Conversations

When Anna Ferguson was a little girl she was badly hurt in a roller coaster accident. Although she made a full physical recovery, emotionally everything was different, and for many years she couldn't understand why she remained either angry or numb.
Anna was 10 years old when she went with her family to the Melbourne Royal Show.
Anna was excited to ride a roller coaster for the first time, but something went wrong on the ride, and Anna and her sister were trapped for hours.
Both of them needed major medical treatment, and while they made a fully physical recovery, overnight Anna changed from a happy, outgoing little girl into a child carrying a lot of anger and resentment.
As the years went on, Anna realised she was still carrying the legacy of that accident in her nervous system.
So she set about bringing her nervous system back into balance, first through becoming a champion Muay Thai fighter, and then by going to university to study psychology. 
Anna is now a counsellor who specialises in teaching people practical ways to get regulate their nervous system - whether that's by calming or by energising it.
Anna's latest book, 21 Days To A Less Anxious You is published by HarperCollins.
You can read more about Anna's work at her website.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores mental health, mental wellbeing, dysregulation, neurodivergence, cancer, terminal cancer, brain tumour, parenting, regulated parenting, vagus nerve, trauma, PTSD, childhood trauma, how to regulate yourself, breath work, meditation, tapping, yoga, Anna the anxiety coach, depression, fight, flight, freeze, fawn, the wellness industry, psychology, Muay Thai, boxing, fighting, exercise for mental health, carers, caring for a spouse, the NDIS, therapy, overwhelm.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Military strategist Jennifer Parker on the story behind the biggest disruption to oil supplies in world history, happening now in the Strait of Hormuz.
The narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf has a particular geographical importance to the world, as the land on one side belongs to Iran, and the country has a history of using it to pressure its enemies in times of conflict.A quarter of all oil production passes through it so disrupting that flow can have an enormous impact on the global economy.
Right now, in response to heavy bombardment from the U.S and Israel, Iran has effectively shut down this waterway by attacking commercial vessels trying to get through. 
Jennifer Parker served for more than 20 years as an officer with the Royal Australian Navy and has travelled through the Strait of Hormuz during her multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf.
She is currently an associate at the ANU’s National Security College and a fellow at the Lowy Institute. This episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake, the Executive Produce is Nicola Harrison.
It explores Iran, The Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, conflict, war, global oil production, the US, Israel, war, attacks, commercial shipping, Royal Australian Navy, China, US submarines, international law, Donald Trump, the Persian Gulf States, global economy, fuel prices, drones, ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons, Russia, Venezuela.

Jenny Briscoe-Hough on the uncomfortable truths which saw her set up Australia's first ever not-for-profit funeral home (R).
After her mother died, Jenny Briscoe-Hough had an epiphany about the business of funerals.
Although her family brought in their own flowers and had a simple service, the bill came to $11,000. A short time later, Jenny began thinking about setting up a not-for-profit funeral service in her local area.
With the help of a documentary and a crowdfunding campaign, she and the community of Port Kembla raised more than $120,000 to buy an old fire station in town.
This is now where Tender Funerals operates, helping families prepare their dead for burial or cremation.
On the day of the funeral, family and friends can wash and dress the body themselves, bring flowers from their own gardens, and run the service the way they want it.
Learn more about the Natural Death Care Movement.
Watch the trailer for Lynette Wallworth's documentary which helped begin the funding campaign.
Watch the Australian Story episode about Tender Funerals.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. The executive producer was Pam O'Brien.
It explores death industry, funerals, grief, grieving, how to grieve, Western attitudes towards death, funerals, ritual, charity, crowd funding, power of community, dying, how to die well, mothers, daughters, filmmaking, Lynette Wallworth, after life.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

From wearing red stilettos on her first day of university and travelling solo into rural Egypt, to relocating to the United States with four kids in tow, Margie Warrell created her own life for herself off the dairy farm.
Margie grew up on a dairy farm in Victoria, the eldest daughter in a big Catholic family. 
It was assumed she would either enter the convent or marry a farmer. But Margie knew she wanted a very different life.
First, she branched off into the big smoke to go to university; then she packed her terrible backpack from the Army Disposal Store for a yearlong solo adventure around the world.
Margie went on to survive an eating disorder, an armed robbery, and family tragedy to create her own big, bold, beautiful story.
Now, she helps other people make big, bold choices for their lives.
Content Warning: this episode of Conversations includes reference to eating disorders, armed robbery and suicide.
Margie's latest book is called The Courage Gap, and is published by Berrett-Koehler.
You can find more information about Margie's work and her other books at her website.
This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.
It explores farming, agriculture, invisible siblings, moving out of the country, motherhood, miscarriage, eating disorders, bulimia, anorexia, marriage, expatriate life, Washington DC, politics, Congressional chiefs, leadership, coaching.

Writer Tony Birch with tales of his Fitzroy childhood including his grandmother Alma's 'op shop fever', his love for pine cones and blankets, and the macabre holiday he lived through when he was 5 years old (R).
Tony grew up in inner city Melbourne in the 1950s and '60s.
His grandmother taught him to waste nothing. 
So Tony and his siblings would scour the streets for bottles, lead and copper to sell, and for wood from demolished houses to use for firewood.
His grandmother even ran a sly grog shop on Sundays to make extra money.
One day, however, Tony was sent to spend Christmas with a nice middle-class family in a leafy suburb.
When they insisted he stay on with them, he began plotting his escape.
Tony's short story collection, Dark As Last Night was published in 2021 by UQP.
Tony's other books include Women and Children, published in 2023, and his latest book Pictures of You.
This episode of Conversations explores Australian life, Melbourne, Thrift Shops, Saving, grandparents, frugal living, social history, social life in Australia, families, origin stories, books, writing, Australian literature, short stories, penny pinching.