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We Are Lonely podcast
Brought to you by Medibank, the We Are Lonely podcast follows the journey of four diverse twenty-somethings on their search for connection. The podcast seeks to demystify loneliness while presenting practical strategies to reconnect.
If you're interested in being part of season 3 of We Are Lonely, please reach out to Liz Keen at liz@ranieriandco.com
Medibank's loneliness mission
Medibank has a 10-year commitment to address loneliness for people in Australia. Take a look at how this will be tackled.
Episode descriptions
Over this 6-part reality documentary podcast, 4 young people meet with mentors and experts who guide them to reconnect. Read what each episode will cover and access the transcripts.
Meet our podcast participants
Holly
Holly is 25 years old and lives down the coast in Victoria. Shortly after completing VCE, Holly experienced significant trauma which led to her developing PTSD and becoming ill. Holly was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Bed ridden during her late teens/early twenties, Holly became isolated and disconnected from everyone and everything she loved, leaving her severely lonely. Holly has now recovered and needs to build back connection not only with others but also with herself.
Holly's mentor
Tessa Blencowe is a counsellor and author based in Wollongong, and the founder of international exhibition, Lonely Together, an immersive installation designed to reduce the shame and stigma that surrounds loneliness. She is passionate about helping people develop self-awareness.
Aleks
Aleks is a 26-year-old philosophy student and content creator based in Melbourne. Aleks is committed to a number of different self-guided projects, including hosting a podcast, teaching a philosophy course, writing, and making videos, which means that he often spends lots of time alone.
“One reason I wanted to be part of this project is because we often think about loneliness in a narrow way. You can feel lonely even when you're surrounded by people – it's not just about physical isolation. I hope to clarify what I understand loneliness to mean and also hope to show others that they aren’t ever alone in their feelings of loneliness.”
Aleks' mentor
Barry Conrad is a singer, songwriter and actor, born and raised in South Africa. Passionate about mental health, he is an ambassador for RUOK and speaks openly about his own experiences.
Charity
25-year-old Charity lives in Coffs Harbour on Gumbaynggirr Country. When she was younger, Charity had a sense of family and people coming together, now she feel that it doesn’t happen. Charity feels she needs to work on her confidence to build connections with others. This lack of confidence leads Charity to feel anxious when socialising and as a result she often hides away.
“Self-discovery is the thing that matters for me out of this project because once I find myself, I can find my voice. Once I find my voice, I can find my people. Once I find my people, I can find connection”.
Charity's mentor
Dr Deirdre (Dee) Anderson AM is recognised worldwide for her mentoring and support of elite athletes and has worked with some of Australia’s sports superstars including Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman.
Tim
24-year-old Tim is a young gay man who comes from a mixed Asian and Australian background. During his late teens and early twenties, Tim built a close community centred around his life at the time, university, drag, LGBTQIA+ culture, and gaming. However, when he recently moved from Perth to Melbourne, he found himself struggling to maintain connections with like-minded individuals. Due to the pandemic and lockdown, he had become overly reliant on gaming as a form of entertainment and security. Now, Tim is eager to regain balance in his life by stepping out of his comfort zone and connecting with others.
Tim's mentor
Sean Szeps is best known for sharing stories about parenting, mental health and about being queer. He has his own podcast and popular instagram channel and has written a book about his experience as a queer dad.
Recommended resources
We’ve put together some helpful readings, tips and advice to help you better understand and deal with loneliness. We’ll be adding more helpful advice over time, so be sure to bookmark this page.
Read more about communities on Live Better
Additional loneliness research and resources
Ending loneliness directory
Search this national directory to find groups, organisations and services that will help you connect with others and build meaningful relationships.
UK research
Loneliness research conducted by the UK government that is discussed throughout the podcast episodes.
US surgeon general report
This advisory report calls attention to the role of connection in health and offers a framework for how we can all contribute to improving social connection.
Our loneliness partners
ReachOut
Medibank and ReachOut are partnering to address loneliness by growing ReachOut's PeerChat program, a text based chat platform designed to help young people feel less alone by connecting them to peer workers with lived experience. It is one of the many support options ReachOut offers young people, alongside their moderated online communities and tips, stories and resources designed to help young people feel better.
Ending Loneliness Together
Medibank and Ending Loneliness Together have partnered to help raise awareness of loneliness as a key health issue in Australia, collaborating to understand the most effective, evidence-based solutions to address loneliness and its impacts on health.
Medibank acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of this nation. We proudly recognise Elders past, present and emerging as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we work and live.
We’re committed to supporting Indigenous self-determination and envision a future where all Australians embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and rights as a central part of our national identity. Find out more.
Things you should know
While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).
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