In this episode, I sit down with the wonderful Amanda, someone I first met through the Start Over Movement. From the moment we connected, I knew her story would inspire others.

Amanda grew up in a family of eleven, where life was filled with adversity. She shares the challenges her family faced, from siblings being taken into care to witnessing addiction, illness, and loss. Through it all, her faith gave her strength and hope.

Amanda also opens up about surviving an abusive relationship, finding the courage to walk away, and rebuilding her life after one of its darkest chapters. Her journey is a powerful reminder that our past doesn't have to define our future.

Today, Amanda is living with purpose, travelling the world, helping others through health and fitness, and encouraging people to choose joy, gratitude, and self-awareness every single day.

I'm incredibly grateful our paths crossed, and I know you'll take something meaningful from this conversation.

You can connect with Amanda here: @HappyAmanda8.

In this deeply honest and inspiring episode, we sit down with Melanie Gilchrist to explore a lifetime of adversity, healing and transformation.

Growing up, Melanie experienced significant family trauma, including her father's schizophrenia, her sister's bipolar disorder and the emotional weight of taking on responsibility from a young age. As the years went on, she found herself battling relentless depression, chronic stress, domestic abuse, grief and a series of debilitating health conditions that left her feeling completely disconnected from herself.

After years of searching for answers, Melanie began to discover the powerful connection between emotional wellbeing, the nervous system and physical health. Through changes to her lifestyle, nutrition, running, psychological support and energy healing, she gradually rebuilt her life and found a renewed sense of purpose.

Today, Melanie is a Reiki Master Teacher, transformational therapist, speaker and mentor who helps women reconnect with themselves, build confidence and realise their true potential. Her own experiences have shaped a mission to help others understand that healing is possible, even after years of suffering.

In this conversation we discuss:

• Growing up surrounded by trauma and mental illness.
• Living with relentless depression and chronic stress.
• Domestic abuse, shame and finding the strength to leave.
• The impact stress can have on physical health and the immune system.
• Living with conditions including Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) and PMDD.
• Her journey away from antidepressants alongside professional support and lifestyle changes.
• The role of nutrition, movement, psychology and Reiki in her recovery.
• Why she now believes our greatest challenges can become our greatest gifts.
• Helping women transform their lives through healing, confidence and self-belief.

Melanie's story is one of remarkable resilience. It's a reminder that while healing rarely happens overnight, it is possible to move from surviving to truly living. If you've ever struggled with your mental health, experienced trauma or wondered whether change is possible, this conversation will leave you feeling hopeful and inspired.

Learn more about Melanie:

🌐 melaniegilchrist.com

📱 Instagram: @melaniegilchristreiki

A couple of years ago, I met Barry- and his story has stuck with me ever since.

Barry Carey, a number one bestselling author in the Start Over Series (Volume 4), is originally from Northern Ireland and moved to Australia in 2008, planning to stay for just a year. Like many, that year turned into something much bigger- but not without its challenges.

What started as a lifestyle of partying in his early 20s quickly spiralled into heavy drinking, anxiety, and declining mental health. After a series of difficult events, including a car crash and struggles with depression, Barry reached a breaking point.

But that wasn’t the end of his story.

Through running and discipline, Barry began to rebuild, training at an elite level and completely shifting his mindset. Yet even after physical progress, he faced further setbacks, including injury, trauma, and deep depression that led to hospitalisation.

After surviving a life-threatening accident, Barry had a realisation: if he was still here, there had to be a reason.

From that moment, everything changed.

He committed to working on his mind, rebuilding his life through fitness, mental health support, and personal growth. Today, he’s a speaker, author, and advocate, helping others find their way through dark times.

In this episode, we talk about rock bottom, resilience, and what it really takes to start over.

Barry’s message is simple:

Never give up on yourself. Ask for help — and keep going.

Connect with Barry on Instagram: @careybarry