Pebble in the Pond

After moving with her family to Australia at age 11, Shivani completed her engineering degree then her MBS to pursue a career in leadership. Shivani then experienced a life changing trek to Nepal, came home and quit her corporate job and quit her relationship.   

Now, over the last 21 years of running her own business', Shivani has presented to over a quarter of a million people across 18 countries, coached over 1500 leaders globally and authored 8 books. In today’s episode we chat about Shivani’s travels, her experiences running multiple businesses and the mental health challenges that come along with that as well as her current work, passion projects with education and plans for the future.  
 
Welcome Shivani.  

Today we chat with Fiona McCallum, General Manager, MacKillop Seasons and Keeva Mostyn, Seasons for Life Lead. 

MacKillop Seasons evidence-based programs build knowledge and capacity of professionals to provide safe space for children, young people and adults to learn knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and respond to experience of change, loss and grief. Today we chat with Keeva and Fiona about the impacts of grief, loss and change with our young people and some of the training programs available at MacKillop Seasons.   

Thank you and welcome Keeva and Fiona.  

A former Young Australian of the Year, Sarah’s twenty years as a nurse and humanitarian have taken her around the globe.

This has given her a uniquely human perspective to the way we think, work and behave. She has seen the power of human connection to literally save lives. By cultivating a culture of courage, we all have the power to make an impact.

Tune in as we talk with Sarah about her humanitarian travels, her coping mechanisms for mental wellbeing in challenging situations and tackling burnout in the workplace and cultivating a culture of COURAGE. 

Welcome Sarah.  

A Northern Territorian, proud Woolwonga and Kukatj woman, raised on Larrakia and Yolngu Land. Lateesha is a passionate advocate for education – particularly for young women – and the role empowering young women plays in healing intergenerational trauma and strengthening communities. 

Today we chat with Lateesha about her background and her passion for lateral empowerment. In 2022, Lateesha was successful in a Grant Application through Northern Land Council's Stimulus Grant Package, to develop and deliver a program in relation to Lateral Violence for Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander Women across the Northern Territory. We talk about the implementation of this program and what it means for young people across the territory. 

Welcome Lateesha.  

From brain surgery on sharks to the highlands of Papua New Guinea, to living in a cave and writing a book, Dr Kaushik Ram has many stories to tell. Abandoning a career in Australia and writing a book in a Thailand jungle in over just two months, Dr Ram experienced a transformative experience.  

In this episode we talk about the fight or flight response with people experiencing anxiety or depression, we also discuss the research behind it, and our trust in our own bodies. We talk about AI and the innovation in AI within mental health, in which Dr Ram has experience.  

Thank you for this incredible episode, and welcome Dr Ram.  

Georgeina was not prepared for the inequality found in the Defence Force in the mid eighties when she enrolled in the armed forces. However she persevered, finished basic training and was allocated to the army psychology core. After officer training she was selected for a officer exchange in New Zealand, and applied to the Australian Army Medical Core as a health administrator. Thirty years later, ended up the Director of Army Health. 

Through her long and varied career, Georgeina was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in 2004 and was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2006 and awarded a Bar to her Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2016.   

She was named ACT Telstra Businesswoman of the year in 2015 and awarded the ACT Public Service Award for Leadership in 2019.  

In this episode we discuss Georgeina’s career, including her important pivot points, observations and challenges she’s found and her super power. “My super power is making the best use of everything that is available to me and I work very hard to collaborate.” 

Leanne is a psychologist, author, presenter and advocate. In this episode we talk about the digital service delivery of mental health support during the pandemic as well as the advances in AI as well as the role technology will play in the future of mental health.  

Leanne’s also the author of Head First Health Fast, the Smart Approach to Outwitting Body Issues and Sustaining Achievable Health and we touch on the importance of health body image in today’s society.  

Welcome Leanne.  

Distinguished Professor Susan Danby is recognised internationally as one of Australia’s leading experts in early years language and social interaction, childhood studies, and young children’s engagement with digital technologies.  

As Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Susan leads a collective of national and international researchers and partners across government, business and the community to work towards the Centre’s vision – ensuring young children are healthy, connected and educated in a rapidly changing digital age. 

In today’s episode we discuss the mission for The Centre of Excellence for Digital Child, what the latest research says and the role of parents, teachers and educators in the space. 

Welcome Susan.  

Growing up with family violence, Jacqui says it was in the stars that she ended up leading the largest peak body in Australia for organisations and individuals who work with men to end family violence.  Over her eight years as CEO of No to Violence, Jacqui saw the organisation grow from a team of 20 in Melbourne to more than 90 staff across five states. No to Violence offer a Men’s Referral Service and is the central point of contact for men taking responsibility for their violent behaviour. They also work with the family violence sector and governments to develop and advocate for best practice policy in stopping men’s use of family violence, as well as providing training and workforce development for sector workers.   

(Since this episode was recorded, Jacqui has stepped down as CEO from No to Violence). 

Thank you Jacqui for an interesting and insightful chat.  

Educator, truth-talker and natural disruptor, Peta has a strong background in training and consulting and a profile in mental health and suicide prevention. In today’s episode we speak about Peta’s presentation at the 2023 Australian and New Zealand Addiction Conference on the impact of the current rise of vaping and e-cigarettes use in Australia. Every state has different rules and regulations about vaping use and it’s the lack of education and information that are seeing consumers ingesting quite dangerous toxins as well as children and young people having easy access to vapes. Thank you Peta for an interesting yarn today.