Season 4 guests
Dr Ettie Ben-Shabat is a neuroscientist, clinician and ‘edupreneur’. Once, she was a solider. Find out more about Ettie’s work.
Liam Twomey had his right leg amputated below the knee as a child. He struggled with accepting this through his teenage years, and found relief from his grief in self destructive behaviours. Today he is an Elite Paratriathlete for Australia.
Megan McIntyre is a mother of two boys, Fergus and Finton. Both Megan and Fergus have repaired cleft lip and palate. Megan volunteers as the Secretary for the Australian Kinesiology Association and general member of CleftPALS Victoria committee, supporting families affected by cleft.
Sarah Pfafflin is a photographer and communications specialist who lives in Sydney. Follow her amazing Instagram.
Tim Boyle works in finance in Melbourne. He was the first person in Australia to have a combined small bowel and kidney transplant.
Season 3 guests
Andrew Hogan was a Catholic priest for a decade. After leaving the priesthood he joined the funeral industry.
Catherine is married to Andy, who featured in this podcast episode 1.10 When We Are Different, in which he talks about his diagnosis of ADHD at age 53.
Elizabeth Callinan is a Melbourne based freelance writer and podcast host with a background in social policy. Elizabeth has three children – Jasper, Rory and Greta. Greta has mosaic Down syndrome. In Elizabeth’s podcast One screened every minute she talks with people who have received unexpected prenatal screening results. For more information visit elizabethcallinan.com
Kenny Singh is a leader at Microsoft, and is partially-sighted. He and his wife live in Point Cook, Melbourne, sharing their home with enthusiastic dogs, some of whom make a guest appearance in this interview. The book Kenny mentions is Fear Less – How To Win At Life Without Losing Yourself.
Paul Knight rebuilt his life after devastating experiences with mental health challenges. He volunteers time as a Lived Experience Speaker for Beyond Blue to educate, inspire hope and contribute to breaking the stigma of mental health.
Season 1 & 2 guests
Alice Pung is an award-winning writer, journalist and essayist. She is one of Sydney Morning Herald’s Young Novelists of the Year 2015, Artist in Residence at Janet Clarke Hall and an ambassador for organisations that encourage literacy and literature among young people. Find out more about Alice.
Andy Hutchinson is a journalist and photographer who has lived in UK and Australia. He diagnosed with ADHD when he was 53. Find out more about Andy’s experience of ADHD and adult diagnosis.
Associate Professor Beth Driscoll lectures in Publishing and Communications at the University of Melbourne. She is the author of The New Literary Middlebrow: Tastemakers and Reading in the Twenty-First Century. Her current research looks at online and offline reading practices, literary festivals, and popular fiction.
Daniel Bowen is best known as a public transport campaigner. He’s a frequent media commentator and blogger on public transport issues and one of Australia’s first bloggers. Find out more about Daniel.
Dave Mallard is a founding member and President of Melbourne Men’s Group, promoting transformative personal growth and authentic relationship/leadership capability for men. Find out more at about Melbourne Men’s Group.
Dr Gabrielle Peacock is a General Practitioner with mental health specialty based in Hobart, Australia. She runs workshops in Solution Oriented Therapy and lectures at The University of Tasmania Medical School. Find out more about Neonatal Kitten Rescue Hobart.
Jackie Wise is a complaints and dispute resolution specialist. She currently works within local government in Melbourne as a Senior Customer Advocate. Find out more about dispute resolution.
Dr Jane Mallick is a passionate yogini who has been practicing yoga for almost forty years. After a successful career in social health research and educational studies, a midlife health crisis point turned her to feminine yoga for healing. Find out more about Jane.
Judy Herreen is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner, and Virtual Gastric Band practitioner. She is the author of Letting Go and Holding On: a Practical Guide to a Happier Life. Find out more about mindfulness and NLP.
Lucy Mannering is co-author with her sister Rebekah Mannering of Surviving Your Split: The ultimate guide to surviving and thriving your split. Both lawyers and divorcees, who grew up in a family of lawyers, even they felt confronted by the strange new world. Find out more.
Dr Mark Cross is a consultant psychiatrist and member of the board of SANE Australia. He is the author of Changing Minds, bestselling new book Anxiety and leads vodcast The Anxious Shrink.
Nick Staikos MP is the state member for Bentleigh in Melbourne, Australia. Nick has a history of community advocacy and activism and is President of Godfrey Street Community House, and an honorary life member of the East Bentleigh Senior Citizens Club. Find out more about Nick.
Rachael Angus is a funeral and marriage celebrant who specialises in death services, and support for grieving families. Rachel tells us about her job on Bloom podcast Season 2, episode 1. Find out more about Rachael.
Dr Renee Otmar has a vision of an inspired world in which words and ideas are harnessed to spread knowledge, understanding, peace and joy. Her recent book is Editing for Sensitivity, Diversity and Inclusion: A guide for professional editors. Find out more about Renée.
Rowena Carey lives in central London and works as a hospitality manager. Rowena has synaesthesia and experiences the world in a particular way. Rowena tells us about her experience of synaesthesia on Bloom podcast Season 2, episode 1. Find out more about synaesthesia.
Sue and Gordon live in regional Victoria in a house with an amazing view. A few years ago they joined a group which they now realise developed all the characteristics of a cult. They prefer we don’t show their photo; instead this is the view from the house where they live now. They tell their story on Bloom podcast, Season 2 episode 4.