Today’s guest is Julie Fearns-Pheasant, an artist and educator with decades of experience teaching art to kids and adults.

Julie shares how her experience as a person with a disability, and a breast cancer survivor, have shaped her own creative journey and artistic narrative.

Join us as Julie explores how art can help when language is a barrier, how it can help us process trauma, and how clay isn’t just about moulding shapes – it’s about moulding minds.

TW: This episode contains discussion of body image issues, ableism, and breast cancer.

Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto, and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

Recognised as one of just 100 National Living Treasures, celebrated Australian television identity and doyen ofcinema Ernie Dingo is our gest today.

But Ernie’s influence extends well beyond the great outdoors and rests in the heartland. Ernie shares his spiritual and familial connection to his Yamatji homeland and tells usabout his camps that aim to reconnect young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men back to country and improve wellbeing.

TW: Today’s episode contains themes that may be triggering or upsetting for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto, and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

Who better to provide evidence for the connection between creativity and mental health than Professor Katherine Boydell, director of the arts-based knowledge translation lab at the Black Dog Institute. She explores the research behind creativity as a tool for keeping us mentally healthy, her time on ABC documentary Space22, and the therapeutic process behind creative tasks.

TW: This episode contains discussion of mental health issues

Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto, and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

To read more about Katherine’s work at Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/researcher/katherine-boydell/

The Conversation article about the COVID-19 art project ‘Topsy Turvy’: https://theconversation.com/what-this-collaboration-between-artists-and-health-care-leaders-teaches-us-about-living-through-covid-19-167637

Embracing the Mind is recorded on the land of the Nyoongar Wadjuk people. Embrace at The Kids acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians in Australia, and we pay respect to Elders past and present.

Today we welcome Chris Nixon, a Perth local and visual artist, who has countless art installations and has worked with clients such as Tame Impala, Nurofen, and Adobe.

Chris shares his experience with finding a balance between creativity and everyday life, encouraging creativity in kids, and how art has helped him through life’s highs and lows.

TW: This episode contains discussion of mental health issues and the mention of the loss of a parent

Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto, and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

Embracing the Mind is recorded on the land of the Nyoongar Wadjuk people. Embrace at The Kids acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians in Australia, and we pay respect to Elders past and present.

Chris’ website:

https://www.chrisnixon.net/

Shaun Tan is widely recognised for his captivating books and illustrations, which are often studied for their imaginative and intricately detailed subject matter.

Join Shaun as he takes us on a journey from his humble beginnings as a young budding artist through to his life as a parent and career as an artist and illustrator.

TW: This episode contains discussion of mental health issues.

Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto, and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

Embracing the Mind is recorded on the land of the Nyoongar Wadjuk people. Embrace at The Kids acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians in Australia, and we pay respect to Elders past and present.

Shaun’s website: https://www.shauntan.net/

This season, we're painting a picture of the link between creativity and mental health.

As always, we're telling stories that are profoundly human, and across season four you will hear from celebrated artists across comedy, street art, acting, and painting.

Join hosts Dr Karen Lombardi and Jack Boronovskis as they interview guests including Ernie Dingo, Shaun Tan, Simone Springer and James Foley.

In this special episode from The Kids Research Institute Australia, join parenting educator and author Maggie Dent and Associate Professor Yael Perry, Head of Youth Mental Health at The Kids, as they take a deep dive into the challenges facing today's teens in a digital world, and how parents and caregivers can better support them.

Embrace is supported by principal partner Rio Tinto and Channel 7 Telethon Trust.

In our final episode of this season, we discuss the Australian Government's #EndGenderBias survey with MP Ged Kearney, before getting the final thoughts of our amazing list of guests. We talk about some of the improvements that have been made in research, before hearing stories of self-empowerment, finding purpose through adversity, and the power of self-worth.

Thank you for listening to this season of Embracing the Mind.

TW: This episode contains discussion of eating disorders, mental illness and childbirth trauma.

Embrace is supported by it principal partner Rio Tinto and Telethon Trust.