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.

Sometimes the moments that nearly break us are the ones that completely change how we choose to live.

Sharon Morrish had spent decades building. A career that saw her become a young female leader in male-dominated industries, a family of three children and, alongside her husband John, a crane business they grew from a single crane into a multi-million-dollar operation.

Then, without warning, a brain aneurysm ruptured.

Sharon woke days later on life support, with no memory of what had happened or of the goodbye letter she'd written to her family before emergency surgery. What followed gave her a very different perspective on resilience, success and how she wanted to spend the life she'd been incredibly lucky to keep.

Sharon's story is about backing yourself when others tell you not to, finding another way when the path in front of you disappears and recognising just how much strength we can find when life gives us no choice but to use it.

In this episode we share:

- Sharon’s early career and what she learnt about backing herself as a young female leader in male-dominated industries.

- Finding the inner strength to keep going when people around her actively didn't want her to succeed.

- The reality of balancing a demanding career with raising three children and feeling guilty whether she was at work or at home.

- Why Sharon and her husband backed themselves to start their own crane business when everyone around them told them not to.

- The risks, setbacks and sacrifices behind building their business over 20 years, including surviving the GFC, union battles and COVID.

- The brain aneurysm that ruptured without warning and left Sharon fighting for her life.

- The goodbye letter Sharon somehow wrote to her family before emergency surgery, despite having no memory of doing it.

- How surviving something she had only a small chance of walking away from changed Sharon’s perspective on life, resilience and what really matters.

- Why gratitude and recognising what is still good can coexist with some of the hardest moments of our lives.

- What it really means to rise when moving forward can sometimes mean simply getting through what is in front of you.

Key Quotes

“You go home and you have a big cry and you go, you're not going to beat me.”

“My subconscious was like, don't know whether I'm going to live or die, but I'm going to say goodbye.”

“You have to zig and zag. You have to go, all right, what can we do to make this happen?”

More about

Check out Shaz’s Linktree and follow her on Instagram.

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Find out more via my website.

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

Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to violent one punch assaults, 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.

This is a deeply personal episode about my dad, Kosta, and a story I’ve wanted to share with the care it deserves.

In 2019, one senseless act of violence changed the course of Dad’s life and our family forever. But this isn’t just a story about what happened to him. It’s about who he was before that day, who he still is today, and the love, grief, hope and resilience that have shaped the years since.

Most of all, it’s about remembering the person behind the diagnosis, and holding onto the parts of someone that trauma and dementia can never take away.

In this episode I share:

- The story of my dad, Kosta, and the man he was before dementia, brain injury and disability changed his life.

- How a coward punch in 2019 changed the course of my dad’s life and our entire family.

- The ripple effect of violence and why its consequences can continue for families long after an incident is over.

- What it means to grieve someone who is still physically present, and the complicated emotions that come with ambiguous loss.

- Why I believe a diagnosis should never become the whole story of who someone is.

- How I’ve learned that hope doesn’t always mean a complete recovery, but can be found in small moments of connection, laughter and recognition.

- What caring and advocating for someone who can no longer advocate for themselves really looks like.

- Why resilience doesn’t always mean overcoming trauma, but learning how to carry it without letting it take everything else.

- Why we shouldn’t postpone love, and the importance of saying and showing what someone means to us while we still can.

Key Quotes

“Sometimes hope is one tiny moment that reminds you the person you love is still here.”

“Violence does not end when the headlines stop. For families like ours, that can be where the real journey begins.”

“Rising is not always leaving the pain behind. Sometimes rising is refusing to let pain take everything beautiful with it.”

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, suicide 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 you reach extraordinary levels of success, but behind the scenes, everything is falling apart?

Lisa is a mother, entrepreneur, disruptor and author of 40 non-fiction books who has built businesses, inspired thousands and continually reinvented herself along the way.

As the founder of Collective Hub, her life has included incredible highs, devastating lows and more than a few chapters that could have sent her in a completely different direction.

In this raw and deeply personal chat with Effie, Lisa opens up about the parts of her story people didn’t see, the moments that changed everything and why she continues to believe that no matter how dark life gets, there is always another chapter to be written.

In this episode she shares:

- How her early drive for success came from wanting approval, and the work it took to stop looking outside herself for validation.

- Her experience with alcohol, suicidal thoughts and hitting rock bottom, and the decision that completely changed the direction of her life.

- How writing a book about happiness unexpectedly gave her a sense of purpose and became the beginning of an extraordinary career.

- The incredible rise of Collective Hub, and why having the courage to close it became just as important as having the courage to start it.

- What happened when business struggles, the sudden death of her dad and other challenges all collided at once, and what helped her keep moving through it.

- Her deeply personal eight-year journey to motherhood, including miscarriage, IVF, surrogacy and finally welcoming her son Hugo.

- Why reinvention has become such a big part of her life, from relaunching Collective Hub to writing fiction, learning AI and even becoming a DJ.

- Why the darkest parts of our stories don't have to define us, and how sharing them can help other people see what's possible.

- And another exciting part of her motherhood story, this December she’s due to welcome a baby girl through another inspirational surrogacy journey.

Key Quotes

“The drinking and all of the other messy pieces, I think what's really important to remember is they're a part of my story, they're not my story.”

“But then the breakthroughs are better than the breakups. You just gotta hang in there for them.”

More about Lisa

Follow Lisa on Instagram.

Follow Collective Hub On Instagram, via their website, or check out the new app.

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, suicide and other potentially distressing experiences. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

Whether you're recovering from trauma, navigating anxiety or simply looking for practical ways to strengthen your mindset, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on the power of the mind.

I was lucky to sit down with Sydney-based clinical sports hypnotherapist Ian Priest, whose work has helped everyone from everyday Australians to elite athletes overcome mental barriers, build resilience and perform at their best. Drawing on his own journey into hypnotherapy and years of international training, Ian shares why lasting change isn't about erasing the past, it's about changing the patterns that keep us stuck.

In this episode he shares:

- Why clinical hypnosis has nothing to do with stage shows - and how it helps people create lasting change.

- How trauma, anxiety and PTSD keep us stuck in survival mode, and practical ways to break that cycle.

- The simple techniques that can help you calm your nervous system when you're feeling overwhelmed.

- What elite athletes can teach us about confidence, focus and performing under pressure.

- Why changing your thought patterns without erasing the past is the key to moving forward.

- The role sleep, breathing and relaxation play in healing and building resilience.

- How small daily habits like gratitude and grounding can strengthen your mental wellbeing.

- Why finding the right person to support you can make all the difference in your recovery journey.

Key Quotes

"If you're having the worst day of your life, you're well and truly inside your head."

"Find someone that you can open up to and you can trust to talk to."

"We don't need to remove it, but we need to take its power away, its energy away."

More about Ian

Find out more via the Clinical Sports Hypnosis website, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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, 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.

Trigger warning, this podcast contains discussions relating to This episode includes discussions of trauma, toxic and abusive relationships, narcissistic behaviour, emotional manipulation, infidelity, domestic violence, and relationship healing. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call Lifeline on 131114.

Welcome to one of our phoenix episodes where I share a lesson from my personal journey.

For this episode I am joined by the incredible Dee Light. who helped me heal the relationship patterns created by my trauma so I could choose myself instead of repeating unhealthy relationships.

Dee has the gifted knack of seeing the biggest picture, and distilling it into sizable, easy to digest steps. Her capacity to take a dilemma and uncover the way out, is an everyday challenge she sees as part of her role in these dynamic times. There is always a solution, a path forward. Dee has studied and applied many modalities over the last forty years and has distilled them down to her own unique approach that gets results.

Her vast background includes working in a government position with classified clearance, to working in the glossy world of advertising and the unpredictable world of fashion, to teaching accelerated Japanese language to 3,000 staff of a loved airline, to establishing an ultra-natural skincare and perfume company with her husband of 37 years. Her energetic work is highly sought after and effective, helping a cross section of clients find stability, clarity and inspiration in times of great change.

In this episode we share:

- Why no one else can complete you and you have to complete yourself first.

- How unresolved trauma can keep you repeating unhealthy relationship patterns.

- The difference between cherishing someone and possessing them.

- Why healing your relationship with yourself changes the relationships you attract.

- How to recognise the foundations of a conscious, healthy relationship.

- Why choosing yourself is essential after leaving a toxic relationship.

- Practical ways to clear old relationship energy and move forward.

- Simple practices to raise your self-worth and attract healthier relationships.

Key Quotes

"Nobody, nobody is going to complete you. All right? You are going to complete yourself."

"Kindness to self, it's a human quality that's intrinsic to who we are as human beings."

"You cherish somebody, you don't possess them."

More about Dee

Check out the manifesto of light website, the light and co website, follow Dee on Instagram and listen to her podcast.

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.