Brainwaves

This week the team talk to Sarah, a volunteer for Wellways Helpline. Sarah shares a little about her lived experience with borderline personality disorder and how DBT therapy has been a part of her recorvery. Sarah also talks about what it's like to volunteer for the Wellways Helpline. Content warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide and self harm. If you or anyone you know is struggling...

This week on Brainwaves we talk to Dr Nic Vogelpoel about Movember and how we can make a difference for men's mental health.

This week on the show, we talked to Australian Lawyers Rob Stary and Marco Man about the medical versus criminal model of reducing harm and costs to families, and society caused by substance abuse and addictions. A big thank you to Suzie for organising today's show, even though she couldn't be with us today.

This week on Brainwaves the team discusses self care, what it is, why it's important, and why we should all use it. 

This week on Brainwaves we talk to Tania de Jong AM from the With One Voice program. We talked about the benefits of singing in a choir and the impacts singing has on mental health.

This week on Brainwaves we have an open discussion amongst the team surrounding resillience and mental health. October 10th is World Mental Health Day and this year the World Health Organisation are focusing on mental resillience in a changing world. Brainwaves is also celebrating its 8th birthday!

This week on Brainwaves, we talked to fellow team member Kirsty on her experience of mental health. She talked about her eating disorder and body dysmorphia, and the various methods of therapy she has utilised in her recovery including CBT, ACT, mindfulness, yoga and self-care. Content warning: this episode contains mentions of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. If you require assistance, pleas...

This week on Brainwaves we talk to Dr Moira Junge from the Sleep Health Foundation for Sleep Awareness Week Oct 1 - 7. We talked about sleep disorders, what constitutes a good night's sleep and how this impacts on mental health. For factsheets on sleep related topics click HERE.

This week on the show, we talked to Australian barrister and political commentator Greg Barns on the My Health Record controvercy. My Health Record is a new digital data system that compiles all health records into one location, accessible by a range of practitioners, organisations and officials within Australia. Greg talked to us about his concerns around security and the potential for discrimina...

This week on Brainwaves, the team talked to David Corduff, mental health advocate and volunteer for beyondblue and Wellways. We talked about a little bit about his experience with depression, his interest in the mental health of men and the stigma surrounding masculinity and mental health. Monday 10th September was World Suicide Prevention Day, a chance to work together to prevent suicide. Followi...

This week on Brainwaves, the team talked to Luke Morris, managing director of the Liptember Campaign, and Jan Chisolm, Women's Foundation CEO at the Centre for Women's Mental Health. Women's Mental Health Week is running from September 3rd - September 7th 2018, coinciding with Liptember, which encourages women to wear a brightly coloured lipstick and raise awareness and funds for women's mental he...

This week on Brainwaves, the team discussed employment and mental health and the WISE Ways to Work program run by WISE Employment. The program is a new initiative that helps people living with mental illness prepare to enter the workforce and supports them throughout their journey to paid employment. Our guests this week were Elena Ashley, program manager at WISE Employment, and Terry Deacon, peer...

This week on the show, we welcomed back Brainwaves volunteer Rebecca. She recently underwent ankle surgery earlier on in the year and has spent the last few months in recovery. She talks about the challenges of recovery and what its been like for her mental health and relationships during this time. 

Today on the show we interviewed Dr Scott Blair-West, a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in anxiety disorders. We discussed what Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is, how it presents itself and the interventions available for those affected by it. We also talked a little bit about the stigma that surrounds OCD and how it can negatively affect individuals. For more information on OCD and o...

Homelessness Week is running from the 6th-12th of August 2018, and this year's theme is "ending homelessness together".On today's show we talk to Hannah, who has experienced homelessness as a result of family situations. We talk about some of the stigma surrounding homelessness and the ways that it can impact upon various parts of an individuals' life. If you are currently experiencing homelessnes...

This week on Brainwaves, the team talked to Charmian about her lived experience of chronic pain and mental ilness. We talked about the various ways chronic pain and the 'solutions' for her pain have impacted upon her life, both physically and mentally, as well as the stigma she experiences as a result of her journey with pain. National Pain Week ran from 23rd - 29th July 2018. To find out more abo...

This week on Brainwaves, the team talked to Dr Malcolm Hogg, pain medicine specialist and board member of Pain Australia. We talked about what acute and chronic pain is, the impact it has on the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals and their families, and the various ways to treat and manage pain. National Pain Week runs from 23rd - 29th July 2018. To find out more about the week head to n...

On tonight's episode of Brainwaves, the team talked to fellow volunteer Andrew on his experience of volunteering for Lifeline, a suicide and crisis support service. Content warning: this show contains discussion about depression and suicide. For support, please contact Lifeline either online through their chat service or on 13 11 14, or Wellways Helpline on 1300 111 500. 

We discuss the first season of the highly criticised Netflix series "13 Reasons Why". The show has come under immense media scrutiny for its portrayal of mental health and suicide. We discuss the parts of the show that don't sit well with us, and express our thoughts on comments from strangers on the internet and mental health organisations as well. This episode of Brainwaves contains major spoile...

Today on the show, we talked to Dr Sunil Bhar, Associate Professor of Psychology at Swinburne University and director of the Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults. We talked about the importance of the emotional wellbeing of older adults, especially those in aged care facilities, and the roles that social connection and counselling play in the wellbeing of older adults. For more information on the Wel...

This week the Brainwaves team caught up with clinical psychologist Dr Ben Mullings. Dr Mullings speaks about his new initiative for better mental health services for all Australians along with the much debated Medicate Rebate Scheme. Tune into this Brainwaves podcast!

On this week's episode of Brainwaves, the team talks to Tim Daly, founder of the Australian branch of This Is My Brave. TIMBA is an non-for-profit mental health organisation that aims to reduce stigma by sharing stories through songs, poetry and stage acts. We talk about how the organisation came about, what a typical TIMBA show involves and the feedback that participants and audience members give...

This week is Radiothon - a chance to support the fantastic work of 3CR and to keep diverse voices broadcasting on air. This year's theme is "Fight For Your Mic", and on the show today the team talked about the importance of giving a voice to people with mental illness on radio and how to go about starting to change the stigma surrounding mental health. Thank you to all those who donated! It's not...

This week on Brainwaves, the team talked to Glenn Cooper, president and founder of That's The Thing About Fishing, a local non-for-profit that helps vulnerable people in the community through fishing trips. Glenn was also joined by volunteer Luke who talked about his experience of getting involved with fishing. To find out more about TTTAF, head to their website or their Facebook page here.

This week on Brainwaves, we talked to artist Montana Kitching, a Melbourne based illustrator who creates art that opens up a dialogue about mental health and insecurities. You can find Montana's work on her instagram or at her website here.