Shows
It Takes Heart41. Nurse Georgie Carroll on Comedy, Chaos and Life After NursingWhat does it look like to swap the intensity of the ward for the unpredictability of a comedy stage? In this episode, we sit down with Georgie Carroll — an ICU nurse of 18 years turned comedian — for a refreshingly honest and wide-ranging conversation about career, identity, and finding joy in unexpected places.Georgie shares the story behind her shift into stand-up, what she loves about life on stage, and the behind-the-scenes reality of comedy that most people never see. From her first improvised gig to building a career that still honours her healthcare roots, we explore how humour, conn...
2026-04-2841 min
It Takes Heart40. The Untold Reality of Running a Healthcare Practice with Podiatrist Troy ParsonsWhat happens when your clinic looks busy, but the bank balance tells a very different story? In this honest conversation, Podiatrist, multi-clinic owner, and business coach Troy Parsons shares the reality of healthcare business ownership - from payroll stress and overdrafts to the pressure of carrying everyone else while quietly burning out yourself.Troy unpacks why so many healthcare practices struggle, not because of poor clinicians, but because of unsustainable business models. Drawing on lessons from building his own clinics and coaching practice owners through The Hive, he shares practical insights on pricing, profit, leadership, and the...
2026-04-1453 min
It Takes Heart39. If Rural Maternity Disappears, What Then? | Dr Marian DoverWhat does it really take to deliver safe, high-quality care when you’re hundreds of kilometres from backup? Tune in as Dr Marian Dover takes us inside the reality of rural medicine, where clinical decisions carry a different kind of weight and 'support' looks nothing like it does in the city. As a District Medical Officer, Rural Generalist Obstetrician, and founder of the Australian Rural Maternity Association, Marian shares what it truly means to work at the edge of scope - safely, confidently, and with deep connection to community. This conversation reframes what capability looks like...
2026-03-3151 min
It Takes Heart38. What Every Woman Should Know About Perimenopause With Dietitian Angelique ClarkWhy does your body feel so different in your 40s and why is no one really talking about it? In this episode of It Takes Heart, we sit down with Angelique Clark, an accredited practising Dietitian and exercise physiologist, to unpack the often-misunderstood stage of perimenopause. Ange explains why so many women feel like something has shifted long before menopause officially arrives and why those symptoms are often dismissed. She also shares why perimenopause isn’t just a phase to survive, but a powerful prevention window for long-term health, with implications for cardiovascular risk, insulin resistance, bone den...
2026-03-171h 03
It Takes Heart37. Who Decides If Care Is Safe? With First Nations Dr Sarah Jane SpringerWhat if the only real measure of cultural safety was the voice of the person receiving care?In this episode of It Takes Heart, Sam and Kate sit down with Dr Sarah Jane Springer - proud First Nations woman, award-winning rural generalist, and passionate advocate for community-led healthcare. Drawing on her lived experience and career across rural and remote Australia, Sarah Jane shares why true cultural safety can’t be written into policy alone - it must be shaped, guided, and defined by the communities receiving care.Together, they explore identity, leadership, and the responsibility of...
2026-03-031h 02
It Takes Heart36. Hospital at Sea: How Travel Nursing Led Nurse Tessa to Mercy ShipsWhat if the thing that saves your nursing career isn’t leaving healthcare… but saying yes to a completely different way of working?In this episode of It Takes Heart, ED nurse Tessa shares how travel nursing transformed her life after hitting a wall with burnout in a busy metro hospital. Feeling exhausted, disconnected, and questioning her future in healthcare, she took a leap into rural contracts and everything shifted. From working solo in outback emergency departments to embracing the freedom of contract work, Tessa explains how flexibility, autonomy, and exploration reignited her confidence and clinical capability.
2026-02-1748 min
It Takes Heart35. Could One Scan Save Your Life? Dr Zane Sherif on Preventive Medicine & ImagingWe’re back for Season 3 of It Takes Heart and kicking things off with an offsite recording at MBR Health on the Gold Coast, is guest Dr Zane Sherif, renowned Radiologist and founder of MBR Health.Dr Zane brings deep insight into proactive screening, using preventive health and whole body MRI to shift modern medicine from crisis to care. He shares how MBR Health is using state-of-the-art medical imaging and software innovation to detect disease earlier and offer patients a clearer path to longevity. We explore the rising need for personal screening and the growing impact of pr...
2026-02-0352 min
It Takes Heart34. Can You Really Nurse Across NZ Ski Slopes and Aussie EDs? Nurse Nicole Proves ItWhat’s it like to go from treating ski injuries on the slopes of Queenstown to working ED shifts under the red-hot skies of rural Australia? For Nicole Watts - emergency nurse, adventure-seeker and proud member of the cmr community - it’s a career that blends adrenaline, autonomy and purpose.Nicole shares what it takes to thrive as both a ski field nurse in New Zealand and a travel nurse in Australia. We step into her world on the slopes, where ski patrol briefings start the day and anything from fractures to major trauma can come thro...
2025-11-2540 min
It Takes Heart33. From Overseas to Aged Care: How Neha Built a Nursing Career in AustraliaNeha arrived in Brisbane from Nepal with good grades, high hopes, and a postcard-perfect image of Australia, but the reality was tougher. Cultural shocks, unfamiliar accents, and the quiet weight of starting over left her searching for solid ground. Nursing became her anchor and in time, aged care quietly captured her heart. Now a registered nurse, Neha supports aged care residents through a mix of bedside care and telehealth. She shares what good care really looks like: calm, consistent, and deeply human. She also shares lifestyle and nursing content online, offering insight, encouragement, and connection, especially for in...
2025-11-1136 min
It Takes Heart32. “I Just Wanted the Pain to Stop”: Erin Barnett on Endo & EmpowermentYou might know Erin Barnett from Love Island or I'm a Celebrity…, but her most powerful story isn’t one that played out on screen. A registered nurse living with endometriosis, adenomyosis and PCOS, Erin opens up about what it’s taken to be heard in a system that too often overlooks women’s pain.From a tough start in the health system to becoming the kind of nurse she wished she’d had, Erin shares the personal journey behind her book Endo Unfiltered and what led her to make the life-changing decision to have a hysterectomy in her 20s...
2025-10-2836 min
It Takes Heart31. Behind Recruitment Special: Curiosity in Every Interaction with Sophie RobertsonWhat happens when you flip the mic from healthcare workers to the people who help place them? In this Behind Recruitment Special of It Takes Heart, we sit down with global recruitment coach Sophie Robertson to explore what 'good' really looks like in recruitment and why it matters more than ever.With three decades in the industry, Sophie shares how curiosity, consistency and care separate truly impactful recruiters from the rest. From asking better questions to creating 'moments of truth' in every interaction, Sophie invites us to rethink recruitment as a relationship, not a transaction. She explains...
2025-10-1442 min
It Takes Heart30. Dr Chris G on Finding Freedom in the ChaosWhat happens when the path you’ve worked so hard for starts to wear you down? In this honest episode, UK-trained doctor and content creator. Dr Chris G, opens up about burnout, sabbaticals, and building a version of medicine that actually feels sustainable.Dr Chris takes us from the intense pace of under-resourced NHS wards to new rhythms of practice in Australia, and the surprising clarity he found during two ten‑day silent meditation retreats. We talk rural placements, lifestyle shifts, and why success isn’t a title but something you can feel in your day-to-day. Along the wa...
2025-09-3045 min
It Takes Heart29. Three Hard Truths from Bek Woodbine on Burnout, Nurse Culture & Ethical AestheticsContent warning: This episode includes discussions of alcoholism, depression, and occasional course language, which may be sensitive for some listeners.What happens when a nurse known for looking after everyone else hits her own breaking point? For Bek Woodbine (Nurse Practitioner, host of podcast Tenderness for Nurses, and founder of a successful aesthetic clinic), it started with shaking hands and overwhelming anxiety. In a healthcare culture that rewards overwork and masks burnout with 'just one more drink,' Bek chose a different path.Bek shares how she stepped away from clinical work, navigated anxiety and...
2025-09-1652 min
It Takes Heart28. What Your Body’s Been Trying to Tell You with Dr Anthea Todd – Part 2What if the way you walk, rest, or hydrate could shift your entire nervous system? In Part 2 of our chat with Dr Anthea Todd, we explore how to apply the Fundamentals Framework, offering practical, everyday ways to reconnect with your body’s wisdom.We dive into what hair testing can reveal (including Sam and Kate’s own results), how minerals mirror stress, and why beliefs like 'resting is lazy' may be doing more harm than you think. You’ll also hear why morning sunlight matters, how hydration plays a bigger role than we realise, and why pleasure isn’t...
2025-09-0952 min
It Takes Heart28. What Your Body’s Been Trying to Tell You with Dr Anthea Todd – Part 1What if dry skin, headaches or exhaustion weren’t just annoying symptoms, but messages your body’s trying to send? In this two-part episode, we sit down with Dr Anthea Todd, women’s health expert and author of What’s My Body Telling Me, to explore the space between: that frustrating place where test results are “normal,” but you still don’t feel well. Drawing from her background in chiropractic care, women’s health and functional medicine, Anthea shares why common doesn’t mean normal and how conventional healthcare often overlooks chronic, low-grade symptoms. Her Fundamentals Framework flips the script: f...
2025-09-0226 min
It Takes Heart27. Surviving NDIS Changes with My Therapy Crew’s Judy ScottWhen the government announced sudden changes to the NDIS with only weeks’ notice, allied health business owners across Australia were thrown into crisis mode. For Judy Scott, occupational therapist and founder of My Therapy Crew, it meant pivoting her business while staying true to the values-led culture she’s nurtured over years of practice.From starting out in a converted garage after redundancy, Judy has grown My Therapy Crew into a thriving multidisciplinary service with more than 80 staff. In this episode, she shares what the recent policy shifts mean for providers and clients alike – from systemic frustrations that p...
2025-08-1944 min
It Takes Heart26. Why Oral Health Therapist Karli Says Taking Risks Led to Her Most Fulfilling LifeWhat happens when you say yes to adventure, purpose, and the unknown? In this episode, we meet oral health therapist Karli Grace, whose journey from private practice to working in Australia’s most remote Indigenous communities is as inspiring as it is impactful.Karli shares what it’s really like delivering oral healthcare across Central Australia, East Arnhem Land and the Torres Strait, setting up mobile clinics in remote communities and building long-term relationships in places that often go months without dental services. And in true locum life fashion, her story includes unexpected twists, including a car acci...
2025-08-0550 min
It Takes Heart25. Burnout or Worn Out? Ruth Limkin on the Six Pillars of WellbeingWhat happens when rest doesn’t work? When even after sleep, time off, or a holiday, you still feel depleted? That’s the reality of burnout and it’s something Ruth Limkin has seen up close. As Founder of The Banyans, Ruth shares how burnout often hides in plain sight - from professionals quietly struggling with addiction to healthcare workers pushing through chronic fatigue. She explains the difference between being worn out and being burnt out and why recovery takes more than just a good night’s sleep. We explore the early signs many overlook, the six di...
2025-07-2246 min
It Takes Heart24. Can a Digital Passport Fix Healthcare Shortages? Dr. Nick Yim from AMA Weighs InWhat does it take to truly fix healthcare in Queensland? According to Dr. Nick Yim, it starts with smarter systems, not just more funding. In this episode, we sit down with the AMA Queensland President to unpack a bold new idea: a statewide digital passport for clinicians. It’s a simple solution with the power to break down bureaucratic barriers and supercharge workforce flexibility across hospitals and communities.But Dr. Yim doesn’t just talk policy, he brings lived experience. His winding path from would-be pharmacist to rural GP and now state advocate, reminds us that careers (and...
2025-07-0837 min
It Takes Heart23. How Speech Pathologist Nikki Wells Helps Stroke Survivors Reclaim Their VoiceWhat would life look like if you couldn’t speak? No way to order your morning coffee, tell someone you love them, or ask for help. For people recovering from strokes or neurological conditions, this loss of communication can be one of the most isolating parts of their journey and it’s where speech pathologist Nikki Wells steps in with purpose and compassion.Nikki shares how her unexpected start in a teenage sign language class sparked a lifelong commitment to adult rehabilitation. Unlike many who gravitate toward paediatrics, she’s drawn to supporting people through some of life’s...
2025-06-2441 min
It Takes Heart22. Where the System Fails, Dr Juergen Landmann Shows UpWhat drives a doctor to leave the safety of private practice and instead offer care inside prisons and homeless shelters? For Dr Juergen Landmann, it all started with a simple mindset: “Why not?” In this powerful conversation, Juergen shares how burnout led him to rethink the way he worked and opened the door to a more energising, purpose-led path.Now splitting his time between general practice, correctional facilities, and Emmanuel City Mission, Juergen’s work is rooted in connection, trust, and consistency. He speaks openly about the realities of working with people who’ve experienced deep stigma - those...
2025-06-1037 min
It Takes Heart21. The Rural Doctors Foundation: Redefining Care for Those Who Give ItWho cares for the carers? Discover how one foundation is quietly reshaping rural healthcare.In this heartfelt episode, we speak with Fran Avon, CEO of the Rural Doctors Foundation, and rural GP Dr. John Buckley. Together, they reveal the hidden struggles faced by rural doctors who serve as the backbone of their communities. From responding to catastrophic floods to managing everyday burnout, we explore why supporting rural doctors is essential to sustaining healthcare in remote Australia. You’ll hear the inspiring origin story of the Rural Doctors Foundation, born out of crisis and driven by com...
2025-05-2750 min
It Takes Heart20. Escaping Burnout: How Midwives Jess & Millie Found Freedom and FriendshipEver felt like your career was running on empty? Travelling Midwives Jess and Millie did and they chose the open road over burnout.In this episode, we sit down with Jess and Millie, two Dual-Registered Midwives who turned burnout in healthcare into a journey of rediscovery, purpose, and friendship. They open up about the emotional toll of permanent roles and what finally pushed them to make bold moves into rural and remote contract work. From quitting multiple jobs to buying a caravan on a whim, their decisions may have been daring, but they were exactly what they...
2025-05-1344 min
It Takes Heart19. From Disney to the Outback: Emergency Medicine with Dr Tim TurkWhat do Disney cruise ships, rural hospitals, and music festivals have in common? For Dr. Tim Turk, they’ve all been part of his incredible medical journey. In this episode of It Takes Heart, Tim chats with hosts Sam and Kate about how saying “yes” to unique opportunities has led him across continents, specialties, and communities - creating a career rich in purpose, adventure, and impact.Tim shares how rural medicine offers unparalleled hands-on experience, often accelerating learning and confidence in ways metropolitan placements can’t match. His insights reveal how a values-driven approach - shaped in part by...
2025-04-2958 min
It Takes Heart18. Shaylee Mills: Busting Myths as The Rural PharmacistWhat do you get when a fourth-generation farm girl swaps her ballet slippers for blister packs? You get Shaylee Mills (better known as The Rural Pharmacist) who shares why she chose to take her pharmacy career off the beaten track and into the heart of rural Australia. Based in Karratha, Western Australia, Shaylee sheds light on what rural pharmacy really looks like, dispelling the myths of outdated clinics and highlighting the modern facilities, advanced technologies, and close-knit teams that make rural practice so rewarding. From working in Aboriginal Health Services to community pharmacies, she highlights how connection an...
2025-04-1549 min