Ceara is a 37-year-old psychologist living with terminal illness. On this episode, Ceara speaks about facing her death, how she finds hope in uncertainty, and why she supports voluntary assisted dying. *Ceara is our first returning guest, and spoke to us back in July 2020. Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos Twitter: @msoc_pod   Contact Ceara: Twitter: @CearaRickard Instagram: @ceararickard https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-cearas-cancer-journey  

Dr Lars Madsen is a forensic psychologist with 20+ years experience in the treatment of sexual and violent offending. On this episode, Lars shares anecdotes and insights from experiences across his career. In the second part of this episode, Lars discusses a case where he provided psychological assessment & treatment to a child sex murderer, using Forensic Schema Therapy.  Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos  Twitter: msoc_pod    TRIGGER WARNING: This episode describes heavy content.    ...

James Harding was once an abuser, drug dealer and underworld debt collector. Now he’s a counsellor, and uses his experience to help criminals change their story.  [Episode hosted by Maddie]. Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos Twitter: @msoc_pod SUPPORTS Lifeline - 13 11 14 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 Mensline - 1300 78 99 78 _____ Hard Cuddles: An innovative mental health service that specialises in counselling, forensic counselling, mentoring and peer support facilitated in an outdoor...

In this episode we talk to Dr Ray Middleton on the consequences of medicalising psychological suffering into “mental disorders”. Ray is an independent trainer, speaker and writer, and a long-standing critic of the western diagnostic model of psychiatry. He is a lead trainer in the Power Threat Meaning Framework - a radically different approach to psychological suffering, which abandons diagnoses altogether, and offers an alternative to seeing oneself as "disordered" or "mentally ill".  In...

Jess has a background in psychology and criminology, and works in the reintegration space with long term & serious offenders. Jess chats with Jason about the different perspectives of grief, and why we are who we are. *note: apologies as the audio quality on this episode is slightly poorer than usual.  Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

In this episode, hosts Jason & Maddie reflect on Brock's episode, sharing their personal reflections on suicide, loneliness and fear. Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos WARNING: This episode does contain heavy & potentially triggering content.  SUPPORTS Lifeline - 13 11 14 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 Griefline - 1300 845 745

8 years on from his footy career, Brock McLean opens up about his battles off the field - bulimia, depression, anxiety and attempts at ending his life.  TRIGGER WARNING: This episode describes heavy content.  Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos SUPPORTS Lifeline - 13 11 14 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 Griefline - 1300 845 745 Mensline - 1300 78 99 78  

Emmy van Deurzen is one of the world’s most respected existential psychologists. This is a raw and intimate episode, where Emmy talks about death, love and how she makes meaning of life. Also discussed is society’s obsession with ‘being happy’, the medicalisation of human misery and the need to get to know our darker sides.  Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos      

William Wainwright is a forensic psychologist with over 20 years experience in various settings, with a particular focus on sexual and violent offending.  In this episode, we discuss the psychology behind sexually abusing a child, how offenders justify breaking moral standards, and the cycle of shame involved in repeat offending.  We also discuss the trauma carried by emergency service workers, and how this is identified and treated within Vic Police. Jason shares some of his personal...

Part 2: We discuss with Noah Rasheta the notion of impermanence; that uncertainty is the only constant in life. We also discuss suicide, interdependence, doubt and the nature of introspection.  Noah Rasheta is a Buddhist teacher, lay minister, and author, as well as the host of the podcast Secular Buddhism.    Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos TRIGGER WARNING: This episode describes heavy content.   SUPPORTS Lifeline - 13 11 14 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 Griefline - 1300 845 745    

Noah Rasheta is a Buddhist teacher, lay minister, and author, as well as the host of the Secular Buddhism podcast. In this episode, Noah talks about how Buddhism changed his relationship with suffering, including the way he processed his dad’s death. We also discussed the darker side of our need to be liked, to belong and to stay busy.  Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Paros (29) shares his story of living through his dad's terminal illness, from ages 17-20. Paros is director of Lost Motos, a NFP and community that focuses on facilitating a safe forum for men needing honest dialogue around mental health.    SUPPORTS Lifeline - 13 11 14 Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 Griefline - 1300 845 745 Mensline - 1300 78 99 78  

Dylan (26) and Jordan (24) lost their dad, Bentley, to bowel cancer 6 months ago. They’re also the founders of a brilliantly named YouTube series, “The C* Word”, where they speak about the challenges of living with a family member with cancer. Dylan and Jordan are Maddie’s friends from high school, and in this episode, they sit down with her to talk about life since losing their dad.  Donate to Bowel Cancer Support, Awareness & Research. 

Kate’s story is not grief due to a death, but due to the long-term incarceration of her brother overseas on a drug conviction. She describes the uncomfortable feelings of shame, guilt and compassion fatigue, and provides insight into the roles we undertake when others are suffering - including the complexities of holding anger, loss and hope simultaneously.    *To protect privacy, we have used the pseudonyms of Kate and Matt.  

Part 2: A personal episode with hosts Maddie and Jason. Discussion on regrets, fear of loved ones dying and last conversations. 

A personal episode with hosts Maddie and Jason. Discussion on regrets, fear of loved ones dying and last conversations. 

Host Jason on how he is trying to accept that everything comes to an end… how this brings him an overwhelming sense of isolation, despair and loss of control, but also a deeper level of freedom; knowing that every moment is a unique, temporary moment in time that will never occur again.

Let us know your thoughts by text/voice messaging @makingsenseofchaos or [email protected] (we may share with your permission).

Ittay, a Jewish educator & journalist, speaks to us about finding meaning and purpose, and why he doesn’t want his kids "to just be happy". He also speaks about his journey following his father’s death from cancer when he was 21, and how reading the book “Thirty Days” prompted a change in the way he related to death.      Instagram @ittay78   A Reflection on "Thirty Days" by Mark Raphael Baker.   Follow Ittay's journalism and peacework here & here

Michael, aged 23, is currently in palliative care for treatment of brain cancer. Michael is training to become a nurse, and also volunteers as a first aider with Ambulance Victoria, St John Ambulance & State Emergency Service. In this episode, Michael tells us his story.  Michael's TikTok: @michaelarkalis

Chloe, a 23-year-old aspiring school counsellor, speaks about the sudden loss of her dad 3 years ago - and the flood of different emotions that have followed. 

Two friends having a chat about death, connection and existence. 

Sandra Pankhurst is the woman behind the biography, ‘The Trauma Cleaner’. Sandra’s job as a trauma cleaner has led her into dark homes where death, sickness and madness have suddenly abbreviated the lives inside. She is called on to deal with diverse trauma clean-ups, from unattended deaths and suicides, to cases of long-term property neglect where homes have, in her words, “fallen into disrepute”. Most people are surprised to learn that the police, firefighters or ambulances do not do...

“I've worked in advertising for 35-years. All while suffering from Bipolar 1. So I know what it’s like to perform brilliantly in a boardroom one moment, only to find myself crying quietly in a toilet cubicle the next.” On this episode, we speak to David Westgate about living with Bipolar 1, as well as some small talk topics such as the ultimate meaning and purpose of life. SUPPORTS: Lifeline - 13 11 14  Mensline - 1300 78 99 78  DAVID’S WORK: David is a keynote speaker for the Black Dog...