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Trigger warning: sexual abuse

For many survivors of child sexual abuse, the moment the truth comes out can almost be another form of trauma while for others it can be cathartic. In fact as Alison Mau knows very well, the needs of survivors are infinitely varied.

Alison is an award-winning journalist with more than thirty years in major television, radio, and print media roles. A long-time advocate for gender equity, in the wake of the global #metoo movement, Alison created a ground breaking investigative journalism project at NZ’s largest news platform in 2018. Over five years, the #MeTooNZ project published dozens of major investigations and supported hundreds of survivors to tell their stories, leading to widespread change in the way sexual harassment is reported by media.

In many ways her experience helped her when it came to exploring and sharing her own personal experience with childhood sexual abuse.

In 2023, Alison co-founded Tika, a tech-first access to justice charity designed to remove the barriers survivors experience when seeking justice and accountability.

Her #1 bestselling memoir, No Words For This, was released in April 2025.

In this episode she shares:

-      How her curiosity, optimism, and likely undiagnosed ADHD have shaped who she is

-      Why she wrote No Words for This and the lack of language around sexual harm

-      The decision to tell her family’s story and why leaving it out felt dishonest

-      The unexpected impact of the book and how it helped survivors feel less alone

-      Her role leading Me Too NZ and changing how survivor stories are reported

-      What trauma-informed journalism looks like in practice

-      How a phone call from her sister brought buried childhood abuse into the open

-      The relief and complexity of discovering she was no longer alone

-      Why justice and healing are not one-size-fits-all for survivors

-      How she transformed anger, struggle, and grief into advocacy and systemic change

Key Quotes

“I spent my whole life pushing it down just so I could survive, until one moment made it impossible to stay alone with it.”

“Struggling isn’t weakness, it’s what happens when you’re carrying something that was never meant to be carried alone.”

“The hardest part wasn’t what happened to me, but learning to believe it wasn’t my fault.”

More about

Find out more about Tika here.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

Welcome to 2026! For many 2025 was a pretty hard year, and some of you may have just been knuckling down and powering through, often even being the support for those around you whilst also desperately trying to keep your head above water.

I wanted to do this episode to help those of us who have fallen into the role of being ‘The Strong one” find a way to an easier 2026.

In this episode I shares:

-      How we can take a moment to pause

-      What it means to be the strong one and why people become the strong one

-      The cost of always being the strong one

-      What happens when the strong one finally can’t be strong

-      What is a more positive kind of strength

-      A simple strategy to begin shifting the pattern

Key Quotes

“Over time strength stops being something you do and it becomes someone you are.”

There is a hidden cost of being the strong one.”

“Your body often knows the cost long before your mind does.”

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

What is it like to be a narcissist? And how can. Narcissist do good in the world?

This week we are continuing our conversation with 89-year-old keynote speaker, author, and Gestalt therapist Lenny Kravich.

After an abusive upbringing, Lenny realised a long time ago that he might be a narcissist, and that realisation shaped an entire journey of discovery and development that he then went on.

In this episode he shares:

-      What the word narcissist means for him and what his experience with it is

-      How he made a decision that changed the way he viewed and interacted with people

-      What happens when he lets himself down

-      How he came to write his book

-      What impact did writing the book have on him

-      The lesson he still has to learn

-      

Key Quotes

“I am very manipulative about how I get attention.”

“It screwed up a lot of things in my life.”

More about Lenny

Find his website here.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

We have heard from the victims of generational trauma from it’s victims, but what about the people who perpetuate it, until they finally realising what they are doing?

That is the story of Lenny Ravich, a man who experienced abuse as ‘punishment’ and passed it on to his children until he realised what he was doing and worked hard to make the change.

Lenny is an 89-year-old keynote speaker, author, and Gestalt therapist whose life work bridges humour, healing, and human connection. His message lands with lightness and truth – shaped by decades of lived experience, not theory. Lenny doesn’t just talk about joy – he lives it.

In this episode he shares:

-      What it was like for him growing up and the violence he experienced from his parents

-      How he perpetuated generational violence

-      His relationship with his sister and reconciling with her

-      how a conference and gestalt therapy led him to realisations about himself

-      Gestalt therapy and realising awareness and mindfulness

-      An experience that led him to fully accept himself

-      What was his process of changing after his realisation

-      His experience of deep listening and how it has impacted his life

Key Quotes

“Aa person could tell me they're dying in 3 days and I would joke about it.”

“It was all about me, anything that came up, it was all about me.”

“I didn’t tackle my narcissism it's still there but I’m aware of it happening

More about Lenny

Find his website here.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

Lara Hamilton is an Australian Trail Runner, Ski-Mountaineer, DJ & Vocalist, and Digital Growth Hacker and is currently training for the Skimo 2026 Winter Olympics Trials.

She was also diagnose with Ankylosing Spondylitis, also known as the ‘young person’s arthritis’.

Lara’s journey of elite athlete, to battling an undiagnosed condition, to finally receiving a diagnosis and working back to her Olympic dream is absolutely awe inspiring.

Outside of training and the incredible amount of sports and music she does, Lara wants to make an active impact on athlete climate education and sustainable outdoor practices. One way I can assist in the digital world is to make athlete climate sustainability resources.

In this episode she shares:

-      What her childhood and family life was like

-      Her experience with music and her creativity outside of sport

-      The highlights of her career so far

-      How her struggle to believe in herself impacted her

-      Her biggest lessons from childhood that she's pulled into what she does today

-      How being diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis affected her journey

-      How she manages having this lifelong condition that gets worse over time

-      Tools she uses to enhance her performance

-      Tools she uses to manage anxiety

-      What ski mountaineering is and what is her experience with it

Key Quotes

“Opportunities are gonna open up to you if you believe in yourself and if you don't, fake it.”

“If you smile at people and you stand tall, it makes other people bright and happy too.”

More about Lara

Check out Lara’s website and follow her on Instagram.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.

Trigger warning: Alcoholism

Imagine starting a journey of alcoholism and addiction from the age of 5.

That was the case for John Griffith who still remembers the life altering impact of the first drink he had as a child and how it lead to over a decade of addiction and reliance before he finally became sober at 18.

Now, living a continuous sober life since April 1991 at the early age of 18 John is familiar with the effects of alcoholism and drug addiction. Whilst achieving success in the private sector, the cornerstone to John's life has been working with those suffering from alcoholism.

He is a CEO with a hands on approach towards Sunrise Way residents and a belief that providing tools for living and re-immersion into the community is part of the long term solution. 

In this episode he shares:

-      Why one of the first most significant events in his life was first trying alcohol

-      What some of the tough lessons he had to learn in life were

-      How alcohol impacted his life

-      His experience going to a 12 step program and how it offered him hope

-      How trauma can affect the lives of the people around him

-      The work he's doing now and how his challenges led him to that

-      Some of the challenges he faced during his work

-      What message he has for people in a similar situation who need help

Key Quotes

“I wasn’t looking for somewhere to get sober I was just looking for somewhere safe to stay.”

“When I got sober at 18 and a half, I had the emotional maturity of a 4 or 5 year old.”

“My life was painful sober and I would drink to feel ok.”

More about John

Find out more about Sunrise Way via their website.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.

This week is actually a bit of a different style of episode. Normally, we interview a guest on a challenge they faced, but today is just you and I.

I wanted to spend some time reflecting on the year, on the incredible conversations that we've had. Every story, every tear, every quiet pause of challenge, and what it's taught me and all of us about what it truly means to grow through challenge. When I first started this podcast, I believed in the power of storytelling to shift us, to move something inside That logic can't quite reach.

But this year I witnessed something deeper. I saw how challenge doesn't just test us. It absolutely can transform us. It reshapes the way that we see ourselves, the way that we see our loved ones and the way that we live our lives.

In this episode I share:

-      How challenges transform people, not just test them, and the importance of our community’s honest, raw stories.

-      The theme of Recovery and rebirth we learnt from Yumi, Caroline, and Diana’s experiences and what it shows us

-      How Sarah, Dr. Adam Fraser, and Bo’s stories illustrate that growth comes from stepping into discomfort, self-trust, and daring to face the unknown.

-      Why Tara, Steve, and Kevin demonstrated that loss reshapes life, requires feeling the pain, and can be transformed into purpose and resilience.

-      How Andrew and Jordy’s stories show that rebuilding life after trauma takes time, patience, and many small choices.

-      Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s continuing to show up, breathe, and make choices even when life is uncertain or painful.

-      Transformation doesn’t happen in grand gestures; it comes from tiny, daily decisions that slowly shape who we are becoming.

Key Quotes

“The greatest gift you can give your children is learning to love yourself.”

“I don’t ever get over trauma. You learn to walk alongside it. To give it space, but not the steering wheel.”

More about

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.

Trigger warning: Childhood sexual abuse, alcohol addiction

Our identity and how we see ourselves has a huge impact on our lives. But what if huge incidents in our early life caused us to create an identity that was harmful and complex and actually untrue to who we really are?

Nikole built a multi-million dollar company from scratch, and nearly lost herself in the process because of how her own self identity controlled her narrative.

Now sober, self-led and sharp as ever, she’s rewriting what success looks like beyond the hustle.

Her story isn’t clean. But it’s real. And it’s hers.

In this episode she shares:

-      Her early childhood and how she was abused by a family member

-      How her brother was hit by a car and passed away at 17

-      How her brother’s death was the catalyst that split the family

-      The months and years after her brother’s death and how she was introduced to alcohol

-      The destructive impact of her drinking and living with an inaccurate self identity

-      Her father’s death at 50

-      Having her house burn down shortly after giving birth

-      What happened when she entered the psych ward and why it didn’t meet her expectations

-      What she did to recover when she realised her drinking was impacting her marriage

-      Her experience with the retreat/rehab in Bali

-      How she made $12 million in one year

-      Understanding the pros and cons of the parts of herself that have developed from her trauma

Key Quotes

“I was abused during my childhood by a family member.”

“At my brothers wake I was introduced to alcohol...and that was it.”

More about Nikole

Check her out via her website or Instagram.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website: http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.

The journey of fighting cancer is so much more than just: finding out you have it and then getting treated.

This week’s episode is part 2 of our chat with Melanie Staudt, an incredible woman who overcame breast cancer and all of its challenges. For this week’s episode Melanie will be sharing the challenges in recovery, post recovery and what happens when the cancer comes back.

Melanie is 51 years old, lives in the US in Ohio and is married with two girls age 22 and 18.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2021. It was three years of intensive healing and has had no evidence of disease for a year and a half. She continues to work on physical, mental and spiritual health and looks forward to life’s next chapter. 

In this episode she shares:

-      Her second experience of cryoablation

-      The long term weight and energy of cancer treatment

-      Managing the fear and stress post cancer and how it impacts relationships

-      Learning to take care of herself and ask for and accept help

-      The story of how her doctor missed her active cancer

-      Using a trial treatment and having to get a mastectomy

-      Finding a lymph node in her sternum

-      What helped her to stop detaching from her body

-      Her lessons taken away after this experience

Key Quotes

“I felt like a failure, I felt like I had made all the wrong decisions.”

“People that haven’t been through can’t understand.”

More about Melanie

You can contact Melanie via Facebook or Instagram.

The pre surgery meditation link she mentioned is here.

You can get involved with the podcast online

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Try our FREE burnout quiz.

Grab your burnout workbook HERE. 

To sign up for our difficult conversations and workplace culture workshop go here.

Cancer has a devastating effect both on those it afflicts and those around them.

For Melanie Staudt her cancer journey was full of challenges that often felt insurmountable.

Melanie is 51 years old, lives in the US in Ohio and is married with two girls age 22 and 18.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2021. It was three years of intensive healing and has had no evidence of disease for a year and a half. She continues to work on physical, mental and spiritual health and looks forward to life’s next chapter. 

In this episode she shares:

-      Why she identifies most with a monarch butterfly

-      What happened for her in the early days leading up to breast cancer discovery

-      Getting her biopsy and preparing for bad news

-      How the initial bad news led to positivity in her life

-      The moment she got more bad news and her experience of detaching from her body

-      How she discussed her reservations about chemo with her husband

-      What her treatment options were and what she decided

-      When she saw a naturopathic doctor and her experience with craniosacral massage

-      When she got imaging done and got the all clear

Key Quotes

“I couldn’t process anything, it was like I was out of my body.”

“I probably spent between 20 and 40 hours a week researching breast cancer.”

More about Melanie

You can contact Melanie via Facebook or Instagram.

The pre surgery meditation link she mentioned is here.

On facebook in our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeus

Or on Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus

If you want to contact the podcast, email us here: [email protected]

Or check out our website: www.Challengesthatchangeus.com

If you want to find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:

http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.