AFTER leaving Brisbane radio station’s 97.3 as a top-rated morning host, Louise Pool discovered she’d had a life facing times of depression.
Now, in a show which has reached number 7 in the national podcast ratings after just six episodes, she’s talking openly about her own experiences along with others.
Her career in radio is on pause, and the current focus is on her own mental health and well-being.
Ms Poole graduated from Marsden State High School and launched her radio career as a volunteer at community station 101fm during her school days.
When negotiations crumbled at 97.3 18 months ago, neither party could agree on Ms Poole’s value.
“It’s okay because that led me to here,” she told MyCity Logan.
“I’ve grown so much. This podcast series focuses on the time after that (97.3), and the various rounds of depression in my life.
“I left with no plan. What I really wanted to do was get to the bottom of who I am.
“I really felt like I needed a change … but radio has been running thick and fast through my veins since I was 14. Like it or not, it was a prominent part of my identity.”
The podcast, called Reframe of Mind and managed by her new company Welcome Change Media, is a passion project for her and business partner Andy le Roy who lives in Adelaide.
It gains insights and tips from psychologists, mental health experts, people who’ve had mental health issues – including both hosts.
“I’ve been to some pretty dark places, not just in my professional career, but with events from childhood and early adulthood,” Ms Poole said.
“Reframe Of Mind is cathartic, but it is also so much more than Andy and I facing and sharing our demons. We really want others to hear this and know they’re not alone, how they feel is valid, and there is a way out of those dark places.
“All of our guests were very generous in talking about their own experiences which made us feel like we weren’t alone. In the end we figured telling our own story along with theirs might help others who were feeling the same way as us.”
Ms Poole said her refocus over recent months included finding a new group of friends, and one of the consequences of a new mindset has been to talk more about mental health.
One of the rewards has been an ability to help others, she said.
Ms Poole is on the board of Mind Your Fashion, a group which looks at mental health issues in that industry.
She said working for herself had also provided some liberating changes.
“When you work for anyone else, you’re working by their brand rules,” she said. “It’s nice to have the chance to create something for yourself.”
Go to Apple Podcasts or reframeofmind.com.au for all episodes and related content.
