BRAVE JOURNEYS with TAMMI FARADAY

In the depths of Sarah Sentilles' heart, was a primal longing to become a mother. This yearning was buried beneath the desires & pressures of others. Sarah’s husband, Eric, believed the world was already brimming with children in need of loving homes.  Everyone else, it seemed, whispered doubts into Sarah's ears. Parenthood, they said, would be the end of her cherished life.  But the yearning within her refused to be silenced. It threatened to fracture her marriage, until Sarah & Eric made a monumental decision that would forever alter the course of their lives: to foster a child with the hope of adoption.False starts and dashed dreams tested their resilience. But a phone call finally arrived, carrying with it the news of a fragile three-day-old baby girl, desperately needing a foster family. Sarah and Eric rushed to the hospital as a couple and returned home as parents to a beautiful stranger. But the foster system, with its singular objective of reuniting children with their biological parents, served as a constant reminder of the bittersweet reality that awaited them. Shaken but undeterred by the looming heartbreak, Sarah and Eric, poured love, stability, and safety into the child they ached to call their own. Sarah's extraordinary book, "Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What isn't Ours," will shatter your heart, challenge your moral compass, and rekindle your faith in the inherent goodness that resides within each of us, even in the face of shattered dreams.But this isn’t merely a tale of fiercely loving someone else's child. When a writer lays bare their vulnerabilities and exposes their own frailties, eschewing self-serving narratives - as Sarah has done - you know you’ve uncovered a rare gem. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable episode of "BRAVE JOURNEYS."; one that deconstructs the very essence of motherhood, & explores the profound truth that every child who enters our lives is, at first, a stranger waiting to be discovered. This is a story of belonging & loss as well as audacious, selfless love. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Sarah hereFollow Sarah on Insta hereFollow Sarah on Facebook hereBuy Sarah’s exquisite memoir, "Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What isn't Ours" 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: Sarah SentillesAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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.

Dear friends, brace yourselves for an episode unlike any other. In truth, it’s a conversation that’s been incredibly difficult to prepare for, but one that must be shared. Tonight, as your children lie safely in their beds, enveloped in love & protected from harm, it’s crucial to remember that this isn’t the reality for countless children across the globe.Joining me this week is filmmaker Akhim Dev – or Dev as he’s affectionately known.  Fuelled by a deep concern for the online safety of his youngest daughter, it quickly evolved into something much greater. So shaken by the vast and intricate web of online sexual exploitation of children, Dev set out to expose this horrific reality through the making of the internationally acclaimed documentary, "The Children in the Pictures."This groundbreaking film takes us inside Taskforce Argos, an elite Australian police unit, as it infiltrates global criminal networks by going undercover to rescue children from the world's most depraved child abusers. Child Online Sexual exploitation is the fastest growing major crime in the world, and perpetrators are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Until recently led by one of Australia’s most decorated police officers, Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, Taskforce Argos devotes every waking moment to sifting through vast quantities of child sexual abuse materials, searching for vital clues that could help them rescue young victims."The Children in the Pictures" has been screened in over 150 countries, leaving audiences both aghast & galvanised to play their part in the eradication of online child sexual exploitation. The film’s been screened at the United Nations, the US Congress, and the Australian Parliament. The film’s companion podcast of the same name recently won GOLD at the esteemed 2023 New York Festival Radio Awards, as well as Best Documentary at the Australian Radio Awards. But for the members of Taskforce Argos as well as Dev & his team, this calling has nothing to do with prestigious prizes, it’s all & only about saving the Children in the Pictures.Please note that this incredibly powerful and important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks graphically about online childhood sexual exploitation and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If you know a child in immediate danger, please contact police in Australia – call 000.And if you need immediate support, contact The Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.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 Akhim hereFollow Akhim on Insta hereFollow Akhim on Facebook hereWatch “The Children in the Pictures”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: Akhim DevA

Filmmaker & Changemaker - Ginger Gentile is on a mission to save children from the trauma of high-conflict divorce. Drawing on her own journey as a child torn between two parents, Ginger’s first documentary, ERASING DAD (Borrando a Papa), was instrumental in getting the Argentinian government to pass mandatory co-parenting laws.Her follow up feature documentary, ERASING FAMILY, exposes the heart-wrenching anguish experienced by children when a loving parent is erased from their lives.   This issue affects 22 million families in the US alone. No birthdays, no holidays, no contact whatsoever.  We’re taking about loving mothers & fathers who haven’t seen their children for years.  Parental alienation destroys lives, bankrupts’ people, tears children from their homes, separates biological siblings, causes lifelong psychological damage & it’s a $50 billion dollar industry.Ginger works tirelessly to advocate for the rights of children and parents & is unyielding in her hopes to reform longstanding customs and laws for custody and child support that are supposed to protect children, but which she says often obliterates families.As a now in-demand consultant, Ginger coaches parents who are suffering from parental alienation, helping them reunite with their erased children and heal the estrangement caused by divorce or separation.  Ginger also works to educate Family Court professionals on how to combat this silent, but truly devastating, public health crisis.  Ginger’s dedication & leadership in this space have not gone unnoticed and in 2019 she was heralded as an Architect of Change by Maria Shriver. 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 Ginger hereFollow Ginger on Insta hereFollow Ginger on Twitter hereFollow Ginger on Facebook hereWatch “Erasing Family”hereFind out more about reversing parental alienation 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: Ginger GentileAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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 Colin Campbell’s two teenage children - Ruby & Hart - were tragically killed by a drunk driver, he and his wife Gail, were plunged headlong into a grief so devastating they felt they might lose their minds.  One second, they’re going on a family drive to their new holiday home.  The next, their entire world had been extinguished.In his remarkable & courageous book Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope & Purpose, Colin shares their unique journey through agonizing grief and shines a desperately needed light on a new vision for mourning catastrophic loss.  This includes demanding that others speak about their beloved children, from a society that’s all but programmed to send well intended but ultimately trite condolences – like - “there are no words”.  Because there are words.  We just have to be courageous enough to access them and hold space for others’ agony, as uncomfortable and awkward as that might be.Colin’s one person show titled, Grief: A One Man ShitShow, channels his shock, anguish and rage into a tragic-comic exploration of our culture’s inability to talk about grief.  It premiered at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it won a Best of Broadwater Award.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Coin herePurchase Colin’s incredible book, “Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope & Purpose” here Follow Colin on Insta 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: Colin CampbellAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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.

Imagine the unimaginable: a young girl, only six years old, enduring years of sexual molestation at the hands of her own brother. It's a chilling reality that many find difficult to comprehend. Yet, this form of abuse, known as child-on-child or sibling sexual abuse, accounts for an appalling 40% of all sexual abuse cases against children. Yes, you heard that right. FORTY PER CENT.Complicating matters further, many victims of sibling sexual trauma feel complicit in the abuse, often struggling to recognise it as abuse at all.  My next guest, Jane Epstein, has not only survived this Sibling Sexual Abuse, but has become a global advocate in the field.As a young woman, Jane turned to stripping, substances & poisonous relationships to numb the pain. But when Jane became a mother of two toddlers in her early 40s, the dam finally burst.Parenthood has a way of transforming us, especially those who’ve endured abuse as children. Becoming a parent compels us to love, nurture, & protect our own kids.  But it also has an incredible way of reopening old wounds & forces us to interrogate who was there to protect us when we needed it most.Jane understands this struggle all too well. Today, she’s resolute about breaking the silence & shedding light on this dark corner of the human experience. Brace yourself for a journey that will touch your heart, challenge your perceptions & leave you with a renewed sense of urgency to protect the most vulnerable among us. Please note that this incredibly powerful & important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks about sexual abuse & Suicide & 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 Jane hereFollow Jane on Insta hereFollow Jane on Twitter hereFollow Jane 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: Jane EpsteinAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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, formerly Kellie King, was a formidable woman who seemed to have it all. A trailblazing sales executive, devoted mother of three, & a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.  But at the age of 42, Kellie's world was turned upside down. Urged by her devout Catholic partner & seconded by a health professional, Kellie begins to question her own gender identity.  Kellie comes to believe she’s in fact a man trapped in a woman’s body & decides to undergo a wholesale medical Transition.  Kelly King is now no more & in her place is Transman Scott Newgent.But sadly, this is not a fairytale.  Scott endured medical complication after complication. He lost absolutely everything – his relationship, his career, but most importantly his wellbeing.  In a battle to survive, he went from one Emergency room to another, desperately trying to solve the mystery of why his health was failing him. As he begins to recover from several near-death experiences, Scott delves into the world of Gender Affirming Care & Medical Transitions.  He discovers that many others, particularly children, are being pushed to rapid Medical Transition which includes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, & experimental surgeries that are being administered with insufficient warnings or adequate research.  Despite receiving death threats for speaking out, Scott is one of the loudest voices in the world calling for an immediate moratorium on the medical Transitioning of children, until they reach adulthood.Scott, was recently featured in conservative commentator Matt Walsh’s film “What is a Woman?” that’s been watched over 177 million times & counting; becoming one of the most successful documentaries of all time.  Walsh, who works for the Daily Wire, has publicly credited Scott as being the undisputed hero of the film.Please note that this incredibly powerful & important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks graphically about Trans issues, gender ideology, suicide & medical Transitions & 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 Scott here Follow Scott on Insta here Follow Scott on Twitter here Find out more about TREvoices here Watch “What is a Woman”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: Scott Newgent Audio Editor: Melissa May With very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson  BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we

As a clinical psychologist & trauma therapist, my next guest, Dr Ingrid Clayton always strived to help others overcome their pain. But, little did Ingrid know that she, too, carried hidden wounds that she’d yet to fully comprehend.A fractured self-esteem, substance abuse disorder, perfectionism, & a series of dysfunctional relationships might have indicated that something was amiss, but having been raised in a bewildering haze of gaslighting, Ingrid found herself constantly questioning her own reality.It wasn't until Ingrid stumbled upon a case study by renowned psychiatrist & writer Dr. Bessel van der Kolk - which eerily mirrored her own experiences - that a profound realisation struck her: the word "trauma" held a deeply personal resonance. In her gripping memoir, "Believing Me", Ingrid fearlessly delves into the legacy of childhood trauma inflicted by a narcissistic, abusive step-father & a broken, invalidating & enabling mother. As I often say on BRAVE JOURNEYS, Just because you don’t name it or acknowledge it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  And yet, for those who are raised by narcissistic, gaslighting parents, they often doubt their own history, their own truth, & for many, their own sanity.But when Ingrid's step-father Randy dies, an incontrovertible calling roars from deep within her – urging her to reclaim her narrative & finally tell it in her own words. BUT BEFORE YOU GO… Find out more about Ingrid here Follow Ingrid on Insta here Follow Ingrid on Facebook here Buy Ingrid’s gripping memoir, "Believing Me" 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 hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Ingrid ClaytonAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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.

Sometimes, you’re lucky enough to meet someone who’ll change your life in inconceivable ways.  My next guest (and now forever friend – whether he likes it or not) is one such human.Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM is a Doctor, Lawyer, Disability Advocate & Researcher.  And that’s just the start.  He’s also a philosopher & his astonishing memoir: Stronger: How Losing Everything Set Me Free is an opus of pure inspiration.In a freak accident, three years into his Medical Degree, Dinesh sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in quadriplegia, affecting the use of his fingers, parts of the arms & everything below the chest.  8 months in hospital.  More than 4 years trying to come back to life.  Allow that to sink in.And yet, Dinesh is a man of firsts…The first person to graduate medical school with quadriplegia in Queensland; The first graduate Doctor with quadriplegia to begin work in the State; andThe first visiting student with quadriplegia to complete an Advanced Clerkship in Radiology at Harvard Medical School.But it doesn’t stop there … so be prepared to be even more humbled & awestruck…Because in 2019, Dinesh was awarded an Order of Australia Medal & the third Australian ever to receive a Henry Viscardi Achievement Award in New York; a prestigious global honour that recognizes exemplary leaders in the disability sector.Dinesh is also the 2021 Queensland Australian of the Year.  As for the rest of his illustrious Bio, you’ll have to look him up yourselves, because his contribution to Medicine and Teaching the next generation of doctors is quite extraordinary and time doesn’t permit me to showcase all that this remarkable human being has achieved.So who does this GIANT of a man look up to as his hero?  His magnificent mum Chithrani.  This is one of the most superb conversations I’ve ever had the privilege to be part of & I can’t wait to share it with you. Get ready to mainline: Meaning, Purpose & Wisdom.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Dinesh herePurchase Dinesh’s masterful memoir, “Stronger: How Losing Everything Set Me Free here Follow Dinesh on Insta 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 Dinesh Palipana OAMAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith 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.

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.