Today, Guy Murphy talks to Professor Adele Bianco of l’Università degli Studi Gabriele d’Annunzio Italy. They cover sociological topics such as anxiety, mistrust and mental health in modern society.

Professor Bianco's research shows that anxiety in modern society is not just an individual problem—it is a systemic outcome of economic structures, technological change, and global uncertainty.

"Wellbeing is never only individual." - Professor Bianco

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Taking time to rest, reflect, and recharge is essential for building the resilience needed to show up fully for your work, your relationships, and your life. That’s the focus of this edition of Wellbeing. Self-care a core part of staying healthy, and it only works properly when both individuals and workplaces take responsibility.

Dr Shaun Prentice is a psychologist based in Adelaide Australia. His practice is evidence-based, drawing on therapies such as ACT, CBT and Schema Therapy, underpinned by his PhD research in doctors’ health. Beyond one-on-one therapy, he offers workshops, webinars, and online programs, extending his focus on self-development and wellbeing beyond the consulting room.

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Dr Christine Aus is a Newcastle-based GP with expertise in travel medicine through clinics like Chromis Occupational Medicine. She provides tailored pre-travel consultations, vaccinations (including yellow fever), and advice on disease prevention, such as malaria. Her work also includes post-travel care, helping diagnose and manage illness after trips, ensuring travellers are medically prepared before departure and supported on return.

When it comes to travel, Dr Christine Aus says preparation is everything. She advises travellers to seek personalised medical advice well before departure, make sure vaccinations are up to date, and take simple steps to avoid illness, particularly mosquito-borne diseases. Packing a basic health kit is also key. And importantly, if you feel unwell during or after your trip, don’t ignore it.

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Denis Stewart is widely recognised as the Godfather of Australian Herbalism—a pivotal figure in the modern development of herbal medicine in Australia. His influence spans more than five decades of clinical practice, education, and advocacy in natural therapies.

Stewart’s journey in herbal medicine began in the early 1970s, a time when interest in alternative health approaches was growing. He is credited with spearheading a Renaissance in Australian herbal medicine by establishing formal training and professional standards for the discipline. At the National Herbalists’ Association of Australia, he developed professional examinations, curricula, and course studies that helped shape herbalist education nationally. He also established and taught the first three-year, full‑time program in herbal medicine at the NSW College of Naturopathic Sciences.

In the late 1970s, Stewart founded the Southern Cross Herbal School, offering undergraduate and postgraduate herbal medicine programs and training many of Australia’s leading practitioners. Later, from 2002 to 2007, he served as a Conjoint Associate Professor at University of Newcastle, helping develop its Bachelor of Herbal Therapies degree.

Stewart’s contributions have been widely recognised: he was inducted into the Australian Traditional Medicine SocietyHall of Fame and awarded life membership for his service to the industry. Beyond formal education and practice, he has also shared his expertise via a long‑running radio program, Health Naturally with Denis Stewart, where he discusses herbal approaches to health and well‑being.

Through his teaching, clinical work, curriculum development, and advocacy, Denis Stewart has had a profound impact on the evolution of herbal medicine in Australia, earning him a reputation as one of the field’s most influential figures.

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On this episode of Wellbeing, Guy talks to Professor Anthony Montgomery, from Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne about burnout in the workplace. They discuss workplace culture, leadership, and organisational attitudes toward psychological wellbeing in the workplace.

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Stevie Amos Burke is a researcher and writer whose work explores grief, emotional regulation, and human resilience. He is the creator of the R.E.A.L.™ Framework, an education-safe, non-clinical model that helps people process emotion and make clearer decisions under pressure. His research bridges psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience to make complex ideas practical and accessible.

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Dr. John Elfers, a core faculty member in the Transpersonal Studies program at Sofia University (formerly the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology) — has been a key researcher in exploring how grief and gratitude intersect, especially within a transpersonal (beyond the ordinary self) psychological framework. His work, often in collaboration with Dr. Patty Hlava and others, suggests that gratitude isn’t just a pleasant feel-good emotion — it can actively shape how people cope with loss.

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On this edition, we'll hear how bacteria work and move substances in and out of their cells, and how scientists understand how microbes behave together in the microbiome and affect human health.

Ben Hipwell is a researcher (PhD candidate) in the bacterial regulation and transport lab at the University of Newcastle, working under Dr Karl Hassan. His research investigates mechanisms of action in bacteria, including how compounds affect bacterial physiology and transport systems in organisms like Escherichia coli — knowledge that connects to microbial regulation and transport processes. Understanding these mechanisms helps illuminate how bacterial cells control their internal environment and interact with their surroundings, which are key aspects of microbial community behaviour and important for understanding the microbiome’s dynamics and impact on health and disease.

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