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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

01:02:52

Si Moore: The IVF Support Gap No One Talks About For...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/10/07

I had to love myself⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses grief & loss and 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.au• GriefLine: 1300 845 745 · griefline.org.au Si Moore spent his twenties searching for meaning through self-help and education, but burnout and a six-year relationship ending via email cracked him open. He rebuilt through reading,

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01:11:29

Michael Collins on Grief, Men's Mental Health and...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/10/01

What happens after we break⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses mental health & wellbeing and trauma & healing, 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.au• Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 · blueknot.org.au Michael grew up in a violent household with an alcoholic father and emotionally burdened mother, taking on the role of emotional caregiver for his

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01:06:34

Rich Papais on Trauma Recovery, PTSD and Finding...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/30

Color came into my life⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses mental health & wellbeing, trauma & healing and suicide & self-harm prevention, 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.au• Blue Knot Foundation (complex trauma): 1300 657 380 · blueknot.org.au Rich joined the Navy at 17 to escape a working-class childhood in Newcastle, spending 21 years at sea where he found purpose

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53:02

Kim Borrowdale: The Question That Rewrote Her Story...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/29

The question that rewrote my story⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide & self-harm prevention and grief & loss, 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.au• GriefLine: 1300 845 745 · griefline.org.au Kim grew up in a small Northern New South Wales beach town, curious and creative in a sports-obsessed community. After leaving for Brisbane, then a decade in London

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01:07:42

The Chairs That Save Lives: Stuart O'Neill on Men's...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/28

The chairs that save lives⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, 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.au Stuart spent years building a successful life as a publican and father, but a message from his wife in Taiwan triggered sudden suicidal ideation that fundamentally rewired his brain. A planned suicide attempt was interrupted by police; since then, the thought

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42:31

Susan Palmer on Faith, Coming Out and the Open Door |...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/24

The peace that passes understanding⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, 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.au Susan grew up in a close-knit Community of Christ family but spent her twenties in silent internal conflict about her sexuality, unable to name or share what she was experiencing. At 30, after years of prayer and struggle, she reached a breaking point at

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01:14:44

Mia Bannister on Grief, Loss of a Child and the Peace...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/23

The peace he was looking for ⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses grief & loss and suicide & self-harm prevention, 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.au• GriefLine: 1300 845 745 · griefline.org.au Mia raised Ollie as a single mother after leaving a coercive relationship when he was two. She worked full-time in a male-dominated industry while building a life she thought

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53:19

Both My Sons Held Me Up | Lawrence Atkinson on men's...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/14

Both my sons held me up⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide & self-harm prevention and 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.au Lawrence spent his career climbing the corporate ladder, believing hard work and loyalty would secure his future. When three catastrophic events collided, his father's death, retrenchment from Westpac, and a bike

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01:06:57

Saina Avesta: A Trans Refugee's Survival Story from...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/10

The choice I never had⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, 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.au Saina grew up in Iran as a trans woman in a society that offered no space for her identity. At six, she was forced into an all-boys school; for 29 years she hid who she was from her family. To avoid mandatory military service, she underwent a traumatic process to

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58:57

From Hanoi Shoeshine Boy to Rescuing 2,000...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/07

The angel I wished for Vi Do grew up in extreme poverty in rural Vietnam, watching his father sicken and become unable to work. At 14, he left for Hanoi to survive on the streets as a shoeshine boy, hiding money in his clothes and avoiding gangs. A young Australian teacher named Michael found him, offered him food and English lessons, and for the first time, told him he was smart and good. That moment shifted how Vi saw himself. He studied, worked his way into a five-star hotel, built a comfortable

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01:19:58

After his son died, Duncan Schieb found what men's...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/09/01

The weight I couldn't carry alone⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses addiction & recovery and grief & loss, 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• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.au• GriefLine: 1300 845 745 · griefline.org.auDuncan grew up in rural NSW, the son of a stock and station agent, and spent

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59:47

Drunk, stoned, and behind the wheel: Paul Turley on...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/31

I knew I was going away⚠️ 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.auPaul Turley grew up in Sydney with loving but distant

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40:32

Coming Out Cost Christine Selman a Job. She Has No...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/27

Coming out cost me a job⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, abuse, addiction, grief, 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.auChristine spent her early career hiding her sexuality while building a life as a mental health clinician, nursing in hospitals and communities across Australia. In her twenties, she survived a suicide attempt after her father's death, trauma

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54:07

The Castle With 1000 Rooms | Sarah Rowan | Kintsugi...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/18

The castle with 1000 roomsSarah Rowan grew up in South Carolina's Bible Belt in a loving but restrictive Christian environment. She was told she could be anything except gay. For decades, she buried her identity under achievement, perfectionism, and faith, eventually developing debilitating rheumatoid arthritis by age 30 from the inflammation of unprocessed trauma. At 38, she could no longer hide. She left her marriage with nothing and moved to Australia, where she discovered that speed painting and

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53:08

Luis Montero: From child carer to peer worker,...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/17

The birds are still tweeting⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses addiction & recovery, 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.comLuis grew up as a Jehovah's Witness in a household marked by his mother's severe mental health challenges, physical disability, and domestic violence. By age eight he was her primary carer. When his mother died

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41:28

I Didn't Want To Die With The Wrong Name | Pride In...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/13

I didn't want to die with the wrong nameAt our hero's request, we've withheld their name and identifying details to protect their privacy.⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses abuse & exploitation and domestic & family violence, 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 ·

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56:18

Trauma healing podcast: the mantra that changed...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/12

The mantra that rewired my life⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses abuse & exploitation 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• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.auMindi grew up in a volatile Kansas household marked by

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49:55

She Knew the System. Then It Failed Her Son. Sarah...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/04

The story I had to share⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, grief, 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.auSarah Rosse spent her career as a high-functioning professional in human services, confident in her ability to help others navigate mental health crises. In October 2023, her 16-year-old son attempted to take his life, shattering her sense of control and

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37:07

She saw an elephant bleeding in the jungle, and it...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/03

The elephant's eyes changed everything⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses 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• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.auSaengduean 'Lek' grew up in a Karen tribe where girls had strict limits on movement and education. Her mother, defying family and community pressure, let her attend

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01:07:05

ADHD in women is one of the most missed diagnoses in...

Kintsugi Heroes ·

2026/08/02

ADHD in women is one of the most missed diagnoses in adult mental health, and for three professional women, understanding why took decades.This is Too Much, Not Enough: Late Diagnosis of ADHD in Women, a live online panel from Kintsugi Heroes' Our Stories Matter series. Three women share what it's really like to get a late ADHD diagnosis as an adult, including the relief of finally understanding your own mind and the grief of every year that diagnosis didn't come. They talk openly about ADHD

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