The Wellbeing Edge

Why do some communities thrive while others fall behind, and what does it really take to change that? In this episode, I sit down with Pascarn Dickinson to explore his work on wellbeing inequality: who gets to flourish, who doesn’t, and why we need to understand the nuances in the numbers.

We dig into the role of social connection in outcomes, so when people aren't doing well, the entire community is affected. Pascarn also makes the case for focusing on outcomes, not outputs: counting the difference we actually make rather than just stacking the action items.

Through this conversation it becomes clear that this is a very complex topic. There are no silver bullets to understanding wellbeing through geography, but there are better questions to ask. If you work in health, policy, community or leadership, or simply care about how people do well together, this one is for you.

Links and Bio

Pascarn Dickinson is a social impact measurement expert and researcher specialising in wellbeing, data ethics, and good research engagement practice. At Huber Social, he supports varied organisations internationally to robustly measure their impact in wellbeing terms, in addition to advising the Huber Social Ethics Review Board and sitting on New Zealand's Independent Human Research Ethics Committee.

Between the endless news cycle, rising costs, and the speed at which AI is changing how we work and live, it’s no wonder so many of us feel on edge. The uncertainty is real, and so is the fear of what comes next.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to start looking after yourself. You don’t need a five-year plan, a perfect routine, or a calmer season of life. In this episode, we talk about why waiting for the “right time” keeps us stuck, and how small actions, like a glass of water, a walk around the block, a phone-free evening, or a short daily walk, can be the antidote you need for the chaos of modern life.

Wellbeing starts small, and it starts today. Press play and take your first step with us.

Email Sunrise Well: [email protected]

Book a call with Sunrise Well: https://www.sunrisewell.com.au/contact

What we eat can shape how we feel, but that's only the start of the story. How we eat matters too.

In Season 2 Episode 7, I speak with two leading dietitians and researchers about the gut-brain connection and what it means for mental health.

Dr Heidi Staudacher is an Associate Professor and leads the Diet, Gut and Brain Group at Monash University. Her research looks at dietary treatments for depression and for gut conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr Tetyana Rocks is a Senior Research Fellow at the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University and Director of the Food & Mood Academy, where she translates nutritional psychiatry research into education and practice.

We discuss:

The Mediterranean diet and other traditional diets

Why most Australians aren’t getting enough vegetables

Slowing down and enjoying food as an experience, rather than following strict rules about what and when to eat, and so much more.

This episode is general information and not a substitute for advice from a doctor, dietitian or mental health professional.

Links and resources:

Dr Heidi Staudacher, Diet, Gut and Brain Group: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/translational/medicine-alfred/research/diet-gut-and-brain-group

Dr Tetyana Rocks, Food & Mood Centre: https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/our-team/

Food & Mood Academy: https://foodandmoodacademy.com.au/

Their research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39628343/

This episode is a short practical dive into some key actions you can take to protect, promote, and prioritise your mental wellbeing. Roll your sleeves up, grab a pen and paper, and let's dive in!

To bring Ruth into your workplace, contact us: https://www.sunrisewell.com.au/contact

How can we better support autistic people, and the people who care for them, both at work and in the community? In this episode, we talk with Dr Ru Ying Cai about autism, self-compassion, communication, and the workplace.

Dr Cai explains why self-compassion matters for autistic individuals and their carers, how non-autistic people can better understand the needs of their autistic peers, and what workplaces can do to support wellbeing, from flexible arrangements and sensory-friendly spaces to a culture of psychological safety.

Whether you're autistic, a carer, a colleague, or a leader, you'll come away with practical, compassionate ideas for making work and life more inclusive, creating opportunities for better mental health for all.

Dr Ru Ying Cai is a Research Fellow at ARCAP and Senior Research Fellow at Mindful, the University of Melbourne. Ru is passionate about researching the factors that can improve the resilience and psychological wellbeing of Autistic individuals and parents of Autistic children, including emotion regulation, self-compassion, financial wellbeing, and inclusive employment. Ru serves as the Chair of the Board at Different Journeys.

Connect with Dr Ru Ying Cai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ru-ying-cai-86ab063/

ARCAP: Aspect Research Centre For Autism Practice:https://www.aspect.org.au/our-research

ASPECT Research Centre: https://www.aspect.org.au/

Self-Compassion for parents of Autistic children: https://www.aspect.org.au/our-research/impact/empowering-autistic-people/parent-self-compassion

Aspect Self-Compassion Program for Autistic Adults (ASPAA): https://www.aspect.org.au/our-research/evidence-informed-guides-programs/aspaa

Different Journeys: https://www.differentjourneysautism.com

To speak with Ruth at Sunrise Well contact: https://www.sunrisewell.com.au/contact

How to Protect Your Energy, Set Healthy Boundaries & Prioritise Your Wellbeing

Feeling drained, overwhelmed or stretched too thin? In this episode, we explore how to protect your energy, set healthy boundaries, manage stress and prioritise your wellbeing without feeling guilty. Discover practical ways to recognise what’s draining you, protect your time and energy, say no when you need to, and create more space for the people, work and priorities that matter most.

Sunrise Well helps organisations to have happier, healthier, high-performing people through facilitation, training, and coaching.

Book Ruth Kent as a speaker or trainer for your workplace events, conferences, and retreats.

What really shapes our health, and how much of it is actually within our control?

In this episode, we explore the powerful forces influencing the way we think about, talk about and experience health and wellbeing. From the way health messages are communicated to us, to the commercial determinants of health and the industries that influence our choices, we look beyond the idea that health is simply a matter of personal responsibility, to the environments and experiences that shape our choices.

We also turn to healthy ageing, exploring sarcopenia and strength, and discuss why maintaining strength is so important for mobility, independence and reducing the risk of falls.

It’s a conversation about moving beyond simplistic health advice and understanding the bigger picture: how we communicate health, what shapes our choices, and what we can do to stay stronger and healthier for longer.

Dr Troy Walker is a Yorta Yorta man, an experienced chiropractor and strength and conditioning coach with a demonstrated history of working in the clinical health, wellbeing, nutrition and physical activity domains.

He is a concomitant research professional with a Masters in Human Nutrition with a particular focus on Australian Aboriginal strength-based approaches to health. This is especially as it relates to nutrition, physical activity and sarcopenia prevention in older adults and includes regular delivery of lectures, workshops and presentations at seminars on all of these topics. He has obtained Clinical Fellowship in Lifestyle Medicine with the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM).

Contact: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-walker-31143818b/

Articles:

Walker, T., Sherriff, S., & Browne, J. (2026). Weight loss medication marketing and First Nations people: Disease awareness or corporate profit? Medical Journal of Australia, 224(7), e70246. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.70246

Browne, J., Walker, T., Hill, K., Mitchell, F., Beswick, H., Thow, S., Ryan, J., Sherriff, S., Rossignoli, A., Ropitini, A., Johnstone, M., Paradies, Y., Backholer, K., Allender, S., & Brown, A. D. (2024). Food policies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health (FoodPATH): A systems thinking approach. Food Policy, 126, 102676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102676

Leersen, P., Lock, M., Walker, T., Crocetti, A., & Browne, J. (2024). Corporate sector engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: An analysis of stakeholder submissions. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 20(3), 462–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801241253291

Walker, T., Singh, K. P., Gan, V., Conley, B., Bravo, J., Smith, N., Clarke, A., Baker, J., Maple-Brown, L. J., Daly, R., Browne, J., Zanker, J., Shore-Lorenti, C., Scott, D., Ebeling, P. R., & Zengin, A. (2025). Bone health perspectives among Indigenous people: A qualitative study. Medical Journal of Australia, 223(2), 92–100. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52704

We explore a public health story from the past to help us understand the present. In this episode, I share the story of Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis who became known as the 'saviour of mothers' through his discovery of using antiseptics in hospitals, in this case, during childbirth.

I use this story to demonstrate how it sometimes helps to step back from the question, 'what am I doing wrong?' to ask the question, 'what am I not doing at all?'

Listen in and follow Ruth Kent and Sunrise Well for more health and wellbeing insights.

To work with Ruth, book yourself in here: https://www.sunrisewell.com.au/contact

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthkentsunrisewell/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunrise-well

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This interview dives deep into the way we talk about wellbeing, the impact of languishing at work, and how we can get on the same page when we talk about all things related to wellbeing at work, and why it's so important. We also touch on the topic of psychosocial risk and how we can go beyond prevention and towards promotion. If you work in workplace wellbeing, this is an episode not to be missed.

https://www.bewellco.io/taxonomy-positive-mental-health/

https://www.bewellco.io/

Dr Matthew Iasiello’s work aims to improve the assessment and promotion of mental wellbeing, with work including how to measure positive mental health and developing psychological interventions to support wellbeing across diverse populations. He completed his PhD at Flinders University in 2023, examining the relationship between mental wellbeing and mental illness through the dual-continua model.

He has numerous projects including aDelphi consensus study on positive mental health dimensions and the MyWell study, co-designing a wellbeing program for people living with multiple myeloma.

He’s a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Adelaide University School of Biomedicine and Head of Data and Research Translation at Be Well Co, and, if that doesn’t keep him busy enough, he also hosts the Researching Happy podcast.

Get yourself ready for a season full of insightful conversations and deep dives into aspects of wellbeing that we don't always make the time to look at. This season will take us right through to December with juicy data and thought-provoking ideas designed to get you thinking about wellbeing differently. Let's jump in!