What do you get when a legless lad & a blind bloke walk in to a bar? A couple of mates on a mission to challenge what it means to be "tough".
Talkin Tough is a podcast brought to you by Ski For Life, an Australian charity committed to promoting mental health, wellbeing & suicide prevention. Hosted by double amputee Mike Rolls & blind Ben Pettingill, these two professional speakers and best mates know a thing or two about what being "tough" really means and it’s probably not what first comes to your mind. These conversations aim to redefine how we view the word tough through story, connection & a good ol’ dose of banter so that anyone doing it tough feels more comfortable reaching out for help.
What do you get when a legless lad & a blind bloke walk in to a bar? A couple of mates on a mission to challenge what it means to be "tough".
Talkin Tough is a podcast brought to you by Ski For Life, an Australian charity committed to promoting mental health, wellbeing & suicide prevention. Hosted by double amputee Mike Rolls & blind Ben Pettingill, these two professional speakers and best mates know a thing or two about what being "tough" really means and it’s probably not what first comes to your mind. These conversations aim to redefine how we view the word tough through story, connection & a good ol’ dose of banter so that anyone doing it tough feels more comfortable reaching out for help.

Fireman & father Mike Longshore, who also happens to be Mike’s brother in law, joins the boys to share his journey from Texas in the USA to how he ended up here in Australia and everything in between.
We make sure to hit Mike with the hard questions around his career including how many cats has he saved and is there actually a fireman pole in the station! As well as answering these tough questions, Mike also shares openly how his experiences as a fireman has impacted not only his own mental health, but has impacted his family, diving into what he has learned and what he now does to manage it all.
Plenty in this one for us all to learn something from and as always if you enjoy it, make sure you drop us a rating, leave a review and be sure to share it with your mates!
If this Talkin Tough episode has struck a chord with you and you could do with some extra support, please reach out to a trusted mate or professional or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also try the Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467 or TIACS on 0488 846 988.
To learn more about Talkin Tough and access transcripts visit - https://www.talkintough.com/
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The Talkin Tough team wishes to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands in which this podcast is developed, recorded & listened to. They recognise & honour the rich cultural heritage, deep connection to Country and that First Nations Peoples were first in language, first in story telling & first in sharing knowledge.