In this conversation, veteran journalist and broadcaster Nadia Mitsopoulos shares her journey from tragedy to advocacy, from decades of silence to the courage to finally tell the truth. At 61, her father took his own life. For thirteen years afterwards, she told people he'd had a heart attack, easier than facing the grief and the fear of judgement.

Nadia reveals how that unspoken fear sat with her like a weight, carried quietly through work and family life. Through a Rotary breakfast where she spoke her father's story publicly for the first time, and years of advocacy on the board of Lifeline WA, she slowly found her way from silence to speaking.

This is a story about breaking the silence around suicide, and showing others that reaching out, even in the hardest moments, is never a sign of weakness.

Content Warning: This episode includes discussions about suicide. Please prioritise your wellbeing as you listen, and reach out to a mental health professional or a local helpline for any additional support. (Australia: Lifeline: 13 11 14 Beyondblue: 1300 224 636.)

About Our Guest

Nadia Mitsopoulos is an experienced and highly regarded journalist and broadcaster who has worked in the media for 30 years. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree, Nadia worked as a journalist at GWN and Network Ten, before moving overseas to travel and work at Associated Press in London. On her return she joined Nine News in Perth where she was the state political reporter for 13 years before moving to ABC radio. She currently presents the Mornings program covering a wide range of topical issues to a statewide audience. Nadia has held numerous board roles including Lifeline WA and is currently a director of Netball WA.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s3e1

00:00 A Life-Changing Moment

06:17 Navigating Grief and Family Dynamics

11:05 Understanding Mental Health and Suicide

16:16 Finding Purpose in Pain

21:12 Normalizing Conversations Around Mental Health

23:44 Understanding Grief and Its Impact

24:28 The Weight of Silence: Personal Reflections

25:47 Navigating Life's Challenges and Finding Strength

28:31 Judgment and Empathy: A Shift in Perspective

31:52 Acceptance and Healing: A Personal Journey

33:41 The Importance of Open Conversations

35:57 Finding Gifts in Difficult Experiences

37:11 Words of Wisdom for the Younger Self

38:25 It's A Wrap

In this special season finale, Anne and Jo pause together to reflect on Season 2's remarkable journey through fear, challenge, and transformation. They share personal insights from eleven powerful conversations, exploring how fear touches everyone's lives beneath our polished exteriors. From connecting the dots within our challenges to the transformative power of accepting help, they explore how each guest's challenge became an unexpected gift. They openly discuss how these deep conversations have changed their own approaches to fear and vulnerability, and why honouring who we really are matters. As they look ahead to Season 3's diverse stories, Anne and Jo remind us that there's immense value in creating space for honest conversations about fear.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e12

00:00 Season Two Reflection and Key Themes

02:01 Connecting the Dots: Personal Growth Through Challenges

03:35 The Importance of Community and Accepting Help

06:06 Forgiveness and Personal Values

08:05 Finding Joy and Small Steps in Healing

10:15 The Power of Speaking Out Against Shame

12:13 Navigating Guilt and Love in Caregiving

14:02 Looking Forward to Season Three

In this conversation, 21-year-old Lauren Jones shares her journey from shame and isolation to self-compassion and strength. At 17, a devastating betrayal by her best friend triggered years of self-loathing, anxiety, and depression. But her story isn't just about surviving those years. It's about discovering what lies on the other side.

Lauren reveals how shame lived in her body as a physical weight, intensified by the instruction to keep silent. Through solitude by the ocean, vulnerability at a leadership camp where she finally spoke her truth, and the transformative practice of writing compassionate notes to herself, Lauren slowly rebuilt her sense of self-worth.

She explores how finding the right support, cultivating an inner voice of kindness, and giving herself permission to feel joy ultimately released years of carried shame. This is a story about breaking the silence, discovering you're not alone, and learning to show up for yourself with grace.

About Our Guest

Lauren Jones is a 21-year-old university student based in Melbourne majoring in Geography. Having been through her own struggles, she is greatly passionate about helping others, building communities, and learning more about the wonders of the Earth. Lauren spends her spare time trying to live as fantastically as possible.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e11

00:00 The Life-Altering Conversation

02:44 Journey Through Self-Doubt and Anxiety

04:38 Finding Self-Worth and Acceptance

06:49 The Spiritual Awakening at Inverloch

09:08 Breaking Through Guilt and Shame

11:13 The Power of Community and Connection

17:07 Realizations at the Leadership Conference

19:20 Sharing My Story: The Importance of Vulnerability

21:24 Releasing Shame and Embracing Joy

26:00 The Transformative Power of Dance

29:30 Permission to Feel Joy

30:42 Embracing Grace and Self-Compassion

34:35 Finding Inner Strength

35:58 Key Moments of Growth

38:58 Looking Forward: Embracing the Future

43:12 Sharing Wisdom and Compassion

45:46 It's A Wrap

For over 40 years, Kylie Zeal was convinced something was fundamentally wrong with her brain. She masked. She tried to fit in. Then, three years ago, a diagnosis of neurodivergence, including ADHD and autism, changed everything. Not by fixing her, but by giving her permission to finally be herself.

At 41, with no permanent home and no fixed address, Kylie discovered the kind of contentment most of us spend decades searching for by simply listening to what her body and mind were telling her. She explores masking: the exhausting performance of being someone you're not. She also reflects on how her late diagnosis forced her to develop invaluable tenacity and courage.

This isn't just a story about neurodivergence and masking. It's also about listening to that quiet voice inside you that knows what you need, even when no one else understands.

About Our Guest

Kylie Zeal is a book coach and author who helps writers transform ideas, experiences, and expertise into meaningful fiction and non-fiction books. Proudly neurodivergent, she brings a distinctive perspective to manuscript analysis, helping authors strengthen clarity, structure, and authentic voice. Kylie has spent the past seven years travelling full-time while running her coaching business remotely.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e10

00:00 The Journey Begins: Embracing Change

03:05 Facing Fears: The Courage to Leave Home

05:10 Understanding Neurodivergence: A Personal Revelation

07:41 Building a Life on My Terms

09:52 The Power of Self-Advocacy

12:21 Navigating Expectations: Finding My Path

14:34 The Impact of Diagnosis: A New Perspective

16:09 Living Authentically: The Freedom of Self-Discovery

22:18 Exploring Happiness and Sensory Connections

24:37 Living with Purpose and Spirituality

26:57 Navigating Diagnosis and Personal Growth

30:15 Understanding Masking and Authenticity

34:13 Embracing Neurodiversity as Strength

37:49 The Gift of Contentment and Trusting the Journey

41:55 It's A Wrap

In this conversation, Kim Hey shares her intimate journey through a diagnosis that forced her to confront not just her mortality, but her identity. When calcifications were discovered in both breasts, Kim faced a pivotal choice: a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer.

But this isn't just a story about loss. It's a story about what happens when you refuse to let fear paralyse you. As a nurse, Kim understood the medical reality. As a woman, she wrestled with fears about her body image, her sexuality, and the self-identity she'd built through twelve years of pole dancing. Yet instead of retreating, Kim transformed her fear into action, turning to humour as a survival tool.

Through booby parties, ceremonial bra burnings, and dancing with surgical drains attached, Kim discovered something profound: strength and vulnerability aren't opposites. They're dance partners. Kim's journey reminds us that our story doesn't end with bad news. It's just entering a different chapter.

About Our Guest

Kim Hey is 55 and a sister, mum, nurse, wife, and soon-to-be personal trainer, with a passion for pole fitness, body movement, and body positivity. She is committed to making fitness fun, empowering, and accessible, even after major surgery.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e9

00:00 A Life-Changing Diagnosis

02:48 Navigating Fear and Body Image

05:10 Finding Humor and Support

07:48 Embracing Change and Self-Discovery

09:43 Reclaiming Identity Through Movement

12:27 Community and Connection

14:35 Post-Surgery Acceptance and Growth

17:02 The Journey of Self-Love and Healing

22:46 Emotional Journey Through Writing

24:18 Navigating Multiple Journeys

25:44 Discovering Strength Post-Surgery

27:36 Emotional Growth and Self-Awareness

29:53 Grief and Acceptance

31:43 Finding New Identity

33:39 Words of Wisdom for Pre-Op Self

36:31 Gifts of the Experience

38:43 It's A Wrap

In this conversation, John Hendry OAM reveals his journey from a stammering child to a decorated educator who spent decades teaching others about forgiveness, relationships and hope.

From his earliest days at school, John discovered that the people who looked beyond his challenges changed everything. But the moment that became the blueprint for his entire life came through tragedy. On his seventeenth birthday, after tragically losing his younger brother, John witnessed his father choose forgiveness in the darkest moment imaginable. That choice shaped everything that followed.

Built on one principle, forgiveness is not weakness, it's the most enabling tool we possess. John shares how he learned to navigate life non-adversarially, speak to himself with compassion, and build quality relationships as the foundation of resilience.

Explore how one man's commitment to forgiveness rippled outward to transform generations.

About Our Guest

John Hendry OAM, has taught in schools for over 50 years. He is a Life Member of Career Development Association of Australia and consultant to UNESCO in Bullying and School Violence. An ongoing “advisor” to Parents Victoria since 2017 and Active Education Australia. Formerly the Director of Student Welfare at Geelong Grammar School, John is a man of many talents and has received an OAM (Education) and an OAM (Cricket).

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e8

00:00 Overcoming Stammering: A Journey Begins

02:32 The Role of Relationships in Managing Fear

06:29 The Impact of School on Self-Perception

08:12 Finding Self-Worth Through Sports

10:55 The Importance of Hope and Trust in Education

13:35 Forgiveness: A Key to Resilience

17:41 Navigating Forgiveness and Relationships

19:13 The Power of Non-Adversarial Relationships

23:40 Understanding Inhibiting Factors in Performance

28:04 The Role of Forgiveness in Personal Growth

32:38 Managing Fear and Emotional Responses

40:29 It's A Wrap

In this conversation, Sue Carr takes us back to a suburban dinner table in the 1970s, where a 17-year-old girl sat silently carrying a secret she had kept to herself for three months. Pregnant, terrified and frozen by fear, Sue describes waiting, hoping each day might somehow be different, until her mother asked one quiet question that changed everything.

Sue shares how the unconditional love of her parents became the foundation for a life she never planned but built with quiet courage and determination. A life of marriage, five children, a return to study at 39, and a career as a primary school principal.

This is a conversation about what happens when fear meets love, and love wins. About the power of sharing your burden. About showing up anyway. And about why it is never too late to take the next step.

About Our Guest

Principal, coach and author Sue Carr redefines strength, arguing that maintaining a “strong” facade often leads to burnout, isolation, and a neglect of one’s own needs. Her work advocates for a shift toward self-leadership, encouraging individuals to set firm boundaries and actively reclaim their energy and purpose.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e7

00:00 Facing Fear: A Life-Changing Moment

04:26 The Power of Sharing Burdens

08:18 Self-Perception and Growth

12:08 Building Confidence and Resilience

16:07 Daily Rituals for Empowerment

20:02 Navigating Life's Challenges

20:51 Navigating Early Parenthood

25:46 Building Confidence Through Support

29:32 Embracing Opportunities for Growth

32:48 Defining Success and Personal Growth

37:02 The Greatest Gifts of Life

39:27 Key Takeaways for Life's Journey

40:50 It's A Wrap

When Justin Robinson's 11-year-old son Sam was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2012, Sam spent 250 nights in hospital and the family faced a constantly unpredictable path forward. Despite being planners who valued control, Justin learned three pieces of wisdom that became lifelines: "Don't plan," "Don't Google," and always say yes when people offer help.

Through vulnerability and honesty, Justin reveals how fear was distributed across many shoulders and how accepting support held their entire family. This is a story about discovering that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply say yes to the help that surrounds us.

About Our Guest

Justin Robinson is the co-founder of The Wellbeing Distillery, which supports hundreds of schools across Australia and internationally to embed wellbeing into education. The former founding Director of the Institute of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School and author of My Manifesto, he is recognised for his warmth, deep listening, and practical wisdom in helping individuals and communities to thrive. Justin is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne and a leading voice in the global positive education movement.

Read the full show notes on our Substack: https://whatsfear.substack.com/p/s2e6

00:00 Introduction and Early Life Influences

00:38 The Health Challenge of Sam

03:29 Navigating the Diagnosis and Initial Reactions

07:00 Coping Mechanisms and Support Systems

10:17 Lessons Learned from the Journey

14:06 Reflections on Fear and Gratitude

15:54 The Positive Outcomes and Future Aspirations

18:42 The Unexpected Connection

21:05 Navigating Fear and Community Support

24:12 The Role of Communication in Healing

29:27 Embracing Emotions and Vulnerability

33:16 Resilience Through Challenges

38:15 The Gifts of Adversity

39:47 Practical Tips for Coping

42:06 It's A Wrap