Ned Balme is a newsreporter and journalist based in Queensland working for Channel Nine and a few years back was a punter for the University of Central Oklahoma. His story is winding and engrossing and his own struggle with his mental health has left a mark for the father he is his two children and how he reports the news.

Sadly, technical issues mean 'Weird Fishes' was wiped and unsalvagable, however the rest of this episode is a ripper. Covering The Art of the List around Ned's experience playing College Football in the United States of America, to the day his dad pulled a sickie to take a struggling young lad to the movies and a wholesome Father-Son chat, onward to Ned's experience on the ground during Queensland floods and cyclones, as well as for Brisbane's spate of success in the AFL, this was a brilliant chat to have with my cousin. His moving 'Note To Self' is an ode to a young man in a deep struggle with his mental health and direction, and he has so much value and wisdom to impart on young boys and men who may be feeling the same way.

Welcome to the final stanza of Ebbs' episodes (for the time being).

Ned Balme.

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

#40 with Michelle Gerdtz: ‘Reading The Play, building and fostering connection in vital parent/child relationships and a fork in the road leads to a pot of gold.’

Michelle Gerdtz is an administrator and General Manager in the Geelong and Barwon region. She has been the Chairperson at AFL Barwon for the past few years, but has always been invovled in community sport. Her passion for community connection and building relationships has become her career path, as she works as the General Manager at 'Read The Play', an organisation that sets out to build mentally strong communities, particularly with young people in the Geelong and Surf Coast region between the ages 12-18. Michelle is a gregarious, kind and community-minded person who gets her hand dirty for the greater good. This conversation is perfect for a parent with a young child, a person thinking about getting involved with their local club and all those wanting to learn more about the objectives of programs like 'Read The Play.'

This episode features all the segments you love, from The 90 Second Nugget to Weird Fishes, with a wonderfully timed 'A Note To Self' around dealing with rejection and coming to the realisation that the path is never set in stone, and the alternative might become a dream you had never considered.

Check out Read The Play at https://readtheplay.org.au/

For all of Michelle's Weird Fishes responses, check out our Instagram page @theebbsandtheflows

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

#39 Geoff Lemon The self feeding cycle of depression, the intersecting crisi-tunities cricket is facing and how a performing poet came to be a podcaster from a multifaced man with a flavoured milk obsession.

Geoff Lemon is a wildly talented artist, writer, podcaster and poet who not so much fell, but ground his way into a career in cricket writing and journalism. As co-host of the revered podcast 'The Final Word' with Adam Collins, Geoff has turned an obsession with cricket into a career, starting with White Line Wireless, all the way to covering tours as a freelance broadcaster and writer with The Guardian and many other publications. However, as you will learn, Geoff is someone who is diagnosed with clinical depression and his crisp critique and commentary around cricket pushes into many swirling topics such as geopolitics, masculinity and a depth of understanding of the world's ills but also the many wonders he cherishes and explores in his travels, but also back at home.

This episode features all the segments you love, from The Art of The List to Weird Fishes, with a long and engaging conversation about Geoff's career, the self-feeding cycle of depression, the conversation that has stuck with him the most and the intersecting 'crisi-tunities' cricket and the world are facing.

Check out 'The Final Word podcast' at www.finalwordcricket.com

For all of Geoff's Weird Fishes responses, check out our Instagram page @theebbsandtheflows

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

Fergus Linacre. Kingswood founding member. Award winning musician. Writer. Lover. Appreciater of life. Here is in the form you've never heard him before. Candid, considered, hilarious and telling. Fergus is a pretty special guy who has seen and experienced so much. The highest highs, some exceptionally deep lows around loss and grief, however he has a knack in embracing life as it is, and gains great joy from his relationships with his family, his mother, his bandmates and other music lovers. This is one of my all time favourite Ebbs chats. I thoroughly enjoyed recording, editing and putting this together and I really hope you'll come along for the wild ride - maybe accompanied by a neat Tennessee whisky.

A chat I thoroughly enjoyed, and reckon you will too. Check it out on most podcast platforms. Give us a follow, get in touch. All of the stuff.

Weird Fishes: (From about 1:02 mark)
Song/Album: I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty and Ella Fitzgerald sings the Cole Porter Songbook
Film: Stand By Me//Forrest Gump
Book: 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac
Local Recommendation: Parco Canteen... but also The Gem in Collingwood on a Tuesday night

Check out Kingswood's website here: https://www.kingswoodband.com/

At the end of the day, we're all just a work in progress.

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

The Things we Carry is a title inspired by a book that had an indelible impact on me, and still does. Tim O’Brien’s ‘The Things They Carried’ changed me in many ways. It explored the depths of the emotional experience of the Vietnam War for soldiers. As an 17 year old, going to a quality school, surrounded by wealth and privilege, it was an eye-opening exploration of things I’d thought about previously, but put to the side because of course, surely they can’t affect me!?! Trauma, death, the duality of man, the lasting impact of war on soldiers and civilians and the ethical questions that come with fighting a war that seemingly doesn’t have a clear point.

The Things We Carry is a look at the internal and external topics that people, particularly men, find difficult to talk about, but carry the impact, the effects, the statistics and the stories along with them. From alcohol to shame to sexuality, gender-based violence, racism and big feelings and emotions that drive many of us to dark places, The Things We Carry will explore these challenging topics, but also open up opportunities for growth, development, empathy, understanding and connection. There are dark and difficult themes, as with most of my stuff, but there are also great opportunities for a conversation, learning and opening the door to talking about the hard stuff. Get involved, let us know what you think and check out my new website for an opportunity to book my documentary and for me to speak to your school, workplace or community group.

Welcome to a special series – The Things We Carry – a seven part series by The Ebbs and The Flows on things we find difficult to talk about.

On episode V, we focus on gender diversity, sexuality and the current onslaught against backlash by the USUAL SUSPECTS.

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

It's been a bit of a hiatus for The Ebbs and The Flows but the show is back with a guest, and this is a thought-provoking, challenging and bloody fascinating chat with tradie, businesswoman and advocate Bardie Somerville. There are some heavy themes relating to suicide in this episode, but we do tread lightly.

The reason I titled this: ‘The Seasons of Life and Death: Go Toward Life but Recognise Death’ is because Bardie referenced this line during her 'Note To Self', which is a gorgeous look at the seasons of our lives, and we had a robust discussion about death. We delve into how trauma affects the self, but just as much how it has spurred on Bardie to live every day like it is her last. There are confronting elements to the chat, but there is so much raw beauty, delightful honesty and her trademark sense of humour and overpowering lust for life.

A chat I thoroughly enjoyed, and reckon you will too. Check it out on most podcast platforms. Give us a follow, get in touch. All of the stuff.

Weird Fishes: (from 45 mins on)
Song/Album: Burn Your Name - Powderfinger
Film: Sound of Music
Book: Atlas of The Heart - Brene Brown
Local Recommendation: Oliver’s Hill Runclub

Check out Bardie's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/bards.builds/

At the end of the day, we're all just a work in progress.

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.

A seven part series of short podcasts revolving around challenging discussions and topics. The Things We Carry. On this episode, we focus on Shame and the impact it has on individuals, groups and society externally and internally.

The Things we Carry is a title inspired by a book that had an indelible impact on me, and still does. Tim O’Brien’s ‘The Things They Carried’ changed me in many ways. It explored the depths of the emotional experience of the Vietnam War for soldiers. As an 17 year old, going to a quality school, surrounded by wealth and privilege, it was an eye-opening exploration of things I’d thought about previously, but put to the side because of course, surely they can’t affect me!?! Trauma, death, the duality of man, the lasting impact of war on soldiers and civilians and the ethical questions that come with fighting a war that seemingly doesn’t have a clear point.

The Things We Carry is a look at the internal and external topics that people, particularly men, find difficult to talk about, but carry the impact, the effects, the statistics and the stories along with them. From alcohol to shame to sexuality, racism and big feelings and emotions that drive many of us to dark places, The Things We Carry will explore these challenging topics, but also open up opportunities for growth, development, empathy, understanding and connection. There are dark and difficult themes, as with most of my stuff, but there are also great opportunities for a conversation, learning and opening the door to talking about the hard stuff. Get involved, let us know what you think and check out my new website for an opportunity to book my documentary and for me to speak to your school, workplace or community group.

Welcome to a special series – The Things We Carry – a seven part series by The Ebbs and The Flows on things we find difficult to talk about.

This is episode two: Shame.

The Ebbs and the Flows is an emotional health movement focused on openness and transparency about the light and the shade of the lives we led and journeys we encounter. The Ebbs and the Flows is not a licensed mental health service and therefore if you are seeking mental health advice, assessment or treatment, you should seek expert advice with a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist or in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For those struggling, or who know somebody who is, help is available:

@lifelineaustralia 13 11 14

@beyondblueofficial 1300 22 4636

1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732)

@headspace_aus 1800 650 890

@kidshelplineau 1800 55 1800

For advice specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people @13yarn 13 92 76

For LGBTQIA+ specific advice @qlife_aus

1800 184 527

The Ebbs and The Flows website: www.theebbsandtheflows.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@theebbsandtheflows

For The Ebbs and The Flows Instagram page head to https://www.instagram.com/theebbsandtheflows/

At the end of the day, we are all just a work in progress.