Welcome back to Facing It, we're so glad you're here! This week's episode is with the incredible Lucy Brogden. All you have to do is google her name and you'll see her long list of accolades and achievements, including her role as the Chair of the National Mental Health Commission, Chair of the National Mentally Healthy Workplaces and Founder of the Sydney Women's Fund. Lucy is also a mother to three children, and a wife to John Brogden - who was the Opposition Leader of NSW when he attempted suicide. Lucy spoke with us about the pressure of being in the spotlight in the media during such a challenging time, being thrust into the role of carer and making it up as you go along and she shares some incredible wisdom on what she's learnt and how being a carer for a loved one is as much about caring for your loved one as it is about caring for yourself. In this episode we speak about depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviours. If you or someone you know needs help or further advice please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or access any of the resources below. 

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Mental Health Carers Australia click here

Lifeline Crisis Support click here

Sydney Women's Fund click here

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hubcap

**Just a heads up, strong language warning for this episode**

Welcome to Facing It, we’re so glad you’re here. In today’s episode we had the privilege of a chat with the formidable Kaitlin Mountain. Kaitlin is a disability support worker, a qualified chef and one of those people who it is truly a pleasure to be in their company.

Kaitlin spoke with us about her experiences with mental ill-health from a very young age, recalling her first self-harming behaviour at the age of four years old. She let us in on some of the ways in which she manages each and every day with her mental health - one of these is the incredible, life-changing experience she had when receiving private mental health care.

Kaitlin’s recount of her support crew and the tools she uses - including her application of the incredible spoon theory - left us both motivated to introduce some of these things in our everyday life. We hope you can take something away from her brilliant pearls of wisdom too.

In this episode we speak about suicidal thoughts and behaviours and self-harm, if you or someone you know needs help or further advice please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. 

Enjoy!

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

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Welcome to Facing It, we're so glad you're here!

Samuel here - continuing our slight deviation, this week I had the immense pleasure of interviewing my gorgeous co-host Hayley mother-flippin’ Venables.

Hayley is a project manager by day, a mental health advocate and podcaster by night—and a loving mother and wife across and inbetween it all. Hayley shares with us her experiences as a child with anxiety, the way her mental ill-health shifted during her adolescent years, and how just when she learned the tools to manage her wellness, she had a beautiful baby girl who brought the experience of postpartum psychosis with her. Hayley is one of the most empathy-driven souls I know, and it gives me so much joy to call her my friend and co-host— she truly, in her words, is here to be “spreading the good shit”.

Guys I can’t explain to you how much this episode fills my heart so full of gratitude for this awe-inspiring woman. Hayley will be the first to admit that she is not perfect, and that she falls short all the time. Which is exactly why I find her to be one of the most educational and inspirational people I know—her realness and vulnerability in the everyday is truly her super power.

In this episode we discuss anxiety, depression, and postpartum psychosis. If you or someone you know needs help or advice please contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or PANDA  on 1300 726 306.

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For more information on Peri-natal mental ill-health please visit https://www.panda.org.au/ 

If you need assistance with peri-natal mental health please check out Gidget Australia https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

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Welcome to Facing It! We’re so glad you’re here. 

Today’s episode is a little bit different. I had the immense pleasure of interviewing my brilliant co-host Samuel Hockey. Sam is an incredible force in the mental health world - he was the youngest ever appointed National Mental Health Commissioner, and continues almost 8 years later to champion the cause of lived experience and mental health advocacy.

We spoke about Sam’s own lived experience with mental ill-health, his diagnoses and what he does each and every day both professionally and personally to manage his mental health and wellbeing. I know Sam very well, and there is never a conversation we have that I walk away from without learning something - I hope that you too can take away some of the gems of wisdom; whether that’s his insights into how we can influence politics or how self-stigma is a big task each and every day.

In this episode we discuss suicidality, depression and anxiety - if you or someone you know needs help or further advice please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Enjoy! Hayley x

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

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Welcome to Facing It, we’re so glad you’re here! 

Today’s episode is with the effervescent Bron Miller. Bron works in mental health advocacy, is a mum to a gorgeous young man and wife to an incredibly supportive husband. Bron also lives with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Bron was misdiagnosed at the age of 21 - where she was told she was experiencing Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and it wasn’t until seven years later she was diagnosed with OCD - meaning she had to re-evaluate her mental health and how she managed her symptoms and triggers. Bron was incredibly candid with us about the ups and downs of living with OCD, and how it presents in her life specifically.

We had a great conversation with Bron about the trivialising of mental ill-health conditions such as OCD, and her perspective on how stigma is created through the misunderstanding and oversimplification of illnesses such as OCD.

In this episode we speak about OCD and anxiety, if you or someone you know needs help or further advice please contact Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636. 

Enjoy!

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To learn more about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder visit:

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

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Welcome to Facing It, we're so glad you're here!

In today’s episode we had the pleasure of a chat with Alex Pettigrew. Alex lives in Sydney, works in childcare, and is studying for a new career in IT. Alex also lives with Bipolar 1 with psychotic features. Alex also talks how he is affected by the seasonal changes, in what he describes as the equinox effect.

In chatting with us Alex spoke about his passion for reducing stigma around those who experience mental ill-health, from the pop culture references to those being ‘mentally ill’ as violent and the common misconceptions around management of mental ill-health experiences that are less well known.

In this episode we discuss suicidal thoughts and behaviours, if you or someone you know needs further advice or assistance please contact LIfeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Australia on 1800 18 7263. 

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To learn more about Bipolar Disorder visit https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/bipolar-disorder/

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

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CW: Just a heads up, we talk about self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviours and transphobia in this episode. If this has created any distress for you please see below for resources and where you can access help.

Welcome to Facing It, we’re so glad you’re here! 

On today’s episode we had the pleasure of a chat with Alex Dalton. Alex is an incredible young man (yes, he’s 17!) from Victoria who is completing his final years of high school. Alex is also a passionate mental health advocate in both his local and global communities; telling his story in the hope of educating others and helping other young transgender people who come after him.

In this episode we speak about Alex’s mental ill-health journey: starting at the incredibly young age of 11 when he first experienced self-loathing and negative self-talk, continuing through his early high school years and experiencing suicidality and into his plans for the future and how he is going to change the opportunities and experiences transgender youth have.

Alex was so real and raw with us, talking about topics that are so often taboo or considered tricky - he was eloquent and articulate beyond his years. In this episode we talk about self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and transphobia. If you or someone you love needs help or further advice please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or QLife on 1800 184 527.

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To learn more about gender expression and mental health impacts visit https://headtohealth.gov.au/supporting-yourself/support-for/gender-expression

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Music and Editing: Nocturnal Hub Cap

Website: www.facingitpodcast.com

#FacingItTogether