Libsyn Directory

44 - Geoff Toogood - From severe depression to mental health advocacy through #CrazySocks4Docs

Release Date: 05/24/2019

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 9

Mastering Intensive Care

Thank you for listening to the ninth and final episode of the Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta series. If you’ve listened to the series, you’ll know my friend Ed Litton and I entered a four-day stage trail running event, the Run Larapinta Stage Race, and ran, climbed, descended, scrambled and walked with 200 other enthusiastic participants along a mountainous and rugged trail in the spectacular red centre of Australia. Ed and I thought these conversations on the podcast might help others in setting and completing endurance exercise challenges, something we both prioritise in...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 8

Mastering Intensive Care

This is the 8th episode of the "Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta" series and if you’ve been listening to the previous ones, you’ll know that this episode is coming out after the four day stage race that fellow intensivist Ed Litton and I set ourselves the challenge of running many months ago. Two Intensive Care doctors, both novices at trail running, looking for something moderately hard, something we could do together, and something we could talk about on the show to hopefully inspire you and other listeners to go for a run or to set yourself your own exercise challenge....

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 7

Mastering Intensive Care

Fellow intensivist Ed Litton and I signed up for a big challenge 10 months ago when we registered to run in the Run Larapinta, a 4-day stage race in central Australia. We’ve both completed many endurance events, however neither of us have done any serious trail running nor have we ever run 130km in 4 days on a rocky and mountainous trail like the beautiful Larapinta trail in the Northern Territory of Australia. It’s now only a week away so Ed and I had a conversation to update each other on our recent training before answering 5 questions we thought were worth asking each other at this...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 6

Mastering Intensive Care

To help Ed Litton and I get really prepared for the Run Larapinta stage race we are only a few weeks away from competing in, today we bring a seasoned ultra trail running doctor on to the podcast to share her advice. In this sixth episode of the Mastering Intensive Challenges series, we welcome Dr Cheryl Martin, who is an Emergency Medicine specialist, a podcaster and has huge experience in trail running, including ultra marathons. Cheryl’s podcast, the Mind Full Medic podcast, explores health, wellbeing, optimal performance and professional fulfilment, with a focus on doctors and...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 5

Mastering Intensive Care

This is the fifth episode in the Mastering Intensive Care - Run Larapinta series. Ed Litton and I are back on opposite sides of Australia, and neither of us has had the perfect three weeks since we last chatted. There are now less than seven weeks until the event starts, so we chat about our training, then swing over to what we are each thinking about the logistical challenges we will be presented with. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, even if you prefer the couch to your running shoes. If we can inspire you to get out for some exercise, that would be even better. Thanks...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 4

Mastering Intensive Care

Here is another episode in the Mastering Intensive Care - Run Larapinta series. For this one, I travelled to Perth to meet with my Run Larapinta co-participant Ed Litton and to head out for a few runs together over a three day weekend. We also set up the microphones to update each other with our preparations and to discuss our perspectives on the social aspects of exercise, mainly endurance sport. We talked about group training, family support, and even using the social media platform Strava to share inspiration. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, whatever exercise you...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 3

Mastering Intensive Care

This is a follow on episode as Ed Litton and I continue our discussion about the Run Larapinta Stage Race we will be participating in soon. Ed and I tell each other how our running training is going. Then we talk about our general views on nutrition and sleep, especially as we lead into a multi-day endurance event. One of us has picked up a little niggle. And each of us has a different approach to what we consume during long runs. It might not be what we talk about on regular episodes of Mastering Intensive Care but we hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, whether you run, walk,...

82 - Will Bonavia - An ICU trainee’s perspective on learning, culture and wellbeing

Mastering Intensive Care

This episode features the wise perspectives of an Advanced Trainee in Intensive Care Medicine, Dr William Bonavia. The discussion covers: Why he chose medicine and Intensive Care His training journey and his learning strategy What makes a good ward round Learning from colleagues The principles of good communication and collaboration The value of work being fun Making mistakes Dealing with the pressures of the job His thoughts on sleep, exercise, resilience and burnout Gender inequity in training The future of his career Tips for fellow trainees Will Bonavia is an Intensive Care Trainee at...

Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 2

Mastering Intensive Care

In this second of a different style episode, Ed Litton and I continue our discussion about the Run Larapinta Stage Race we will be embarking on in August 2023. Ed and I talk about our preparation and then tell each other why we run, and what we get out of it. Ed is a multi-sport endurance athlete whose reasons for getting out in nature are deep and truly inspiring. We hope you’ll enjoy hearing this conversation, whether you run, walk, cycle, hike, work out in the gym, or do whatever is your style of physical activity. Thanks for listening. Andrew Davies ...

80 - Tub Worthley - A pioneering “Grand Master” of intensive care

Mastering Intensive Care

This episode features the memories, experiences and wisdom of Dr Lindsay ‘Tub’ Worthley, AM. The discussion covers the following: Tub’s training to become an intensivist when no specific training existed His experience at a time when Australian ICUs were in their infancy The difference between the beginning and the end of his clinical career His eventual transition to retirement His writing of textbooks, scientific papers, editorials and a memoir What he learned about humanity in the ICU Working and communicating with various team members Enthusiastic leadership and the importance of a...

More Episodes

To help raise awareness about #CrazySocks4Docs this episode’s guest is Dr Geoff Toogood.

Geoff is a Cardiologist at Peninsula Health and in Private Practice in Melbourne, Australia. He is also a Board Member of South West Health Care, Ambassador for Beyond Blue and Ambassador for Masters Swimming Victoria. He is both a pool and open water swimmer, having competed at National and International level, using swimming for his mental wellbeing. Geoff has completed a relay across the English Channel, swum solo in the Rottnest Island swim and many other open water and pool swims.

Despite having a cardiologist on the show, this is mostly a talk about mental health, rather than cardiology. Geoff has had his share of mental health struggles, having had a period of anxiety early in his career and then more recently severe depression leading to suicidal ideation.

But most importantly, Geoff has used his story, told humbly and vulnerably, to create awareness about Doctors mental health and to break the stigma, through the CrazySocks4Docs movement, which you’ll hear about today.

All healthcare workers are at risk of mental health issues. They are more common than we realise. Mental health disorders can lead to burnout, divorce and suicide. We must talk more about this issue; so we can understand this, do things to help reduce the risk, and to help each other when we identify mental ill health in our colleagues.

If we talk about this as an industry, we will hopefully all be better off. We, ourselves. Our colleagues. And more importantly, our patients.

The conversation on this podcast covers:

Why Geoff got into medicine and then into cardiology
How cardiology has changed over his career
His mental health journey starting with anxiety as a younger doctor
How this progressed to depression and then suicidal ideation
Some of the symptoms he felt, and the ways he supported himself
His need to take leave from work and what that meant
The problems of needing to see mental health professionals
Dealing with telling his colleagues at work
The contribution of a medical work schedule and other life stressors
His current wellbeing strategies including sleep and swimming
His impressive swimming career and how this acts as mindfulness
How helpful it’s been to him to tell his story
Thoughts on resilience and the stigma of mental ill health
How the Crazy Socks For Docs movement began
About the 2019 #CrazySocks4Docs day on June 7th
The #CrazySocks4Docs Panel Discussion being held on May 31st 2019
How his mental health is now
The value of mindfulness and yoga as wellbeing tools

Hearing about Geoff’s struggles, how he has dealt with them, and his ongoing advocacy, is more than helpful. It’s powerful.

Please enjoy listening to Geoff Toogood.

Andrew Davies

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About the Mastering Intensive Care podcast: The podcast is aimed to inspire and empower you to bring your best self to the intensive care unit, through conversations with thought-provoking guests. I hope you’ll glean insights to help you improve as a healthcare professional and as a human being so you can make a truly valuable contribution to your patient’s lives.

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Links to people, organisations and other resources mentioned:

Geoff Toogood on Twitter: @gdtoogood

Crazy Socks For Docs website

Crazy Socks For Docs on Twitter: @crazysocks4docs

Crazy Socks For Docs on Instagram: @crazysocks4docs

Crazy Socks For Docs on Facebook

Geoff Toogood on LinkedIn

Peninsula Health

South West Health Care

Masters Swimming Victoria

Beyond Blue