UNDISTRACTED with Laura Bennett

By 2030, it’s estimated 45 percent of women will be single and child free. It a contrast to previous generations where marriage and kids was the expected norm, but for many reasons a lot of women aren’t in the relationships they were brought up to assume were guaranteed.

Sydney author Sheree Joseph wants a husband and family, but an ill-timed breakup and medical diagnosis has so far sent her life in a different direction. Her memoir 'Juicy' offers a warm, hilarious and honest account of what it’s like to be single and child free when your stage of life dictates otherwise, and why we need to redefine what it means to have a thriving, happy life and celebrate the singles.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British cook Rachel Khoo is known to Australians fans for her work on 'The Great Australian Bakeoff', but many years before she appeared on our screens it was cooking out of a small kitchen in her Parisan flat that gave Rachel her first TV role. 'The Little Paris Kitchen' became a hit BBC series and now a memoir of the same name. Rachel speaks to us about the effect of food on culture, knowing which ideas to chase and why the story of this little kitchen took 5 years to tell.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is author and former Hope 103.2 journalist Clare Bruce. In memoir 'Sinner, Saint, Servant', Clare tells the story of Troy White. A onetime policeman, pastor and military chaplain who struggled with PSTD, anxiety and depression, and a growing alcohol addiction his admirers had little awareness of.

Clare talks about how to have faith in tandem with struggle, the pressure on ministry leaders, and goes into the world of a writer going from idea to execution and the delicacy of handling someone else’s life story.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the #MeToo movement emboldened victims to speak up about gendered violence, survivors found themselves silenced by defamation laws being used to stop them sharing their experiences. In Silenced, International human rights lawyer and co-author of How Many More Women? Jennifer Robinson shows us how the legal system is used to discredit and financially ruin survivors and journalists reporting on their stories. Jennifer draws on her experience representing Hollywood actress Amber Heard in one of the most high-profile defamation battles in recent history, showing the personal cost of these cases on women like Amber, and locally, former Australian political staffer Brittany Higgins among many guests.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is Embrace Grace founder Amy Ford. In her teens Amy fell pregnant unexpectedly and, as happens for many young women in the church, was met with judgement, shame and rejection. Her goal since, has been to equip churches to support women in choosing life at such a crucial time in their lives, and see the church as the first place women turn to and not run from.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel stuck? You’re a Christian who loves Jesus, you believe God has a good plan for your life, and yet you feel like something has stalled. Today we’re welcoming back minister and host and author of the Heal with God podcast and book Heather O’Brien.  

After years of struggling with depression and leaning into Scripture and prayer, Heather began hearing God’s voice and developing step-by-step tools to help Christians become unstuck – dealing with fear, procrastination, anger, a number of symptoms – that hold us back from living well.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is a photojournalist with Compassion International. For more than 20 years, Edwin Estioko has documented children and families living through poverty, disaster and recovery in the Philippines - one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. His work takes him into communities after typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other crises, often after the initial headlines have moved on.

Edwin recently returned from Mindanao, documenting the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated communities across the southern islands of the Philippines.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is 94-year-old Order of Australia recipient Everald Compton.

With years of experience in education, Church life and public service, Everald’s novel ‘Walk in the Spirit’ put characters of all different faith backgrounds together to explore how faith might be expressed through compassion, community and everyday action. Everald believes that the teachings of Jesus the Man are not about doctrine, but about how we live - through kindness, respect and meeting the needs of others.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode relates to end-of-life care. In his memoir ‘As She Chose’, guest Oliver Christen tells the story of his 86-year-old mum and her choice to, in his words, “consciously end a life well lived”. He explores end of life choices through his journey as a son supporting his dying mum. Who, when she can no longer live independently, choices an alternative to a prolonged decline of medications, hospital routines, and lost agency.

If the themes of this episode could cause you distress, help is available via Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline 13 11 14.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As July starts, so too does a commitment by many to embrace Dry July. In today’s episode we’re dipping into the archives for a chat with sobriety advocate and wellness coach Justine Santowiak. In 2012 she almost lost her life when her alcohol addiction became too much, entering rehab and forever cutting ties with the substance the controlled her. Justine found a way forward and wants the same for fellow addicts.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.