Challenges That Change Us

Sometimes one of the greatest challenges can be our interactions with other people. Settling disputes, overcoming inter-personal conflict or just reaching a compromise can often be anxiety inducing events.

That’s why today’s episode will be highlighting advice on how to navigate these experiences with the help of Allan Parker.

Allan Parker OAM is a Micro Behavioural Scientist and Negotiator.

Allan usually introduces himself as an eccentric Micro-Behavioural Neuroscientist, International Negotiator, and Educator.

He works as a negotiator/facilitator of large-scale multi-party negotiations and disputes. Within government and private organisations, he trains in negotiation, dispute prevention and healthy considered conversations.

Allan has presented, facilitated, and moderated in over 60 different countries around the world and has had participants from 192 countries in his audience at one time at the United Nations-World Investment Forum.

In 2020, Allan was a recipient for the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to business and dispute resolution

In today’s episode Allan shares

-      His journey to becoming a professional negotiator

-      How some negotiations required him to be held at gun point and wear a bullet proof vest.

-      His opinion on how stress and over alertness are connected

-      The 3 styles of negotiation (including the ones we don’t use but should)

Key Quotes

“When somebody says to me they’re over stressed I say you're over alert.”

“The negotiation that requires most attention is the negotiations I have with myself.”

“I’ve worn bullet proof vests 6 times and been held at gun point 3 times.”

“Become the author of our story not the narrator of our story.”

“So many people think if they're experimenting it will go wrong, but there is no wrong.”

Find out more about Allan Parker

You can find out more about Allan here:

www.peakpd.com

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses anxiety, depression and agoraphobia.

We have spoken about anxiety and depression on this podcast before, but what happens when the panic attacks and symptoms are so bad that you end up feeling too scared to even leave your home.

A small town country kid who never quite fit in. that’s the feeling that would follow Daniel Bentley for decades and eventually lead him to developing a number of mental health conditions.

Battling with depression and feeling stuck in a life that he felt was going nowhere, at the age of 23 he packed up and moved 2000km across the country in search or something different.

His depression followed him though and he eventually developed severe social anxiety and agoraphobia. Spending most of his 20’s as a shadow of a person locked in a cage of his own making he finally sought help.

This episode is a fascinating look into how the panic attacks of an agoraphobic can be the very thing that lead someone to isolating themselves even further.

But Daniel’s story isn’t just of his illness, but also of his extraordinary journey to overcome and grow beyond it.

In today’s episode Dan shares:

-      The isolation, depression and anxiety he suffered from even during childhood

-      How the panic attacks of agoraphobia led to a cycle of anxiety and depression.

-      The ways he pushed himself past his comfort zone and made his mean health struggles his super power

Key Quotes

“My assumption that I was going through this school as a complete loner, I don’t really matter.”

“The more I spoke to people about it, the more better I felt about myself.”

“You have to arrange your life around avoiding these attacks and that basically becomes very boring.”

“if something came up and I was afraid of it, I knew I had to do it.”

“You create the situation you’re in. I told myself I didn’t fit in and that became the way I was.”

Find out more about Daniel bentley

You can find out more about Daniel here:

www.danbentleymedia.com

Or follow him on socials: @danbentley.media

Daniel is also a supporter of Mates In Construction - https://mates.org.au

MATES is a charity established in 2008 to reduce the high level of suicide among Australian construction workers.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Challenges That Change Us Marie Claire

Battling any illness is a challenges in and of itself, but when it comes to often unknown autonomic conditions, the medical field can leave patients feeling lost, ignored and forgotten.

Combine that with trying to seek medical help in the 90’s in a second world country like Uzbekistan and you might begin to imagine the overwhelming challenge that Marie Claire faced in her journey to be diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome).

Marie-Claire coheads a multi-disciplinary practice in Adelaide, SA which specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Long Covid. She is undertaking her PhD at The University of Adelaide where she is exploring the association between autonomic disorders and post-acute sequalae of Covid-19.

She believes in the power of the 'lived experience' researcher and has established The Australian POTS Foundation

In today’s episode Marie-Claire shares:

-      Her time in Romania and other similar countries shortly after the ball of the Berlin wall

-      The distinct moment she felt herself develop POTS

-      The extremely long and difficult process of seeking a medical diagnosis overseas

-      The sexist diagnosis practices she encountered in Australia that left her undiagnosed for years

-      How POTS and long covid are connected

-      Her advice on treatment and management for POTS

-      Information on Australia’s first POTS conference this year.

Key Quotes

“I remember that feeling of thinking how can you not know what’s just happened because it was so dramatic and loud in my ears.”

“I don’t tend to seek help which is typical of country people”

“I feel like I was accused of murder, I was stood up to give my defence and the judge says no you cant have a defence, you're guilty.”

Find out more about Marie-Claire Seeley

You can find out more about Marie-Claire and the Australian Pots Foundation here: https://potsfoundation.org.au/

You can also follow them on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australianpotsfoundation/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082147502638

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In previous episodes we have discussed long term illness, but this week we are getting specific by talking to Andrea Wildenthal Hanson about the challenge she has faced in living with Multiple sclerosis.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000, Andrea coaches people to become their own wellness guru. Andrea combines her experience from five years of life coaching and 16+ years of living well with MS to teach people how to create a customized approach to health that includes life balance, mindset tune-ups, and stress management so that they can feel like they're back to normal and in control of a life they love.

In today’s episode Andrea shares:

-      The negative way professionals introduced her to how she would live with MS

-      How MS affected her relationships and how she managed that

-      The coping strategies she developed for moving beyond her diagnosis

Key Quotes

“When your diagnosed you’re in such a vulnerable place”

“Kindness and acceptance of myself comes from maturity and part of it comes from how necessary it is.”

“What are the little things that I’ve gotten used to, that I say to myself all the time, that actually aren’t that nice?.”

Find out more about Andrea Wildenthal Hanson

You can find out more about Andrea’s courses and coaching here: https://andreahansoncoaching.com/

Her podcast, Live Your Life, Not Your Diagnosis can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/live-your-life-not-your-diagnosis/id1196011272

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses suicide and depression.

If you are struggling, please call lifeline on 13 11 14.

After a few weeks of episodes discussing mental health and other struggles we noticed one thing that kept coming up.

Lifeline.

But a lot of people have been asking, what actually happens when you call lifeline?

Well to clear things up and highlight how important of a service it is, this episode’s guest is Lifeline CEO Robert Sams who also works as a crisis support worker.

In today’s episode Rob shares:

-      His life journey and how it led him to lifeline

-      What happens when someone answers a call at lifeline?

-      What do you get asked when you call lifeline?

-      Who are the people who work the phones and are they trained?

-      Will the conversations be escalated or shared?

Key Quotes

“We want more thinking at the right times for the right things.”

“I think those around listening and being curious are really important to bring into the workplace.”

“This call is about you when you ring us. It’s what you want out of it.”

“Sometimes you just need the kindness of strangers, and they are the kindest of strangers.”

Information

If you are struggling or need help you call lifeline on 13 1114.

If you are interested in getting lifeline going again in the New England region head to: www.newengland.lifeline.org.au

You can also find out more about lifeline at: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Or follow them on social media:

Instagram: @lifelineaustralia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifelineAustralia/

Socials

You can follow the podcast on Instagram at:

@challengesthatchange us

Or join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses childhood sexual abuse and depression.

In Australia support for sexual assault survivors is available at 1800 RESPECT or 1800 737 732. Children and young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, and adult survivors of child sexual assault can seek help at the Blue Knot Foundation.

In today’s episode the incredibly brave Aggie Seiler has chosen to speak to us about the incredibly traumatic experience of surviving childhood sexual abuse.

This occurred with a family member, someone with whom she should have been safe, but that was not the case.

What followed was a years long journey as she worked through the trauma, her relationships and her own story, before eventually reporting the assault to police as an adult.

In today’s episode Aggie shares:

-      What family and life moments led to the assaults of her and her sister

-      How the family and community chose to sweep it under the rug

-      The long ranging effects the assault had on her mental health and well being

-      The traumatic experience of the justice system and having her uncle charged

Key Quotes

“I started getting pretty wobbly…so I ditched him and went really off the rails.”

“Until then there’d been no one defining what was right and wrong. So you’d internalised this very blurry line of what was right and wrong.”

‘You just don’t realise how much psychological trauma is holding in your body.”

“We need to learn more about how we can do this better and we need to learn the skills to have those hard conversations.”

“We need to be able to say to a young person, it is not your fault.”

Information

The Australian Childhood foundation have amazing tools around trauma and have launched Emma’s project to get surveys from adult survivors. You can find that here:

https://www.childhood.org.au/emmas-project/#:~:text=Emma's%20Project%20aims%20to%20collect,listened%20to%2C%20validated%20and%20effectively

www.Safecare.org is the organisation in WA that has incredible resources for a whole range of people.

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses mental health, depression and anxiety as well as chronic pain.

Jessica Macguire who has worked as a trauma informed integrated physio therapist for 14 years and is currently running programs on the vagus nerve.

She aims to help people get to the cause of the problems, rather than relying on others to treat their symptoms

She has studied neuro physiology throughout Europe, America, the UK and Australia and has learnt from pain researchers, professors in neuro plasticity, neuro scientists and psychologists on how the brain and nervous system change from stress, trauma and chronic pain.

Stress related illness such as anxiety, depression gut disorders, autoimmune issues and chronic pain can arise from dysregulation after chronic trauma and stress

In today’s episode Jessica shares:

-      How the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system can affect our health

-      How the isolating techniques of medicine can hinder rather than help diagnosis

-      Her advice for learning more about the vagus nerve and how it can help you

Key Quotes

“We may learn to cut off from sensations and live almost numb from out body. But either that that is creating an inner homelessness.”

“We really need to lean into the complexities, rather than trying to over simplify.”

“What I may find stressful may not be stressful to you, and no two people will have the same experience of pain or trauma.”

If you want to know more about Jessica

You can head to her website: https://www.jessicamaguire.com/

Or you can follow her on social media,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/repairingthenervoussystem/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/repairing_the_nervous_system/?hl=en

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses depression, anxiety, PTSD, strokes and stressful work environments.

For this episode we are joined by Roger Sutherland.

Roger is a veteran law enforcement officer and 24/7 shift worker for almost 4 decades.

He has 2 children and a son in law that are all shift workers.

His partner Melissa also works in a shift working environment and is a former 24/7 shift worker herself.

He “gets” shift work.

Roger runs his own podcast “A Healthy Shift” and coaches shift workers 1:1 in how to “Thrive, not just Survive” the rigors of shift work.

But during this journey, it was the stressful work environment that resulted in significant health complications including a Transient ischemic attack, PTSD and more.

In today’s episode Rogers hares:

-       The moment he had a mini stroke and realised his work stress was impacting his health

-      How he has come to grips with PTSD, anxiety and Anhedonia

-      How the podcast and business A Healthy Shift has helped him focus and move forward.

Key Quotes

“It doesn’t mean the person you expect will be there, will be there, but if you wait, the person you need will be sent to you.”

“I thought I was the king and on top of the world…but I didn’t realise how much {work stress} is impacting you.”

“I can get on my insta story and talk like I’m on top of the world…and then put the camera down and sit with my head in my hands.”

Information

In today’s podcast we discuss the hunger scale. If you want to understand it, you can find it here: https://altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Hunger-and-Fullness-Scale-2.pdf

If you want to know more about Roger

Instagram: @a_healthy_shift

Website: ahealthyshift.com

Podcast: ahealthyshift.com/podcast

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses cancer, and endometriosis

This episode’s guest is an incredibly strong woman who has battled through a lot.

Catherine Stephen was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer at a much younger age than is normally expected.

The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer in Australia is just 48%, meaning those diagnosed get less than half a chance of surviving five years from their diagnosis

After going through surgeries and treatment she was also diagnosed and struggled with endometriosis.

Catherine has very kindly offered to share her story of the challenges she overcame and the inspiring lessons she learnt from her journey.

In today’s episode Catherine shares:

-      How hard it was to get a doctor to actually get her tested

-      The horrifying moment she discovered she had a toxic mass in her abdomen

-      The 10 year process of overcoming the cancer

-      How she has handled the added struggle of endometriosis

Key Quotes

“They said we can’t believe this hasn’t ruptured and you’re still alive.”

“I didn’t realise how much I hadn’t addressed the trauma.”

“Its like you’ve been swimming underwater for 10 years and you come up for air and everything’s different.”

“People make a lot of assumptions about you being a woman without children without even knowing you.”

“I’ve had people say things are easier for me because I don’t have kids.”

If you want to support ovarian cancer research and Catherine you can do so here:

https://www.frocktober.org.au/my-fundraising/2568/catherine-stephen

If you want to support her photography you can do so here on Instagram: @catherine_stephen_photography

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: this episode discusses family dysfunction.

This weeks episode brings a story from someone who has truly lived a life.

From leaving home in her teens to join the military, working in a prison, studying bachelor of arts (majoring social welfare), bachelor of social work, graduate diploma of social science, a diploma of disability and a masters of business administration, Cheryl has done a lot.

But before all of that Cheryl Wilson was raised by an adopted family with some serious issues and that was the start of her journey and a challenge she had to overcome.

In today’s episode Cheryl shares:

-      Coming to the realisation that her adopted mother did not like her

-      How her adopted mother pitted her against her adopted sister

-      How she overcame such a troubling childhood upbringing

Key Quotes

“I learnt that I had to accept the person sitting in front of me.”

“I learnt who I was and it helped me change some of my…opinions we tend to have.”

“My mum…she hated me. She disliked me so much she hated me.”

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au/personality-performance

For her other business you can find it through the websites:

www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au

Or you can follow them on Instagram:

@Altitudefitnessarmidale

@trialtitudeperformance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.