by Kerrie Atherton | May 4, 2026 | Stories of Hope
In this episode of Stories of Hope Worldwide, I’m joined by Brendan Neil for a conversation that so many people live through, but far too many suffer through in silence: hope after divorce.
Brendan works closely with divorced dads, and what I really appreciate about him is how practical he is, while still holding space for the emotional reality men often carry behind closed doors.
We talk about why so many separations can feel like they come “out of nowhere” for men, the grief cycle that can follow, and the deep sense of failure so many men quietly wrestle with when a marriage ends. Brendan shares what he’s learned (personally and professionally) about emotional awareness, communication, and the ways unresolved pain can shape how we show up in relationships.
We also speak honestly about loneliness, the pressure of big seasons like Christmas, and how easy it is to get trapped inside your own head when life falls apart. Brendan’s message is simple but powerful: be kind to yourself, reach out, and keep taking the next step, especially when things feel dark.
I hope this conversation reminds you that you don’t have to walk that road alone, and that a brighter future can still be waiting on the other side.
Get in touch with Brendan Neil:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-neil-6b56b722/
Website: https://www.brendanjneil.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surfyn/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brendanjneil4733/videos
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
by Kerrie Atherton | Apr 20, 2026 | Stories of Hope
There are some conversations that stay with you long after they’re finished… and this is one of them.
In this episode, I sit down with the incredibly brave Donna Thistlethwaite to explore a story that is as confronting as it is hopeful. Donna shares, with such honesty and courage, how a moment in the workplace triggered a rapid spiral of anxiety, self-doubt, and overwhelming thoughts that led her to believe there was no way forward.
Listening to her describe how quickly things unraveled really touched my heart because it’s a reminder that this can happen to any of us, often in ways we don’t expect.
What I love about Donna’s story is not just the survival, but what came after. The way she has taken something so painful and turned it into a life of purpose, helping others feel seen, supported, and equipped with the tools to navigate their own mental health.
We talk about the beliefs that can quietly shape our inner world, the importance of connection, and the simple but powerful practices that can bring us back to ourselves, even in the hardest moments.
This conversation is a gentle but important reminder that everything is temporary. That the thoughts telling us we’re not enough are not the truth. And that even in the darkest moments, there is a path forward. Often one we cannot see yet.
If you’re struggling, or if you love someone who is, I hope this episode helps you feel a little less alone.
Get in touch with Donna Thistlethwaite:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnathistlethwaite/
Website: https://mentallywellthy.com.au/about/
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
by Kerrie Atherton | Apr 6, 2026 | Stories of Hope
This episode is brought to you by Rumble Studios: a full service sound design and music composition team in Sydney & Melbourne. For more, head to RumbleStudios.tv and we thank them for their support of Stories of Hope.
In this episode, I’m joined by Ron Isherwood for a conversation that is raw, confronting, and ultimately deeply hopeful. Ron shares openly about growing up surrounded by extreme violence, becoming entrenched in crime and addiction at a young age, and the long road he has walked to get to where he is today.
There are parts of this story that are incredibly hard to hear, but what really stayed with me is Ron’s honesty, his accountability, and the way he now uses his life to help others.
As we talk, we explore not only addiction and recovery, but also the deeper patterns underneath it all—family trauma, learned violence, survival, and what it takes to truly break those cycles. I was really struck by Ron’s reflections on unlearning everything he once believed about being a man, a partner, and a father, and choosing instead to build a life grounded in responsibility, empathy, and service. That kind of change does not happen by accident, and I know so many people will resonate with the courage it takes to do that work.
This is a powerful conversation about redemption, lived experience, and the possibility of becoming someone completely different from the environment that shaped you.
Get in touch with Ron Isherwood:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-isherwood-203bb0264/
Website: https://www.thetruthaboutaddiction.com.au/team/
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
by Kerrie Atherton | Mar 23, 2026 | Stories of Hope
In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Justin Lippiatt to talk about what it means to hold onto hope when life has stripped everything back. Justin shares his journey through alcoholism, long-term sobriety, and the way recovery reshaped not just his personal life, but the way he leads, serves, and sees other people.
What touched my heart so much in this conversation is Justin’s willingness to speak openly about the reality of addiction in business spaces, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up with truth, dignity, and compassion.
Justin also shares about a devastating season where he lost his business, his financial security, and found himself in an incredibly dark place emotionally. It’s a reminder that behind the success people see on the outside, there can be so much pain hidden underneath.
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggle, anyone carrying shame, and anyone wondering whether hope is still possible. Justin’s message is simple but so powerful: be kind. Sometimes that kindness can be the very thing that helps someone stay, keep going, and believe that a new chapter is still possible.
Get in touch with Justin Lippiatt:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinlippiatt/
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
by Kerrie Atherton | Mar 9, 2026 | Stories of Hope
In this episode of Stories of Hope Worldwide, I’m joined by Andrew O’Grady, CEO of Mental Health America of Dutchess County in New York, and I’m genuinely grateful for the chance to share this conversation with you.
Andrew has spent more than two decades building a model of care that meets people where they are — quite literally. Instead of expecting someone in crisis to find their way into an office and “have it all together,” his team goes out into the community, into homes, into hard places, and offers practical, human support that helps people stay housed, stay connected, and stay alive.
We talk about why peer support is so powerful, especially for veterans and people living with PTSD, and the life-changing outcomes that can happen when someone who’s “walked the road” is allowed to stand beside another person in their pain.
We also speak honestly about the pressures so many people are facing right now. The cost of living, housing instability, and a mental health system that too often adds more red tape at the exact moment someone needs help. Andrew shares what he’s seeing on the ground in the U.S., and I reflect on similar challenges here in Australia — especially the rise in homelessness and the way trauma so often sits underneath what we judge on the surface.
Andrew’s closing message is one we all need right now: less judgement, more understanding, and a willingness to find the goodness in one another, because together there is hope for a brighter future where people with trauma or without a home aren’t left behind.
Get in touch with Andrew O’Grady:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-o-grady-7923144b/
Website: https://mhadutchess.org/team/andrew-ogrady-lcsw-r/
Email: aogrady@mhadutchess.org
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
by Kerrie Atherton | Feb 23, 2026 | Stories of Hope
In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Stories of Hope Worldwide, I’m joined by someone you usually hear through the podcast, not on it—my producer and editor, Matthew Bliss.
Matt shares how he found his way into podcasting, what he’s learned from working with so many different voices and stories, and why “success” isn’t always about chasing big numbers.
We talk honestly about the work it takes to build a show you can sustain without getting lost in the noise of social media, analytics, or all the “shoulds” that can leave new podcasters feeling overwhelmed. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not technical enough, not confident enough, or not sure where to even start… this conversation is for you.
We also go somewhere more tender—because podcasting isn’t just content, it’s people. I ask Matt what it’s like to edit heavy, trauma-informed stories and how he protects his own wellbeing when he hears heartbreaking moments with no warning.
And as we close, Matt shares a message for anyone creating something meaningful in the world: come back to your mission, trust yourself, and don’t be afraid of the work because the right message, in the right hands, can change a life.
Together is better. And you don’t have to do this alone.
Get in touch with Matthew Bliss:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-bliss/
Website: https://www.mbpod.com/
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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.
Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about “Stories of Hope: Worldwide”, head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.
Purchase books in the “Stories of Hope” series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.
With thanks to:
Music: “Pilgrims” by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)
Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)
