Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. As we conclude the final episode for season 2, it is just me in front of the mic that probably also has a dash of vulnerability with a spoonful of feelings and honesty as I share some aspects of my journey in getting to the 18 month milestone post brain haemorrhage.

I discuss experiencing a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage, where that took place in the brain and how it impacted every aspect of my life, especially physically and emotionally. The discussions were not easy as I was learning to navigate my new world, especially with those around me. I give some tools that have helped support my recovery and the continual journey of living a new way with a brain injury, that may be useful for yourself or someone you know going through their own adversity.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode we head to New York where I had the wonderful online pleasure of speaking with actor, singer and amputee Rachel Handler.

Rachel shares how her passion for music, singing and theatre was ignited from a young age and the journey of pursuing it as a career. We lean into a day when driving to an audition changed the course of her life and the recovery involved. Rachel highlights the significance of her family's support, meeting a new love and entering back into the auditioning arena and acting world again as an amputee.

Strength training has been a major focus for Rachel over recent years and she shares supportive training videos on social media to educate fellow amputees. Her positivity and optimism for her future really shone through when speaking with her and it was incredibly inspiring to witness. Let's get into the interview.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Bronwyn Leeks, who is supporting people with a disability at home, in the water and with global wheelchair travel.

Bronwyn discusses the opportunities of her childhood travels and how she wanted to pay forward these unique experiences with her own children. Fast forward she talks about her oldest child Cooper who was born with Cerebral Palsy, advocating for him and wheelchair accessibility, navigating family life and how, at the moment, has conquered 32 countries and counting.

Brownyn gets candid about how being in fight or flight mode for 16 years led to a breakdown and how everyone should go through one to find out who you really are and what you want in your life. Let's get into the interview.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode I had the humbling and heartfelt opportunity to speak with Actor, Film Maker and Mental Health Advocate Berlin Lu.

Berlin shares with us the journey of being a carer to his parents, both with a diagnosis of individual neurological disorders, schizophrenia and dementia. He guides us through growing up as a child into adulthood, and the experiences he encountered.

Berlin discusses losing his father as a teenager and his coping strategies during that time. Acting has provided a creative outlet for Berlin and we talk about those opportunities, his journey of healing and his purpose to create more awareness and education about mental health for many people so they do not feel alone.

I have so much respect and admiration for Berlin in sharing this journey. An amazing human being!

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode I had the heartfelt pleasure of speaking with Australian MasterChef Contestant Max Krapivsky. We discuss Max's culinary adventures and delights growing up, his wife's terrible cooking and how that encouraging nudge started his journey of applying to be a contestant.

Whilst on Masterchef Max also shares the with us the journey of going through an ectopic pregnancy during the COVID lockdowns with his wife Simmone. Let's get into the interview.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode I had the wonderful pleasure of speaking with award winning author, renowned rock climber and mountaineer Paul Pritchard.

Winner of the 2018 Australian Geographic Spirit of Adventure Award, Paul talks about growing up in the UK and how the opportunity a teacher gave him to try rock climbing led him on a global adventure. A near fatal accident, extensive rehabilitation, Paul has defied all the odds and his story of human determination and survival is an exceptional one. He has also become a keen speaker and advocate about disability. Let's get into the interview. Follow @thebraingamechanger on Instagram

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Paul Pritchard www.paulpritchard.com.au

Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. In this week's episode we head to Utah in America, where I had the wonderful online opportunity to speak with Life Coach Julie Kuch. Through personal experiences with stroke and concussion, Julie's mission is to empower brain injury heroes into a story of strength and acceptance and looking forward to a future with excitement and abundance.

Julie lays it all out on the table with gumption, passion and that light seasoning of humour. Her coaching, advice and supportive tools are helping many people around the world, myself included. Let's get into the interview.

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Julie Kuch Coaching

In this week's episode, I had the humbling pleasure of speaking with dancer and performer Elvin Lam. We have an interpreter for our interview with Elvin as he is profoundly deaf and uses Auslan for communication.

We discuss growing up in Hong Kong and how he did his best navigating through the mainstream education system. We highlight Elvin's passion for movement and performing arts, which has seen him train in figure skating and various forms of dance both traditional and contemporary. His meeting with Emma from The Wiggles, has led him to feature in their stage shows and DVD's. Elvin also shares finding love and his hopes for having his own photography business. However, since this interview, Elvin has now been working alongside Emma in singing, dance and sign videos and national tours.

Let's get into this truly inspiring interview.

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Welcome to Season 2 of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host, Melissa Gough. We kick the season off by speaking with Professor Julie Bernhardt from The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health here in Melbourne, Australia. Julie is co-leader of The Florey's Stroke division and one of Australia's top stroke rehabilitation clinical trialists, continually pioneering the way in developing more effective treatments and post-recovery resources and support for stroke patients.

We discuss Julie's journey into the medical field, the AVERT Early Intervention Research Program and receiving funding for the upcoming Young Stroke Service Project.

She has also been awarded the Member of The Order of Australia, "for significant service to medical research, and as an advocate for women in science."

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The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

https://florey.edu.au

Welcome to the tenth episode of The Brain Game Changer podcast. I am your host Melissa Gough. In this week's final episode of Season One, we had the wonderful opportunity of speaking with the Creative Director of The Focus on Ability Film Festival Ryan Goodwin.

As it enters its 14th consecutive year, Nova Employment presents this festival, asking filmmakers to "Focus on the Ability" of people with a disability and tell a story on film for the world to see. In this interview, Ryan shares how the opportunity presented itself to work for Nova Employment and how CEO Martin Wren birthed the idea of the festival which has grown tremendously. He talks us through its first years and how it is now globally recognised as one of the largest short film festivals. We discuss some examples of previous films and winners, both here in Australia and overseas, and how you can play your part in creating awareness about such a worthy and wonderful event.

Throughout this interview, it was evident that Ryan is passionate about such an amazing concept that has changed so many lives and created such heartfelt and positive awareness.

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Focus on Ability Short Film Festival

The Brain Game Changer Podcast is produced in collaboration with Pretty Podcasts