Invisible Barriers Podcast

In today’s episode I’m sitting down with my 89 year old Pop, Brian - for a conversation about how lived experience shapes the way we see the world. Brian grew up in country Victoria during the 1940s, in the shadow of World War II. His early life was shaped by rations, clearly defined gender roles, national service, and becoming the man of his family at just 15 years old. The values he learned duri...

Today’s episode features JJ — known online as @jjproduced this — someone I connected with through the Cerebral Palsy Foundation @yourcp and had the privilege of speaking with from opposite sides of the world: the Gold Coast and California. JJ shares his lived experience growing up with cerebral palsy, including two invisible barriers that shaped much of his early life: being unable to communicate...

Today’s episode features Laura, who shares her lived experience navigating significant mental health challenges as a teenager. Before we begin, please be aware that this conversation includes references to drug and alcohol use, suicidal ideation, and occasional adult language. Please listen with care and prioritise your wellbeing. Laura speaks about the cycle she found herself in during high schoo...

This week, I sit down with Ryu, who shares what it felt like to be an outsider twice — first as an Asian immigrant in Australia, and later in his own home country of Japan after years abroad. In our conversation, Ryu shares thoughtful, honest reflections on how to navigate cultural difference without taking it as a personal attack, key things to understand about Japan’s tight cultural norms and ti...

What happens when the life you’ve built with your own two hands suddenly falls apart? In this episode, I sit down with David — a dedicated electrician, business owner, and proud family man — whose world was upended by a devastating workplace injury. Overnight, he went from running a thriving business to facing the unimaginable: physical recovery, financial loss, and the heavy emotional toll of fee...

The first episode of Invisible Barriers is with Matilda, a recently graduated woman who is already huge in the disability advocate space. She shares her experience with Cerebral Palsy and discusses a range of barriers she has faced in school, communities and social interactions. If you want to follow her journey or would like to know how she can get involved in speaking within your community, foll...

A sneak preview of some of the themes and guests that will be featuring on this podcast. Peaked your interest? Give us a follow!