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Marathon swimmer Tammy Van Wisse took on the Bass Strait, a treacherous 96-kilometer stretch of ocean. She faced hypothermia, severe weather, and jellyfish stings, but it was an unexpected encounter with a pod of dolphins that changed everything. Tammy shares how this raw, terrifying challenge—and a later battle with breast cancer—shaped her relentless spirit.

0:00 – The symptoms begin: dizziness, balance issues & shaking eyes
1:07 – Referred to the city for a vision field test
1:44 – The optometrist's bombshell: optic neuritis & a possible MS diagnosis
2:10 – Finding a neurologist — and why rushing that decision was the biggest mistake
2:57 – The appointment that changed everything: a cruel diagnosis delivery
4:16 – "Your life as you know it's over" — the doctor's devastating words
5:16 – Walking out without paying the bill (and never looking back)
5:38 – "I'm not dead and he probably is" — Carol's winning perspective
6:18 – Coming to terms with MS: six months to acceptance, a year to identity
7:50 – Using MS as an excuse to quit the AFL football club (no regrets)
8:35 – Russ's response: the most romantic thing anyone ever said to Carol
9:39 – "We don't have it, we have it" — Carol's husband refuses to let her face MS alone

#shithappypodcast #tammyvanwisse #resilience #bassstrait #survivor

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Victor Simone left for work on an ordinary Friday morning. His wife Liz took their two daughters to school, met friends for coffee, and never came home.       

A freak car accident changed everything in seconds.

Suddenly Victor was a single father to two young girls, trying to explain the unimaginable while the world was entering COVID lockdowns. With no roadmap for grief, parenting, or surviving devastating loss, he made a decision: his daughters would not be defined by tragedy.

In this deeply moving conversation, Victor shares the heartbreaking moment he had to tell his daughters their mum was gone, the photo he took just before their lives changed forever, and the unexpected lesson he learned about the invisible mental load carried by so many mothers.

This episode explores grief, resilience, parenting, widowhood, single fatherhood, raising daughters, mental health, anxiety, depression, community support, healing after loss, family relationships, emotional recovery, personal growth, overcoming adversity, life after tragedy, and finding happiness again after unimaginable heartbreak.

If you've experienced loss, grief, trauma, or major life change, Victor's story is a powerful reminder that even after life's darkest moments, there can still be laughter, connection, purpose, and joy.

Listen now and discover why Victor says his life is both difficult and happy.

Guest Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-simone-mortgage-broker/

0:00 — Capturing the Last Moment of Innocence

0:52 — Happy Life in Australia Before the Accident

2:10 — The Day Everything Changed: Liz's Fatal Accident

5:43 — Becoming a Widower: Breaking the News to His Daughters

6:08 — Navigating COVID Lockdowns as a Single Dad

13:20 — Discovering the Hidden Mental Load of Motherhood

17:49 — The Power of Community: Giving and Receiving Help

19:41 — Why Victor Stayed in Australia Instead of Moving Home

24:49 — The Rollercoaster of Life: Teaching Kids to Embrace Ups and Downs

27:38 — Victor's Personal Battle: Anxiety, Depression and Keeping Going

29:51 — Learning Ballet Buns, Makeup and How to Be a Dance Dad

32:24 — Six Years Later: What Has Helped Most on This Journey

33:36 — The Gift No One Asked For: A Deep Bond With His Daughters

#ShitHappyPodcast #Grief #SingleDad #MentalHealth #Resilience

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The transition from city life to the isolated reality of the land can feel like being stripped of your village overnight. This is the raw, unflinching look at what happens when the support network you took for granted simply vanishes, leaving you to navigate motherhood, high-risk pregnancies, and mental health struggles in the middle of nowhere.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 in the US and Canada, call 116 123 in the UK, or call 13 11 14 in Australia.

What happens when your nearest hospital is five hours away, your partner is working seven days a week, and Google becomes your only midwife? Stephanie Trethewey, the founder of Motherland, joins us to talk about the profound, often invisible, isolation facing rural Australian mothers. We dive into the reality of managing traumatic birth experiences, postpartum health crises, and the lack of basic community support when you live miles from the nearest playgroup. But this isn't just a story about the challenges of the bush; it’s about the extraordinary way women are building their own digital villages to break that silence. We discuss how connecting with other rural mothers through structured support groups is transforming the experience of motherhood from one of sheer survival to one of shared strength. Plus, why we launched a platform to finally bridge the healthcare gap for those in remote areas and why we had to make space for the dads in the conversation, too.

Guest Page:  https://shithappy.com/she-needed-a-village-so-she-build-one-ep-105/

Links To Love (newsletter +++): https://shithappy.com/resources/

0:00 Introduction: Stephanie Trethewey & Motherland

1:02 Emily Pye: High-Risk Pregnancy 5.5 Hours from Hospital

5:51 Amanda Purvis: No Mobile Service, Long Distance Pregnancy & Finding Motherland

7:39 Emma: First on Scene at a Rural Accident & Mental Health Access in the Bush

10:48 Jessica Cullen: Car Rollover on the Property with No Phone Reception

14:12 Kyla the Midwife: Near-Fatal Postpartum Haemorrhage 150km from Hospital

19:02 Stephanie's Story: Leaving TV, Moving to Rural Tasmania & Losing Her Village

24:17 The Moment Motherland Was Born: Isolation, Rage & Rock Bottom

26:01 Starting the Podcast: 1.3 Million Downloads from a Slow News Day Love Story

28:19 Motherland Village: Australia's First Online Rural Mothers Group Program

34:13 Motherland Connect: Free Health Services Directory for Rural Mums

35:17 Fatherland: Shining a Light on Rural Dads & the Male Suicide Crisis

39:23 Wrap-Up: Why Motherland Matters & What Life on the Land Really Looks Like

#shithappypodcast #ruralmotherhood #motherland #communitysupport #resilience

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Cam was a special ops officer in the middle of the Ferguson protests when a bullet tore through his face. Most people would call it over, but for Cam, the fight was just getting started. 

This isn't just about the shooting; it's about what happens when your body heals but your mind refuses to. We talk about the nightmare of PTSD, a drug-induced coma that brought him to the brink of death, and the hard, unglamorous work of untangling decades of buried trauma. This is a conversation about pulling yourself out of the darkest possible place.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 in the US and Canada, call 116 123 in the UK, or call 13 11 14 in Australia.

Bio & Trnscript: https://shithappy.com/shot-in-the-face-survived-then-everything-got-worse-cameron-mckay-ep-104/

Key Moments

• 00:00 - Cam describes the moment he realized he was shot in the face.
• 00:20 - Background on being a police officer in 2015 and his experiences in Ferguson.
• 03:00 - The shooting incident and the immediate aftermath.
• 04:00 - His quick prayer and attempt to move to safety.
• 05:00 - Calling his sergeant and then his mother from the ambulance.
• 06:46 - His mother's calming words and the impact of the call.
• 07:20 - Arriving at the hospital and the doctors' assessment of his injury (bullet near carotid artery and jugular).
• 08:40 - The onset of PTSD and his initial denial due to a sergeant's comments.
• 10:00 - Hiding at home and increased alcohol consumption.
• 11:05 - Being off work and classified as disabled.
• 11:40 - His department's ultimatum regarding his return to work.
• 12:40 - Entering a "super dark place" and thoughts of suicide.
• 13:30 - The year anniversary of the shooting, a seizure, and the police intervention.
• 14:50 - Diagnosis of Press Syndrome due to alcohol abuse and stress.
• 16:00 - Alcohol withdrawal, pneumonia, and being placed in a drug-induced coma for five weeks.
• 17:00 - Experiencing PTSD dreams and immense pain during the coma.
• 18:00 - His near-death experience during the coma, encountering figures, and a "game" in a cavern.
• 21:00 - Realizing he couldn't escape by harming others and a moment of spiritual awakening.
• 22:00 - Finding himself in a bright light, free of pain, with his grandmother.
• 23:00 - Waking up from the coma and the return of his pain and anger.
• 24:00 - His defiant recovery from the coma and return to drinking.
• 26:00 - A pivotal moment on the highway leading to a breakthrough in therapy.
• 28:00 - Starting Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and his initial resistance to the concept of a higher power.
• 30:00 - Arguing with God and the subsequent shift in his desire to drink.
• 31:00 - His comprehensive recovery approach: sobriety, therapy, medication, exercise, and meditation.
• 32:00 - Reaching a year of sobriety but still struggling, leading to a plan for suicide.
• 33:00 - Revealing a 30-year-old childhood trauma to his therapist.
• 35:00 - The therapist's explanation of "tangled strings" connecting childhood and adult trauma.
• 36:00 - The difficult process of addressing childhood trauma and understanding shame vs. guilt.
• 37:00 - How his deepest wound became his greatest weapon, leading to sharing his story.
• 38:00 - The healing power of articulating feelings and the benefits of therapy.
• 39:32 - Discussion about his grandmother's role in his near-death experience.
• 40:04 - The significance of how he turned his head during the shooting.
• 40:40 - His wife's unwavering support and her role in his recovery.

#shithappypodcast #resilience #realstories #survivalstory #mentalhealthawareness

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Vanessa Gorman has spent decades producing some of the most intimate, life-changing television ever made. She's sat across from a towering former police officer who hauled semi-trailers and carried a secret that nearly ended him. She's watched an artist who couldn't read the alphabet discover his brain was extraordinary, not broken. She knows exactly how to hold space for someone else's vulnerability—when the spotlight is on them.
But when the camera turns around, the rules change.

This conversation peels back the layers of what it actually takes to draw a human being's deepest truth to the surface. Vanessa unpacks the quiet, often unglamorous power of saying yes to the invitation you desperately want to decline, and why the stories we're most terrified to tell are often the ones that end up saving someone else's life. It's about grief that doesn't just sit there, grit that doesn't announce itself, and the transformative impact of vulnerability on the lives of ordinary people who have been through the extraordinary. 

Explore the art of authentic connection and how these stories foster understanding in a world that often demands perfection.

Guest Page: https://shithappy.com/he-pulled-a-truck-with-his-bare-hands-vanessa-gorman-ep-103/
 Links To Love: https://shithappy.com/resources/
 For laughs check out our other Youtube @inbedwithphil

0:00 The Power of Vulnerability: Grant Edwards' Story
0:42 Vanessa Gorman on Producing Australian Story
1:12 Telling Stories of Ordinary People Through Adversity
2:28 Grant Edwards: A Strong Man's Battle with PTSD
4:40 The Strength in Admitting Vulnerability
6:00 Impact of Grant Edwards' Story: Preventing Suicide
7:44 Vulnerability in Leadership and Personal Growth
10:20 Vanessa Gorman's Long Career with Australian Story
10:59 Learning from Stories: Vincent Fantauzzo's Dyslexia
13:48 Vincent Fantauzzo: The Gift of Dyslexia
16:50 A Memorable Episode: The Poo Transplant Story
18:50 Australian Story's Role in Driving Change
20:44 The Impact of Being on Australian Story
21:56 The Filming Process: Living with the Subjects
23:40 When Filming Overstays Its Welcome

#shithappypodcast #vulnerability #storytelling #resilience #transformation

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Winning MasterChef was meant to be the start of a dream life, but instead, it became the precursor to a quiet, devastating undoing. Julie Goodwin, the show’s first-ever winner, takes us behind the curtain of reality TV fame to share the raw, unfiltered reality of what happens when the cameras stop rolling and the isolation truly sets in.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 in the US and Canada, call 116 123 in the UK, or call 13 11 14 in Australia.

This conversation isn't just about the pressure of the spotlight; it’s a deeply honest look at the path to a mental health collapse and the long, non-linear journey of recovery that followed. Julie speaks candidly about multiple hospitalizations, the danger of mistaking "being busy" for "being okay," and the vital importance of removing the stigma surrounding treatment for severe depression and anxiety. We explore why she rejects prescriptive self-help and instead urges listeners to cultivate genuine self-awareness, pay attention to the early warning signs their bodies are screaming, and recognize that mental well-being requires consistent maintenance, not just a one-time fix. From the foundational necessity of sleep to the power of surrendering to professional care, Julie’s story is a powerful reminder that our value isn’t tied to our output, and seeking help is not a failure—it is the ultimate act of courage.

GUEST link:  https://shithappy.com/they-said-you-need-the-psych-ward-i-laughed-julie-goodwin-ep-102/
Links To Love (newsletter +++): https://shithappy.com/resources/
For laughs check out our other Youtube @inbedwithphil


00:00 [MasterChef Expectations vs. Reality]
01:39 [The Reality of Isolation]
08:57 [Post-Show Whirlwind & Burnout]
11:58 [The Collapse]
14:52 [The Decision to Seek Hospitalization]
16:01 [Dispelling Myths About Mental Hospitals]
22:34 [Challenging Mental Health Stigma]
25:15 [The Perfectionism Trap in Recovery]
28:21 [The Non-Linear Path of Healing]
34:30 [The Vital Importance of Sleep]


#shithappypodcast #mentalhealthawareness #masterchefau #juliegoodwin #recoveryjourney

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Becky Livingston didn't just survive the loss of her daughter Rachel, she took her on one last trip. 

For 26 months, Becky traveled the globe with Rachel’s ashes in her suitcase, scattering them in the places Rachel had always dreamed of visiting—from the Taj Mahal to the peaks of the Andes. This is the visceral, logistics-heavy, and deeply moving account of that journey. Becky shares the reality of carrying an urn through airport security, the ritual of "leaving a piece of her" in every country, and how a 26-month trip designed for a dead daughter ended up saving the mother who was left behind. If you’ve ever wondered how to move forward when the person you love is gone, this is the roadmap.

Missed The first part? https://youtu.be/DSr7dQdJ3UY

 Guest Page: https://shithappy.com/the-trip-she-took-with-her-dead-daughter-becky-livingstone-ep-101/
 Links To Love: https://shithappy.com/resources/
 For laughs check out our other Youtube @inbedwithphil

0:00 Introduction
1:01 Becky Leaves for Europe
4:38 Leaving Ashes Around the World
6:41 The Airport Incident in Melbourne
10:15 Talking to Rachel
12:21 The Journey Comes to a Close
14:24 Writing the Book and Finding Healing

#grief #travel #lifeafterloss #childloss #shithappypodcast

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Becky Livingston's world imploded twice. First, her partner Bob was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer and died six months later. Then, 18 months after that, her daughter Rachel's brain tumour returned. Most people would have stayed on the floor. Becky got up, packed her daughter's ashes, and spent 26 months scattering them across the places Rachel had dreamed of visiting.This is a conversation about the most devastating thing that can happen to a person, and the extraordinary decision to find gold in the wreckage. Becky shares Bob's life lessons (including the one that stopped me cold), how gratitude actually works when you have every reason to be bitter, and why changing your outer view can change your inner one. Her book is called Joyful Mourning, and after you hear this, you'll understand why that title isn't a contradiction.

0:00 — When Life Hits You With Back-to-Back Tragedy
2:11 — Falling in Love Again as a Single Mum (and Losing Him Too)
6:04 — "To Be Constantly Strong Is a Weakness" — Bob's Wisest Lesson
7:51 — The Day Her Daughter's Brain Tumor Came Back
8:33 — How She Survived Losing a Partner to Brain Cancer
8:32 — Falling Apart After Loss — What Actually Helped Her Heal
10:33 — How to Care for Yourself While Watching Someone Die
13:49 — Remembering Rachel — A Daughter Who Loved to Laugh and Travel
16:02 — The Travel Journey That Started With a Book of Stars
16:44 — Why She Turned Her Grief Into a Book (and Why Only She Could Write It)
19:54 — How Grief and Gratitude Can Coexist
22:37 — How a Terminal Diagnosis Changes the Way You Live
26:57 — Reinventing Your Life After 50 — It's Never Too Late
30:54 — Using Travel to Navigate Life's Biggest Transitions
32:17 — How to Find Yourself Again After Everything Changes
35:19 — Closing — Part Two Coming Thursday

Guest Page: (link)
Links To Love (newsletter etc): https://shithappy.com/resources/

Watch On Youtube:@shithappypodcast

For laughs check out our other Youtube @inbedwithphil

If you or someone you know is navigating grief, reach out to a bereavement counsellor or grief support service in your area. You don't have to do this alone

#grief #lifeafterloss #dealingwithloss #bereavement #SHITHAPPYPODCAST

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#ShitHappyPodcast, #InspiringPodcast, #PodcastInterview 

Shownotes: Guests Share Their Favourite Books - rerun of ep 62

 Books can shape lives, shift perspectives, and sometimes even spark laughter in the bedroom. In this Sh!t Happy holiday special, guests reveal the books that most changed or uplifted them—from Jack Canfield’s Success Principles to Louise Hay, from Ram Dass’s Be Here Now to Johann Hari’s Lost Connections, and even Fifty Shades of Grey. You’ll hear stories of healing, meditation, resilience, forgiveness, and joy, with recommendations that may just inspire your own reading list. Perfect holiday listening for anyone curious about wellbeing, mental health, and the power of words to transform.

Topics

• The books that shaped our guests’ lives
• How reading influences resilience and wellbeing
• Surprising answers to “most uplifting book”
• Meditation, forgiveness, and spiritual awakenings
• The role of connection in mental health
• Choosing happiness and living without regret

Episode Specific Links

• Transcript  https://shithappy.com/guests-share-the…ay-special-ep-62/
• The Success Principles – Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/3IOFtOm
• You Can Heal Your Life – Louise Hay: https://amzn.to/4nZmakg
• Be Here Now – Ram Dass: https://amzn.to/3IQOnuC
• Lost Connections – Johann Hari: https://amzn.to/3Kuhc0A
• The Happiest Man on Earth – Eddie Jaku: https://amzn.to/46z0GVM
• Top Five Regrets of the Dying – Bronnie Ware: https://amzn.to/4gRO2Vj

Find Related Episodes on Apple Podcasts:

• # 2 Bombs Betrayal and Badassery with Heidi Denning 
• # 23 Hip Hop For Healing with Winitha Bonney  
• # 17 Sex, Drugs & Meditation with Mary-Lou Stephens 
• # 26 Finding Inner Peace with Fred Luskin 
• # 20 Blindsided By Benzos with Deke Ludwig 

#books, #reading, #Wellbeing, #Mindfulness, #Motivation

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#ShitHappyPodcast, #InspiringPodcast, #PodcastInterview 

Shownotes: Guests Share About Romance - rerun of ep 66

 From handwritten Italian love notes to a surprise donkey with a red bow, this holiday special brims with the most romantic gestures our guests have ever experienced. You’ll hear about unexpected kindness, deep devotion, sparkling Vegas vows, and even a partner who wasn’t afraid to tackle a messy kitchen. Whether you’re craving inspiration for your own love life or just want to smile, these true stories will lift your heart and remind you of the many forms romance can take. Perfect holiday listening for anyone seeking joy, wellbeing, and a dash of fun.

Topics

• Romance in everyday and extraordinary gestures
• Love letters and the power of the written word
• Selfless acts in relationships
• Donkeys, Elvis, and unconventional surprises
• How kindness can feel deeply romantic

Episode Specific Links

• Transcript: https://shithappy.com/guests-share-about-romance-holiday-special-ep-66/ 
• Toni’s course: https://www.tonipowell.com/product/lets-get-shit-happy-self-paced/
• USE THIS 30% OFF CODE : shithappy

Related Episode Links

• Ep 17: with Mary Lou Stevens 
• Ep 41: with Mae Da
• Ep 48 & 49  with  Nikki Beaumont 
• Ep 38 & 39  with Tammy van Wisse 
• Ep: 23 & 24 with  Fred Luskin – BOTH

#romance, #loveletters, #Wellbeing, #Mindfulness, #Motivation

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 Links To Love (newsletter +++): https://shithappy.com/resources/