Conversation Starter: how Tony "Tonka" Toholke turned his life (and his mental health) around
From a bottle of rum a night to a champion advocate for men's mental wellbeing
From a bottle of rum a night to a champion advocate for men's mental wellbeing
Trigger warning: this podcast touches on themes of #depression and #suicide. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
For more help finding the right service contact Head to Health on 1800 595 212
"I was drinking a bottle of rum a night, 140 kilos, living out of hot boxes. Missed out on a promotion at work and that really hit me hard. I figured out that my mental health wasn't in that great a shape." Tony Toho
Meet the local fundraising hero who won the Mount Isa Rodeo Queen Quest and went on to start life saving conversations in Western Queensland.
Tony Toholke, known as Tonka, looks and sounds like your everyday knockabout Aussie bloke, but he's also a very generous man who's done more than many to shine a light on the challenges of maintaining good mental health. He's been an outspoken advocate and a vital sounding board to many people going through a rough patch, drawing on some of his own challenges in life and the lessons he's learnt along the way. Find out his favourite ways to wind down and the places he loves to visit when he needs a lift.
Want more? Listen to the Spotify Playlist NEED A LIFT MATE? with the songs our guests love listening to when they need a mental health boost.
How an inland tsunami taught Susan to take time for herself
Trigger warning: this podcast touches on themes of #depression and #suicide. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
For more help finding the right service contact Head to Health on 1800 595 212
"It was devastating. We were already on our knees from a crippling drought. If I'm really honest, in hindsight, I probably didn't look after myself very well. I also wanted to appear to be strong so that people could trust me to do the job that I set out to do." Susan Dowling - Co-founder Sisters of the North Charity
In 2019, a massive downpour in Northwest Queensland's cattle country caused a huge flood, which engulfed massive tracts of land. The torrential rain didn't stop for 10 whole days, and for the livestock that survived the flood, there was a hammer blow to come with unseasonably cold winds that caused temperatures to plummet and more cattle to die.
Enter Western Queensland's Susan Dowling, who could probably best be described as a reluctant hero. She, with her friends and collaborators, sprung into action and raised well over a million dollars to help patch lives back together. Susan helped many people repair their shattered mental health, but now that the drama has subsided, she's reflected on the impact that episode had on her own wellbeing.
She shares her thoughts on purpose, resilience and giving back, the things she wished she'd done at the height of the crisis PLUS her favourite driving songs featuring Robbie Williams, The Boss and INXS.
Listen to the Spotify Playlist NEED A LIFT MATE? for a musical mental health boost.
The Western Queensland creative making mental health part of his amazing life story.
Trigger warning: this podcast touches on themes of #depression and #suicide. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
For more help finding the right service contact Head to Health on 1800 595 212
"It can be a very vulnerable thing to talk about your mental health and that's okay, and I don't think you should be forced to. I think you should only do what's comfortable. I have seen therapists before. I have listened to podcasts, and it's not really that scary." Luke Chaplain, Filmmaker.
Luke Chaplin is a bloke who epitomises the "have a go" attitude we love in Western Queensland. At just 33 years old he's already done a lot for a young man. He's a former champion saddle bronc rider. He's developing cutting edge grazing techniques and he's even got himself involved in the movie making business.
Wherever his passion takes him, he'll give it a good hard crack. And like many in the Western Queensland patch, Luke's also faced a few bumps in the road with his mental health, which he's more than happy to talk about on Need a lift mate?
Find out his favourite songs for a musical mental health boost, his ADHD superpower, why riding broncos is good for your head and and even a sneak peek into mustering using drone technology!
Want more? Listen to the Spotify Playlist NEED A LIFT MATE? with the songs our guests love turning up when they need a mental health boost.
A story of mental health resilience and healing from one of Western Queensland's leading voices
Trigger warning: this podcast touches on themes of #depression and #suicide. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
For more help finding the right service contact Head to Health on 1800 595 212
"People can heal in the same way that you can heal a broken shoulder from a bus, motorbike or a car accident, you're able to recover. We've got more and more people who are happy to talk about their experiences because it is life changing and they get back to who they really want to be and who they are and they heal." Stuart Gordon, Co-founder Petraichor Partners consultancy.
There are certain people in life who make an impression on you the first time you meet them, and have a long lasting impact. Stuart Gordon is one such bloke. The former CEO of the Western Queensland Primary Health Network (a body that commissions health services for around 70,000 people across almost a million square kilometres of the state) is a local legend and has a deep commitment and passion for improving the physical and mental health of people in the bush.
A self-confessed Slim Dusty tragic, Stuart has spent long stretches of time on the road travelling the state, meeting and yarning with people from all walks of life. Join Paul Stone on Need a lift Mate? for this insightful discussion into the causes and impacts of mental health issues in rural and remote areas.
Want more? Listen to the Spotify Playlist NEED A LIFT MATE? with the songs our guests love turning up when they need a mental health boost.
How a family friendship and life challenges led to an award winning mental health initiative
Trigger warning: this podcast touches on themes of #depression and #suicide. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
For more help finding the right service contact Head to Health on 1800 595 212
"Connection is key. Connection matters. Warm quality relationships are number one for our mental health." Nicole Evans - Co-founder ConnectedLE
"The more we talk about it, the more we normalise it, the more we are able to have those vital conversations." Kylie Armstrong - Co-founder ConnectedLE
Nicole Evans and Kylie Armstrong can't "officially" be called Western Queenslanders but they have spent so much time in the patch it feels like a second home. Crossing the length and breadth of the region, sharing their innovative take on mental health and wellbeing support, their work has given them valuable insights into the everyday things we can do to boost our mental health.
Their business ConnectedLE is a unique training program built on stories of lived experience and they were recently named as state winners in the prestigious Telstra Business Awards.
Listen to this episode of Need a lift mate? to find out:
* why keeping your phone out of the bedroom is vital to good mental health
* what sugar does to your brain
* how many minutes of exercise you need to boost your mood
* and why walking with a friend is the perfect antidote to depression.
Want more? Listen to the Spotify Playlist NEED A LIFT MATE? with the songs our guests love turning up when they need an audio mental health boost.
The podcast that Kylie and Nicole love is The Imperfects.