Lyn Parent was born in Paris, raised in England, and built a life full of reinvention, risk, resilience and unexpected turns.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Lyn shares the story of being diagnosed with HIV in 1990, being told she had six months to live, moving to New Zealand, becoming a mother, facing stigma, surviving control and emotional abuse, and using her own experience to support other women.

Lyn’s story is about much more than one diagnosis. It is about refusing to be defined by fear, rebuilding a life from scratch, and turning personal pain into advocacy through Just Women Live.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Sonya Black is a psychotherapist and CBT specialist whose work focuses on trauma, anxiety, depression and helping people understand what happens when the brain’s alarm system gets switched on.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Sonya explains why trauma is not always about the event itself, but how the brain and body process what happened afterwards. She talks about safety, powerlessness, flashbacks, rumination, shame, post-traumatic growth and why some memories feel as if they are still happening now.

Sonya also shares practical insight into how people can support someone after a difficult experience. Sometimes the most useful thing is not trying to fix anything. It is asking, “How can I show up for you right now?” and giving someone space, safety and time to make sense of what happened.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Greg Wasserman is a podcast industry connector, LinkedIn creator and host of Podcast Network Insights, whose life changed after a mental health crisis led him into rehab.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Greg talks about losing his job during the pandemic, struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, learning the language of emotions, and discovering why asking for help is a strength rather than a burden.

Greg’s story is about recovery, vulnerability, male mental health, better communication, and the quiet power of saying the thing that someone else might need to hear.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Rachael Rodgers is a specialist in wills and estate planning who helps people understand what really happens when life, death, divorce, blended families, property, children, and money collide.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Rachael explains why a basic will is often not enough, why assumptions about marriage and inheritance can cause serious problems, and why lasting powers of attorney may be one of the most important documents you ever create.

Rachael’s message is blunt but useful: you may not want to think about death, incapacity, probate, trusts, guardianship, inheritance tax, or who gets what when things go wrong, but avoiding the conversation does not protect the people you love.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Rachel Thomas is a specialist mesothelioma nurse whose work has been defined by more than two decades of supporting people and families through serious illness, end of life care, and the hard realities most of us try not to face.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Rachel talks about why so many people avoid talking about death, the fear families carry when time is short, and how honest conversations and good care can bring more peace than many expect.

Rachel leaves you thinking about death in a different way, not as something only frightening or distant, but as part of life that becomes less terrifying when people are given truth, compassion, and room to talk.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Lena Robinson is a marketer and founder of FTSQ whose life was shaped by years spent working across advertising, branding and sales, where she learned how often businesses confuse hard selling with real connection.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, David Brown and Lena dig into why so many LinkedIn posts feel forced, why mixing family moments with sales messages can fall flat, and how bad advice pushes business owners towards formulaic content that misses the point.

Lena leaves the listener with a simple idea that cuts through all the noise: authenticity is not a trick or a format, but the result of telling stories that make people feel recognised, understood and less like they are being sold to.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Rebbeca Morse is an artist whose life was shaped by epilepsy, brain surgery, and the lasting changes those experiences left behind.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, she talks about growing up with seizures she did not yet understand, reaching the point where brain surgery became the only real option, and living with the personality, memory, and identity shifts that followed.

Rebbeca shares how art became a way to process what happened and how surviving something major does not always mean returning to the person you were before.

Links

Rebbeca Morse on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebbecamorse/

The National Brain Appeal: https://www.nationalbrainappeal.org/

A Letter in Mind: Spring Forward exhibition: https://www.nationalbrainappeal.org/event/a-letter-in-mind-spring-forward/

The 2026 A Letter in Mind: Spring Forward exhibition, runs from 24 to 28 March 2026.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Mark Goddard is a writer and musician whose life was shaped by a 2002 road trip across America with his brother, Jeremy, chasing the roots of the music they loved and turning the journey into his book Losing Eldorado.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Mark reflects on the cities, music, mishaps, culture shock, poverty, freedom, and brotherly chaos that defined the trip, from New York and New Orleans to Austin, Chicago, and the long road between them.

Mark leaves you with the sense that travel can crack open your assumptions, deepen your understanding of people and place, and turn even the messiest adventure into something worth remembering.

Buy the book, photos and explore more at the Losing Eldorado website:

https://www.losingeldorado.com/

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Emily King is a multiple-time national stand up paddle boarding champion and coach whose life was drastically changed by a dog attack that nearly killed her while she was driving a horse-drawn carriage for a wedding.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Emily shares an outline of what happened, then talks about what recovery looked like in real life, including fear, PTSD, and finding steadiness again through time on the water.

Emily leaves you with a quiet reminder that moving on is not about pretending it never happened, it is about learning what helps, leaning on the right people, and choosing small actions that build confidence back.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d

Heart failure might sound like a death sentence, but for Alan King, it turned out to be a life-altering experience that reshaped his perspective on health and happiness.

During a candid conversation with host David, Alan shares the gripping story of his health journey, detailing not just the clinical aspects but the emotional roller coaster that accompanied it.

From his initial heart failure diagnosis in 2007 to the subsequent challenges he faced, Alan reflects on how this condition forced him to reevaluate his life choices and priorities.

He humorously recalls how he once joked about being 'too busy dying' before the gravity of his situation hit home.

Through light-hearted banter, Alan's story reveals the importance of recognising one's limits and the necessity of lifestyle changes in managing chronic health conditions.

This episode is not just about heart health; it’s a testament to resilience, the power of perspective, and the unexpected silver linings that can emerge from life’s curveballs.

About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@lifebymisadventurepod/

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-by-misadventure/id1782077287

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Z1MszCU19QglChFb11Pw2?si=98ab1a34db074b3d