Mind and Soul Matters

Can exercise be used in treating depression and anxiety? Is it more effective that medication? And if so, how and why? In Part 1 of 'Mind, Body and Environment' series, Dr Louise Naylor, exercise physiologist and associate professor at UWA, shares insights from her research and clinical practice to answer these important questions and explain the impact of exercise on our physical and mental healt...

Positive relationships are the greatest predictor of our happiness, health and wellbeing. But how do we go about achieving these positive, fulfilling relationships? Family therapist, Nilly Cope, shares tips and strategies on how we can build relationships that are free of tension and stress in order to create a more peaceful and happy home. Nilly also explains why and when we should consider engag...

In Part 3 of Exploring Social Justice, Dr Wibke Timmerman gives an  informative and eye-opening presentation on human rights and mental health.  

In part 2 of Exploring Social Justice, Peter Lyndon-James, founder of Shalom house shares his heartfelt story of overcoming severe personal circumstances, childhood trauma and an imperfect judicial system, transforming himself and establishing an organisation which now helps hundreds of others to rehabilitate and reintegrate back into society. This episode is suitable for adults only and if you fi...

In Part 1 of Exploring Social Justice, Bayan Meshgin a criminal defence lawyer with numerous years of working with those in the justice system who struggle with mental health challenges, helps us understand some of the shortcomings of the current system. In this live forum presentation, Bayan highlights these challenges in relation to the legal system in Western Australia, many of which are releva...

Shadi Toloui-Wallace, candidly shares her struggles of juggling her roles as a  mother, musician, wife and creator.  She describes how her Faith, creativity and openness to seeking professional help has aided her through some of the challenges of life. We also discuss her latest project, Tiny Souls, which incorporates her passion for nurturing values in children and her musicality to create conten...

A Baha'i, a Hindu and a Christian - Dr Kynan Feeney (oncologist), Dr Ashwini Davray (palliative care physician) and Dr Michael Couch (general practitioner) explore the role of their respective Faiths in their practice as medical doctors. They share insights on how their patients' faiths can impact their journey and discuss the integration of medicine and spirituality.  

Guest host, Kalinz McPharlin, poses questions to a group of children to help us see the world through their eyes. Love, gratitude, friendship, worries and happiness are some of the topics explored. Our in-house clinical psychologist also shares insights on how we can nurture the mental and spiritual health of our children.

We all want the best for our children - mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. Dr Jasmine Bell, coordinator of the program for the spiritual education of children in Western Australia, outlines the elements of an education curriculum aimed at bringing out the best in every child, and explores how children, parents and communities can benefit from this program. We also discuss whether a sp...

In Part 2 of our Trauma series, Clive Morrison shares his story. Clive, a Noongar elder is a member of the stolen generations. As an Indigenous Australian, Clive was taken from his family as a child based on past government policies and practices. He shares his story of displacement and trauma through poetry and music. A heartfelt episode that must be heard and shared.

In Part 1 of our Trauma series, Dr Tarmala Caple, a former police officer and founder of The Wellbeing Psychologist, helps us understand trauma as a wound that has not been healed. In this live forum presentation, Dr Caple explores the different types of trauma, how trauma impacts us, explains why some people recover while others go on to develop psychological and physical problems, and how holist...

Collis Taeed, founder of Envato – one of the most successful and profitable Australian start up companies, candidly talks about the impact of mega wealth on his day to day life, relationships, children and happiness. And we explore whether wealth and spirituality are mutually exclusive.

We are thrilled to be launching our third season, continuing with monthly conversations to enhance our understanding of mental health and wellbeing, with a dash of spirituality! 

We have another special episode with Luke McPharlin, a former AFL player, who candidly shares his personal reflections on youth mental health, and reconciling his values with social norms. This special episode is from a live forum organised in collaboration with  Baha'i Blog and Melville Baha’i community to discuss issues around mental health in our society.

To wrap up season 2 we have a bonus episode with a practical element on meditation. The origins of meditation come from the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism. Today, the benefits of meditation, both for our emotional and physical well being are extensively researched and documented. This bonus episode includes a "mindfulness of the breath" exercise which is one type of meditation that can be used...

Technology is a significant part of our lives, but how can we parent our children to use it in a wise, safe, fun and useful way? In this special episode we present a live forum with Professor Donna Cross, whose research over the past 30 years has focused on children and adolescents' social and emotional well being. Prof Cross shares ten practical tips on how we can protect our children and enhance...

How can young people be empowered to make positive moral choices? How can they contribute meaningfully to their communities? What are the ingredients that help navigate young people through this critical period? Jacob Barron, a graduate with honours in mathematics and physics, shares his personal story and his involvement with a program aimed at answering these important questions and helping empo...

Given the worldwide prevalence of mental illness, we are sure to encounter a friend, colleague or a family member struggling with mental health challenges. We can find ourselves stuck on how to respond, what to say or know how we can help. Dr Deena Ashoorian, an accredited instructor of the mental health first aid program, shares her insights on how we can support loved ones struggling with mental...

Music is a universal language through which emotions are expressed and felt. Shameem Taheri-Lee, a singer, songwriter and producer, joins us to talk about how she has used music to navigate through life's challenges - from fitting in, to dealing with betrayal. What is the inspiration behind Shameem's music, which is described by The Sydney Morning Herald "as an explosion of soul … taking you on a...

Varad, joins us to share his personal story of losing a dear friend to suicide and the effect it has had on his life. Suicide is the leading cause of death for young Australians, aged between 15 and 44. Globally, at least one million people are estimated to die by suicide each year. It's a devastating social issue that leaves behind shattered families, friends and communities.  A must listen - to...

Dr Duane Varan, CEO of MediaScience - a world-leading media research firm - joins us to talk about effective workplace management. What are the challenges faced by workplace managers and how can these challenges be overcome? Dr Duane Varan shares tips on how we can create a work environment that is nurturing, how we can translate a vision into reality, and how can these principles be applied not o...

We all want to live a good life, but what does that mean? What does a good life look like? And how can we pave our way towards a good life? Graham Mabury, a long standing presenter on Radio 6PR and co-founder of LifeLine candidly shares his personal struggles, as well as his insights and experiences on what contributes to living a good life. Graham, a Baptist Minister has devoted his life to advoc...

Parenting is one of the most rewarding, yet challenging responsibilities of our life.  Veronica Anderson shares her insights from a program aimed at bringing out the best in our children. A program based on the premise that we all have the capacity to do good in the world. But as parents, how do we ensure that we nurture these qualities in our children, and bring out the best in them and in oursel...

Given the ever increasing number of refugees worldwide, we are in much need of an inspiring story. Dr Manya Yazdani shares her story - a story of contributing to the betterment of the world. Dr Yazdani fled Iran due to religious persecution, following the 1979 Revolution and arrived in Australia as a young refugee in 1985. Dr Yazdani explains how she has reconciled her displacement and loss, and w...

Luke McPharlin, Australian Football star, talks candidly about the struggles he faced early in his football career. He chose the road less travelled, the road which was difficult, the road not typical for a professional football player of his generation, but was in line with his values. How did following this path help shape both his career, and post-football life? And what is Luke getting up to p...