The Whole of Us

Kelsey & Tom Wauchope
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

What does it really means to thrive in both the beautiful and the messy moments of life? Hosted by Kelsey and Tom Wauchope, a couple who traded burnout for connection, wonder, and peace, each episode shares honest conversations about marriage, parenting, faith, wellbeing, and living with intention. Through real stories and practical insights, they invite you to slow down, breathe deep, and rediscover what it means to live whole.

  1. 16H AGO

    TWOU 16 - Making Friends as an Adult: Why It’s So Hard (And What Actually Works)

    Making friends as an adult can feel weirdly vulnerable — like you’re back in high school, with better manners and less time. In this episode, we talk about why friendship gets harder as life gets fuller… and why so many friendships don’t end from one big moment, but from a slow build-up of unspoken expectations, assumptions, and missed repairs. If you’ve ever: felt that pit in your stomach trying to “put yourself out there”grieved a friendship breakup and didn’t know what to do with itwondered if you’re the only one who overthinks every interactioncraved a real village but don’t know where to start……this conversation is for you. We share what we’re learning about building deeper connection: showing up with curiosity, creating room for misunderstanding, asking for clarity, and learning how to repair when things get messy, because real community isn’t found fully formed. It’s built. ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/ 00:00 Making Friends as an Adult 01:52 Why Adult Friendships Feel Hard 04:33 Loneliness & Why Community Matters 07:33 How Deep Friendship Is Built (Time + Presence) 10:23 Expectations That Sabotage Friendship 13:10 Normalising Awkwardness + “Getting It Wrong” 15:27 Friendship Breakups: The Pain + The Why 18:04 Rupture & Repair: Conflict Skills That Keep Friends 22:48 Assumptions, Misunderstandings & Clarity 26:46 Rebuilding Community After Isolation 30:33 Common Humanity: Connection Across Difference 35:39 Creating Room for Misunderstanding (Grace + Curiosity) 37:40 Outro

    38 min

  2. FEB 14

    TWOU EP 15 - Are We Meant to Live This Independently? What Travel Taught Us About Belonging

    We chased independence. Travel, freedom, no boss, no obligations… and it looked like the dream. But the truth? It can get brutally lonely. In this episode we unpack community vs independence — why “my truth” can become a cage, why small talk is the glue, and why discomfort might be the doorway back into real friendship and belonging. 💬 What’s harder for you: starting conversations or staying when it gets uncomfortable? 👉 Follow The Whole of Us for honest conversations on belonging, faith, relationships, and realistic thriving. ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/

    35 min

  3. FEB 7

    TWOU EP 14 - Starting Before We Were Ready (The Messy Truth of Launching a Podcast)

    Starting something new is rarely clean. In this episode, we talk about what it actually feels like to launch a podcast publicly—fear of judgment, the urge to over-explain, the messiness of learning in public, and the quiet bravery of showing up anyway. We unpack the difference between follow-through that builds resilience and follow-through that turns into self-abandonment, why “cost” depends on what you’re serving (performance vs peace), and how repair—internally, in marriage, and with your community—matters more than getting it perfect. If you’ve been sitting on an idea because you don’t feel ready… this one’s for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Setting the Scene: Launching the Podcast 01:44 The Vulnerability of Authentic Conversations 04:08 Facing the Fear of Judgment 10:19 Reframing the Concept of Cost 14:21 The Balance of Following Through 22:25 Repairing and Growing Through Conversations 29:16 Embracing the Messiness of Starting 👍 If this episode helped, please like, subscribe, and share with someone who’s trying to start something new. 💬 Tell us: What’s the “thing” you’ve been avoiding starting, and why? ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/

    31 min

  4. JAN 31

    TWOU EP 13 - My Wife Had Postpartum Depression... Here’s What It Did to Our Marriage

    He wasn’t the one with post natal depression… but he was the one trying to hold everything together. In part 2 of our PND series, Kelsey interviews Tom about what it’s really like when your wife has postnatal depression/postpartum depression: the numbness, the pressure, the denial, and the slow path back to being on the same team. If you’re a partner supporting someone through PND, this episode will put language to what you’ve been carrying. We talk about: What fathers/partners carry behind the scenesThe emotional cost of being the “strong one”Why denial and perfectionism keep families stuckHow healing began (and what actually helped)Why partners deserve support tooIf you’re walking through postnatal depression (or supporting someone who is), you are not alone — and help exists. ✅ Subscribe for more honest conversations on family, wellbeing, marriage, and healing. 💬 Comment: What part of this resonated — or what do you wish people understood about PND? Resources (Australia): PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306 If you’re outside Australia, please reach out to your GP/local perinatal mental health service. ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/ Chapters00:00 Introduction + content warning 01:39 Fatherhood expectations vs reality 09:56 The emotional toll of parenting (and missing the signs) 15:20 How postnatal depression impacted our marriage 20:30 Denial, protectors, and what healing actually required 25:45 Why support networks matter (and dads need support too) 29:00 Growth, compassion, and rebuilding partnership 30:30 Hope, resources, and closing reflections

    32 min

  5. JAN 24

    TWOU EP 12 - Hospitalised With Postnatal Depression: What Recovery Really Looked Like

    Postnatal depression didn’t end when I left hospital. It didn’t resolve with a single therapy or mindset shift. Healing was slow, painful, and still the kids created purpose, joy and laughter in the midst of it all. In part 1 of 2 episodes, Tom interviews Kelsey about her lived experience of postnatal depression: from hospitalisation, acceptance, and survival mode, to the slow and often misunderstood journey of healing through trauma work, community support, and motherhood. We talk about: Why leaving hospital wasn’t the end of PNDHow acceptance reduced sufferingWhy recovery took years, not weeksParenting while in survival modeFinding joy and growth after postnatal depression If you’re in the thick of postnatal depression or postpartum recovery, you’re not broken and you’re not alone. 👇 Subscribe for honest conversations on family, mental health, and healing. 💬 Comment if this resonated or share with someone who needs hope. Support (Australia): PANDA – 1300 726 306 ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/ 00:25 Content disclaimer: postnatal depression 01:54 Early parenthood and identity shifts 04:28 Expectations before becoming parents 07:55 The reality of life after baby 10:20 Experiencing postnatal depression 13:52 Second child and worsening mental health 20:25 Seeking help and psychiatric care 27:34 Life after hospital and acceptance 31:44 Healing through parenting and growth 35:25 Community, support, and future conversations

    37 min

  6. JAN 18

    TWOU EP 11 - Going viral on social media changed our life - just not in the way you think

    This episode is a candid conversation about social media that goes far deeper than platforms, posts, or algorithms. Tom and Kelsey share the real story behind their journey — surrendering dreams, showing up in obedience when it made no sense, and discovering how consistency compounds long before results appear. From posting faithfully with no audience, to rapid viral growth, to stepping away when identity and creativity became entangled, this episode explores what social media reveals about who we are. This episode is for: social media creators who feel tired, conflicted, or stuck chasing metricspeople wrestling with obedience, timing, and surrendering controlanyone navigating comparison, judgment, or identity onlinethose who sense both beauty and harm in the digital spaceYou’ll hear reflections on: why obedience often precedes understandinghow consistency builds capacity, not just visibilitythe nervous system cost of virality and performancethe grief and freedom of laying a dream downthe difference between audience and true communitycreating without abandoning yourselfThis isn’t about demonising social media or mastering it. It’s about learning how to show up faithfully, humanly, and sustainably — and trusting that what’s built in the unseen is never wasted. ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/ Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 00:23 – Why Everyone Hates Social Media (But Still Uses It) 01:36 – How We Started on Social Media (With No Audience & No Plan) 01:59 – From Consistency to Growth: Brands, Virality & Opportunity 08:12 – Mental Health, Identity & the Hidden Cost of Being Seen Online 13:03 – When We Laid the Dream Down: Obedience Over Outcomes 23:46 – Why Community Matters More Than Followers 32:03 – Balancing Family, Presence & Social Media Without Losing Yourself 32:03 – What’s Next: Creating From Alignment, Not Performance

    34 min

  7. JAN 11

    TWOU EP 10 - What full-time travel really did to our kids: their honest review.

    What does full-time travel really feel like… from the kids’ side of the story? In this episode, we hand the microphones to our daughters, Isla (11) and Alessia (9), and ask them what the last few years of worldschooling and living out of suitcases have actually been like. They share the moments they’ll never forget—from screaming their way through a zipline in Thailand and sliding down a three-storey mud slide, to missing home, family and their dog Nala so much it hurt. We talk about: The scariest and most fun moments of our travels (and how they got braver with heights, new foods and new cultures)How travel made them more curious about history, animals, sustainability and different culturesWhat helped on the really hard days: homesickness, tiredness, hunger, long travel days and wanting to “just go home”The people they’ll never forget—from Sunday school teachers in the US to the “mini breakfast” olive man in TurkeyHow worldschooling and slower travel changed the way they learn and why routine still mattersWhat “home” means now after mud houses in Egypt, tiny hotel rooms and endless “plane home / bus home / boat home”How they really felt about watching Mum and Dad be stressed, messy and making up in front of themThe ways our family has changed—becoming more adventurous, more connected and more confident together If you’re curious about traveling with kids, worldschooling, or just want a real, honest look at what this lifestyle feels like for little hearts and nervous systems, this conversation is for you. Hit subscribe, leave a comment with your kids’ questions about travel, and tell us: where would your children choose for the next family adventure? 🌍✨ CHAPTERS Introduction and Guest Introduction0:00 Memorable Travel Moments3:00 Curiosity and Cultural Understanding9:00 Challenges and Homesickness15:00 Family Connection and Growth21:00 Reflections and Future Adventures27:00

    33 min

  8. JAN 4

    TWOU EP 9 - When life turns to chaos...will you be ok?

    Are you walking through something unexpected… a crisis, a disruption, a change you didn’t choose? Maybe your body is reacting more intensely than the situation “should” warrant — anxiety spikes, overwhelm hits fast, your nervous system goes into overdrive, or you find yourself snapping, shutting down, or feeling exhausted for no obvious reason. In Episode 9 we unpack what actually happens inside us when life shifts suddenly, whether it’s something big like bushfires, burnout or major life transitions, or something “small” like a house leak, a cancelled plan or a stressful day. We break down: Why your nervous system reacts before your logic can catch up (0.02-second amygdala response)Why familiar stressors trigger old memories, even when you think you’ve “moved on”How to recognise your stress pattern — fix-it mode, freeze, overwhelm, catastrophisingWhy fatigue, irritability, sensory overwhelm or shutdown might actually be trauma responsesHow to regulate your nervous system when life feels unpredictableWhat helps kids feel safe during uncertainty (without making them responsible for our emotions)How to build resilience before the next unexpected momentHow faith, gratitude and safety cues create stability when nothing feels stable 🎧 Listen to the full episode for a grounded, honest, faith-filled look at navigating stress, trauma, nervous system responses, parenting through change, and finding peace when life doesn’t go to plan. Hit subscribe, comment with what resonates, and share this with someone who needs a little hope in an unexpected season. CHAPTERS 0:00 – From Romantic Getaway to House Crisis 00:20 – When Life Shifts Overnight: The Illusion of Safety 01:42 – Sensory Overload & Trauma Triggers Explained 03:30 – Why Your Body Reacts Before Your Mind (Amygdala & Stress Response) 05:35 – Fight–Flight–Freeze: Making the Decision to Leave Home 07:15 – Nervous System Self-Care During Sudden Change 09:00 – Helping Kids Feel Safe Through Uncertainty 11:00 – Reframing Hard Moments: How Challenges Become Breakthroughs 13:00 – Finding Freedom in Letting Go of Control 15:00 – Emotional Healing, Somatic Work & Faith in Uncertainty 17:00 – Final Reflections & Community Invitation ✨ Listen to the Full Podcast 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YFuoKTYMYQBkoBqDU6RWX 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whole-of-us/id1852384590 🤍 Follow Along https://instagram.com/thewholeofus https://facebook.com/we.are.the.whole.of.us https://www.tiktok.com/@thewholeofus 🌿 Our Website + Stories 🔗 https://thewholeofus.com/

    31 min
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About

What does it really means to thrive in both the beautiful and the messy moments of life? Hosted by Kelsey and Tom Wauchope, a couple who traded burnout for connection, wonder, and peace, each episode shares honest conversations about marriage, parenting, faith, wellbeing, and living with intention. Through real stories and practical insights, they invite you to slow down, breathe deep, and rediscover what it means to live whole.

Information

  • Creator
    Kelsey & Tom Wauchope
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Kelsey & Tom Wauchope