The Voice on Fire Interview Series

Tammie Horton founded Phynix Initiative and Come By Here, two organisations empowering individuals, groups, companies, corporations, non-profits, and communities with knowledge essential to mental well-being, resilience, and motivation. 

A passionate advocate for mental health and well-being, she has known the darkness, the aloneness and brokenness, and now Tammie dedicates her life to suicide prevention. 

Tammie uniquely combines academics and lived experience with music and a little bit of woo-woo to change people's lives. 

Using musical instruments as tools to help people connect within themselves and express what words often cannot, Tammie incorporates drumming and playing the Ukelele as part of her offering. 

More importantly, Tammie has been described as a Mental Health Angel, and she shares her story here with me. 

A story well worth taking time to listen to.

She has trained hundreds of Australians through her valuable resilience and mental health first aid programs and is fired up to impact the world.

Tammie can be reached via social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammie-horton/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammie.horton.5

Terri is an International Best-Selling author; speaker; facilitator; mentor and coach, and now ghostwriter.

Writing her own book, "My Time To Shine" started her love and passion for writing, and she went on to become a contributing author to several compilation books.

Recently, Terri began her ghostwriting services for those wishing to tell their stories. Her clients are heard, validated, acknowledged, encouraged, and supported to find the solutions they are searching for.

Terri believes every person has the capacity within them to create the life they choose to have, and to write and share their story. By assisting her clients to transition and transform, a ripple effect is created when they are able to empower others by paying it forward.

Terri aspires to inspire the people she meets to reach their potential, as inspiration leads to motivation, and motivation leads to action, providing results.

Her life has been a journey of ups and downs, trials and tribulations, both personally and professionally. She is a life-long learner, seeks out new opportunities, is an avid writer and reader and loves to travel. Terri draws on her diverse skills developed through her experiences, numerous employment opportunities, networking, and cultural awareness from the many locations in which she has lived.

Terri is committed to inspiring people to action and to busting through limitations and old beliefs. After her initial Defence Force service, Terri's life with her Defence Forces husband has meant relocation, adaption, and readjustment, and instilled in her an appreciation for life-long learning, travel, and cultural awareness.

Then, Terri's brother ended his life and from tragedy and heartache came a stronger realisation that tomorrow is never promised and the time to live is now.

Running her first marathon at 54, returning to study at 58, starting her business Connect Within at 59, writing her first book at 60 and now a ghostwriter helping others to reveal their own untold stories, Terri is living proof that we must live life on our terms, and she certainly is inspiring others to do this.

For more information, contact Terri Tonkin direct.

Facebook:

Mary Wong is a self-described kindness crusader.   

A life-on-purpose and a true how-to facilitator, she helps people to confidently find their mission, speak their story, communicate clearly, and ultimately connect deeply. International speaker and accredited speaking trainer, as well as host of speaker events, author, and mentor, she asserts that no matter the issue, there is always a way through using conversations.   

From country-girl-come-nurse to haute couture bridal designer, to counsellor, business manager, National leader of two organisations, coach, leader, and mentor; Mary’s formal qualifications in coaching, counselling, leadership, and business, allows her an empathetic and respectful approach when serving her clients.   

Mary is the author of a book on speaking, "The Balloon Principle", and she is also co-author of the international bestseller, "Voices of the 21st Century II", with two more compilation books in editing now - "Voices III" and "I Fly" - both of which include uplifting stories from world-leaders in their fields.  

Her trademark speaking workshops and program under "The Balloon Principle" (R) banner help people past their fears and into a space of confidence so they can truly make a difference.   

If you would like to reach out to Mary: 

Mary@optimalcoaching.com.au 

Multi-awarded Change Agent, Dr Rabiaah Bhatia is an outstanding inspiration. 

After a 24-year varied professional career, Dr Rabiaah had lost her mental peace and inner satisfaction.  Dr Rabiaah spent one year on exploring new possibilities for herself becoming involved in the education sector and soon found herself investing in uplifting members of society and helping them find their identities.   She continues to use her vast skills for societal improvement. Her passion is to create a peaceful society, spread happiness, and inspire Purposeful Living. Her vision & mission are driven by opening children’s eyes to this world, fostering their roles as environmental guardians.  

"I never dreamed about success. I work for it. I define success on my own terms, achieve it by my own rules, and building a life which I am proud to live. I always believe that one woman’s success can only help another woman’s success. I am unwavering in my vision and want to always be a better version of myself." Dr Rabiaah Bhatia  

Public Speaker, Social Media Influencer, Changemaker, Edu-Leader, Mompreneur, Author, & Founder of eD WebStudio Channel, there is no stopping Rabiaah from having massive positive impact and leaving a lasting legacy.   

From international student in 2013, to potential Shire Councillor in 2020, Farhat Firdous is a true Action Taker.  

As a recent migrant to Australia, she experienced many of the sadly common experiences of loneliness, 'otherness', isolation, and that sense of being different, often felt by immigrants. Fortunately, Farhat was studying in the Mental Health field and was able to understand the stories of her clients.   When her father became a political prisoner in her early years, the seed of political aspirations were sewn, and within a very short time frame after settling into regional Victoria, Farhat pursued a role as Shire Councillor in the local government elections.   

Farhat’s driving force is in helping people feel connected, to have relationships, community, and a sense of social responsibility.   This major factor led to her founding the Intercultural Exchange, a non-profit organization celebrating diversity of cultures among our communities while addressing the fear of otherness.   

An active Anti-Racism advocate, Farhat believes in creating safe spaces for new settlers and host communities to thrive in diversity.  She believes everyone has culture., and wants to create opportunities and appropriate service responses for improved outcomes both for new settlers, like she once was, and also within the host communities.  

If you would like to reach out to connect with Farhat, you can find her here: 

Prakash Koirala is a true Change Agent.   

This often-awarded, and highly regarded financial literacy educator has made it his life's work to ensure that future generations around the world are able to have important conversations around money.   In 2017 he established Finlit Nepal, to teach basic personal finance to low-income and vulnerable Nepalese communities. 

Though running workshops and providing important information, he was acutely aware that such complex detail would be easily forgotten if not reinforced by a connected activity.   From this awareness, he introduced the concept of the 'Piggy bank'. This alone helped to rewire the mindsets of the many young and older generations to whom he shared this seemingly simple idea, when it came to understanding the intention behind savings, and future financial management.   

Prakash takes Finlit into governments, companies, and neighbourhood groups to help create financial policies and programs. FINLIT Nepal won The London Institute of Banking & Finance and UK Finance Financial Innovation Award 2017. Harvard Kennedy School Scholarship recipient, and award-winning financial inclusion champion and policymaker, Prakash is helping reduce poverty through education.  

Forbes 30 Under 30, Award-winner, Founder, Financial Literacy expert, Change Agent, you can find Prakash here: 

Andrea Putting is founder of Chocolate and Coffee Day for Religious Harmony, and the regular community-based Chocolate and Coffee Breaks. Moved by a tragic terrorist incident that devastated Sydney and Australia, Andrea chose to step into her own discomfort to explore how to bring others together, to speak, share stories, and break down barriers.   

Through Chocolate and Coffee Day for Religious Harmony, and Chocolate and Coffee Breaks, Andrea believes that when we sit together to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, we break down the barriers that divide us.  

A self-confessed introvert, Andrea has 40 years of leadership experience in business and community. Andrea is a Speaker, Author, and Trusted Advisor to Authentic Influencers and guides businesses to become an authentic influence by collaborating to grow prosperity that changes the world.   

Andrea has combined her passions to create her social mission. Her podcast, the Social Mission Revolution, has been championing the causes of people who are authentic influencers since 2019.    

Andrea lives in Melbourne, amongst the gumtrees, kangaroos and cockatoos with her husband and pet cockatoo Fella. She has two adult children and two grandchildren who keep her jumping in puddles.  

Andrea declares she is a chocoholic, passionate about community and belonging, and is a shining example of how help others make a difference that counts.   

You can find Andrea and connect: 

websites:  

Lauren Schuivens is a certified Meditation & Mindfulness instructor trained by Buddhist Monks in Thailand.  She is Founder of Samavira, the international pure-form meditation, with visions to create the first-ever internationally franchised meditation brand.   

Lauren's mission is to facilitate people’s transformations – helping them to  release life blockages by shifting their mindset and habits, through mindfulness practices, that help a person to drop into deeper meditation.  

Lauren had reason to explore further.  She had endured trauma and violence early in life. Diagnosed with a childhood eating disorder, life seemed beset with depression and suicidal thoughts. She was prescribed antidepressants as early as 17yo and told she would be on them for life. Lauren was further traumatised as a victim of armed violence and raped before the age of 20. 

With support, and traditional intervention, Lauren received treatment, and in time, was able to function within society again.  In spite of reclaiming some sense of normal, Lauren believed there had to be more to life, and began exploring alternative self-care modalities.   

A journey to Thailand for a retreat was the first stepping stone in Lauren's transformation, and so Samavira Meditation was born.   

Contact Lauren: 

Coby Liew is an experienced psychotherapist and mental health practitioner with a passion for life, health, and healing. As the Founder of UNSPOKENStory.org, Coby aims to change the social conditioning around how men are taught to express or suppress their emotions. He helps men to share their deeply personal, and often never-before shared stories about their emotional journeys, through safe-space interviews.

Several of these stories can be found on the UNSPOKENStory website and will soon expand to include the unspoken stories of migrants, women, and Australian Indigenous people, and others.

Professionally, in the current climate of great change and upheaval, Coby offers essential mental health assessment and psychological support, crisis intervention, life coaching, as well as complex case management. Coby regularly presents at conferences and facilitates training workshops across different states in Australia and internationally.

Openly gay, born and bred in Borneo, and having lived in different countries, Coby speaks fluently in several languages, and brings 10 years of professional work experience in psychotherapy and social work in areas such as mental health counselling, emotional wellbeing, child protection, international education, community development, and LGBTIQA+ support.

You can find Coby Liew:

Naveen Toshniwal, an esteemed practitioner of Graphoanalysis and Graphotherapy, had his initial introduction to Graphotherapy from his father, during Naveen's time in College.  Through the encouragement of his family and friends, he enhanced his knowledge through studying online courses and began to pursue his passion as a part time professional.   

In the many intervening years, Naveen has established himself as a renowned expert in this unique science, of Graphoanalysis and Graphotherapy. He regularly appears in online sessions at leading universities across India,  including Amity University (Noida), Parul University (Baroda), Deshbhagat University (Punjab), Baba Institute of Technology (Vizag), RCM College (Bangalore), NSHM College (Calcutta), and Jiwaji University (Gwalior), as well as through the Rotary clubs in Jaipur and Kolkata.  

Naveen is often invited to training institutes and by counsellors for one-to-one counselling and therapy sessions all over India.    

He has been published in multiple articles by leading journals/newspapers and online channels all over India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and interviewed through many radio stations across Bangalore, Alwar, Mussoorie, Jaipur & Kashmir.  Naveen has also presented an online TEDx Talk recently.   

The skill and gifts of Graphoanalysis and Graphotherapy are accurate and insightful, the perfect tool for personal growth and awareness.  

You can contact Naveen: 

Gauri Das is a Possibilitarian, a ardent speaker, and Founder of Lean-in circle.   

Passionate about women empowerment, Gauri leads the Lean-in Circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders.   She was recently recognised in the top 10 powerful women in HR, and has spoken in multiple national and international forums including TEDx.  Gauri is the Lead Membership for Professional Speakers Associations of India, Mumbai chapter (PSAI).  

Some of her achievements are  • HR 100 under 40  • Top HR Mind (India)  • TAPAI and Economic Times Young HR Leader – top 70  • Growth-Oriented Women in Corporate WICA  • LinkedIn person of the year 2020  

Gauri is an engineer turned HR Professional who has a keen interest in Human Psychology. She is a strategic HR leader with 15+ years of experience in crafting and aligning HR strategy with business goals.   She supports business leaders and individuals in driving performance and improving capabilities.  

Gauri carries a wealth of experience with both start-ups and well-established organizations. She loves high energy and a growth-focused environment.  She is a passionate speaker and has spoken in multiple national and international forums including TEDx. She is the Lead Membership for Professional Speakers Associations of India, Mumbai chapter (PSAI).  She mentors students and professionals and guides them on being future-ready with a Possibilitarian attitude.   She is passionate about women empowerment and has founded a Lean-in Circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders.  She loves networking and knowing people beyond their profiles brings her happiness and therefore she is a core committee member of Navi Mumbai LinkedIn Local.  

Founder- Lean-in circle TEDx Speaker HR leader Mentor Possibilitarian 

Passion with Compassion is her mantra.   

If you would like to reach to Gauri, you can find her on these social media platforms: 

During a period of rapid change and deep pain in 2004, Michelle Marchan Webb discovered Yoga. Self healing and self discovery soon emerged and in recent years, Michelle immersed herself in Yoga teachings, with a focus upon Trauma Release, Breathwork, and Transformative heart space healings through offerings to bring deep lasting inner peace.  

Michelle has undertaken considerable Yoga education including her first 200-hour training as a Lifepower Yoga certified teacher in Ashtanga Vinyasa in the lineage of Johnny Kest, and her second 200-hour teacher training at Momentom Yoga with Buck Lewis. Along with this Michelle has further education in hands-on assisting and children's yoga through Zuda Yoga.   

Her mission is to share Yoga with marginalised people, across all diversity so that Yoga is offered to all representations of humanity.  This includes having Yoga teachers who come from the marginalised communities, as well as presenting Yoga as an inclusive practice, for all people, across gender, culture, race, ability, circumstance.   

Given her extensive trainings, Michelle offers Power Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Yin, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, Healing Circles and Sound Healing. There are faster paced classes, where breath and movement are flowing more quickly together, and there are slower classes where the focus is on the unity of mind, breath, soul, and body.   

For anyone struggling with issues of self worth, embodiment or past trauma, Michelle shows you that you are your own healer, teaching you how to take control of your healing journey, one yoga pose at a time.  

Dr Bunmi Aboaba is a Recovery Coach specialising in Food Addiction, helping clients to achieve a healthy relationship with food to meet long-term health goals.   

Dr Bunmi’s work covers the full spectrum of disordered eating, including overeating, compulsive eating, emotional eating, addicted eating and other associated patterns.   

Dr Bunmi is also creator of the first Certified Food Addiction Certification to support nutritionists, personal trainers, dieticians and clinicians to help their clients achieve long-lasting results.  

In December, her first book will be released and Dr Bunmi also aims to create a Hub for Food Addiction coaches to help make the services more accessible so that people can receive expert support, care, and advice on managing the challenges of addiction -- whether it be to sugar, coffee, carbs, or other foods and drinks that can have lasting negative impact on the body.   

With a passion for helping children to understand the importance of eating well, to assisting in the support to bariatric surgery patients, through to encouraging people to reconnect with mind-body awareness, you will find this interview truly fascinating.   

If you would like to contact Dr Bunmi to learn more: 

Jessie Liew is Founder of Digital Parenting Coaching.  

As a mother of young pre-teen children ranging in age from 5yo twins to an 11yo, and as a cybersecurity expert, she also has to face the same task as all parents; that of rearing safe and responsible digital children.  

We are living in a digital era, and hence we need new skills to parent our children. Parents in the era of Google can no longer simply rely on the way their parents raised them as the only example of parenting. 

Today's parents must be across the whole landscape of the internet, screen time management, online stranger danger, secret behaviour when using devices, chat sites, and the many apps, not to mention the Dark Web.   

Jessie has been working in Cybersecurity for more than 14 years, shaping employee's Internet habits in corporation. With such extensive exposure to the threats of the online world, and now as a mother, Jessie saw the necessity to provide guidance to her own children and soon expanded this as she invited other parents to be part of her digital parenting journey.   

She has been able to help parents to become confident digital parents, having better relationships with their children while empowering their children to use electronic devices in a responsible way while staying safe online.  

Jessie is also an Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine, part of an elite group who are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.  

If you would like to connect with Jessie, and find out more about her programs: 

The links: 

A free diagnostic call about children's screen habits and the link to the free coaching call:  

Evelyn is a powerful voice on the Nigerian social and community landscape.  

Evelyn's mission is to be The Voice for the Voiceless, in a country that has known corruption, political fraud and military rule. Nigerian people have endured incredible hardship, and Evelyn works hard to ensure a 'Do No Harm" approach is taken when she brings parties to the table to engage in essential conversations around change, for Women, Girls, and Young People.    

Evelyn works across many important areas, including as an experienced Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care Implementer,  a Drug Sensitization Master Trainer under UNODC Nigeria #DPTC project; a Human Rights Advocate on Ending Gender-Based Violence and conducts many educational programs and forums to ensure these conversations are had.   

Evelyn is also an HIV/AIDS Prevention Officer for key populations, and very importantly, she is a Menstrual Hygiene Management Education Advocate, ensuring young girls do not miss vital education due to lack of menstrual care products, and by helping young girls to learn how to make their own reusable and safely hygienic products.    

This amazing young woman features regularly in podcasts, interviews, and has set a huge goal to deliver 1000 care packages to young rural girls.   Her project has helped over 10000 young girls through menstrual education and product support and Evelyn is already looking to approach Government to discuss making menstrual products more affordable, to ensure girls maintain education and be engaged in the school and community system, which in reduces likelihood of child marriage and other cultural practices.   

If you want to learn more, to see how you can help Evelyn to reach more young girls, or if you want to ask Evelyn how to set up the same programs in your area: 

On the streets of South Los Angeles one day, Elvis Summers encountered and eventually befriended a homeless woman named Smokie who collected recyclables in the area. To Elvis, Smokie represented a living example of the inequity in greater Los Angeles, a hugely populated city.  To provide her with safety, security, and basic comfort, Elvis built her a mobile emergency tiny shelter.   

Soon after, Elvis was receiving hundreds of e-mails and messages on social media. Many homeless people began asking for help, so he quit his job to devote 100% of his time to building shelters for the unsheltered population in his area. It started with simply replacing tents with the small, safe, and sturdy emergency tiny shelters.   

Despite coverage via social and news media, which revealed a divide between the general compassion of the public and the unwillingness of the City to accommodate the shelters, Elvis discovered that the Los Angeles City lawmakers did not approve.  Within a year, two laws had been changed to prevent the shelters from being placed in public spaces and several tiny homes were illegally confiscated, but Elvis continued to pursue legal avenues to erect the shelters - preferably in a village model on any of the 8,000 empty, unused lots within the City limits.  

In 2017, new City officials invited Elvis to submit a formal bid to build the first pilot emergency shelter village. The bid was verbally accepted, but the City unexpectedly pulled out of the agreement.  To date, Elvis Summers has built many dozens of emergency tiny house shelters, and has sheltered nearly fifty people with them, though few with the approval of authorities. 

He has inspired countless people all over the globe and instructed hundreds of people on how they, too, can get started building tiny emergency shelters.   

Local humanitarian groups also sequester the shelters from Elvis, as all continue the uphill battle of: 

• ending the negative stigma of “homelessness”  
• seeking to build low-cost, single-dwelling emergency shelters 
• helping to improve the mental and emotional dignity of this tragically ignored group of people.    

To contact Elvis, to donate, to help build, or to help challenge the City of Los Angeles and gain approval for this great cause: 

In 1998 Leif Cocks founded and became President of The Orangutan Project. 

His journey into the world of the critically endangered Orangutans followed his formal Masters of Science academic qualification, and he now lectures at Universities, sharing valuable messages with youth to encourage them to seek within to find self-love, and experience the power of working together to achieve positive conservative efforts.   

He also publishes research papers in peer-reviewed journals, has produced videos, received awards, and authored three books that focus on his personal and professional experience with the Orangutan.   Leif is a leading figure in the conservation field with a 30 year career, where he is instrumental in developing conservation plans for Orangutan survival and environmental and social sustainability.   He believes in the power of Win-Win, where environmental and conservation problems are perceived as solvable with a Collectivist approach, where all humans can make a difference when they see themselves as connected not just to each other but to all living beings.   

Leif Cocks is dedicated, compassionate, and committed, and the world needs more people like him. 

If you would like to volunteer, contribute your expertise, or help with funds through donations, these are the links to find out more: 

Some of the darkest moments in life can be turning points for people. 

For Sizol Fuyana, that was definitely the case. Facing the fear and emerging through it, Sizol soon realised that being of service to others was her focus, and by asking the right questions of herself, she turned her life around. 

Sizol is now the Executive Director of Fuyana Support, a youth-oriented consultancy firm, offering unique consultancy options when working with youth, with a focus on social and emotional wellbeing.   

Not only does she work with local Government Departments, Detention Centres, and Organisations with a focus on helping Youth Detainees to re-imagine a more optimistic future for themselves, Sizol is also the founder of "The Reality Change" podcast where she discusses how to face adversity and find the strength from within to change your reality. She interviews locals and speaks openly and honestly about resilience and hope.  

Studying Law and Psychology, Sizol is a young entrepreneur who is dedicated to supporting the young people in her community, especially those entering the justice system or who are disadvantaged in any way.  She has worked with many organisations in the Northern Territory, running youth programs and working on projects.  

Sizol is a strong advocate for Youth Enterprise and Youth-Led Initiatives as a way to help guide, inspire, and motivate young people to actively and positively participate in society.  

With big plans for the future, including a Community School for helping youth to re-engage with less traditional education, Sizol is a true Leader, Change Agent and Difference Maker.  

Want to reach out to Fuyana Support? 

Email: SizolFuyana@fuyanasupport.com.au 

Dr David Vaughan, the Founder of "Plant a Million Corals" is an active aquaculture scientist with a Ph.D in Botany and Plant Physiology, based in the Florida Keys, in the United States of America.  

With his extensive involvement in oceanic research, including various sea creatures, David has also worked alongside the great Cousteau family - Jacques Cousteau's grandson.   

In this interview you will hear David speak about his long-standing career in Marine and Aquatic Sciences.  Along with discovering how to help coral regenerate, he is proactively tackling Coral Reef Restoration, while also ensuring Aquaculture training through the world's only Aquaculture Development Park.   

With over 60 publications, presentations and abstracts to his credit, David is also a speaker, author, researcher, board member, and leading advocate for ocean health.  

There is also a new book being released in April that David edited and contributed to, with details of how you can purchase the book available soon.  

Robert was born on the boarder of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in Uganda, to an impoverished family where hunting and poaching were considered normal. Attempting to survive alongside the forest, their crops were often eaten and destroyed by wild animals, and killing these animals and hunting for food was part of daily life.

To protect crops, children often stayed home from school to guard them. Robert’s schooling was affected, and he was initiated into hunting and poaching, as were his brothers and sisters.

In 1991, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was Gazetted as a National Park. Robert saw opportunity to pursue more formal education, gaining his Diploma in Tourism Management, also becoming a birdwatching guide gaining work in the National Park. Education became important to him and he was soon helping parents to see the value in letting children go to school, to learn and have an education, so the children could understand the value of conservation and learning other skills to help protect the Forest, the animals, and their communities.

Robert was also inspired to create Poaching Reform – to stop the killing of wild animals and forest burning during honey harvest. He founded the Poachers Reformers Initiative, an important project offering information, support, education, and sustainable projects for the Ugandan Forest people. Now, Robert invests his time in teaching people in his community to grow vegetables, manage apiaries, do recycling, look after pigs and goats, and many other important and valuable projects. Going forward, Robert also aims to develop the tourism aspect of the community with an educational vision to expose people to life within the Bwindi border communities.

Robert's website is:

Adam Drake's passion for change centres around the Mind, Body, and Spirit, and his company Balanced Choice offers a range of programs, specifically for young people in the Youth Justice system, and generally in the community through private organisations.   

From alcoholic, to Balanced Choice Program Founder, Adam knows first hand the importance of listening, loving, and choosing pathways for self-care, while helping others to discover their own journeys to re-engagement within the community, through healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit, using the principles of Fitness, Theatre, and Hope.  

What started as a school holiday program for youth in a Darwin correctional facility in 2014 has evolved to include working with various school groups, adult male prisoners, hospitals, government departments, and other organisations, not just in the Northern Territory but to other parts of Australia with a powerful goal to take the program to the international community.  

This interview will certainly inspire you and re-ignite the spark of Hope within you and help you to realise that you, too, can make a difference.  Contact Adam: 

From Humanitarian Aid Worker, to first woman as Head of Office of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in an Iranian office, Rana Ebrahimi is a woman driven by a passion for helping others in emergency and crisis situations.  

Rana's lived and professional experience, working with United Nations agencies and international NGOs has taught her the value of communicating and negotiating for positive peace and development, notably with high-level government authorities and diplomats  

Rana is the community engagement manager at Cancer Council Victoria and was co-founder/director at Hueman Equity Consulting, having recently moved on from her Directorship role though still consulting. 

She is a board member of the Australian Iranian Society of Victoria and Equal Employment Opportunity Network, and has led several projects on human rights, multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion and multicultural community engagement.  

Rana holds a Masters in International Law with a thesis focusing on Afghan refugees’ predicament in Iran. 

She is actively a speaker, advocate, Human Rights thought leader, and seeks to positively impact the world, speaking and acting on behalf of women and children, the displaced, and those without a voice. 

Rana can be reached via LinkedIn:  

Lilian Dibo Eyong is a truly inspiring young woman. 

A 26 year old polio survivor, Lilian faced her early struggles with determination, even during the difficult times. School was challenging for her, given her mobility issues. Yet, she aspired to study. 

The Cameroonian Civil War put a stop to her University Accounting studies. In those three years since the beginning of the Anglophone Crisis, Lilian endured even more hardship, & came close to ending her life. It was then that a counsellor stepped in and helped her rediscover her inner strength.

Lilian found her purpose. 

Now, she is a Trauma Counsellor, author of her own book, “Living with Disability”, host of a radio program with the same name, as well as being Runner Up Miss Wheelchair Cameroon.   

Lilian is a Disability & Women's Rights Activist, a Peace Advocate, CEO of Lilian Dibo Foundation, Founder of Women and Girls with Disability Peace Advocacy Network, a single mom and so much more.   

This interview speaks volumes about the empowering voice that is Lilian Dibo Eyong, who does not allow Polio, disAbility to quieten her passion.  

If you believe you can support the Lilian Dibo Foundation financially, or with other resources, please reach out to Lilian:  
You can find Lilian via her many social media: 

In this interview, I have the pleasure of chatting with Michael Earle, an award-winning Wellbeing Consultant, Speaker, & Trainer.   

With over 12 years experience, not only is Michael a qualified Children and Families Social Worker, he also works as a Complex Needs Practitioner, for a Mental Health Charity, supporting male clients from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.    

Michael knows how difficult life can become, when self-care becomes less of a priority. His own personal and professional life came in to question during his time as a Social Worker, and he soon resigned, commencing his own Consultancy, helping people to discover how they can enhance and improve their well-being, at work and in their personal lives, through self-care. 

He inspires people to prioritise themselves, to put their self-care needs at the forefront.   

His catch-phrase is: ‘Always Take Your Lunch Break.’ 

Guest: Alexis (Lexi) Stergakis. 

In 2018 Alexis founded the Queer Here project. Queer Here is a digital story-recording project produced by a collective of queer activists dedicated to documenting queer cultures, histories, and stories from across the globe.   Lexi is a queer-identifying researcher and multi-media documentarist recording issues that explore the intersection of gender and social justice, documenting and developing advocacy in development and humanitarian emergencies, such as the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, the nutrition crisis in Afghanistan, and community policing in Somalia.   

Having travelled to some of the most politically unstable places, Lexi is most interested in digging deeper to surface queer narratives, particularly in countries where the Gender and Sexually Diverse community members are often persecuted, imprisoned, find their rights abused, and often without the supports that we take for granted.   

Lexi has completed her Master's degrees in Criminology and Justice, Political Science, and postgraduate qualifications in Human Rights.  

To contact Lexi: 

Cameron Brown was introduced to the gift of music as a child, learning to play the piano. Little did he know it would come to feature in his world in a compelling and unique way.  

Throughout his life, Cameron has discovered the value in asking "Is it possible?" and discovering that by "getting out of his own way", the question is reframed into, "how can I make that possible?" 

He certainly has made amazing projects come to fruition by committing to "what if..."  His life journey has been one of highs and lows, which propelled him to embark on a mission to discover purpose and meaning, helping others through the power of music, song, and healing. 

An accomplished Executive Coach and founder of The Thriving Collective, Cameron is also an international speaker, musician and song writer, and finds inspiration in lived experience, travel, family, and history, and utilises technology to bring people together instead of creating disconnect.   

A compassionate, driven, deeply insightful human, Cameron has undertaken major projects and collaborations, and aims to create results that are the substance of legacies, still having impact long after he has left the living planet.  A Ted talk speaker, and accomplished musician and recording artist, Cameron gets things done that move his heart and make a difference.   

To check out his work, including the collaboration spoken about during the interview: 

As a police officer, Clint Adams had witnessed many troubling acts of humanity.  He knows what it takes to be a member of the Force.   

Clint has also studied psychology and rehabilitation, has extensive insights into the psycho-social interactions of individuals in difficult situations, and now heads behavioural and leadership programs for people experiencing PTSD, bullying and harassment and is now an Executive Coach and Consultant. 

Clint is the author of a book, called "Lighting the Blue Flame", about youth suicide.  

In this interview, we talk extensively about communication, understanding self awareness, and discovering tools, techniques, and tricks for having those at times very difficult conversations about Suicide, and other expressions of mental health issues.   

"If not me, who? If not now, when?" 

Few people, at age 15, can list in their accomplishments becoming CEO of an organisation they have founded. 

Fewer can claim to have established events, programs and online Summits across the three years as CEO.  

Wil Massara, now 18 and having only six months ago completed Year 12 (the final year of secondary schooling in Australia) is one such young man. As a self-confessed problem-solver,  Wil was already showing entrepreneurial qualities as a child, so when he attended the Magic Moments Foundation in Sydney, a 5-day event for youth, the seed of possibility was planted. 

He founded Youth Leadership Academy Australia, with a mission to help youth realise their potential to contribute as leaders in their communities. 

In this interview, I find out more about Wil's inspiring journey; where he started, what he does now, and the future ahead of him.  

You can contact Wil: 

email: wil@ylaaus.com  

"Imagine the trickle of a water source, emerging high up on a beautiful green mist coloured mountain top, a fresh water stream commencing its journey, initially taking the path of least resistance, growing, gaining strength, eventually becoming a powerful river carving its own path of invincibility on its way to its marriage with the ocean or sea."  

This could easily describe Jason Nelson’s successful careers in the Royal Navy, Cheshire Constabulary (UK) and Western Australian Police service.

Sadly, the powerful river turned into a nightmare for Jason, pinning him under his own emotions, drowning in his own senses as mental illness fueled by years of unprocessed trauma began to haunt him.  

Police officers are exposed to massive sensory overload.  Seeing human fatalities, attending traumatic scenes, even working in covert high risk situations are but a few dramas.  For Jason, on top of personal trauma, it became too much. Add in health challenges during surgery, and it tipped Jason over the edge.   

Now, with appropriate supports, Jason speaks about his Mental Health story to help others on their journey. Jason is a suicide attempt survivor, living with PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. His recovery through treatment, therapy and self-discovery has gifted him a heartfelt passion to share his story as a Corporate and public speaker,  and his healing, recovery and growth strategies to help others.  

Founder of The Rogue Runners, and now having retired from running marathons, Jason is working on a new project, to be released late 2020 to help people share their stories.   

This interview may contain *triggers* for those with mental health challenges. 

Please do not face your challenge alone. Reach out. 

Jason can be contacted:  

If you want to understand "determination", tune into this Voice on Fire conversation with Joshua Pelland.  

This pragmatic Canadian athlete knew what life and death was about throughout his military career, as a British Royal Marine Commando, and as part of the Special Operations Units, in some of the most difficult environments.   

It was while he was out enjoying his passion for rock climbing, alone and manipulating the ropes himself, that Joshua came face to face with his own near death.  Something went wrong, and Joshua fell...  

From a height of 65ft, near 20m or the height of a 5-storey building, Joshua landed badly, suffering dire injuries and after considerable time in hospital and extensive surgery, Joshua had to face life with a spinal cord injury and no use of his lower body.  

Four years on, and still learning what his body can and can't yet do, Joshua's pragmatic and problem solving mindset ensures he faces each challenge with acceptance of his fear and a will to just get in and take on risks and new experiences.  

Sought after as a Corporate Speaker, and with his first book months from release, Joshua trains regularly on his hand-cycle, a road bike modified for hand pedaling and has competed in various events and marathons.   

From the chaos of the battlefield, to the mystery of the open oceans; from the challenges of mountain climbing, to the adaptations of a spinal cord injury; Josh’s experiences have provided him with a unique perspective on facing and embracing adversity. 

As a result of these things he has learned to cultivate the mindset needed to perform physically and mentally in the most arduous of environments.   Josh can be contacted: 

I interviewed Sophie Sherwin, a UK author, blogger, writer and Life mentor who specialises in helping women who are held back from completing their stories, adventures and uniqueness so they are stuck and frustrated. Sophie moves them through limitations and fear to love and embrace life and feel excitement and freedom everyday.

She mixes psychology, coaching and spiritual practices to allow women to give themselves permission to be them. She leads by example, holds them accountable and teaches strategies which gets them to fulfillment. 

"There’s Always a Hitch" is a book she wrote which highlights her mission through a funny, inspiring and heartwarming journey.

Sophie is an Action Taker, and believes in encouraging everyone to live an adventurous life. 

If you want a signed copy of Sophie's book, contact: 

Becoming a Mum is a life-changing experience.  

Giving birth to a daughter was even more life-changing for Elisa Tidswell, because it was instrumental in helping her find her voice, make change and realise the importance of being an empowered role model for her daughter.   

In this interview, Elisa shares what lead to her founding Such a Gritty Girl, an educational platform for women, girls and families, which she operates along with her head coach.   

Creating a service for women and children through coaching, play books, monthly themed educational programs, and with visions for ways to take her services to women and families around the world, Elisa believes in making change and "getting out of your own way", and shares her own personal stories here in our conversation.   

If you would like to know more about Such a Gritty Girl, or contact Elisa: 

Daniel Dahdah is the Founder of St Jude’s Clinic – Centre for Unexplained Illnesses, Pain, Mood and Appearance Disorders.    

His belief is that people with Unexplained Illnesses, Pain, Mood and Appearance disorders, can do more for themselves than what their practitioner can do. He teaches his patients a Habit Driven Health therapy that empowers them to dramatically change their health.    

Daniel's role is to complement more specialised approaches by teaching people how to correct faulty habits to activate the body’s self-healing processes.  ‘Switching on’ the body’s healing is used for many Bowel, Menstrual, Fatigue, Pain, Immune and other autoimmune conditions.   

Daniel is a board certified Chiropractor, and Founder of St Jude’s Clinic - Centre for Unexplained Illnesses, and received his undergraduate degree  in Anatomy at UNSW, Post-graduate qualifications in Chiropractic (Sydney) and Pain Medicine (Newcastle), and Scoliosis training (Texas).   

He is an practitioner whose commitment is to helping his clients to experience control over their own health journey. His most important education continues to come from his patients and spans a thirty-year career as a private practitioner. He sees patients from around the world  and designated accommodation facilities for remote clients.   

Daniel is responsible for developing online programmes that reduce dependence-based healthcare by empowering people and continues to work as a practitioner in St Ives, Sydney. Importantly,   

He is an upcoming author of his book, "Unexplained Illnesses -- Explained", due for release in 2020, and is also currently running a program for women:  

He is seeking 50 women between the ages of 18 – 40 who have menstrual irregularities of unknown origin to be a part of a 4-month programme of care. The programme will start its selection process on the 1st May, commence therapy on the 28th of May (International Day of Action for Women's Health 2020) and conclude just after Women’s Health Week on the 11 September. Results are anticipated during and at the end of the trial and will be shared with the media to form part of a world-wide exclusive presentation. 

**If you would like to know more,  reach out to Daniel.   

Further enquiries of the Habit Driven Health method can be found at:   

Perri Yiu's passion for eating for both pleasure and purpose underpins every aspect of her work as a dietitian. She explores why women are seemingly obsessed with scales, body weight and dieting, and talks about the harm that can be done through shaming, guilt-tripping, and feeling bad about not being the perfect or ideal body size. 

Perri's mission is to help women reclaim their sense of self control over their bodies, to feel joy in eating, and to understand that there are no good or bad foods.   As a practicing dietitian, Perri takes a much more personal approach with each client and explores the social conditioning behind dieting, and helps women to find the enjoyment in mindful eating.   

Having experienced her own journey with body-image conditioning, Perri is committed to bringing pleasure, passion and joy to the table, and shares insights into how to eat healthy, find balance and live life fully as the best and most healthy version of self.  

Perri can work with clients both locally, nationally and internationally, and can be contacted:  

email:          perri@yummybalance.com.au 

Interviewee: Craig Marchant.   

For those living with mental illness, every day life can be a huge challenge, and trekking Peru's Ancient Inca Trail isn't typically top priority.   

Craig Marchant sees things a little differently.  This awe-inspiring Inca dream became a reality for him, igniting his personal goal of helping those who suffer mental illness.  

Diagnosed with Depression and Schizophrenia at a young age, Craig faces life with determination, managing his mental well-being while also studying Psychological Sciences at University. He has a unique understanding of what it takes to succeed, and has learned how to manage his mental health while getting on with life. 

Craig is married to his wonderful wife Kendyl, has five children, 3 cats and some fish.   He's a seasoned business entrepreneur in the Information Technology sector, having been the Chief Technical Officer for one of Australia’s fastest-growing web hosting and domain name businesses.  

Inspired by his experience with the Inca trail, Craig has founded a Mental Wellness Program called Destination Inspiration, helping those living with Mental Illness diagnoses.   An emerging speaker, Craig can speak on a number of mental health topics, including Depression, Schizophrenia, Suicide / Suicide Prevention and Anxiety. 

Come and take the journey with Craig and listen as he shares his amazing story of inspiration and courage. 

Self-confessed Rev-Head and Gym Owner, Khoa Nam Tran was just a regular 20-something -- life was all about working hard, and playing harder.  Drinking alcohol and "getting wasted" was just a day in the very average life for Khoa. One random day, he decided to give the gym a go, thinking if nothing else it might at least have a counter-effect, "offsetting" all the alcohol.  

A few years later, in 2012, Khoa's life took a very dramatic and irreversible turn:  a very serious motor vehicle accident following a big boozed-up party changed Khoa's life forever.   

In all the years since his life changing event, he has built a strong foundation to shape who he is today. That foundation includes exercising, which he believes its one of the key factors into living a fulfilled life. 

Having shared his story on national television, (a TV program called "Taboo") Khoa now owns a gym, working out solidly every day, and while this builds his physical fitness, his mental state has grown from those dark days post-car-accident, when he had to come to terms - in Khoa's way - with double amputation. 

Khoa knows what it takes to beat the odds. 

The aura of positivity he rubs on people when they are around him gives them the uplift they need, to see the brighter side of life in a sometimes dark world.  When Khoa isn't positively impacting lives around him, he spends his time racing his car on the track, seeking that Need for Speed, where focus and clarity is paramount to moving forward. He is also co-founder of the High-Vibe Project which is committed to connection, education, and positive inspiration.   

Interviewee: Leanne Butterworth. 

In this interview I speak with Leanne Butterworth, founder of social enterprise, Lose Your Mind Empathy Training which uses experiential learning to change the way empathy is perceived and communicated in workplaces.    Leanne believes if we can show enough people how to make a difference through empathy, we will create more effective and happier workplaces - and save lives. Leanne is already in discussions with international organisations including US Law Enforcement officers and UK Military Veterans. 

A passionate woman making a difference, Leanne is a mother of two young children, has a degree in Applied Science (in sports, fitness and health) and a Graduate Certificate in Business (Nonprofit and Philanthropy Studies).    She is a member of the Sunshine Coast Innovation Centre Health Tech Accelerator and works with Queensland Social Enterprise Council.  

Empathy is for everyone -- and many professionals, employees and members of the community stand to benefit from participating in Leanne's training.  

To contact Leanne: 

Leanne@loseyourmind.com.au  

Interviewee: Fabiola Campbell, PMWG. 

In today's interview, I spoke with Fabiola Campbell, founder and principal mentor at the Professional Migrant Women Group, an organisation created with the aim to reduce the gap between migration and professional employment for women in Australia.  

The PMWGroup helps women by: ·     

Providing professional development opportunities ·     
Building personal connections ·     
Growing professional networks ·     
Partnering with other professionals and organisations to provide services.  

Fabiola shares a part of her own personal story as a professionally educated woman from Venezuela and the challenges and transitions she faced through immigration.  Her experience planted the seed for the Professional Migrant Women Group mentoring program which grew from its initial concept in late 2019 to a meaningful and still growing and emerging social enterprise serving many women of various qualifications, and cultural backgrounds.   

Enthusiastic, creative, resourceful and resilient - she is all of these qualities and more. Fabiola holds an MBA, a degree in Criminology, and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and Personal Coaching.  As principle mentor, Fabiola truly understands the journey her mentees are going through and is inspirational in building a strong foundation of connection, community and cultural diversity for professional migrant women. 

Interviewee: BOBBY BERG, Student Fyre. 

In this Interview, I have the pleasure of speaking with Bobby Berg, Founder of Student Fyre, a podcast for students about learning, purpose, life lessons and education from the heart. 

Bobby is also a motivational speaker with a difference, helping students and even teachers understand that education is so much more enjoyable, and students engage far more readily in it, when it is "education by design" -- designed to meet the learning and motivation needs of the student, and even more impactful when students feel heard, listened to and validated.   

Bobby is located in Anchorage, Alaska and shares his insights and experiences as a coach and speaker in this 40+ minute interview. 

Contact Bobby: