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Faith and Mental Health

Rethinking mental health — one chat at a time.

Sunburnt Souls podcast on YouTube – raw and real conversations on faith, mental health, and recovery with Pastor Dave Quak
Sunburnt Souls podcast on Apple Podcasts – honest faith-based conversations about mental health, healing, and hope with Pastor Dave Quak
Sunburnt Souls podcast on Spotify – Christian mental health stories of hope, healing, and faith with Pastor Dave Quak
Dave and Jess Quak, founders of Sunburnt Souls Christian mental health podcast, smiling at the beach

When life feels heavy, it’s easy to feel alone. But what if your struggle wasn’t the end of the story — what if it was the beginning of healing?

Sunburnt Souls is more than a podcast — it’s a space for support, honesty, and hope.

Founded by Australian pastor Dave Quak, who lives with bipolar disorder, Sunburnt Souls exists to promote mental wellbeing by sharing real stories and practical tools that help people navigate anxiety, burnout, and more.

Whether you come from a faith background or not, we’re here to support all Australians with compassionate, stigma-free mental health resources. This is where peace returns, hope rebuilds, and life begins to feel possible again.

Sunburnt Souls is where faith and mental health collide—raw conversations, real hope

At least one in four Australians experience mental health challenges — and too many still face them in silence.

Sunburnt Souls exists to change that. As a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting mental wellbeing, we provide faith-informed support, honest conversations, and practical tools to reduce stigma and help people navigate anxiety, depression, burnout, and emotional distress.

Our work is grounded in lived experience and driven by a desire to see every person know they are not alone — and that hope, healing, and faith can coexist, even in the hardest seasons.

How Sunburnt Souls is Making a Difference

  • Dave is a great guy with a great message! His testimony about his mental health battles is so relevant and real, and it’s a topic we should all be learning more about in this season! I highly recommend Dave as a speaker

    — Pastor Matt Prater - New Hope Church Brisbane, Vision Christian radio

  • Dave, I absolutely loved your year-in-review podcast! Every episode of Sunburnt Souls has been such a gift to those struggling with mental health and their families. It creates a space where people feel seen, heard, and reminded that they are not alone. Your honesty about living with bipolar is so refreshing—you don’t sugarcoat anything, and that’s what makes it so powerful. The message of making churches a safe place for the most vulnerable is incredibly important.

    Sarah H

  • I highly recommend Dave as your guest speaker. We had him at Fire Church Gold Coast recently and he knocked the ball out of the park! He handles the word with precision but wraps it up in a package that’s a heap of fun. You’ll love him like our church did

    — Wes Jessop- Fire Church

  • Hey Dave, This might be a bit out of the blue, but I just wanted to say thanks for your podcast. It’s meant a lot to me lately. I’m currently on extended leave for mental health reasons—something I’ve never faced before—and hearing from another pastor who gets it has been really encouraging. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate what you’re doing. Keep going, mate!

    Paul R

  • Dave, thanks for sharing so openly about your lithium journey and medication. It’s so refreshing to hear real talk about this stuff, especially in Christian spaces. Hope you’re doing well, mate. Appreciate you sharing your journey—it helps more than you know."**

    Jeremy S

  • Dave, I just wanted to say a massive thank you for your podcast! As someone who struggles with OCD, it has been such a blessing. I binged every episode in just two weeks, and it’s honestly helped me feel seen, understood, and equipped in ways I didn’t expect. Hearing faith and mental health talked about so openly has been incredibly freeing. Please keep doing what you're doing—it’s making a real difference!

    Ava M

  • Dave Quak, through his Sunburnt Souls series has gone where few have dared. Dave’s openness and honesty concerning his own mental health struggle is an amazing and uplifting story.

    — Michael Ballard- Wynnum Baptist Church

  • Dave, I just wanted to thank you for Sunburnt Souls. As a pastor battling depression, there were days I wasn’t sure I could keep going—but your podcast was a real encouragement along the way. Hearing your honesty and faith in the midst of the struggle reminded me I’m not alone and gave me the push I needed to keep pressing on

    Joshua H

  • Our son has bipolar, and walking this journey with him has been overwhelming at times. Your podcast has not only helped us feel less alone but also given us some really practical tools to support him better. Your honesty and wisdom have been such a blessing.

    Harry and Jennifer V

  • We had Dave speak to our church community about the challenges of mental health. It was a powerful time where people were vulnerable and the church community was strengthened.

    Steph M

Make an impact today

Your donation helps us equip people to love life with faith and mental health. Mental illness can be messy, but it doesn’t have to be hopeless. With Jesus, there is hope, healing, and purpose—even in the mess.