TW: There are discussions of suicidal thoughts and mental health throughout this discussion that may be triggering for some.

It is no secret that mental health and particularly depression and suicide disproportionately impacts our mob more than any other Australian group.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are nearly three times more likely to be psychologically distressed than non-Indigenous Australians and most devastatingly, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death for our young ones.

The question on how to solve this is difficult to answer, but having upfront, difficult conversations around it and being able to listen to and learn from role models with lived experience, is one place to start.

Today my guest is powerful Wiradjuri man, Joe Williams. He’s an author, the founder of The Enemy Within, a Dad and a survivor.

He so generously and openly shares his story of a lifelong battle with himself and his own mind and has taken his own trauma and life lessons as an opportunity to grow, share and be able to help others who have faced similar feelings and hurdles.

I’ve long admired Joe’s voice and strength and I’m so thrilled to share his story with you today.

If you are experiencing dark thoughts or struggling with your mental health, please reach out, connect with your local AMS or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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Thank you Joe for your unwavering strength and commitment to helping people through mental ill health with your story. If you want to learn more about Joe or the work he does, you can follow him on instagram or twitter, follow The Enemy Within on socials too OR grab a copy of his novel, ‘Defying the enemy within’.

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Always Was, Always Will Be Our Stories is Written, Hosted, Produced and Edited by Marlee Silva, on the unceded lands of the Dharrawal people. We pay our deepest respects to those people and their Elders past and present, whose connection to this place has remained unbroken for over 60 thousand years.

Follow us on Instagram @alwaysourstories

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Theme Music: 'Run' by Tristan Barton

Podcast Artwork: @wuruhi.auaha