‘Nothing prepares you for motherhood!’ I hear the wise woman say. ‘You’re never really ready for birth and beyond.’ I get the picture, that the magnificence of childbearing and motherhood is a learn-on-the-job experience. I’m the first to admit, nothing could have prepared me for drawing the short-straw of 8 months of ‘morning sickness’. But […]
Creative and expressive arts therapies have emerged from strength to strength throughout the mental health spectrum. This is a welcome emergence! Some may be familiar with the cathartic nature of transforming emotions through art – you would have to be reading from under a rock to not see how The BFA creative endeavour has facilitated my own evolution through suffering – […]
I was interviewed by Kate Milan from Melbourne’s 3CR 855am Community Radio, about my work as a mental health activist engaging with the community about prominent mental health issues. It was such a relief to speak to someone who shares the same vision for a mental health care system that honours the individual’s right to chose their […]
Having a cup of tea may not solve all mental health conundrums but it does present an opportunity to pause, pull-back and ponder them. It creates space, momentarily, within our minds and gently slows down the busyness of our days. A tea break is as good as any yoga pose, inviting the Buddha within to exude calm. I spoke with […]
Jared Osborne is one of those men you’d be really lucky to get stuck on an island with. Not only is he a capable, intelligent master of the Qi Gong Kung Fu Tai Chi type, he is also a leader in the mysterious world of ‘men’s business’. For a gal like me who is fascinated with the […]
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama has a model of intimacy based on a willingness to open ourselves to many others, to family, friends and even strangers forming genuine deep bonds based on our common humanity. I doubt you need to be a Buddhist to understand this. In His Holiness’ book, ‘The Art of Happiness’, He […]
*Please note: As of June 2014 I no longer work as a life model or offer private life modelling tuition.* Each time I de-robe to present my body to an artist, I recall why I started life modelling in the first place. I think it’s that first kiss of cool air in places rarely public […]
Have you ever felt as though having mental health issues has gotten in the way of romance? It’s certainly been the case for me when my primary focus has been on, as they say, ‘staying well’, while most of my friends were dating and dancing at discos. Once upon a time, the nitty-gritty complexity of […]
I entered a competition called Are You A Messenger? My compelling message was based on promoting more heart and soul in mental health care. This video was inspired by discovering that ketamine (a horse tranquilizer) has been claimed to revolutionise mental health care – an option I feel is unnecessary when we have so many […]
<!– On 24th July 2014, I presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth, Western Australia about my recovery from attempted suicide. This was a special milestone for me – speaking publicly about my attempt and also proposing steps to recovery that others could integrate into their life. I discuss the role of The Suicide […]
