In this episode, I’m joined by Kersten Stengel, whose journey is nothing short of powerful. Kersten was born in Blackpool and studied in Manchester, where she completed a science degree before going on to train as a teacher. She started her career back in Blackpool, driven by a genuine passion to become the best teacher she could be. Around that time, she met her now-husband-who’s originally from Scandinavia, through her family’s pub. Not long after, they got married, and together they made a bold decision: to start a completely new life abroad. They chose Adelaide, despite never having been before. After navigating the visa process, Kersten secured a role as a science teacher, and within just two years, she was promoted to assistant principal. On paper, everything was going well. But life had other plans. While working at a new school, Kersten experienced a traumatic incident involving intruders. In the aftermath, she sustained an injury that would go on to change everything. What followed was a long and incredibly challenging period of chronic pain... migraines that lasted weeks, restricted movement, and a loss of independence that left her feeling isolated and disconnected from her life. At her lowest point, something shifted. A yoga retreat in Byron Bay became a turning point. During a deeply transformative experience with yoga nidra, Kersten woke up pain-free for the first time. Although the pain didn’t disappear completely, it gave her something she hadn’t felt in a long time—hope. That moment set her on a completely new path. Since then, Kersten has trained extensively in yoga, meditation, trauma awareness, and clinical nutrition, including time spent studying in Chennai. She’s built a toolkit not only to manage her own pain, but to help others reconnect with themselves and heal. We also talk about how Kersten and I connected through social media, her involvement in the Start Over journey, and how she’s now turning her experience, knowledge, and passion into a growing business- helping others find their way back to who they truly are. Her message is simple but powerful: reconnect with your true self, understand your values, and have the courage to follow that path. If you’d like to follow Kersten’s journey, you can find her on Instagram at @kerstenstengel.