The Parkinson’s eXchange Podcast

EP2 | Gaia Forlani - The Parkinson's Coach

In this epsiode, Damian Leith & Olivia Nassaris speaks with Gaia Forlani, a neuroscientist specialised in sensorimotor, clinical, and movement neuroscience. She holds an MSc in Neuroscience from the Radboud University – Donders Graduate School (NL), where she trained at the Radboud University Medical Center and the Centre of Excellence for Parkinson’s.
She also holds an MA in Philosophical Sciences from the University of Milan, specialising in Applied Neuroscience and the Phenomenology of Movement, and a BA in Neuroaesthetics focused on agency, perception, and embodied cognition.
As a former professional ballerina, she earned a Higher Artistic Ballet Degree (AFAM–MIUR) in affiliation with the National Academy of Dance in Rome. Gaia is an NSCA-CPT and NACC NeuroAthletics Coach with over 10 years of coaching experience across clinical populations, athletes, and executives. She is the co-founder of the Parkinson Performance Centre and creator of the Parkinson Power Protocol.
In this episode, Gaia explains the Parkinson Power Protocol, a neuroscientifically grounded, holistic approach that treats exercise as medicine and trains people with Parkinson’s like athletes, not patients.
They discuss personalised, evidence‑based training, mindset shifts that empower people living with Parkinson’s, and the need to bridge research and clinical practice.
Gaia will be the keynote speaker at the Parkinson’s Australia National Conference in 2027.
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[Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.]

EP1: Christine’s Story - A Parkinson’s Diagnosis at 37

Supporting every voice, every story...
In Episode 1, our guest is Sydney mother of three, Christine Jeya, was 37 when she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
“I had three young children when I was diagnosed. We were completely shocked and didn’t know what to do,” Ms Jeya said. “Most people don’t know what to think about Parkinson’s in someone my age. There’s still this assumption that it only affects older people, and that’s just not the reality.”
Her story is a powerful reminder that Parkinson’s does not look the same for everyone - and that no one should have to navigate it alone.
 
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[Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.]