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PODCAST

Kintsugi Heroes

Kintsugi Heroes

Kintsugi Heroes is a powerful Australian podcast sharing real-life stories of resilience, mental health, and human transformation. Each episode features raw, honest conversations with everyday people who have overcome adversity including addiction, trauma, grief, illness, financial hardship, and life-altering challenges. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi — repairing what’s broken with gold — this podcast explores how life’s toughest moments can shape strength, purpose, and connection

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

01:03:22

Twenty years numb: Karl Germann on complex trauma,...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/07/30

The 20-year fogKarl grew up in apartheid South Africa in a wealthy but emotionally distant Austrian-South African family, experiencing what he now understands as complex trauma rooted in his mother's narcissism and his father's clinical detachment. For decades he dissociated, unaware he was queer until his late twenties when he met a partner and came out to indifference from his family. He moved to London at 27, then Australia, but remained numb and disconnected from himself until the last two

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01:08:02

Written off at 15, Phil Hugill spent decades inside...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/07/21

The light in the tunnel⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses mental health & wellbeing, which some listeners may find distressing.If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.auJohn left school at 15 written off as a slow learner, worked manual jobs, and felt trapped. An art teacher gave him a chance on an art course despite his inability to draw; that opened a career in education and social work. Over decades, he

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52:38

Holly Deane-Johns: 17 Years Inside, One Moment of...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/07/07

⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses addiction & recovery and trauma & healing, which some listeners may find distressing.If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:• SMART Recovery Australia (addiction): smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au• ReachOut: au.reachout.com• Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 · blueknot.org.au• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.auHolly Deane-Johns grew up in a stable home until her mother's involvement with a

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01:11:03

Jason Blyth: The Gold in the Cracks, How Pain Refines...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/06/24

Jason Blyth: The Gold in the Cracks, How Pain Refines and Purpose Is Built⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses abuse & exploitation, addiction & recovery and trauma & healing, which some listeners may find distressing.If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:• Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 · blueknot.org.au• 1800RESPECT (family, domestic & sexual violence): 1800 737 732 · 1800respect.org.au• SMART Recovery Australia (addiction):

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45:33

Mahir Manot: Six Years of Bullying, One Teacher Who...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/06/23

⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses abuse & exploitation, which some listeners may find distressing.If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:• Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 · blueknot.org.au• 1800RESPECT (family, domestic & sexual violence): 1800 737 732 · 1800respect.org.auMahir entered high school as an energetic, curious kid thriving in primary school. By year 10, whispered jokes became systematic exclusion; by year 11, he was trapped between

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01:21:59

Colin Parsons: The Gold in the Cracks, How He Built a...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/06/17

Colin Parsons spent decades people-pleasing and chasing externally imposed goals until a move to Luxembourg, the birth of his children, and therapy catalysed a complete reckoning. He took paternal leave in a country that supported it, discovered his gift for genuine human connection through a Chief Happiness Officer role, and later questioned everything: money, marriage, identity, and what it meant to show up authentically. A divorce forced him to surrender the shame and labels others placed on him

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01:14:40

The Closet Is a Performance: How Gene Moore...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/06/09

Gene Moore grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household where his sexuality was framed as sin. He married, became a pastor, and spent 14 years denying who he was before a near-suicidal crisis forced him out of the closet. After losing his partner Victor to a plane crash in 1994, Gene channelled his grief into studying gay identity and eventually transforming military and police cultures by reframing homophobia not as prejudice against gay people but as a masculinity enforcement system that

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01:03:07

Matt Tulle: From Hiding to Healing — Lived Experience...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/05/26

EPISODE SUMMARYNot every journey to purpose is a straight line. For Matt Tulle, it wound through stigma, addiction and some of the darkest corners of mental health — all while growing up queer in rural Queensland.Matt didn't just survive that journey. He transformed it. Today he works as a peer worker in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) support, walking alongside men who are exactly where he once was. In this honest, generous conversation, Matt unpacks ten years as a "functional drug addict", the

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59:39

The Beacon on Your Head: Breaking the Silence That...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/05/25

Donna carries memories from 18 months old, including repeated sexual abuse by her father beginning at age three. Through childhood and adolescence, she endured trafficking, gang rape, attempted abduction, and betrayal by peers. Two abortions—one illegal and traumatic, one legal—marked her teenage years. At 16, a suicide attempt by overdose nearly killed her. She married an abusive narcissist in her early twenties, escaped after years of rape and violence, and found safety with her second husband at

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54:14

Kindness at the End: Harpreet Kalsi-Smith on Dying...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/05/12

EPISODE SUMMARYHarpreet Kalsi-Smith founded The Kindness Company after caring for her mum through end of life. Shaped by her own migration story and over 15 years working with First Nations, migrant and refugee communities, Harpreet walks alongside people approaching death — making space for grief, honouring culture, and proving that kindness is the quiet thing that changes everything when someone is saying goodbye.TOPICS COVEREDEnd of Life Care • Kindness • Grief and Loss • First Nations

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01:05:38

From the Beach to Belonging: Jay Borthwick on...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/04/30

🎙️ EPISODE SUMMARYWhat happens when the thing you were told to hide becomes the very thing that shapes your purpose?Jay Borthwick grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches — a life filled with ocean swims, surf lifesaving, and community. But behind that upbringing was a challenge that shaped everything: dyslexia.In this episode, Jay shares how navigating school with a learning difficulty, being labelled early, and learning to adapt built the resilience, self-awareness, and leadership that now define his

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01:02:29

From Grief to Courage: Kevin Holloway on Loss,...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/04/28

🎙️ Episode SummaryWhat does it take to rebuild your life after losing everything you built together?Kevin Holloway shares his deeply personal journey through grief after losing his wife of nearly 40 years. From overwhelming loss to finding meaning again, this is a powerful conversation about courage, identity, and what it truly means to keep showing up.Through his experience as a leader, coach, and human being navigating profound loss, Kevin explores emotional resilience, presence, and the

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01:14:40

The Power of Being Seen: Identity, Resilience, and...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/04/14

"I’ve come out from under, from hiding, I suppose."In this episode, we sit down with Gene Moore, a brilliant scholar, former pastor, and cultural change specialist whose life’s work involves dismantling the very walls he was once forced to live behind. Growing up in a fundamentalist Christian home in Texas, Gene faced the agonising conflict between his identity and his faith.After a journey that took him from the deep South to the islands of the Pacific and finally to New Zealand, Gene transformed

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01:02:22

Rethinking suicide prevention with Hayley Purdon

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/03/31

Hayley grew up in a privileged family where her parents worked hard and protected her from many hardships. She was a middle child who became skilled at noticing others and managing emotions.During high school, Hayley faced difficulties processing big emotions and coped with them through an eating disorder. She did not often share her struggles and felt alone with her experiences.After high school, Hayley tried multiple university courses and jobs, searching for meaning and a sense of purpose. She

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01:00:05

From Terminal Diagnosis to the Cockpit: Cameron...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/03/19

Episode Title: From Terminal Diagnosis to the Cockpit: Cameron’s Journey of Repair and ResilienceEpisode Summary Cameron faced a terminal cancer diagnosis with the same precision he uses as an airline pilot. In this episode, we explore how he reframed a "broken" prognosis into a life of deeper community connection, spiritual peace, and the successful raising of his two daughters. Cameron’s story is a living example of Kintsugi—where the repairs are made in gold.Cameron faced terminal cancer with

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01:11:10

From the corporate world to finding purpose in the...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/03/17

Troy grew up in Bendigo, Victoria and studied sports science at university. He developed curiosity and appreciation for learning through diverse life experiences and family challenges.After university, Troy travelled extensively, living in places like Greece, Iran, and South America. He worked in remote cattle stations, ski field management at Mount Buller, and even spent six months living in a zoo.Troy built a varied career in banking, marketing, and sales, including roles as an executive and sales

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55:42

From pharmaceuticals to wellbeing coaching with...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/03/10

Catherine Robertson is a highly experienced wellbeing and leadership coach, consultant, and keynote speaker who bridges corporate leadership and personal growth. With a 20-year career in the pharmaceutical industry and over a decade specialising in wellbeing, mindfulness, and positive psychology, she supports leaders to enhance health, resilience, and performance through evidence-based approaches. Catherine designs and delivers transformative programs, workshops, coaching, and high-performance team

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54:33

Why it's never too late to change direction with...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/03/03

Joanna Nell is a British/Australian author, former GP and advocate for positive ageing. Her journey began with a deep curiosity about people. As a doctor, she listened closely to her patients and cared for them with empathy and understanding every day.Leaving a successful medical career, Joanna followed her passion for writing. She shows us it’s possible to change direction in life and start something new at any age.Storytelling is Joanna’s superpower. Drawing from her experience of working with

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53:33

How connection and hope shape mental wellbeing at...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/02/24

Ros Knight began her journey as a good listener among friends during high school, soon realizing her interest in how people think and grow. Her first career path did not quite fit, but Ros found her true calling as a psychologist, driven by her desire to help others.Over the years, she has built a strong foundation in clinical practice, always focusing on understanding both the brain and the person.Ros became a respected advocate, taking on senior leadership positions in community organisations and

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50:59

Reimagining ageing, death and dignity with Jill Nash

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/02/17

Jill Nash overcame early family tragedy and loss, showing remarkable strength. Her experiences shaped a determined outlook, helping her guide her family and herself through life’s most challenging moments with courage.Now 86 years old, UK born Jill champions dignified aging and end-of-life choices and is involved in voluntary assisted dying initiatives including creating creates seminars to encourage open, supportive conversations on death, dying, and planning.Jill passionately serves in health

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193 results

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