Samuel Johnson and Aaron Williams

Samuel Johnson is by far one of Australia’s most loved personalities.  A cancer vanquisher, actor, 

Presenter, voiceover artist and philanthropist, Samuel has now joined forces with Aaron Williams – co founder of Mindstar.  Together they are engaging audiences all around Australia to normalize mental health. 

Their new presentation – Life Stuff – is designed to crush the stigma around mental health by contrasting Samuel’s deeply personal anecdotal style with Aaron’s positive, practical strategies for feeling happier, healthier and stronger – both at home and at work.

Their message, put simply? It’s normal to feel crappy and struggle from time to time, it’s ok to talk about it and there’s plenty one can do to feel better. 

ABOUT:

Samuel Johnson OAM, has enjoyed a storied career as a performer and fundraiser. He has reached the pinnacle of showbiz, winning a Gold Logie for his portrayal of Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, but is perhaps best known as ‘that guy who rode a unicycle around the country for his sister’.

Samuel’s efforts to raise $10 Million for cancer research in the face of his sister Connie’s diagnosis with breast cancer earned him the title of Victorian Australian of the Year in the Queen’s Honour’s List of 2018.

In 2019, Samuel danced his way to success as the winner of Dancing With the Stars. His ascension to the upper echelons of the entertainment industry and the Not-For-Profit sector has garnered him enormous reach, broad public support and a string of significant accolades.

Aaron Williams is the CEO and Founder of Mindstar, a leading wellbeing and mental health organisation. Aaron is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker who has spent much of his career working in homeless shelters, hospitals and emergency departments.

As an expert on Workplace Wellbeing and Leadership, Aaron has provided keynotes and workshops  to conferences and organisations including ANZ, NAB/MLC, Zurich Australia, Macquarie, NRL Men of League Association, Telstra Business, AFA, Sunsuper, St Hillier’s Construction, AIA Insurance, University of Queensland and Suncare Community Services.

Aaron has appeared widely on television, radio and in print media including the Triple J Breakfast Show, ABC-NEWS-24 Television, Channel 7,9,10 news, A Current Affair, Mix-FM, My Weekly Preview and ABC Drive Radio.

THE PRESENTATION:

In this new presentation of Life Stuff, Samuel unpacks the man behind the myth, to reveal a deeply troubled individual marked by a lifetime of death, drugs and dysfunction. In his compelling and often hilarious self-portraiture, Samuel reveals the extraordinary measures he’s undertaken in an effort to understand his condition. His story, within the Life-Stuff presentation, serves not merely as an ice-breaker, but as a fascinating case study that is relatable to all and a springboard for further discussion.

To make sense of Samuel’s personal history, and to help deal with the questions Samuel’s story raises more broadly, enter Aaron Williams, CEO of Mindstar.  Aaron calls on a rich tapestry of clinical experience and research to provide further insight into the nature of stress, resilience and uncertainty and teach practical wellbeing strategies on how to live a happy, healthy, more successful life.

The secret is, that we have incredible power over our thoughts and emotions and can train our minds and our bodies to be healthier and more productive for ourselves and others. Aaron offers tangible tools and tips that demonstrate just how simple it can be to improve our wellbeing and resilience and live with a stronger sense of purpose and meaning.

To close, Aaron and Samuel join together on-stage for a final instalment. A free-for-all. No question too large. No no-go zones. No sweeping, no carpet. This is the point of Life-Stuff. To crush the stigma collectively and give every Australian the education, inspiration and tools in their toolbelt to stress-less, manage uncertainty and live a happy, healthy, more successful life.