The Work Well, Live Well Podcast

Sarah Blunden has a dual role as Head of Paediatric Sleep Research and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Central Queensland University. She is a clinical psychologist specialising in the treatment of children’s sleep problems and related mental health issues. Sarah is the Founder/Director of the Paediatric Sleep and Psychology Clinic and Director of SensibleSleep. Sarah is a member of the Education Committee, Behavioural Sleep Medicine subcommittee and chair of the Indigenous Sleep Health Special Interest group, Her research interests include sleep education, Indigenous sleep and health, sleep interventions for young children and the psychosocial and psychological impact of poor sleep. Sarah is an expert sleep consultant for the Australian Psychological Society and is often featured as an expert on ABC radio. Sarah has presented over 90 conference presentations and published over 100 academic papers and books including The Sensible Sleep Solution for infants and the Boss of My Sleep Book for Toddlers. Her responsive sleep therapies are published and utilised worldwide. Sarah's Website - SensibleSleep 

https://sensiblesleep.com/ Other resources Australian Sleep health Foundation https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/ American National Sleep Foundation https://www.sleepfoundation.org/ Australia’s Raising children’s network (for children and families) https://raisingchildren.net.au/ TED talk - Why sleep matters  from Harvard Medical School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmwgGkJ64CM

Todays guest is Dr Narelle Lemon Narelle is a writer, educator and researcher heavily influenced by positive psychology with over 25 years’ experience in educational contexts across early years, K-12, higher education, museums, arts and cultural settings, and community. She currently holds the position of Associate Professor in Education at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia where she works with those studying to be future teachers while researching across a variety of areas through a portfolio approach to her overarching interest of engagement and participation. Narelle’s passion to make a difference, hear and share the voice of others, and create possibility is led through her strengths of creativity, awareness and curiosity. She’s very much inspired by being a pracademic, and you can see this in the variety of research area including positive psychology specifically aimed at empowering self-care routines, mindful practice and coping strategies; arts and cultural education; and her award winning scholarship of learning and teaching work in social media use for learning and professional development. Narelle has published over 100 books, edited books, journal papers and book chapters with two new co-authored books influenced by positive psychology due this year. Look out for Building and Sustaining a Teaching Career: Strategies for Professional Experience, Wellbeing and Mindful Practice (with Cambridge University Press) due out May 2020, and Reframing and Rethinking Collaboration in Higher Education and Beyond: A Practical Guide for Doctoral Students and Early Career Researchers (as part of the Insider Guides to Success in Academia Series with Routledge due out mid-late 2020). Narelle is also the Creative Director of Explore & Create Co that offers workshops, coaching and resources for those looking to build their self-care through mindfulness inspired strategies while building a toolbox of wellbeing resources that impacts both personal and professional growth. She is active on social media sharing resources and offering tips and she can be found on Twitter at @rellypops or on Instagram at @exploreandcreateco and @rellypops with the occasional (well often) picture of green tea that fuels her writing (hello #greentearefillsrequired). Narelle also curates various resources and blogs via the website http://www.exploreandcreateco.com/ including a new podcast created for pre-service teachers during the COVID-19 distance socialising requirements available on Spotify and her website that has been designed to inspire hope and optimism Book recommendation: Automatic Habits by James Clear https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Atomic-Habits-Audiobook

Roz Rimes is an educator, coach, guest lecturer and founder of social enterprise ‘Live with Zest’. She works with her Australian Labradoodles Flash and Rafa who have advanced Canine-Assisted Therapy qualifications.  Roz and Flash have been a volunteer therapy team for eight years, soothing and strengthening patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, (Rehabilitation, Mental Health and Eating Disorders) and now St Vincent’s Private Hospital. After observing so many life enhancing transformations as a result of Canine-Assisted Therapy, Roz decided to pursue a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the University of Melbourne. Her work is informed by wellbeing science and focusses on Savouring fortified by Canine-Assisted Education and how this powerful combination can successfully increase wellbeing. According to Bryant and Veroff (2007) Savouring is a process used by people to intentionally amplify positive experiences and therefore positive emotions; it can be past, present or future focussed.  The efficacy of Savouring is recognised by several scholars including Professor Lea Waters in Australia, Dr Ilona Boniwell in the UK/Europe and Associate Professor Acacia Parks in the USA, the scientist behind the Happify App.  Roz uses the same savouring techniques employed by the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) such as: Sharing with others, Memory-building, Self-congratulation and Sharpening perceptions to build positive emotions and increase stamina for learning. Canine-Assisted Education (CAE) is an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) where the dog’s role is to follow the directions of the handler/educator to engage with the client in order to achieve the educational intervention goals (Jones, Rice & Cotton, 2018).  Roz’s practice is informed by Lead the Way Institute’s Neurobiological Model of Animal-Assisted Therapy. Jones et al., (2018) describe that “…the presence of a friendly dog (provided the individual likes dogs), can improve engagement and rapport, and reduce anxious arousal.  For example, interaction with a therapy dog may reduce the impact of social exclusion on mental well-being…and anxiety associated with stressful situations.” (p. 196) Jones et al (2018) also refer to optimal interaction times (5-24 minutes) and physiological benefits such as “…including a reduction in stress physiology (e.g. cortisol and blood pressure) and an increase in ‘affiliative’ hormones (including oxytocin)”. This can positively affect rapport and engagement, thus help children and young people be ready to learn. Self-regulation can improve via immediate behavioural feedback, for example the dog’s potent nose smells cortisol, predicts arousal states and alerts the dog handler who is also the interventionist. In addition, improved social skills and relational repair can take place via the establishment of deeper connections especially mirror neurons. Roz and Flash have worked with a wide range of primary, secondary and tertiary students. They enquire and are happily briefed by education leaders and staff about the needs of the students/young people on a particular day.   The dogs are visually appealing, calming and entertaining to watch. Non gendered care giving is encouraged for example boys and young men can gently stroke the dog. The dogs can have a beneficial school wide effect on staff, parents, caregivers and friends through the students’ storytelling (positive reminiscences). Early evidence suggests that as a result of the Canine Assisted Education and Savouring there is an increase in cognitive development through stamina for learning, improved empathy (for self and others) and increased sociability through increased eye contact, greetings, improved tone of voice, use of praise and encouragement, and frustration tolerance. www.livewithzest.com.au

Dr. Heidi Douglass is an American trained Clinical Psychologist with 35 years of experience in the field of Psychology. She is also certified in Plant Based Nutrition by the T. Colin Campbell Institute of Cornell University. Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Obesity, & Binge Eating / Bulimia are her primary clinical specialties. Dr. Heidi helps clients resolve mental health concerns without the use of medications. Dr. Heidi also provides professional supervision & mentoring to a wide range of professionals who seek clarity on issues such as professional advancement, work/life balance, or effective skills and strategies for better managing stress or relationships. Dr. Heidi established, and is the lead trainer of, the Mindful Eating Program for "Mindfulness Works"; the largest provider of Mindfulness training courses in Australasia. Dr. Heidi is a dynamic and engaging public speaker & workshop presenter.  Providing training & lectures on Mindfulness is a primary passion. At age 50, Dr. Heidi became a certified Yoga teacher (RYT500) and has completed over 540 hours of Yoga teacher training in New Zealand, Bali and the USA. She is one of the only Psychologists in New Zealand whom ACC has paid to provide Yoga classes to their clients with a history of trauma. Research suggests that Yoga can help over weight clients keep lost weight off and improve body image. Yoga decreases symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and improves sleep. In studies done at Harvard, Yoga resolved even symptoms of chronic, treatment resistant PTSD. Dr. Heidi's Yoga classes are offered in addition to her traditional office consultations and are optional. Email: drheididouglass@gmail.com. Website: https://www.drheididouglass.co.nz Centre for mindful eating : https://thecenterformindfuleating.org Book recommendation: https://www.amazon.com.au/Joy-Half-Cookie-Mindfulness-Struggle-ebook/dp/B00SI02AT8

Graham Williams was born in Australia. A concert pianist and teacher, he graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Ph.D. and Grad. Dip. Ed. and taught there for 20 years. While studying in Paris he realised that music was one of the few living traditions of meditation in the West. This led him to over ten years’ training as a teacher in both the Burmese and Tibetan meditation traditions, and six years in intensive retreat. He has concentrated on bringing the advanced techniques of these incredibly rich traditions into an easily accessible form. Graham has created a uniquely Australian form of meditation which embraces the rich natural environment and Australian art and music. He is founder and director of the Lifeflow Meditation Centre and has been teaching meditation for over 25 years. He has trained a team of nine teachers who now work together in the Centre, which has taught thousands of people how to meditate and trained hundreds in the more advanced practices. Graham is also an Adjunct Lecturer in the School of Medicine at Flinders University and a consultant to a national company of corporate psychologists and still teaches piano. How to find Graham. www.lifeflow.com Grahams Book -  In the Flow: https://lifeflow.com.au/shop/ Andy Pudicombe TedTalk https://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes?language=en Whole Health Life - Shannon Harvey: https://www.booktopia.com.au/whole-health-life-shannon-harvey/book/9780994646606.html?source=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt-qjv_fA5AIVVgwrCh0_xAm6EAQYASABEgLr2vD_BwE

In this podcast I am thrilled to share my chat with my mindfulness mentor, Stephen Archer. Stephen is the Director and Lead Trainer and Supervisor for Mindfulness Works for Organisations. 

To find out more about Stephen you can visit his website at https://mindfulness-training.co.nz/. 

Find out more about Mindfulness Works at https://mindfulnessworksaustralia.com.au/an-introduction-to-mindfulness-and-meditation-adelaide/#1558669035498-b23dc5b1-435e. 

And find out more about Te Moata and Stephen's retreats at http://temoata.org/te-moata/.