Brainwaves

On today’s show, Matthew Johnstone, author, illustrator, ambassador and creative director at the Black Dog Institute talks about resilience and wellbeing. Matthew discusses his short video “I had a Black Dog…his name was Depression”, the motivation behind the video and the message it conveys. Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc. For more information about the Blac...

Brainwaves members Amber & Lauren attended the VMIAC Consumer Workforce Conference held on Monday and Tuesday the 21st and 22nd of March 2016. The team spoke to Louisa Dent Pearce who presented at the conference about recovery oriented practice and storytelling as recovery.

On today's show, we talk to Sophie Howes from the Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) service. We discuss what the service does, who it can help and your rights as a mental health service consumer. For more information you can visit www.imha.vic.gov.au or call 1300 947 820. 

On today's show, Reid Maxwell, president of the Melbourne Bipolar Network and manager of MindWorks, comes on the show to talk about Bipolar Disorder. In light of World Bipolar Day, March 30th 2016, the team speak about what is Bipolar Disorder, common myths, recovery for individuals with Bipolar and how the community can be more understanding and aware. For those interested in finding out more inf...

This week on Brainwaves, Brainwaves members Chris and Kathy attended the annual VMIAC Consumer Workforce Conference 2016 where they interviewed key note speaker Mary O'Hagan, an initiator of the service user movement in New Zealand, the first chair of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, an advisor to the United Nations and World Health Organization and a Mental Health Commissio...

ADHD is a diagnosis that has been identified in children for decades however only in the last 14 years have clinicians begun to accept that the diagnosis continues into adulthood. On today's show, three young men for whom ADHD has been a part of their adult lives and we hear about how because of their condition they have had to struggle with stigma, treatment, education and relationships.  

Barb Mullen from BPD Community Victoria talks to the Brainwaves team. On today's show Barb discusses Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and explains where the term comes from. She goes on to talk about how BPD stigma and discrimination can be turned into hope and optimism. We finish with how people connected to BPD can get access to the resources offered by BPD community Vic.www.bpdcommunity.co...

Morgan Carpenter, activist and researcher from Organisation Intersex International Australia comes on the show to talk about OII Australia and the intersex community. Intersex people are born with physical sex characteristics that don’t fit medical norms for female or male bodies. Morgan discusses stigma, mental health and supports available for intersex individuals.

Carlo Laruccia is a passionate mental health and wellbeing advocate, and today on the show Carlo talks about his lived experience of mental health, recovery and human connection.

Interview with author of My Happy Sad Mummy about helping children understand the effects of Bipolar disorder in parents.

This week Brainwaves has Felice Jacka on the show, Associate Professor at Deakin University and President of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research and the Australian Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders. Felice discusses her research around the role of diet and nutrition as it relates to mental health disorders. Felice also explains the ways in which people’s moo...

This week, Brainwaves members Daniel and Kathy both chat about their experiences of living with social anxiety. Daniel and Kathy very effortlessly bring to light an experience that many people with mental health issues identify with and help to normalise the experience known as social anxiety.

Consumer consultant/advocate and researcher Alan Pinchez comes on the show to talk about his experience with mental health and how this drove him to join the consumer movement in an attempt to improve services. Alan talks about the value of peer workers and peer support, and the benefits of lived experience.

Phil Pyke, veteran and peacekeeper comes on the show to talk about the experience of mental health issues for peacekeepers upon their return to Australia. Phil talks about the historical and social context of peacekeeping, the consequences of living in war zones and mental health implications for veterans.

Brainwaves hosts a range of guests, Siretti from the organisation In Our Own Words, and Natasha and Heeba, from AFRO Care. In Our Own Words is a grass roots production that encourages the development of young people of Afro decent, those living in the diaspora and those living on the African continent – through Self-awareness, de-colonial thinking and community empowerment. Natasha and Heeba talk...

Guest director Jay Richards comes on the show this week to talk about his documentary Ray of Light. The Ray of Light documentary looks to shine a light on youth anxiety, depression and suicide. The documentary reveals the world of today’s teenagers by openly exploring the issues of schoolyard and social media bullying, depression, anxiety, self- harm and cutting, rejection, social isolation, sexua...

Louisa Dent Pearce shares her Lived Experience and talks about her early episode of mental health issues, exploration into healing and recovery, and giving back to others

This week on Brainwaves, Minto Felix, founding member of Australians for Mental Health and Mental Health Programs Coordinator at Monash University, comes on the show to talk about the national advocacy campaign. Australians for Mental Health, aims to address the chronic shortage of funding and services for mental health in Australia, and help end the stigma and shame associated with seeking help f...

Neil Cole has a long and storied career history. After founding the Flemington Legal Service and working to support the local community for seven years, he then ran for, and won, the seat of Melbourne in federal parliament. In 1993, Neil received a formal diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which was leaked to the public by his political enemies, forcing him to resign his position and be open about his...

Suzanne Hurley, a senior counsellor from PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) comes on the show in light of Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Week (Nov 15-22). Suzanne explains the differences between perinatal, antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression, supports and resources available for people who may be experiencing problems, friends and family, early warning signs and the s...

Dorothy Gilmour (Wheller) is a Grief and Loss counseller and lecturer at Swinburne University. On today's show, Dorothy joins the program to talk about grief following death, different forms of grief and loss and the link between mental illness and grief.