What happens when the person you’ve spent years waiting for finally comes home — but life doesn’t look anything like you imagined?

Zoe Cullen joined me for one of the most honest conversations I’ve had about the reality of living alongside PTSD, trauma and moral injury — not just for the person experiencing it, but for the entire family.

Zoe is a mum of four and, for many years, found herself carrying the responsibility of raising her family while her husband, Australian Army veteran Andrew Cullen, spent long periods away serving his country.

She spoke openly about the reality she hadn’t anticipated — the loneliness, the exhaustion, the loss of her own identity and the resentment that can build when you feel like you’re carrying everything alone.

And then he came home.

But coming home didn’t mean everything simply went back to how it was before.

The PTSD, disconnection, withdrawal and loss of identity affected not only Andrew, but Zoe, their relationship and their children. Zoe shares what it was like to love someone through trauma while trying to hold a family together — and the profound impact that experience had on her too.

But their story didn’t end there.

Together, Zoe and Andrew became co-authors of Resurrected – A Story of Hope, sharing their family’s journey through trauma, recovery and renewed purpose.

What began as their own story eventually became something much bigger.

Today, Zoe is President and Co-Founder of PTSD Resurrected Inc., working alongside Andrew to support veterans, first responders, families and the wider community through trauma and moral injury recovery.

She co-facilitates RESTORE and Restoring the Homefront, advocates for veterans and their families, and their work has grown into creating pathways that help people understand trauma, reconnect with themselves and each other, and find a way forward.

Because trauma doesn’t only affect the person carrying it.

It affects the people who love them.

The people raising the children.

The people holding everything together.

And sometimes, the people who quietly lose themselves along the way.

This is a conversation about PTSD, moral injury, family, identity, resilience, recovery — and what can happen when your own lived experience becomes the catalyst for helping others.

Find Zoe Here:

https://ptsdresurrected.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-cullen-47808a8a?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

Bronte met her childhood sweetheart at 15. They married at 19, had their first baby at 21, followed by another child and then twins.

Four beautiful children. A home they were building. A life she had always dreamed of.

But somewhere along the way, Bronte lost herself.

She felt like a failure because she’d always wanted her children to have both parents together. When she reached out for support, she was made to feel like the problem was hers — and if it was her problem, then it was her responsibility to fix it.

This was also the only relationship she’d ever known, so she had nothing to compare it to. She questioned herself, withdrew, and found herself crying alone at night, sometimes hiding in her wardrobe while her husband slept.

She tried. She asked for couples therapy. She tried to hold everything together while raising three children under 18 months and a four-year-old, navigating work, financial pressure and a marriage where she felt increasingly alone.

Eventually, she made the incredibly difficult decision to leave.

Not because there wasn’t still love. Not because it was easy. But because she knew she couldn’t let her children grow up believing that this was what a healthy relationship looked like.

Now, years later, Bronte shares the realities of separation and 50/50 co-parenting, the challenges that came with her decision, and the peace she has found on the other side.

Because sometimes sadness and happiness can coexist.

And sometimes choosing to walk away isn’t choosing yourself over your children.

It’s choosing a healthier, happier life for them too.

This is Bronte’s story — of losing herself, finding her courage, and finally learning to trust what she knew in her heart.

There’s something I’ve always loved about being a mum…Seeing the world through my children’s eyes.This is actually the third time Evie has joined me on the podcast, but this conversation was completely different.We sat down and talked about what it’s actually like to be 19 — almost 20 — today.Dating. Friendships. Social media. Going out. Drinking (or not drinking). Growing into yourself. The conversations we have as mum and daughter. The things she thinks about that I never would have thought about at her age.And what I loved most was hearing her perspective.Because sometimes, as parents, we think our job is to teach our children.But I honestly believe our kids are some of our biggest teachers.They challenge the way we see the world. They open our minds. And they give us a perspective we simply can’t get anywhere else.And I feel incredibly lucky that Evie and I have always had such open communication. That openness even extends to her friends, who will sit and talk to me about things too.But I also know that not every young person has that person they feel safe enough to talk to.So this conversation isn’t just for mums and daughters.It’s for parents, carers, siblings, grandparents — anyone who loves a young person and wants to understand a little more about the world they’re growing up in.Just a really honest, funny and sometimes surprising conversation about LIFE at 19.And I think you’ll love hearing it through her eyes. ❤️

evie's social media: @eviebellahayes on tiktok and instagram

Some promises never end.

At Josiah’s funeral, Jessica made her little boy two promises:

“I will honour you by the way I live my life.”

“And I will always speak your name.”

Today, she keeps that promise.

After a long journey through IVF, Jessica and her husband Josh welcomed their precious son, Josiah. Born tiny but deeply loved, he spent seven weeks changing their world forever.

In this conversation, Jessica shares what life looks like after baby loss—the shock, the silence, the ache of empty arms, and the reality of returning to a world that keeps moving while yours has stopped.

But more than anything, she speaks about something every bereaved parent deserves:

Permission to keep talking about their child.

So often, grieving parents swallow their words because they’re afraid of making others uncomfortable. Jessica reminds us that love doesn’t end because a life was short.

Josiah is her son. His life matters. His story matters.

I hope this conversation helps anyone walking the impossible road of grief feel just a little less alone.

Thank you, Jessica, for trusting me with your heart.

And thank you to Josh, who has walked every step of this journey beside you, carrying Josiah’s love and legacy together.

Josiah’s life was seven weeks long.

His impact is lifelong 🤍

Please listen and watch with care 🤍

The day before her mum passed away, everything felt completely normal.

Tahnee had FaceTimed her that morning, exchanged messages throughout the day, and went to bed expecting they’d speak again the next morning.

Instead, she woke at 3am to missed calls from a Brisbane hospital.

Just 12 weeks after welcoming her baby girl into the world, Tahnee’s life changed forever.

In this heartfelt conversation, she shares the unbreakable bond she had with her mum, the devastating phone call no one ever expects, and what it’s like navigating early motherhood while grieving the loss of the person she needed most.

This episode explores the reality of holding joy and heartbreak at the same time, raising young children while carrying your own grief, and learning to live with the countless moments where someone should still be here.

If you’ve ever lost your mum, your greatest support person, or found yourself grieving while life kept moving forward, this conversation will stay with you.

🎧 Full episode available now.

Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube

🎙️ Forever Five: Ozzies Legacy — A Life Measured in Love, Not Years

with Maria Raggio

This week, Maria Raggio opens the vault to share the story of her beautiful son, Oskar — known and loved by everyone as Ozzie.

Born with the ultra-rare Nicolaides-Baraitser Syndrome, Ozzie faced more challenges in his five years than most people will face in a lifetime. Yet despite countless hospital stays, procedures, and unimaginable hurdles, he continued to light up every room he entered with his smile, his spirit, and his zest for life.

But this episode isn’t about a diagnosis.

It’s about a little boy who was deeply loved.

It’s about a family who refused to let adversity define their son.

It’s about parents who fought tirelessly for every opportunity, every milestone, and every precious moment.

It’s about siblings who adored their brother.

And it’s about a family whose love grew stronger through the very challenges that could have torn them apart.

In this deeply moving conversation, Maria shares the realities of raising a child with an ultra-rare genetic syndrome, the sacrifices made behind closed doors, the strain of hospital life, the strength found in family, and the extraordinary legacy Ozzie continues to leave behind.

Some lives aren’t measured by the number of years they spend with us.

They’re measured by the love they leave behind.

Ozzie was only five years old, yet he touched more hearts than many lifetimes ever could.

His life may have been short, but his impact was immeasurable.

At 18 years old, Kate Seselja walked into a pokie room for the first time.

What started as a night out with friends quickly became a secret battle that would consume the next 12 years of her life.

Over that time, Kate lost approximately $500,000 through refinanced mortgages, credit cards, and years of gambling losses. Alongside the financial toll came overwhelming shame, secrecy, and a desperate search for help that simply wasn't there. Despite countless attempts to stop, gambling addiction tightened its grip.

Kate eventually found herself in such a dark place that she contemplated ending her life. Then she discovered she was pregnant with her sixth child. Knowing that any decision she made would also affect the life she was carrying, she couldn't go through with it. In what had become her darkest chapter, her unborn baby became the reason she held on — and the turning point that would lead her toward recovery, advocacy, and hope.

But this is not where her story ends.

In this powerful conversation, Kate shares the reality of gambling harm, the devastating impact it has on families, the stigma that keeps so many suffering in silence, and why she believes the burden of responsibility cannot sit entirely with those struggling with addiction. Real change, she says, requires governments, regulators and the gambling industry to step up and do more to protect vulnerable Australians.

Today, Kate is a speaker, advocate, author, TEDx speaker, and founder of The Hope Project, helping others move from surviving to thriving. She speaks openly about mental wellbeing, resilience, recovery, and the changes needed to protect future generations from gambling harm.

This conversation is raw, courageous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful.

Because when we bring our stories into the light, shame loses its power.

🎙️ Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

📖 Kate's new book is available for pre-order.

💜 Learn more about The Hope Project.

✍️ Support the campaign calling for mandatory poker machine loss limits across Australia.

Links below.

https://www.thehopeprojectaustralia.com.au/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

https://www.change.org/p/losslimitsnotlostlives-enforce-loss-limits-on-all-australian-poker-machines/actions

There’s so much pressure to get back to normal after something life-changing.

As adults… we learn to step away.

From conversations that don’t feel right.

From people who say the wrong thing.

From environments that feel too heavy.

But kids don’t always have that choice.

They sit in classrooms.

They hear comments.

They carry expectations they don’t understand —

from people who think they’re helping.

And slowly… it builds.

Not because they’re not coping —

but because they haven’t been given the space to.

This episode is just me…

talking about that pressure,

and why “back to normal” isn’t always the safest place for a child to land.

In this episode of In the Heart of the Vault, Nicola shares the deeply personal journey that began when her baby boy Louie was born prematurely at 32 weeks.

Just days after his birth, Louie’s intestine twisted and strangulated, leaving only 8cm of small intestine able to be saved after multiple emergency surgeries.

Nicola and her husband were told to prepare for palliative care.

They were warned that continuing treatment could prolong suffering and that letting him go may be the kinder option.

But Nicola trusted her instinct as a mother.

What followed was eight months in hospital, navigating life in survival mode, making impossible decisions, and learning how to advocate for their son while holding their family together.

Today, Louie is exceeding expectations.

This conversation explores the raw reality of motherhood in medical crisis, the grief parents carry behind closed doors, the strength it takes to advocate for your child, and the deep trust that can grow when you learn to listen to your intuition.

Nicola shares what it means to walk through uncertainty, resilience, and the parts of motherhood that are rarely spoken about.

Disclaimer

The experiences shared in this episode reflect the personal journey and perspectives of the guest. This conversation is intended to share lived experience and raise awareness and should not be considered medical advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Listener discretion is advised as this episode includes discussion of neonatal illness, medical trauma, and hospitalisation.

BONUS EPISODE : Finding Your Voice as Your Child’s Advocate

Sometimes in medicine, decisions aren’t made by just one doctor.

Teams come together.

Surgeons, specialists, consultants — all sharing knowledge and experience to make the best possible decisions.

And that matters.

But there’s another voice that belongs in that room too.

The parent.

Because no matter how skilled the medical team is, no one knows your child the way you do.

In this episode we talk about advocacy — finding the courage to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, even when you’re scared, overwhelmed, or unsure why.

Not out of defiance.

But out of love.

Because trusting the experts and trusting your instincts can exist at the same time.

Inside the Vault we share stories about navigating those moments — the uncertainty, the questions, and the strength it takes to find your voice when it matters most.