Episode's summary
Sometimes, understanding the parent you’ve become means going back to the child you once were. This is a very different kind of conversation for In The Heart Of The Vault. Before I talk about Charlie and the experiences we’ve navigated together, I wanted to share some of my own story — because our past doesn’t simply disappear when we become parents. Our experiences, our fears, the things we’ve lived through and the things we’ve carried can shape how we respond when our own children face challenges we never imagined. As I’ve navigated Charlie’s complex medical journey, I’ve come to understand more about myself, the experiences that have shaped me, and the ways I’ve been able to show up differently for him. Not because I’ve got everything figured out. Not because the decisions are easy. But because sometimes, the hardest experiences teach us things about ourselves that we only understand years later. This episode is about my story, Charlie’s story, and the connection between the two. Because sometimes, the…
Sometimes, understanding the parent you’ve become means going back to the child you once were. This is a very different kind of conversation for In The Heart Of The Vault. Before I talk about Charlie and the experiences we’ve navigated together, I wanted to share some of my own story — because our past doesn’t simply disappear when we become parents. Our experiences, our fears, the things we’ve lived through and the things we’ve carried can shape how we respond when our own children face challenges we never imagined. As I’ve navigated Charlie’s complex medical journey, I’ve come to understand more about myself, the experiences that have shaped me, and the ways I’ve been able to show up differently for him. Not because I’ve got everything figured out. Not because the decisions are easy. But because sometimes, the hardest experiences teach us things about ourselves that we only understand years later. This episode is about my story, Charlie’s story, and the connection between the two. Because sometimes, the…
Episodes
How My Childhood Medical Trauma Shaped the Way I Parent My Medically Complex Son
ListenedSometimes, understanding the parent you’ve become means going back to the child you once were. This is a very different kind of conversation for In The Heart Of The Vault. Before I talk about Charlie and the experiences we’ve navigated together, I wanted to share some of my own story — because our past doesn’t simply disappear when we become parents. Our experiences, our fears, the things we’ve lived through and the things we’ve carried can shape how we respond when our own children face challenges we never imagined. As I’ve navigated Charlie’s complex medical journey, I’ve come to understand more about myself, the experiences that have shaped me, and the ways I’ve been able to show up differently for him. Not because I’ve got everything figured out. Not because the decisions are easy. But because sometimes, the hardest experiences teach us things about ourselves that we only understand years later. This episode is about my story, Charlie’s story, and the connection between the two. Because sometimes, the…
PTSD, Moral Injury & Family: Zoe Cullen on Loving Someone Through Trauma
ListenedWhat happens when the person you’ve spent years waiting for finally comes home — but life doesn’t look anything like you imagined? Zoe Cullen joined me for one of the most honest conversations I’ve had about the reality of living alongside PTSD, trauma and moral injury — not just for the person experiencing it, but for the entire family. Zoe is a mum of four and, for many years, found herself carrying the responsibility of raising her family while her husband, Australian Army veteran Andrew Cullen, spent long periods away serving his country. She spoke openly about the reality she hadn’t anticipated — the loneliness, the exhaustion, the loss of her own identity and the resentment that can build when you feel like you’re carrying everything alone. And then he came home. But coming home didn’t mean everything simply went back to how it was before. The PTSD, disconnection, withdrawal and loss of identity affected not only Andrew, but Zoe, their relationship and their children. Zoe shares what it was like to…
The Courage to Choose Yourself with Brontë Edmunds
ListenedBronte met her childhood sweetheart at 15. They married at 19, had their first baby at 21, followed by another child and then twins. Four beautiful children. A home they were building. A life she had always dreamed of. But somewhere along the way, Bronte lost herself. She felt like a failure because she’d always wanted her children to have both parents together. When she reached out for support, she was made to feel like the problem was hers — and if it was her problem, then it was her responsibility to fix it. This was also the only relationship she’d ever known, so she had nothing to compare it to. She questioned herself, withdrew, and found herself crying alone at night, sometimes hiding in her wardrobe while her husband slept. She tried. She asked for couples therapy. She tried to hold everything together while raising three children under 18 months and a four-year-old, navigating work, financial pressure and a marriage where she felt increasingly alone. Eventually, she made the incredibly difficult…
Through Her Eyes: What My 19-Year-Old Daughter Is Teaching Me About Life
ListenedThere’s something I’ve always loved about being a mum…Seeing the world through my children’s eyes.This is actually the third time Evie has joined me on the podcast, but this conversation was completely different.We sat down and talked about what it’s actually like to be 19 — almost 20 — today.Dating. Friendships. Social media. Going out. Drinking (or not drinking). Growing into yourself. The conversations we have as mum and daughter. The things she thinks about that I never would have thought about at her age.And what I loved most was hearing her perspective.Because sometimes, as parents, we think our job is to teach our children.But I honestly believe our kids are some of our biggest teachers.They challenge the way we see the world. They open our minds. And they give us a perspective we simply can’t get anywhere else.And I feel incredibly lucky that Evie and I have always had such open communication. That openness even extends to her friends, who will sit and talk to me about things too.But I also know that…
Josiah’s Life Matters | Jessica Codrington’s Promise to Keep Speaking His Name
ListenedSome promises never end. At Josiah’s funeral, Jessica made her little boy two promises: “I will honour you by the way I live my life.” “And I will always speak your name.” Today, she keeps that promise. After a long journey through IVF, Jessica and her husband Josh welcomed their precious son, Josiah. Born tiny but deeply loved, he spent seven weeks changing their world forever. In this conversation, Jessica shares what life looks like after baby loss—the shock, the silence, the ache of empty arms, and the reality of returning to a world that keeps moving while yours has stopped. But more than anything, she speaks about something every bereaved parent deserves: Permission to keep talking about their child. So often, grieving parents swallow their words because they’re afraid of making others uncomfortable. Jessica reminds us that love doesn’t end because a life was short. Josiah is her son. His life matters. His story matters. I hope this conversation helps anyone walking the impossible road of grief feel…