July 23, 2025 • 7 mins
Introducing I Never Told You This: Two People. One big reveal. A simple card deck with questions. Some are light-hearted, some deeper…and one that says ‘I Never Told You This’ - the chance for one person to share something they’ve never told the other before.
In this episode, Joana opens up about postnatal depression and the pressure she felt to be the ‘perfect’ mum — uncovering a shared experience with her daughter she never expected.
Head to Medibank to learn more about the Family Roast card game that sparked the conversation.
The experiences shared and views expressed are those of the people featured and do not reflect the views of Medibank. This is not health advice. If you or someone you know needs help, you should always consult a trusted health professional. For further support and guidance, visit Medibank Mental Health. Or, if in need of immediate support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
You're listening to a Muma Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Mamma Maya acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and
waters that this podcast is recorded on. I'm a Shiny Dante,
host of But Are You Happy? Did you know that
one in five Australians experience and mental health condition each year,
yet too many suffer in silence. Talking about our feelings
and experiences is one of the most powerful steps towards
(00:35):
healing and knowing we're not alone. That's why we're introducing
I Never Told You This, a series created to spark honest,
meaningful conversations that support better mental well being. Brought to
you by Medibank, this episode discusses experiences of anxiety, panic
attacks and postnatal depression. Please listen with care and if
(00:56):
it feels like too much right now, you're warmly encouraged
to skip this one or come back to this episode
whenever you're ready.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Like, what if my body does something? Then I don't
have control over it?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
If I fun Yeah, two people, one big reveal. I
Never Told You This a simple card game where one
question could change everything. It starts like what s more
things brings you joy?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm not going to answer that.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Then comes the moment that could shift a relationship forever.
As they finished this sentence, I never told you this.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
I've never told you.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
They never told you this.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Today mother and daughter, Johanna and Naraine will be sitting
down together feeling apprehensive.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I'm feeling nervous.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Johanna has something big to reveal to her daughter.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
I'm feeling confident that it's going to be the right
thing to do. I want to have an in depth
conversation with you today. We've got these Medibank Family Roast
cards to help us with it.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
I'm going to pick up a card.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Now, what piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Don't care what people think. I'm wasted a lot of
time doing things I didn't want to do, worried about
what people see. I'm ready to another CARDI.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
You, let's see what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Tell us about an amazing thing you've seen or done.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Go Upper Mountain. It was practically straight up and down
to see all the sights of Hong Kong.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
What about Juna Rain, what's the most amazing thing you've
ever done?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Give birth?
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I sometimes even yeah, sit down.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And go wow, I did that? Like you've had four
daughters and but like for me, this was like this huge.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Me trying to calm you. Are you swearing at me?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I don't remember that. I'm going to say plausible deniability
because there's no record of that turn. That never happened.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Okay, time to pull another carry out. Let's have a look.
I never told you this.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
So you were born six o'clock in the morning on
Valentine's Day. You were the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
You were so beautiful. I kept kissing you. I took
you out of the cradle. They said you got to
put her back and not carry you.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
As soon as they walk out of the room, I'd
take you and put you on the bed with me
and caddle you. We'd only been here about six months
because when I came from Fiji to Australia, I was
already pregnant with you. I had to deal with everything myself,
even though Dad was there, he had to go to work.
It was very, very hard for me.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So I used to get these panic attacks.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
And anxiety whilst walking down the street.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I would be so afraid of so much things. I
couldn't even get into a car.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
I would think that the door was going to open
and I was going to fall out, or that I
myself would open that door, yeah, and jump out to
the point where I had to go back to doctor
and see doctor, and he told me that, you know,
suffering from postnatal depression.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Do you know what's so crazy? I don't know how
you're only just telling me this now. I've literally had
those same thoughts, really, those exact thoughts where I've been
in a car, like what if my body does something
and I don't have control over it? What if? What?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, the rest of this episode of I never told
you this right after the.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Break just imagine you know, I've never shared this with you,
and you've never shared your experience with me.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
But I feel like if you had maybe shared this earlier,
I would have maybe felt less crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
But I didn't know you were going through that.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Because I was doing what you were doing and just
not wanting to tell me about my problems. That's right,
That's right, Wow, Like I was there tracked in my
own hell. I felt in cap yeah, you know, and
I felt that potentially if I told people what I
(05:14):
was going through, that they might not see me being
fit to parents. Yes, even you know what I mean,
that I might be judged as a mother.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Yeah, that hurts me a lot, Dear, It does, because
you know how much I care for you.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
It's not your fault, no, But the thing is, I
feel that I should.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Have been more open with you kids, all of you,
but especially you, because it only happened to me after
I gave birth to you. And for me, I realized
today it's because it was the enormity of moving to
a new country, knowing I had no family beside me
to help me. And when we feel that everyone is
(05:54):
depending on us to solve it, then we panic and
we get the panic attacks that come.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
That's exactly my entire life.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You were trying to do the best you can and
being pregnant, taking care of your whole and your husband
and family and even lots of other people.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You are a wonderful mother.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
And I'm not telling you this just to make you
happy or to.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Give false praise. You are such a good mother. You
do everythink.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
First copying you like, I feel like I'm just emulating
the things that you do.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Darling.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You're better than me.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
The way you take care of your daughter, your home,
your family, involved.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
In the things in school. Gabrielle is so lucky to
have a mom like you.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
I admire you so much and so always know that,
always know that whenever you feel funny, or you feel different,
or something's maybe going on in your head, you think
to yourself, you're good enough.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
That's all that matters.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I'm so grateful to even like have a mom that
would say that to me. And I just think to
myself as a mother, did you feel good enough? We
obviously think you good enough, but it's like, can you
make me feel that?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Or do you feel good enough? I don't know. I'm
just the type of person that don't expect much.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I just feel like a good mother. Do you feel
like do you know that you're Yes?
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I know I'm a good mother. I know I'm a
good mother because I have a lot of love for
my children.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
And don't ever think that anything you do is insignificant.
Everything you do or you don't do still means a
lot to me.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Thank you, Love you about
You're listening to a Muma Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Mamma Maya acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and
waters that this podcast is recorded on. I'm a Shiny Dante,
host of But Are You Happy? Did you know that
one in five Australians experience and mental health condition each year,
yet too many suffer in silence. Talking about our feelings
and experiences is one of the most powerful steps towards
(00:35):
healing and knowing we're not alone. That's why we're introducing
I Never Told You This, a series created to spark honest,
meaningful conversations that support better mental well being. Brought to
you by Medibank, this episode discusses experiences of anxiety, panic
attacks and postnatal depression. Please listen with care and if
(00:56):
it feels like too much right now, you're warmly encouraged
to skip this one or come back to this episode
whenever you're ready.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Like, what if my body does something? Then I don't
have control over it?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
If I fun Yeah, two people, one big reveal. I
Never Told You This a simple card game where one
question could change everything. It starts like what s more
things brings you joy?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm not going to answer that.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Then comes the moment that could shift a relationship forever.
As they finished this sentence, I never told you this.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
I've never told you.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
They never told you this.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Today mother and daughter, Johanna and Naraine will be sitting
down together feeling apprehensive.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I'm feeling nervous.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Johanna has something big to reveal to her daughter.
Speaker 5 (01:43):
I'm feeling confident that it's going to be the right
thing to do. I want to have an in depth
conversation with you today. We've got these Medibank Family Roast
cards to help us with it.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
I'm going to pick up a card.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Now, what piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Don't care what people think. I'm wasted a lot of
time doing things I didn't want to do, worried about
what people see. I'm ready to another CARDI.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
You, let's see what it is.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Tell us about an amazing thing you've seen or done.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Go Upper Mountain. It was practically straight up and down
to see all the sights of Hong Kong.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
What about Juna Rain, what's the most amazing thing you've
ever done?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Give birth?
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I sometimes even yeah, sit down.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And go wow, I did that? Like you've had four
daughters and but like for me, this was like this huge.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Me trying to calm you. Are you swearing at me?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I don't remember that. I'm going to say plausible deniability
because there's no record of that turn. That never happened.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Okay, time to pull another carry out. Let's have a look.
I never told you this.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
So you were born six o'clock in the morning on
Valentine's Day. You were the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
You were so beautiful. I kept kissing you. I took
you out of the cradle. They said you got to
put her back and not carry you.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
As soon as they walk out of the room, I'd
take you and put you on the bed with me
and caddle you. We'd only been here about six months
because when I came from Fiji to Australia, I was
already pregnant with you. I had to deal with everything myself,
even though Dad was there, he had to go to work.
It was very, very hard for me.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So I used to get these panic attacks.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
And anxiety whilst walking down the street.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
I would be so afraid of so much things. I
couldn't even get into a car.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
I would think that the door was going to open
and I was going to fall out, or that I
myself would open that door, yeah, and jump out to
the point where I had to go back to doctor
and see doctor, and he told me that, you know,
suffering from postnatal depression.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Do you know what's so crazy? I don't know how
you're only just telling me this now. I've literally had
those same thoughts, really, those exact thoughts where I've been
in a car, like what if my body does something
and I don't have control over it? What if? What?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, the rest of this episode of I never told
you this right after the.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Break just imagine you know, I've never shared this with you,
and you've never shared your experience with me.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
But I feel like if you had maybe shared this earlier,
I would have maybe felt less crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
But I didn't know you were going through that.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Because I was doing what you were doing and just
not wanting to tell me about my problems. That's right,
That's right, Wow, Like I was there tracked in my
own hell. I felt in cap yeah, you know, and
I felt that potentially if I told people what I
(05:14):
was going through, that they might not see me being
fit to parents. Yes, even you know what I mean,
that I might be judged as a mother.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
Yeah, that hurts me a lot, Dear, It does, because
you know how much I care for you.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
It's not your fault, no, But the thing is, I
feel that I should.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
Have been more open with you kids, all of you,
but especially you, because it only happened to me after
I gave birth to you. And for me, I realized
today it's because it was the enormity of moving to
a new country, knowing I had no family beside me
to help me. And when we feel that everyone is
(05:54):
depending on us to solve it, then we panic and
we get the panic attacks that come.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
That's exactly my entire life.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You were trying to do the best you can and
being pregnant, taking care of your whole and your husband
and family and even lots of other people.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You are a wonderful mother.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
And I'm not telling you this just to make you
happy or to.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Give false praise. You are such a good mother. You
do everythink.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
First copying you like, I feel like I'm just emulating
the things that you do.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Darling.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
You're better than me.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
The way you take care of your daughter, your home,
your family, involved.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
In the things in school. Gabrielle is so lucky to
have a mom like you.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
I admire you so much and so always know that,
always know that whenever you feel funny, or you feel different,
or something's maybe going on in your head, you think
to yourself, you're good enough.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
That's all that matters.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I'm so grateful to even like have a mom that
would say that to me. And I just think to
myself as a mother, did you feel good enough? We
obviously think you good enough, but it's like, can you
make me feel that?
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Or do you feel good enough? I don't know. I'm
just the type of person that don't expect much.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I just feel like a good mother. Do you feel
like do you know that you're Yes?
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I know I'm a good mother. I know I'm a
good mother because I have a lot of love for
my children.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
And don't ever think that anything you do is insignificant.
Everything you do or you don't do still means a
lot to me.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Thank you, Love you about
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