Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to PTSD, trauma, mental health, suicide and other potentially distressing experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

Healing doesn't always come from the places we expect. For me, one of the most transformative parts of recovering from PTSD and breast cancer amidst the COVID pandemic wasnt found in a therapy room. It was found in creating a space that gave me something to look forward to each day, restored a sense of purpose, and reminded me that I was still capable of building something beautiful.

As I navigated the loss of my policing career, my health, and so much of the identity I'd attached to both, I discovered that rebuilding my environment was quietly helping me rebuild myself. Along the way, I learned that purpose isn't always found in life-changing moments. Sometimes it grows through the small, ordinary decisions that restore hope, confidence and a sense of control, one step at a time.

In this episode I share:

- How rebuilding my outdoor space became part of rebuilding myself after trauma.

- Why showing up for small daily tasks gave me purpose when I needed it most.

- The unexpected role creativity, routine and building something played in my healing.

- Why creating an environment that feels safe helped calm my mind and body.

- The policing skills I didn't realise would help me build a completely new chapter.

- Why you don't need a major renovation to start rebuilding confidence and hope.

- Three practical ways I've learned to create purpose, agency and healing through everyday projects.

Key Quotes

"Trauma shrinks your world. Creativity does the opposite. It expands your world again."

"The sanctuary wasn't really the house. The sanctuary had slowly become me."

"Every small decision reminded me I still had choices."

You can get involved with the podcast online

You can follow us on Instagram.

Find out more via my website.

You can reach out to me via email.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to PTSD, trauma, mental health, other potentially distressing experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

For four decades, Margi was trapped in the grasp of narcissistic abuse, a struggle that went unrecognised even by the 17 mental health professionals she consulted. While her life appeared successful on the outside, internally she was living with a deep, unnameable despair.

Everything changed after a chance conversation with a friend who shared her experience of a narcissistic employer. Hearing a story that so closely mirrored her own finally gave Margi the language and understanding she had been searching for. That moment of clarity became the catalyst for a deep exploration into narcissism, which is now the sole focus of her counselling practice.

Today, Margi is dedicated to helping survivors heal from narcissistic relationships. Drawing on both her lived experience and professional expertise, she supports people as they navigate the complex journey of recovery, rebuild their identity and reclaim their lives.

In this episode she shares:

- How narcissistic abuse slowly strips away your identity without you even realising it's happening.

- Why survivors often mistake chaos for love and keep returning to unhealthy relationship patterns.

- The hidden impact of coercive control, gaslighting and the "thousand tiny cuts" that wear people down over time.

- Why leaving a narcissistic relationship is only the beginning of the healing journey.

- The survival behaviours that protect us during abuse but keep us stuck afterwards.

- Her three-stage process for moving from survival mode to rebuilding your identity and confidence.

- Why learning to choose yourself isn't selfish, it's essential for healing.

- What thriving after narcissistic abuse actually looks like, and why a peaceful life is possible.

Key Quotes

"Love and harm do not live in the same place. They don't coexist."

"We just have to find ourselves again because we were removed essentially."

"It's not like computer software that you just update. We have to go and remove those patterns first."

More about Margie

Find out more on the Narcissist Nab website, or follow Margie on Instagram.

You can get involved with the podcast online

You can follow us on Instagram.

Find out more via my website.

You can reach out to me via email.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to PTSD, trauma, mental health, and other potentially distressing experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

What happens when the title you've carried, the career you've loved, or the version of yourself you've always known is suddenly gone? In this solo episode, I share my own journey of losing my identity after leaving the police and why rebuilding who we are is often one of the hardest, yet most important, parts of healing. If you've ever wondered who you are after trauma, loss or a major life change, I hope this conversation reminds you that your identity isn't fixed, it's something you can continue to shape with courage, compassion and hope.

In this episode I share:

- The hidden grief of losing your identity after trauma or leaving a career.

- Why healing isn't about becoming your old self again.

- The difference between asking "Who was I?" and "Who am I becoming?"

- How trauma, PTSD and life-changing events reshape identity.

- The invisible losses we rarely acknowledge after major life transitions.

- Why your job, title or role is never the sum of your worth.

- How to celebrate the person you're becoming instead of mourning who you were.

- Three practical takeaways for rebuilding identity with self-compassion and purpose.

Key Quotes

"Healing isn't backwards. Healing is forwards."

"Identity isn't something you find, it's something you create in every conscious decision."

"Your identity isn't what happened to you. It isn't the uniform you wore. Your identity is found in the courage and bravery to keep becoming."

You can get involved with the podcast online

You can follow us on Instagram.

Find out more via my website.

You can reach out to me via email.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.