Some stories cross generations. Others cross oceans.
For Suddenly Different guest Eric Em, his family’s story carried both. Born in Vietnam to Cambodian parents who fled a brutal regime, Eric’s life began in exile — cradled on a boat that survived eight pirate attacks, months in a refugee camp, and an unshakable belief in freedom.
At a Christmas table decades later, he finally heard the story in full — the terror, the courage, and the single sheet of paper that changed everything: “Congratulations, the Australian Government has accepted you.”
Now a storyteller and community leader, Eric honours his parents’ legacy through connection and compassion. Together, Leigh-Anne Sharland and Eric Em explore intergenerational trauma, resilience, and the power of story to turn silence into light.
Across Oceans, Into Light – The Day Hope Spoke English is a reminder that the human spirit can survive anything — and that sometimes the most suddenly different moment of all is hearing the story that made your life possible.
What happens when your life unravels in an instant—and the world no longer sees you the same?
At just 24, Lisa Cox was a thriving advertising executive when a sudden brain haemorrhage left her in a coma, resulting in amputations, vision loss, and more than a year in hospital. She died twice—and returned with a whole new purpose.
In this deeply honest and quietly revolutionary conversation,
Leigh-Anne speaks with Lisa Cox OAM about what it means to go from “promising professional” to profoundly disabled—and how the journey back is rarely linear, often misunderstood, and full of moments that force you to rethink everything.
Together, they explore:
The internalised ableism that almost broke them both
The myths and microaggressions still surrounding disability
How Lisa uses her advertising and media background to challenge exclusion in boardrooms and branding
Why inclusion is not charity—it’s business intelligence
What changes are urgently needed in media representation and leadership visibility
Lisa shares the grief of becoming suddenly different, the peace that comes with no longer needing to "fix" herself, and the radical joy in finding new ways to thrive—even when the world expects you to stay broken.
Whether you're navigating your own health shift, designing more inclusive systems, or rethinking how you define worth, this episode is a must-listen.
🎙️ “You don’t have to go back to who you were. You can become who you were always meant to be.”
What happens when a leader names the invisible with strength, grace, and zero “therapy-on-stage”?
In this Suddenly Different conversation, Certified Speaking Professional Jacqueline Brooker shares how living with C-PTSD has shaped her life, leadership, and voice — and why vulnerability without scaffolding can harm more than heal. She revisits the suddenly different teenage moment when her brain simply stopped, explores the neuroscience behind that “snap,” and reveals how understanding self-trust as the variable in resilience changed everything.
Together we unpack storytelling done well: share only the moments that matter, shape them for the audience (not the ego), and return with the elixir — wisdom and insight.
Whether or not you ever stand on a stage, this episode is a masterclass in truth-telling with care: hold your words tightly, your people lightly, and let your story become a bridge — to connection, compassion, and healing.
Take a breath with us: What was your suddenly different moment — and how might naming it begin to change the way you move forward?
✅ Why it suits:
“When the Brain Stops” captures Jacqueline’s pivotal story — her teenage brain freeze — and the neuroscience she explains later.
“C-PTSD, Self-Trust, and the Stories That Heal” aligns with the core arcs of the conversation: trauma, recovery, leadership, storytelling.
The description keeps the same rhythm and emotional resonance as your Suddenly Different brand — reflective, compassionate, and intelligent.
What happens when your body stops letting you participate in the world? When sound becomes pain, light is unbearable, and stress tips you into collapse?
In this deeply human episode of Suddenly Different, Leigh-Anne speaks with first-time podcast guest Jo Morton from The Good Energy Room—an embodied advocate whose life was hijacked by dysautonomia (including POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), chronic fatigue and widespread hypersensitivity.
Jo takes us inside the six-year slide into shutdown, the loneliness of being disbelieved, and the microscopic work of finding safety again—word by word, breath by breath. We unpack practical shifts that mattered (changing “How are you?” to “Nice to see you”), the role of nervous-system retraining, IV support, and why she followed an energy-based protocol that coincided with her cognition switching back on. There’s no silver bullet here—just observable change, heart-rate variability insights, and a family re-knitting itself around possibility.
Highlights:
Dysautonomia, MCAS & POTS—how they can present and why they’re often missed
Hypersensitivity & language: the nervous system “hears” your words
Micro-wins: wrapping a child’s birthday present; the first stand-up hug; returning the wheelchair
Choosing “yes” signals: food, movement, media, conversations
Data, dignity & hope: tracking change and building capacity
If you’ve felt invisible in your illness, may Jo’s story give you the slow, steady kind of hope that rebuilds from the inside out.
Links:
The Good Energy Room
https://goodenergyroom.com.au
Dysautonomia resources
https://potsfoundation.org.au
https://dysautonomiainternational.org
Sometimes life doesn’t whisper — it stops your heart. For Eugene Moreau, a triple bypass became a defining moment. Recovery wasn’t just about healing a body stitched back together. It was about reimagining what it means to live, to love, and to lead with purpose.
In this episode, Eugene shares how he moved from being “mentally arrested” in hospital to deliberately reauthoring his life. We talk about legacy, ageism, faith, and the role of neuroplasticity in rewiring both brain and heart. We also explore how resilience grows in the ordinary moments of holding a grandchild, choosing presence, and focusing only on the three things only you can do.
If you’re navigating your own suddenly different moment, this conversation will remind you that scars can become stories and second chances can be compasses.
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses workplace bullying, suicidal thoughts, and coercive behaviours that may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care as you listen.
What happens when the place that pays your bills, shapes your career, and holds so much of your identity becomes the very place that breaks you?
For Michael Plowright, workplace bullying wasn’t just uncomfortable — it was devastating. Constantly undermined, coerced, and stripped of confidence by a manager, he reached a point where suicide felt like the only option.
But Michael made a different choice: he chose to live.
In this raw and deeply human conversation, Michael shares the pain of that time, the decision that kept him here, and the path that led him to create Working Well Together — a business dedicated to building respectful, safe workplaces free from bullying.
This episode is a reminder of the unseen toll workplace bullying can take, the courage it takes to speak up, and the power of transforming pain into purpose.
💻 Learn more about Michael’s work: workingwelltogether.com.au
📞 If this episode raises anything for you, please reach out for support. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If you’re elsewhere, please contact your local crisis helpline.
What happens when the life you thought you had under control suddenly collapses?
For Leon Purton, Air Force veteran and corporate leader, the breakdown of his marriage was the first time he had ever felt like he’d truly failed. It wasn’t just the end of a relationship — it was the crushing belief that he had failed the people he loved most.
In this raw and deeply human conversation, Leon shares how shame, grief, and identity loss cracked him open — and how he found a way forward through personal development, vulnerability, and authenticity. He speaks about fatherhood, masks, the slow leaks of burnout, and why true leadership begins not with others, but with leading yourself.
Leon’s story is a reminder that failure doesn’t define us — it refines us. The cracks don’t just show us where we’re broken, they show us where the light can come in.
✨ If you’ve ever felt like everything has fallen apart, this conversation will give you hope that you’re not broken — you’re being reshaped.
When hearing disappears mid-flight, life changes forever. Jeni’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and finding joy abroad. In this episode of Suddenly Different, Jeni shares how she reclaimed her identity, navigated the challenges of hearing loss, and found unexpected joy through business, mentoring, and embracing an international life. Her story is one of resilience, humour, and the courage to live fully when silence changes everything.
What happens when ADHD collides with family patterns of rage, reaction, and survival?
For Tracey Walker, the breaking point came in one terrifying moment with her son — a moment that forced her to confront her own unconscious patterns and rewrite the story. That crisis became the catalyst for The Calm Principle, her life’s work in helping parents, teachers, and individuals move beyond labels and step into conscious choice.
In this powerful conversation, Tracey shares:
The raw turning point that changed everything as a parent.
Why ADHD is more than a label — and how it can become a doorway to awareness.
Practical strategies to spot the “invisible line” before meltdown or shutdown.
How calm isn’t the absence of chaos, but the skill of meeting life on your own terms.
If you’ve ever felt trapped by a diagnosis, stuck in reactive cycles, or desperate for a new way forward — this episode will remind you that transformation doesn’t begin when life gets easier. It begins when you decide to meet life differently.
In today’s episode we explore some deeply personal moments around parenting, ADHD, rage, and breaking cycles of dysfunction. This includes reference to a confronting incident between Tracey and her child. If these themes feel heavy for you, please listen with care and reach out for support if needed. If you are in Australia, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. For listeners elsewhere, please reach out to a trusted local support service.✨ Keywords for search/discovery: ADHD parenting, calm principle, resilience, neurodiversity, emotional mastery, breaking the cycle, Tracey Walker, Suddenly Different Podcast.
Content note: This conversation references domestic abuse, workplace trauma and suicidal thoughts.
What happens when the life you keep running—smiling, coping, soldiering—starts crushing you from the inside?
In this raw, steady-held episode of Suddenly Different, Tammie Horton (founder of the PHYNIX Initiative and voice behind the PHYNIX Rebellion) names what so many live with: functional suffering—looking fine on the outside while quietly unraveling within.
Tammie shares her 2013 “controlled burn” moment—leaving a 25-year marriage marked by coercive control and chaos—and the aftershocks that followed: grief, legal battles, lost safety, frayed relationships, and the painstaking rebuild of a self. Together we explore how to move from barely surviving to gently reigniting: code-words for support, emotional go-bags, nervous-system rituals, and the PHYNIX principles that help people rewrite a life they don’t have to escape from.
✨ In this episode you’ll hear:
What functional suffering really looks like (and why it’s so common).
The “state of no return”: ending a life pattern instead of a life.
How to build an emotional go-bag to regulate in the moment.
Why “burning the BS” is sometimes the bravest act of resilience.
The PHYNIX framework (Passionate, Hopeful, Young at heart, Noetic, Indomitable, Extraordinary).
💡 If you’ve been holding it all together by a thread, this is a gentle ember of hope—and a blueprint for your next brave step.
🔗 Connect with Tammie Horton:
Website: www.phynixinitiative.com.au
🌿 Resources mentioned:
Emotional Go-Bags
Some people carry joy like a sparkler — lighting up even the darkest rooms. Ailsa Page is one of them. But behind her laughter is a story of reinvention, heartbreak, resilience, and the courage to drop the facade.
In this episode of Suddenly Different, Ailsa shares how divorce, depression, and performance anxiety cracked her open to new ways of living. From saying “no” for the first time, to rediscovering music as a lifeline, to learning that standing ovations don’t always equal fulfillment, her journey reminds us that joy isn’t found in perfection — it’s found in presence.
We talk about:
✨ The moment her facade fell away and she discovered the relief of being real.
✨ Why failure can be the doorway to unexpected magic.
✨ Music, tap dancing, and the healing power of creative play.
✨ Why it’s never too late to begin again — with flair.
If you’ve ever felt broken, behind, or afraid it’s “too late,” this conversation is your invitation to find joy not in spite of life’s detours, but because of them.
What happens when the giver becomes the one in need?
In this deeply moving episode, Leigh-Anne sits with Kate Gniel—PR professional, community champion, and founder of The Glitter Effect—to explore the moment everything changed: when her youngest son, Harvey, was diagnosed with leukaemia.
With raw honesty and gentle strength, Kate shares what it was like to be cracked open by grief, held by a village she didn’t expect, and transformed by the quiet gestures that carried her through. From frozen dinners that thawed more than food, to a shoulder offered at just the right time, this is a story about the ripple of kindness, the unexpected tenderness of strangers, and the courage it takes to receive.
Through this conversation, we’re reminded that showing up doesn’t have to be loud to be life-changing. And that sometimes, the sparkle in our story begins where we least expect it.
✨ This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or unsure how to help—because the quietest gestures often hold the greatest power.
In this raw and riveting episode of Suddenly Different, Vicki Tyler takes us through not one—but two—literal life-shattering falls. From a 50-foot drop in a remote Northern Territory gorge that left her airlifted by flying doctors, to a freak sleepwalking accident that crushed her spine just months after she bungee-jumped to conquer her fear of heights.
But this isn’t just a story about broken bones—it’s about breaking patterns.
Vicki speaks candidly about witnessing trauma in her teens, overcoming gender bias in leadership, and the moment she stopped living on autopilot and started asking: Why not me? With her trademark mix of curiosity and courage, she invites us to challenge the stories that keep us small—and to reclaim our voice, our impact, and our place at the table.
If you’ve ever faced fear, fallen hard, or wondered how to rise again—this is your reminder that sometimes, what breaks you… also wakes you.
In this insightful episode, we delve into the profound impact of childhood trauma on adult life.
Join us as we explore how early experiences shape our beliefs and behaviors, and the transformative journey towards healing and self-discovery.
Through insightful conversations and personal stories, discover the resilience of the human spirit and the power of embracing change.
Whether you're seeking understanding or inspiration, this episode offers a beacon of hope and a path to a brighter future.
In this powerful episode of "Defying Religious Dogma to Reinvent Self," we delve into the transformative journey of Bron Williams.
After nearly three decades in a traditional marriage shaped by conservative religious beliefs, Bron made the courageous decision to walk away and redefine her identity.
Join us as we explore her path to self-discovery, the challenges she faced, and the unexpected strength she found in embracing change.
This episode is a testament to the power of resilience and the courage it takes to break free from societal expectations. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about reclaiming personal power and purpose.
In this compelling episode of "Suddenly Different," join host Leigh-Anne Sharland as she delves into the transformative journey of Andrea Gullick.
After the sudden loss of her husband, Andrea's life took an unexpected turn, leading her to explore the depths of grief and uncover a deeper purpose.
Through tools like the Enneagram and her own lived experiences, Andrea now guides others in breaking free from unconscious patterns. Tune in to discover how personal loss can become a powerful catalyst for change and growth.
#Transformation #GriefJourney #PersonalGrowth
In this episode, Roslyn English OAM shares her profound journey through grief and loss, beginning with the tragic death of her husband in an accident.
She discusses the cascading effects of grief, including the loss of her parents and her own health battles. Roslyn emphasizes the importance of community, creativity, and resilience in navigating life's challenges.
She also highlights her advocacy work with the Cancer Council and the significance of support systems for those facing illness.
Through her experiences, Roslyn inspires listeners to find courage and connection in their own lives.
Takeaways
keywords
grief, loss, community, resilience, creativity, advocacy, cancer support, personal journey, emotional healing, music summary
This conversation explores the inspiring journey of Leigh Skinner, who faced life-altering challenges after a diagnosis that left him unable to walk at 18. From battling personal demons and addiction to becoming a celebrated para powerlifter and coach, Leigh’s story is one of resilience,self-discovery, and the power of gratitude. He emphasizes the importance of support systems, personal development, and the impact of setting goals, including his remarkable experience of meeting the Queen. Leigh’s journeyserves as a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the potential for transformation.
Takeaways
Leigh Skinner's life changed forever after a diagnosis at 18.
Resilience is key in overcoming life's challenges.
Support from family and friends is crucial for success.
Gratitude can transform one's perspective on life.
Setting goals can lead to unexpected achievements.
Personal development is a lifelong journey.
Coaching others can be a fulfilling way to give back.
Life experiences shape our identity and purpose.
It's important to embrace change and adapt.
Never stop pursuing your dreams, no matter the obstacles.
Keywords
resilience, identity, self-leadership, gratitude, parapowerlifting, personal development, coaching, overcoming adversity, legacy,motivation
Stories and Strategies when life doesn't go to plan
