Get Off The Bench Podcast
213 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago -Get Off The Bench podcast showcases people who have backed themselves and are having a go, in the hope that others will be inspired to ‘get off the bench’ and do the thing they’ve always wanted to do.
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Episodes
Leigh McDonald - Combating the invisible trauma of football
April 18, 2024 20:00 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBLeigh McDonald, has been a resident of Gippsland for most of his life and is widely recognised as one of the best local football players the area has ever seen. He has achieved great success as a player and coach, leading Churchill to a premiership and coaching Wonthaggi. Football has also taken Leigh across the country playing in 3 different state leagues. However, Leigh's passion for the game has come at a cost. Over a span of 20 years, he endured more than 40 concussions, including a sev...
Kerryn Vaughan - Cruise ship magic, musings and mayhem
April 11, 2024 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBI went on a cruise ship around 40 years ago and hated it. Everybody on board had gastro, the flu, or sea sickness. I had the latter and needed an injection to ease the vomiting and nausea. But, it doesn’t end there or end well. I had an allergic reaction to the vaccine and blew up in huge red welts all over my body. I was not interested in sunning myself on the deck, or gracing the beaches of the pacific islands. Instead, I waited patiently to dock at each new port, and armed with a video re...
Tommy Burke - Not just sunglasses & autographs
April 04, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBA graduate of Boston College, Burke started out in television as a production Assistant while working other odd jobs, from bar bouncer, golf caddy to factory assemblyman, to sustain the meager TV industry income. His height and physical build came in handy, scoring him a gig loading grip trucks for Powerhouse Films, which further exposed him to commercials and films in and around the New England area. He soon became the ‘go to’ guy of Production Assistants in Boston, working every motion p...
Kerryn Vaughan - Real men cry
March 28, 2024 19:00 - 25 minutes - 34.3 MBFor way too long, toxic masculinity has run rife. Men have been taught to be tough, not to cry, don’t show emotions and all the other damaging rhetoric. They’ve also been subjected to abuse and put downs for showing signs of kindness and warmth. This has to stop. The four men I talk about in this episode are indeed putting a stop to the harmful narrative that causes many men to self-loath and in some cases, take their own life. Mark MacManus, Matt Ferguson, Leigh McDonald and Steven Baker ar...
Tracie Lund - Relieving hunger with People’s Kitchen
March 21, 2024 19:00 - 56 minutes - 77.8 MBTracie Lund is the Manager of the Morwell Neighbourhood House and has worked tirelessly in the community since starting there in 2012. She has introduced and championed much-needed initiatives, resulting in the Morwell Neighbourhood House becoming a renowned hub where vital support is available for everyone, no matter their circumstances. One significant initiative of the Morwell Neighbourhood House, is People’s Kitchen. Each week, community volunteers work together at A Kinder Cup, another...
Tiffanee Cook - On life, passion, bikes, and music
March 14, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 96.1 MBTiffanee Cook is a boxer, trainer, epigenetics coach, speaker and host of the podcast ‘Roll With The Punches’, who uncovered her childhood trauma when she stepped into the boxing ring at 29. “Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face” Tiffanee has learned this as a business woman, performance coach and boxer; from the comfort, predictability and safety provided by the corporate world, to the lessons and let-downs in and out of the boxing ring. Coming to the realisation that, ...
Rosemary Gattuso - Resolving disputes in the family court
March 07, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBRosemary has been in alternate dispute resolution for over 15 years with a specialisation in family mediation and restorative justice practices. As a family dispute resolution practitioner, she has helped many families to separate and re-establish in a respectful and child focused way. She is on various Restorative Justice panels for Commonwealth agencies, including the Defence Force Ombudsman, the National Redress Scheme, and the Territories Stolen Generation Scheme. Her practice draws o...
Kerryn Vaughan - Exploring emotions
February 29, 2024 19:00 - 34.7 MBEmotional Intelligence can be quite an elusive thing. We all think we have it, many don’t, and some excel at it. But what does it really mean? In this episode I discuss how we all have emotions, they are all positive even thought they don’t always feel that way, and that we always have a choice about how we respond. I talk about how suppressing emotions can make you sick and you will always have leakage, often at the most inconvenient time, and how reacting can create very damaging outcomes...
Brock Williams - 1000km through rain, hail and hell
February 22, 2024 19:00 - 52 minutes - 71.5 MBBrock Williams is a 4th year chiropractic student who left his home town of Rosedale to pursue his career. But with his heart still back in Rosedale, and a mate with cancer requiring ongoing care, Brock decided to take on a challenge to show his support to his mate Xavier. His big audacious goal was to run 1,000 kilometres from Adelaide to Rosedale and raise money and awareness for children’s cancer, and specifically for the Sony Foundation Australia. Brock raised $45,000 which is estimate...
Amy Loughren - From catching a killer nurse to spiritual healing
February 15, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBUp until 2003, I was a lazy Buddhist and a Trauma/ ICU/ ER Nurse who inconsistently meditated, read the occasional self help book, and was too overworked to recognize or remember my gifts. I was a single Mom, exhausted, and not seeking anything remotely resembling the metaphysical except maybe a good night's sleep with a prophetic dream. Abruptly, on a random Tuesday, everything changed. In October 2003 I found out my closest friend at work was murdering people. This was a true friend I...
Kerryn Vaughan - The importance of time out
February 08, 2024 19:00 - 21 minutes - 29.8 MBTime out is critical. It’s way too easy to hustle and grind and think we have to live up to the expectations of other people. Nothing could be further from the truth. You can succeed and achieve amazing things, even if you take the time to rejuvenate and take care of yourself. It’s that old oxygen mask analogy in play here. Put yours on first or you won’t be able to help anybody else.
Terry Tucker - From SWAT Team to amputee
February 01, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBTerry Tucker is a sought-after speaker who believes in the power of a good story to motivate, inspire, and encourage others to lead their uncommon and extraordinary lives. By combining his twelve-year cancer journey with his diverse business, athletic coaching, and law enforcement expertise, he delivers compelling yet relatable presentations for conferences, virtual events, panels, meetings, and seminars. Terry is the Founder of Motivational Check LLC and has a Bachelor of Science degree i...
Kerryn Vaughan - Rethinking Rats
January 25, 2024 19:00 - 23 minutes - 32.7 MBLet’s rethink rats. There are still around 110 million active landmines around the world, and detecting and destroying them is not a cheap or easy process, partly due to the weight and inefficiency of humans. Rats on the other hand, are extremely efficient at detecting landmines and other explosives and are being used around the world to help return land to local communities. The organisation leading the way with rats is APOPO. Not only can the rats detect TNT, they are also used to detect...
Kerryn Vaughan - Reflections of Cambodia
January 18, 2024 19:00 - 37 minutes - 51.4 MBKindness, gratitude, simplicity and community are four words that easily come to mind when thinking about Cambodia. During a recent trip to deliver an accelerate version of my Confident Leaders Program, so many other things became apparent about the privileged way we live in developed countries. As well as how impactful it can be when you bring your whole self to work and truly invest in loving those around you.
Jaimi Magyari - Songwriting with a healing twist
January 11, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBAnishinaabe, Music composer, Multi-Musician Growing up in a musical household, Jaimi was singing before she was talking; and it was only a matter of time before she picked up an instrument of her own. At the age of four, her father brought home a mini keyboard, and she immediately started training her ear and taught herself how to play. When she was 12, Jaimi had asked to learn how to play guitar as well. As she grew older, she taught herself how to play more instruments, and write music. ...
Kerryn Vaughan - Embracing the New Year with flow
January 02, 2024 04:44 - 25 minutes - 34.5 MBAs we move into 2024, let’s focus the impact we can make, to humans, animals and the planet. But with flow and not with resistance, always moving our intentions and actions in the right direction.
Kerryn Vaughan - Gratitude and compassion at Christmas
December 21, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 23.5 MBLet’s slow down a little over this holiday break and consider the things and people we have around us to be grateful for. It’s a stressful time and people do and say some pretty ordinary things due to these conditions. We don’t have to push and shove and place huge expectations on each other. We can choose to slow down, reflect, and extend love and compassion to ourselves and those around us.
Kerryn Vaughan - Values
December 14, 2023 19:00 - 10 minutes - 14.4 MBIn this episode, I talk about values and how important they are as a lens to make great choices. Also, when communicated and demonstrated effectively, they help others to feel a sense of trust around you.
Kerryn Vaughan - Gratitude and Joy
December 07, 2023 19:00 - 16 minutes - 23 MBIn this episode, I talk about the power of gratitude and joy, and how both of them can transform your life.
Kerryn Vaughan - Taking action
November 30, 2023 19:00 - 14 minutes - 19.5 MBIn this episode, I talk about taking action. Last week we had our 5th annual Girls With hammers conference, and Gem Gale spoke about her new book that’s about to be released. At last year’s conference, Gem talked about this being an idea. She took action and made it happen. Mentions: Girls With Hammers Daughters of the Deep Kate Gale Tiffanee Cook Nelly Thomas Gem Gale
Kerryn Vaughan - The power of one idea
November 23, 2023 19:00 - 19 minutes - 26.4 MBIn this episode, I talk about the power of one idea, and how that one idea can change lives. The problem is, we often give up on our ideas because we fear failure, rejection or criticism. Also in this episode I introduce two amazing young men who are actually saving lives through their ideas. One, Heman Bekele, has invented a soap that has the power top heal melanoma, and is accessible to all. The other, Jack Andraka who was featured in my book ‘Magnificent Kids’. Jack invented a pancreatic ...
Megan Munckhof - Cleaning up with Lead n Hand
November 16, 2023 19:00 - 41 minutes - 57.5 MBMegan Munckhof is the co-founder of Lead n Hand, and product for keeping ropes and leads looped perfectly without the tangles. The idea of Lead n Hand was dreamt up many years ago by Megan’s Dad (Darcy White) who is a farmer and contractor in Queensland. It came about due to a need to tidy up his service vehicle and to provide a storage for all his leads and hoses. The issue of tangled ropes and cords is a problem a lot of people have, and this is what drove him to find a solution. The ...
Kerryn Vaughan - Kindness Matters
November 09, 2023 19:00 - 19 minutes - 27.3 MBIn this episode, kindness is the focus. I always wonder why we need specific International Days for particular things, and wonder why we can’t be decent human beings every day of the year. Despite my personal thoughts, November 13th is International Kindness Day, and that should extend to self, others, animals and the planet. By the way, kindness has scientifically proven health benefits, so why wouldn’t be practise it?
Kerryn Vaughan - Time travelling 200 years into the future
November 02, 2023 19:00 - 18 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this episode I ponder the answer to the question “What question would you like to ask a time traveller from 200 years in the future?”. Firstly, I’d be surprised that humans still exist at that time! But I’d be curious about what solutions humans found to resolve problems. I’d also want to know what I could do better today to contribute to a better world in the future.
Jan Clarke - Healing eating disorders with love
October 26, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 126 MBJan Clarke has been a finalist in many awards across the decades. Teacher of the Year, Telstra Business Woman of the Year, and Nominated for Australian of the Year, but her proudest moment was when she pitched the Door 2 Story and won Founder of the Year in the Launch Victoria pitch event. Jan describes herself as an ‘old lady with a startup’ but in reality she has always been telling stories, advocating on behalf of others for their voice to be heard. A passionate advocate for people on ...
Kerryn Vaughan - Debunking overnight success
October 12, 2023 19:00 - 16 minutes - 22.5 MBIn this episode I chat about the myth that is overnight success. If we were to imagine success as an iceberg, on the top we would see all the accolades, awards, and maybe even what we imagine that person has regarding finances. But we don’t see the stuff beneath the surface that has to happen first. The sacrifice, the tears, the rejection, and so on. We often feel the need to criticise the success of others, but perhaps before we do, we should reframe our thoughts and admire them for their p...
Emilia Leese - Thinking like a vegan and rewilding a forest
October 05, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 97.6 MBEmilia A. Leese, is the co-author of Think Like a Vegan: What everyone can learn from vegan ethics. Emi is also the host of the podcast, Think Like a Vegan. She writes essays on life, travel and veganism for a variety of online publications and is closely involved in a long-term forest rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands. Emi is a speaker on vegan ethics at a variety of events and developed life skills and ethics workshops for underserved youth. She has been a corporate finance law...
Kerryn Vaughan - Leading with whakapapa
September 28, 2023 20:00 - 13 minutes - 18.3 MBIn this episode I chat about the Polynesian concept of whakapapa (pronounced Far-ka-pa-pa). Whakapapa is about an endless line of people with interlinked arms that stretches back to the beginning of time in one direction, and in the other continues on until the end of time. We hold our place in that line, and when the sun shines upon us, which is our lifetime, it is our turn to be the custodians of what has been passed on to us, and how we must take ownership of that and do right by others,...
Harry Bishop - Educating and advocating for reptiles
September 21, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 84.8 MBHarry is a 12 year old reptile breeder & keeper in Gippsland. He currently has 17 reptiles in his collection including 7 snakes ! Harry is also a public speaker and advocate for reptiles. Harry is seeking to change the way people view reptiles – especially snakes – and the language parents use about them so as not to create fear about these animals, but awareness instead. He wants people to understand that snakes are not as nasty as the movies would have people believe and to help them real...
Kerryn Vaughan - Being impressive vs leaving an impression
September 14, 2023 20:00 - 11 minutes - 16.3 MBIn this episode I chat about being impressive as opposed to leaving an impression. Too may of us worry about impressing people, or living up to the expectations of others, but what we really should be worried about is whether we left an impression on somebody. And hopefully one that will shift the other person’s life in the right direction.
Kerryn Vaughan - How to build confidence
September 07, 2023 20:00 - 14 minutes - 19.6 MBIn this episode I chat about the key ingredients to building confidence, and it’s not that hard if you’re willing to take courageous action and put in the effort to improve with practice. So many people say they are lacking in confidence and it paralyses them, so they end up doing nothing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Of course you have to have some basic underpinning skills and knowledge, and then start messy. We need to look at confidence in relation to our ability to take the nex...
Kerryn Vaughan - Celebrating our differences with DISC
August 31, 2023 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBIn this episode I chat about the four personality types in DISC. There’s the Dominant Driver, the Interactive Influencer, the Steady Supporter and the Conscientious Complier. They are all amazing and they each play such an integral part in the big picture. Which one are you? Once we understand personality types and what motivates and drives us, we can then do better at building strong and effective relationships. We can also communicate and interact better. We have become disconnected and h...
Kerryn Vaughan - Flood the world with kindness
August 24, 2023 20:00 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBIn this episode I chat about the fact that humanity is becoming more mean. It’s been bothering me for quite some time as I have not really known what to do about it because the problem seems so big. But, I actually think that flooding the world with kindness is the best place to start. We often don’t and up or speak up because the perceive the outcome of doing so puts us at too much risk, but by extending kindness, we eliminate that concern and the ripple effect takes hold for the greater g...
Belinda Griffin - The Wheely Serious Project
August 17, 2023 20:00 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBWE ARE THE WHEELY SERIOUS PROJECT! But who are we? Where did this idea come from? And what is it all about? An Engineer (Joshua Wilhelm), a Makeup Artist (Jessika Evans), a Dairy Farmer (Belinda Griffin), a Land Manager (Renee Hutchinson), and a Forester turned Planner (Andrew Stanton), walk into the Gippsland Community Leadership Program. Coming to the program from 5 different walks of life; within a couple of weeks, we were galvanised around an idea to make Gippsland a better place for p...
Andrea Lane - Floating art and regeneration in Gippsland
August 11, 2023 01:38 - 1 hour - 93.3 MBAndrea Lane is an economist who believes in the irrefutably brilliant impact of artists in regional places. She is also the co-founder of FLOAT, an art space in East Gippsland, located on the gorgeous Lake Tyers. Andrea and the crew at the FLOAT are following their instinct. For art, nature, generosity and fairness, in pursuit of a regenerative region. With the luxury of being (non-indigenous) Elders they feel blessed to be free from bureaucratic fear, and can frugally invest in the things...
Kerryn Vaughan - Never too old
August 05, 2023 03:19 - 19 minutes - 26.2 MBIn this episode I chat about the fact that ageism sucks. A lot of people have the narrative that they are too old to start something new or to change jobs, or to change their life. I share a story about Shirley Newton (see link below), who just held her first art exhibition at 92 years old, and a few other thoughts on this matter. Hopefully it inspires you to believe in yourself and not let your age stop you, and I also hopes it inspires people in the middle of too young and too old to en...
Brock Williams - Running marathons to help others believe
July 27, 2023 20:00 - 51 minutes - 70.9 MBBrock Williams is a 22 year old, 3rd year chiropractic student, who has shifted his life significantly from his days of school yard trouble maker. Brock was never a great student, and spent most of his later years in school giving the teachers grief. Brock grew up thinking he would play some form of elite level sport, but it wasn't meant to be, so from the age of 17 he fell into the cycle of coasting through life, not applying much effort to anything, and drank every weekend away. In an ...
Carolyn Apostolou - Creating thriving cultures through wellbeing
July 20, 2023 20:00 - 55 minutes - 76.8 MBCarolyn Apostolou is a true catalyst for change, dedicated to transforming workplace well-being and inspiring individuals and organisations to reach their full potential. As an accredited coach, mentor, and keynote speaker, Carolyn has spent years empowering leaders and teams and implementing corporate wellness programs that foster a thriving culture of success. Drawing from her extensive experience as a teacher, school leader and education advisor to prestigious institutions, including the...
Ian Handasyde - How to become a novel author
July 13, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBJames Hand is a series author, but life didn’t start out like that. Ian Handasyde (real name) spent most of his life as a Primary school teacher, and musician. His cover band Turn It Up can still be found entertaining crowds throughout the leafy Melbourne suburbs. Ian eventually found his way into film making. Having written a number of scripts (Feature and Shorts), he decided to dip his toe in the water and develop and produce one of his feature scripts, ‘Zyco Rock’, a futuristic, anti-dr...
Nathan Cassar - From bullied introvert to extroverted entertainer
July 06, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MBFrom schoolyard-bullied introvert to extraverted entertainer extraordinaire, Nathan has a lot of unique insights on overcoming adversity, all the world being a stage, and the entertainment industry. Nathan has become an award-winning Master of Ceremonies with over a decade of experience, including as a former Entertainment Host with Princess Cruises. Based in Sydney, Australia, Nathan specialises in bringing energy and excitement to every event he emcees, from weddings to festivals, gala ev...
Mridula Minasvi - Activating grassroots social change
June 29, 2023 20:00 - 49 minutes - 68.2 MBMridula Minasvi is a passionate grassroots activist and community organiser, who truly believes in the power of people to create positive social change. She is particularly thrilled to be a feminist activist, challenging oppressive patriarchal norms and sparking innovative ideas for achieving gender justice. Her work as a fascinating artist and digital media practitioner allows her to promote democratic values, advocate for data justice and digital rights, and share powerful stories of freed...
Brett Ashby - Creating intuitive art through movement
June 22, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBBrett Ashby is a multidisciplinary artist, performer, presenter, and author from Naarm, Australia. Ashby’s art practice includes sculpture, performance, installation, painting, music, and major public commissions, framing Ashby as a prodigious figure in the contemporary art world. Ashby is recognisable for his unique methods of practice employing a skateboard or surfboard as a tool to paint aura. His work is linked through a poetic and intuitive sensitivity to the expressive potential of sp...
Kerryn Vaughan - The power of influence
June 16, 2023 08:22 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBIn a recent leadership workshop, I asked participants to make a list of characteristics that great leaders might possess. One word that came up was convincing. This prompted me to talk about my Influence Scale model, where the word ‘influence’ is challenged regarding the negative and positive intent that aligns to this word. In the episode, I explain the Influence Scale, and how we can lead people through empowerment, rather than by coercion, and create a world that focuses on the greater g...
Bessie Kay - From approval to authenticity
June 08, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 100 MBBessie Kay is a TV Presenter, Producer & Marketing Director, with 20 years experience working in the entertainment and media industries. Bessie started her career as a performer in the Australian musical theatre industry and eventually making her way into Australian TV, both on screen and behind the scenes. Her most 'noteworthy' TV credits include Presenting Australia's Best Houses, Luxury Homes Revealed and Open Homes Australia (all Channel 9Life), and also producing within Open Homes Aus...
Kerryn Vaughan - Connecting through open conversations
June 01, 2023 20:00 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBThis weekend I went away with my sister to Byron Bay Yoga Centre for a long weekend retreat. While there was some element of self care replenishment, we also hoped it would give us a great opportunity to get away from everyday life to connect on a deeper level. That certainly happened. But what else happened was a realisation that two worlds can collide in the exact same space and the outcome can be two completely different perspectives and realities. We all know that, and on a surface lev...
Evie Wilson - Empowering women and girls to dream big
May 25, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 94.7 MBEvie Wilson is a mindset coach, positivity rebel, dream chasing guide, group space enthusiast and podcast host of the podcast Wildly Positive. She is also a mother to two small girls, a marriage celebrant and feminist, always. As a mindset coach, Evie creates spaces for women to open their minds to lush, audacious dreams for their lives, pairing it with the essential mindset work required to fully step into making these dreams their new realities. Her favourite ways to do this are within g...
Simon Alexander Ong - Energizing every moment
May 18, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBSimon Alexander Ong is a personal development entrepreneur, coach and public speaker. His clients are from all walks of life but they share one trait; they all believe that the greatest investment you can make is in yourself. His work has seen him invited onto Sky News and BBC to be interviewed, while Barclays featured him in a nationwide campaign asking him questions on how families could embrace better lifestyle habits. His insights have seen him featured in HuffPost, Forbes, Virgin and ...
Tim Bye - Making candles with pride
May 11, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 86.4 MBTim Bye is The Gay Farmer, and also the proud creator of The Gay Farmer Candles. In 2016, Tim was working in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne, and was bullied, harassed and discriminated against in the workplace, simply for being gay. He was then terminated after complaining about the treatment he was receiving from the manager. Tim hoped WorkSafe Vic would help, but sadly they didn’t. This led to Tim’s mental health declining badly, and he now suffers with severe mental health issues. ...
Laura Robinson - Legging it with Laura
May 04, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 85.2 MBAt the end of 2021, Laura set herself a a massive challenge…. Go for a walk everyday for a year! At the time she honestly thought she would last a week, or maybe a month tops. There were a few reasons for the challenge but one of the biggest ones was listening to someone who had lost a massive amount of weight, describe how they could finally be happy now they are living in a thinner body. Laura had heard this before, but this time she reflected and realised she was already happy. She had ...
Graeme Simpfendorfer - Investigating murders and chasing identity
April 27, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 109 MBWhilst working at a country bank in rural New South Wales in 1993, Graeme was witness to an armed robbery from behind the service counter. On this day, police dramatically arrested the offenders as they exited the bank. This moment proved pivotal in his decision to apply for the Victoria Police, graduating from the police academy in 1994. Graeme worked the ‘beat’ across many suburbs of metropolitan Melbourne before being promoted to Detective in 2003. In 2006 he transferred to the prestigi...