Optimal Conversations

Natasha shares her journey from a young woman who hid herself away to an emancipated woman enjoying her freedom. Her experience has given Natasha a unique perspective on the world of self-talk. She says our conversations with ourselves are crucial to success in every part of our lives.

Insta: natashafountas

Great conversations underpin all successful relationships and can create enduring transformational impact.
If you want to c...

Take a walk in the world of prolific author and mentor Vicki Bennet. She talks about all things creativity, self-care, and emotional regulation, sharing her expertise from over 35 years of corporate training. 

Great conversations underpin all successful relationships and can create enduring transformational impact.
If you want to change the world and don't know where to start, or if conversations are hard for you...

Her life started with a tumultuous childhood in an abusive household with a Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde father and an unshrinkable, high-functioning mother who hid the abuse. Now, she has turned it all around.

Angela has lived the journey of trauma, resilience, healing, and transformation and now helps other women from struggling to thriving with her collaborative healing community, She Simply Impacts. Here, we talk about committing to h...

As a mother of three young children, Narelle found herself falling over things and went to see her optometrist to discover she was facing permanent blindness. 

That hasn’t stopped her from living her life to the fullest, and she is on a mission to make sure anyone with a disability has the same opportunity. 

In this episode, we talk about resilience, innovation, country life, reflection, and opportunities. Join us for a remarkable co...

Cybercriminals are mind-blowingly cunning and don’t care how much they hurt you!

If you have a business or organisation of any size (yes, even if you are the tiniest business on the planet) you cannot afford to miss this conversation with Luke Irwin. In this episode, Luke raises the cybersecurity profile for small businesses to make them aware of the risks they are exposed to and some steps they can take to give themselves the best ...

Patty Beecham's life is filled with fascinating adventures. From the daughter of a priest in a country town to a roving breakfast reporter on 612-4QR, traveling via time as a funeral photographer and retiring between two cities., with so much more packed in between...
Join us as we chat about her journey of writing her childhood memoir and following it up with the grown-up volume. 
 As Patty suggests, wear your seatbel...

In this episode, we talk with Karyn Takahashi. After living in Japan and taking her fashion onto Fashion Week runways around the world, Karyn returned home just prior to her Mother's devastating cancer diagnosis.
We talk about all kinds of things, including cross-cultural relationships, supporting a parent through severe illness, and creating a blog to give information on Living with a Stoma.

To find out more ab...

After surviving an abusive marriage, Kris studied full-time and gained her master's degree, all whilst being a single mother to five children.

Be inspired and educated by her journey as she explains why she didn't 'just leave' the marriage, and discover what actions might help people you know in a similar situation.

An uplifting tale of thriving after surviving.

Connect with Kris on Li...

In this episode, Kathryn Chapman shares the story of her father and how that is woven into her business life from her perspective as a child of an Aboriginal man who was taken as an infant from his family and how this shaped his life, his children's lives, and his children's children lives.

Learn about his resilience, ability to simply get on with it, and commitment to supporting the everyday man; and while doing...

Richard is a ghostwriter and was incredibly shy, holding back from social functions as a younger man. After the devastating loss of his wife through illness, he decided to change and started working as a photographer at Renaissance Fairs, becoming known for his photographs of belly dancers.
Speaking through his lens opened up a world where he could converse - and now does with great aplomb.
Have a listen to his fascinating ...

Leanne Butterworth shares her heartfelt journey to discovering the profound concept of healthy empathy, showing how it goes beyond feelings to become a transformative force.

In her work, Leanne guides diverse audiences—police, teachers, corporates—through the profound and compassionate power of healthy empathy, making every training session not just informative but deeply impactful.

Immerse yourself and stay connected for a deeper ex...

A captivating conversation on gender diversity and embracing a world beyond the binary. 

Join Mary and her inspiring guest Rudi, a former high school English teacher, as we explore the evolving use of pronouns, and break down the walls of awkward communication.

Discover the power of compassionate curiosity when connecting with gender-diverse individuals as Rudi shares their unique insights, emphasizing the importance of kindness and ...

From palliative care nurse to Chief Energy Officer, Melonie's journey has been one in which she had to learn to value herself with a focus on allowing herself to receive, not just to give to others.
Through her own experience of burnout, anxiety, and depression, Melonie learned that there must be another way to Be and Do in life. To learn how to achieve self-love rather than self-judgment and criticism.
As a Success Me...

The very first episode - and it's all just me saying hello... I was told it was what I should do...and while I am usually not someone who does as they are told, I thought as 'they' know more about this than I do, I probably should follow their advice! 
It may or may not have been such a good idea.
Apologies for the audio quality in this one - had a tech glitch. I'll be getting it re-edited and reloaded A...

When Tommy Nyawir was just 14 years old, he said 'hello' to a stranger. That conversation changed the course of his life. The ripple effect of that conversation is now changing the lives of many more people around him in Kibera Slum in Kenya.
Listen to this amazing story of how one individual's wish to repay a life-changing gift is the basis for paying it forward and creating a ripple of change through the provi...

Learning to talk is natural, but let's face it, finding the right words can be tough. We either stumble and risk losing respect, or stay silent and lose self respect. Enter the Optimal Conversations Podcast. Here, we explore effective communication through life changing stories and simple techniques for great conversations.

We discuss what works and what doesn't, so you’re never lost for words again. I'm Mary Won...