Over 12 years, Carissa was hospitalized 30 times, she saw 13 psychologists and she tried everything.

It was dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) that she says saved her life. Over the years she’s become a strong advocate for change in the mental health community, challenging everyone and everything that is allowing anyone to slip through the cracks. One of the things she’s most excited about is the development of a safe space cafe in Western Australia which will be an alternative to the emergency room for people who need support.

You can also watch this video on Youtube.

In this discussion Tom and I talk about what helped free him from the depths of an existential crisis..

Which he was hurled into after a series of overwhelmingly dark psychedelic experiences. He was left traumatized after experiencing the collective suffering of humanity during an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru. His whole world came crashing down and he was forced to question everything he ever thought he knew. This is the discussion about how he rebuilt his sense of self as well as his sense of meaning and purpose. Overcoming nihilism was a key component to his recovery.

You can also watch this video on Youtube.

Max has been living with Asperger’s like a champion.

He refuses to accept the limitations of Asperger’s Syndrome and he says we’re not looking at disabilities, but different abilities. In this interview we discuss his interest and success in boxing, muay thai, security and writing. He has successfully uncovered several skills he can capitalize on to make a living and develop himself. If you’re struggling to cope with Asperger’s in adulthood, or even if you’re a neurotypical individual, Max will inspire you!

You can also watch this video on Youtube.

It wasn’t until I started recording mental health vlogs and exposing my suffering that my mental health recovery began.

When we talk about mental health in our own words suddenly what we are dealing with becomes much clearer. We move from depression to expression. In the 18 months since I recorded the original video I have become liberated from so much of my suffering and I really wanted to share this video with everyone because mental illness is not for life. You can come out of your suffering. You can heal yourself. I no longer identify as the victim of my past experiences or the victim of my circumstances. I identify as the creator of my own future, my own universe.

You can also watch this video on Youtube.

Continuing the discussion about the importance of self love on your health and fitness journey with my girlfriend.

Our goal is to start rewiring how we look at ourselves. Amy has been keeping a photo journal and she has noticed that her self image fluctuates a lot more than her actual appearance. Mindfulness plays a big factor when it comes to getting in shape. Negative feelings and emotions generate all kinds of blockages and they can immobilize you completely. Take care of yourself and your body and mind will take care of you.

The original video we are discussing is here.

You can also watch this discussion on Youtube.

In this interview Matt and I discuss everything to do with the journey to success as a creative professional.

If you want to step up your film making, graphic design, writing or any other creative work this should inspire you. You need to learn how to price your freelance videography work, you need to learn how to price design services and make more money, you need to learn how to respond when your clients say you’re too expensive. There’s so much more to being a creative than producing amazing work and we know what you’re going through.

Matt’s a great person to ask about any things you NEED as a filmmaker to take your film making to the next level and he said he’ll try to respond to any comments. I’m always travelling light for documentary film making and I’m great at getting bang for my buck and keeping to tight budgets so I may be able to help you in that regard. Becoming a filmmaker is far from easy. Any creative work is tricky. It’s hard charging clients for creative work when it doesn’t really feel like work, but it’s the journey we all have to go on if we want to live our dreams. Don’t be a struggling artist, your camera doesn’t matter, just get stuck into it!

You can also watch this discussion on Youtube.

In this interview Zack and I begin to scratch the surface of a whole variety of spiritual, paranormal and magical experiences.

After a motorcycle accident he became increasingly more spiritual as he encountered more and more paranormal experiences. He dabbled in the supernatural as a paranormal investigator trying to capture physical evidence of the unseen forces acting upon our reality. Over time he moved more and more from skeptic to believer as his own experiences accumulated.

You can also watch this discussion on Youtube.

In this interview Jake and I discuss redesigning your entire life, your entire identity.

He used to have a rigid self-image but in the last few years he has dabbled in anything and everything that interests him. By letting go of the concepts of who he was he has been able to evolve spiritually, emotionally and mentally into a much more dynamic human being.

He’s a long time personal friend of mine so this transformation was awesome to witness. During the interview we touch on art, music, magic, poetry and the kinds of jobs an eccentric young man finds himself pursuing. Jake has been a member of film crews, hosted radio shows, worked as a laborer and basically said yes to any income that could potentially fund his creative process.

You can also watch this discussion on Youtube.

In this interview, Lauren and I discuss her contrasting experiences in the public and private mental health systems.

She suffers from a mental illness which is characterized by schizophrenic symptoms such as dissociation and halluncinations, which are triggered by the emotional fluctuations of bipolar disorder. She also has complex PTSD but we didn’t discuss that in this particular chat.

She wants people to know that real help is available and while the price of private health insurance may seem intimidating, it is worth every penny.

You can also watch this discussion on Youtube.

In this interview Nat and I discuss his thoughts about his genetic predisposition to schizophrenia.

He describes some of the strange experiences he is already having, such as out of body experiences (also known as OBE). He has also dabbled in lucid dreaming which has enabled him to reach even more profound states of consciousness. I knew the kid was smart and interesting but I was not expecting this!

You can also watch this interview on Youtube.