Brainwaves

Evan talks candidly with Isabella Fels, who shares her experience of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and Schizophrenia. In her traumatic history a light has shown at the end of a long tunnel in Isabella's poetry and writing which she shares some of and also is linked to below. Isabella tells of her poor treatment by her peers in her youth and of her bad living conditions, but also of some of t...

“Through my lived experiences of chronic illness I have become dedicated to a world where no one is shamed for their experience of illness,” says Michelle Irving who mentors women in building a positive relationship with themselves even while living with illness. Michelle gets it. While bed-bound twice in the past decade, she mastered the art of living well while experiencing chronic illness. Toda...

What’s it like being a young person living with a chronic illness and disability, and having to navigate daily life including the dating scene, establishing a career or even partying? Sydney-based writer, reporter, producer, podcaster and illustrator, Chloe Sargeant is penning a memoir on these topics to support other people who are going or have gone through similar experiences. Chloe will share...

Today on our podcast Brainwaves, Anna will discuss her new work with host Flic Manning as they dive into everything from psychosis, mental health discrimination, anxiety and more.“But between therapists’ rooms and emergency departments, there’s been a feeling even harder to explain… optimism,” says Anna Spargo-Ryan in her new memoir ‘A Kind of Magic’.   Anna, who has a lived experience of mental h...

Louisa Pearce, who has a lived experience of schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and dissociative identity disorder, “learned to befriend these experiences” by embracing spiritual practices.  Louisa is founder of The Voice Sanctuary, a private practice that offers alternative spiritual-healing therapies such as narrative therapy and ancient shamanic techniques. It’s where she provides...

‘Ask Annie’ is a mobile education app designed for care workers with practical tips and strategies to better support people living with dementia by Dementia Australia. The app offers short, self-paced learning modules which guides users through a range of scenarios to strengthen their dementia care skills. Today on our show Brainwaves, we chat to Amanda Eddy-Lacey, Learning Designer at Dementia Au...

Today on our podcast show, Michael, who is one of Australia's most distinguished and multi-award-winning researchers, discusses the latest breakthroughs and treatments for Alzheimer’s dementia. Professor Michael Valenzuela is co-founder and CEO of Skin2Neuron (S2N), a creative biotech company for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia. S2N’s regenerative medicine technology is based...

Join U.S.-based Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr. Susan B. Trachman M.D. for part two of our look into unexplained medical illnesses through the lens of psychiatry, brain-gut connection and psychosomatic health conditions, today on our podcast Brainwaves. We also dive further into the connection between nutrition and mental health and how to destigmatise mental health. Susan is a columnist for numerous e...

Today on the show, host, Flic Manning is joined by Dr Susan B Trachman, for part one, of a two-part series about mental and physical health from a Forensic Psychiatrists lens. They chat about the mind-body connection, PTSD, forensic cases, true crime, covid and the brain and more! Dr. Susan Trachman is a practicing psychiatrist with over 30 years of experience and is passionate about exploring med...

On New Year’s Eve 2019, author and writer Zoe Simmons watched her hometown of Batemans Bay, on the southern coast of New South Wales, burn before her eyes during the terrifying Black Summer Bushfires. She shares her stories of survival and experience as a disabled journalist during this time in a new book — and with us today on our podcast Brainwaves. Zoe who is an advocate for mental health, disa...

Today on Brainwaves, host, Flic Manning dives into the important subject of Grief, with her guest Tom Valenta. Journalist, Author of 12-books and advocate, Tom Valenta OAM, lost his wife Marie to Alzheimer’s in 2009, and has two grandsons living with the life-threatening genetic condition, Cystic Fibrosis. His book "Remember Me, Mrs V?" is Tom's heart-wrenching account of Marie's decline through A...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat about mental health related to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with Justin Singh, Crohn’s and Colitis Australia Ambassador, and Disease Mindset Expert, and Sarah Starkey who is living with Crohn’s disease and a permanent ileostomy. Justan, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of two, is using his journey to help raise awareness of all things gut-related,...

Today on Brainwaves, we talk about ‘The Big Anxiety, Melbourne Naarm: A cultural festival of lived experiences’. We chat to its co-directors Jill Bennett, Scientia Professor of UNSW Sydney, and Renata Kokanović, Professor of RMIT University. Comprising a series events and exhibitions, the 3-week festival offers a range of creative and experimental experiences that advance innovations for mental he...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat to writer, poet and philosopher Dr. Paul Fearne about 19th century English Romantic poet Lord Byron — and discuss Paul’s new book simply titled ‘Byron’. Paul will also share his lived experience of schizophrenia, and his thoughts on how suffering can aid creation, and how mental illness can provide the perfect conditions for creativity to arise. Paul’s latest book ‘Byr...

Today on Brainwaves, Suzie chats to Matthew Fluder, Intervention Development Lead at Wellways, about a new fitness program he’s working on to improve mental health. It’s called 'Walking towards Wellness' and looks at using exercise to help people achieve better mental health outcomes.  Matthew will also discuss 'Well Fuelled' which is a Wellways nutrition program that is designed to build practica...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat to Elysia from Fishcare Victoria about sustainable fishing, as well as their new program for people living with disabilities and mental health challenges. She will talk about good recreational fishing practices for enthusiasts of all abilities, and caring for our waterways and marine life. Fishcare is a not-for-profit that is shaping the sustainable future of recreatio...

On the Brainwaves podcast today, host Flic Manning, chats with Peta Hooke. Peta Hooke is the creator and host of "The I Can’t Stand Podcast". She is a thirty-something woman living in Melbourne, with Cerebral Palsy. Peta is a passionate advocate for the disability community through educating on what it is actually like to live with a disability, and is breaking boundaries with media representation...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat about 'Therapised Content' on social media with Ash King, a registered psychologist, writer/designer and founder of Heavy Mental — providing mental wellbeing workshops and courses.  Ash talks about the pro’s and con’s to getting mental health advice from social media, how to navigate social media safely and how it can break down barriers that still exist for a lot of p...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat to Dementia Advocate, and immediate past Chairperson of the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee (DAAC) Phil Hazell. Phil who was diagnosed with young onset dementia at age 55, shares his own experience and journey as an advocate including being one of the first to be partnered with a Dementia Assistance Dog named Sara. The DAAC’s purpose is to elevate the voices of p...

This week on Brainwaves is our Radiothon show, 3CR Community Radio's yearly fundraiser to support the station and the fantastic shows it produces.  Tonight we will be talking about how to Keep Our Community Strong, and the importance community has on mental health. Also meet two of our new volunteers!

Today on Brainwaves, Janel and Frankie, Peer Workers at VMIAC - Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council from last week's show, return to the studio to discuss the importance of the Lived Experience Workforce. They will also talk about how organisations can better support their peer support workers, and a Wellbeing Workshop run by VMIAC for peer workers.  Janel and Frankie run VMIAC's ‘Check In’...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat live in the studio to Janel and Frankie, Peer Workers at the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC). They run the ‘Check In’ program, a peer-based connection and support program for people with lived experience who are finding their current situation difficult. Janel (she/her) has always been passionate in creating safe spaces for people to learn more about...

Today on Brainwaves, we chat to three NewAccess Coaches, Lauren, Luke, and Nicole about how Beyond Blue’s FREE mental health coaching program could help you if you are experiencing low mood, feeling stressed, or overwhelmed. There is no doctor's referral needed either. The coaches talk about how this service, called ‘NewAccess’, is there to help you with whatever is playing on your mind, from work...

Tonight on Brainwaves we will be speaking to Rose Cuff, the executive director of the Satellite Foundation.. She is joined by Melbourne composer, multi-instrumentalist and educator Sierra Verity-Beasley, and Zane and his mum Sam. Zane was recently involved in the Satellite At Home program, which we will be discussing today. During this program Zane worked alongside Sierra to create the song 'FRAGM...