In this deeply moving episode, Ivan sits down with Dan Goodwin, a theatre practitioner and lived experience advocate, to explore how art, anxiety, and identity shape the human journey. From being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia at 21 to transforming pain into purpose, Dan shares how storytelling became his path to healing and leadership. Together, they reflect on vulnerability, sensitivity, and the power of holding space with dignity — reminding us that recovery isn’t about labels, but about reclaiming our humanity.

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, James opens up about his journey from surviving childhood abuse, addiction, and mental health struggles to discovering purpose, healing, and hope. Together, we explore the realities many men face but rarely speak about—shame, silence, anger, anxiety, and the long road toward recovery.

James shares how peer support, lived experience, community, and one person believing in him changed the direction of his life. From battling trauma to becoming a co-facilitator helping other men, his story is a testament to resilience, courage, and the strength that comes from speaking truth.

This episode sheds light on: - The hidden struggles of male survivors

- The importance of peer support and connection

- Finding meaning after trauma

- Healing through honesty, community, and compassion

- Why one supportive person can transform a life

- Reclaiming identity beyond diagnosis, past mistakes, or shame

If you or someone you know is walking through pain, this conversation offers hope, understanding, and the reminder that healing is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone.

Tautoko Tane: Male Survivors Aotearoa https://tautokotane.nz/ Tautoko Tane: Male Support Servces Waikato https://waikatosurvivors.org.nz/

Hoake Tātou – Walk With Me Called Hoake Tātou | Walk With Me, the presentations start in Southland in mid-September, and finish in Whangarei in March 2026. In total, 26 events will be held in 17 towns and cities, featuring a panel of presenters at each, including male survivors of sexual abuse. Visit https://tautokotane.nz/hoake-tatou-walk-with-me/#page-intro-block

This episode traces an extraordinary journey through women’s football history, personal resilience and the quiet power of community. Scottie shares how a casual kick-around in Germany led her toward a national career in an era when women’s football barely had a place to stand. She talks about discovering the New Zealand team in the seventies, fundraising for international tournaments, training in church halls, wearing hand-me-downs from the men’s teams, and winning the inaugural 1975 Asian Cup long before the Football Ferns had any official recognition.

Scottie speaks honestly about the joy and the pain, the friendships that endured, the selectors who overlooked her, and the way injury reshaped her playing career. She also reflects on being honoured nearly fifty years later and the meaning of finally receiving her debut cap after a lifetime of waiting.

Beyond football, Scottie opens up about running half-marathons, stepping into kickboxing at forty-eight, and the deep friendships built through Muay Thai, teaching, and community. This is a conversation about courage, humility, sacrifice and the spaces that become our happy place. It is also a celebration of a woman who helped shape the foundations of the game in Aotearoa, long before the world was ready to see it.

Puma celebrates Australian and New Zealand women's football trailblazers from 1975 https://www.puma-catchup.com/sports/we-celebrate-australian-and-new-zealand-womens-football-trailblazers-from-1975/

Asian Cup, 1975 from New Zealand History https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/asian-cup-1975

First Football Ferns and 1975 Asian Cup winners are still fighting to tell their story https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/494786/first-football-ferns-and-1975-asian-cup-winners-are-still-fighting-to-tell-their-story

This article is more than 2 years old ‘We started it all’: The first Football Ferns are still fighting to tell their story. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/29/new-zealand-football-ferns-world-cup-story

The rematch (and emotional reunion) that was 48 years in the making …https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2023/08/15/the-rematch-and-emotional-reunion-that-was-48-years-in-the-making/

In this heartfelt episode of the Authentic Leadership Podcast, Ivan sits down with Aidan — a young thinker whose honesty and depth reveal what it truly means to grow up between cultures. Adopted from China and raised in New Zealand, Aidan shares his journey of identity, confusion, and self-discovery.

Together, Ivan and Aidan explore what it’s like to live between worlds — East and West, expectation and individuality, tradition and self-expression. They talk about anxiety, family expectations, and the courage it takes to question what’s been handed down to you.

This is more than a story about youth or cultural identity — it’s a conversation about healing, authenticity, and learning to understand yourself in a world that doesn’t always make sense.

✨ A conversation that reminds us all to be kind to ourselves, to ask deeper questions, and to never stop learning who we are.

After more than 1,300 shows, Sheldon Brown reflects on the extraordinary journey behind Take It From Us — New Zealand’s longest-running mental health radio show.

In this heartfelt conversation, Sheldon shares how he turned lived experience into purpose, using radio as a bridge for voices once silenced. From his early years caring for his mother, to decades spent amplifying others’ stories, Sheldon’s work has brought the essence of humanity — vulnerability, humour, and heart — into the public conversation about mental health.

This episode is a tribute to a man who reminds us that healing begins with listening, and that true leadership often speaks softly.

In this deeply honest and moving conversation, Shaun Robinson, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, joins Ivan to talk about life, leadership, and what it truly means to live with authenticity.

Shaun opens up about his journey — from growing up as a minister’s son to finding purpose through service, from confronting depression and bipolar disorder to leading one of the country’s most influential mental health organisations. He speaks candidly about fatherhood, vulnerability, and the lifelong process of learning to accept oneself.

This episode is not about titles or achievements. It’s about being human — the quiet courage to hold both strength and softness, to lead with heart, and to find meaning in suffering.

For anyone who’s ever struggled to feel “enough,” this conversation is a reminder that authenticity is not perfection — it’s presence, acceptance, and the willingness to grow.

In this heartfelt episode, we explore the power of storytelling as a pathway through grief, loss, and healing. Our guests share deeply personal reflections on how podcasts and peer support can create connection and hope in the aftermath of suicide. Together, we discuss the importance of community, compassion, and cultural understanding in the way we hold space for grief.

The conversation also touches on how workplaces and families can better support those who are grieving, the need to celebrate lives rather than only mourn their loss, and the vital role of self-care for people supporting others. It’s an episode that reminds us grief is not something to “get over” — it’s something we grow through. Healing and grief can coexist, and through storytelling, we learn that we are never truly alone.

Support and Resources in Aotearoa New Zealand

Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak with a trained counsellor. It’s completely confidential and available 24/7 anywhere in Aotearoa.

Other Helplines and Support:

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or 09 522 2999 | Free text 4357 (HELP)

Suicide Prevention Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

Youthline: 0800 376 633 | Free text 234

Samaritans: 0800 726 666

Community and Bereavement Support:

Solace Support Auckland — a group offering comfort and understanding for those who have lost a loved one. https://mentalhealth.org.nz/groups/group/solace-support-auckland

Community Support Groups — find peer-led groups across Aotearoa. https://mentalhealth.org.nz/groups

Suicide Bereavement Groups — spaces for shared healing and understanding. https://mentalhealth.org.nz/groups?category=SuicideBereavementGroups

Aoake te Rā – Bereaved by Suicide Services — free, nationwide support for individuals and whānau affected by suicide.https://www.aoaketera.org.nz/

In this episode of the Authentic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Dave Burnside — a lived experience leader whose story spans addiction, incarceration, and recovery, to becoming a national voice for peer support and prison reform. Dave shares how one pivotal moment in a prison cell sparked a journey of transformation, leading him to champion lived experience in education, policy, and leadership. We discuss the power of peer support, the challenges of working within systems that often silence marginalised voices, and the urgent need to empower communities to lead change. Dave’s courage to turn inward, reimagine identity, and use his story for collective transformation is both humbling and inspiring. If you’ve ever wondered how lived experience can truly reshape systems, spark hope, and create movements for justice and wellbeing, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.