Rebuilding a sense of purpose and providing mental health support with Shelley Rose • RMRS E07
Shelley Rose was the Wellbeing officer for the huge area affected by the 2022 Murray River flood. She is a mental health practitioner and retired financial counsellor who has been deeply rooted in her local Riverland community for over 23 years. Shelley’s first task was understanding the varied needs of flood victims, from primary and […]
Creating Safe Spaces for First Responders with Nick White
Nick is a 50-year-old single dad. He always wanted to join the military and dreamed of becoming a helicopter pilot. He decided instead to join the infantry and later trained as a paratrooper in Australia He was based at Holsworthy. He was eventually medically discharged after injuring his spine in a truck accident. After leaving […]
Navigating Identity and Mental Health: A conversation with Niharika Hiremath
In this insightful episode, Niharika Hiremath OAM, a first-generation immigrant and mental health professional, joins the podcast to share her unique perspective on growing up in Australia after leaving India at a young age. Niharika discusses her lived experiences as a third culture kid, the challenges and conflicts of navigating multiple identities, and her openness […]
Reuniting the community and fostering resilience with Julie Ahrens • RMRS E06
Julie Ahrens began her journey as a bonded student teacher, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities in rural Australia. Drawn by job prospects and adventure, Julie moved from to Berri where her passion for teaching and community blossomed. Julie fully immersed herself in the Riverland lifestyle, cherishing the natural beauty and forming deep connections […]
Working with horses to turn adversity into purpose with Sue Spence • Animals and Us E08
Sue grew up in New Zealand loving horses, always asking for a white pony and feeling happiest when spending time riding and caring for her first ponies and her horse, Lady. As a child with autism and ADHD, Sue felt awkward around humans but found peace and confidence with horses, using time in nature to […]
From chasing promotions to a life built with purpose and authenticity with James Pearson
James grew up in the north of England, earning a degree in politics and economics, working various jobs to support himself after university. He visited Australia for the Olympics and decided to stay. He started working in recruitment, which led to opportunities and a new life here. He thrived in the corporate world, pursuing promotions […]
Stepping up to responsibility in a time of crisis with Simone Bailey • RMRS E05
After being an accountant with the Mid Murray Council, Simone had just been elected Mayor when she suddenly faced a major flood crisis, shifting quickly into immediate disaster management. Simone rallied the community, organising meetings and delivering flyers to get everyone up to speed on flood risks and emergency plans. Simone helped to successfully secure […]
Pushing the boundaries of modern medicine to create change with Ben Bravery
Ben was raised by a single mother in Southeast Queensland, who instilled ambition and curiosity, setting the foundation for his diverse and driven future journey. After studying zoology, Ben worked in environmental policy with the Australian Government, but he became disillusioned, realising that meaningful environmental impact required more than policy work. He moved to China […]
From Boat Escape to Refugee Advocate: Mahshid Babzartabi’s Journey to Reclaiming her Next Chapter
In this episode, we explore the harrowing and inspirational journey of Mahshid Babzartabi, a refugee who fled Iran at age 52, as she was unable to endure the constraints of a society that silenced her voice. Confronted with limited legal options for safe emigration, she ultimately embarked on a perilous boat journey to Australia. Despite […]
Multiple Migrations: Laura Gutierrez’s Search for a Place to Call Home
In this episode, Laura Gutierrez shares her experience as an immigrant having migrated multiple times from Colombia to the US, from the US to New Zealand, and from New Zealand to Australia. She discusses her motivations for leaving her country of origin, including a desire to explore other cultures and escape certain aspects of her […]