connected convos podcast

In this episode of Connected Convos, host Sherri Ponisi chats with Mary Haddock-Staniland, on inclusion and belonging. Mary is a  mental health advocate and Lifeline ambassador. Mary shares her journey of navigating childhood bullying, family and her identity as a trans woman, and how these experiences have shaped who she is today. We talk about what it really means to belong, why respect matters more than acceptance, and the courage it takes to show up unapologetically as yourself. Mary opens up about family relationships, setting boundaries and a pivotal moment when an anonymous call to Lifeline helped her through a crisis. We really delve into the importance of creating spaces where people feel safe, seen and understood.

If this conversation resonates with you and you'd like to connect with Mary and the incredible work she does. You can follow her at: @maryhadstan website : https://www.maryhadstan.com/

Follow along on all podcast platforms and on Instagram @connectedbeingoc @sherri_ponisi

And remember, we heal out loud so others don't have to suffer in silence.

In this episode of Connected Convos, host Sherri Ponisi chats with breathwork facilitator Jarrah Volpe in an unscripted, playful conversation that was nearly lost due to an audio save failure. They discuss facilitation, connection, and how play, laughter, and nicknames can create safety and belonging, alongside deeper themes of ethnicity, racism, and identity, including name changes and discovering a biological Italian father later in life.

Jarrah shares how masculinity pressures and a tough upbringing shaped him into a jokester while hiding sensitivity, and how breathwork became an accessible, science-backed way to “become whole” by manually influencing the nervous system and allowing emotions to move. Sherri shares her own breathwork origins, work with men including ex-prisoners, and the importance of co-regulation, agency, and ongoing self-work for facilitators.

If this conversation resonates with you and you'd like to work with Jarrah, attend one of his classes, workshops, or retreats, make sure you reach out and connect with him on Instagram. @jarrahvolpe

He's doing some incredible work in the world, and I know he'd love to hear from you.

Follow along on all podcast platforms and on instagram @connectedbeingco @sherri_ponisi

You can also follow @nonamestudiosbreathwork for updates on events and classes. And remember we heal out loud, so others don't have to suffer in silence.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Episode intro and rescue

02:06 Meeting Jarred and core self

05:31 Play and inner child

08:54 Nicknames and belonging

11:08 Ethnicity and identity stories

15:42 Wog hero journey and healing

22:48 Healing means wholeness25:21 Breathwork for everyone

28:40 Holding space and co-regulation

33:13 Facilitators are human too

35:26 Men Feelings Crisis

37:04 Breathwork Breakthrough

39:40 Simple But Work

40:24 Group Flow Magic

42:06 Sherri Origin Story

46:07 Mess Becomes Message

47:42 Breathwork For Men

49:47 Heads Hearts Balance

52:40 Info Overload Wisdom

56:49 Anxiety And Now

01:00:30 Reddit Meditation Laughs

01:03:55 Frogs Turtles Farewell

l01:05:25 Closing Thanks Outro

This episode is a really honest, expansive conversation with musician and sound healer Valli Maine. She shares what it was like growing up in the bush and how, from as young as two, songs and sounds have always come through her. For a long time she kept that part of herself hidden, only slowly beginning to share it in intimate one-on-one spaces, and then eventually stepping into group work around 2020–2022 following the release of her album Lucent.

We talk about what it really looks like to build a life around what you love  not in a polished, perfect way, but in a very real, human way. Valli opens up her sobriety journey since 2013, and the layers of childhood healing she’s moved through along the way. She also shares the harder chapters navigating major health challenges that left her bed-bound for years.

There’s a beautiful conversation around how she works with sound and explore the duality of sound and frequency how it can be used for deep healing and harmony, but also the conversations and beliefs around it being used in ways that may not serve. This conversation is so beautifully grounded and open about intuition, resilience, and what it really takes to honour your gifts.

If you want to connect with valli maine you can via instagram @vallimaine or via her website

Follow along on all podcast platforms and on instagram @connectedbeingco @sherri_ponisi

You can also follow @nonamestudiosbreathwork for updates on events and classes. And remember we heal out loud, so others don't have to suffer in silence.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Meet Vali Maine

00:51 Music in Breathwork

01:52 Who Are You Really

03:16 Keeping It Real

06:37 Single Mum Journey

09:12 Pain Behind the Voice

10:37 Childhood Voice Awakening

12:29 Nature Sings Back

14:10 Hiding the Gift

15:35 First Group Sound Sessions

17:59 Pandemic Pressure and Purpose

20:14 Breathwork Meets Sound

21:06 Spencer and the Music

24:11 Balancing Health Work and Phones

26:18 20 Hours of Silence

26:51 Phone Addiction Reality Check

28:21 Holding Space in Prison

30:15 Reading the Room Better

32:15 Music That Moves People

33:34 Channeling Sound in Flow

38:07 Frequencies Good or Bad

40:44 Discernment and Grounding

45:31 Healing Music Gets Banned

48:21 Final Thanks and Sign Off

From crime, ice and addiction… to doing the work and choosing to stay clean.

In this episode of Connected Convos, Sherri Ponisi sit's down with Joel Brown (Joely B), founder of Dusk to Dawn Support Service, for a raw, no BS conversation about what recovery actually looks like.

Together they talk about bullying, violence, growing up around addiction… and how stepping into the “protector” role can slowly pull men into a path of destruction without even realising it.

Joel shares what it really took for him to get clean not just from drugs, but alcohol, gambling, and crime and what it takes to stay there. Daily discipline, stacking wins, choosing a different life over and over again.

They talk about how “support” can easily turn into enabling, the gaps no one speaks about after prison, the silent pressure men are carrying, and how one man speaking up can actually change everything.

It’s real, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s needed. If you’ve ever struggled… or loved someone who has, this one will land.

Dusk To Dawn is a community-driven support network helping people overcome addiction, mental health challenges, and life struggles through mentorship, connection, and real-world support - no judgment, just honest help.

@dusk2dawnsupport

@joely__bee

Follow along on all podcast platforms and on instagram @connectedbeingco @sherri_ponisi

 You can also follow @nonamestudiosbreathwork for updates on events and classes. And remember, we heal out loud, so. Others don't have to suffer in silence.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Show Mission

00:57 Meet Joel Brown

02:40 Who Is Joel

03:27 Learning Surrender

06:01 Childhood And Violence

08:09 Protector To Provider

11:01 Progress Not Perfection

14:10 Early Recovery Reality

16:45 Stacking Daily Wins

19:47 Healing With Partners

25:51 Redefining Manhood

28:37 Men And Money Pressure

34:36 Prison Aftercare Gaps

39:29 From bullied kid to gangster

40:30 Gangster as social currency

41:25 Spiritual gangster reframe

41:56 Support vs enabling

43:38 Honesty and accountability

47:15 Filling your cup burnout

50:49 Men’s mental health on site

52:22 Construction culture barriers

58:39 Courageous vulnerability domino

01:03:37 Reddit trolley rabbit hole

01:11:17 Wrap up and final message

In the first episode of Connected Convos, Sherri Ponisi opens the door to what this podcast is all about honest, vulnerable conversations that go beneath the surface.

She’s joined by Marc Lyster, founder of No Name Studios and someone who played a significant role in her own breathwork journey. Marc shares how breathwork became a lifeline for him during years of mental health struggles, eventually leading him to travel and run workshops before creating a studio dedicated to making breathwork a normal part of everyday life.

Together they talk about the reality of holding space for others the deep purpose and connection that comes with it, but also the challenges of running a passion driven business while juggling full time work. They unpack the pressure of constantly creating content online, the importance of safety in an unregulated industry, and the responsibility that comes with facilitating this work.

Marc also shares the deeply personal story of a 7 year adoption journey and what it’s been like stepping into fatherhood.

It’s a conversation about breathwork, purpose, resilience, and where this work is heading from deeper release style sessions to simple daily practices that help people regulate, connect, and come home to themselves.

If you’re curious about breathwork and want to experience it for yourself, you can visit No Name Studios Breathwork in Brunswick, Melbourne. Where you’ll find daily classes as well as information on upcoming workshops and events. You can also stay up to date via socials.

@nonamestudiosbreathwork

@marc.lyster

www.nonamestudios.com.au

Follow along on all podcast platforms and on instagram @connectedbeingco @sherri_ponisi

Time Stamps:

00:00 Welcome to Connected Convos

01:00 Meet Mark and Nona

02:26 Breathwork Saved Me

05:33 Why Open the Studio

08:25 Breathwork as a Habit

13:47 Highs and Lows

17:15 Full Time or Side

20:42 Online Pressure and Safety

27:21 Adoption and Parenthood

34:10 Unconditional Love Lessons

35:29 Parenting Pressure Points

37:23 Breaking Old Punishments

38:13 Breathwork Future Vision

40:05 Doctors Embrace Breathwork

42:41 Breathwork Beyond Studios

43:44 Workplace Regulation Culture

47:44 Reddit Anxiety Confessions

52:03 Why Breathing Feels Hard

56:25 Gratitude And Closing

Host Sherri Ponisi brings you Connected Convos, a podcast born from her journey of turning childhood trauma and anxiety into purpose. She shares how breathwork became her lifeline and how holding space especially through weekly men’s groups and guiding men who have faced troubled pasts, including time in prison, as well as people from all walks of life has become her mission.

This show is for anyone who has ever felt abandoned, unseen, or weighed down by life. Each episode dives into real, unfiltered conversations about the moments that shape us exploring pain, purpose, and all the messy parts in between through storytelling, lived experiences, and shared struggles.

Follow on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @connectedbeingco because connection is where healing begins.