Making Sense of Chaos – Details, episodes & analysis

Ceara is a 37-year-old psychologist living with terminal illness. On this episode, Ceara speaks about facing her death, how she finds hope in uncertainty, and why she supports voluntary assisted dying.

*Ceara is our first returning guest, and spoke to us back in July 2020.

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Twitter: @msoc_pod

Contact Ceara:

Twitter: @CearaRickard

Instagram: @ceararickard

https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-cearas-cancer-journey

Dr Lars Madsen is a forensic psychologist with 20+ years experience in the treatment of sexual and violent offending.

On this episode, Lars shares anecdotes and insights from experiences across his career. He also discusses a case where he provided psychological assessment & treatment to a child sex murderer, using Forensic Schema Therapy. 

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos 

Twitter: msoc_pod 

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode describes heavy content. 

Supports: 

Lifeline - 13 11 14

1800 Respect - 1800 737 732

Work by Lars: 

Article - Forensic Schema Therapy: The Joker 

Upcoming Talk: Therapy in Confined Spaces: Schema Therapy 

Lars’ Forensic Schema Therapy Course (6-week interactive self-paced online course that introduces therapists to Forensic Schema Therapy (ST-F))

Website

Paros (29) shares his story of living through his dad's terminal illness, from ages 17-20. Paros is director of Lost Motos, a NFP and community that focuses on facilitating a safe forum for men needing honest dialogue around mental health. 

SUPPORTS

Lifeline - 13 11 14

Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636

Griefline - 1300 845 745

Mensline - 1300 78 99 78

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Dylan (26) and Jordan (24) lost their dad, Bentley, to bowel cancer 6 months ago.

They’re also the founders of a brilliantly named YouTube series, “The C* Word”, where they speak about the challenges of living with a family member with cancer.

Dylan and Jordan are Maddie’s friends from high school, and in this episode, they sit down with her to talk about life since losing their dad. 

Donate to Bowel Cancer Support, Awareness & Research. 

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Kate’s story is not grief due to a death, but due to the long-term incarceration of her brother overseas on a drug conviction. She describes the uncomfortable feelings of shame, guilt and compassion fatigue, and provides insight into the roles we undertake when others are suffering - including the complexities of holding anger, loss and hope simultaneously. 

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

*To protect privacy, we have used the pseudonyms of Kate and Matt.  

Host Jason on how he is trying to accept that everything comes to an end… how this brings him an overwhelming sense of isolation, despair and loss of control, but also a deeper level of freedom; knowing that every moment is a unique, temporary moment in time that will never occur again.

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Host Jason on his own feelings of purposelessness…

Let us know your thoughts by inboxing us at @makingsenseofchaos or makingsenseofchaospod@gmail.com (we may share with your permission).

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Ittay, a Jewish educator & journalist, speaks to Maddie about finding meaning and purpose, and why he doesn’t want his kids "to just be happy". He also speaks about his journey following his father’s death from cancer when he was 21, and how reading the book “Thirty Days” prompted a change in the way he related to death.   

Instagram @ittay78

A Reflection on "Thirty Days" by Mark Raphael Baker.

Follow Ittay's journalism and peacework here & here

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Michael, aged 23, is currently in palliative care for treatment of brain cancer. He is also training to become a nurse, and also volunteers as a first aider with Ambulance Victoria, St John Ambulance & State Emergency Service. In this episode, Michael tells us his story. 

Michael's TikTok: @michaelarkalis

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos

Chloe, a 23-year-old aspiring school counsellor, speaks about the sudden loss of her dad 3 years ago - and the flood of different emotions that have followed. 

Instagram: @makingsenseofchaos