Challenges That Change Us

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Billy was once the guy everyone knew as the happy-go-lucky, always-up-for-anything friend, but beneath that surface he was quietly navigating a growing sense of overwhelm that would eventually reshape his life. From the early days of university, where depression first took hold, through years of uncertainty, physical symptoms, and a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder, Billy’s story is one of resilience in the face of something largely invisible and deeply misunderstood. This episode is about what it was like to live with a condition that blurs the line between mental and physical health, and how he continues to move forward, even when his body won’t always let him.In this episode he shares:When his struggles first startedHis experience dealing with the droughtWhat FND isHis experience being in and out of hospitalBeing on suicide watchWhat he wishes he knew earlierKey Quotes“When I told people they couldn’t believe it, because they just didn’t see me as that person.”“Everyone was coming up wanting to help, but I couldn’t tell them what to do or what was wrong.”You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Today’s episode is a deeply honest and powerful conversation with Jacinta Tynan, journalist, author, presenter, podcast host and creator of The Spiritual Book Club.With a background in mainstream journalism, she’s also not afraid to explore concepts like spirituality and meditation, helping to make them more relatable and attainable.She has written articles and columns for the likes of Sunday Life, Body+Soul and Stellar and is passionate about using her platform to help others feel more connected and ‘seen’.Jacinta spent more than 30 years in the media, including a long career as a news anchor, but behind the scenes she was navigating profound personal challenges. These resulted in her having to make the big decision to leave a dysfunctional relationship with her young children.In this episode she shares:-      The journalism stories that stay with her-      A challenge that impacted who she is today-      Why she had to leave the father of her children-      How she bargained with herself-      Her experience dealing with this as someone in the public eye-      What leaving looked like-      Her experience being separated under the same roof-      Creating a life for her and the kids-      The challenge of the new beginning-      What she would say to her younger self-      The positives of this situation-      What life looks like nowKey Quotes“Don’t stay in a relationship that is dysfunctional because you’re worried that the kids will be worse off.  It’s not so bad out there.”“People say why didn’t she leave? It is really hard to leave.”More about JacintaYou can find Jacinta on Instagram and via her website.You can also check out her podcast My Spiritual Side and her online community The Spiritual Book Club.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We know remote and regional Australia has often been a space where mental health and abuse can fester untreated, and Brendan Cullen’s story is a prime example of this.Brendan has always lived and worked on stations outside of Broken Hill, but his life has been much more than just managing stations.With his diagnosis of depression from the steps he took up to the Broken Hill hospital, he has found himself not only living a happier life but having opportunities he could never have imagined. From these opportunities Brendan has become an Ambassador for Lifeline Regional SA & Far West NSW and a Champion for the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern section We’ve Got Your Back initiative.In this episode he shares:-      His childhood growing up in the bush and the freedom that came with that life-      What it was like being sent away to boarding school from a young age-      The childhood sexual abuse he experienced and the impact it had on him for decades-      How trauma shaped his ability to read people and the world around him-      The effect of carrying secrecy, fear and shame for so many years-      How alcohol, overwork and constant pushing through became part of how he coped-      The warning signs of depression that were building long before he asked for help-      What happened when he finally walked into hospital and was diagnosed with depression-      The tools and mindset shifts that helped him begin healing and quiet the noise in his mind-      Why sharing his story through his book has opened the door for others to speak about their own traumaKey Quotes“I was flogging myself by running. I was flogging myself working. And then I was self-medicating at night, so I was just burning myself out totally.”“The closer I got, the worse I felt and I just thought it was my schooling, but I know that it was the abuse that I'd felt anxious, the uneasiness about all of that, and that feeling lasted for about 30 years.”More about BrendanYou can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. TW: child sexual abuse and traffickingThis is part 2 of Robyn Cameron’s incredibly traumatic story of abuse, and trafficking inside a cult and continues to share the trauma she experienced and how she has come out the other side.own healing journey in the 1990s, combined with lived experience, inspired the creation of Golden Keys Healing, which she later supported with formal training including rehabilitation counselling and ongoing professional education.In this episode she shares:·      Robin’s description of what trafficking meant in her childhood and the strict systems that enabled it·      The horrific abuse she endured from a very young age and the way it was normalised within the cult structure·      The pain she still carries about other children who were also victims and her attempts to protect them·      How she survived by creating inner parts and protective personas to cope with overwhelming trauma·      Living with the contrast of appearing bright and bubbly on the outside while crying herself to sleep each night·      How suppressed trauma resurfaced through powerful body memories later in life·      Her determination to research and gather evidence to validate the experiences many people once dismissed·      The long and complex process of waking up from cult conditioning and unlearning its ideology·      What it meant to leave the cult and be completely shunned, losing her entire community overnight·      The moment she describes as finally feeling “alive” at 46 and beginning the process of truly livingKey Quotes“The hidden reality of my teenage years was living outwardly bright and bubbly, but inwardly I cried myself to sleep every night.”“Leaving the cult meant losing my entire community and identity overnight, which was extremely isolating and difficult to navigate.”“Father was forbidden to rape me before I was three.”More about RobynYou can follow Robyn on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook and her website.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Book in for our next burnout masterclass here.Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Trigger warning: suicide and suicidal ideationThis week we have the privilege to talk to someone with incredible experience working in the mental health space.Ken Meldrum has a history of being a registered nurse for 46 years working mainly in Rural, Remote Health and Mental Health. He specialised in Suicide Prevention and Men’s Health during the last 20 years.Ken retired from Qld Health 5 years ago and has since been employed with Lifeline Community Recovery, Stand By Support after Suicide Service and currently is working with Uniting Care Farmer to Farmer Support Service across Southern Qld and Far North Qld.Ken also established a Suicide Prevention Network since retirement in Boonah, Qld, through which he was able to raise money to establish two Blue Tractors within that farming community with the sign saying “Feeling Blue – Get Help” which has raised a lot of interest and sparked many conversations around suicide and suicide prevention. Other Communities across Qld, NSW and Tasmania are also establishing similar structures.Since May Ken has worked with old friends he has known for over 50 years from the motorcycling community to establish Blue Bikes on busy roads across Norther NSW and Qld with the same message, initially three were planned from March last year but the number is now approaching 20, we established a not-for-profit organisation titled the Blue Motorcycle Project Inc and a Facebook Group with now over 600 members.In this episode he shares:-      His life before working in nursing and how early experiences shaped his perspective of suicide-      His entry into nursing, work in jails and psychiatric wards, and the “baptism of fire” training that shaped his approach-      His encounters with people who took their own lives and the impact of losing patients and friends unexpectedly-      How rural and remote work and Indigenous community experience exposed the scale and causes of suicide risk-      The Blue Tractor and Blue Motorcycle Project—why visible roadside blue machinery/bikes start conversations about suicide-      The power of practical community-focused prevention-      His own lived experience of suicidal ideation, the protective factors that kept him alive, and what recovery looked like-      How connection, simple listening (“do no harm”), and community partnerships can reduce isolation and save livesKey Quotes"I just fell into a really dark place and I started to have real thoughts about taking my life.""It's the lack of connections, the loss of connections that cause the problem. Once people become isolated, that's when they're at risk.""The bottom line, the most important thing we can do is do no harm. Sit down and listen to ’em. Let them know someone cares."More aboutIf you feel you are struggling, you can reach out to the services below:·      Lifeline Counselling Service: 13 11 14 (24-hours)·      NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511 (24-hours)·      Royal Prince Alfred Hospital crisis service: 9515 6111 (ask for after-hours crisis workers)·      Beyondblue Support Service: 1300 224 636·      Headspace: 1800 650 890·      Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800·      MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We often talk about how challenges shape us, but planning and prevention are just as powerful as recovery. In this episode we bring back our in-house psychologist Vanessa de Sauty to unpack practical ways to set your year up for success, from visible yearly and weekly planners and color-coding to energy accounting, nervous-system awareness, and managing people-pleasing. Vanessa and I share lived and professional tips on spotting early stress signs (hyper vs hypo arousal), understanding ADHD, and building flexible containers that protect your energy.In this episode we share:-      The power of matching each family member’s energy needs (introvert vs extrovert)-      The pros and cons of using visible yearly and weekly planners with color-coding and foundations vs unique items-      The pros and cons of doing energy accounting to track deposits vs withdrawals and allocate chores by cost-      Why you need to know your nervous system window of tolerance — hyper arousal vs hypo shutdown-      The importance of recognising ADHD and using assessment, medication and strategies to improve function-      How to manage people-pleasing by pausing, deferring, delegating and remembering saying yes is saying no-      Setting 2026 by clarifying values, plugging priorities into the calendar and using workshops/resourcesKey Quotes“It's amazing how our body can start to display stuff that our mind hasn't caught up to yet.""When I say yes to something, I'm actually saying no to something."More aboutTo find out more about Vanessa, check out her website HERE.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey all! We had a bit of a glitch with this weeks episode. It will be coming soon, but until it does I wanted to take a walk down memory lane and highlight an episode that has stayed with me ever since we recorded it.This one is powerful and such a great listen, and even if you have listened before I think there would be whole new takeaways from a second liusten.And if you haven't listened. enjoy!Trigger warning: Domestic violence, sexual assault, mental healthWhile abuse within the family is something we have discussed on this podcast, one topic we have not covered as much, which often goes hand in hand, is the abandonment many children go through in this experience.Dante Amato is renowned in the Personal Development space for the deeply nurturing and transformational spaces she holds. She is a Business Mentor, Transformational Life Coach, Spiritual Guide and Energy Practitioner. But besides being a coach, Dante is a woman who has walked the path of trauma and triumph, gaining valuable insights that fuel her mission to help others.From an early age she experienced abandonment, abuse, manipulation and trauma which extended far into her life. As an adult she has done a loooot of healing and work, but her story is one that I think will resonate with a lot of people.In this episode she shares:Her experience of being abandoned by her mum as a childThe experience of spending time with her unstable mother as a childHer experience with domestic abuse in her mother’s homeHow her brother was manipulated and let down by their motherHow her relationship with her husband helped herWhat happened when she was diagnosed with infertilityWhat her journey to heal was likeThe thing that kept her going through recovery when things got really hardHow she developed her voice in adulthoodThe way she was able to work through her angerWhat she is doing now to help othersKey Quotes“I had to completely cut my mother off. Really intentionally and energetically remove her from my life.”“The constant thought that I had was that I just need to do everything that I can to make her love me.”“When bad things happened, we would never ever speak about them.”More about DanteDante’s website: https://www.danteamato.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedanteamato/?hl=enMinibook: https://www.danteamato.com/mini-book-of-self-discoveryYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business you can find it through the websites: www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning: suicide, depression, acts of war.Many of us have seen war movies, but nothing can truly explain the horrors and intensity of war. So we can only begin to understand the mental impact that going to war can have on the brave soldiers who are involved.Dave Payne has carved a difficult path from the frontlines to the boardroom. He has served as a leader in Iraq and Afghanistan wars and, as a security supervisor at the Regional Processing Centre on Nauru.Dave has battled PTSD, depression, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. He has since rebuilt his mind, body, spirit, and purpose.Now, bringing this skill set to Lifespan Supplements as Director, Dave delivers top quality health products that help people live stronger, longer, vibrant, and more purposeful lives. He also uses his hard fought and won skills to support and enrich the lives of veterans through Sage and Sovereign Group, as well as his Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) coaching business.In this episode he shares:-      His early upbringing in Australia with his parents and why it was good and paved the way for him to have the life that he has now-      The things that built resilience in his youth-      What life in the military was like-      The accident he had while off duty-      How he was made to go back to military work when he hadn’t recovered-      His time in Iraq and the horrors he witnessed-      How he realised he was in trouble while back home on leave-      The damaging response he was given when he opened up about his struggle-      How bottling up his feelings lead to drinkingKey Quotes“I just felt this, like a hole just appeared in me. These thoughts and feelings were creeping in. There was lots of sadness.”“They were testing chlorine bombs…and it just literally melts skin. It just melt human.”More aboutYou can find out more about what Dave does via the Lifespan Supplements website.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Welcome to 2026! For many 2025 was a pretty hard year, and some of you may have just been knuckling down and powering through, often even being the support for those around you whilst also desperately trying to keep your head above water.I wanted to do this episode to help those of us who have fallen into the role of being ‘The Strong one” find a way to an easier 2026.In this episode I shares:-      How we can take a moment to pause-      What it means to be the strong one and why people become the strong one-      The cost of always being the strong one-      What happens when the strong one finally can’t be strong-      What is a more positive kind of strength-      A simple strategy to begin shifting the patternKey Quotes“Over time strength stops being something you do and it becomes someone you are.”There is a hidden cost of being the strong one.”“Your body often knows the cost long before your mind does.”You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We have heard from the victims of generational trauma from it’s victims, but what about the people who perpetuate it, until they finally realising what they are doing?That is the story of Lenny Ravich, a man who experienced abuse as ‘punishment’ and passed it on to his children until he realised what he was doing and worked hard to make the change.Lenny is an 89-year-old keynote speaker, author, and Gestalt therapist whose life work bridges humour, healing, and human connection. His message lands with lightness and truth – shaped by decades of lived experience, not theory. Lenny doesn’t just talk about joy – he lives it.In this episode he shares:-      What it was like for him growing up and the violence he experienced from his parents-      How he perpetuated generational violence-      His relationship with his sister and reconciling with her-      how a conference and gestalt therapy led him to realisations about himself-      Gestalt therapy and realising awareness and mindfulness-      An experience that led him to fully accept himself-      What was his process of changing after his realisation-      His experience of deep listening and how it has impacted his lifeKey Quotes“Aa person could tell me they're dying in 3 days and I would joke about it.”“It was all about me, anything that came up, it was all about me.”“I didn’t tackle my narcissism it's still there but I’m aware of it happeningMore about LennyFind his website here.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Trigger warning: AlcoholismImagine starting a journey of alcoholism and addiction from the age of 5.That was the case for John Griffith who still remembers the life altering impact of the first drink he had as a child and how it lead to over a decade of addiction and reliance before he finally became sober at 18.Now, living a continuous sober life since April 1991 at the early age of 18 John is familiar with the effects of alcoholism and drug addiction. Whilst achieving success in the private sector, the cornerstone to John's life has been working with those suffering from alcoholism.He is a CEO with a hands on approach towards Sunrise Way residents and a belief that providing tools for living and re-immersion into the community is part of the long term solution. In this episode he shares:-      Why one of the first most significant events in his life was first trying alcohol-      What some of the tough lessons he had to learn in life were-      How alcohol impacted his life-      His experience going to a 12 step program and how it offered him hope-      How trauma can affect the lives of the people around him-      The work he's doing now and how his challenges led him to that-      Some of the challenges he faced during his work-      What message he has for people in a similar situation who need helpKey Quotes“I wasn’t looking for somewhere to get sober I was just looking for somewhere safe to stay.”“When I got sober at 18 and a half, I had the emotional maturity of a 4 or 5 year old.”“My life was painful sober and I would drink to feel ok.”More about JohnFind out more about Sunrise Way via their website.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.Trigger warning: Childhood sexual abuse, alcohol addiction Our identity and how we see ourselves has a huge impact on our lives. But what if huge incidents in our early life caused us to create an identity that was harmful and complex and actually untrue to who we really are?Nikole built a multi-million dollar company from scratch, and nearly lost herself in the process because of how her own self identity controlled her narrative.Now sober, self-led and sharp as ever, she’s rewriting what success looks like beyond the hustle.Her story isn’t clean. But it’s real. And it’s hers. In this episode she shares: -      Her early childhood and how she was abused by a family member-      How her brother was hit by a car and passed away at 17-      How her brother’s death was the catalyst that split the family-      The months and years after her brother’s death and how she was introduced to alcohol-      The destructive impact of her drinking and living with an inaccurate self identity-      Her father’s death at 50-      Having her house burn down shortly after giving birth-      What happened when she entered the psych ward and why it didn’t meet her expectations-      What she did to recover when she realised her drinking was impacting her marriage-      Her experience with the retreat/rehab in Bali-      How she made $12 million in one year-      Understanding the pros and cons of the parts of herself that have developed from her trauma Key Quotes“I was abused during my childhood by a family member.” “At my brothers wake I was introduced to alcohol...and that was it.” More about NikoleCheck her out via her website or Instagram. You can get involved with the podcast onlineOn facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.comIf you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.