Launching today, the Mental Fitness Conversations podcast is a bold and necessary new space for truth-telling, healing, and connection, led entirely by First Nations voices.
A collaboration between Gotcha4Life and the award-winning Black Magic Woman podcast, this 10-part series puts the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at the heart of the mental health conversation. Hosted by the extraordinary Mundanara Bayles – a proud Wonnarua, Bundjalung, Gangulu and Birri-Gubba woman, educator, and Gotcha4Life Board Member – each episode offers a raw and unfiltered insight into some of the most inspiring voices in the country.
These include people like three-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion and author Shantelle Thompson OAM, queer Indigenous advocate and presenter Matty Mills, youth advocate and actor Quaden Bayles, psychologist Dr Clinton Schultz, and comedian-author Steph Tisdell. They open up about what mental fitness means to them, the challenges they’ve faced, and the cultural practices and community connections that keep them strong.
The timing of this series couldn’t be more urgent. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 15 to 44, with Indigenous men 2.6 times more likely to die by suicide than non-Indigenous males. For far too long, mainstream mental health approaches have failed to meet the needs of First Nations communities, with many services inaccessible or culturally unsafe. Mental Fitness Conversations directly addresses this gap – centring the conversation on culture, identity, and community, not just clinical care.
Bayles describes the podcast as both a reclamation and a celebration. “This series is about truth-telling, healing, and celebrating the strength of our communities,” she says. “We’re creating space for First Nations people to lead the conversation on mental fitness – in our voices, on our terms.”
It’s an approach that is as uplifting as it is grounded. Rather than treating mental health as something to “fix” when it’s broken, the podcast reframes it as a muscle – something that can be strengthened every day with the right tools and support. As Gotcha4Life CEO Belinda Elworthy puts it, “Mental fitness is like physical fitness – it’s something we can all build with small, everyday actions. This podcast is about giving people the tools to do that, in a way that’s culturally safe and community led.”
Across the series, the yarns are honest, emotional, and often deeply personal – but they’re also full of humour, pride, and resilience. One episode might explore the role of storytelling in healing, another might unpack how sport, art, or country can be a source of strength. No matter the topic, each conversation honours the wisdom of lived experience and the power of culture in keeping people well.
And while the series is proudly First Nations-led, its messages are universal. The lessons around connection, vulnerability, and self-care are ones we can all learn from – and in a world where loneliness and burnout are on the rise, these perspectives feel more vital than ever.
Importantly, Mental Fitness Conversations doesn’t shy away from the hard truths. It addresses the impact of intergenerational trauma and systemic disadvantage, and amplifies stories of joy, innovation, and leadership that mainstream narratives too often overlook. It’s this balance – of acknowledging pain while also spotlighting strength – that makes it such a powerful listen.
If you’ve ever wished mental health conversations felt more inclusive, more grounded, and more connected to the human experience, this is the podcast for you. And if you’re part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, it’s a chance to hear your own stories, voices, and solutions placed front and centre – where they’ve always belonged.
The first season of Mental Fitness Conversations is available from today, Wednesday 13 August 2025, on iHeart, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, all major streaming platforms, and via the Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Gym app.
