Podcasts that are an ode to nature
Living on the doorstep of Auckland's Waitakere Ranges, I am spoiled with an abundance of bush trails and natural sounds nearby.The health benefits of being around nature are well-known and a…
Brain on Nature – The Big Issue
Brain on Nature shines brightest when revealing how injury can completely change family dynamics and self-image, prompting blank pages in a previously jam-packed social schedule - and now the kids…
Theme Music by Jonathan Zenti
We're honoured to have a beautiful piece of music composed and performed especially for Brain on Nature, by the multi-talented Jonathan Zenti from the Meat podcast. We met Jonathan at…
Growing strains on our brains in a connected future – The Australian
There’s an abundance of introspective shows that explore identity and emotions, but not a whole lot about the host actually immersing themselves in learning a task or conducting a personal…
How do we create intimacy in an audio story – ArtsHub
Podcasting is, by nature, an intimate medium. We’re often listening to podcasts on our headphones, locked deep into a world of sound that is only limited by our imagination. But building trust with your audience and creating a level of intimacy that keeps listeners coming back requires particular skill. In 2015 journalist Sarah Allely had a bike accident that left her unable to read, write, watch TV or listen to podcasts. Going into nature helped her recover from a mild traumatic brain injury and she’s since created the narrative documentary podcast Brain on Nature, a very personal portrayal about her recovery process.
Podcasts that celebrate the healing power of nature – Financial Times
"There’s a rare intimacy to Allely’s narration, which shifts between an audio diary format (her inability to process new information meant she habitually recorded conversations after the accident) and academic…
Call of the wild: the podcasts taking people back to nature – The Guardian
For Allely, making a nature podcast was also about questioning who misses out in the age of climate crisis. She wanted to remind people that nature should be protected, and…
Best Of The Week – The Listener
Beginning of an immersive series about the influence nature has on our brains. Host Sarah Allely had a serious bicycle accident that seemed to fundamental change what was going on…
Episode 6 – Back on the bike
The doctors are saying they want me to go back to work…gradually. But I’m not sure. I’ve lost my confidence. My rehab specialist says we won’t know until we try. He means I won’t actually recover properly until I go back to work. The neurons that fire together, wire together – he keeps saying. [audio src="https://media.acast.com/brain-on-nature/backonthebike/media.mp3"][/audio]
Episode 5 – There’s science to this
I’m depressed and anxious and the headaches are back. I have to dose myself up on nature again. I wouldn’t have considered heading into the bush alone before the accident. But now I’m known for turning up to school pick-ups in shorts and hiking boots. But why has no doctor told me to use nature? Or even encouraged me really? [audio src="https://media.acast.com/brain-on-nature/theressciencetothis/media.mp3"][/audio]