What happens when your body breaks... but it's your soul that needs healing?

In this raw and powerful conversation, Tess Brouwer shares the story behind her life-altering spinal cord injury that forced her to stop running from pain, from grief, from herself. Tess, a mental fitness trainer and co-founder of Awake Academy, opens up about the unspoken traumas she buried for decades - from childhood instability to losing her teenage soulmate to suicide - and how her injury became a portal into profound emotional healing.

Together with host Mitch Wallis, Tess explores why feeling is more important than fixing, how shame manifests in the body, and what it takes to truly let go of pain. With practical tools, embodied wisdom, and brutal honesty, this episode is a guide for anyone ready to stop pretending they’re okay—and start healing for real.

If you've ever felt broken, numb, anxious, or like you’re holding it all together just to get through the day—this conversation might be the permission slip you didn’t know you needed.

Find Tess online at

https://www.instagram.com/tesscbrouwer/

Link to her book:

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869

Link to her business:

https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/

At 17 weeks pregnant with triplets, Ashleigh Conwell’s life changed forever when her husband Matt passed away suddenly during the height of the pandemic. In this raw and profoundly moving conversation with host Luke Cook, Ashleigh opens up about the identity shift that followed, the brutal reality of solo parenting through grief, and the quiet resilience it takes to keep showing up.

From collapsing on the pavement in shock to rising each day with intention, Ashleigh's story is not just one of tragedy - it’s a masterclass in courage. She speaks about the power of saying “I’m not okay,” the weight of new labels like “widow,” and how she's transforming her pain into purpose through her work with Yellow Falcon.

This episode is for anyone navigating the complexity of grief, identity, or starting over - and a testament to the fact that healing doesn't mean forgetting... it means carrying forward with love.

Find Ash online: @ashleigh.conwell and @yellow.falcon

If you’ve ever struggled to slow down, to feel proud, or to say “I’m enough,” this episode is a must-listen.We often see the hustle. The 3am alarms. The shredded physique. The front covers and product launches. But what we rarely see is the cost behind the curtain. In this raw and revealing episode, Heart On My Sleeve Clinical Director Michaela Overman sits down with celebrity trainer and gym owner Jono Castano to explore the emotional weight that success can carry.

From growing up in a small Colombian town and navigating childhood bullying in Australia, to battling imposter syndrome at the peak of his career - Jono opens up like never before. He shares the silent toll of loneliness, the inner critic shaped by childhood wounds, and how the pressure to always be “on” led him to a breaking point.

This conversation is about what happens when achievement stops feeling like enough. It’s about learning to connect with your inner world, rebuilding after heartbreak, and finally believing you are worthy—not for what you’ve done, but for who you are.

In episode 56, Mitch Wallis is back with another short-solo and this time he's unpacking the fear of failure and how it might be negatively impacting our ability to connect with others.

This episode covers:

- What is failure and how does it impact us

Stay connected:

www.instagram.com/mitch.wallis

In episode 53, Mitch Wallis speaks to Dr Tony Mastroianni, a psychiatrist with over 30 years' experience in clinical practice. Tony specialises in the treatment of ADHD and schizophrenia, and is the founder of the Focalength Method™, a holistic approach to treatment that takes a 360 view of a person in order to help them get well, and stay well.

This episode covers:

Stay Connected:

www.focalength.com.au

www.instagram/mitch.wallis

In episode 52, Mitch Wallis speaks to Maddy MacRae, a comedy creator who exploded onto the scene during lockdown with her hilarious and relatable skits about sex, dating and everything in-between. We go deep and explore previously untouched topics such as her mental health journey, her sexuality and the reality of life online.

This episode covers:

Stay connected:

www.instagram.com/maddy_macrae_

www.tiktok.com/@maddy_macrae_

www.instagram.com/mitch.wallis

Have feedback to share, questions you want answered or

In episode 51, Mitch Wallis speaks to Gaj, a highly sought-after performance coach recognized for his effective leadership training techniques and passion for helping clients reach higher potential. For over 20 years, Gaj has worked with leading organizations and individuals to enhance productivity, maximize performance, and accelerate growth. As a Registered psychologist, Gaj leans on his psychology training to deliver the most effective evidence-based solutions to his clients that are proven to enhance potential and performance.

This episode covers:

Stay connected:

https://kompassconsultancy.com/
www.instagram.com/gajravichandra

www.instagram.com/mitch.wallis

Have feedback to share, questions you want answered or

Watch the full episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/8fRx_64RQR4

Sonny Jane is a multi-neurodivergent, queer, and disabled public speaker, advocate, and author with a strong social media presence. Sonny was diagnosed as a child and grew up only hearing a deficit narrative about their neurodivergence. Since then, they have gone on to build an audience of over 100,000 people online, have written ‘The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills’, and works with organisations all over Australia to help change the narrative around neurodivergence. Sonny is a brilliant educator and all-round wonderful human.

The episode covers...

You can connect with Sonny here:
www.instagram.com/livedexperienceeducator

www.livedexperienceeducator.com

This episode comes with a trigger warning of domestic violence.

In episode 49, Mitch Wallis speaks to Jacinta Dubojski who is the creator and founder of Just Another GIRL, an initiative designed to inspire and empower students by arming them with the tools to navigate difficult situations; such as bullying, and domestic violence, both of which are experiences that she's survived. Jacinta is a big believer in sharing stories to connect and help others, something I’m equally passionate about so I'm honoured to be able to bring you her story of resilience. 

This episode covers:

Stay connected:

www.instagram.com/just.anothergirl_
www.justanothergirlproject.com.au

www.instagram.com/mitch.wallis

Have feedback to share, questions you want answered or guests you want to see on the show? Get in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yMis1WuMPQA