Brainwaves

‘My drive is to raise awareness of invisible illness, the need for inclusivity, diversity and equality. My motivation is to inspire others facing an invisible or visible illness or disability,’ says mental health advocate, Leah Turton. Leah is on our radio show Brainwaves today. With host Flic Manning, she will discuss her lived experience of mental health struggles and invisible illnesses. We tou...

Jamila Rizvi is a keynote speaker, best-selling author, podcast presenter, and gender equality advocate. She is Deputy Managing Director of FutureWomen — a company that champions gender equity in Australian workplaces through professional development, community and advocacy. Jamila is on our radio show Brainwaves today. With host Flic Manning, she will discuss women’s mental health, and being a wo...

Staying healthy and in shape can be a difficult task for anyone at the best of times, but try keeping trim when you have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Today on Brainwaves we examine what drives people to binge eat with our special guest - writer and poet Isabella Fels. Isabella has since a young age had trouble with her eating habits, exacerbated by her mental health conditions and OCD, but...

Mark is our newest host to join the Brainwaves team. Today he will talk about his role and the mental health tools he uses to support Helpline callers as a Helpline Volunteer Coordinator. 

Welcome to the final show of Brainwaves for 2023.Here we talk a bit about our highlights for the year and some tips and places to go for the Christmas holiday season. Don't be lonely, reach out to places for Christmas lunch or dinner, or just for some company. So join Flic, Cailin and Evan as we recap 2023's best bits and welcome the new members of the team too all ready to go for next year 2024.W...

Indie Guerrieri talks about her work with LifeConnect, a suicide prevention service with a solely lived experience workforce. Indie sheds light on what it’s like to feel suicidal, how we can help others when they are feeling this way, and what we can do to minimise stigma in society around suicide.

The second half of a public lecture by The University of Melbourne’s Contemplative Studies Centre, which brought together leaders from Zen and Insight Buddhist, as well as Islamic traditions to discuss mental health, spirituality and emotional wellbeing. Panellists included Jess Huon, Meditation teacher; Saara Sabbagh, Founding Director and President, Benevolence Australia; Venerable BomHyon Sunim...

The first half of a public lecture by The University of Melbourne’s Contemplative Studies Centre, which brought together leaders from Zen and Insight Buddhist, as well as Islamic traditions to discuss mental health, spirituality and emotional wellbeing. Panellists included Jess Huon, Meditation teacher; Saara Sabbagh, Founding Director and President, Benevolence Australia; Venerable BomHyon Sunim,...

Today on Brainwaves host Suzie Leach talksto Ruth Clare about her recovery from childhood and generational trauma and how you too can transform your life. Ruth is now a motivational speaker, author and presenter who shares her tried and tested recovery methods to support others ‘struggling alone or giving up on themselves because help feels too hard, expensive or out of reach’. To learn more about...

'It’s okay that you’re not coping because it’s normal,’ is what broadcaster, writer and @ABCaustralia 'The Friday Revue' co-host, Jacinta Parsons, would tell her younger self about chronic illness. ‘Understanding what not coping looks like and being comfortable with it.'Jacinta is today’s guest on our radio show Brainwaves. An ambassador for @crohnscolitisau — she will talk about mental health and...

Hello and welcome to Brainwaves. This week we have part 2 of the comedy show and interview I made with Mitchell, Juliet and Rohan. Three comedians practising the art of comedy and involved with Schizy Inc workshops with Nelly Thomas. We explore what it means to be a comedian who may have had lived experience of mental health, but also moving past that what its like to be exposed on stage and feel...

Join us on Brainwaves this week and next week in a two part series as we explore comedy with Mitchell, Juliet and Rohan. They talk about their stand-up comedy routines, how they write their material and some of the beliefs behind their work. Also of course this is Brainwaves so we talk about the mental health system and how its influenced their work and how important comedy and laughter is to surv...

Mimi Kwa joins host Flic Manning on today's show to talk about Intergenerational Trauma, her career as Australia's first Asian-heritage anchor and her best-selling memoir 'House of Kwa' which will soon be a television series. Mimi discusses the mental health and physiological impact of her Father suing her in the Supreme Court of Australia, and how she has taken steps to break the cycle of generat...

Tonight on Brainwaves host Suzie Leach will be speaking with David Ayliffe, a disability buisiness entrepreneur and human rights charity founder, about his mental health journey after surviving a religious cult and living with depression. In this photo is David, John McLean from Humanity in Need and Robert Kasozi - Rainbow Refugees welcoming Robert Kasozi to Melbourne. Robert is a Ugandan refugee...

'People don't understand the amount of work that goes into actually get myself up on that stage,’ says @voyagerau guitarist Simone Dow. Listen to Part 2 of her interview, where Simone shares how she manages chronic illness, being supported by the band and opening-up to fans. She alson discusses what she took away from her time in Eurovision and details of her upcoming tours! Tune in today at 5pm o...

"My chronic pain condition only drives me further to succeed," says guitarist Simone Dow of the prog-metal band @voyagerau (who won ninth place at the @Eurovision 2023 contest). Known as a firecracker on stage, she brings an energy to her performances unmatched by her peers. Simone likens music to a ‘cathartic warm hug’, a source of comfort throughout a long history of physical and mental health c...

Baba Desi is today’s guest, interviewed by our very own Suzie leach, on Brainwaves has come to talk about community and mental health. He is joined by his photographer of two years Pauline Klemm. Baba Desi aka the Belgrave Wizard, a nonagenarian and activist, is a local treasure among residents at the foothills of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. He says engaging and staying active with the community...

Former MasterChef Australia contestant, Aaron Sanders was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease about a decade ago, after being mis-diagnosed as having a parasite. He is now using his social media presence to be an advocate for people living with invisible disease and mental health. Sarah Starkey is a Palliative Care Nurse and a lived-experience ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis Australia. She  and Aaro...

'Over 75% of women living with chronic illness are working,’ and ‘despite all the diversity, equity and inclusion policies – chronic illness is off the radar,’ says women’s leadership coach Michelle Irving. She is today’s guest on our radio show Brainwaves. Michelle will talk about the five stages to keeping the doors open to career advancement and living with chronic illness, and the mental healt...

Today on Brainwaves Evan talks to Tom Polachek, tracing his history from Serbia and his families experience in concentration camps during the war. The impacts it had on him and other things which contributed to his mental health struggles, and the friends and associations he's made at Schizy Inc. to help him recover and manage his health on a daily basis. Tune in to 3CR 855AM on Wednesday at 5:00p...

Tonight on Brainwaves we speak to Professor Adrian Esterman about Long Covid.  @Profesterman, who is a Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at @UniversitySA will share his findings including the risk factors and impact on mental health, today on our radio show Brainwaves with host Suzie. Professor Adrian Esterman has been focused on COVID-19 over the past few years, and his illustrious care...

Paul is today’s guest on Brainwaves where he will talk about how he became a writer and his latest book ‘William Blake,’ which is about the 18-century British artist. Author and poet, Paul Fearne aka @literaryleaves had his first psychotic episode at university, which he documented at the time. He later drew from these experiences in his book ‘Diary of a Schizophrenic’. https://www.barnesandnoble....

Tonight on Brainwaves is our final highlight from the recent 2023 Woodcock Lecture that was proudly hosted by Wellways. We hope you’ve enjoyed the last two talks from Matt Ball and Helena Roenfeld, if you missed them you can find our shows here. Tonights show is the Panel Discussion. Claire Conlon hosted the panel which included, Prof Richard Newton, Matt Ball and Helena Roennfeldt. The panel disc...

This week on Brainwaves we listen to the third part of the 2023 Woodcock Lecture. Today we listen to Helena Rooennfeldft, a lived experience researcher and PhD Candidate, as she shares her findings to address the topic "Being Human: Humane Responses to Distress" 

Today on Brainwaves we will replay some highlights from the 2023 Woodcock Public Lecture. The theme for this years Lecture is Being Human: Humane Responses to Distress. Nurse & Psychotherapist Matt Ball discussed the importance of creating environments where people in distress feel comfortable bringing their 'whole selves' to the fore. Listen to Matt now as he gives his keynote speech.