PsyPOD

Welcome to our latest episode of PsyPOD, the where we chat all things Psychiatry with experts in the mental health field. In today's episode we are joined by Prof. Shalini Arunogiri, a prominent academic psychiatrist who specialises in the area of addiction! Tune in as we discuss her journey in medicine, what careers in academic psychiatric looks like and her thoughts on developments in the drug and alcohol addiction management space! Associate Prof. Shalini Arunogiri is an addiction psychiatrist and Clinical Director of the Hamilton Centre and Turning Point Statewide Services, a national addiction and mental health treatment provider. Shalini is a clinician-researcher whose work focuses on innovation in treatments for addiction and mental health comorbidity, including PTSD and trauma-related mental health disorders. Shalini is a NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, an Associate Professor at Monash University,  and has over 60 publications and attracted over $18M in grant funding. She is a passionate advocate for women in medicine and STEM fields and supervises and mentors several clinician-researchers. Timestamps: 0:33 - Meet our guest, Prof Shalini Arunogiri! 01:52 - Journey to psychiatry 03:32 - Professor Arunogiri's work at Turning Point 05:32 - Advancements in the Addiction space 09:06 - Challenges in the area of addiction 17:59 - Discussing Professor Arunogiri's research work 21:36 - Implications of safe-injecting sites 25:38 - Advice for budding psychiatrist! 29:53 - The future of psychiatry

Welcome to the 10th episode of PsyPOD, the podcast that explores the extraordinary lives of influential individuals who have dedicated their lives to the field of mental health. Today, we bring you a special episode featuring Dr Dan Mirmilstein, a child, adolescent and family psychiatrist who just so happens to be a father himself - he provides valuable insights into a typical week in his life, how he tries to strike the perfect work-life balance, how being a parent has shaped his approach to his job, advice for medical students, and so much more. Dr Mirmilstein travelled and lived all around the world after moving to Australia as a young child. An accomplished doctor, he was even awarded the faculty of child and adolescent Psychiatry Connell-Werry prize during his advanced training in the field, and has worked in multiple health services in Victoria and interstate, with an interest in co-design, developmental and systems thinking, relational-based therapy and health promotion.  Timestamps: 1:21 Why child and adolescent psych 5:50 How being a father has shaped your approach to patients 9:44 Separating work and family life 16:00 Typical week in the life 20:41 Interesting research in the field 25:13 Discussing stigma particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry 31:09 Advice for medical students!

Welcome to the 9th episode of PsyPOD, the podcast that explores the extraordinary lives of influential individuals in the field of mental health. So today, we bring you a slightly different episode, but an extremely eye-opening one featuring Caroline Gurvich - an Associate Professor and clinical neuropsychologist.  Caroline Gurvich is an accomplished Associate Professor and clinical neuropsychologist, currently serving as the Deputy Director of the HER Centre Australia at Monash University. As the Head of the "Cognition and Hormones Group," she specializes in the neuropsychology of women's mental health, focusing on how hormones influence cognitive functioning. With a distinguished career, Caroline has received numerous awards, prizes, and competitive grant funding, including NHMRC project grants and an NHMRC early career fellowship. She's also known for her dedication to supervising and mentoring PhD candidates, honors students, and neuropsychology registrars. Through her work, Caroline has established vital biodatabanks to deepen our understanding of biological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. With over 120 publications to her name, she has significantly advanced our knowledge of how biological factors impact symptoms and cognition in mental health and mental illness. Key time stamps:  0:37 : Introduction to Caroline Gurvich 2:08 : Background & Expertise in Neuropsychology 06:43 : Gender-specific factors in assessment and treatment of conditions 09:56: Key cognitive changes during menopause 15:00 : Management strategies 18:40: Research findings (Hormonal changes & Cognitive function) 23:11 : What’s next in Neuropsych? 27:45: Advice for aspiring specialists! 29:30 : How to ask confronting questions during a consult?  31:35: Debunking misconceptions 32:44: Case example 🙂

Anddd we're back with part 2! An outstanding doctor, a caring father, a loving husband, and a patient - Today, we're incredibly fortunate to have Dr Kieran Allen, who is a psychiatry registrar at Monash health! A Monash University medical graduate, he has been working at Monash health since the start of his medical career, earning the title “Registrar of the year” in 2019. He is also the co-founder of the “hand-n-hand peer support service”  which is a bi-national peer support network for healthcare workers in Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, he is a very passionate advocate for health professionals' mental health and health policy. In the second half of this two-part podcast, Dr Kieran Allen shares about his work in policy and advocacy in the field of mental health, as well as his views on stigma. He even gives valuable pieces of advice for healthcare workers or anyone struggling with mental health conditions. Be sure to listen to part one of this podcast if you haven't! It's truly so incredibly inspiring and touching - we're sure you won't regret it! Part 1 - Key time stamps: (01:50) Policy and advocacy roles, "hand-n-hand peer support", etc. (10:29) Discussing stigma, internal and external stigma (19:08) Advice for healthcare workers and anyone struggling with mental health conditions

An outstanding doctor, a caring father, a loving husband, and a patient - Today, we're incredibly fortunate to have Dr Kieran Allen, who is a psychiatry registrar at Monash health! A Monash University medical graduate, he has been working at Monash health since the start of his medical career, earning the title “Registrar of the year” in 2019. He is also the co-founder of the “hand-n-hand peer support service”  which is a bi-national peer support network for healthcare workers in Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, he is a very passionate advocate for health professionals' mental health and health policy. In the first half of this two-part podcast, Dr Kieran Allen shares some of his personal experiences coping with mental illness while persevering through the Psychiatry training programme. He sheds light on some of the fears fellow doctors with mental health conditions might face while practising medicine and the importance of having a supportive network of family and friends. He even shares some valuable advice on how health students and practitioners can take care of one another and their mental health in this rigorous line of work. Don't forget to tune in to the 2nd half of this podcast where he shares more insights to his life has a psychiatrist - not to be missed! Part 1 - Key time stamps: (00:39) Introduction to Dr Kieran Allen! (01:33) Why Psychiatry? (03:36) Personal stories and experiences (12:39) Personal challenges faced while seeking help (17:46) Issues around AHPRA registration (22:54) Importance of health students and practitioners seeking support where required!

Welcome to another episode of PsyPOD, the podcast that explores the extraordinary lives of influential individuals in the field of mental health. Today, we delve into the inspiring story of Dr. Ruwanthi De Alvis Seneviratne, a distinguished clinical academic psychiatrist whose unwavering commitment to mental health and research has left an indelible mark. Dr. Seneviratne is currently working as a part of the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team in Monash Medical Centre Clayton, where she works with a multidisciplinary team to provide community based acute crisis management services and organise access to acute psychiatric treatment. She is working full-time, with her hours equally divided between practising and researching psychiatry! Dr. Ruwanthi De Alvis Seneviratne has always possessed a profound dedication to understanding and addressing mental health challenges. Her research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including early onset psychosis, youth mental health and eating disorders. This episode discusses her path towards becoming a clinical academic psychiatrist, the challenges and rewards of this pathway, striking a balance between clinical and academic medicine, as well as insider advice for medical students seeking to navigate their interests and passions while deciding on a specialty. Key time stamps: 1:10: Introduction to Dr. Ruwanthi! 3:30: What inspired you to pursue psychiatry? 6:30: Challenges of the Psychiatry Pathway 10:30: Metropolitan and Rural Training 11:30: What drew you to your specialty area of mental health? 14:15: Discussing research work! 19:00: Addressing stigma 23:30: Working in a multidisciplinary team 28:00: Role of Medical students in shaping the future of Psychiatry + Advice for aspiring Psychiatrists 34:30: Importance of intercultural competence in treatment 40:00: Ultimate Goal!

Join us as we chat with a genuinely inspiring and remarkable special guest, an individual who is forging change and revolutionising our approach to Youth Mental Health, Prof. Patrick McGorry! His bio and accomplishments are way way too long to fit into this short description, but to highlight just a couple; Prof. McGorry is a professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. He is the executive director of Orygen (https://www.orygen.org.au/?gclid=CjwKCAiAxJSPBhAoEiwAeO_fPxidrRiUKyI3UC-iFtfCyXtB78PTDzGAPBbRHQEa2sQTz_U1bEnfxRoC3hkQAvD_BwE) and has been responsible for leading the development and scaling up of early intervention and youth mental health services. Not to mention, he has extensive contributions to health system reform in Australia, having led the advocacy which resulted in the establishment of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation in 2005 by the Aus. Gov (becoming Headspace in 2006), including being selected as Australian of the Year in 2010! Definitely check out his long list of achievements within his field online, a testament to what can be accomplished when you are willing to invest your time in things that you care about and work with others to achieve your mission! Prof. McGorry has a wealth of experience and passion to share and this conversation takes a dive into this area within mental health, discussing the roles, challenges and insights from an incredible career :)) So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions let's learn more about youth mental health! TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health (particularly youth mental health), which may be confronting or alarming. We really encourage you to please reach out to support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps for descriptions of specific sections!). 4:00 - Introduction into career journey and role 7:40 - What has made psychiatry and mental health so stigmatised? 10:50 - What can we do to help further break the stigma? 16:25 - Insight into experiences within Youth Mental Health, patient demographics 21:33 - Impact of COVID 28:40 - Advice for getting involved in research opportunities 31:10 - Orygen mission and how to get involved 33:23 - Prevention in Youth Mental Health 37:10 - Education to young people and within schools 40:43 - Reflections and thank you

Join us as we chat with an incredibly insightful, genuine and accomplished psychiatrist, Professor Malcolm Hopwood. Currently holding positions of Professor of Psychiatry with Ramsay Health Care at the University of Melbourne, and Clinical Director of the Professorial Psychiatry Unit at the Albert Road Clinic, Prof. Hopwood provides us with a unique perspective into his long and established career. He talks us through some of his interests in the field (including a passion for learning about mood and anxiety disorders), his role in supporting patients, a word on COVID and the importance of research in psychiatry, being a leading researcher in Australia investigating psychopharmacology and clinical aspects of mood and anxiety disorders.   Not to mention, having been the president of the RANZCP from 2015-2017, he has some profoundly important advice for entering the psychiatry training program here in Australia, and for anyone keen on pursuing psychiatry as a career!  TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health, focusing on mental health disorders such as anxiety. We really encourage you to please reach out for support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps below for descriptions of specific sections). So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions and let's learn more about psychiatry!  Key time stamps below (as per questions asked):  3:14 - Introduction into career journey from Prof. Hopwood 4:10 - Insight into demographic of patients worked with, interests within the field 5:50 - Why did you want to become a psychiatrist? 9:37 - Research within psychiatry 15:30 - Advice for students interested in getting involved in research 19:34 - Providing support to patients 26:35 - Mental health during COVID 33:46 - Looking after your own mental health as a psychiatrist 43:44 - Advice for medical students interested in psychiatry 53:52 - Wrapping up, final words of advice

Join us as we chat with an incredibly inspiring, internationally acknowledged leader within psychiatry, an individual who is pioneering changes to improve the quality of care for women with mental illnesses, Prof. Jayashri Kulkarni! Having founded the Australian Consortium for Women's Mental Health, taking on the role as President of the International Association for Women's Mental Health, spearheading groundbreaking research into reproductive hormones and mental illness and receiving an Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for her services to psychiatry (and a whole whole lot more), Prof. Kulkarni has an immense amount of experience and passion to share! This conversation takes an authentic dive into the field of Women's Mental Health, breaking down the barriers and misconceptions, and exploring the roles, challenges and insights within the area! Prof. Kulkarni shares some of her inspiring stories, experiences and life advice from a career built on passion, dedication and hard work. TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health (particularly women's mental health) and also topics of self-harm and suicidal themes, which may be confronting or alarming. We really encourage you to please reach out for support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps for descriptions of specific sections!) So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions and let's learn more about Women's Mental Health! Key time stamps below (as per question asked): 3:17 - Introduction, psychiatry teaching within medical school overview, and advice for the next generation! 9:00 - Insight into journey, career and role including reflections from Prof. Kulkarni 18:32 - Work within Women's Mental Health, including demographic of patients  26:09 - Looking after your own mental health as a psychiatrist 29:58 - Experiences with stigma and actionable steps to tackle it 35:45 - Discussion on the theory of brain changes, neuroscience and pathophysiology behind mental illness  45:55 - Advice for students interested in entering the psychiatry training program 49:49 - Reflection and thank you

Join us as we unpack the world of forensic psychiatry, breaking down the misconceptions and learning more about the roles, challenges and insights seen within the field! Forensic psychiatry is a subspeciality that engages with the intersection between law and psychiatry and involves diagnosing and treating mental disorders in the context of the criminal justice system. We're joined by Dr Danny Sullivan, a Melbourne and London-trained forensic psychiatrist who is currently the Executive Director of Clinical Services at Forensicare. Dr Sullivan provides us with an incredibly unique perspective into what a forensic psychiatrist does and how they support patients, and shares some of his extraordinary stories, experiences and advice from a career that has seen so much. This conversation covers plenty of domains and we really hope that you gain something to take away into your own life :))) TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health and forensic psychiatry, touching on mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, which may be confronting or alarming. We really encourage you to please reach out for support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps for descriptions of specific sections!) So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions and let's learn more about forensic psychiatry! Key time stamps below (as per question asked): 3:16 - Introduction into career journey and role from Dr Danny Sullivan 11:12 - Forensic psychiatry and the law overlap 12:20 - Supported decision making vs substituted decision making 14:03 - Changes in forensic psychiatry/mental health support from the 90's till now, including legal defence and workforce changes 23:56 - The range of forensic mental health services available for a patient and processes 32:12 - The mental health impairment defence and societal viewpoint 35:30 - Research experience and opportunities for research for students 39:25 - The scholarly project in the psychiatry training program, advice for entering the program and job areas/skills 45:40 - Experiences in forensic mental health (what to expect in a career) and an insight into patient demographics, management etc. 53:50 - Coping with your own mental health as a psychiatrist Links provided by Dr Sullivan; The Law Report (Inside Thomas Embling Hospital, a Forensic health facility): https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lawreport/tour-thomas-embling--hospital-forensicare/13227332 Forensicare: https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/