A future me problem

I chat with Brisbane youth mental health advocate Jordan van Rusmalen and director of Strategy and Service Development at Metro South Health Wendy Hawkins about their community of the Brisbane South Primary Health Network participating in the BHP Foundation and Brain and Mind Centre program Right Care, first time, where you live. Jordan and Wendy both speak from their expertise within the community, noting the current challenges, service provisions, and where and what needs to be addressed to better support young people in intuitive and personable care. With the program’s workshop 1 down we get to open up the thoughts, feelings, and revelations in the room.

I wanted to provide an update on where I have been, how I have been feeling, and why I have been AWOL. I have mentioned sleep/wake cycles before so thought I would finally chat about what it is, its nuances, and how I experience it. S

This week I spoke with Dr Haley LaMonica on the Minderoo Foundation’s project Thrive By Five. The Brain and Mind Centre has been working closely with the foundation to change the lives of so many families by employing the proverb that "it takes a village to raise a child" through evidence-based research in early childhood development. This program aims to give every child a chance to reach their full potential and thrive by age five– ensuring they meet every neurodevelopmental and emotional marker. Thrive By Five has been rolled out in 9 countries, working closely with each country's, community's, and leader's local requirements and laws to ensure the program has the best possible outcomes. This has included the translation/vehicle of the delivery of the program.

On this podcast I speak about my experience taking ketamine—don’t fret, in a clinical setting—for my mental health. I try to briefly explain how it works, why I am doing it, and my experience. It has been an episode I have recorded many times as I have wanted to get it right. However, I figured that this episode is an opener; therefore I am open to record and discuss more. Biting the bullet, here it is. Also, check my Instagram, @samueljhockey, to see a carousel of me on it—just for fun.

This week on the pod, I got to sit down with Brain and Mind Centre’s new Youth Lived Experience Research Stream’s clinical head, Dr Sarah McKenna. Sarah is a clinical psychologist interested in the dynamics of the parent-young person relationship and how qual. and quant. data can shed light onto the nuances within those relationships and further inform the young person’s developmental outcomes. Sarah breaks down the new stream of research, its context with the broader Brain and Mind Centre Youth Mental Health Technology Team, and why it’s needed now. Mentioned links: Youth Mental Health and Technology Team; Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disturbances and depression in young people: implications for prevention and early intervention.

I 👏🏻 AM 👏🏻 BACK 👏🏻 The second half of 2022 was equal parts a touch-and-go shit show, an absolute privilege, and a great teacher. When it comes down to it, I overcommitted, and as a result, I became quite unwell, let people/ teams down, and learned a lot about not being an island (constant journey). In this new first episode of 2023, I briefly go over the last 6–8 months, the new year ahead, and a slight change in rhythm. I am excited to reintroduce the podcast under the new title (I know, again!!) of a future me problem. A quintessential me term vis-a-vis overcommitting, saying yes and working out later—think Confessions of a Shopaholic scene, ‘good angles on APRs’, knowing I am going to do it but don’t have the space to right now, and finally working on this currently to solve a future me problem—early interventions. I’m keen to hear your feedback, topics you want me to discuss, and people you want me to chat to. DM me or email the pod at afuturemeproblem@gmail.com. Tom from Podlike is continuing his editing prowess, proud to have my brother’s band’s music mixed in, and the exciting new addition of Carolyn’s illustrations 🤘🏻.

This week I was joined by the world's first Minister for Loneliness Tracey Crouch. In 2018 the UK announced a new ministerial position within, then Prime Minister, Theresa May's cabinet; this was the result of late Labor MP, Jo Cox's extensive advocation to address the threat their nation was facing in loneliness. In 2016 Jo Cox was horrifically murdered in a shooting and stabbing in Birstall, UK. Tracey Crouch was elected to carry this portfolio through, on behalf of her late friend and colleague. We clearly define loneliness and it's independent relationship to mental ill-health; noting that each have the ability to be the antithesis for the other. MUSIC | Sampson EDITING | Podlike

If you haven't had IG's algorithm suggest the account @sitwithwhit I suggest you write a letter. The woman behind, and in-front I guess, of this account is Dr Whitney Goodman. Whitney is a therapist who uses her platform to help us understand and identify things that impact our mental health, often when we don’t even realise it. The concept I got to dive into with Whitney was toxic positivity. Whitney has written the book titled 'Toxic Positivity'. This book was birthed during COVID and is the culmination of her years as a therapist and what she has personally witnessed on social media in regard to toxic language, inspiration quotes, greener grass, and the constant search for good vibes only. Whitney walks us through the understanding, identification, and impact toxic positivity can have on not just our own mental health and self-esteem, but that of those around us. MUSIC | Sampson EDITING | Podlike

The incomparable Chris Sweeney is on the podcast this week. Chris talks with me on the challenges being faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in mental ill-health – navigating us with his experiences. You might be familiar with Chris' work as a writer, director, and host of Homo Sapiens the podcast. His latest projects Back to Life, starring Daisy Haggard, and 'The Tourist' starring Jamie Dornan & Danielle McDonald have been huge hits and couldn’t recommend you stream them now! MUSIC | Sampson EDITING | Podlike

Following on from last week, I got to catch up with the University of Sydney’s research program, right care first time where you live, funded by the BHP Foundation. However this week I spoke with their first program site ACT Health. ACT HEalth services the nations capital here in Australia. I interviewed trailblazing lived experience advocate for youth mental health, Josephine Brogden alongside the catchment’s general coordinator, Dr Elizabeth Moore. Both Elizabeth and Joey speak passionately to the troubles facing young people in the community that are impacting their mental health. We also spoke about the upcoming program workshop (one of three) where the mapping foundations are laid by those residents of the community, decision makers, consumers and carers, policy reps, and clinical providers. EDITING | Podlike MUSIC | Sampson

This episode checks in with the research program from the university of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, right care first time where you live. Grace Lee, whom we interviewed last season about this research program, is a PhD candidate with the university of Sydney, and the evaluation manager for this research program. Leon Young is the founding CEO of Cogniss—a for profit tech company that creates human solutions for human problems. For Leon Cogniss is the culmination of a creative digital career that spans education, advertising and marketing, behaviour change and games. Welcome back to part two of my chat with Sydney University’s Brain and Mind centre evaluation research manager, Grace Lee, and founding CEO of Cogniss, Leon Young. EDITING | Podlike MUSIC | Sampson

I feel confident in saying that we have all been affected to some degree by the horrific events unfolding in Ukraine. It feels surreal to be witnessing a pivotal world-event through the palms of our hands. ​ ​ Last week I shared an article published by Mashable, 'Watching footage from Ukraine? Here's how to protect your mental health', written by journalist Rebecca Ruiz; a frequenter of many large publications like Mashable, Forbes, NBC News, and Al Jazeera America. I had the great opportunity to sit down with Rebecca and dive deeper into her article, its research, and how we can practically support ourselves and those around us as Russia continues to invade Ukraine. ​ ​Rebecca and I talk specifically about current research from Dr E Alison Holman and Dr Roxane Cohen Silver on the trauma responses we as removed individuals can have to confronting reports of events/ subjects. EDITING | Podlike MUSIC | Sampson

This is part two of my conversation with the radiant Kirthana Selvaraj, finalist in the 2021 Archibald Prize (most prestigious art prize in Australia) with her self portrait titled, 'The Green Suit, a Self-portrait'.  Kirthana and I sit together in some difficult and uncomfortable topics in order to learn and understand better each other's experience ❤️ EDITING | Podlike MUSIC | Sampson

Launching our 2022 season is the radiant Kirthana Selvaraj, finalist in the 2021 Archibald Prize (most prestigious art prize in Australia) with her self portrait titled, 'The Green Suit, a Self-portrait'. This is part one of a two part conversation. Kirthana and I sit together in some difficult and uncomfortable topics in order to learn and understand better each other's experience.  EDITING | Podlike  MUSIC | Sampson

Rounding off this year we have an episode from University of Sydney’s research program, right care first time where you live, funded by the BHP Foundation. We are checking back in with ACT Health– chatting with Joey Brogden (mental health advocate) and Sam Huntley (BMC). These two women have worked hard to change the inclusion narrative of health service design and delivery within ACT Health. I get to ask what have been the challenges, successes, and the learnings from being a research program site. EDITING | Podlike MUSIC | Sampson

This episode is brought to you by The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre (BMC). I get the great pleasure of sitting down with two of BMC’s lived experience working group members (LEWG) to chat about the role lived experience members have played in the history of mental health understanding – going right back to ancient Egypt!!

Continuing our mini-series on Men’s mental health for this month of November. I had the great pleasure of chatting to Hunter Johnson, cofounder and CEO of Man Cave a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence charity that empowers boys to become great men. Hunter and Man Cave have also launched a new men’s personal care line for your face, head, pits, and bits; brilliantly called STUFF. Which helps fund the mental health programs Man Cave provide. Hunter is already making waves with his work in boys and young men’s emotional intelligence development, his work to date receiving some prestigious accolades. Young Australian of the Year Awards (VIC), listed as one of Harper’s Bazaar’s “Visionary Men of 2019”, named a 2018 Queen’s Young Leader by Her Majesty The Queen, 2018 Winner of the EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in April this year selected to be one of Forbes 30 under 30 in South Asia’s list of recognition. Despite his acclaims, Hunter’s humility and earnest desire to help boys transition to young men who reach their full potential within their communities is palpable. This conversation truly opened my eyes and shed so much light onto that transition period, most of us boys, if not all, experienced in high school. Moreover, highlighting the need for a program like Mancave, with diverse men like Hunter and his fellow facilitators, to be accessed by more boys and young men nationally. In this episode we talk boy’s and young men’s mental health, as well as physical violence. If you or someone you know needs help in their mental health journey, please contact life line on 13 11 14. MUSIC | Sampson EDIT | Podlike

This month of November is Men’s Health Month, and so here on The Informed we are going to focus on men’s mental health briefly for this month. We know in mental health that men account for approximately twice the amount of suicides as women, boys account for 52.5% of reported eating disorders, girls are 80% more likely than boys to seek professional support and in adulthood women 50% more likely than men, and the coping mechanisms men implement such as gambling, drug use, misuse, and abuse are not recognised by society as calls for support. Therefore, kicking off this small series I had the great pleasure of chatting with leading men’s mental health expert Dr Zac Seidler. Zac holds dual roles as Director of Mental Health Training at Movember and Research Fellow with Orygen at the University of Melbourne. Zac has dedicated his professional career as an academic and clinical psychologist towards the further understanding of men’s mental health and masculinity. His ultimate goal is to help reduce the staggering rate of male suicide worldwide. This goal has lead to the fully-funded project, Men in Mind – a world first training program to help mental health clinicians better understand and respond to men’s distress and suicidality. Over our conversation we traversed a great deal of topics in men’s mental health, from origins, stigma, help-seeking, clinical support, the inseparable role of masculinity, and the need for an approach overhaul. This chat was enlightening from assumption, we often all fall prey to, of how far we have actually come in definitions of masculinity. In this episode we discuss general mental health and covid 19. If you or someone you know needs help in their mental health journey, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. MUSIC | Sampson EDIT | Podlike

In this episode I had the chance to speak with A/Prof Louise Freebairn and Dr Ante Prodan, who’s work is contributing to The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre and BHP Foundation’s research Program 'Right care, first time, where you live'. Louise is Senior Research Fellow at the Brain and Mind Centre, the Director of Knowledge Translation and Health Outcomes in the Epidemiology Section at ACT Health, and also holds an adjunct associate Professorship with the Research School for Population Health at the Australian National University.⁠⁠ Dr Ante Prodan is an independent director at Computer Simulation & Advanced Research Technologies⁠⁠ (CSART). He’s a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing Engineering and Mathematics at Western Sydney University, teaching computer simulation and is Systems Architect with Decision Analytics for the Sax Institute. Checking back into this community shaping research Program from The University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre and BHP Foundation, we are hearing in depth about dynamic systems modelling and the key role this is playing within each community – building a decision support tool that will have predictability capabilities for each communities specific needs and challenges faced. In this episode we discuss general mental health and covid 19. If you or someone you know needs help in their mental health journey, please contact life line on 13 11 14. MUSIC | Sampson EDIT | Podlike

This week I spoke with Melbourne based psychologist and educator, Chris Cheers on a subject I’m sure we are all feeling to a degree in this present time; the anxiety of returning to life after lockdown. Chris is passionate about creating accessible, accepting and safe spaces where people become empowered to live a meaningful life. Through extensive training and lived experience, Chris has also developed an expertise in providing individual psychology services and workshops to artists and creatives, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Part of his passion is making psychology accessible and understandable through commentary in media and social media. Chris is an endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologist and board-approved Supervisor. He has also developed an expertise and interest in sexuality and gender development, completing specialised training in supporting LGBTQI+ clients across all ages. Chris is also a member of the Australian Professional Association for Transgender Health (AusPATH) and the Australian Association of Psychologists Incorporated (AAPi). I know that today’s topic was one requested by many a few months ago when I put out a poll. Since then, here in Australia, we have entered and are, some of us, exiting an arduous lockdown. With numerous restrictions, health warnings, safety regulations, and 11am press conferences, there has been a subliminal fear instilled within us to the dangerous of sustained, un-masked, face-to-face interaction. Now, given we have some restrictions eased and there is more to come, it is inevitable that this has created the perfect tinderbox for our over-worked frontal lobes and kicked our over-protective amygdala’s in to drive. Chris and I chat the reasons why we’re feeling this way, and how we can nurture our anxieties not only individually, but collectively without denying our existence or worth. Note that a key element to this whole process is self-awareness and curiosity. MUSIC | Sampson EDITOR | Podlike