23 episodes

The aim of this podcast is to educate and assist listeners on their journey to better understand, invest into and improve their individual wellbeing, in what has been a challenging year for us all.

PukaUp Founder & AFL legend Wayne Schwass, draws on his personal 26 year wellbeing journey to combine authentic and genuine storytelling with skill-based learning through inspiring conversations with a wide variety of world-class wellbeing experts, thought leaders and qualified practitioners to explore the benefits and value of the practical tools, techniques and strategies available that can help you start your mental health journey and begin to invest into your wellbeing.

We all have mental health, but for a lot of us, it’s not easy to talk about wellbeing openly, in fact it’s difficult but it doesn’t have to be. Creating safe spaces and environments allow people to begin to have authentic and genuine conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing. Wellbeing applies to 100% of the population.

Our focus is to help you stay healthy by equipping you with the tools so that you can start taking steps toward a healthier, longer, happier and better life. It’s time to reclaim your wellbeing and we’re excited to be joining you on this important journey

Puka Up - Your Weekly Wellbeing Conversation Pukaup.com

    • Health & Fitness

The aim of this podcast is to educate and assist listeners on their journey to better understand, invest into and improve their individual wellbeing, in what has been a challenging year for us all.

PukaUp Founder & AFL legend Wayne Schwass, draws on his personal 26 year wellbeing journey to combine authentic and genuine storytelling with skill-based learning through inspiring conversations with a wide variety of world-class wellbeing experts, thought leaders and qualified practitioners to explore the benefits and value of the practical tools, techniques and strategies available that can help you start your mental health journey and begin to invest into your wellbeing.

We all have mental health, but for a lot of us, it’s not easy to talk about wellbeing openly, in fact it’s difficult but it doesn’t have to be. Creating safe spaces and environments allow people to begin to have authentic and genuine conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing. Wellbeing applies to 100% of the population.

Our focus is to help you stay healthy by equipping you with the tools so that you can start taking steps toward a healthier, longer, happier and better life. It’s time to reclaim your wellbeing and we’re excited to be joining you on this important journey

    Masculinity - Tom Harkin

    Masculinity - Tom Harkin

    Tom Harkin is one of Australia’s pre-eminent facilitators and executive coaches. Tom is also the founder of Tomorrow Man, a social enterprise aimed at starting a conversation among men, both young and old, to reinvent masculinity by challenging traditional stereotypes and training emotional muscle.

    In this episode, Tom shares his why, how he wanted to live a bigger life after returning from an overseas trip at 17, the role his parents played in his life, the impact The Reach Foundation had on his development and the need to challenge the traditional masculine narratives.

    Tom also explains what talking with real honesty is, the impacts of gender conditioning, the importance and value of feeling safe with other males, the fear associated with social exclusion and how talking with gravity is the gateway drug to a healthy masculinity.

    You can find Tom Harkin at:

    Website: https://www.tomorrowman.com.au

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomorrowman_au/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomorrowmanaustralia/

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tomorrowman 

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/tomorrowman_au 

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCufozuG2EiDRuLggnH6oKqw
    Support the show: http://pukaup.com
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 1 hr 23 min
    Positive Psychology - Prof. Lea Waters Pt 2

    Positive Psychology - Prof. Lea Waters Pt 2

    In part 2 of our interview with psychologist, researcher, speaker, author and world leader in the field of Positive Psychology, Prof Lea Waters, explains how she is finally in a good space after nearly three decades of counselling, that emotions happen in our physiology not our hearts, how society confuses anger with aggression, why mindfulness is one of the most effective ways of managing our way through Covid, what adversarial growth is, how shame is put into us and that self-compassion is the antidote to shame.

    Lea also explains:


    T.E.A.R – to accept reality; experience the distress; adjust to the new situation; reinvest in your happiness
    Now is the perfect time to develop new habits
    Shame is not internally generated; shame is imprinted into you by someone else
    Shame loses its power when you speak it out aloud
    Guilt is the emotion that we've done something wrong and it motivates us to repair or restore
    Compassion is the ability to witness someone’s else's suffering and want to alleviate it
    Vulnerability gives other people permission to talk about their own experiences

    You can find Lea Waters, PhD at:

    Website: https://www.leawaters.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profleawaters/ 

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProfLeaWaters 

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProfLeaWaters 

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrPSF3XlFHKTP_L4u3HUc8A 

    Available Resources:


    The Strength Switch (book): https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-strength-switch-9781925324426
    The Strength Switch (online positive family course): https://vwb.thinkific.com/courses/the-strength-switch $99 USD                          What your family will learn and experience:


    Help you find a new and positive way of seeing the qualities and talents in each other.
    Create an energizing and fun approach to parenting and family communication.
    Give you a lens to understand the perspectives and motivations of other family members.
    Provide ways to uncover new strengths in each family member that you may not have seen before.
    Foster a bonding family approach that builds warmth, trust and happiness.


    Family Fun Pack: https://www.leawaters.com/shop/family-fun-pack $40 USD Perfect for families in quarantine, isolation or just practising social distancing, this Family Fun Pack of 21 activities has been specifically designed by Lea to get your kids off the screen and create a sense of togetherness.                                                  
    Strength Stars Cards: available in hard copy $35 USD or virtual $25 USD           The Strengths Stars cards provide a learning tool for young children to discover and develop their character strengths. Strength Stars cards are based on the philosophy of early education that recognise the early years as a critical period in children’s learning, development and identity.
    Strengths for Kids and Teens Cards: available in hard copy $35 USD or virtual $25 USD                                                                                                                                The Strengths cards provide a learning tool for kids and teens to discover and develop their character strengths. These cards are one part of the Strengths for Kids and Teens program currently in development by psychologist and education expert Lea Waters (PhD) based upon her university research and acclaimed book ‘The Strength Switch’. 
    Support the show: http://pukaup.com
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 43 min
    Positive Psychology - Prof. Lea Waters Pt 1

    Positive Psychology - Prof. Lea Waters Pt 1

    Lea Waters AM, PhD, is a psychologist, researcher, speaker and author. She’s one of the world’s leading experts on Positive Education, Positive Organizations, and Strength-Based Parenting and Teaching. As a University researcher, Lea turns her science into strength-based strategies to help organizations, educators and parents around the world build resilience in their employees and children, helping them to thrive. Lea is a Board Member and the 2017-2019 President of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and founding director of the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne and is the author of the Strength Switch https://www.leawaters.com/the-strength-switch 

    In part 1 of this inspiring episode Lea talks openly about her traumatic childhood, the devastating loss of her sister, making the difficult decision to end her relationship with her parents and how these experiences resulted in a myriad of mental health conditions developing some of which she still manages today.

    With close to three decades of seeking professional support, Lea has successfully overcome many of the conditions that have impacted her life and inspiringly used her own experiences in her role as a psychologist to help children, families and organisations across the world.

    Lea also shares:

    "When I tell the story of what I’ve overcame in my past, that becomes a part of someone’s survival guide for their future."

    “Forgiveness is letting go of anger and it’s letting go of bitterness and it’s reaching this point of grace where you say I’m not going to hold onto that any more I’m going to move forward and live my own life."

    “When we keep these things silent, shadows grow in silence."

    “One of the gifts of Covid is time which has allowed people and their families to slow down, to have more gentleness in their life at the moment."

    “Healing can also be made up of a journey of amplifying and building up what is right with you."

    “The absence of depression is not the same as the presence of happiness."

    You can find Lea Waters, PhD at:

    Website : https://www.leawaters.com

    Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/profleawaters/ 

    Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ProfLeaWaters 

    Twitter : https://twitter.com/ProfLeaWaters 

    Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrPSF3XlFHKTP_L4u3HUc8A 

    Available Resources:


    The Strength Switch (book): https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-strength-switch-9781925324426
    The Strength Switch (online positive family course): https://vwb.thinkific.com/courses/the-strength-switch $99 USD

    What your family will learn and experience:




    Help you find a new and positive way of seeing the qualities and talents in each other.
    Create an energizing and fun approach to parenting and family communication.
    Give you a lens to understand the perspectives and motivations of other family members.
    Provide ways to uncover new strengths in each family member that you may not have seen before.
    Foster a bonding family approach that builds warmth, trust and happiness.


    Family Fun Pack: https://www.leawaters.com/shop/family-fun-pack       $40 USD

    Perfect for families in quarantine, isolation or just practising social distancing, this Family Fun Pack of 21 activities has been specifically designed by Lea to get your kids off the screen and create a sense of togetherness.


    Strength Stars Cards: available in hard copy $35 USD or virtual $25 USD

    The Strengths Stars cards provide a learning tool for young children to discover and develop their character strengths. Strength Stars cards are based on the philosophy of early education that recognise the early years as a critical period in children’s learning, development and identity.


    Strengths for Kids and Teens Cards: available in hard copy $35 USD or virtual $25 USD

    The Strengths cards provide a learning tool for kids and teens to discover and develop their character strengths. These cards are one part of the Strengths

    • 55 min
    Equine psychotherapy - Dean Mighell

    Equine psychotherapy - Dean Mighell

    The connection between improved mental health, wellbeing and horses isn’t an obvious one but there is growing evidence that equine psychotherapy is helping people with mental health conditions.In this episode, host Wayne Schwass chats to Dean Migehll from the ‘Path of the Horse’ who explains what equine therapy is, what horses can teach us, how these herd animals help people heal and the benefits this form therapy can provide.In this episode we discuss:? Equine therapy explained.? The connection between horses and mental health? Horses help us to calm? Benefits of equine therapyhttp://www.pathofthehorse.com.au https://www.facebook.com/pathofthehorse/ www.pukaup.comwww.pukaup.com/helpwww.facebook.com/pukaup @pukaup (Instagram)@pukaup (Twitter)
    See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
    Support the show: http://pukaup.com
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 52 min
    PTSD - Dr Peter Cotton

    PTSD - Dr Peter Cotton

    The impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is significant for many people living in our communities - especially people working in emergency services.Understanding what causes PTSD, the warning signs, the cumulative effect of trauma and why it’s so important to get the right diagnosis in order to receive the correct treatment, is paramount. In this episode, host Wayne Schwass sits down with PTSD & Stress expert Dr Peter Cotton to discuss this important topic that affects a significant number of people every day.In this episode we discuss:? PTSD explained? The impacts of PTSD? The warning signs of PTSD? Advice for family, friends and colleaguesReference Lifeline 13 11 14 – we mention suicidewww.pukaup.comwww.pukaup.com/helpwww.facebook.com/pukaup @pukaup (Instagram)@pukaup (Twitter)
    See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
    Support the show: http://pukaup.com
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 23 min
    Stress is a choice – Simon Davey

    Stress is a choice – Simon Davey

    It seems our lives are only getting busier, things are changing faster, life is speeding up and our ability to deal with an increasing level of stress is having a detrimental impact on our health and wellbeing.In this episode, host Wayne Schwass sits down with Simon Davey Co-Founder of the Happy Melon Studios. Simon believes busy is a reality, pausing is a necessity and stress is a choice.Developing our ability to slow down, giving ourselves permission to pause from the everyday busyness of life and choosing different responses to stress can have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. In this episode we discuss:? Stress is a choice? We’re choosing to be busy? Having people in our networks who are prepared to tell us things we aren’t prepared to tell ourselves is vital? Pausing from the busyness of life has never been more important? 3 simple things you can do today to help you pausehttps://happymelon.com.auhttps://www.facebook.com/happymelonstudios@happymelonsstudios (Instagram)@_HappyMelon (Twitter)www.pukaup.comwww.pukaup.com/helpwww.facebook.com/pukaup @pukaup (Instagram)@pukaup (Twitter)@wayneschwass (Instagram)@wayneschwass (Twitter)
    See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
    Support the show: http://pukaup.com
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 54 min

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