Episode 18 - Darius Boyd. Strategies elite athletes use to perform on the big stage.
03/01/23 • 52 min
The Story Shared:
Darius Boyd shared his journey from being one of the best Rugby League players in the world to being admitted into a mental health facility. Darius opens up about his mental struggle during a time when seemingly on the surface everything looked perfect. He spoke about the courage it took to put his hand up and admit that he needed help in an environment that stigmatised mental well-being.
About Darius Boyd:
Broncos, Dragons, Knights, Maroons, Australia ... Darius Boyd is an NRL champion. This raw, honest and inspiring episode takes us into the heart of his footy and private life and reveals his fight to conquer his demons and live a better life.
Listing statistics, awards and premierships doesn’t reveal the battles that Darius Boyd has faced off the field. A teenager with a troubled background, he started his career with innate footy talent but also the emotional baggage of an unknown father, the devastating loss of loved ones, and a mother who was walking a mental health tightrope herself, which as a kid he didn't understand.
As his talent shone on the field and his profile increased, Darius struggled. Hiding years of depression and unhappiness, playing footy was his escape. But no one can run from themselves forever. The horrific spinal injury to good mate and Newcastle Knights teammate Alex McKinnon was the catalyst that finally broke Darius. Realising he needed help for his anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, he turned his back on football, checked into a mental health facility and began to mend his life and himself.
Career Highlights:
→ 28 State of Origin games for Queensland.
→ 23 games for Australia.
→ Clive Churchill winner in the 2010 NRL Premiership.
Expertise:
→ Improving mental health in Athletes.
→ Professional Rugby League Coach.
→ Resilience training for youth.
For more on Darius Boyd read his book – Battling the Blues.
Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.
For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/
Music by Ehrling Music.
The Story Shared:
Darius Boyd shared his journey from being one of the best Rugby League players in the world to being admitted into a mental health facility. Darius opens up about his mental struggle during a time when seemingly on the surface everything looked perfect. He spoke about the courage it took to put his hand up and admit that he needed help in an environment that stigmatised mental well-being.
About Darius Boyd:
Broncos, Dragons, Knights, Maroons, Australia ... Darius Boyd is an NRL champion. This raw, honest and inspiring episode takes us into the heart of his footy and private life and reveals his fight to conquer his demons and live a better life.
Listing statistics, awards and premierships doesn’t reveal the battles that Darius Boyd has faced off the field. A teenager with a troubled background, he started his career with innate footy talent but also the emotional baggage of an unknown father, the devastating loss of loved ones, and a mother who was walking a mental health tightrope herself, which as a kid he didn't understand.
As his talent shone on the field and his profile increased, Darius struggled. Hiding years of depression and unhappiness, playing footy was his escape. But no one can run from themselves forever. The horrific spinal injury to good mate and Newcastle Knights teammate Alex McKinnon was the catalyst that finally broke Darius. Realising he needed help for his anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, he turned his back on football, checked into a mental health facility and began to mend his life and himself.
Career Highlights:
→ 28 State of Origin games for Queensland.
→ 23 games for Australia.
→ Clive Churchill winner in the 2010 NRL Premiership.
Expertise:
→ Improving mental health in Athletes.
→ Professional Rugby League Coach.
→ Resilience training for youth.
For more on Darius Boyd read his book – Battling the Blues.
Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.
For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/
Music by Ehrling Music.
Previous Episode
Episode 17 - Tash Adams. Psychological Skills to deal with stress and bounce back from failure.
The Story Shared:
Tash Adams shared an intimate story about a case that she attended as a newly qualified critical care paramedic. A multi-casualty incident with two severely traumatic patients on scene. Tash shared how this high-stress case created tunnel vision, leading to her missing the needs of one of the patients and becoming fixated.
About Tash Adams:
Natasha Adams is a Senior Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) with the Queensland Ambulance Service, working on the Woodridge CCP POD and with the High Acuity Response Unit. Her clinical interests include progressive out-of-hospital care, clinical education and leadership development.
Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.
For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/
Music by Ehrling Music
Next Episode
Episode 19 - Cameron Hardiman. Living with PTSD and facing life threatening situations.
The Story Shared:
Cameron Hardiman detailed a story of a time when a rescue attempt nearly killed him. Whilst hanging from a helicopter in 40+ knots of wind and 50-foot high waves, Cameron was taken under by the giant wave. He was trying to save a sailor whose vessel was stricken by the severe weather, but he almost lost his life. This experience may not have killed him, but it changed his life forever.
About Cameron Hardiman:
As a member of Victoria Police's Air Wing, Cameron Hardiman felt like he was ten feet tall and bulletproof. The air wing brought him plenty of excitement and drama - from searching for missing aircraft to accidentally discovering marijuana crops to working with paramedics. But it also brought him plenty of trauma ...
He saw his fair share of trauma and dealt with it like most coppers would: he quickly put each dangerous job out of his mind as soon as it was over. But one particular rescue in Bass Strait brought about a reckoning - and Cameron was never the same again.
Career Highlights:
→ Victorian Rescue Helicopter as a Policeman.
→ Australian Federal Police.
→ A distinguished police officer.
Expertise:
→ Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
→ Inspirational speaker and presenter.
→ Active promotor for improved mental health for all emergency service workers.
For more read Cameron’s book - 10 feet tall and not quite bulletproof.
Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.
For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/
Music by Ehrling Music.
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