MHPN Presents

Join Lived Experience Practitioners India Guerrieri and Julie Rickard as they share their respective stories of a suicide attempt and suicide bereavement.Throughout their open, honest and candid conversation, India and Julie explore the guilt, shame and stigma surrounding suicide, including how finding the right support and sharing their experiences helped combat their feelings of isolation.Listen as they provide insight into the complexities of experiencing suicidal ideation or grieving a loved one who has suicided, and how sharing their stories with each other has helped them make sense of their own experiences and led them to make a difference in the field as Lived Experience Practitioners.To hear more on this topic, tune in to A Conversation About… Suicide: Combatting the Silence and follow MHPN presents for future episodes.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about In The First Person or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

“So many people fall into the trap of wanting to ignore that this is happening at all to somebody.” - Jesse SheersIn this episode, lived-experience practitioners Jesse Sheers, India Guerrieri and Julie Rickard speak about the importance of breaking the silence and stigma around suicide.Drawing upon evidence-based theories and their own lived experience they ‘flip the script’ on common myths, offering insights on how to initiate and engage in conversations about suicide. They explore the significance of holding hope for a person and creating a safe space in which someone feeling suicidal can voice their thoughts without judgement.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM

Music therapy has the potential to help people both feel better and get better. In the final episode of this music therapy series, our host Clinical Psychologist Professor Mark Creamer, and Registered Music Therapists: Dr Jason Kenner and Dr Jennifer Bibb explore what music therapy aims to achieve, treatment goals and why change occurs.Expand your knowledge by hearing about the difference between individual and group sessions, the ways in which music therapy can meet short and long-term goals, and how music therapists use their unique skills and methods to provide collaborative care.Liked this episode? Listen to the previous episodes in this series:  the first introduces the profession of music therapy and the second that explores what happens in a session.MHPN would like to thank the Australian Music Therapy Association for their collaboration on this series.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

So much more than making music; music therapy provides a unique conduit to achieving client goals.In the second episode of this series about music therapy, our host Clinical Psychologist Professor Mark Creamer, and Registered Music Therapists: Dr Jason Kenner and Dr Jennifer Bibb explore what happens in a session. Tune in to learn how music therapists adapt their practice to help a broad range of client groups including premature babies and their parents, older people, people experiencing psychosis, those at the end of their lives, and many others meet their needs. Jason even picks up his guitar to demonstrate how the same song can be modified for different therapeutic applications.  Liked this episode? Stay tuned for the next episode that explores the outcomes that can be achieved from music therapy sessions. Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… Mental Health and Music Therapy or any of MHPN's podcasts here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

Over millennia and across the world, people have used music as therapy.This three-part series features Clinical Psychologist Professor Mark Creamer and Registered Music Therapists: Dr Jason Kenner and Dr Jennifer Bibb, as they explore the practice of music therapy.In episode one, they offer an introduction to the field of music therapy, what it takes to practice in the field, its different forms, and how it can support different people with a variety of needs.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for episode two where they take an in depth look at the practical applications, what happens during a music therapy session and the positive outcomes that can be expected. Follow MHPN Presents in your podcast app to be notified of future episodes.MHPN would like to thank the Australian Music Therapy Association for their collaboration on this series.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About…  or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM. 

In this episode of Book Club, Brisbane based psychiatrist, Associate Professor Warren Ward, and lived experience Recovery Coach, Lexi Crouch, discuss ‘The Eight Keys to Recovery from An Eating Disorder’ by Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert Grabb (2011); exploring the significance of the author’s brave accounts of their experiences with disordered eating.Tune in to learn why Warren and Lexi see the authors' as ‘pioneers’ in the world of eating disorders, and the continued impact of their lived experience voice over the 10+ years since the book’s release. Warren and Lexi share their respective practitioner and lived experience perspectives on the book’s themes, exploring the importance of stories of recovery for people living with an eating disorder; why the book inspires hope in them both, and how this ‘coach in a book’ can complement the therapeutic techniques of practitioners supporting individuals experiencing disordered eating.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of Book Club by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about Book Club or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

As the mental health impacts of climate change are becoming more widely understood, many practitioners might be considering how climate-distress impacts them both personally and professionally.In this episode, our experts highlight the role that mental health practitioners can play to support individuals and communities experiencing climate-distress, while looking after their own wellbeing.This is the final episode in a four-part series featuring Developmental Psychologist, Ann Sanson, Clinical Supervisor and Psychotherapist, Merle Conyer and Environmental Psychologist, Susie Burke, as they explore and explain the nexus between climate change and mental health. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here:  bit.ly/37FFMFM

With climate-related extreme weather events becoming more prevalent, it’s no wonder the evidence shows that today’s younger generation have significant concerns about the future. How can practitioners support young people when many of them feel that ‘humanity is doomed’?Tune in as our experts share tips and strategies for engaging and supporting young people as they navigate growing up in a world experiencing more climate-related disasters than any generation before. They’ll discuss research exploring the reactions of children and young people to the climate emergency and outline how parents and mental health providers can best respond to their needs.This is the third episode in a four-part series featuring Developmental Psychologist, Ann Sanson, Clinical Supervisor and Psychotherapist, Merle Conyer and Environmental Psychologist, Susie Burke, as they explore and explain the nexus between climate change and mental health. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

A ‘conspiracy of silence’ around climate change might be present in any conversation, even within mental health practice. In fact, this ‘elephant in the room’ may be bigger than you realise.Tune in as our experts share their top techniques for supporting conversations about climate distress in sessions with clients. Drawing on theories such as Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, they demonstrate how practitioners can better understand a client’s relationship with nature and how to respond if they express distress about climate change.This is the second episode in a four-part podcast series featuring Developmental Psychologist, Ann Sanson, Clinical Supervisor and Psychotherapist, Merle Conyer and Environmental Psychologist, Susie Burke, as they explore and explain the nexus between climate change and mental health. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

While the practical ramifications of climate-related disasters may not be a mystery to many Australian communities, the cumulative mental health impacts on individuals and community may be less obvious or well understood. In this four-part podcast series, join Developmental Psychologist, Ann Sanson, Clinical Supervisor and Psychotherapist, Merle Conyer and Environmental Psychologist, Susie Burke, as they explore and explain the nexus between climate change and mental health. Tune in to episode one, where our host and guests discuss the latest research identifying the range of mental health impacts resulting from the global climate emergency, including helping practitioners to understand who is most at risk and how they might respond.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

The impact of social isolation and loneliness has never been more prevalent than in a post-pandemic world. Tune in as Dr J.R. Baker, CEO of Primary and Community Care Services, and Dr Rosanne Freak-Poli, life-course and social epidemiologist, discuss the impacts of experiencing social isolation and loneliness. Combining the latest research with their own anecdotes, J.R. and Rosanne explore the importance of community and the ways in which Covid-19 altered our social landscapes and sense of connectedness. They discuss the relationship between choice and anxiety, the role of technology, and consider the wider impacts of social isolation on health.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents. Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

“I have not experienced anyone speak, write, [or] live like Audre Lorde. The things that she was saying 40 years ago are things that I feel like as a society and as a community, we are grappling with today.” – Stephanie MendisIn this episode of MHPN Presents Book Club, social workers Stephanie Mendis and Alyssha Fooks discuss the profound impact that Audre Lorde’s book, ‘Sister Outsider’, featuring a collection of essays and speeches, has had on their personal and professional growth.Focusing on Audre’s speech at the 1984 New York Institute for Humanities Conference ‘The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House’, both are struck by how her observations; despite being made nearly 40 years ago and in the Northern Hemisphere, remain relevant for marginalised communities within and outside of the Australian health care system. Listen to be inspired by Stephanie and Alyssha’s passionate call to arms for a better understanding of the impact of intersectionality, racial justice, gender equality, cultural safety, the lived experience voice, and the importance of continued learning and development.  Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of Book Club by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about Book Club or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM. 

In this three-part series, Professor Mark Creamer chats with emergency medicine and psychiatry experts about mental health crises. Join Mark and his guests as they share valuable tips and strategies to effectively manage and/or avert a mental health crisis and explore how best to mitigate the negative impact they may have on practitioners. In the third and final episode hear from Dr Jacqueline Huber, staff specialist and clinical lead for psychiatry in the emergency department at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney; and Dr Clare Skinner, President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. Mark, Jacqueline and Clare discuss practitioner burnout in Australian emergency healthcare settings, including what can be done on individual and systemic levels to manage it. They explore the importance of psychological safety and the prevalence of conflict in the workplace. Our host and guests identify the potential negative impacts of conflict, as well as opportunities for deeper understanding; sharing tips to manage conflict between teams and strategies for leaders to promote psychological safety in emergency departments. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents. Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form. Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM. 

In this three-part series, Professor Mark Creamer chats with emergency medicine and psychiatry experts about mental health crises. Join Mark and his guests as they share valuable tips and strategies to effectively manage and/or avert a mental health crisis and explore how best to mitigate the negative impact they may have on practitioners.In episode two, psychiatrist Dr Tad Tietze provides insight into the challenge and complexity of supporting suicidal clients. Tune in to hear Tad’s advice for practitioners in responding to suicidal presentations in their work - how to fully understand the person’s story, ask the right questions and provide support in the moment. Mark and Tad also explore the importance for practitioners to recognise and respond to their own distress responses to these challenging presentations and of collaborating with the person’s wider care team. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About… or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

In this three-part series, Professor Mark Creamer chats with emergency medicine and psychiatry experts about mental health crises. Join Mark and his guests as they share valuable tips and strategies to effectively manage and/or avert a mental health crisis and explore how best to mitigate the negative impact they may have on practitioners.In the first episode of the series, you’ll hear from Dr Song Chan, a consultant-liaison psychiatrist working at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland. Tune in as Song outlines his four key strategies to respond to and manage mental health crises, including what factors practitioners should consider in the immediacy of the moment to aid the de-escalation of the crisis. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for the rest of the series of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About…, or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

MHPN Presents is excited to announce a new three-part podcast series; ‘A Conversation About… Emergency Psychiatry’.Join Professor Mark Creamer as he chats with three emergency psychiatrists and an emergency medicine expert, about mental health crises. They’ll share valuable tips and strategies to manage and/or avert these crises and explore how best to mitigate the negative impact they may have on practitioners.The first episode will be released on Wednesday 2nd August. Don’t forget to follow MHPN Presents to keep up to date with all future podcasts for mental health professionals.

Join Tim McDonald, a mental health peer worker, as he and psychiatrist, Dr Ruth Vine, discuss the evolving field of peer support; what it is and what are some of the merits, opportunities and challenges Tim has experienced in the role.  Hear Tim’s insights about the importance of relationships in peer work – both within the clinical team and with the service users - and the role of hope. Expand your understanding of this growing and increasingly important peer workforce – its breadth, scope and potential - by listening to Tim and Ruth’s engaging conversation. Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of In The First Person by following MHPN Presents. Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about In The First Person or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

In this episode of MHPN Presents, In the First Person you will hear a powerful story about family violence and maternal mental illness. Join Millie and hear about her lived experience of growing up in a family with a mother with schizoaffective disorder and a father who used violence.Millie describes challenging and adverse experiences in her family life, in particular during her teenage years, and how they impacted her then and now. What supports or strategies did and/or could have helped her and her family? Expand your understanding and deepen your practice by listening to Millie’s story, her reflections and her insights.   Liked this episode? Stay tuned for future episodes of In The First Person by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about In The First Person or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

Join Prof. Pat Dudgeon (a Bardi woman, from the Kimberley in Western Australia), Dr Stewart Sutherland (a Wiradjuri man) and Prof. Alan Rosen in the final episode of this four-part series as they discuss how, by living in harmony with nature, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are, at the same time, a strength and a priority in our response to the significant impacts of climate change and the Covid 19 pandemic.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for the rest of the series of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About…, or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.

Join Prof. Pat Dudgeon (a Bardi woman, from the Kimberley in Western Australia), Dr Stewart Sutherland (a Wiradjuri man) and Prof. Alan Rosen in the third episode of this four-part series as they discuss how, by living in harmony with nature, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are, at the same time, a strength and a priority in our response to the significant impacts of climate change and the Covid 19 pandemic.Liked this episode? Stay tuned for the rest of the series of A Conversation About… by following MHPN Presents.Visit the MHPN website for episode host and guest bios, recommended resources and a self-directed CPD form.Share your comments, questions and feedback about A Conversation About…, or any of MHPN’s podcast series here: bit.ly/37FFMFM.