In this episode, I’m joined by Natasha, who shares her powerful story of burnout, binge eating disorder recovery, bodybuilding, and redefining health beyond aesthetics.

After ten years working as a teacher, Natasha experienced severe burnout, declining mental health, and the return of binge eating disorder. What started as a way to regain control led her into weight training and competitive bodybuilding — a journey that brought confidence and discipline, but also serious hormonal, physical, and mental health consequences that are rarely discussed, especially for women.

In this honest conversation, Natasha opens up about the realities of bodybuilding for women, the connection between food, control, and self-worth, and how stepping away from competition helped her redefine health, fitness, and body image in a more sustainable way.

This episode is for anyone navigating burnout, disordered eating, body image struggles, or an unhealthy relationship with exercise.

Links:

Natasha’s book – Beyond the Barbell: Confessions of a Female Fitness CompetitorAn honest account of competitive bodybuilding, binge eating disorder, hormonal health, and recovery.
http://mybook.to/BeyondtheBarbell

🎧 Natasha’s podcast – The Binges to Barbells Podcast

Two weeks before her wedding, Celeste had a conversation that changed everything. She realised she didn’t feel seen — and didn’t truly know herself. What followed was a brave decision to walk away and start over.

In this episode, Celeste shares her journey of identity loss, self-discovery, and reinvention. From moving states alone and buying a home on her own, to completing multiple Ironman races and building the Radiant Women’s Collective, this conversation explores what it really means to redefine success and choose alignment over expectations.

A powerful reminder that walking away isn’t failure — it’s often the first step toward becoming who you really are.

• Walking away from a wedding and starting over

• Identity loss, self-discovery, and personal growth

• Letting go of societal expectations and people-pleasing

• Ironman racing, achievement, and self-worth

• Redefining success beyond external validation

• Building confidence, independence, and resilience

• Creating community through the Radiant Women’s Collective

Connect with Celeste:

📍 Instagram/community: @myhealingyourhealing

What happens when life ends in fire — but somehow begins again?

In this powerful episode, Glen shares his extraordinary story of survival after a devastating truck accident on the Bruce Highway. Trapped in a burning vehicle, Glen escaped the flames only to spend the next 24 days in a coma with burns to70% of his body, countless broken bones, and a recovery journey that would test every part of him.

Glen opens up about waking from the coma, the surreal moments of confusion and humour, the brutal reality of surgeries and rehab, and the emotional toll of recoveringduring Covid while separated from loved ones. Through it all, family, grit, and an unshakeable will to live became his anchor.

This episode isn’t just about surviving a crash — it’s about rebuilding a life. From learning how to move and communicate again, to finding purpose in giving back. Glen’s story is a profound reminder of what resilience really looks like.

If you’ve ever faced a moment that felt impossible, this conversation will stay with you.

Crissy’s story is one of survival, identity, and finding purpose on the other side of trauma. Growing up in a trailer park, navigating depression, and surviving a 13,000-volt electrocution at 16, she rebuilt her life step by step — including a 500-mile walk across the Camino de Santiago that reshaped her sense of self.

Motherhood brought new challenges, leading her to leave teaching and create the community she once needed. Today, Crissy is the co-founder of HER Health Collective and host of Mama Needs a Moment, supporting mums who shouldn’t have to walk alone.

In this episode, we talk childhood trauma, near-death moments, purpose, postpartum anxiety, and the power of finding your people.

What happens when everything you’ve built your identityaround suddenly disappears?
In this episode of Tumble Upward, we sit down with Luke, who spent nearly two decades chasing his football dream—only to lose it all after being deceived by a fake agent.

Luke shares the emotional reality of losing identity, facingbullying and self-doubt, and how his mental health was tested at every turn. But instead of letting it define him, he transformed that pain into purpose.

Today, Luke is an award-winning global coach and community builder, helping others rebuild confidence, resilience, and belonging.

This is a raw and deeply inspiring story about identity,failure, and the power of reinvention. Luke reminds us that even the darkest chapters can become the foundation for our greatest growth.

This conversation dives deep into:

• The emotional impact of losing identity and purpose
• How failure can become a catalyst for transformation
• Finding meaning beyond business
• The power of community and helping others rise

Luke’s Social Media & Podcast

• Instagram: @lukebeastall
• Facebook: Luke Beastall
• Podcast: Beyond The Boardroom

This week on Tumble Upward, I’m joined by Helen — a bright, thoughtful, and brilliantly self-aware writer and project manager who grew up believing that love was earned through achievement.

Raised in China under high cultural and parental expectations, Helen spent most of her life chasing perfection — academically, creatively, professionally. Her identity was built on “never enough”, even when she was excelling.

From studying art and fashion to pivoting into international management, Helen pushed herself beyond limits… until burnout hit hard. More than once.

But today, she’s rewriting the rules she grew up with.

In this episode, Helen opens up about:

• ​🌟 How her strict upbringing shaped her perfectionism
• ​🔥 What burnout really looked like behind the scenes
• ​🚪 The moment she realized success without peace isn’t success
• ​✍️ How writing became her safe space for healing
• ​🧘‍♀️ The small mindset shifts she uses now to maintain balance and self-kindness

This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt like their worth is measured by their productivity.

🔗 Connect with Helen

• ​Instagram: cjhelen_
• ​Articles & Writing: http://linktr.ee/ExploreWithHelen

In this episode of Tumble Upward, John shares the life-altering moment that changed everything—a fall from a rock climbing wall that shattered his hip and led to emergency surgery, months in a wheelchair, and the daunting challenge of learning to walk again.

John opens up about both the physical and emotional hurdles of his recovery, including:

• The accident and hip surgery

• Navigating life in a wheelchair

• The long, painful journey through rehab

• The mental health battles that came with losing independence

• The mindset, resilience, and support that helped him rise again

This conversation is a raw and inspiring exploration of what it truly means to rebuild—not just your body, but your sense of self—after trauma. John’s story is a powerful reminder that healing is never linear, and sometimes the hardest climbs happen within.

In this episode of Tumble Upward, I sit down with Jesse, whose life took a dramatic turn while serving in the Royal Australian Air Force. A training accident left him with multiple injuries, including an acquired brain injury, and his heart stopped seven times during the ordeal.

Against the odds, he fought his way through rehab to graduate, only to be medically retired from service soon after. The years that followed were marked by struggle — weight gain, loss of identity, and the challenge of finding purpose beyond the military.

But this is also a story of turning it all around. Jesse rebuilt his life, went to university, and today runs a high-performance program at Norths Rugby Union while continuing his own rehab journey. His story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the power of refusing to give up.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• The day of the training accident and its aftermath

• What it means to fight back through an acquired brain injury and physical trauma

• The challenges of medical retirement and life spiralling afterward

• The turning point that sparked his transformation

This is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest chapters, we have the ability to rewrite our story.

In this deeply moving first episode of Tumble Upward, Pera shares her story of unimaginable heartbreak and resilience. After losing her baby at 32 weeks and nearly losing her own life from a severe haemorrhage during childbirth, she faced grief and trauma that no parent should have to endure.

Through her journey of healing and with the arrival of her rainbow baby, she discovered strength, hope, and a renewed perspective on life. Her story is one of survival, love, and the power of community support.

⚠️ A note for listeners: This episode discusses pregnancy and infant loss, birth trauma, and recovery. Please take care while listening.

Below are the links that Pera talks about in the episode. If you or someone you know needs support, these organisations can help:

• Bears of Hope: https://www.bearsofhope.org.au/

• Precious Wings: https://www.preciouswings.org/

• Red Nose: 1300 308 307

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Hummingbird House: https://hummingbirdhouse.org.au/

• Heartfelt Photography: https://www.heartfelt.org.au/