On December 15, 2014, a regular Sydney morning turned into the unimaginable.

At Martin Place’s Lindt Café, 18 people—including Louisa Hope—were held for hours in a brutal hostage situation

This is the biggest and most powerful conversation we’ve ever had on The Chronically Unbalanced.

On what began as an ordinary December morning in Sydney, Louisa Hope walked into a café for a cup of coffee with her mother. Within minutes, her life changed forever. She was among those taken hostage in what became one of Australia’s most shocking events.

In this special two-part series, Louisa shares her story in her own words—what it was like inside, the fear and uncertainty of those hours, and the split-second moments that stayed with her forever.

She also opens up about the years that followed, the challenges of recovery, and the ways she’s found strength, purpose, and even hope after unimaginable trauma.

Sponsorship:

This episode is proudly sponsored by Don't Shrink Me.

They are a Sydney based counselling practise focusing on young people aged 12-25.

Trigger Warning:

This episode contains discussion of traumatic events including terrorism, hostage situations, gun violence, murder, serious injury, and the long-term impacts of trauma. Listener discretion is strongly advised, especially for those who may find these topics distressing.

If you need support, you can contact:

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  Lifeline — 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)

  
  


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  Victims of Terrorism Australia (VOTA) — 1800 999 037

  
  


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  Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 (24/7 mental health support)