Wag Tales

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of child sexual abuse, trafficking, and trauma, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care of yourself as you listen, and don't hesitate to pause or stop the episode if needed. Support services are listed below. Gloria Masters is a survivor, advocate, and author dedicated to protecting children and supporting adult survivors of c...

Dr. Jeremy Goldberg is a Dad, partner, writer, speaker, and creator of Long Distance Love Bombs, a platform dedicated to making kindness cool and building a more compassionate world. Known for his heartfelt words and raw honesty, Jeremy's work explores vulnerability, personal growth, and the power of human connection. Now stepping into parenthood, he brings his passion for kindness and introspecti...

Dr Lori Desautels is an author, educator, and pioneer in the field of applied educational neuroscience. She focuses on bringing a neurobiological understanding of behaviour and connection into classrooms, equipping educators and students alike with tools to navigate stress and adversity. As the creator of Applied Educational Neuroscience at Butler University, Lori's work bridges research and pract...

Zinny Hunt is our youngest guest on Wag Tales to date. At 17, Zinny works as a Student Voice Support Officer and Youth Advocate, bringing a fresh perspective to the table. After graduating high school last year, Zinny dedicated himself to working alongside schools and youth organizations, ensuring that young people's needs and voices are front and center in decisions that affect them. In this epis...

Content warning: In this episode, we discuss the themes of sexual abuse and childhood trauma. If you or someone you know is/are struggling, please seek professional support. If you are in Australia you can call LifeLine 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Dr Donna Lyon is the founder of Left Write Hook, which started as a program incorporating boxing and creative writing to support female-identi...

Linda Rowley is a positive psychology interventionist, workplace wellbeing facilitator and coach, She is known for facilitating environments of trust and collaboration (even amongst groups with diverse perspectives) where individuals can codesign and commit to shared wellbeing goals. Linda has a reputation for communicating complex information in easily digestible and actionable ways, and this pod...

Adela Holmes is a passionate advocate for children and young people in the child protection system, having 51 years of experience in the field (so far). Adela has worked with some of the most vulnerable young people in Victoria, centring her work on those residing in out-of-home care. She wrote the Berry Street submission for Take-two (a therapeutic outreach service) and the model for Hustrbridge...

Content warning: In this episode, we discuss experiences of mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and high-risk pregnancy. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support. If you are in Australia you can call LifeLine 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Diana Nicholls is a mother to twins, author of 30 Weeks 1 Day: A memoir of strength, survival and mental hea...

Jack Greig is a teacher, facilitator, and a Doctor of Education candidate at the University of Melbourne. He has worked in urban and remote communities, advocating for wellbeing and equity across school systems, and culturally responsive teaching in collaboration with First Nations and superdiverse school communities. Jack co-founded Teachers' Well , a community of practice for teachers leading we...

Ben Sacco is the Managing Director of Education Economy , working alongside schools and organisations to amplify their connection to purpose and passion. He has over 20 years of experience in education and business management, bringing a unique perspective to some of the challenges emerging in the education sector. Ben and Megan met a couple of years ago, connecting over their shared vision of see...

Rebecca Harris is the author of Safe to Learn: Embedding Trauma-Informed Student Wellbeing Practices . She also works as a counsellor and consultant. Rebecca has held various wellbeing roles in schools and is deeply passionate about supporting teachers to better understand the stress and needs of students (and themselves) to improve outcomes. Rebecca and Megan had not met before the day of recordi...

Jen Willis is a mother, an educator, speaker, coach, and high altitude mountaineer with Multiple sclerosis (MS), who climbed Mount Everest in 2023. Jen's MS diagnosis began in 2008 after the birth of her third child, but wasn't formally confirmed until 10 years later. Upon receiving the formal diagnosis, Jen decided it was time to live her dream of mountaineering, knowing that MS may one day confi...

Belinda Jankowiak is an Occupational Therapist (OT), zealous child advocate, and founder of Project Classroom, where she supports educators to create classroom spaces that are soothing and meet the needs of all students and teachers. Belinda has worked alongside educators for over 20 years and shares the science behind the work in ways that are accessible and applicable for all. Megan and Belinda...

Liam Wood is a parent, teacher, school leader, and Director at Cor Effect. Liam's career in education began as he was working in education support while writing a book and he realised he loved the time in the classroom more than the time spent writing. He dived right into teaching through the Teach For Australia (TFA) program, having real experience in the classroom while completing his studies. S...

Martin Bisp is the co-founder of Empire Fighting Chance, a boxing gym in the UK that provides Boxing Therapy to vulnerable young people. In 1972, Empire Amateur Boxing Club opened in Bristol, producing a long line of champion boxers, and like most boxing gyms, have a strong community. In 2006, the direction of the club took an unplanned turn when Martin Bisp and Jamie Sanigar decided to have a con...

David Cerrone is a comedian, clown, actor, teacher, humanitarian, art therapist, and author who travelled the world to understand laughter. In 2016, David set off on a 12-month adventure with the plan to visit 11-12 countries, volunteer, meet people and create a documentary along the way. In 2016, Megan also set off on an adventure, which led her to cross paths with David while they were both volu...

In this episode, Graeme Baird and Megan Corcoran come together to discuss the Senate Inquiry on disruptive behaviour in Australian schools. Both Graeme and Megan are passionate about this topic, having worked extensively with young people who present with behaviour that could be considered “disruptive.” To try and make sense of the inquiry, Graeme and Megan unpack the 2 approaches used...

Marissa (Riss) Williamson Pohlman is a proud Ngarrindjeri woman, who was raised on Wadawurrung Country in Victoria and very recently became the first Aboriginal woman to qualify for the sport of boxing in the Olympics. At the 2023 Australian Elite Boxing Championships in August, she also made history being the first woman to win the Arthur Tunstall Trophy, which is given to the best boxer at the t...

This episode of the Wag Tales is a special edition to shed light on life in Palestine. In this episode, Megan is joined by one of her favourite people and good friends, the first Palestinian she met when she visited the region. This guest is the BEST tour guide in Palestine, an almost 35-year-old, living just outside of Bethlehem with his wife and 2 children. The first time Megan visited the West...

Content warning: In this episode we discuss the topic of suicide and mental illness. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support. If you are in Australia, you can call LifeLine 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 . Shane Kelton is an author, speaker, podcaster, personal trainer, husband, and parent of 2 boys. He recently published his book “I didn't want to di...

This episode of the Wag Tales is a special edition, unlike other episodes you may have previously heard. In this episode, Megan is joined by her good friend, Yahya. Yahya is a Palestinian man, and an optimist, living in Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestine. He has studied extensively and worked several different jobs, including as an Accountant, a researcher, and an advocate for workers' rights. M...

Dr Peggy Kern is a Professor at the Centre for Wellbeing Science at Melbourne University, with a BA in Psychology, and a Masters and PhD in social/personality psychology. If you were to start reading some academic papers or recent texts on wellbeing science or positive psychology, you would quickly come across Peggy's name! Peggy and Megan met in 2018 while Megan was completing her Masters of Appl...

Kristy Elliott is a consultant leading the way in restorative practices in schools through her work with Restorative Pathways. Kristy is a wife, a parent, a lifelong teacher, and a lifelong learner who has dedicated her work to the wellbeing of students and staff in schools. Megan and Kristy met towards the end of 2022, while both working as external consultants on a project. They have had the ple...

Marie McLeod is Founder of ThriveAbility and How to Thrive program, Creator of the BEACON framework™️, Mental health specialist, Keynote Speaker, Coach, and positive psychotherapist as seen in the "How to Thrive" film. Marie has been a social worker in child protection, juvenile justice, disability services, and neighbourhood renewal. Megan and Marie had not met prior to recording the podcas...

Matthew Hartnett is an AFL Talent League Wellbeing Coordinator and a long-term teacher, with a passion for supporting those he interacts with to develop skills and resources for their mental health. Megan and Matt first met in 2018 while both studying their Masters in Applied Positive Psychology. Megan remembers Matt saying it was his dream to one day work for the AFL in a wellbeing role. Matt now...