‘Go Well’ – a new weekly health and wellness radio program hosted by Australian publisher and Castlemaine resident Cate Mercer ‘went live’ on community radio station MAINfm 94.9 recently, as Victoria continues to see significant and concerning daily numbers of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and deaths.
Providing a balance of evidence-based and alternative health news and views, particularly when it comes to mental health, is important to Mercer who is also the founder and editor of The Art of Healing magazine and has been actively involved in the health industry for almost 20 years.
“With so much misinformation around on social media, and people battling with the mental health effects of this pandemic, I think it’s more important than ever to make credible, well researched information more accessible,” Mercer said.
“I’ve always wanted to host a radio program and with people spending more time at home or commuting in their car and thinking about their health at the moment – it feels like the perfect time to finally do it!” she explained.
The program airs Thursday mornings from 9am to 10am and will feature various special guests.
One of Mercer’s first guests was Dean Mighell – director of Path of the Horse, a non-profit equine therapy centre that assists people of all ages and walks of life to become more self-aware, build resilience and seek better mental health and well-being.
Dean and his team help people with Autism, veterans, emergency services personnel and their families manage PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief and lots more.
“My hope is for this new show to inspire and teach Victorians of all ages and circumstances to ask more questions about their health and wellbeing and to seek out tools and support that suit their individual needs, beliefs and lifestyle,” Mercer said.
Cate has worked across a range of industries including IT, accounting, cinema and film, newspapers and magazines and job roles throughout her career, from design to management, marketing to sales.
She started The Art of Healing magazine in 2002 while living in Byron Bay, after identifying an opportunity to provide reliable information for people seeking alternative options for good healthcare.
After being introduced to the local area by a friend in 2013, Cate relocated to Castlemaine and has never looked back.
“I am constantly in awe of the beauty in this area, and love feeling the changes in season which you just don’t have in warmer more temperate climates.”
Cate continues to edit and publish the quarterly magazine, and has recently begun hosting the radio program to take the concepts she writes about to a broader audience who are interested in health and wellness.
“I just feel it’s so important to walk the talk, so I do want to share how I take care of myself and how I have incorporated what I have learnt over the years into my own life. At the essence of it all, the body is really good at looking after you, if you just give it what it needs – and time,” she said.
“It’s interesting to look back from 2020, and see just how much people have changed. There really has been a huge shift in consciousness,” Mercer said.