The Mind Mate Podcast

Renee Tsatsis is the ARCVic Helpline Co-ordinator. A bit about ARCVIC:  The Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria (ARCVic) is a state-wide, specialist mental health organisation, providing support, recovery and educational services to people and families living with anxiety disorders. We aim to support and equip people with knowledge and skills that will build resilience and recovery and reduce the impact of anxiety disorders.

Introducing my chat with Nick Sutherland from Myndfit and Ryan Hassan from The Centre For Healing!  From The Centre For Healing:  At The Centre for Healing we pride ourselves in offering comprehensive programs which effectively help everyday people get to the cause and offer long-term recovery from addictions and mental health in a supportive and caring environment. Co-Founder Ryan Hassan has his own experience in recovering from his own addiction and mental health issues. His purpose and passion is to assist others to effectively and quickly get through their inner issues to achieve their external goals. He is often requested in the media for expert advice (Herald Sun, Fox FM and more) and he’s highly sought after for speaking. He leads a passionate team of therapists who are both experienced and compassionate. https://thecentreforhealing.com.au/ From MyndFit: Nick Sutherland first started ‘State of Mind’ in 2009, working from a home office in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula, specialising in helping people to heal and overcome trauma in order to find peace and happiness. Whilst he enjoyed this work, Nick started to see patterns in that much of his clients ‘suffering’ was connected to how they processed experiences and ultimately, how they perceived the world. The patterns also highlighted how the symptomatic problems clients presented with kept stemming from the same 5 core issues. This wasn’t in just 1 or 2 clients, but hundreds. With this in mind, Nick started building a therapeutic framework based on the methodology of the “5 Fundamental Principles” as he called them, creating 3 programs that varied in length but all used the same methodology. https://myndfit.com.au/

Vijay Ravikumar (Victorious Son of the Sun in Sanskrit) is the Float Guru. He is the being behind the revolutionary art of studying 'The Self' and "Transformation of Consciousness' using the sensory deprivation tanks. For over 3 years his passion has helped people to raise their consciousness and take their lives to a new magnification - in the areas that matter most: their inner peace, fulfilment, personal relationships with themselves and the world around them and wellbeing. Vijay has clocked numerous hours in the tank and has developed concrete techniques and programs to help clients from various backgrounds. One of the things he is most proud of is his pioneering work on understanding consciousness using floatation tanks and mapping out the inner universe to expand our awareness. His core strategies for creating breakthroughs are derived by combining modern tools such as sensory deprivation tanks with ideas from ancient knowledge such as Vedas and Taoism. From his 'Brahmin' roots, he derives ancient wisdom, and through his engineering background, he utilises the beauty of modern science. Currently residing in Melbourne, Vijay is on a mission to educate the world on floating as a tool for transformation of consciousness rather than a 'tub to relax.' "Making a positive impact in another humans life is one of the best feelings one can experience," says Vijay Along with life coaching and floating, Vijay is a professional DJ and a Psychedelic Trance music producer under the project name Cymatic. Vijay's kind, compassionate nature and burning desire to help everyone unleash their full potential is the driving force behind The Float Guru. His favourite quote - "Nothing matters and everything is for the best result", The Float Guru His Mantra : ‘Causeless Joy’

The tables turned! Now it's my turn to be in the hot seat!

"Meditation is the practice of enduring psychological pain and discomfort. No matter how you do it, nothing could be more important." - Tom Ahern

Paul has recently experienced fatherhood and all that it comes with it. He realised that it is a profound shift for many fathers and appreciates that many things change as a result of being a dad.   The first thing he noticed when his friends began to have children was that their health was the first thing to be sacrificed. This inspired him and his business partner Daniel to create Hero. A program specifically designed to help high-achieving dad’s lose fat and enjoy peak energy levels while giving to their family and excelling in their career.  He has used his 15 years of knowledge and experience in strength and conditioning as well as mobility training and combined them with the teaching of Holistic Life Coaching to guide his clients to overcome limitations and soar. Use the code 'Mind Mate' to receive 20% off Paul's online programming. Come on dad mates, get to it! 

Another Mind Mate Podcast veteran is back! Elise Carr jumps on the show again and this time, it was in-person!  A bit about Elise (taken from her website):   "The blending of what I offer you is Like Psychology for the Soul in a modern world – honouring your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual layers; what has brought you thus far, where you are and, what needs healing, clearing and guidance to shift from darkness to Light, all ultimately in alignment with your Soul’s plan of fulfilment.   With unwavering presence, fierce dedication and spirited insight, I guide inspirational souls on a purposeful life journey away from old patterns, habits and illusion, and into Truth, Love-Wisdom and authentic Beauty. Healing, Balancing and Harmonising the physical body, emotions and heart with the clarity of mind. Guiding you deeper into 'Knowing Thyself as Soul'; part of the entire cosmic fabric of all that is.   If we get a bit mystical you could imagine; at the entrance to your inner world I stand as a temple maiden inviting you to journey together, with me as the light bearer in your darkness. Illuminating the way for you to live life as your most authentic, unique self. Healed, Liberated and Aligned, here to serve the world with the skills and gifts that ONLY YOU have, from a place of Consciousness, Heart and Mind, united under the impulse of your very own Soul."

Richard Burrows is a corporate headhunter and former security intelligence professional who now works with high performing individuals seeking greater physical, mental and emotional resilience.  He has a wealth of experience operating in high-pressure and high-stakes situations and teaches a variety of breathing methods to ensure peak preparation, performance and recovery.

This is an excerpt from chapter two of my upcoming book, ‘A Seeker’s Path’. I recently followed the Dalai Lama on Instagram (100% get around the big man if you haven’t already) and couldn’t help but write about him. He seems so bloody jolly and, as the saying goes, “I’ll have what [he’s] having.” I came to realise that “what he’s having” took a long time for him to get. This is my take on mental health practice:   The Dalai Lama tells us that, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” He tells us to, “Be kind whenever possible” and that, “sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” Excuse me, Mr. Lama, what about Jet Ski’s, fancy dinners and Instagram likes! Both Ronnie Coleman and the Dalai Lama have one thing in common: Discipline. Judging by standard Buddhist practice, the path to enlightenment — freedom from suffering — is not an easy trod. Waking up at dawn every morning, meditating for hours, removing all sense of individuality i.e. shaving one’s hair, wearing the same red robe every day, abstaining from sex, worldly pleasures and committing to the spiritual path are all examples, at least in my books, of seriously rigorous mental health practices!  Unfortunately, human beings are not entitled either to perfect mental or physical health, which begs the question: How mentally and/or physically healthy do we want to be? How many hours are we willing to put in to achieve states of consciousness akin to Buddhist monks, for example? What are our physical health goals? Are we willing to devote hours of practice to improve our flexibility, strength, speed, stamina and joint health? For how long must we meditate each day, write in our diaries, authentically connect with others and work to release our traumas from the past in order to attain a mental state congruent with our own definition of happiness?  Ultimately, this is for us to decide. Maybe people become monks because they’re in really bad ways? How else can one know happiness like that without having once experienced terrible psychological pain. In any case, just as a Bench Press pumps the chest, meditation pumps the mind. Choose your tools. Seek and you will find.

2 x guest of the show, Mr. Erick Godsey returns for another cracking episode on The Mind Mate Podcast. I love going deep with this bloke but, this time, I wanted to hear more about who Erick is, day by day. We got into some of the things he's struggling with in life at the moment (we've all got them mates) as well as some of the more recent lessons he's learnt.  Within this, Erick spoke about his challenges with love and heart opening as well as his ability to let others in, stemming from who he was as a child and how that child developed a persona worthy of receiving love. One of my biggest take aways from this podcast was the idea that, beneath the chains of shame, need for validation—all the stuff we do to receive something or someone we think will fill our holes—a God (inside us) awaits its freedom, ready to dance for infinity and beyond! In other words, we got philosophical! Enjoy!