Best Mya Ice Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 7: Who even am I? 14:23

Play Pause

1d ago14:23

14:23

Identity, belonging, and imposter syndrome — oh my. This episode dives into the messy process of figuring out who you are in college (and realizing it’s okay if the answer changes). Mya and Lainie discuss identity, finding your people, and building confidence when you feel like you don’t fit in. Takeaway: You don’t have to have it all figured out —…

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#71 Alex and the Bandicoots: Redefining the Wildlife Veterinarian (Australia) 24:38

2h ago24:38

24:38

By day, Dr. Alexandria Bullen treats cattle and cats at a veterinary clinic on Tasmania's rugged northwest coast. By night, she's out tracking platypuses and bandicoots in the wilderness. In this episode, host Dr. Cat Vendl meets Alex at the Australasian WDA conference to explore how she bridges clinical practice with wildlife research. Discover wh…

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Mini Episode 6: Mindfulness for Anxiety with Mya 5:02

2h ago5:02

5:02

When your brain won't stop spiraling and your to-do list feels never-ending, Mya guides you through a gentle mindfulness practice designed to quiet the chaos. Together, you'll ground in the present moment, notice your thoughts without judgment, and remind yourself that calm isn't a destination - it's a practice. Takeaway: Anxiety doesn't mean somet…

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Episode 6: Sorry, I can't-I'm Protecting My Peace 17:23

9h ago17:23

17:23

This week on Hot Mess Help Desk, Lainie and Mya get real about one of the hardest self-care skills on campus: setting boundaries. From roommates who don’t get the hint to group projects gone rogue, they're diving into five mini role plays that show how to handle everyday boundary struggles with friends, family, and professors — without turning it i…

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Mini Episode 5: Dear Me, A Letter to Yourself with Mya 6:32

12h ago6:32

6:32

Ever wish you could hear something kind - from you? In this guided reflection, Mya leads you through writing (or imagining) a letter to yourself from a place of compassion, honesty, and care. No self-improvement agenda, no toxic positivity - just real words for the version of you who's been trying their best. through gentle prompts and mindful paus…

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Episode 5: Sad but Still Passing Classes 19:08

15d ago19:08

19:08

College can be lonely — even when you’re surrounded by people. In this episode, Mya and Lainie talk about depression, isolation, and what to do when “I’m fine” isn’t cutting it. They’ll share how to recognize when you might need more support, why connection matters even when you don’t feel like talking, and small steps to start feeling human again.…

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#70 Leanne and the Swift Parrot's Future: Reimagining Wildlife Health Before Crisis (Australia & Vietnam) 27:51

17d ago27:51

27:51

What if we could prevent wildlife health crises instead of always racing to respond to them? Dr. Leanne Wicker has spent decades asking this question – from anesthetizing seals in Tasmanian car parks during lunch breaks to tracking ocean temperatures through Antarctic seal movements, from nearly a decade managing confiscated wildlife during Vietnam…

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Mini Episode 4: Confidence & Self-Esteem Boost with Mya 7:07

14d ago7:07

7:07

In this counselor led pep-talk, Mya helps you push back against self-doubt, perfectionism, and that voice in your head that says you're not enough. This episode blends humor, honesty, and affirmations for the days when confidence feels out of reach. Takeaway: You don't have to feel 100% confident to keep going - courage counts, too.…

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Episode 4: Send Help! My Brain Won't Shut Up 13:52

10d ago13:52

13:52

Anxiety, overthinking, and the never-ending mental to-do list — sound familiar? Mya and Lainie explore how anxiety shows up in college life (spoiler: it’s not always panic attacks) and how to quiet your brain when it feels like it’s running on overdrive. They’ll share practical grounding tools, campus-friendly coping strategies, and ways to stop sp…

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Mini Episode 3: Ground Yourself With Lainie 8:06

13d ago8:06

8:06

When your mind’s racing, your chest feels tight, and everything just feels too loud — this one’s for you. In this calming guided mini-episode, Lainie walks you through a few minutes of gentle grounding to help you slow down, reconnect to your senses, and remind your body that you’re safe in the present moment. No pressure, no perfect breathing — ju…

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Episode 3: Sleep? Never Heard of Her 15:10

29d ago15:10

15:10

Between late-night study sessions, early classes, and “just one more episode,” college sleep schedules are… chaotic, to say the least. In this episode, Mya and Lainie break down what happens when your brain doesn’t get enough rest (hint: it’s not just about feeling tired), why all-nighters don’t actually help you ace exams, and how rest is more tha…

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#69 Mya and the penguins (USA & Peru) 23:40

19d ago23:40

23:40

From Peru's copper mines to penguin colonies, PhD candidate Mya Daniels-Abdulahad tracks a toxic trail that threatens an entire species. Winner of the 2025 BioOne Ambassador Award, Mya reveals how mining waste travels through ocean food chains – with iron accumulating at four times normal levels in Humboldt penguin eggs and cadmium weakening their …

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Mini Episode 2: Mini Mental Reset with Mya 4:46

1M ago4:46

4:46

Welcome to the Hot Mess Help Desk Mini Mental Reset with Mya. Whether you're running on fumes, drowning in readings, or just need a few minutes to breathe — press play. No pressure, no fixes, no “productivity hacks.” Just calm your body, notice your breath, and give yourself permission to rest.

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Episode 2: Relationships 101 15:38

1M ago15:38

15:38

Friend drama? Roommate tension? Dating someone who says “I’m not great at texting” but mysteriously lives on snapchat? In this episode of Hot Mess Help Desk, we’re unpacking the glorious chaos of relationships — the good, the bad, and the “we need to talk” texts. We cover everything from healthy boundaries (aka not answering texts at 2am), to confl…

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Mini Episode: 1 Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) 10:06

1M ago10:06

10:06

Feeling tense? In this quick mini episode, Lainie guides you (& Mya) through a short Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) practice to help you release tension, reset your nervous system, and finally unclench your jaw. No prep, no pressure — just hit play and breathe.

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Episode 1: Running on Empty (& Iced Coffee) 17:00

1M ago17:00

17:00

Stress is real, snacks are life, and sleep… well, sometimes it’s just a rumor. In this episode of Hot Mess Help Desk, Mya and Lainie break down what stress actually does to your brain and body (spoiler: it’s not just in your head), why pulling all-nighters and living off energy drinks backfires, and how small things like water, naps, or texting a f…

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#68 Ralph and HPAI in the Southern hemisphere (Argentina) 26:49

1M ago26:49

26:49

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she follows Dr. Ralph Vanstreels tracking high pathogenicity avian influenza from South America to Antarctica. Ralph shares insights from surveying remote coastlines and documenting the virus's impact – over 600,000 wild birds and 55,000 marine mammals affected, with elephant seal populations experiencing 95% pup mortalit…

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Episode 0: Please Hold, Your Counselors Will Be With You Shortly 6:32

2M ago6:32

6:32

Welcome to Episode 0 of Hot Mess Help Desk. Get to know your hosts, find out what to expect, and why your counselors are tackling technology in the first place. Follow us on Instagram @ HotMess.HelpDesk for updates, behind the scenes and more!

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# 67 Pat and the parrots (USA) 29:03

2M ago29:03

29:03

Nearly one-third of all parrot species are threatened with extinction, yet most people picture these charismatic birds as noisy pets in cages rather than the complex, emotionally intelligent wild creatures they truly are. In this captivating episode, host Dr. Cat Vendl speaks with Dr. Pat Latas, a founding member of the newly founded IUCN Wild Parr…

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Hot Mess Help Desk Trailer 1:02

2M ago1:02

1:02

College is amazing....until it is a full blown dumpster fire. We are two mental health counselors here to say-same. We've seen it all: stress meltdowns, friendship drama, midterm panic....and that mysterious crying in the library moment. Welcome to Hot Mess Help Desk-where we tackle the big mental health stuff like anxiety, relationships and everyt…

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#66 Kate and the albatrosses (USA) 31:14

2M ago31:14

31:14

A snowstorm that closed highways led English literature student Kate Huyvaert to an unexpected path—becoming one of North America's leading experts on wild sheep disease. From discovering that 25% of albatross chicks aren't raised by their biological fathers to unraveling the devastating cycle of respiratory disease threatening bighorn sheep across…

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#65 Nick and the Lord Howe Island stick insects (Australia) 28:16

3M ago28:16

28:16

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she meets Dr. Nick Doidge, zoo veterinarian and researcher, working to save the world's rarest insect – the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, nicknamed the "tree lobster." Thought extinct for 80 years, these living fossils were dramatically rediscovered on a volcanic rock stack in the Pacific Ocean. But after bringing them b…

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#64 Melting the Ice in People's Hearts: Indigenous Voices on Planetary Health (Canada) 22:44

3M ago22:44

22:44

In honor of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on Aug 9, join host Dr. Cat Vendl for a special episode featuring two powerful Indigenous voices in health and healing. Meet Dr. Nicole Redvers, a member of the Deninu K'ue First Nation and Western Research Chair in Indigenous Planetary Health, who reveals how Indigenous healers have a…

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#63 Nelson and the gorillas (Uganda) 26:34

4M ago26:34

26:34

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she ventures into Uganda's misty mountains to meet Dr. Nelson Bukamba, one of the world's few gorilla doctors providing life-saving veterinary care to our planet's most endangered relatives. Nelson's journey from a heartbroken 10-year-old making a promise to his dying dog Simba to treating wild mountain gorillas is nothin…

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#62 Sam and the swift fox (USA) 26:24

5M ago26:24

26:24

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she ventures into Wyoming's vast wilderness to meet Dr. Samantha Allen, the state's wildlife veterinarian who juggles budget spreadsheets and helicopter captures of bighorn sheep. From her unforgettable first WDA conference moment wielding a Stryker autopsy saw on a porpoise, Sam shares her journey from small-town kid tol…

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#61 Damien and Canadian wildlife diseases 27:07

5M ago27:07

27:07

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she heads to Vancouver Island to meet Dr. Damien Joly, CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative – though he insists he's just a "boring old disease ecologist!" But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Discover how Canada's unique cooperative approach tackles wildlife diseases across the world's second-largest c…

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#60 Alexandra and wildlife conservation in times of war (Lebanon) 25:51

6M ago25:51

25:51

Meet Alexandra Youssef, Lebanon's first and only certified wildlife rehabilitator and co-founder and vice-president of the NGO Lebanese Wildlife, based in Beirut. Alexandra fights to save wildlife amid economic collapse, war, and ancient cultural myths that drive species toward extinction. From the striped hyena (Lebanon's national animal, yet its …

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#59 Steve and the tale of the Storytelling Ape (Australia) 32:34

6M ago32:34

32:34

Self-described "systems thinker" Dr. Steve Unwin has spent decades working at the human-wildlife interface across four continents and believes we've got our scientific name all wrong. According to Steve, we're not Homo sapiens but Pan narrans: the storytelling ape. Host Dr. Cat Vendl explores Steve's journey from "pretending to be a zoo vet" to cre…

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#58 Brett and rabies in Cape fur seals (South Africa & Australia) 27:37

7M ago27:37

27:37

In this captivating episode, host Dr. Cat Vendl speaks with zoo veterinarian and researcher Dr. Brett Gardner about the unprecedented rabies outbreak in Cape fur seals along South Africa's coast. Brett reveals how this once-impossible disease jumped from black-backed jackals to marine mammals, creating a new wildlife health crisis. Discover the det…

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#57 Helen, bighorn sheep, mountain caribou and WDA2025 (Canada) 29:16

7M ago29:16

29:16

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl with Dr. Helen Schwantje, British Columbia's pioneering wildlife veterinarian of nearly three decades. Journey from her unexpected career beginnings to her groundbreaking work with bighorn sheep and the complex fight to save mountain caribou through a variety of conservation strategies. Helen shares insights about Indigenous…

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#56 Janelle and the kiwi (NZ) 27:04

7M ago27:04

27:04

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she travels to New Zealand's Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, where Dr. Janelle Ward leads native species restoration behind the country's largest predator-proof fence. Discover how four kiwis introduced in 2005 grew into hundreds, leading to the largest kiwi translocation in history. Janelle reveals the challenges of ma…

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#55 Sonia and the science of pushing boundaries (USA) 29:12

8M ago29:12

29:12

Join host Dr. Cat Vendl as she speaks with Dr. Sonia Hernandez, Wildlife Disease Association president and professor whose research spans continents and species. From studying prehistoric-looking tapirs adapting to human landscapes in Costa Rica to tracking white ibises navigating between Florida's wetlands and city parks, Sonia shares insights fro…

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#54 Will and the raccoons (USA) 17:44

9M ago17:44

17:44

Join our host Dr. Cat Vendl as she takes you to Oklahoma, where Will Funk directs wildlife rehabilitation at WildCare Oklahoma, caring for over 8,000 native patients annually – from hummingbirds to bald eagles, and even tarantulas! Will shares his fascinating journey from studying red kites in London to investigating mysterious neurological outbrea…

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#53 Tim and conservation chemistry (USA) 32:05

9M ago32:05

32:05

In this episode, our host Cat Vendl sits down with Dr. Tim Cernak, who is revolutionizing wildlife conservation through an unexpected lens: Conservation chemistry. From developing human medicines at Merck to fighting wildlife extinction with artificial intelligence, Tim shares how he's creating a "One Health Pharmacy" – where cutting-edge drug deve…

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#52 K9 and queer ecology (Australia) 28:19

9M ago28:19

28:19

Join us for an eye-opening conversation with K9 Jenns, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney's Bat One Health Research Team, who brings a transformative perspective to the study of flying foxes and their viruses. Through the lens of queer ecology, K9 reveals how their personal journey has enriched their understanding of the complex relationsh…

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#51 Anna and the microbats (Australia) 25:32

10M ago25:32

25:32

In this episode, our host Cat Vendl takes you to Berlin to meet Anna Langguth, a PhD candidate studying one of the most devastating wildlife diseases recorded in mammals: white nose syndrome. From childhood bat enthusiast to innovative researcher, Anna shares her fascinating work on understanding how Australian microbats might respond to this deadl…

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#50 Dianna and the wombats (Australia) 34:23

10M ago34:23

34:23

Join us for an extraordinary conversation with Dianna Bisset, an Australian wildlife carer whose journey spans from creating equipment for James Cameron's deep-sea expeditions to rehabilitating wombats and kangaroos at Rocklily wildlife refuge. Diana shares her firsthand experience of the devastating 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires and their profo…

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#49 Michele and wildlife tuberculosis (South Africa) 22:48

12M ago22:48

22:48

In this episode, we are taking you on a dive into the world of wildlife tuberculosis with Professor Michele Miller. Michele is the NRF South African Research Chair in Animal TB at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Her career has spanned from clinical work in major U.S. zoos to groundbreaking research in South Africa's Kruger National Park. H…

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#48 Laura and the muskoxen (Canada) 20:13

1y ago20:13

20:13

In the 1960s, the Canadian government decided to relocate 14 muskoxen to the Eastern Arctic, a region where these large bovines had never been native. The intention was to support the local Inuit community by providing a new source of food and other resources. However, it appears the government did not consult the community about its needs or prefe…

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#47 Rita and the cottontail rabbits (Portugal & Angola) 23:21

1y ago23:21

23:21

In this episode, you will meet Dr. Rita Santos, a veterinarian whose passion for wildlife has taken her across continents. From rehabilitating cottontail rabbits and hummingbirds in Minnesota to treating wildlife in the UK, Rita shares insights from her diverse experience in wildlife medicine. We discuss the fascinating differences between European…

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#46 Anastasiia and the brown bears (Japan & Ukraine) 20:47

1y ago20:47

20:47

Our host Cat Vendl chats with Anastasiia Kovba about all things viral diseases of wildlife in Japan, to be more precise on the island of Hokkaido. Anastasiia is a PhD student, based at the University of Hokkaido in Sapporo. Anastasiia grew up in the Ukraine and did her vet degree there. For her Master’s, she moved to Japan to study HIV. But since h…

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#45 The making of WDA2024 off-country (online) conference 27:23

1y ago27:23

27:23

Have you heard of the upcoming WDA2024 off-country conference from Dec 1-6? In less than 2 months the annual international WDA conference is coming up. It will take place in Australia’s capital, Canberra, from Dec 1-6. Australia! Sounds great, you might think. But that may not be in the budget right now. Fear not! We have you covered. This year’s c…

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#44 Jane and all things Australian wildlife health (Australia) 28:22

1y ago28:22

28:22

Our host Cat Vendl is talking all things Australian wildlife health with wildlife biologist Jane Hall. Jane is the project officer at the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health at Taronga Zoo and a PhD candidate at Griffith University. In her many years with the Registry, she has worked with all creatures big and small, from the tiniest marsupials …

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#43 Helena and Project 'Whale Exhale' (Norway) 25:36

1y ago25:36

25:36

This week on WDA's Wildlife Health Talks podcast, host Dr Cat Vendl immerses herself and our listeners in an interview with Dr Helena Costa on her project 'Whale Exhale'. Helena studies the viruses in the blow of humpback whales that visit the coastline of Norway for the annual herring run. A PhD student at Nord University in Bodø, Norway, it's a f…

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#42 Richard Kock and how colonialism threatened species survival (UK) 30:26

1+ y ago30:26

30:26

Our host Cat Vendl chats with WDA's own vice president Richard Kock. Richard has lived almost a life time of promoting wildlife health in Africa, Central Asia and the UK. Born in Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe), Richard worked in Kenya for many years. He has seen the devastating consequences of colonialism to wildlife conservation first hand and has wo…

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#41 Martin and the Amur tigers (all over the place) 30:22

1+ y ago30:22

30:22

Tigers, leopards and now one-horned rhinos. Dr Martin Gilbert studies them all. He is a wildlife veterinarian, epidemiologist and Associate Professor of Practice at Cornell University, US. Originally from Scotland, he has investigated infectious diseases and mysterious mass die-offs all over Asia. It was him and his colleagues who discovered that i…

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#40 Sarah and the endeavour of scholarly publishing (USA) 24:43

1+ y ago24:43

24:43

Our host, Dr Cat Vendl chats with yet another winner of the 2024 BioOne Ambassador awards, Dr Sarah Wright. Sarah studied an aspect of the immune system of South American sea lions. She is based in Illinois in the US and is the Associate Editor for two veterinary journals and the co-host of the podcast Veterinary Vertex. Listen in to Sarah’s story!…

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#39 Elis and the bighorn sheep (USA) 19:18

1+ y ago19:18

19:18

Our host Dr Cat Vendl and her guest Dr Elis Fisk dive into the mystery of the bighorn sheep. Elis is a PhD candidate and anatomical pathology resident at Washington State University in the US and one of the winners of the 2024 BioOne Ambassador Award. In his video for the award, he showcases his impressive drawing skills and explains how he and his…

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#38 Andrew and the upcoming international 72nd WDA conference (Australia) 29:39

1+ y ago29:39

29:39

Our host Dr Cat Vendl chats with Dr Andrew Peters, past WDA president and Associate Professor in Wildlife Health and Pathology at Charles Sturt University in Australia. A small revolution is about to take place within the WDA and hopefully the world of conference-ing as we know it. Andrew is the main organizer and creative head of the upcoming inte…

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#37 Nigel and the art of story telling (Special edition!) 25:21

1+ y ago25:21

25:21

This year’s international WDA conference in Canberra, Australia, is preceded by a series of webinars to familiarize the WDA community with the concept behind the conference. This conference will differ quite a bit from the conventional. One of the new concepts introduced will be the special presentation style applied through-out the conference. The…