Resilient Souls

When Michael Chisholm reflects on his childhood, he sees how growing up in a home marked by conflict and pain shaped the man he became. Those unspoken wounds followed him into adult life, affecting his relationships and decisions—until he reached a turning point: realising that what you don’t work through, you pass on.

In this heartfelt conversation, Michael shares how doing the hard inner work helped him break the cycle for his own...

When Elizabeth Moncrieff-Philp lost her husband in a devastating car accident, she suddenly found herself raising four children alone — while trying to hold space for their grief as well as her own.

In this powerful conversation, Elizabeth reflects on what it meant to keep showing up when everything changed. From navigating school routines to managing the different responses to trauma in her kids, she opens up about the kind of pare...

When Felicity Baird’s husband, Matt, died after a long battle with cancer, she was left to navigate her own heartbreak — while helping three young children face theirs. What followed was a journey of loss, faith, and slow rebuilding.

In this moving episode, Felicity shares what helped her hold on when life fell apart — and how she continues to find strength and beauty in unexpected places. From practical ways to talk with children a...

Jacqui Page’s story is one of fierce love, deep faith, and resilience forged in the fire of the unexpected.

After years of waiting and praying, Jacqui and her husband welcomed a daughter into their lives—though not in the way they had imagined. From the very beginning, her daughter’s needs were significant, and Jacqui found herself in the thick of hospital corridors, tough conversations, and decisions no parent ever wants to face. S...

Jane Oundjian has spent more than 30 years helping people navigate grief. But long before she developed The Bereavement Journey — an award-winning UK-based grief support programme — Jane was just a teenage girl grieving her mother — quietly, and without much support.

In this episode, Jane shares her personal story of grief and healing: from losing her mother as a teen, to later losing her young child, to eventually creating one of t...

In Part 2 of this powerful two-part conversation, registered psychologist and grief coach, Ashley Mielke, shares what she’s learned after years of sitting with people in their darkest moments. Building on her personal story in Episode 28, Ashley offers compassionate and clear insights into how we can better understand, support, and walk with those who are grieving.

We explore toxic positivity, the myth of the ‘five stages of grief’,...

Ashley Mielke is a psychologist, grief coach, and woman of deep faith. But long before any of that, she was a young girl navigating the quiet ache of having a father who was facing his own struggles—and learning to stay strong in ways no child should have to.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Ashley shares her personal story of growing up with a parent who struggled with addiction, the complex emotions that came with that, an...

Bec Riley always dreamed of becoming a mum. But when infertility shattered those dreams, she and her husband began a long and lonely IVF journey filled with heartbreak, disappointment, and unexpected complications.

In this honest and deeply personal conversation, Bec reflects on the emotional and physical toll of IVF, the loneliness that often comes with it, and how her faith evolved along the way.

Eventually, a path she hadn’t plan...

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Sam Hearn returns to share how the pain and trauma of his early life became the foundation for a life of empathy, purpose, and service.

Picking up where we left off in Part 1, Sam reflects on key turning points—his decision to choose healing over bitterness, the slow and redemptive restoration of his relationship with his father, and how his lived experience now fuels his work supporting othe...

In this powerful first part of a two-part conversation, Stewart sits down with Sam Hearn—a community leader and pastor whose deep compassion for others is rooted in his own lived experience. In Part 1, Sam shares openly about his upbringing, including poverty, generational trauma, family violence, and mental health struggles.

Despite these hardships, Sam’s story is filled with moments of beauty, hope, and a growing awareness of God...

In this powerful follow-up to our conversation with their mother, Belinda Peters, Stewart sits down with Matt, Josh, and Ben Peters—three brothers who grew up as their father battled early onset dementia, leaving their mother to take on far more responsibility as a parent, carer, and wife than she had ever expected.

After hearing Belinda’s story of faith and strength as a parent, this episode offers a moving and deeply insightful p...

In this heartfelt episode, Belinda Peters shares her deeply personal journey of navigating her husband’s early onset dementia diagnosis while raising their three young sons. As she faced uncertainty, loss, and overwhelming responsibility, Belinda leaned on faith, community, and practical wisdom to sustain herself and her family.

She opens up about the challenges of parenting through grief, the importance of clear communication with ...

In this insightful episode, Stewart sits down with Natasha Rae, a psychologist with her own lived experience of trauma. Natasha opens up about growing up in a dysfunctional family and the profound impact it had on her mental health. She discusses the importance of having a strong support system and finding meaning and purpose in life, even in the face of adversity.

Natasha introduces the concept of positive psychology and explains t...

In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, Doug Miller shares his journey as a husband, father, and caregiver in the wake of his wife, Barb’s, life-changing accident in Malawi. With raw honesty, Doug recounts the fear and uncertainty of the day everything changed and reflects on his role in supporting his wife and children through the aftermath.

Doug opens up about the challenges of balancing his own emotions while being a stea...

In this inspiring episode, Barb Miller, a retired missionary, shares her extraordinary story of resilience and faith after a devastating accident in Malawi. During a bike ride with her daughter, Barb fell from a bridge into a ravine, resulting in paralysis from the chest down. Despite this life-changing event, Barb and her family chose to stay in Malawi, embracing their new reality with faith, creativity, and determination.

Barb re...

In this episode, Ken Roberts shares his journey through personal trauma and loss, revealing how he has experienced a transformation of his pain into a calling to help others without minimising what he and his family went through. Drawing from his extensive experience as a leader, author, and coach, Ken emphasizes the power of embracing your story as a tool for personal growth and healing.

Stewart and Ken’s conversation explores the...

In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Stewart continues his previous conversation with his daughter, Ashley Biddick, a psychologist navigating her own firsthand experience of trauma and grief. Ashley reflects on the ongoing journey through immense loss following the death of her husband, Jake.

Drawing from her personal experience and professional insights, Ashley delves into the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual c...

In this powerful episode, Jon Owen, a compassionate leader dedicated to building community with those in vulnerable situations, shares from his experience and the insights and wisdom he has gained from years of serving others. Jon opens up about his own journey and offers practical guidance for anyone going through tough times or supporting others facing adversity.

Through his work with the Wayside Chapel community, Jon has learne...

In this conversation, Stewart interviews Shirli Congoo about death, grief, and a cultural context of her experiences in her community. Shirli shares her personal experiences of losing loved ones, including four brothers and a nephew, and how these losses have impacted her at various ages and stages in her life.

She discusses the cultural obligations and responsibilities that come with death in First nations communities, including s...