Conversations

When he was a young boy in South Africa, Professor Mark Solms watched his older brother fall from a roof and crack his skull.His brother survived but was greatly changed by the injuries to his brain. The incident planted in Mark a deep desire to understand how a person's brain shapes them. CW: contains description of a medical procedure

Jeffrey tells stories of grit, brilliance and tragedy behind the making of the smash hit musicals 'Rent' and 'Hamilton'

In 1978 Australian Robina Courtin became one of the first westerners to be ordained as a Buddhist nun. Then a letter from a young prisoner in a California jail began a huge change in her own story (R)

Palm Island, Mer Island, and Australia are the cornerstones of Rachael's work as an actor and a director (R)

Simone Sheridan on working at the coalface of Australia's Covid-19 pandemic

When Admiral Chris Barrie retired as the Chief of the Defence Force, he became increasingly concerned about life for veterans with PTSD. Then he discovered certain psychedelic drugs were being used to literally change mindsChris Barrie was 15 when he joined the Royal Australian Navy.He spent 41 years in the navy, and eventually rose to become Chief of the Australian Defence Force, a role he held when 9/11 happened.Since retiring Chris has become increasingly concerned about veterans suffering from PTSD.A few years ago he discovered that psychedelic drugs are being used in other countries to successfully treat it.Chris is now convinced that the Australian Government should legalise the clinical use of specific psychedelics to help veterans recovering from trauma.To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversation podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.Further informationLearn more about the work of FearLess

After Rick Morton was unexpectedly diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder he set out on a year-long mission to rediscover love

When Helen Jukes was given a colony of bees they helped release her from the numbing grind of her working life (R)

Thriller writer Helen Fitzgerald on her life as a social worker inside some of Scotland's toughest prisons

Choir master Stephen Taberner was raised a Christadelphian, but in his adult life he celebrates the pleasure of music (R)