Best Kintsugi Heroes Podcasts (2024)

1
How an ADHD Diagnosis, Music and Human Sciences Saved Me with Dan Grey 26:13

1d ago26:13

26:13

Dan Grey grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and loves to surf. He had a loving and nurturing childhood with strong familial relationships and connections to nature. He was academically challenged due to ADHD, which required extra support in school and medication during high school that significantly improved his grades. He studied public hea…

1
How Surviving a Flood Deepens a Loving Partnership with Carina Moonen 34:28

4d ago34:28

34:28

Carina and her husband Leith were severely impacted by the 2022 flood but because they live at Warkworth, away from the main flood area and cut off by flooded roads, they were not assisted by emergency services. “I was a little bit bitter that nobody had come, simply because if Leith hadn't been here, I would not have left. I would have waited for …

1
Being Emotionally Open & Vulnerable in spite of Trauma with Jason Higson 53:22

9d ago53:22

53:22

Jason’ s mother gave birth to him at a very young age of 15. Because of this he grew up in a challenging, lower socioeconomic environment with difficult family dynamics. Jason also experienced sexual abuse by a family member, which led to long-lasting effects such as PTSD and flashbacks. These factors, along with his grandfather’s mental health str…

1
When Emergency Support Means Compassion for a Community with Annie Cossins 46:49

11d ago46:49

46:49

Annie is a volunteer firefighter and a deputy captain with Wollombi Brigade in the Lower Hunter District. During the floods in 2022, along with many other firefighters in Wollombi Brigade, she undertook the daunting task of cleaning out local residents' flooded homes and businesses. She learnt how important it was for residents to start the recover…

1
Advocating for Accessibility after Legally Blind at 42 with Narelle Gatti 31:15

16d ago31:15

31:15

Narelle has a severe vision impairment that means she uses a guide dog to get around. She only started to lose my sight about 16 years ago and has lived with only seeing shapes for the last two years. She is an advocate for digital accessibility in Australia and work to let people know about the benefits of ensuring that everyone can access the inf…

1
Providing Shelter & Empathy for the Broke Community with Kirsty & Quinton McLeod 1:04:50

19d ago1:04:50

1:04:50

Kirsty and Quinton McCleod are a couple who manage Starline Alpacas Farmstay in Broke. They have a shared passion for farming, agritourism and for the growth and development of our region. Quinton came to the region with an interest in viticulture , but his farming background saw him return to his first love, and Alpacas took the limelight. Kirsty …

1
Terminated Employment & Challenging Surgeries after Cancer Diagnosis with Paul Tredinnick 1:18:44

23d ago1:18:44

1:18:44

Paul has had an amazing business career in marketing some of the world's largest consumer brands including McDonalds, Burger King and Snickers. He has had lot of fun in growing large and small organisations even setting up his own business to launch into Australia an amazing soft drink brand from Scotland called Irn-Bru. While his life has been fil…

1
The Traumatic Impact and Toll a Flood Takes with Leith Moonen 1:15:39

25d ago1:15:39

1:15:39

Leith has a heart rending story about the events of the 6th of July 2022, when he and his wife, Carina, were caught up in the floods and lost everything. Their village, Warkworth, was out of the way and not part of the hub of activity in the area, but they were heavily impacted on the day of the flood. They ended up camping by the roadside in atroc…

1
Living with Crohn's Disease and Infectious Optimism with Justan Singh 56:40

1M ago56:40

56:40

Justin has had a lifelong battle with Crohn's disease, a crippling bowel condition. His courageous story is about the consequences of that disease, both physically, emotionally, and psychologically, of chronic illness, including the medical interventions and the setbacks around that. Justin believes he had got the disease because of his family dyna…

1
The Broke Community Hall: a Hub of Connection & Empathy with Evelyn Hardy 54:44

1M ago54:44

54:44

Evelyn Hardy is a well -loved local pillar of the local community in Broke. She loves to keep busy and found that during the 2022 floods her commitment to the wellbeing of the local community was a way of dealing with her own losses in the flood. In her story she shares her experiences during the floods. As secretary of the Broke Community Hall and…

1
A Stage 4 Diagnosis is not the End of your Options with Dominic Lynch 45:00

1M ago45:00

45:00

In December 2022, Dominic was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Not only did this have a huge impact on him and his family, but it also clearly shook those around him, particularly his male peers, to whom he had always been a pillar of strength. His treatment is ongoing, and he does not yet see himself as a cancer ‘survivor’. He has used his livi…

1
The Reality of Floods for Emergency Services with Tony Hawkins 41:42

1M ago41:42

41:42

Tony is a long-time resident of the Wollombi area up near Broke. He moved there with his partner in 1992. His story concerns the 2022 Broke and Bulga and Wollombi flood situation. He has a unique perspective because of his long association with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and community support. During floods, the community reaches out for help and…

1
Shining Light on Men's Mental Health through Advocacy with Bradley Spillane 51:03

2M ago51:03

51:03

Bradley Spillane is an advocate, a community volunteer and spokesperson. Through the men's mental health radio show on Radio Blue Mountains, he is a lodestone, a centre for people talking about something that wasn't fashionable when he started, which was men's mental health and men's health in general This episode is a brutally honest, in-depth con…

1
Connection and Compassion in the Community after the Flood with Carly Dawson 52:47

2M ago52:47

52:47

Carly Dawson only moved into Broke almost a year to the day before the floods. She had been around the area for a while before that after she and her and her son had spent a long time travelling and working around Australia with a caravan, but with no plans to settle in Broke. Circumstances led them to the Hunter and she subsequently got a job in t…

1
Beyond the Deluge: Flood Resilience Stories from the Hunter Valley 4:16

2M ago4:16

4:16

G'day, John Millam from Kintsugi Heroes, and welcome to Beyond the Deluge. There are some encounters in life that no amount of preparation planning and past experience will equip us to deal with when they hit. On the 6th of July, 2022, the rivers and streams outside of Wollombi broke and other villages in the Undervalley, New South Wales flowed ove…

1
Escaping an Exploitative Marriage to Find Self-Empowerment with Romina Lee 44:33

2M ago44:33

44:33

Romina’s story begins with her being swept off her feet by an amazing man after a previous violent relationship. Their marriage developed into her feeling compelled to take part in webcam sex with her partner and other people. Naively she went along with it for eleven years, thinking it was what she had to do as a married woman even though her whol…

1
Her Family's Fight through Cerebral Palsy & Mental Illness with Amira MacCue 32:14

2M ago32:14

32:14

Amira's life has been defined by early adversity, including the loss of young family members to illness, accidents, and mental health issues. These experiences instilled in her a deep empathy and a drive to alleviate suffering. Becoming a mother to a child with cerebral palsy at 20 further shaped her journey, fostering resilience and determination …

1
Generational Addiction Conquered through Self-discovery with Shannan Mondor 1:13:44

2M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

Shannan came from a dysfunctional, abusive family with intergenerational addiction issues. She shares her story of overcoming her past and using her experiences to empower herself to change. She has worked very hard to overcome her addiction and realised, "If you want to make a difference in your life, you will invest in yourself because that is th…

1
Controlling Addiction and Sharing Stories of Hope with Kerrie Atherton 46:02

2M ago46:02

46:02

Kerrie grew up with alcoholic parents and began her own intense but successful struggle with alcoholism and mental health when she became an instant alcoholic after her first drink at fifteen. At eighteen, she joined Alcoholics Anonymous and has remained clean and sober since that day forty years ago. For thirty years, Kerrie has worked and volunte…

1
Beating Fibromyalgia and Healing Yourself before Moving Forward with Fran Garton 58:05

3M ago58:05

58:05

Fran Garton’s story is about how she overcame severe fibromyalgia which was undiagnosed for many years. She describes the long pain-filled path through the medical system while she tried to maintain her work and family life until she finally found someone who knew what was wrong. She was told ‘You are a plant with no soil. You're literally just pou…

1
From Brain Surgery at 13 to Health, Fitness & Success with Bishoy Tadros 42:25

3M ago42:25

42:25

Bishoy Tadros was born in Egypt. At the age of three the family immigrated to the US when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He grew up in Long Island, NY where he received treatment for ten years. On his thirteenth birthday, Bishoy underwent brain surgery and remains cancer-free. Bishoy shares his passion for health and fitness. …

1
The pain of losing a child and the slow climb back with Barb Higgins 57:55

3M ago57:55

57:55

Barb spent her childhood in New Hampshire then went to Boston University on a full athletic scholarship majoring in Elementary, Special, and Physical Education. She married in 2001 and had two children. After the terrible pain of losing her daughter Molly in 2016, her husband was ill, and Barb was suffering from brain tumours, she fell into a deep,…

1
From Fear of Rejection to Changing Value & Vision with Adam Walsh 46:32

3M ago46:32

46:32

Adam begins his story in the Solomon Islands where he grew up. At seven, he was traumatised by psychological abuse from a teacher which instilled a very deep fear of rejection. This resulted in not being able to display any abilities or skills and becoming introverted and an unhappy underachiever at work. Eventually he had a breakdown at a conferen…

1
Finding Strength & Vulnerability through Cancer with Susan Bloom 41:09

4M ago41:09

41:09

Susan’s story is a harrowing and detailed account of an intense period in her life involving the U.S. medical system. Susan grew up as the daughter of the only doctor in a rural western Kansas town. After being a caregiver for her husband and a breast cancer survivor she has seen health care from three different angles. This has led to a passion to…

1
Facing death in Indonesia but learning to live for now with Francois de Neuville 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

The first part of Francois’ story is a gripping account of his life changing experience in the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. Losing friends there and elsewhere caused him to take the decision to accept his own mortality, live every day to the fullest, to inspire others to do the same and live their best life. He advises seeking professional help when …

1
Resilience and changing your life after a spinal cord injury with Dinesh Palipana 28:00

4M ago28:00

28:00

Dinesh Palipana is an extraordinary human being. He was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland and is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher. Halfway through medical school, he was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused a cervical spinal cord injury. Biography Dinesh has completed an Advanced Clerkship in Radio…

1
REPLAY: How business & personal trauma informs our values and purpose with Joanne Brooks 48:18

4M ago48:18

48:18

Joanne talks about her inspiring journey into becoming a true entrepreneur beginning with a conventional bank job after school as decided by her father, then an early marriage as was expected of her. She moved up through promotions in the banking and finance world that made her a role model for women, breaking the glass ceiling of that time as she …

1
REPLAY: Persisting through a fearful childhood with determination with Ian Forest-Jones 51:30

5M ago51:30

51:30

Ian was born in Hamilton, Canada, a poor working-class steel town. His childhood was extremely challenging as his mother’s partner was president of an outlaw motorcycle gang. He tells his story of the violence and criminality which traumatised him in his early years. He describes how he survived and later thrived because of his placement with excep…

1
REPLAY: Unmasking trauma, ADHD and addiction for a better life with Melissa Chureau 53:10

5M ago53:10

53:10

Melissa’s story is very inspiring. She shares with us how she grew up in a dysfunctional family in California and suffered childhood trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and alcoholism as a teenager. Despite this adversity, her courage and determination led her to meet amazing support groups, healers and mentors and eventually become sober and live an authenti…

1
REPLAY: Listening & being present for your peers & community with Alan Stevens 51:13

5M ago51:13

51:13

Alan’s remarkable story describes overcoming the challenges that go with building relationships. He raised three young boys after his first marriage broke up. This was followed by business failure, then another failed marriage. His life began to change when he discovered his healing gift. Then he met a group of Aboriginal Elders for a year around a…

1
REPLAY: Overcoming illness & fighting depression while competing as an elite athlete with Don Mathewson 49:38

5M ago49:38

49:38

Don Mathewson is a true champion who shares his extraordinary story of courage, determination, a passion for athletics, and overcoming major physical challenges alongside a life of service to others. He is a Masters track athlete who has been World Champion on three occasions across different age groups and received fifteen other medals. During his…

1
REPLAY: Healing from a toxic home through functional medicine with Dr. Traci Potterf 53:07

5M ago53:07

53:07

Today Traci shares her very personal journey helping save her mom’s life… and colon… from Crohn’s disease, which doctors said was impossible, as well as her own experience with a terrifying combination of lead paint poisoning and toxic mould sickness that challenged her will to live. These struggles put everything she thought she knew to the test a…

1
REPLAY: From orphaned, addicted & alone to success in academia with Gregory Smith 51:41

6M ago51:41

51:41

Gregory’s story begins in a violent and destructive home environment fuelled by anger and alcohol. He describes in graphic detail a life of neglect and trauma through his years as uncontrollable child in an orphanage. When he left at nineteen, he had no life skills and eventually ended up living as a recluse living alone in a rainforest in Northern…

1
REPLAY: One person can change the direction of your life with Lena Papadopoulos 39:51

6M ago39:51

39:51

Lena describes her dysfunctional family and a long struggle with depression, including suicidal ideation. The loss of a close friend to suicide without her being aware of his pain provided the basis of her passion for creating safe places for other people to find acceptance and support when they need help. Lena faced her own fears to create a pathw…

1
REPLAY: Surviving crippling loss and changing your life with John Milham 57:32

6M ago57:32

57:32

In this first guest podcast, the Kintsugi Hero is John Milham. He describes his journey from the crippling grief of losing his childhood sweetheart and beloved wife to how he survived and later thrived. At the same time, he completely changed his life's direction and identity while raising his three young children. He tells his harrowing story with…

1
ANNOUNCEMENT: We're releasing our new and improved first episodes! 2:22

6M ago2:22

2:22

If you've been with us from the beginning, you'll know we've had an incredible year of episodes for the podcast, hearing inspiring stories of our guests rising above their addiction, trauma, mental illnesses and more. The Kintsugi Heroes Team has also grown and, as I'm sure you can understand, 50 episodes of a podcast is a lot! With this in mind, w…

1
Finding resilience and surviving the Three Ds with Natalie Stockdale 45:28

6M ago45:28

45:28

Natalie shares her story about the experiences she had that enabled her to create her resilience tools and shares several of them with us. As a young woman she experienced the heartbreak of drought in the outback when suffering stock were lost or had to be destroyed. Drought was the first of the three D’s that led to working in animal welfare. Her …

1
Addressing PTSD as a veteran and finding your gratitude with Terry James 42:28

7M ago42:28

42:28

Terry is an early baby boomer. His life plan to become an archaeologist changed when he was conscripted into the Australian Army in 1966. He shares some of his traumatic experiences as an elite soldier. After two years he left the army and became an accountant and put the military out of his mind. Over time, the memories flooded back, and he had to…

1
Rising above a traumatic childhood and changing lives with Danny Lloyd 1:04:05

7M ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Danny grew up in Guernsey Channel Island, bullied for being grossly overweight. He had a good home with a hardworking single mum but didn’t fit in. He was surrounded by wealth and privilege and felt trapped and became involved with drinking, drugs and violence. After many other experiences and now living in Australia, Danny had a moment in time whe…

1
A life of love and business after a traumatic childhood with Judy Van Nierkerk 49:27

7M ago49:27

49:27

Judy’s truly remarkable story begins at the age of fifteen after a childhood of unimaginable fear and torment as a victim of sexual enslavement by her father. She had the first of several extraordinary 'transcendent' experiences that gave her insight into the extraordinariness of who we are. She learned that we could access the universal intelligen…

1
The truth about Child Slavery & being part of the solution with Paul Mergard 56:04

7M ago56:04

56:04

Paul’s story is very moving, confronting but overall filled with hope. Over the past two decades, Paul has spent multiple nights in some of the darkest places on the face of the planet, rescuing children who have been sold into the global sex trade. He has felt a drive to do what he can to mobilise a movement of people to help bring an end to the a…

1
Burnout recovery, mental health and supporting yourself with Derek Rogers 40:45

8M ago40:45

40:45

Derek has always been active and healthy, playing sports, in clubs and involved with communities. He was in scouting for eighteen years and is a Queen Scout. He has researched and studied food, human behaviour, and longevity for the last twenty years. As a single parent, he suffered from burnout and depression, and this is where he begins his story…

1
Reflections on Black Saturday: Empathy, Community & the Ladies of the Black Belt 40:09

8M ago40:09

40:09

Ros Addison is the wife of Quinton Addison, who's also shared a story about the Black Saturday bushfires. And her story is quite remarkable. Sitting there with three German backpacking young ladies who were staying with them at the time, doing all the things that they learnt to do to try and save their house, which they're unsuccessful, and sitting…

1
Planting acorns to manifest your future with Monica Henderson 45:15

8M ago45:15

45:15

Monica is a wife, mother, mogul, jet setter, and socialite who shares her own personal struggles with social anxiety, failure, and fear to illustrate how to stop being pushed by pain and start being pulled by your own vision. Her story is a compelling account of how she transitioned from poverty and homelessness to a fulfilling and abundant life us…

1
Overcoming gambling addiction, finding hope and giving back with Ross Durkin 51:55

8M ago51:55

51:55

Ross tells his harrowing story of his lived experience of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and addiction. He shares his recovery story with us in the hope that it assists in alleviating the stigma of mental health and suicide. He has been sober and gamble-free for nearly 20 years. Biography Ross has worked in the mental health fi…

1
A meticulous record from a farmer's perspective with John McEvoy 38:33

8M ago38:33

38:33

John McEvoy lives in the Alpine Region of Victoria where he is a school teacher and farmer. He tells the story of his experiences during and long after the catastrophic Black Saturday bushfires on February 7th 2009. Although his property did not directly impacted he tirelessly protected and supported his neighbours and the wider community. John has…

1
Resolve and ethos borne of jailtime with Sophina Placencia 52:18

8M ago52:18

52:18

Sophina grew up working for her mother in a not-for-profit business and was drawn back in when her grandmother asked her to help with her mother’s foundation. Determined to learn everything she could she left the business for others to run while she travelled. But while she was away funds were misappropriated and Sophina ended up in jail for a year…

1
Mending his Heart and finding his Destiny with Kyle Spyrides 49:38

9M ago49:38

49:38

Kyle’s powerful story begins when he is a healthy young man who develops a serious infection in his heart and is rushed to hospital. He and his loving and supportive family go against the grain by not accepting the medical advice and using natural healing methods then find ways to heal the damage. Kyle was able to work with a cardiologist and event…

1
Unsung heroes of the Myrtleford Neighbourhood Centre with Jill Graham 27:51

9M ago27:51

27:51

In this episode of the Kintsugi Heroes Alpine Special, Ian spoke with Jill Graham who is Manager of the Myrtleford Neighbourhood Centre and also the Moyhu Neighbourhood Centre. Kintsugi Heroes are partnering with the Myrtleford Neighbourhood Centre to record the real-life stories of people who were impacted by or involved in supporting the communit…

1
A life of Spina Bifida, flourishing and finding community with Nathan Gutierriez 47:22

9M ago47:22

47:22

Nathan received an A.B.O. incompatible kidney transplant from his father, Michael in 2009 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. The incompatible program at Cedars allows people who are not blood compatible to successfully receive kidney transplants. He was the 16th person in Cedars history to receive the transplant. Biography Nathan Gu…

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