In this episode, Hayley shares her story of resilience, living through abuse, depression, and misdiagnosis. She reflects on what it means to re-write your story, and how nursing has become her tūrangawaewae — a place where she feels grounded and connected to something bigger than herself.

This conversation with Siswella explores what it was like to lose her memories after intensive ECT and begin again. They reflect on how they found meaning through peer work, the impact of genuine support, and the importance of trusting your intuition.

Katya shares what it’s like to live with an eating disorder, like having two brains: one that loves pasta and ice cream, and one that only wants control. She reflects on how it all began, the role social media played, and why recovery feels like trying to grow a seed in winter—until you find your garden.

Michelle shares her journey supporting two young people through extreme distress, from hospital stays to first responder callouts. She talks about the challenges with emergency services and the healthcare system, the power of being there for someone, instead of trying to fix them, and why she created Kaboose, a community app for neurodivergent people.

After her first daughter’s birth, Bek experienced intense postnatal panic. Misdiagnosed and overmedicated, she spent three years in and out of psychiatric hospitals. In this episode, she shares how she fought to get her life back and regain her agency.

In this episode, our guest shares their experience of two extreme states: psychosis and depression. They talk about how they managed to overcome intense adversity and the teachings that followed. They speak about how reading 200 books in 2 years helped them find purpose and how they found a way to find a life worth fighting for.   Please keep in mind that this guest would like to remain anonymous. ✨ Check out the Star Size Comparison video mentioned in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEheh1BH34Q Come and listen with: Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT- Lost and Found [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? [00:02:15] Lucy: In this episode, our guest shares their experience of two extreme states, psychosis and depression. They talk about how they managed to overcome intense adversity and the teachings that followed. They speak about how reading 200 books in two years helped them find purpose, and how they found a way to find a life worth fighting for. Thanks for coming in today. For those who don’t know who you are, would you be able to just tell us a little bit about yourself? A few tidbits. [00:02:45] Gues...

This is a conversation with Jesse about suicide. Jesse shares his own experiences of suicidality and offers different ways we can have more compassionate conversations about it. We think about suicide as a natural physiological response to distress that contains a message for the individual and those around them. We explore some of the misunderstandings around suicide, the importance of language and allowing people time and space to process and heal. Jesse works at LifeConnect who offer suicide awareness training for the community. To get in touch, head to their website https://www.neaminational.org.au/services/lifeconnect/ or email them at lifeconnect@neaminational.org.au Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – The message of suicide [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? [00:02:17] Rachel: This is a conversation with Jesse about suicide. Jesse shares his own experiences of suicidality and offers different ways we can have more compassionate conversations about it. We think about suicide as a natural physiological response to distress that can contain a message for an i...

We sat down to chat with Mary O’Hagan, who’s currently the Executive Director of Lived Experience in the Department of Health in Victoria. Mary shares snippets from her memoir “Madness Made Me” and speaks about how value and meaning can be derived from experiences of madness. We ponder what it could look like if communities looked after each other and created space for people in distress.   Check out Mary’s Book here: https://www.madnessmademe.com/ Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – A difficult gift [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? We sat down to chat with Mary O’Hagan, who’s currently the Executive Director of Lived Experience in the Department of Health in Victoria. Mary shares snippets from her memoir, “Madness Made Me”, and speaks about how value and meaning can be derived from experiences of madness. We ponder what it could look like if communities looked after each other and created space for people in distress. Alright, Mary, thank you for coming in, joining us, I was wondering if you could share it just a little bit about yourself, what you’re passionate about, anything that you feel like you want the listeners to hear. [00:03:00] Mary: Yeah, so I guess the...

Elsa talks us through her new role as the spiritual care lead and some of her hopes for the role. Elsa breaks down and simplifies what the word ‘spirituality’ means, what it can look like in a modern world and why it can be important in the context of mental health and healing. The definition of spirituality mentioned references the work of Canda, Edward (2008) Spiritual connections in social work: boundary Violations and transcendence. Journal of Religion and spirituality in social work 27. 25-40. This episode also mentions “My Beautiful Psychosis: Making Sense of Madness” by Emma Goude. Check it out here: https://emmagoude.com/books-2/#.ZdvvPnZByUk Come and listen with: Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art   EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – A search for meaning [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? [00:02:05] Rachel: In this episode, we talk with Elsa. Elsa talks us through her new role as the spiritual care lead and some of her hopes for the role. Elsa breaks down and simplifies what the word spirituality means, what it can look like in a modern world, and why it can be important in the context of mental health and healing. [00:02:35] Lucy: Thanks for joining us today, Elsa. Are you able to t...

In this honest chat with Paul, he helps to bust some myths about common misconceptions in the medical world. Paul speaks about the value of humanizing people’s experience rather than medicalising it and how including people’s loved ones in their care can make a real difference. Come and listen with: Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – Is this really radical? [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? In this honest chat with Paul, he helps to bust some myths about common misconceptions in the medical world. Paul speaks about the value of humanizing people’s experiences rather than medicalizing it, and how including people’s loved ones in their care can make a real difference. [00:02:33] Lucy: Here we are again, Paul. Thank you for joining us in our humble little studio. [00:02:38] Rachel: Pretty excited to have you here, Paul, and to talk with us about. [00:02:42] Paul: Don’t give me too much pressure. [00:02:43] Rachel: Yeah, no pressure. [00:02:46] Lucy: For those who don’t know you, Paul, can you just tell us a little bit about yourself? [00:02:50] Paul: Sure. Well, I’m a child psychiatrist and I actually came up to 20 years working at the Alfred a few months ago, so I’ve been in my job as like clinical direc...

Paul helps to bust some myths about common misconceptions in the medical world. Paul speaks about the value of humanizing people’s experience rather than medicalising it and how including people’s loved ones in their care can make a real difference.

In this conversation we chat with Chris about how the experience of bipolar can feel but also how we can learn and grow from it. Chris talks about the importance of inclusion and connection, having a ‘vibe tribe’ and dropping judgement when caring for people who are having a rough time. This episode mentions “The Road Less Travelled” By M. Scott Peck  Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT –You can sit with us [00:00:01] Lucy: This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] Lucy: In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] Rachel: discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] Lucy: The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] Rachel: Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] Lucy: Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? [00:02:05] Rachel: Welcome back to the extremely human podcast titled you can sit with us. In this conversation, we chat with Chris about how the experiences of bipolar can feel, but also how we can learn and grow from them. Chris talks about the importance of inclusion and connection, having a vibe tribe and dropping judgment when caring for people who are having a rough time. Chris, welcome. We have been asking everybody the same question...

In this episode, we chat with our guest who describes how it feels to experience psychosis. We talk about what they found helpful and not so helpful while being in that state and what life after psychosis has looked like in their life. We touch on the different ways phenomena like psychosis can transform people and how we can better care for people going through psychosis. Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – Stability in the storm [00:00:01] LUCY  This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might want to visit another podcast and come back to us another time. [00:00:14] RACHEL discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders, past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. [00:00:32] LUCY In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories, is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people. [00:00:51] RACHEL discovery college acknowledges the views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. [00:01:07] LUCY The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. [00:01:33] RACHEL Extremely Human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. [00:01:47] LUCY Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question, how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? Welcome back to the extremely human podcast. In this episode, we chat with our guest, who describes how it feels to experience psychosis. We talk about what they found helpful and not so helpful while being in that state, and what life after psychosis has looked like in their life. We touch on the different ways phenomena like psychosis can transform people and how we can...

How can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? Sometimes as humans, we have experiences that aren’t shared or understood by others. Often these experiences can feel extreme, scary, unreal or even euphoric. Experiences like psychosis, depression, grief and addiction. Here is a little taster of highlights from some of the conversations Lucy and Rachel have had so far with incredible humans who vulnerably share their different perspectives on these ideas. Come and listen with: Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – Extremely Human Trailer LUCY    This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might wanna visit another podcast and come back to us another time.  RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters, and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to the elders past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. LUCY    In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us, and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people.  RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges the views shared in these podcasts are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. LUCY    The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. MUSIC RACHEL  This podcast series called Extremely Human Looks at the profound experience of extreme states from both personal and outsider perspectives. When we speak about extreme states, we are exploring a more humanistic way to describe and understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. LUCY  Through sharing stories, we strive to understand and describe the unique journeys that may feel unusual, confusing, distressing, or even wonderful for individuals. Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief, and addiction. As we have conversations with a variety of people, we explore an important question, how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? MUSIC RACHEL  The Extremely Human Podcast came about because we started to realize there were many untold stories about extreme states that needed to be heard about what had been helpful to people and what hadn’t. LUCY    We discovered a theme about the importance of compassion and here are some of the snippets of what we heard. JAMIE    The more I was able to spen...

How do you be a human first and a professional when it’s required? In this episode, we speak with Jamie, a social worker in the mental health world. Jamie shares his unique perspective on what it’s like to experience his own mental health challenges and how that’s shaped the way he now works as a clinician and a person. Jamie talks about burnout, knowing when to take a pause and drawing on our humanity when facing distress. Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – We’re only human LUCY    This podcast has conversations around different mental health experiences that may be distressing for some people. If that doesn’t feel like something you want to explore today, you might wanna visit another podcast and come back to us another time.  RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters, and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to the elders past and present. They have never ceded sovereignty. LUCY    In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us, and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people.  RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges the views shared in these podcasts are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. LUCY    The stories we share on this podcast aren’t just stories, but memories of the people who have bravely shared their experiences with us. Remember to take care of yourself as you listen, as well as to take care of the stories that you hear. MUSIC RACHEL    Extremely human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we wanna explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others.  LUCY    Each extreme state holds different meaning for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief, and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question, how can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity? Welcome to the first episode of the Extremely Human Podcast. My name’s Lucy. RACHEL   and I’m Rachel. In this episode, we speak with Jamie, who’s a social worker in the mental health world. Jamie shares his unique perspective on what it’s like to experience his own mental health challenges and how that’s shaped the way he now works as a clinician and a person. Jamie talks about burnout, knowing when to take a pause, drawing on our own humanity when facing distress. Just a little shout out the guitar music that you hear throughout this episode is also by Jamie. Really hope you enjoy the episode. MUSIC RACHEL      Welcome, Jamie. Uh, thanks so much for joining us today.

In this first episode, we chat about what Extremely Human is all about. Extremely human is a conversation about the profound experience of extreme states. When we speak about extreme states, we want to explore a more humanistic way to understand people’s experiences that aren’t always shared by others. Each extreme state holds different meanings for each person, including those related to psychosis, depression, grief, and addiction. As we chat with a variety of humans, we explore the important question: “How can we respond to distress with greater compassion and humanity?” Come and listen with:Lucy (She/Her) – A big fan of pickleball, ice cream and storytelling Rachel (She/Her) – Social Worker, Dialogical Practitioner, mad footy fan and wildly passionate about transforming the culture of mental health services to be person-led and human rights informed. Incredible artwork @sharleencu_art EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – Introducing Extremely Human RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters, and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders past and present. They have never seeded sovereignty. LUCY    In this podcast, we share stories that help us learn from each other, connect us, and inspire growth. We want to acknowledge that this way of being, of coming together to share knowledge and stories is a tradition that has already existed on this land for hundreds of thousands of years as a part of the culture of First Nations people.  RACHEL    discovery college acknowledges. The views shared in this podcast are about mental health experiences, but are not a substitute for professional mental health advice and support. The views in this podcast are not the views of Alfred Health, but are the views of the individuals we’ve had conversations with. MUSIC LUCY    I am Lucy and I’m a co-host on the Extremely Human podcast. I work at discovery college and I’ve definitely tipped my toes in some extreme states myself. I feel like it’s fitting that I’m on a podcast called Extremely Human ’cause. My best friend actually used to call me the Extreme Artist and used to make comic strips of me doing extreme activities like chasing after Rubbish that had blown away in a storm. A little bit about me is that I love story sharing, ice cream and my inner Nana loves sleeping. RACHEL    And I’m Rachel, also a co-host on the Extremely Human Podcast. I’m a mental health social worker at Alfred Health. I chose social work as a profession because of my values of social justice and human rights. I believe in the importance of social connection and relationships. I’m also an open dialogue practitioner. This helps me to bring my values, beliefs, and all of myself to my work in mental health. I’m a mad footy fan and some of my best friends have fur and four legs. LUCY    For those wondering what discovery college is. discovery college is a learning space that creates and runs courses with and for the community on mental health and wellbeing from these spaces. The seed for a podcast grew. So Rach and I ended up deciding to make a podcast, which is the extremely human podcast. And it’s basically just a conversation talking to different people about their experiences of being in an extreme state. And I think when we first came up with the idea, you sort of spoke about the extreme states and it wasn’t a term I’d ever heard before. Can...