Roll With The Punches

Ohmigoodness, this one got me. I sat down with the absolute legend that is Leah Ashton, founder of Hand in Hand Ballarat, and what started as a chat about her incredible foundation (and a laugh about my inevitable wardrobe malfunctions and high-heel dramas at the recent gala ball we met at) turned into one of the most raw and brave conversations I sure didn't expect to be having today... Leah runs under the Sebastian Foundation banner, funding programs in local schools, giving kids from kinder through to year 12 the tools, the language, and the awareness to navigate the hard stuff before crisis hits. But then... amidst all this she shared something that stopped me in my tracks. Her own son... A 1am phone call... A car accident that was not an accident.... And the moment she realised she knew nothing about mental health at all.  This episode is everything. It is brave, it is honest, it is heartbreaking in parts and full of hope in others, and it landed with me at the timeliest of moments (as I share in the conversation). Leah is doing the most important work and she is doing it with her whole heart. Go listen and then go give Hand in Hand Ballarat a follow because these guys are a pack of legends!   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  LEAH ASHTON Website: handinhandballarat.com.au/ TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This one started as a bit of a yarn about paramedics and ended up punching me in the guts a lil' bit. We got into the day-to-day of the job. The pager going off, the adrenaline, the fact that what most of us would call chaos… just becomes a Tuesday for these guys. Scotty’s one of those humans who downplays everything. Reckons he’s 'not that interesting' while casually dropping stories about delivering babies, walking into absolute carnage, and being what they call a 'shit magnet' on the road. So here we are talking about instincts and that feeling when something’s off and you just know. The pressure of walking into someone else’s worst moment and needing to be the calm one in the room. And how your nervous system kind of adapts to that world. There’s some epic lol-worthy stuff in here too. Bit dark... Bit cheeky... and the kind of humour you wholeheartedly need for a job like this... And then… Scotty tells a story and this whole thing shifts gears. I won't spoil it for ya'll with details... but yeah, this one might stay with you.    SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  SCOTT DOUGLAS Website: horatio-jones.com.au TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 1000… and somehow I landed it with one of the most honest, straight-shooting, no bullsh*t humans I’ve come across in the gender transition space. Daviana sure doesn’t tiptoe or dress things up to make people comfortable. She says what she thinks, stands in facts over feelings, and lets it land where it lands. We got into identity, gender transition, parenting, sport, pronouns, and the very real, very messy experience of living in a body and a world that don’t always line up the way you expect. From navigating relationships and raising a daughter, to finding a version of yourself that actually feels right… this one covers some ground. Underneath all of it though, this is a conversation about honesty. About choosing to live in a way that feels true, even when it’s complicated… even when it costs you. There are moments that will make you laugh, moments that will make you go 'holy shit,' and moments that might stop you in your tracks… like hearing about rocking up to a daddy-daughter school dance in full glam and owning every second of it. It’s bold, it’s unfiltered, and maybe for some it's going to be uncomfortable in places... Exactly how episode 1000 should be. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  DAVIANA (DAVID MEMONT) Website: facebook.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buckle up for this absolute firecracker of a guest... I stumbled across Jordana recently when she presented at an event I was attending and it was instant wannabe bestie vibes for me! She's one of those humans who aren't afraid to dive into new (and somewhat terrifying) adventures, like learning a lil' abracadabra to become a magician and doing stand-up comedy. You know, the kind of stuff that makes getting in the boxing ring for a punch in the snoz seem like a walk in the park, if you ask me. We talked about beginner energy, the magic of being gloriously average at new stuff, and why talent is overrated and reps are everything. Oh, and Jordana shares some cracking stories about bombing on stage and being brutally heckled on an inescapable cruise ship (ouch). Enjoy! SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I jumped on the mic after a morning doom scroll that left a bad taste in my mouth (as they often can). Two smart, credible humans I follow and generally value their content... One publicly and shamelessly tearing the other apart. But this is not the exception these days, it's sadly becoming the rule. Just today's standard algorithm bait dressed up as 'education.' And it got me thinking. We say we value integrity, kindness, critical thinking. Then we reward outrage, pile-ons, and public shaming because it gets clicks and views. We tell kids not to bully while modelling the exact behaviour online (and offline). F*cking wild, huh? So, here’s my general consensus... If you’re putting yourself out there, expect heat. Life is a contact sport... (online sure effing is) If you’re the one throwing the heat, ask who you’re becoming. Cos guess what... We can share ideas without being dickheads.We can disagree without tearing people down.We can influence without manipulating. Be loud if you want.Just don’t lose your integrity on the way. Tune in if this interests you as much as it did me... SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahhh we all know the big three. 'Fight, flight, freeze'... The trauma response greatest hits. But nobody warned us about their sneaky little sibling, 'fawn'. That quiet shape-shifting, chronic people-pleasing “yeah I’m fine” while your insides are setting off silent alarm bells. In this ep I sat down with clinical psychologist Ingrid Clayton, and we got stuck right into it… The trauma response that hides in plain sight. Turns out that fawning is survival mode dressed up as nice, agreeable, easy, and low-maintenance. Aaaaand meanwhile your nervous system is flailing it's legs like a duck under water. Ingrid talks about how someone can live in a trauma response 24/7 and think it’s just their personality. How we can be high-functioning, polished, successful, reliable, admired… and wildly disconnected from ourselves. If you’ve ever walked away thinking 'why did I say yes to that?'… press play.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  INGRID CLAYTON, PhD Website: Ingrid Clayton, PhD TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maaaate.... Nick Morrison went from riding full-grown bulls at 12 years old to breaking his neck, breaking his back, racking up more than 50 concussions and eventually losing the ability to speak. Let that sink in. A stand-up comedian and keynote speaker who literally couldn’t talk. We went deep into identity. The cowboy up mentality. The addiction to adrenaline. The need to impress your peers. The regret that lingers when your career ends at 21 and you’re left asking who you were actually doing it for. Nick shared what brain injury really looks like behind the scenes. The blackouts. The paranoia. The emotional volatility. The suicide attempts. And the moment a bullet misfired that changed the trajectory of his life. What floored me most was this. He does two to four hours of brain work every single morning just to keep his speech. No days off. No excuses. And he still gets up and speaks on stages around the world. We talked about regret. About trying to impress people who don’t even stick around. About unshackling yourself from other people’s opinions. About working like it depends on you and believing like it depends on something bigger. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.com    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G’day legends, this one’s me, solo, slightly caffeinated, and fresh off a boxing session so my brain is basically still shadowboxing like a boss. I'm eager to riff on some sneaky crap that keeps punching us humans in the face and causing us to spin our wheels... Like the idea that 'success' doesn’t delete fear, self-doubt, discomfort, or imposter syndrome. We keep telling ourselves this story that once we get good enough, experienced enough, and legit enough, those feelings will pack their bags and move to Perth. Well pals, they sure do not. They renovate and they bring friends. Basically, this ep is ya verbal permission slip to stop waiting for confidence to rock up before you move. Aaaaand it’s probably not enroute whilst you're standing still... so, off you go! SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I loved this one! Elaine Lin Hering is all about silence. Not the peaceful, meditative kind. The learned kind... The kind where you know exactly what you want to say… and then don’t. We talked about why 'just speak up' is crap advice, why some of us are post-processors who realise what we think three days later, and how hinting is not the same as being clear. Apparently 'Are you hungry?' is a yes or no question. Who knew. It’s not about saying it perfectly or getting the response you want. It’s about choice. Am I choosing to stay silent, or is silence choosing me? And yes, we absolutely unpacked my internal rage spiral over rice... That I don’t even like. Because it’s never about the rice. If you’ve ever swallowed something that mattered, told yourself a story instead of having the conversation, or realised three days later what you wish you’d said… this one will land.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  ELAINE LIN HERING Website: Elaine Lin Hering – Unlearning Silence TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I sat down with Andrew 'Atto' Atkinson, nearly 29 years in Victoria Police and a lifetime of stories that sound like a Netflix series but come with very real scars. We talked about the covert surveillance work that had him breaking into houses, planting listening devices, tracking cars, heart racing, sometimes while the occupants were still home. High risk. High reward. Calculated, but never casual. Then we moved into the part people do not see. Atto was deployed as a UN peacekeeper in East Timor and Iraq. He was stabbed in East Timor and that moment set off a chain reaction. Lifelong medical complications. PTSD. Cancer. Chemo. A brain tumour diagnosis. Joint replacements. And years of complete denial because back then you just did not talk about your mental health. You punched on. Work was his purpose, his tribe, his happy place. It was also the thing he hid behind. Leaving the job meant losing belonging, losing self, losing structure. And that loss can be brutal. We talked about self-blame, about the 'bucket filling up' until it overflows, about how healing really began when he stopped pretending he was fine. And yesssss, we talked about Sophie, his service dog funded through DVA, trained to detect seizures five minutes before they hit. Absolute superstar. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I waited eight months to get Scotty Douglas strapped into the hot seat here at RWTP HQ, and doesn't he have some stories to tell! We went from Paris kitchens where he got dressed down by French chefs, to running a café with brown paper bag accounting and zero tax literacy, to cooking breakfast for the Dean who took a chance on him and changed the trajectory of his life. Scott’s story is a wild and rambunctious ride. Chef to advanced life support paramedic. Service industry to service industry. From plating swordfish with beef cheek sauce to doing CPR in suburban lounge rooms. We talked about ego and humility. About the shock of discovering not everyone in your dream profession is exceptional. About loving the chaos. About failure when failure means someone dies. We unpacked the assault that changed everything for him. The moment confidence turned into hypervigilance. The reality that helping comes at a cost. And that desire to 'win' a resus.  This one isn’t just about paramedicine. It’s about identity, purpose, and what happens when the thing you love also wounds you. If he plays his cards right, we might just get him back to share some of the wilder stories I've heard...     SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  SCOTT DOUGLAS Website: horatio-jones.com.au TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This conversation hit a little differently. Vicki Scott joined me to talk about slowing down, perspective, and what really changes when life punches you square in the face. After being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, Vicki found herself navigating not just treatment, surgery, and survival, but the unexpected emotional aftermath that nobody really prepares you for. We talked about the pressure we put on ourselves to achieve, prove, and keep pushing, even after something life altering. About identity, perfectionism, and the uncomfortable realisation that sometimes the hardest thing isn’t fighting, it’s learning how to stop striving and actually live. Vicki shared what cancer taught her about toughness, legacy, community, and why being kind and genuinely supporting others matters more than titles, achievements, or ticking boxes. This is a conversation about resilience without the shiny Instagram version. The messy middle. The quiet aftermath. And the courage it takes to choose presence over proving.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tania Khazaal works in the family estrangement space, and she came in hot with a message a lot of people will hate at first… but probably need to hear. Is today’s therapy language and our feeds flooded with social media buzzwords creating the perfect permission slip to cut people off before we’ve actually learned how our nervous system works, how to communicate properly, or how to stop making everyone else the villain in our story? Tania shared her own story of cutting off her mum 'in the name of healing', then realising resentment without a path forward is a dead end. We went deep into one of my favourite conversations, the nuance between fault and responsibility, rupture and repair, why 'boundaries' are being used like brick walls instead of self-respect, and how being triggered is often a sign there’s more healing to do. We also unpacked the long game of rewiring patterns, how repair happens when you stop defending yourself and start listening, and when estrangement is actually necessary. Basically, this episode is for anyone who wants better relationships, less emotional fragility, and more personal power, without pretending any of it is easy. For some, it’ll be a game-changer. For others, it might feel confronting. Either way, it’s an epic, honest conversation about tough dynamics most people avoid.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TANIA KHAZAAL Website: taniakhazaal.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I booked this chat thinking I'd be talking to an animal behaviour expert. Turns out, I was basically signing up for a gentle but very accurate psychological assessment via my pets. Mark Vette and I talked dogs, cats, bonding, anxiety, routine, over-attachment, and why our animals know us better than most humans ever will. We went deep into why dogs feel like family, how cats absolutely train us without apology, and how so many behaviour “problems” are really mirrors we don’t always want to look at. All things puppies, rescues, trauma, separation stress, why some dogs melt down when you leave, why some cats feel like emotionally intelligent sociopaths, and how animals live way more in the present than we do. There was science, evolution, Buddhism, oxytocin, teenage dogs, Whippet anxiety, boot eating Staffies, and the humbling realisation that none of us are top of the hierarchy in our own homes. (well, I'm sure bloody well not...) This was funny, grounding, and wildly reassuring if you’ve ever wondered whether your animal chose you, shaped you, or both. Spoiler... yes.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  MARK VETTE Website: dogzen.com/ TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hearty chat with Alison Bowen escalates quickly... I mean you can't escalate a whole lot more than the Mount Everest Summit, hey!? Quite an understated lass, Alison has been in the midst of her Seven Summits journey, which started not with Everest glory, but with joining a Rover group, doing weekend hikes, getting curious, and slowly chipping away at bigger and higher mountains over nearly two decades.  What I loved most about this chat was how unromanticised it was. This wasn’t about chasing adrenaline, making noise or proving anything. It was about curiosity, patience, commitment, and sticking with something long enough to see where it might take you. Even when that something eventually takes you to the highest bloody mountain on the planet. She's got two more to tick off the list this year and next... now she's opening the door for you to follow along, so go on get inspired! Oh yeah… we also had a full tech meltdown mid-chat, which honestly felt on brand. Mountains are hard. Zoom is harder.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  ALISON BOWEN Instagram: @sevensummits_hyker    TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Righto, Tony Pearce is back. And yep, he’s still head down, tail up, doing wildly wholesome and mildly unhinged things in the name of mental health. We rewound to Tony’s Trek in 2023, when he looked at the brutal reality of mental injury and suicide risk in emergency services and basically went, nah, we can’t just keep talking about this and doing nothing. So he walked 1500km through fire-affected parts of northeast and east Victoria and raised serious money for early intervention wellbeing programs. The kind that step in early, before someone’s “clinically diagnosed” and completely cooked. Then came Everest Base Camp in 2024. Casual. And now in 2026 he’s cranking the dial again, paddling 2400km down the Murray over 50 days. That’s 45 to 50km a day, about seven hours on the water, every day, to raise awareness and another 50k for more residential wellbeing programs. What I loved most was the honesty. No platitudes, no tidy endings. Just real talk about emergency service workers, mental health, and how much still slips through the cracks. Tony doesn’t sugarcoat it. Sometimes people don’t make it, even with love, purpose, and community around them. And that’s hard to sit with. But it’s exactly why early intervention matters, and why these conversations matter. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TONY PEARCE Website: facebook.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This one is basically me and Harps doing what we do best. Taking the piss, accidentally saying something deeply meaningful, then laughing so it doesn’t get too serious. We talked about goals, plans, and why ticking boxes doesn’t always fix how you feel. That weird moment where you get the thing you thought you wanted and realise it wasn’t the antidote. Identity, perceived value, and the stuff we chase without really checking the cost. Then we went down a rabbit hole on perception. Same wine, different label, different brain response. Which is equal parts fascinating and mildly terrifying. Because it turns out we’re not just living our lives, we’re interpreting them. The hill doesn’t change. We do. And apparently the solution is either adaptation… or a glass of wine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicole Liddell is doing her PhD on coercive control, specifically how technology gets used to keep the control going even after someone leaves. And honestly, the examples are equal parts terrifying and ridiculously sneaky. Bank transfers with threats in the reference line. Smart home systems taken over remotely. A bloody robovac being used like a creepy little spy cam on wheels. But the part that really landed was the human cost of researching this stuff when you’ve lived it. Nicole talks about going in 'eyes wide open', thinking she had it handled… then realising she didn’t. The immersion, the algorithms, the constant exposure, the nervous system never switching off. And then her body basically calling time on the whole thing. From there, it turned into this really honest convo about hypervigilance, dating after dodgy history, rigidity, and learning to live in the messy middle instead of either fawning or fleeing. We talked self-respect, boundaries, communicating needs, and why 'fun' is not a cute extra, it’s medicine. And Nicole’s 2026 word is stewardship, which feels like the most grown-up, grounded way to say, I’m not sacrificing myself to the mission anymore. BOOM!!   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Big Dog' Jason Blyth is BACK! An origin story so massive I didn't even attempt to cover it all in our first chat in episode 967... In our second chat (as we dart off in multiple directions along the way) we essentially came together to talk about Jason's biological father... what it was like seeking him out and meeting him, and the way trauma can shape identity like a shadow you didn’t ask for. We talk forgiveness and launch into the hero’s journey stuff, choice points, the dark cave, the dragon, the moment where you either change or repeat the pattern until it eats you alive. Jason is a weapon of a human and one I'm blessed to have met last year and call a friend.. you loved the first ep with him and I know you're gonna love this one too!   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  JASON BLYTH Website: jasonblyth.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick Harrington is back, aka the Mower Man, and honestly I could listen to that bloke sing the phone book and still get emotional. But this time round we are getting fired up on all things bushfires... Funding. Public land management. The gap between decisions made in Spring Street and the reality on the ground when your town is literally on fire. Mick talked about communities being left vulnerable, old trucks, not enough fuel reduction, not enough basic roadside slashing, and the mental toll that sits in people’s bodies for years after the flames are gone. And the part that hit hardest was the “doers” story. People being told “no resources, you’re on your own” and still saving farms, neighbours, and half a town with sheer grit, old gear, and guts.   SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au  TIFFANEE COOK Linktree:  linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.