BRAVE JOURNEYS with TAMMI FARADAY

For Hollywood royalty, New York Times bestselling author, screenwriter, and playwright - Delia Ephron - life has always offered a rich supply of copy. Bad hair, heartache, chocolate pudding – almost anything could be mined for a book, a screenplay, or a newspaper column.Then when Delia was 72, a time you might reasonably expect the flow of good material to quieten, life delivers her biggest story yet, one she very nearly didn’t survive. Diagnosed with the same blood cancer that killed her beloved screenwriter sister Nora, Delia’s chance of survival, particularly because of her advanced age, was slim. But there was a double plot twist: she’d just fallen in love with a man she hadn’t seen for FIFTY FOUR YEARS – & with his love & devotion, she enters remission. Delia’s is a miraculous story of late love played out in the shadow of a life-threatening illness, as captured in her superb memoir, Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life, part romantic comedy, part medical drama… & it’s absolutely divine.So for anyone listening & despairing that love’s perhaps passed you by, you simply can’t afford to miss this gorgeous & inspirational chat with one half of the writers of the classic film - You’ve Got Mail.  Because as enchanting as the Ephron sister’s ROM COMS are, life can be so much more magical than the movies.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Delia hereFind Delia on Facebook hereFind Delia on TwitterFollow Delia on InstaPurchase Delia’s remarkable New York Times Best-selling books here Find out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Delia EphronAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg & Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

This is a very unique episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS.We’ve all heard stories of people who lived broken, crime filled lives, who have an epiphany & completely turn their lives around, harnessing the wisdoms & insights they learnt along the way, to educate & rehabilitate others.  But what if the person in question is a one-time Nazi whose raison d’etre for more than three decades was to see an entire people  - your people - wiped off the face of the earth?  Let that sink in for just a moment…For 27 years Jeff Schoep was a member of the  the largest neo-Nazi militant, racist, antisemitic organisation in the United States, the National Socialist Movement, or NSM & for 25 of those years, he was its National leader.  Its repugnant mission was to create an all-white, non-semitic America. But after sitting down with victims of hate groups, Jeff walked away from extremism forever.In March 2019, Jeff publicly denounced Nazism & became the highest profile former white supremacist in America to ever publicly reject far-right extremism & hate ideology. This is one episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS, you simply can’t afford to miss!!!  BUT BEFORE YOU GO… Find out more about Jeff here Find Jeff on Facebook here Find Jeff on Twitter Follow Jeff on Insta Find out more about Beyond Barriers here Listen to the Beyond Barriers Podcast here Find out more about The Simon Wiesenthal Centre here Watch Jeff on Red Table Talk here Watch Jeff recently speak at the Nobel Peace Centre with Deeya Kahn here Watch the Trailer of “White Right: Meeting the Enemy” here Find out more about Tam here Follow Tam on Insta Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on Insta Join the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Jeff SchoepAudio Editor: Zoltan Fecso With very special thanks to George Weinberg & Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Have we got an extraordinary guest for you today and to be honest, unless this intro runs for the next hour all by itself, I am going to have to truncate the bio of this remarkable human being. I hope she will forgive me…Professor Jessica Stern is one of the U.S’s foremost  experts on terrorism.  She served on President Clinton’s National Security Council Staff, as well as being an analyst at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.  Jessica has lectured at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, was the Super-terrorism Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; a National Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution Task Force on National Security & Law; a Fellow of the World Economic Forum; a Harvard MacArthur Fellow & a faculty affiliate of the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs. In 2001, Jessica was included among seven “thinkers” in Time Magazine’s series profiling 100 innovators.  Today, Jessica is the Research Professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies.  But while Jessica’s career has indubitably reached stratospheric heights, her success hinges on her atypical post traumatic symptoms. You see, in October 1973, Jessica, then 15 and her sister Sara, aged 14, return from their weekly ballet lessons, when a strange man, armed with a gun enters their step mother’s home, in a safe neighbourhood in Massachusetts. Alone in the unlocked house, Jessica and Sara are brutally raped. The rapist is never caught & for over thirty years, Jessica denies the pain & the trauma of the assault & focuses on her career, instead of the terror. In her extraordinary memoir Denial: A Memoir of Terror - selected by the Washington Post as a best book of the year; Jessica courageously investigates her own unsolved adolescent sexual assault at the hands of a serial rapist, & in doing so, examines the cost of trauma & denial – her own & everyone else’s around her.Please note that this incredibly powerful & important episode of Brave Journeys talks graphically about sexual abuse & isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Jessica hereFind Jessica on TwitterFollow Jessica on FacebookPurchase remarkable Jessica’s Books here Find out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Professor Jessica SternAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg & Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowle

After years of struggling in a tumultuous marriage – successful writer & blogger Rebecca Woolf was finally ready to leave her husband, Hal. Two weeks after telling Hal she wanted a divorce, he was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer. Four months later, at the age of forty-four, he died.With inordinate courage & candour, Rebecca chronicles the months before Hal’s death — & her rebirth after he was gone. In her book, All of This – A Memoir of Death & Desire- which is a stunning, provocative & masterfully nuanced read - Rebecca reflects on the end of her marriage & how her husband’s devastating illness finally gave her the space to make peace with his humanity & her own.Ultimately, Rebecca’s journey is one woman’s story of embracing the complexities of grief without shame — as a mother, a widow, & a sexual being—& emerging on the other side of a relationship with gratitude & relief. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Rebecca herePurchase Rebecca’s  masterfully nuanced memoir, “All of This – A Memoir of Death & Desire” here Follow Rebecca on Insta hereFollow Rebecca on Facebook hereFollow Rebecca on Twitter hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on Insta Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Rebecca WoolfAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson  BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

My next guest Adam Frankel grew up idolising his wonderful father and his father’s father, following in their footsteps to become a successful speechwriter.  After graduating from Princeton University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he was a Fulbright Scholar, Adam joined Barack Obama’s fledgling presidential campaign in 2007, helping craft those unforgettable “Yes We Can” speeches.  But around the same time, when Adam’s career was reaching its zenith, his personal life & sense of identity, was in complete & utter disarray.  At 25, Adam discovers a truth about his family that unravels his entire understanding of who he is.Adam’s gripping debut book, “The Survivors: A Story of War, Inheritance & Healing”; is a memoir of family, the Holocaust, intergenerational trauma and identity - where Adam comes to terms with the legacy of his family’s painful past and learns who he is in the wake of a life-changing revelation.  But above all else, Adam’s just one beautiful human being.  I might just have to adopt him as a baby brother.Just a few things about this special chat… Unfortunately, the audio played up a little, so my conversation with Adam isn’t as clear in parts, as you’re used to.  But please bear with us, because I promise you, it’s worth the listen.Lastly, this episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks about mental illness and suicide and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Adam herePurchase Adam’s remarkable book, “The Survivors: A Story of War, Inheritance, and Healing” here Follow Adam on Insta hereFollow Adam on Facebook hereFollow Adam on Twitter hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here  CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Adam FrankelAudio Editor: Zoltan Fecso With very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson  BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. 

When Hillary Whittington discovers she’s expecting a baby girl, she and her husband, Jeff, are deliriously overjoyed.  Pink & white nursery – check; endless supplies of dresses and bows – check.Then, only months after Ryland is born, Hillary and Jeff realise something isn’t quite right.  When they call out, Ryland doesn’t respond. After consulting with specialists, it’s confirmed that their beautiful baby girl is deaf.The miracle that is cochlear implants allows Ryland to hear and Hillary’s tireless efforts helps Ryland learn how to speak.  This gorgeous couple believe they’ve overcome their toughest challenge as parents.But as soon as Ryland learns to talk, Hillary & Jeff know they HAVE to listen… I mean really listen. Because as soon as Ryland gains the power of speech, Ryland insists, “I am a boy!”  After finding a deeply disturbing statistic that 41% percent of people who identify as transgender attempt to take their own lives before the age of 20, Hillary and Jeff make it their mission to love & support their child — with no strings attached.   But please be under no illusion. Loving with no strings attached, isn’t always easy.  Sometimes it’s downright agonizing and can be oh so isolating.  And that’s what is so exquisite about the Whittingtons.  They simply tell it like it is.  I hope you come to love this family as much as I do. If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Hillary here Purchase Hillary’s remarkable memoir, “Raising Ryland, Our Story of Parenting a Transgender Child with No Strings Attached” here  Follow Hillary on Insta here Follow Hillary on Facebook here Follow Hillary on Twitter hereWatch the Whittington Family: Ryland's Story hereFind out more about Tam here Follow Tam on Insta Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on Insta Join the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Hillary WhittingtonAudio Editor: Zoltan Fecso With very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

My beautiful guest today is Annie Whitlocke.  Annie is a death doula.  A What you ask?  40 + years on the planet and this entire profession was completely unknown to me… that is until now. Like many of you I suspect, the only context in which I’d heard of any kind of Doula was a person who provides emotional, physical and instructive support to mothers before, during and after labour.  Not someone, who assists at the other end of the life cycle. But taking on this noble profession isn’t as unusual as you might think, particularly for a woman like Annie, who’s seen life end countless times.  Her own experience with death is both personal & profound. Annie’s grandfather died in her arms, as did her baby nephew.  She lost one husband to a fatal car accident and a fiancée to suicide.  She’s tragically had six miscarriages, tried to take her own life twice and clinically died once.As a Death Doula or Death Elder as Annie prefers to be known, she’s helped hundreds of people and their families at their most difficult and vulnerable times.  Annie is driven to help those who are dying, ensure that their living until the end of their life, is as good and as safe and as meaningful and as authentic & as peaceful and joyous, as it can possibly be.BUT BEFORE YOU GO… Find out more about Annie here Find out more about Tam here Follow Tam on Insta Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on Insta Join the conversation and chat about the episode here  NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here  CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Annie WhitlockeAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg, & Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

In 2016, highly respected & award-winning US journalist and former Fox News anchor, Gretchen Carlson, moved from covering the headlines to becoming one herself. The violin prodigy, former Miss America, Stanford Graduate and acclaimed journalist successfully sued the late CEO & Fox News founder, Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, claiming that she’d been fired for turning down his sexual advances. This landmark case, which inspired the feature film Bombshell – starring Nicole Kidman – saw Gretchen receive an unprecedented public apology and settlement, reported to be worth $20 million. But she can’t talk about it.  Why? Because bound by a draconian Non-Disclosure Agreement, Gretchen’s been gagged to speak about her time at Fox, the circumstances surrounding her termination, as well as the settlement ultimately reached.  In 2017, Gretchen was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World & in the same year she released her magnificent New York Times Bestselling Manifesto, Be Fierce: Stop Harassment & Take Your Power Back.And in 2019, Gretchen co-founded Lift Our Voices; an organisation whose mission is to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts, so that victims of sexual harassment, pay inequity, and workplace toxicity will not be forcibly silenced by them.  BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Gretchen hereFind out more about Lift Our Voices herePurchase Gretchen’s remarkable New York Times Best selling books here Follow Gretchen on Insta hereFollow Gretchen on Twitter hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Gretchen CarlsonAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

There are many episodes on BRAVE JOURNEYS where I have cried, but not today.  Today is about celebrating life, love & finding unbridled gratitude & joy in the ordinary.If I told you that my next guest is terminally ill with Stage 4 cancer & has also been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, it would be reasonable to assume this is a deeply sad episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS.  But its anything but!!!  In fact, I’ll be amazed if you walk away after listening to this beautiful conversation with former radio executive & all-round legend of a human being, the magnificent Mel Dzelde, & not choose life & also choose to make every second count with delight, festivity & wonder.  Mel certainly does!!!  She’s inspiring & empowering & I’m so honoured & thrilled to share this platform with a woman who’s a beacon of goodness, happiness & appreciation, even when she knows there may not be much time… which if you think about it, is our actual truth every day.  We don’t know what’s around the corner, but at least we can be shown by the MASTER how to revel in what we have, while we have it.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Mel hereFind Mel on TwitterFollow Mel on Facebook hereFollow Mel on InstaFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Mel DzeldeAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

What would you do if your worst private heartache was on the front page of every newspaper around the world?  Kate Nason knows…Seven years into her marriage, Kate discovers her husband was cheating on her with multiple women. Then, the unimaginable happens. It’s January of 1998 & Kate wakes to the news that one of her husband’s mistresses was having an affair with none other than US President, Bill Clinton. The press surround Kate’s home, clamouring for details about her husband’s affair with a White House Intern, transforming Kate’s private heartbreak into public mortification.Kate’s new memoir, “Everything is Perfect”, uncovers the little-known side of one of the world’s biggest scandals, unveiling a cautionary tale about the ways we deceive ourselves, when we allow ourselves to be deceived by those we love.  It’s also an intimate look at the impacts of infidelity, the fallout of gaslighting, and a deep insight into the silent, stoic wife at the press conference. Confession time beloved BRAVE JOURNEYS family, I’ve always felt inordinate compassion for Monica Lewinsky and the way her life was all but decimated after her affair with President Clinton.  He walked away relatively unscathed.  She was brutalised, derided and the butt of late-night talk shows ever since.  It was never OK.  And her work in the anti-bullying space is to be commended.  No-one is simply their worst mistake.  But as you’ll realise from this astonishing episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS, Kate was also collateral damage and her life was literally blown up through no fault of her own… BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Kate hereFind Kate on TwitterFollow Kate on InstaFind Kate’s incredible Audiobook memoir, “Everything is Perfect” hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Kate NasonAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

My next guest, Kenneth Feinberg, literally stopped me in my tracks.  Ken is a prominent attorney, a world-renowned MEDIATOR and the one time chief of staff of the late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.  But when we all stood still on 9/11 after one of the most horrific terrorist attacks the world has ever seen, Ken stood up and wanted – indeed asked - to be counted.Ken was appointed as the Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund just a few weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.  In this role, Ken met with nearly every family who was a victim of 9/11 at the absolute height of their grief.  He listened.  He empathised.  He held space for their sorrow.  He travelled the length and breadth of the country to make it easier for families to meet with him.  He enlisted the support of others, including clergy, when victims’ families were simply too broken to apply for their share of the Fund.  He even offered to fill in the forms on behalf of the victims.  Whilst Ken could never return a father to a grieving child, or a son to an inconsolable mother, or a husband to a pregnant wife, what he could do was ensure that some of victims’ dreams would continue in their absence and that financial hardship would not be another challenge for these all, but shattered, families.  Ken presided over this unprecedented Fund that ultimately awarded over $7.1 billion DOLLARS of public taxpayer money to the families of 2,983 killed and approximately 2,400 physically injured and maimed, in the most devastating of ways on 9/11.The administration of this Fund took 33 months.  Ken Feinberg was never paid a cent for his efforts, insisting he take on the role on a pro bono basis.  His epic story, now memorialised in his memoir – WHAT IS LIFE WORTH – has inspired the extraordinary Netflix film WORTH starring Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci.On a more personal note, from the first instance I had the pleasure of coming across Ken, I have been overwhelmed by his warmth, generosity and his impeccable character.  His Solomonic efforts in fighting for fair for every single claimant is just incredible.So it is with immense humility and gratitude that I welcome Kenneth R Feinberg to the BRAVE JOURNEYS family.This is Ken’s story…. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Ken hereFind Ken’s books hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaDefinition of "mensch" -a person of integrity and honour.Follow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Kenneth R FeinbergAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and

Inspiration comes in many shapes and forms.  One of them, without any shadow of a doubt, is my next guest, the truly inspirational Rebecca Faye Smith Galli.  Just nine days after her divorce was finalised, Becky, a then 38-year-old mother of four, two of whom with special needs, wakes up at 2am with strange, shooting sensations in her legs.  By 9pm, she’s paralysed from the waist down from a condition called transverse myelitis, a rare spinal cord inflammation.  But this isn’t the first time Becky needed to rethink what’s possible.Becky’s life until that point includes a journey through losses that would have brought anyone else to their knees, including the tragic death of her seventeen-year-old brother; two miscarriages; her daughter Maddison’s autism diagnosis; her son Matthew’s ultimately fatal degenerative disease; the sad demise of her marriage and the devastating loss of both her parents in quick succession.  Despite such unspeakably cruel blows, Becky always maintained her belief in family, in faith, in unconditional love, and in learning to not only accept, but to also embrace a life that had veered down a path far different to the one she had planned – as captured in her astonishing memoir – Rethinking Possible. Becky’s journey is ultimately about the power of love over loss and the choices we all make that shape our lives & our perspectives —especially when forced to confront the unimaginable.Tissues are strongly advised.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Beck hereFind Becky on TwitterFollow Becky on InstaFollow Becky on Facebook hereBuy Becky’s remarkable Memoir, “Rethinking Possible” hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi Faraday With thanks to my special guest: Rebecca Faye Smith GalliAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

By her own account, Carolyn Moor had it all. She & her architect husband Chad, had two gorgeous little girls, their own business & a house they designed & built in Orlando. On Valentine’s Day 2000, they talked over a romantic dinner & fantasized about what dreams would come next.  While they were driving home, a car struck theirs. Chad tragically died from his injuries. And Carolyn was left a 37 year old widow, with two little girls to keep afloat.Dazed, heartbroken, terrified of what the future would hold & grief-stricken, Carolyn struggled to find the mentors & resources she needed to model the healing & growth she desperately sought. This lack for her, ultimately led to the establishment of the Modern Widows Club in Carolyn’s very own living room in 2011.Apart from being the President, Founder & Development Director of the Modern Widows Club, Carolyn is also an award-winning interior designer, interfaith minister, TEDx speaker & widows health consultant. Carolyn’s participated in the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the Global Leadership Network & has been featured as an exemplar of resilience in the Wall Street Journal & on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  Carolyn’s also the host of the Healthy Widow Healthy Woman Podcast, & was a consultant on NBC’s breakout hit, New Amsterdam.  Her tireless work & advocacy on behalf of widows has been recognised globally.This is Carolyn’s story….BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Carolyn hereFind Carolyn on TwitterFollow Carolyn on InstaFollow Carolyn on Facebook hereWatch Carolyn’s incredible Ted Talk hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Carolyn MoorAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

TRIGGER WARNING!!!Leslie Morgan Steiner is a New York Times best-selling author, columnist for The Washington Post, consultant and thought leader on women’s leadership, work-life balance, inspirational parenting, overcoming adversity and surviving violence against women.  She is a graduate of Harvard and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Her corporate experience includes The Washington Post, Johnson & Johnson, Leo Burnett and Seventeen Magazine. She’s also the survivor of intimate partner violence and terror that almost cost her, her life as captured in her 2009 New York Times bestselling book, Crazy Love and her extraordinary Ted Talk that has been seen by more than 6 and a half million people.Leslie recently completed her fourth nonfiction work, The Naked Truth, a memoir which explores female aging and sexuality after motherhood and divorce.  From surviving domestic violence and devoting much of her life to helping others who face a similar hell to the emancipation and sexual awakening she experienced after the end of her second marriage – it’s unlikely that we’ll run out of things to chat about.This is Leslie’s story…Please note that this episode of Brave Journeys talks graphically about coercive control and domestic violence and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14. And for sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling services please call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for 24/7 phone services.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Leslie hereFind Leslie on TwitterFollow Leslie on InstaFollow Leslie on Facebook hereWatch Leslie’s incredible Ted Talk hereFind Leslie’s books hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Leslie Morgan SteinerAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect

My next guest, Dr Lucy Hone is a global authority and celebrated Ted Speaker in the area of resilience.Lucy is an Adjunct Senior Professor at the University of Canterbury, a co-director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience, a published academic researcher and best-selling author and blogger for Psychology Today.Having been trained at the University of Pennsylvania, Lucy went on to attain her PhD in public health at AUT University in Auckland and now assists organisations - from government departments, to leading law firms and schools - to design and implement wellbeing and resilience initiatives that create sustained and meaningful change.But in 2014, Lucy's life was turned upside down, when her beautiful 12-year-old daughter, Abi, was killed in a freak car accident. In the blink of an eye, one of the world’s leading resilience experts found herself flung to the other side of the equation, waking up with a whole new identity. Instead of being the resilience expert, she was suddenly thrust into the heinous and unfamiliar world of being the grieving mother whose life had been smashed to smithereens. Lucy’s best-selling book “Resilient Grieving” which was originally titled, “What Abi Taught Us” has helped countless people get through their darkest days and her TED talk, The Three Secrets of Resilient People, has had over 3 million views and been recognised globally as one of the top 20 TED Talks of 2020.She is the living example that it’s possible to grieve and live at the same time.This is Lucy’s story…BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Lucy hereFollow Lucy on Twitter hereFollow Lucy on Insta hereWatch Lucy’s remarkable Ted Talk hereBuy a copy of “Resilient Grieving” hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on Insta Join the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS: Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Dr Lucy HoneAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula FergusonBRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. 

TRIGGER WARNING!!!Proud Gunaikurnai woman, Veronica Gorrie, had spent a lifetime in fear of the police… and with good reason.  Ronnie's grandmother, Linda, was stolen from her family as an eight-year-old in 1941, along with her three siblings.  And Veronica’s beloved father John was forcibly taken at birth from his then 16-year-old mother Linda & placed in an orphanage.After watching her friends and family suffer under an inherently racist law-enforcement system, Veronica bravely signed up for training to become one of a handful of Aboriginal police officers in Australia, with the hope of creating a sense of safety and trust for Aboriginal communities, and for her three children.In this incredibly powerful episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS, Veronica speaks frankly about a childhood replete with brutality, alcoholism and sexual assault, the impact of intergenerational trauma, her lived experience of systemic racism & intimate partner violence & the torment of making her way in the white, male-dominated police force, as captured in her book, Black & Blue: A Memoir of Racism & Resilience.In the era of Black Lives Matter, as policing & deaths in custody in Australia come again under the microscope, it’s time to dispense with platitudes and focus on an honest, transparent journey of enlightenment. No more tokenism, no more box ticking. We must all commit to learning and become educated about the shameful history and egregious injustices the Traditional Custodians of our nation have endured. We must listen and we absolutely must do better. It is such an honour that Veronica agreed to join me on BRAVE JOURNEYS.This is Ronnie’s story…Please note that this vitally important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks graphically about the stolen generation, sexual abuse and domestic violence and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples should please be aware that this episode may contain the names of people who have passed away.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Follow Ronnie on Twitter hereBuy Ronnie’s incredible book, Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism & Resilience hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Veronica GorrieAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg, Ursula Ferguson.And a special shout out to the beautiful Zandy Alter.BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal a

TRIGGER WARNING!!!My next guest, Stephanie Giese is a mother of five, a celebrated writer, a prolific blogger - recognised as one of HuffPost’s most viral bloggers of the decade & was named a BlogHer Voice of The Year - a former teacher and a tireless advocate for children and families living with mental illness. Stephanie and her husband Eddie are foster, adoptive and biological parents.  They adopted their first child Nicholas at 13 months. When Nicholas turned three, he started blaming an imaginary friend he called The Other Nicholas for terrifying things he did that he couldn't remember or explain. By the time Nicholas turned seven, professionals were starting to use words like "psychotic break" and "crisis unit." And by the age of twelve, he’d been admitted to paediatric psychiatric hospitals on four occasions.Stephanie’s just published memoir, All I Never Knowed, which has been launched to critical acclaim, is the true story of the Giese family and the fight for Nicholas as he struggles with severe mental illness. Written at Nicholas' behest and told from the perspective of his extraordinary mother, Stephanie intimately shares the years & the enormous toll of navigating her child’s mental health crisis.  It’s also the story of the unbreakable love between a mother and her son, as well as a husband and his wife.  And it’s a love letter to each family struggling through mental illness; each child battling the scars of trauma; and each parent questioning their worth.This is not an episode that any parent or prospective parent can afford to miss!!!This is Stephanie and Nicholas’ story…BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find more about Stephanie hereFollow Stephanie on Facebook hereFollow Stephanie on on Twitter hereFollow Stephanie on Insta hereBuy Stephanie’s remarkable book, All I Ever Knowed hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Stephanie GieseAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson.BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Stephen Jon Thompson is a distinguished leader and Tech Executive whose job it is to find the most elite talent in artificial intelligence for the world’s most cutting-edge technology & consumer companies - Including; Nike, Amazon, LinkedIn, Apple & Google.So, it might be reasonable to assume Stephen was born into a beautiful family, with a silver spoon in his mouth, had an IVY league education & that his stratospheric career trajectory was written in the stars.  But this is BRAVE JOURNEYS  my friends & we all know by now that that’s not how this extraordinary man’s life began.You see, at nine years of age, Stephen was abandoned with his four younger siblings in a Nevada motel by his drug-addicted mother.  His childhood was filled with abuse, violence, a revolving door of men, neglect, foster homes, Juvenile Hall, & a poverty so extreme, its seriously remarkable he survived.  And yet, he has done so much more than just that.Today, apart from being a giant in the tech recruitment space, Stephen is a board member of Students Rising Above a not-for-profit organisation that is dedicated to the cultivation & development of extraordinary youth who are low-income, 1st generation college students who’ve demonstrated a deep commitment to education & strength of character in overcoming tremendous odds of poverty, homelessness & neglect. This is Stephen’s story…BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Stephen hereFollow Stephen on Facebook hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Stephen Jon ThompsonAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson.BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Laura Cathcart Robbins is an acclaimed culture writer, storyteller extraordinaire & now beloved host of The Only One in the Room Podcast.Laura’s survived post-natal depression; struggled through debilitating addiction and divorced her high-profile, Hollywood juggernaut, ex-husband.  And when life felt very much rock bottom, Laura met her long-time love and collaborator Scot, in rehab… as you do… & has been sober now for 13 years.   Laura’s also a 2018 LA Moth StorySlam winner and sits on the advisory board for the San Diego Writer’s Festival, the Outliers HQ podcast Festival, as well as being the founding member of Moving Forewords, the first American memoirist collective of its kind.   Laura’s articles in The Huffington Post and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide praise.  Laura’s gorgeous in every way, she’s as honest as the day is long and I’m absolutely thrilled she’s here.  Did I mention her voice is mellifluous?  Ok, OK, a little bit of a girl crush is clearly going on… This is Laura’s story…BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Laura hereFollow The Only One in the Room Podcast hereFind Laura on TwitterFollow Laura on InstaFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Laura Cathcart RobbinsAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg & Ursula Ferguson.BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING!!!From the age of eight, Dr Michelle Stevens was brutally tortured and enslaved, raped, and pimped out to countless men by a sadistic paedophile; a man who passed himself off as her father.After suffering more than ten years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, Michelle escaped and with superhuman strength, Michelle chose not to give into despair and vowed - that no matter what - she was going to fight for a good, decent, normal life.  But the journey to that “good life” was paved with agony and heartache including psychological breakdowns, suicide attempts and the disorienting onset of Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder).Michelle went on to study writing at New York University and earned her doctorate in psychology from Saybrook University, where her thesis was honoured as the “Dissertation of Distinction.” Michelle has presented her research to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, where she also received an award for Outstanding Research and her writing about trauma has appeared in the New York Times, Time, People, Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, Good Housekeeping, and The Hollywood Reporter.Michelle has penned a remarkable memoir - Scared Selfless: My Journey from Abuse and Madness to Surviving and Thriving and she’s also the Founder and Executive Director of Post-Traumatic Success, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and inspiration of those affected by psychological trauma. It is with immense awe and gratitude that I have the honour of welcoming Dr Michelle Stevens to the BRAVE JOURNEYS family… and in case you had any doubts, she is a living miracle… Please note that this incredibly powerful and important episode of Brave Journeys talks graphically about sexual abuse and suicide and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.And for sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling services please call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for 24/7 phone services.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find Michelle on Twitter hereFollow Michelle on Insta hereFollow Michelle on Facebook hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Dr Michelle StevensAudio Editor: Zoltan FecsoWith very special thanks to George Weinberg. BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrung who are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Abo