This podcast explores the diverse stories of individuals from all walks of life, delving into their struggles, experiences and passions. Each Episode invites listeners to connect with guests on a personal level, fostering understanding and inspiration through authentic conversations.
This podcast explores the diverse stories of individuals from all walks of life, delving into their struggles, experiences and passions. Each Episode invites listeners to connect with guests on a personal level, fostering understanding and inspiration through authentic conversations.
Former NBA All-Star James Donaldson joins the podcast and discusses his incredible transition from professional basketball to mental health advocacy.
James played in the NBA at the Seattle Supersonics and Dallas Mavericks as well as playing professionally in Europe for six years. He then went to open his own business in Seattle after he retired from basketball.
James opens up about the private battles he faced. He shares his vulnerable journey through depression and wanting to end his own life.
James then got help through professionals and through close friends. He talks about how he got the help and what he does now in discovering his mission behind his Gift of Life Foundation and the insights from his book.
James explores his work in suicide prevention and his dedication to helping others find a path to healing and purpose. This conversation is a powerful look at resilience, the importance of mental health awareness and the reality that your greatest victory can happen off the court.
25 episodes in and it’s finally time for a solo episode
To celebrate this milestone, I’m sitting down to answer your burning questions. From deep truths to random trivia and everything in between.
Huge thanks for sending these in. Let's dive in!
Willie Thornton is a Missouri-based DJ known as Wild Willie and host of the moving podcast, "Soul Impact: How Music Saved Us." Willie explores music as a lifeline, but today, he is sharing his own deeply personal story for the very first time. Willie's journey began with a rough and abusive childhood, and he found his essential coping mechanism and enduring love in music. He has faced immense challenges, including a battle with alcohol, the breakdown of his marriage, struggles with mental health and even time spent in jail. He emerged on the other side as a stronger, better man. I thank Willie for his courage in opening up and sharing his life and how music became the ultimate source of your resilience.
Podcast is available on all platforms
Instagram: soul_impact_hmsu
Oya Obinidodo is a rapper, author, filmmaker and content creator from Virginia. Oya shares her incredible story of resilience, from being a teen mom to courageously surviving and escaping domestic violence in three relationships. She also gives us an inside look at how she generates the ideas for her popular content.
Don't miss the conversation with the author of Living Around Dangerous Human Predators and How to survive Them Part 2 and the artist behind the albums Not Your Property and The Ruff Owtdowz.
Instagram: @Oyaobinidodo
Website: No Females Allowed
Dean Conway is friend from the gym and has always been a funny guy. However, he shares his story of his battle with depression and how he hid it for many years by putting on a happy face.
Dean talks about his struggles and inner battles he went through within his own mental health. This episode is quite deep, and I thank Dean for opening up and sharing his story.
Dean talks about how he gets through his battles and what support he has to get through it. He also talks about his upbringing, his career and his family.
This is a different side of Dean I have seen, and I appreciate him being vulnerable and talking about his struggle with mental health.
Tom Keevers shares his story publicly for the first time. In May 2009, Tom lost his younger brother, Henry, along with two other teenage boys, Hamish Stewart and William Hutchison, in a tragic car accident.
In this raw and honest conversation, Tom reveals the impact of this loss and emphasizes that the power of his support network which helped him immensely.
He explains how vital his friends and family were in helping him process the grief, proving that healing is a journey you don't have to face alone.
Kate Lee shares her journey from working in the Tourism industry to being a Teacher. Kate's opens up on how she went to Police to make a statement on her first day of teaching and before teaching her first class.
Kate talks about what high school teaching is like now and how important looking the student's wellbeing is. Kate also talks about how teachers are more than just educators.
Kate and I know each other from high school together so we share some stories and catch up after almost 20 years since school.
Kevin Johnston joins me for a deeply personal and raw conversation. Kevin has kept his painful and chaotic childhood a secret and, in this episode, he finally shares his story publicly for the first time. The content is heavy at times, but it's also a powerful testament to his incredible resilience.
Kevin opens up about the struggles of his past and how he has managed to maintain a positive outlook on life today. We also discuss his time as a full-time streamer for the video game Counter-Strike and the challenges of co-parenting his daughter.
We take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about our high school days and I am truly grateful to Kevin for his courage in sharing such an intimate part of his life. His story is a remarkable example of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Dean Cooper is an advocate for anti-domestic and family violence as well as toxic masculinity amongst men.
Dean first pursued a professional career in Rugby which he cut short. After trying a few difference courses at University, Dean found Criminology as the one that stuck and went on to work for the criminal justice system. After a few years, Dean found his passion in raising awareness against domestic and family violence and help address perpetrating violence amongst men.
Dean is also an amazing dad and husband who devotes himself to his family.
Will Craig from the Podcast 'Sunday Reset w/ Will & friends' joins me on the pod and shares his incredible story of being diagnosed at birth with a health condition called Hydrocephalus where the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain is built up and can cause damage to the brain tissue. Will talks about the mechanical device that helps drain the fluid but can break at anytime at which leaves him with 8 hours to live untils replaced. Will opens up about living with the condition and how it's made him want to excel.
Will also talks about his struggles with his mental health and what he does therapeutically through his writing, by starting his blog, publishing a book then eventually his podcast. Will is a huge advocate in raising awareness for mental health especially with men.
Will opens up about a tragic story of his girlfriend at the time passing away very unexpectedly and the toll it took on him.
I am a huge fan of Will and his content. Please check out his IG @mental_health_with_will, his blog, his book and his podcast.
Mel Morris has a funny and unique social media presence which shows videos of herself and creates gym content to help people go into fitness or to the gym who might feel insecure or self-conscious about their body. Her videos are modest and have no shame. Mel receives several regular messages about how much her videos help her.
She also posts for the gym clothing brand LSKD as an online creator which she talks about how she got into it.
Mel also talks about her upbringing, her career working as a childcare worker and how the industry has changed over time.
Mel opens up and shares her story of being a survivor of domestic violence as well as sexual assault. She talks about her mental health and how she was in a dark place for years. She also shares about her trying to take her own life and then getting the right help afterwards. I appreciate her courage talking about it as she mentions hardly anyone knows about her.
It's amazing how far Mel has come and after everything, she still shows up and keeps working and progressing in a positive direction.
Please find her pages IG and TikTok @Melcatraz
Chad from the Cheers Big Ears Podcast jumps on and talks about his upbringing, why he started his podcast and his love for pop culture.
Started in 2018, the podcast started as Chad and his co-host talking about whatever whilst having several drinks. Now it's less about drinking and more about talking.
We both get talk about mental health and why men struggle with asking for help when needed.
Such a great guest to have on and was so much fun talking with him
Please check out Cheers Big Ears Podcast on all platforms.
IG @Cheersbigearspodcast
Mikey is a mental health advocate based in Wisconsin and has his own podcast called Mikey on Mute which is about mental health and breaking the stigma,
On the episode, Mikey talks about his upbringing, how he was brought up to be a man and what that looked like.
The impact his parents separating had and then his mum being diagnosed with brain cancer. She bravely lived another 7 years after that.
Mikey then talks about his battle with his mental health and shares a story of when he tried to kill himself. He is grateful everyday he didn't go through with it and is getting the help through therapy and his inner circle.
Please check out his podcast and his IG mikey_on_mute_podcast
Beverley is the host of 'The Ready Set Share Podcast' which she talks to others about their healing journey and their lives.
Beverley opens up on the episode about her upbringing, having emotionally immature parents which impacted her mental health. She also talks about how she never found herself not fitting in at school which made it harder.
Starting in a career in banking, Beverley then changed over to Corrections for a few years and is not working as a life coach where she helps others with their journey and healing.
Please check out her podcast.
IG
the.rsspodcast
hummingbird_energy_healing
Rory is a published author with over 15 children's books and many more to come. Rory talks about how started his journey as an author.
Rory and his family sailed across the world visiting many countries when Rory was 9. Rory shares some cool stories and what life is like sailing across the globe with your family whilst doing distance education and experiencing the life at sea.
At 13, Rory came back to Australia where he found it hard to fit in at school. At first, it was tough especially because he was bullied. Rory shares about the struggles but opens up about how he got through it and learnt how to get out of his comfort zone..
Rory is my best friend whom I have known for many years. We briefly talk about that. He has had such a unique life and has a cool perspective on life which is why we are friends. We could of talked for hours, Rory has more stories to tell so maybe another episode is on the cards.
Please find his work
IG @roryhmatherauthor
Facebook Rory H. Mather
Website Rory H. Mather – Children's AuthorAll his books can be found online or Dymock Book Stores (Australia)
Laura and Bridget from the book loving Podcast 'Talk Lit Get Hit', both talk about how they started their Podcast, what makes them going as well as their love for books.
Laura and Bridget met in Kindy and became close friends in High School where they shared the same quirky taste in music.
Talking and reviewing books has brought hundreds of other people captivated in their words. Its a great Podcast and very funny too.
Please check them out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms .
IG @talklit.gethit
Jason shares and opens up about losing his wife to cancer and having to raise two young kids as a single parent.
Jason talks about how he managed with the grief for him and the kids, what he did for himself and for his kids to get through that period to ensure no one missed out on anything.
At the age of 62, Jason still goes to the gym on a regular basis which he talks about the reasons why he keeps going.
I appreciate Jason coming onto the episode and sharing his story. He is so incredible how positive his mindset is.
Why I asked Jake to be on the podcast is because of his amazing journey with overcoming mental and physical challenges.
Jakes talks about getting hit by a car whilst cycling which took a toll on his body and mind. It then made it hard for him to walk and be mobile ultimately leading to him putting on 50 kilograms and weighing 135 kilograms.
Jakes opens up about how he lost the 50 kilograms from fitness and his hardened determination.
An absolute pleasure having Jake on and truly inspiring.
Armando is a doctor and runs a Youtube Channel called Armando Hasudungan which he illustrates tutorials on medicines and biology.
Armando talks about growing up in Indonesia, going to boarding school in Australia at the age of 11 and living in Japan as a Teenager.
Armando shares about why he started to do medicine and how he started his Youtube channel.
Such a great and fun episode, Armando and I went to High School together so it was really good catching up with him.
Please check out his work;
http://www.youtube.com/@armandohasudungan
http://Armandoh.org
Instagram @armandohasudungan
Kieran is a guy I went to High School who is such a big advocate in raising awareness for mental health. He is big into fitness and has set a world record with three other people.
Kieran is a former chef and talks about how he changed careers over a decade and then made the transition into working with at risk youths.
Please reach out for help if you are experiencing mental health or reach out to someone who might be dealing with mental health issues. In the episode, Kieran and I talk about how much of an impact it has when someone reaches out for help.