Brainwaves

‘I’m a passionate buyer of all sorts of goodies such as clothes shoes and jewellery but find it difficult to cut down,’ says Isabella Fels who lives with a shopping addiction, and also schizophrenia and OCD [Obsessive Compulsive Disorder].’ Today on our radio show Brainwaves, Isabella shares her story on why she is addicted to shopping relating to her mental health and the pitfalls of being a shop...

Join Flic Manning, Cailin Thompson and Evan Douglas-Smith for 2023 Radiothon to raise money for the 3CR station running costs and programming. We rely on your donations for 3CR to run and provide such valuable service to the community. This year we are recounting some of the favourite moments from the great interviews we've had from Suzie's interview with Robyn on chronic illness, Flic's interview...

We are thrilled to have Tash join us again today, for part two of her interview with Brainwaves host, Flic Manning. In the previous episode (which you can replay on the 3CR podcast page) we touched on Tash's harrowing experience with dismissive medical professionals while dealing with a complex illness; and the depths to which this affects a person's mental health. Today in part two, Tash shares h...

‘There are a million, million invisible stories such as mine out there, and lonely and disconnected voices that go unheard every day. I am almost in a state of disbelief that my tiny unseen story is going to be heard,’ says Tash who lives with chronic illness and disability. Tash is also a self-professed ‘natural born scavenger and manic multidisciplinary crafter’. Pawnsuburbia is the name of her...

‘There aren’t universal words for parents who don’t identify as mum or dad, but there are some pretty wonderful examples out there,’ — You’ll Be A Wonderful Parent, a book of advice and encouragement for rainbow families by trans, non-binary & disabled writer Jasper Peach. Jasper (They/Them) is a speaker and parent, who is passionate about equitable access and inclusion, focused around the dismant...

Fergus Watts' professional AFL career came to a premature end in his early 20s following multiple injuries. While Ferg was initially unsure where to go next and who he was without football, he went on to found Bastion, one of the largest independent marketing agencies in Australia.  Ferg is now the CEO of The Reach Foundation, a not-for-profit dedicated to inspiring young people to be themselves a...

Psychologist and mother of one, Stephanie Fornasier's ‘Psychocinematic Podcast’ was born out her love of movies and tv, and passion to breaking stigma surrounding mental illness and disability. Stephanie, who also has a lived experience of depression and anxiety, is today’s guest on our radio show Brainwaves. She will talk about her own mental health journey, why she became a psychologist and her...

“Fibromyalgia doesn't really work with the hours and lifestyle the music industry demands,” says Cassie Walker who has two decades of experience in the live music scene and music media. From tour management, DJing and interviewing talent, Cassie has worked across most aspects of the music industry. She is also co-host of the music podcast ‘Dug By Us’. She has worked at heavy hitters like TripleM a...

‘Moving one pebble at a time still moves mountains’ is the mantra of Donna Ciccia, Co-Founder and Director of Endometriosis Australia, and a Director at Chronic Pain Australia. Donna initially studied fashion design and business but after battling chronic health conditions, she went on to study Holistic Nutrition and Homeopathy and is currently completing her Master of Research at NICM Western Syd...

In ‘Oh My Rapture’, Gemma White stages the politics of fandom in percussive, edgy and unforgettable poems. White performs intense moments of intimacy and yearning against a backdrop of grief, so that lines such as ‘you dumped me in the psych ward’, ‘you kissed me in Dixons Recycled Music’, and ‘my madness is a burnt orange fox’ become deep entanglements of desire – Cassandra Atherton, Prof Writing...

“I have produced a short graphic novel on my mental health journey and the power of art,” says cartoonist Kylie Steinhart who resides with her partner and 10-year-old daughter. She also lives with the mental health condition schizophrenia.  Kylie is today’s guest on our radio show Brainwaves and will talk about her life experiences that she features in her new book.  Contact Kylie at her Instagram...

Dr Sally Fitzpatrick is a Program Manager at Everymind. She is also a Clinical Psychologist and researcher who is passionate about the prevention of mental ill-health and suicide, as well as the promotion of wellbeing for all Australians. Minds Together is an Everymind program for partners, spouses, family members, friends and colleagues who provide most of the support for people experiencing ment...

“My career has done a lot to exacerbate my natural inclination towards anxiety! But I also see it as a privilege to be able to be a voice for those who aren't heard very often in mainstream media,” says celebrity radio and tv presenter, comedian and columnist Jo Stanley. “For me that specifically means diverse women, and I’m passionate about women’s and girl’s health, gender equality, social justi...

Creator of the ‘I Can’t Stand Podcast’, Peta Hooke, hosts a weekly show answering questions about life, when you have a disability. She interviews a wide range of amazing disabled people, from celebrities to someone just like you.  Melbourne-based Peta has the lifelong disability of Cerebral Palsy, and is today’s guest on our radio show Brainwaves. She will talk about body image and mental health...

Identifying as a Neurodivergent Survivor-turned-Thriver of the mental health system, Hannah Friebel is a mental health consultant and researcher who encompasses the arts, peer support and storytelling as a form of spiritual healing for people with a lived experience of mental health. In 2020, Hannah launched a body of grassroots art-based research that took the form of a dance film, entitled ‘Sinc...

“Many people who are classified as chronically ill, myself included, don’t look sick or ill. Healthy people can find this a bit of a conundrum. We can be accused of “faking it” or being a hypochondriac. Even worse, we can be criticised for doing the very things we must do to manage our various conditions,” says Robyn Dunphy who is a blogger and advocate of movement as medicine. “With my condition,...

‘Keep working’ and ‘don’t withdraw from life’ says Neil Hunter, a management consultant who suffered a heart-attack at age 58. He had no known symptoms and regular health check-ups. Almost 11 years later, the now 69-year-old is living with impacts it’s had on his physical and mental health. Whilst still a ‘work in progress’ Neil is happy that he asked for help early on.  Today on our radio show Br...

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...