4d ago

Episode 63 - Amanda Stewart - Dark Side of Coercive Control

Send us Fan Mail A relationship can become a cage without you noticing the bars being built. Amanda joins me from Brisbane to share how early trauma and a loss of safety at 15 shaped the choices she made at 16, and how a controlling partner can disguise domination as “protection” until your confidence, friendships and freedom quietly disappear. Her story is raw, honest and painfully familiar to anyone who’s lived through coercive control and domestic violence. We unpack what control looks like in day-to-day life with money, transport, parenting, isolation, blame and the public mask that convinces everyone you’re fine. Amanda explains the turning point that comes through nursing and university, when learning about domestic violence gives her language for what she’s been surviving. From there, we walk through the reality of leaving with six kids in the mix, the moment she needs police support to collect her things and the fear that comes with realising how dangerous separation can be. The conversation goes deeper into post-separation abuse, family court trauma and parental alienation, including the ways systems and paperwork can be used as weapons. We also spend time on recovery and trauma healing including meditation as “medication”, therapy, journalling, self-trust and choosing to move forward minute by minute when you can’t see the other side yet. Amanda shares how she rebuilds her identity, restores relationships with most of her now-adult children and names her memoir "She Lives" as a declaration of survival. If this story resonates, please subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these real conversations. What part of Amanda’s journey stayed with you most? Connect with Amanda on Instagram here Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Aug 2

Episode 62 - Anthony Dyer: When the Mission Ends

Send us Fan Mail He served for 20 years, chased meaning in high-risk missions, then pressed the retirement button and realised the hardest fight was about to start at home. Anthony joins us from Clovis, New Mexico, to share what military service gave him, what it took from him and what it cost when the uniform came off and the structure disappeared. The shift from special operations purpose to civilian life hits fast and he speaks plainly about loss of identity, the pull of alcohol and the moment his wife drew a line he couldn’t ignore. We go deep on veteran mental health, PTSD and what “getting help” actually looks like when you’ve spent a career pushing through. Anthony talks about prolonged exposure therapy, panic attacks and learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable, while I reflect on why talk therapy can feel like reliving the worst moments and still be the thing that takes their power away. We also unpack the practical side of recovery: treating mental health like routine maintenance, building a real support network and why seeing leaders seek help makes it easier for others to do the same. Some of the most memorable moments are the simplest, “four quarters over a hundred pennies” as a guide to friendship, choosing the pen over the bottle through writing and the “two wolves” reminder that daily actions decide what grows. Anthony’s mission now is fatherhood and presence and he shares the moon as his lighthouse, a symbol of light that holds steady on dark nights. If you’re navigating military transition, first responder stress, addiction recovery, or trauma healing, you’ll find honesty and usable lessons here. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more everyday warriors find these stories. Connect with Anthony on Facebook here Puchase Anthony's book Moon Child here Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Jul 19

Episode 61 - Michelle Steiner: Living Beyond Limitations

Send us Fan Mail You can be doing everything “right” and still be treated like you don’t belong. That’s why my chat with Michelle hits so hard. She’s lived the reality of a learning disability from kindergarten, through bullying and repeated grades, into adulthood where the stigma doesn’t magically disappear just because you leave school. Michelle takes us through the practical details people rarely talk about including visual perception issues that made driving unsafe, limited hand dexterity that was misread as “bad handwriting” and the exhausting pressure of being labelled lazy or careless. We also dig into what actually helps, not just inspirational slogans but disability accommodations like extra time, note-taking support and having the confidence to introduce yourself to lecturers and clearly ask for what you need. Along the way, she shares how reading and writing became a lifeline and why finding a community outside school can be the difference between isolation and belonging. Now, Michelle works as a teacher’s aide paraprofessional with seventh graders, using her lived experience to teach self-advocacy, respectful behaviour and how to speak up without shame. She also writes publicly through her blog Michelle’s Mission, pairs disability storytelling with photography and steps into disability policy advocacy, including a legislative visit focused on improving access to school counsellors through a counselling compact. If you care about inclusive education, disability rights, or raising kinder kids, press play. Subscribe, share this with a mate, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. Connect with Michelle on Facebook or Instagram Read Michelles blog here Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Jul 5

Episode 60 - Tracy Cox: Surviving the Care System

Send us Fan Mail A social worker and a police officer turn up at a child’s school and say, “You’re coming with us, you won’t be coming home tonight.” Tracy remembers her knees going weak, not from fear, but relief: “Oh my God, I’ve been saved.” That moment opens a conversation you won’t forget about childhood trauma, foster care abuse, and what it takes to rebuild a life when safety was never guaranteed. We trace Tracy’s early years through abandonment, children’s homes and foster placements where abuse, neglect and coercion were normalised. She explains the survival skills that follow you into adulthood such as people pleasing, trauma bonding, emotional shutdown and the constant habit of reading the room. We also unpack the systemic failures that kept children in harm’s way and what it’s like to later read official reports that confirm professionals saw the signs and still didn’t act. Then we move into the turning points where books were a lifeline, education was a way out and the high-achieving “Superwoman” phase that hid complex PTSD and burnout. Tracy shares how parenting brought old abandonment wounds to the surface, why she chose EMDR therapy and how learning about attachment theory and generational trauma helped her change the pattern for her daughters. She also speaks about taking social services to court, receiving an apology and the complicated kind of closure that brings. If you care about trauma-informed healing, resilience, complex PTSD recovery, and real stories from the care system, press play, then subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. Connect with Tracy on Instagram here Listen to Tracy's podcast Coffee Chats etc here Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Jun 21

Episode 59 - Chelsea Noel: A Loved One Incacerated

Send us Fan Mail A single phone call can split your life into before and after and Chelsea still carries the exact timestamp: 11:34 p.m. She was in the final stretch of an undergraduate psychology thesis in forensic psychology, proud she’d gained the trust of a serial killer for her research, when real life hit harder than any true crime story. Her brother was arrested after a man was shot and killed, and the shock collided with grief, COVID lockdowns, and the kind of isolation that makes your nervous system feel permanently on edge. We talk honestly about trauma and memory, why certain details haunt you, and how EMDR therapy helped her process that first crushing moment. Chelsea also walks us through what it’s like watching the media build a simple “monster” narrative while you’re reading police reports, listening to dispatch calls and seeing witness accounts that point to self-defence. We unpack the role of Kentucky’s stand your ground law, the volatility of PCP (angel dust), and how drugs, violence and fear can make a split-second decision life or death. Then the story turns into a criminal justice system nightmare. Chelsea describes trial dynamics in a small town, inconsistent testimonies and the social price families pay when they’re linked to a homicide case. Even after the Kentucky Supreme Court rules her brother acted in self-defence and criticises the trial court, she says he remains detained without new charges. It raises uncomfortable questions about wrongful conviction, unlawful imprisonment and accountability when a court decision still doesn’t deliver freedom. Connect with Chelsea on Instagram here Purchase Chelsea's books here If this conversation hits you, please subscribe, share it with someone who cares about justice reform, and leave a five-star review so more people can find Everyday Warriors. What part of Chelsea’s story are you still thinking about after listening? Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Jun 7

Episode 58 - Thomas Carchidi: The Good, Bad & Corrupt

Send us Fan Mail Most people only meet police on their worst day, then assume they understand the job. We don’t and that gap is where judgement, stigma and burnout grow. I’m joined by Tom for a blunt, grounded conversation about what law enforcement really demands. We talk about why people join, why “get a steady job” isn’t enough and why a service-connected medical retirement doesn’t make anyone less of a real cop. Tom shares how a career can be packed with incidents that stack up quietly, plus what it’s like to carry both pride and grief for the work. We also get into first responder mental health, PTSD, anxiety and the trap many officers face when seeking help. Speak up and risk being labelled unfit for duty or stay silent and let it fester. We unpack why truly external counselling matters, how camaraderie has changed and how body-worn cameras can protect you one moment and be used against you the next. Along the way we touch on trust and integrity inside policing, corruption, cop-involved domestics and the fine line between necessary force and avoidable harm. We finish with what keeps us steady, what we’re grateful for, and Tom’s memoir, The Life in Law Enforcement: The Good, the Bad, The Corrupt. Connect with Tom here Purchase Tom's book here If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a clearer view of policing, and leave a review so more everyday warriors can find these stories. What part of the job do you think the public most misunderstands? Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

May 24

Episode 57 - Helen Ayling: Choosing Sobriety over Addiction

Send us Fan Mail She thought the answer to her problems was another man, another night out, another bottle hidden just well enough to get through the day. Helen takes us back to 2013, when alcohol addiction and chaotic thinking collided with motherhood, marriage and crushing shame, until one blunt truth cut through the fog. Her kids loved her, but they were scared of her. That moment leads to rehab and a 12-step recovery path that transforms how she lives, parents and asks for help. We go deep on what sobriety really looks like after the detox glow fades. From losing friends and being judged by other mums to making amends without guarantees and learning how to be “sober me” rather than only a wife or a mother. Helen also shares the reality of raising her daughter with Prader-Willi syndrome, including the medical and behavioural challenges, the constant food management and the emotional weight carers carry. If you’re searching for honest conversations about addiction recovery, relapse prevention, parenting in recover, and disability caregiving, this one is packed with lived experience. The story takes another sharp turn when Helen’s second husband, also an addict, stops working his program and spirals into gambling and infidelity before disappearing overseas and leaving debts behind. Helen describes reaching a terrifying point where she doesn’t want to drink, but she does want to die and how sponsorship, meetings, online community and dropping her pride helps her survive and rebuild. Listener discretion advised, and if you need immediate support in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. If Helen’s story lands with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find Everyday Warriors. What’s one thing that has helped you ask for help sooner? Connect with Helen on Facebook here Connect with Helen on Instagram here Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

May 10

Episode 56 - Shaun Free: Man on Fire

Send us Fan Mail A propane truck, a failed valve, a cloud of freezing fuel and a fireball that wiped out a whole workshop and changed Sean’s life in an instant. Calling in from Idaho, Shaun walks us through the day in March 2018 when he was burned across 46% of his body and made a decision that still stuns me, he sprinted for a snowbank and lay there to cool down. Doctors later told him that one instinctive move likely helped save his face from skin grafts as well as his life. We talk candidly about what severe burns really mean, the percentage numbers, third-degree damage and the relentless reality of skin grafts and daily wound care. Shaun shares how he kept his head straight through pain, fear and setbacks like pneumonia, MRSA, hearing loss and even a near-death experience. He also explains the long-term challenges burn survivors live with, including grafted skin that doesn’t sweat, overheating risk, hydration habits, sun protection and the extra planning it takes to live fully again. The conversation goes deeper into PTSD and triggers that linger years later, like the “whoof” sound of gas appliances, plus the mental loops that can take hold when your body has been through trauma. Shaun’s approach is simple and hard-earned, take back control, find the good where you can and keep chipping away. We also get into how he uses tattoos over skin grafts, humour, motorcycle instruction and knife making as practical therapy and as a way to turn scars into meaning. If you care about resilience, trauma recovery, burn injury rehabilitation or honest conversations about mental health, this one will stay with you. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a steady dose of hope, and leave a review with the line that hit you the hardest. Connect with Shaun on Instagram here or check out his page to see his incredible knives and photos of his tattoo's. Support the show Thanks for listening in! Contact me directly at https://everydaywarriorspodcast.com.au or head to Instagram Personal or Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trudie.dwyer Subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments here Support the Podcast - Buy me a Coffee Buy my Book here Apply to be a guest at everydaywarriorspodcast@gmail.com Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me. Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast. Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Everyday Warriors Podcast

Episode 63 - Amanda Stewart - Dark Side of Coercive Control

Episode 62 - Anthony Dyer: When the Mission Ends

Episode 61 - Michelle Steiner: Living Beyond Limitations

Episode 60 - Tracy Cox: Surviving the Care System

Episode 59 - Chelsea Noel: A Loved One Incacerated

Episode 58 - Thomas Carchidi: The Good, Bad & Corrupt

Episode 57 - Helen Ayling: Choosing Sobriety over Addiction

Episode 56 - Shaun Free: Man on Fire

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Everyday Warriors Podcast

Episodes

Episode 63 - Amanda Stewart - Dark Side of Coercive Control

Episode 62 - Anthony Dyer: When the Mission Ends

Episode 61 - Michelle Steiner: Living Beyond Limitations

Episode 60 - Tracy Cox: Surviving the Care System

Episode 59 - Chelsea Noel: A Loved One Incacerated

Episode 58 - Thomas Carchidi: The Good, Bad & Corrupt

Episode 57 - Helen Ayling: Choosing Sobriety over Addiction

Episode 56 - Shaun Free: Man on Fire

Trailer

About

Information