When Deanna Cooney's marriage ended, she walked away with $50,000 in debt, zero financial literacy, and two young children relying on her. Her nervous system in complete disarray, she spent two years terrified.

Through vulnerability and honesty, Deanna shares how she learned to sit with her fear instead of avoiding it. She picked up 'The Barefoot Investor' and built practical financial skills. As her competence grew and her confidence followed, she added breathing techniques and nervous system regulation tools to feel safe. Together, these tools, along with reaching out for support, helped her rewrite inherited money stories and step into her own fierce capability and self-sovereignty.

Deanna's story reminds us we have the capability within us to navigate life's messiest challenges, but we don't have to do it alone. Small, consistent steps become the pathway to lasting growth.

About Our Guest

Deanna Cooney helps smart, capable leaders and high performers find their voice when the pressure is on. With 30 years as a professional performer and over a decade of teaching and coaching, she understands fear from the inside out. Her body-first approach builds nervous system capacity alongside practical speaking skill – going well beyond surface-level confidence. Working across corporate, creative, and leadership environments, Deanna translates performance tools from stage and screen into real-world communication that holds up when it counts.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e3

00:00 The Moment That Changed Everything

01:39 Facing Financial Illiteracy

06:08 The Fear of Loss and Judgment

10:29 Rewriting Money Stories

14:34 Finding Internal Strength

17:33 The Importance of Support

20:58 Breaking Free from the Feedback Loop

25:44 The Role of Support in Shifting Beliefs

29:11 Creating Internal Safety for Growth

33:58 Managing the Nervous System for Change

37:49 Building a Future Self through Safety

42:29 Lessons from Fear and Self-Trust

45:48 It's A Wrap

Kerry Milligan opens up about one of life's most difficult decisions: placing her aging mother Emmie in residential care. After seven and a half years of caring for her mother at home, dementia forced an impossible choice that triggered massive guilt and forced her to confront lifelong patterns of self-sacrifice.

Kerry explores the tension between her rational brain, which knew care was necessary, and her emotional brain, which screamed betrayal. Through support from Violet, a carer advocacy organisation, she discovered that asking for help wasn't weakness. It was the only way to truly care for her mother without completely sacrificing herself.

Along the way, Kerry shares how this experience connects to her broader journey of standing in her own power. This is a story about learning you cannot pour from an empty cup, that guilt and love can coexist, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you need help. Kerry's journey offers honest wisdom for anyone navigating caregiving, family dynamics, or the weight of trying to do it all alone.

About Our Guest

Kerry Milligan appeared for 10 years on the award-winning TV show Gogglebox alongside her mother Emmie and daughter Isabelle. Together, the three generations wrote a bestselling memoir, "Out of the Box," exploring important issues in women's lives through three distinct generational perspectives. When Emmie was diagnosed with dementia after seven years of living with Kerry, the family navigated the difficult transition to aged care. Emmie passed away in July 2025 at age 96.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e2

00:00 A Life-Changing Moment

02:49 Navigating Care Decisions

05:35 The Emotional Burden of Guilt

07:55 Finding Support and Resources

10:29 The Struggle with Guilt and Self-Advocacy

12:45 Understanding Aged Care Choices

15:14 The Journey of Letting Go

17:43 Balancing Care and Self-Care

19:53 The Long Goodbye and Grief Process

22:16 Navigating Aged Care Decisions

25:50 Life After Loss: Finding Joy and Community

27:39 Coping with Grief and Seeking Support

30:25 The Burden of Caregiving: Women's Experiences

34:01 Empowerment Through Education and Independence

37:21 Reclaiming Power and Identity

41:25 Lessons Learned: Advice for Future Generations

42:59 It's A Wrap

Alan Furlong shares his journey from high-achieving executive and entrepreneur to discovering authentic purpose. Throughout his successful career, including building and leading the team that scaled a business to £42 million in revenue, he admits he found himself living in shades of grey, successful on paper, but silently disconnected from what truly mattered. When burnout forced him to stop, hospitalised with what seemed like a heart attack, Alan began a journey of deep questioning and reflection. He reveals how his relentless drive for success masked deeper childhood trauma and also left him feeling hollow. Through vulnerability and courage, Alan shares how he learned to trust himself and walk away from everything. He now helps people with barriers to education and employment to build their own remarkable lives and describes his transformation simply: "Life is colourful." A story about recognising when grey is asking for your attention and discovering that letting go is the first act of courage that can transform your life.

About Our Guest

Alan Furlong is a successful former entrepreneur and executive who built and mentored multiple start-ups, and used his hard-won commercial expertise to help scale one business to £42 million in three years. Yet despite this extraordinary achievement, he realised he was living someone else's idea of a successful life. After stepping away from it all to wrestle with the deeper question "What is the point of me being here?" Alan now dedicates himself to teaching and helping people live more meaningful, impactful, and healthier lives.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e1

00:00 Facing Life's Challenges: A Personal Journey

04:20 The Turning Point: Embracing Change and Surrender

14:09 The Messy Middle: Navigating Uncertainty and Growth

19:45 Spiritual Awakening: Trusting the Process

22:53 The Journey of Surrender and Spiritual Growth

24:28 Navigating Career Transitions and Personal Insights

27:12 Understanding Fear and Embracing Change

30:00 Finding Color in Life: From Gray to Vibrant

31:30 The Power of Physical Challenges and Self-Discovery

36:13 Lessons from Pain and Growth

38:08 Advice to My Younger Self: Faith and Courage

39:34 The Gift of Peace Through Life's Journey

40:41 Top Tips for Embracing Your Calling

42:29 It's A Wrap