Challenges That Change Us

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Imagine being a regional farmer living in remote Australia. Then imagine deciding to swim the English Channel.This is part 2 of our chat with Brendan Cullen. I highly recommend listening to part 1 first. After his journey with his mental health, Brendan decided to make some big changes, and one of those was getting into swimming. But he didn’t just dabble, Brendan decided to go all in on swimming.In this episode he shares:-      His unexpected journey into swimming and how a simple local event sparked something much bigger-      The obsessive progression from short swims to extreme endurance training-      What it really took to prepare for the English Channel, including isolation, sacrifice, and relentless discipline-      The mental toll of training in remote conditions and the grind of simply accessing water-      The reality of the Channel swim itself, from brutal conditions to complete physical and mental exhaustion-      The moment he reached France and the emotional release after years of effort-      How this physical challenge compared to his earlier struggles with trauma and depression-      The importance of saying “yes” and how that decision shaped the entire journey-      The unexpected difficulty of life after achieving such a massive goal-      How sharing his story and writing his book became a way to help others and find purposeKey Quotes“After 12 hours, it was dark. I had no idea where I was. I had no idea how long I'd been in the water. I had no idea how far I had to go. I've completely gave myself over to the boat hoping that they would get me there.”“I got caught in a four and a half knot rip not far out of France, and that's a solid rip… so, you know, mentally really tough.”More about BrendanFind his website here. And his book here.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We know remote and regional Australia has often been a space where mental health and abuse can fester untreated, and Brendan Cullen’s story is a prime example of this.Brendan has always lived and worked on stations outside of Broken Hill, but his life has been much more than just managing stations.With his diagnosis of depression from the steps he took up to the Broken Hill hospital, he has found himself not only living a happier life but having opportunities he could never have imagined. From these opportunities Brendan has become an Ambassador for Lifeline Regional SA & Far West NSW and a Champion for the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern section We’ve Got Your Back initiative.In this episode he shares:-      His childhood growing up in the bush and the freedom that came with that life-      What it was like being sent away to boarding school from a young age-      The childhood sexual abuse he experienced and the impact it had on him for decades-      How trauma shaped his ability to read people and the world around him-      The effect of carrying secrecy, fear and shame for so many years-      How alcohol, overwork and constant pushing through became part of how he coped-      The warning signs of depression that were building long before he asked for help-      What happened when he finally walked into hospital and was diagnosed with depression-      The tools and mindset shifts that helped him begin healing and quiet the noise in his mind-      Why sharing his story through his book has opened the door for others to speak about their own traumaKey Quotes“I was flogging myself by running. I was flogging myself working. And then I was self-medicating at night, so I was just burning myself out totally.”“The closer I got, the worse I felt and I just thought it was my schooling, but I know that it was the abuse that I'd felt anxious, the uneasiness about all of that, and that feeling lasted for about 30 years.”More about BrendanYou can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE.  We’ve heard before about receiving a diagnosis later in life, but imagine the confronting experience of being admitted to a psych ward as an adult and being told you have bipolar disorder.Laura Schiller is a self-proclaimed hot-mess wife, mom of 3 and retired lawyer.  Five years ago she was a content wife, mom, lawyer, and successful entrepreneur and then she found herself unexpectedly in a mental hospital.  She is thankful for the experience and learned so many great lessons in the mental hospital. Now she signed on with a publisher for her book about her mental health journey. In this episode she shares:-      Her life before hospital-      Her experience of going to hospital-      How the psych ward differed to the mental hospital-      What she wishes she knew back then-      If she sees signs in your past that you had bipolar disorder-      What happened when they told her she had bipolar-      Her book and what she hopes to do-      What it was like leaving the hospital Key Quotes “They put me on suicide watch.  I had never been more confused in my life and I didn't know I was on suicide watch.” You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. TW: child sexual abuse and traffickingThis is part 2 of Robyn Cameron’s incredibly traumatic story of abuse, and trafficking inside a cult and continues to share the trauma she experienced and how she has come out the other side.own healing journey in the 1990s, combined with lived experience, inspired the creation of Golden Keys Healing, which she later supported with formal training including rehabilitation counselling and ongoing professional education.In this episode she shares:·      Robin’s description of what trafficking meant in her childhood and the strict systems that enabled it·      The horrific abuse she endured from a very young age and the way it was normalised within the cult structure·      The pain she still carries about other children who were also victims and her attempts to protect them·      How she survived by creating inner parts and protective personas to cope with overwhelming trauma·      Living with the contrast of appearing bright and bubbly on the outside while crying herself to sleep each night·      How suppressed trauma resurfaced through powerful body memories later in life·      Her determination to research and gather evidence to validate the experiences many people once dismissed·      The long and complex process of waking up from cult conditioning and unlearning its ideology·      What it meant to leave the cult and be completely shunned, losing her entire community overnight·      The moment she describes as finally feeling “alive” at 46 and beginning the process of truly livingKey Quotes“The hidden reality of my teenage years was living outwardly bright and bubbly, but inwardly I cried myself to sleep every night.”“Leaving the cult meant losing my entire community and identity overnight, which was extremely isolating and difficult to navigate.”“Father was forbidden to rape me before I was three.”More about RobynYou can follow Robyn on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook and her website.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Book in for our next burnout masterclass here.Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. TW: child sexual abuse and traffickingWe have discussed the horrors of child sexual abuse before, but Robyn Cameron’s story reveals a level of depravity an injustice that is truly shocking.Growing up in a cult she was subjected to abuse and mistreatment from an incredibly young age, but somehow survived and now is healing and sharing the lessons she has learnt.From a young age, Robyn has been deeply curious about how childhood experiences across cultures, beliefs, and social systems shape adulthood, leading her to begin exploring healing tools as early as 13. Her own healing journey in the 1990s, combined with lived experience, inspired the creation of Golden Keys Healing, which she later supported with formal training including rehabilitation counselling and ongoing professional education.In this episode she shares:-      Her deep emotional connection to the ocean as a place of safety and grounding-      Her life being born into and growing up in a cult-      What trafficking looked like in her childhood and the systems that enabled it-      The sexual abuse she suffered-      The burden she carried trying to protect other children and the guilt she held for years-      How she survived psychologically by creating different inner parts and personas-      The hidden reality of her teenage years living outwardly bright but inwardly shattered-      How trauma resurfaced through body memories and the long process of validating what happened-      The lifelong work of healing from cult conditioning and confronting internalised beliefs-      What it meant to leave the cult and lose her entire community and identity overnight-      Learning how to live, form relationships, and rebuild a sense of self after survival-      How she now finds purpose in healing work and helping others through creative and somatic practicesKey Quotes“What brings up the most amount of pain and grief is that there were other children that I wanted to protect from being raped and I failed.”“It was a death sentence for me to write to this group and say… I no longer want to be one of you.”More about RobynYou can follow Robyn on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook and her website.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Book in for our next burnout masterclass here.Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Trigger warning: suicide and suicidal ideationThis week we have the privilege to talk to someone with incredible experience working in the mental health space.Ken Meldrum has a history of being a registered nurse for 46 years working mainly in Rural, Remote Health and Mental Health. He specialised in Suicide Prevention and Men’s Health during the last 20 years.Ken retired from Qld Health 5 years ago and has since been employed with Lifeline Community Recovery, Stand By Support after Suicide Service and currently is working with Uniting Care Farmer to Farmer Support Service across Southern Qld and Far North Qld.Ken also established a Suicide Prevention Network since retirement in Boonah, Qld, through which he was able to raise money to establish two Blue Tractors within that farming community with the sign saying “Feeling Blue – Get Help” which has raised a lot of interest and sparked many conversations around suicide and suicide prevention. Other Communities across Qld, NSW and Tasmania are also establishing similar structures.Since May Ken has worked with old friends he has known for over 50 years from the motorcycling community to establish Blue Bikes on busy roads across Norther NSW and Qld with the same message, initially three were planned from March last year but the number is now approaching 20, we established a not-for-profit organisation titled the Blue Motorcycle Project Inc and a Facebook Group with now over 600 members.In this episode he shares:-      His life before working in nursing and how early experiences shaped his perspective of suicide-      His entry into nursing, work in jails and psychiatric wards, and the “baptism of fire” training that shaped his approach-      His encounters with people who took their own lives and the impact of losing patients and friends unexpectedly-      How rural and remote work and Indigenous community experience exposed the scale and causes of suicide risk-      The Blue Tractor and Blue Motorcycle Project—why visible roadside blue machinery/bikes start conversations about suicide-      The power of practical community-focused prevention-      His own lived experience of suicidal ideation, the protective factors that kept him alive, and what recovery looked like-      How connection, simple listening (“do no harm”), and community partnerships can reduce isolation and save livesKey Quotes"I just fell into a really dark place and I started to have real thoughts about taking my life.""It's the lack of connections, the loss of connections that cause the problem. Once people become isolated, that's when they're at risk.""The bottom line, the most important thing we can do is do no harm. Sit down and listen to ’em. Let them know someone cares."More aboutIf you feel you are struggling, you can reach out to the services below:·      Lifeline Counselling Service: 13 11 14 (24-hours)·      NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511 (24-hours)·      Royal Prince Alfred Hospital crisis service: 9515 6111 (ask for after-hours crisis workers)·      Beyondblue Support Service: 1300 224 636·      Headspace: 1800 650 890·      Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800·      MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Challenges That Change Us –Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We’ve talked about experiencing a health issue and not knowing the cause and we’ve talked about the impact of suddenly losing mobility from an accident. But what if you suddenly became paralysed, but no one knew why?That was the experience for Ro Clark in 2019.Ro is a Sunshine Coast based acrylic painter and graphic designer with over 14 years’ industry experience. After acquiring a spinal cord injury in 2019, she found solace and expression through her painting. Now, Ro works from her home studio, creating original acrylic artworks, limited edition prints and seamless repeat pattern designs. With a lifelong passion for art and design, Ro brings both technical skill and emotional depth to her practice.In this episode she shares:-      Her life before the accident-      The accident and what happened to her-      What she was like personally as she realised what was happening to her-      How realising the secondary aspects of being paralysed made life much harder for her-      The significant pain she lives with every second-      What the hard days of recovery looked like-      What tools from her past life did she pull on to survive-      Examples of her experiences with low accessibility-      How she looks forward now and what brings her joy-      Her art and how it helps herKey QuotesI could see my husband’s face and he could see the doctor and that is when I knew something was wrong.”“The pain is the hardest part for me now.”More about RoFind out more about Ro via her website and Instagram.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. We often talk about how challenges shape us, but planning and prevention are just as powerful as recovery. In this episode we bring back our in-house psychologist Vanessa de Sauty to unpack practical ways to set your year up for success, from visible yearly and weekly planners and color-coding to energy accounting, nervous-system awareness, and managing people-pleasing. Vanessa and I share lived and professional tips on spotting early stress signs (hyper vs hypo arousal), understanding ADHD, and building flexible containers that protect your energy.In this episode we share:-      The power of matching each family member’s energy needs (introvert vs extrovert)-      The pros and cons of using visible yearly and weekly planners with color-coding and foundations vs unique items-      The pros and cons of doing energy accounting to track deposits vs withdrawals and allocate chores by cost-      Why you need to know your nervous system window of tolerance — hyper arousal vs hypo shutdown-      The importance of recognising ADHD and using assessment, medication and strategies to improve function-      How to manage people-pleasing by pausing, deferring, delegating and remembering saying yes is saying no-      Setting 2026 by clarifying values, plugging priorities into the calendar and using workshops/resourcesKey Quotes“It's amazing how our body can start to display stuff that our mind hasn't caught up to yet.""When I say yes to something, I'm actually saying no to something."More aboutTo find out more about Vanessa, check out her website HERE.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Try our FREE burnout quiz.Grab your burnout workbook HERE. Claire Torkington has lived a life. That means there have been big highs, as well as some big challenges.Besides dealing with burnout, and fighting fires as a firefighter, Claire has lived through numerous other close calls and just avoiding multiple deadly incidents, including 3 terror attacks.Her career spans the globe as she has moved and adjusted to whatever life has thrown at her.Now she works with Ability Enterprises, a not-for-profit, social enterprise providing meaningful employment opportunities to marginalised individuals living in regional Queensland.In this episode she shares:-      Her childhood experience moving around the world-      The major attacks and disasters she happened to live through-      What she learnt from living through these incidents-      How she ended up looking after her dads mum in the UK and how that changed er life-      Her time as a firefighter-      the moment she collapsed-      The realisation she made about her mental health-      What she does when she realises she is going down the path of her health getting bad-      The mantras and lessons she has taken from her challengesKey Quotes"By the time I got to the gate of the complex, I was physically ill.""I was actually on a plane on September 11th flying to New York, and we were pulled out of the air...""I refused to accept initially that this fall over moment was anything to do with my mental health whatsoever or stress."More about ClaireFind out more about Ability Enterprises here.You can get involved with the podcast online On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOr on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeusIf you want to contact the podcast, email us here: support@challengesthatchangeus.comOr check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au