In December 2022, Dominic was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Not only did this have a huge impact on him and his family, but it also clearly shook those around him, particularly his male peers, to whom he had always been a pillar of strength. His treatment is ongoing, and he does not yet see himself as a cancer ‘survivor’. He has used his living experience to give back through community engagement, both actively through talks and podcasts, and passively in his day-to-day conversations. Dom has a particular passion around encouraging men to show their vulnerabilities and believes that this has helped him both mentally and physically as he takes on this fight. He has become passionate about understanding his personal journey and embracing the powerful connection between a positive mindset and the human body.“I didn't want to dwell on cancer. I didn't want to be defined by being a cancer patient or a cancer battler. For me, it was about what have I learned and how can I use that experience? How did I respond to adversity or a message like that to help people understand that they they're not going through it alone, and to have the balls to go and do the health check, if they find something adverse, they’re not alone.”BiographyDominic Lynch lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches with his wife and 18-year-old twins. He embraces the environment in which he lives and having hung up his rugby boots after 25 years, he took up surf boat rowing and mountain biking and remains an active surf lifesaver. His professional career has seen him work in the engineering and construction industry in Australia and overseas. *****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Bradley Spillane is an advocate, a community volunteer and spokesperson. Through the men's mental health radio show on Radio Blue Mountains, he is a lodestone, a centre for people talking about something that wasn't fashionable when he started, which was men's mental health and men's health in generalThis episode is a brutally honest, in-depth conversation between two friends: our host John Milham and Brad SpillaneParts of Brad’s story are very confronting. When his marriage came to an end his anger caused his life to spiral out of control. He made two attempts on his life through in October of 2013 and January 2014 when he incurred serious injuries. He spent months in hospital through that year. Before his third attempt he woke up to himself and said, “Hey man, you’re here for a reason? Let's have a crack at this.”Brad later worked out that the reasons behind his negative emotions come from his childhood, including family breakup, his physical size and a long illness. Eventually he began to speak openly about his journey on the radio podcast on mental health, and a friend encouraged him to create own show. He is not a counsellor or a therapist but comes from lived experience and he found that purposeful and almost, a calling. He’s been in a pretty good place for four or five years now. He attributes that to the men's mental health show, to all the people that came on and others he chatted with.*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Romina’s story begins with her being swept off her feet by an amazing man after a previous violent relationship. Their marriage developed into her feeling compelled to take part in webcam sex with her partner and other people. Naively she went along with it for eleven years, thinking it was what she had to do as a married woman even though her whole being said NO. Eventually, she fell in love with an Egyptian man she met on camera and then in person and left her husband, although they had been a threesome at times. A combination of issues led to them breaking up.She realised she completely lacked self-love and was disempowered. Romina began a powerful new journey as she healed; after discovering the mermaid archetype and embracing her self-love, then started to help others with embodiment work.‘I am really happy with who and what I am and the woman I am and what other people think of me, say or do is their story and their journey and not mine.’ BiographyRomina Lee, commonly known as Mina by friends, family and loved ones, was born in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire in, England and migrated to Australia when she was fifteen years young.She is a daughter, a mother, a stepmother, a nonna, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a lover, and an embodied woman.She is a mother to three amazing children, Sam, Kara and Leigh and two grandchildren.She currently works full-time in the Community Service sector and runs a business called Awaken Your Mermaid. She is a feminine embodiment coach who works with women to support them to connect to their hearts, inner wisdom, truth and power. She is the creator of the Mermaid Temple, which is an online journey with the mermaid archetypes that she wrote to support women in their journey, as they supported her. Contact75mina75@gmail.comSocial MediaAwaken your mermaid within on FB@Iamrominalee on Instagram*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Amira's life has been defined by early adversity, including the loss of young family members to illness, accidents, and mental health issues. These experiences instilled in her a deep empathy and a drive to alleviate suffering. Becoming a mother to a child with cerebral palsy at 20 further shaped her journey, fostering resilience and determination in navigating single parenthood.At 35, burdened by debt and lacking formal education, Amira embarked on a transformative path. She immersed herself in learning, earning certifications in disability care, personal training, life coaching, spending planning, bookkeeping, accounting, and business management. Founding "Your Money Habit" in 2017, she initially focused on financial empowerment but later expanded her scope to holistic support for micro-business owners, addressing health, wealth, and business development.Amira is dedicated to helping others overcome adversity through her experiences and expertise,. She empowers individuals and businesses to thrive, offering guidance in financial management, personal development, and holistic well-being. Her newsletter ‘Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Free was born from this dedication, find it here: https://bit.ly/hhwfNewsWebsite: https://www.yourmoneyhabit.com.au/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Shannan came from a dysfunctional, abusive family with intergenerational addiction issues. She shares her story of overcoming her past and using her experiences to empower herself to change. She has worked very hard to overcome her addiction and realised, "If you want to make a difference in your life, you will invest in yourself because that is the only way you will grow and expand."Shannan now uses the knowledge she gained to help others release their past and find greatness within to live in confidence, strength, and freedom. Her passion is to teach as many individuals as possible how to create a life they love!In a series on her podcast, You Are Not The Only One, Shannan has people from all over the world talk about their moments of silence, what they've learned, and how they are changing other people's lives."I see it, you know, everything is just coming to me quickly and easily… because I've given myself the greatest gift, which is loving myself."BiographyShannan Mondor is a best-selling author, podcast host, public speaker and a mindset and manifesting coach. She created Fulfillment in Faith to teach others to have faith in themselves, which is the foundation for having fulfillment in every area of their lives. Shannan has created a collection of resources to help and guide you to your best life, including her book How in the Hell Did I Get Here? Her podcast, Fulfillment in Faith, and her programs, Fulfillment in Faith and 1:1 Coaching Through Fulfillment in Faith. Contactinfo@shannanmondor.comSocial Mediahttps://www.facebook.com/shannanmondorhttps://www.instagram.com/shannanmondor/https://shannan-mondor.mykajabi.com*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Kerrie grew up with alcoholic parents and began her own intense but successful struggle with alcoholism and mental health when she became an instant alcoholic after her first drink at fifteen. At eighteen, she joined Alcoholics Anonymous and has remained clean and sober since that day forty years ago.For thirty years, Kerrie has worked and volunteered in the business and community sector, helping those struggling with life issues find hope. She has a private practice as a trauma and addictions coach/counsellor and mentor, building connections. She has also worked with many young people in crisis at different schools on the Sunshine Coast.Four years ago, Kerrie founded “Stories of HOPE Australia”, a platform that runs monthly events bringing HOPE to the community. She has just released the second book in her “Stories of HOPE Australia” series ‘Resilient People, Remarkable Stories’. She has also created “Stories of HOPE Worldwide”, an online platform sharing stories of HOPE worldwide.BiographyKerrie Atherton,, Founder of Stories of HOPE Australia/Worldwide and EMPOWER Life Solutions, is a Keynote Speaker, Author, Mental Health First Aid Training Presenter, Event Host, and Trauma and Addictions Recovery Counsellor.In everything she does, her passion is to help prevent suicide and hopelessness and to bring connection and HOPE to people in times of uncertainty in a rapidly changing world.Social Mediahttps://m.facebook.com/StoriesofHOPEAustraliaStories of Hope Australia: https://storiesofhope.com.auStories of Hope Australia | Restoring Lives Is Our Priorityhttps://empowerlifesolutions.com.au/stories-of-hope/Stories of Hope Australia Books - Stories of HOPEhttps://au.linkedin.com/in/kerrieatherton-099259187Contact Kerrieinfo@storiesofhope.com.au*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at

Fran Garton’s story is about how she overcame severe fibromyalgia which was undiagnosed for many years. She describes the long pain-filled path through the medical system while she tried to maintain her work and family life until she finally found someone who knew what was wrong.She was told ‘You are a plant with no soil. You're literally just pouring the water in and it's just coming out the bottom of the pot, because there's no soil in there, nothing is being absorbed and you have so much inflammation throughout your body, that your body can't do anything with what you're giving it, even if you give it good food.’ After learning how to heal her body, her emotional and trauma issues and manage the occasional fibromyalgia flare-ups she now helps others. ‘I say to everybody, it takes time.’‘You have to heal yourself. Until you heal yourself and deal with all of that you can't move forward, you're holding on to something in the past. You can't change the past, why don't you deal with the effects that it had on you so that you can move forward in your life?’ BiographyFran Garton, #1 bestselling author, speaker, Body-Positive Personal Trainer, Pain Reduction Coach and Fibromyalgia Warrior, teaches people to live pain-free. Her passion is advocating for inclusive movement practices, body acceptance, stress reduction and learning to love movement. She enjoys volunteering with donkeys, playing with kittens, watercolour painting, cross-stitching and having dance parties. Social Media:https://www.instagram.com/frangartonpaincoach/https://www.facebook.com/fran.gartonhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLgxbhYO43_1B6y77ysx8wQhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-garton-4976a048/Contact:frangarton27@gmail.com*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at

Bishoy Tadros was born in Egypt. At the age of three the family immigrated to the US when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He grew up in Long Island, NY where he received treatment for ten years. On his thirteenth birthday, Bishoy underwent brain surgery and remains cancer-free.Bishoy shares his passion for health and fitness. He is an Iron Man and a six-time marathoner and has led charitable campaigns for the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Society raising over $100,000 since 2017. In 2019, Bishoy published his memoir, Break Barriers, to give readers a tool to channel the mindset to overcome obstacles whether they be personal, professional, or on the playing field. He has also created the Mile 40 podcast where other people tell their stories.‘Don't underestimate the power of that first step, although it's the hardest, it is undoubtedly, the most important step. It might take you longer than someone else but once you accept the fact that you are where you're meant to be… it'll take you a very long way.’ BiographyBishoy holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from SUNY Geneseo and an MBA from Fordham University with dual concentrations in Management and Finance. Navigating the professional world at the height of financial crisis, Bishoy started his career at J.P. Morgan where he held various titles at the organization across the Investment Bank and Asset Management. He was a member of J.P. Morgan’s 2017 Met Club and recognized for his work as a leader within the sales organization. In a career shift that has been deemed notoriously challenging, Bishoy made the leap from finance to tech in 2019 when he became an Account Executive at Salesforce.Social Media@bishoy_tadrosContacttadrosb@gmail.com*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Barb spent her childhood in New Hampshire then went to Boston University on a full athletic scholarship majoring in Elementary, Special, and Physical Education. She married in 2001 and had two children. After the terrible pain of losing her daughter Molly in 2016, her husband was ill, and Barb was suffering from brain tumours, she fell into a deep, dark place. She shares that harrowing journey and her long slow climb out of that place and how Jack’s birth when she was fifty-seven brought her to a blog and a podcast and the first steps in making sense of her life and using it to help others.BiographyI returned to New Hampshire after nine years in the Boston area and worked as a schoolteacher, sports coach, personal trainer, camp director, event manager and race timer. I continue to teach elementary school, coach CrossFit athletes, serve on a school board and workout regularly. Oh, and I am raising a daughter and a son! I currently live with my daughter Gracie who is twenty-one, my twenty-three month old son Jack and their father Kenny.Business name: A Thousand Tiny StepsContacthttps://athousandtinysteps.com/barbhiggins6364@gmail.comSocial Mediahttps://mollybfoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/barb.higgins.96https://www.instagram.com/barb_444/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Adam begins his story in the Solomon Islands where he grew up. At seven, he was traumatised by psychological abuse from a teacher which instilled a very deep fear of rejection. This resulted in not being able to display any abilities or skills and becoming introverted and an unhappy underachiever at work. Eventually he had a breakdown at a conference but met someone who loved his business idea and offered help which was the catalyst to make the changes he needed. He described tackling his fear of rejection and jumped into networking. He realised he needed to be responsible for his own life, shift from a self-created victim mentality and re-write his own story.Since making the shift, he is more action orientated in his business, but his whole life has improved by facing his challenges head on.BiographyI am passionate about values-based culture in business and believe that values alignment not only promotes good business culture; but also promotes positive changes in people’s wellbeing long term.I am famous for my ability to take complex ideas and present them as analogies to simplify the learning process.I help business owners with a service delivery process (IT service/tech delivery) to uncover their values directly from their purpose, vision, and mission. My program shows them how to embed their values into every customer interaction so that their team radiates their true values to their customers. This promotes a happy, purposeful, and values-aligned team that the owner can trust to make decisions and behave in line with their values. The result is team retention, customer retention and positive brand image to promote long-term growth, while the owner can focus on their vision for the company.www.bizualize.com.aubizualize.consult@gmail.comSocial Mediahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwalsh-bizualize/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Susan’s story is a harrowing and detailed account of an intense period in her life involving the U.S. medical system. Susan grew up as the daughter of the only doctor in a rural western Kansas town. After being a caregiver for her husband and a breast cancer survivor she has seen health care from three different angles. This has led to a passion to help doctors form better connections in all their relationships creating more balance in their lives and better outcomes for their patients.BiographySusan Bloom, a horsewoman for over fifty years is the owner and founder of Connection and Synergy™ is a Master Equine Gestaltist and an Equine Assisted Playshop Facilitator. Connection and Synergy’s mission is to help doctors create stronger relationships with themselves, their families, and their patients. This will bring more balance to their lives and help relieve stress. By having the tools to combat stress we can all live healthier lives. ContactBusiness Name: Connection and Synergyhttps://connectionandsynergy.com/ Social Mediahttps://www.facebook.com/ConnectionAndSynergyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbloom-connectionandsynergy/https://www.instagram.com/connectionandsynergy/susanb4008@outlook.com*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

The first part of Francois’ story is a gripping account of his life changing experience in the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. Losing friends there and elsewhere caused him to take the decision to accept his own mortality, live every day to the fullest, to inspire others to do the same and live their best life.He advises seeking professional help when its required is one of the most powerful things you can do. But you don’t need others to keep validating your pain or to keep suffering. Everyone has pain and copes differently with learning how to navigate adversity, his way was to help others and write a book to share his extraordinary story.BiographyI have been living a nomadic lifestyle for the past 7 years.I hunted crocodiles in Papua New Guinea.I am soon going to be dropped on a deserted island to survive for 7 days with nothing more than a knife.François is a former commando-paratrooper, a husband, an adventurer, an entrepreneur, and a tsunami survivor. He is the author of ‘The Illusion of Time: 11 lessons how not to suck at life’. As a High-Performance Coach & speaker, he helps entrepreneurs, CEOs, and executives to show up in a way they’ve never done before to achieve greatness.ContactBusiness Name: Chasing Excellence LLChttps://www.francoisdeneuville.comfrancois.deneuville.148@gmail.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/françois-de-neuville/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie This episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Dinesh Palipana is an extraordinary human being. He was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland and is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher. Halfway through medical school, he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused a cervical spinal cord injury. BiographyDinesh has completed an Advanced Clerkship in Radiology at the Harvard University.He works in the emergency department at the Gold Coast University Hospital and is a senior lecturer at the Griffith University and adjunct research fellow at the Menzies Health Institute of Queensland. Dinesh is a researcher in spinal cord injury. He is a doctor for the Gold Coast Titans physical disability rugby team. Dinesh is a senior advisor to the Disability Royal Commission. He is an ambassador to the Human Rights Commission’s Includeability program. He was a 2021 International Day of People with Disability ambassador. He is a founding member of Doctors with Disabilities Australia. He is an advisory board member to HealthyLife.Dinesh was the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service’s Junior Doctor of the Year in 2018. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019. He was the third Australian to be awarded a Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. He was the 2021 Griffith University Young Alumnus of the Year. Dinesh was the Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021. In 2022, Dinesh was listed as number 33 in the Courier Mail’s top 100 power list for Queensland’s most influential in health and wellbeing. His autobiography, Stronger, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2022.Contactdinesh@palipana.comSocial MediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dineshpalipana/Instagram: http://instagram.com/dinesh.palipana/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin LillieThis episode of Kintsugi Heroes was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au.

Joanne talks about her inspiring journey into becoming a true entrepreneur beginning with a conventional bank job after school as decided by her father, then an early marriage as was expected of her. She moved up through promotions in the banking and finance world that made her a role model for women, breaking the glass ceiling of that time as she developed and refined her skills. When she suffered the sudden loss of her husband in an accident and became a single mum, she began a solo business.She describes a series of business successes and failures. She demonstrates her courage, resilience, and ability to pivot into new challenges that continue to the present day.About our Guest:Joanne helps professional women feel that their sacrifice has been worth it and avoid the situation of being invisible to key decision-makers. Her vision is to inspire a reawakening of belief in self to create a movement of purposeful female leaders.Having owned over fifteen businesses in the last twenty years with a mixture of great success, she shares what she has learnt with a ‘No BS’ approach. Her journey has not been smooth, but it has undoubtedly been exhilarating, and she wants to share what she has learnt with others. Having launched her sixteenth business as she turned sixty, she is determined to shake up the university space with overseas Masters degrees like no other in Australia.Contact:YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_AFoQ5xxZ8JwGDVxCStc7A,FB: https://www.facebook.com/navig8BizI: https://www.instagram.com/navig8biz/LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navig8biz/?viewAsMember=true*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

Ian was born in Hamilton, Canada, a poor working-class steel town. His childhood was extremely challenging as his mother’s partner was president of an outlaw motorcycle gang. He tells his story of the violence and criminality which traumatised him in his early years.He describes how he survived and later thrived because of his placement with exceptional foster parents and his positive contact with several churches. This led him to have a deep and abiding Christian faith in his life.Once he escaped his childhood home and went to university in Canada, then later in Australia, he began to heal. As well as his Church activities he is part of Mentoring Men Australia.About our Guest:Born in Canada, he moved to Australia in 1994, married a local, and they settled here in 2004, after returning to Canada for a spell so he could complete his first two degrees.He is an avid ultramarathon runner and motorcyclist. In addition, he enjoys cooking, travel, and adventure, some planned but most not.He is a father, speaker, life and Leadership Mentor and Church and Community Leader.He is encouraging and equipping those who are good at being men to be good men. He wants to serve men and their families by creating safe spaces to talk through issues related to men and manhood, life and meaning. Also, to guide and mentor men in a life of discipleship. As well as to establish a Fresh Expression of Church with men and their families.Contact:FB: http://www.facebook.com/ianfjI: https://www.instagram.com/ianfojo/LI: https://au.linkedin.com/in/ianfj/T: https://twitter.com/IanFoJo*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

Melissa’s story is very inspiring. She shares with us how she grew up in a dysfunctional family in California and suffered childhood trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and alcoholism as a teenager. Despite this adversity, her courage and determination led her to meet amazing support groups, healers and mentors and eventually become sober and live an authentic and productive life. She has a long and successful marriage and a diverse career as a lawyer and coach in service to others in many different ways.About our Guest:Melissa is a purpose and mindset coach, mindfulness teacher, lawyer, podcaster and facilitator. She uses deep inquiry, mindfulness, and somatics principles to create space in the mind and uncover our true, whole, integrated selves.She has been a mindfulness practitioner for over 25 years, learning at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and later certifying through Dallas Yoga Center. In addition, she is a certified coach in life design and trained in somatics. She has been leading mindfulness practices for several years. Melissa earned her B.A. from U.C. Berkeley in English Literature and her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law. She lives in Oregon, where she roams the mountains with her husband, teenage daughter, and chihuahua pug.Contact:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-chureau-a8763810/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

Alan’s remarkable story describes overcoming the challenges that go with building relationships. He raised three young boys after his first marriage broke up. This was followed by business failure, then another failed marriage. His life began to change when he discovered his healing gift. Then he met a group of Aboriginal Elders for a year around a campfire. Because he wanted to learn, not to help, he was invited to go through an initiation into manhood.Alan shares how successful relationships begin with yourself and letting others come to you. He helps others by listening, understanding and helping them heal themselves. This led directly to the Campfire Project, where people tell their stories without criticism, counselling, or judgment. About our Guest:Alan Stevens is an International Profiling and Communications Specialist and has appeared on TV and media worldwide. He has worked with international clients, like Disney Films and Gillette, and high-profile organisations, like the Australian Federal Police, to help them to understand how people tick. Alan works with business owners and executives, helping them to understand and engage their clients and prospects, enhancing their presentations and negotiation skills. And with parents and teachers to help children to reach their full potential while improving the experience of parents, teachers, and students.His courses are Certified Learning Solutions, and he is a Fellow of the Institute for Learning and Performance Asia Pacific. He is focused on creating and training his own competition to the highest level and as quickly as possible. He believes “We need more people with the skills, but they have to be well trained”, and he has a moral obligation to find and train the best coaches to become the leaders in their fields.He also created the #WeTogether initiative and The Campfire Project, a safe place for men and women to give themselves permission to tell their stories. And share their experiences and wisdom from around the world. Alan is also a Director of The Business of Smiles, helping raise Mental Health awareness in the workplace and worldwide.Contact: LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/readingfacesFacebook https://www.facebook.com/CelebrityProfilerFacebook Business page https://www.facebook.com/ReadingFaces/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/face_profiler  *****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram ||

Don Mathewson is a true champion who shares his extraordinary story of courage, determination, a passion for athletics, and overcoming major physical challenges alongside a life of service to others. He is a Masters track athlete who has been World Champion on three occasions across different age groups and received fifteen other medals. During his pursuit of excellence, he has completed World Masters Athletics Championships in Finland, USA, France, Brazil, Spain and Australia. As well as holding several Australian and State records across different distances, he cycles with an early morning group three days a week and supports others through several forms of volunteering. About our Guest:Don joined the Royal Australian Navy at sixteen in a new scheme introduced by the Navy to provide more education for sailors to handle the technology in a modern navy. At twenty-one, he was promoted to Petty Officer. Two years later, he undertook Naval Officers training in the UK, winning the sword of honour for top candidate. He left the RAN after twenty-one years and began a career as a Field Director with World Vision International in the South Pacific. He became Senior Manager with a large talent management group as Senior Executive Coach. He worked there well past retirement age and then left to undertake volunteer roles.These include Mentoring Men, teaching English as a second language, being on the National Committee of Endeavour Foundation, a large disability support organisation and running a coffee mates group for older men. He teaches English to speakers of other languages and is passionate about mature age fitness and health.He has a keen interest in Politics, Climate and First Nations people and endeavours to keep across these issues through intentional reading.*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

Today Traci shares her very personal journey helping save her mom’s life… and colon… from Crohn’s disease, which doctors said was impossible, as well as her own experience with a terrifying combination of lead paint poisoning and toxic mould sickness that challenged her will to live. These struggles put everything she thought she knew to the test and drastically changed the course of her life. And she now helps many people worldwide achieve optimal health.About Our Guest:Dr. Traci Potterf, PhD, is on a mission to revolutionize care for people feeling overwhelmed by chronic anxiety and complex health conditions, which many don’t realize share the same underlying causes. She received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where she participated in a joint program with the University of California San Francisco Medical School. Her unique perspective comes from her early start as a Medical Anthropologist. She was fascinated with traditional wisdom and deeply concerned by the impacts of industrialization on indigenous communities. She realized that we are so mentally and physically ill because we live in ways that don’t work with our evolutionary biology. In other words, we work against and not with the intelligence of nature.Now a Functional Medicine expert and Patient Advocate, she has devoted her life to empowering everyday people with science-backed solutions that work with the genius of nature. Instead of covering up symptoms and continuing to decline, she promotes finding and addressing root causes, so we can thrive in living lives we love. She wants the world to see that we are nature, and we all have an inner genius that knows how to heal... from cell to soul.Contact:I: https://www.instagram.com/drtracipotterfphd/FB: https://m.facebook.com/innergeniushealth/YT: https://youtube.com/c/InnerGeniusHealthLI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traci-potterf-phd/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie

Gregory’s story begins in a violent and destructive home environment fuelled by anger and alcohol. He describes in graphic detail a life of neglect and trauma through his years as uncontrollable child in an orphanage. When he left at nineteen, he had no life skills and eventually ended up living as a recluse living alone in a rainforest in Northern NSW. He shares his experiences, the wisdom he accrued and his suffering as he explored himself and his family lines. Eventually he made a remarkable turnaround and ended up at university where he graduated and began his successful career. Gregory had his first tenured position at the age of 64, became a father at the age of 67 and enjoys the tranquillity of peace of mind.About Our Guest:Dr Gregory P. Smith is a Forgotten Australian born in Tamworth, NSW in 1955. He and four of his siblings were surrendered to an orphanage in 1966. He was considered a problem child (‘uncontrollable’), diagnosed as a ‘sociopath’ with mid-range intelligence, and was in and out of child ‘care’ institutions until 1974. Following his release from ‘care’, Gregory searched in vain for the skills to live a fruitful and rewarding life but became increasingly disillusioned with society and lived on the fringe as a recluse in a Northern NSW rain forest where he spent his time reflecting and reading important authors such as Douglas Adams. In 1999, through catharsis and serendipity, Gregory decided to give society one more chance, walked out of the forest and began to explore life from a different perspective. His life was transformed. In 2007 he completed a degree in Social Science, obtaining an Honours (1st Class). Gregory completed his PhD in 2015. His dissertation concerned how institutional childcare leavers experienced a sense of belonging, place and self as they aged. Today Gregory is a lecture and social researcher working to improve outcomes for the homeless and most vulnerable in Australian society. He is a Director for the End Street Sleeping Collaboration and a Special Consultant for the Global Advisory Council for CareSource USA. He is the author of the best seller Out of the forest (2018) published by Penguin Random House, the subject of two Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentaries and a successful TEDx.Contact:FB: https://www.facebook.com/authordrgregorysmith/*****We hope that you enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please take care: if you have been triggered by listening to this episode we recommend you get in contact with someone who can help keep you safe and give you the support you need. This may be Lifeline, AA, a friend, a counsellor, or some other support group.If you’d like to share your story on Kintsugi Heroes, please get in touch by contacting us via the website here - https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/contactWe hope you continue enjoying the heroes stories!Warmly, The Kintsugi Heroes teamYouTube || Facebook || Instagram || LinkedIn || WebsiteTheme Song: "Broken" by Colin Lillie