeopathy really help?   You will never know if you do not give it a try!   Homeopathy has been a great blessing for me and my family. Joining me today is Louise Bentley and we will be talking about her homeopathy journey, the methodologies in homeopathy, and everything about Miasms and Homeopathic Facial Analysis.   All about Louise: Louise has been practicing homeopathy since 1996. She graduated from the Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy and has been the training and administrative manager since 2001. Alongside her partner, Grant Bentley, she has been instrumental in the development and promotion of the Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) system. This has included the production and editing of the four HFA books, the creation of HFA software, the development and management of the college's three websites and clinical training program, and the management of the college's online training program. She has recently hosted the Advanced Practitioner Course in homeopathy and HFA is now available online.   Check out these episode highlights: 02:06 - How Louise was introduced to homeopathy 03:46 - Methodologies in homeopathy 06:32 - What is Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) 10:53 - The three primary miasms 13:38 - Miasms remedies 22:06 - What does “PANDAS” stands for 25:10 - How much can homeopathy do Tune in to learn more wisdom from Louise! Get The HFA Workbook https://www.amazon.com/HFA-Workbook-Louise-Bentley/dp/B09BYDH444   Sign up to learn about HFA http://vcch.org/   Support the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast by making a $5 once-off donation at www.buymeacoffee.com/hangout Join my Homeopathy Hangout Podcast Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelloHomies Here is the link to my free 30-minute Homeopathy@Home online course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqBUpxO4pZQ&t=438s Upon completion of the course - and if you live in Australia - you can join my Facebook group for free acute advice (you'll need to answer a couple of questions about the course upon request to join): www.facebook.com/groups/eughom

Jason Coleman is a legend of Australian Dance. He is a; professional dancer, choreographer, studio owner, agency owner, director, producer and presenter. Jason began dancing at the age of four. At 12 he won a scholarship to the Victorian College of Arts Secondary School in Melbourne. At 16 he attended the Australian Ballet School. This then led to an audition with David Atkins that changed his life. He has sung and danced in 18 Broadway musicals, performed in 27 countries, worked in film and television, and choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian Games.Jason is also well known for his judging role on the television show So You Think You Can Dance Australia. This experience inspired Jason to open his own dance studio Jason Coleman's Ministry of Dance in Melbourne. The studio has grown and developed into a massive space that provides lessons for all ages. This includes an incredible full time course. https://www.theministryofdance.com.au/

An ARIA and APRA nominated songwriter, member of the Music Victoria Artist Advisory Panel and Guild of Screen Composers, Jake Mason is a 20-year quiet achiever of the Australian music industry.Jake's co-write ‘This Girl' (Kungs Vs Cookin' On 3 Burners) which charted at number 1 in 10 countries, has over one billion streams and was the most shazamed dance track worldwide in 2016.Bridging jazz/soul and pop, Jake has released 15 albums and established his own label and studio Soul Messin' Records. He manages the business affairs of Cookin' On 3 Burners.Jake has worked with artists including Tex Perkins, Richard Clapton, Josh Teskey, Kate Ceberano and Eric McCusker and develops the next generation of songwriters through mentoring initiatives including APRA's ‘Melbourne Sessions' and long-term association with Caulfield Grammar.Jake's screen work spans TV (Love Island, A Million Little Things, MacGyver, My Life Is Murder) and advertising/sync – Just Jeans, Westpac (Australia), Peugeot (Europe), Samsung (USA, played at the Superbowl), Vogue, Victoria's Secret and the Ellen Degeneres Show.Jake is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, is deeply engaged with the Victorian music scene and is excited to contribute to the dynamic momentum of Australian music. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.