This episode of Mate Helping Mate found us in the village of Springdale, NSW. John was joined by “young pups”, agronomist Emma Robinson, and farmers Ben Kotzer and Michael Sinclair, along with a few locals who came along to listen in and be part of the chat. Folks took the mic to offer their personal perspectives about growing up, what wisdom we gain from our childhood and the positive changes we need to ensure the next generation is a more prepared to action these strategies addressing...

Recovery can be a lonely journey, so let's do it together. Round two of our panel-audience format of the Mate Helping Mate podcast! This time we hit the road to chat to the folks of the Tooma NSW community. Local folks, Sharon, Macca and Ian joined John on the couch up the front, along with an audience willing to share their lived experience. The stories and the emotions shared at Brigham House, highlight the resilience necessary for positive recovery.In this episode, there is an emphasis on...

Here it is! Mate Helping Mate Podcast first live recording of a panel-audience format! We had over 70 people join us at the Whitton Malt House to be a part of important conversations between our panelists Kim Whitham, Lexi and Jody Heath, Rob Houghton and moderator John Harper.  This episode features the conversations that took place throughout the night, which were based on facing mental health stigma, how to engage in support networks as well as strategies that people use to get through...

This episode of Mate Helping Mate features some solo wisdom from John about mental wellbeing resilience. Following on from ‘Preparedness’, we bring you the second episode of ‘Rough But Ready’. Once we have laid the foundations for resilience, how do we keep it up in the long term? John looks at the ability to action what you have prepared, how to know when to use it and how to apply it. It is something that we need to keep practicing and nurturing. And in building our resilience, it...

This episode of Mate Helping Mate features some solo wisdom from John about preparedness to weather poor mental health. It’s one half of a two-episode special we’ve called ‘Rough But Ready’. Preparedness is being proactive with positive strategies for whatever life throws at us. Like preparing for a storm, it’s important to have some plans in place for when poor mental health strikes us.  Being prepared with options can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany mental health crises....

Having a strong family unit, living in a compassionate caring community from which there are individuals you can confide in, is a huge positive factor in preventing poor mental health. It could be team harmony at work and the chats at smoko you look forward to each day. It may be your neighbour across the road who comes over for a cuppa and a handful of laughs. Whatever your community or team looks like, you are part of it for a reason, to have a yarn, to enjoy a laugh and to be there for...

Life challenges knocking you down time and time again can drain your willingness, your resilience in getting back up and keep trudging on. Losing your optimism, having pessimism overrun your life, believing you can’t go on, is a bastard of a place to be, nobody wants to be there, believe me. The terrain may be rocky and treacherous at times, but a smoother path forward is never out of reach and isn’t something you have to find on your own. In this episode I speak with people who have run a...

Our body is like a vehicle, it gets us from point A to B. The brain is an important part of that vehicle and requires maintenance, work and exercise. Like anything without maintenance our brain, and so our thinking, can become a bit worse for wear at times. In hindsight we may look back and wonder why the hell we didn’t take better care of our brain and maintain our mental wellbeing. Check in with yourself, maintain yourself, if you’re feeling low, feeling flat look at what’s going on in your...

Even though we know that a problem shared is a problem halved, the idea of opening up might scare us shitless. Once you’ve acknowledged you have a problem, the next step is addressing it, telling someone about it and opening up. Simple eh! But bloody hard to do. By finding a person or a place where you feel that you can open up a bit, we tend to find others who have walked the walk, had similar troubles and with whom we can relate to. In this episode you’ll hear from people just like you, who...

Anxiety, depression and other mental health buggers (issues) like them, can take a long time to really understand, but just recognising that they are there is the first step in the important process of learning how to cope and deal with them. To fix or address any problem, not just mental wellbeing problems, the first step is to acknowledge that there is a problem. This can be bloody difficult whether or not you may have been here several times before or you’ve never been bit before. The...

From a property outside of Broken Hill, Kars Station, we hear from Brendan Cullen, a farmer who realised that talking to himself as a coping mechanism, was not sustainable. Attributing the roots of it particularly to drought and losing his family property, depression was with Brendan for a long time before he was diagnosed. He shares what’s inside his mental health tool box to get him through the tough times and also shares the news of a huge challenge he set himself!

Ag teacher and young sportsman Ben Brookes chats with us about his role in the Rugby team after tragically losing a great mate and great player. He’s got some wisdom to share with us about the strategies he used in keeping the team on track. And also how he identifies when he's struggling and what he does about it!

Sam Bailey is a beef producer from Cropper Creek. He’s been through the wringer after a motor vehicle accident when he was 19 left him a quadriplegic. Sam shares some strategies which have prevented him from sliding into depression, keeping his head above water and maintaining a positive mindset. It's a ripper episode! Sam’s now got an ambitious goal to become the first quadriplegic in the world to fly a helicopter. You’ll love his story. Have a listen! *** The advice in this podcast is of...

A problem shared is a problem halved. How do you find the right people to help improve your mental wellbeing when you need it? John chats with Chris McGregor, whose brother died by suicide and has experienced his own struggles with the black dog, and counsellor David Post, who shares some handy tips about finding a great support team that works for you. *Note: This episode deals with themes of suicide and some listeners might find this upsetting. We're grateful for Chris and his gutsy effort...

If you're struggling, how can you ask for help? John chats to shearer Phil Moroney about his battles and the lessons he's learned, and counsellor Dave Honeysett from the Royal Flying Doctors about some strategies for reaching out to a mate when you need some help. *** The advice in this podcast is of a general nature, and not an excuse for not seeing your GP or medical professional. There's some handy links over at the Mate helping Mate website to learn more about resources you can access....

When someone you love is having a tough time, what should you do? John sits down with wife and mum Fiona to talk about the impact of depression on her marriage, and psychologist Lisa Paterson-Kane, who shares some thoughts on looking after yourself so that you can support others, and some surprising pathways to help. *** The advice in this podcast is of a general nature, and not an excuse for not seeing your GP or medical professional. There's some handy links over at the Mate helping Mate...

What are the clues to look for if you think a mate is struggling with their mental health? If you spot them, what should you do? John speaks with irrigation farmer Julie Andreazza about the incredible support she received from her husband and community when she went through a hard time, along with counsellor David Post, who has some top-notch advice for helping others. *Note: This episode touches on themes of suicide and some listeners might find this hard to hear. We're grateful to Julie...

What should you do when you're feeling rough? Who should you turn to? Chris Wilson thought he had everything he dreamed of when he took over his family farm. But the drought hit Chris hard, along with grief from losing his brother, and he slid into a dark depression. He shares his story of coming out the other side. *Note: This episode deals with themes of suicide and some listeners may find it hard to listen to. Thanks to Chris for being courageous and coming on the show - we're glad he's...

John Harper's a wheat sheep farmer from Stockinbingal, NSW. He describes himself as an 'ordinary joker' but after being bitten by the black dog he has become an active mental health advocate in rural and remote Australia. Meet John and learn a bit more about his story. *** The advice in this podcast is of a general nature, and not an excuse for not seeing your GP or medical professional. There's some handy links over at the Mate helping Mate website to learn more about resources you can...

John Harper's a wheat and sheep farmer from Stockinbingal, NSW. He describes himself as an 'ordinary joker' but after being bitten by the black dog he's lived an extraordinary life. Learn a bit more about our the podcast and why it's a must listen for anybody living outside of the big smoke.