BRAVE JOURNEYS with TAMMI FARADAY

Sarah Sentilles - Stranger Care: Loving What isn’t Ours

In the depths of Sarah Sentilles' heart, was a primal longing to become a mother. This yearning was buried beneath the desires & pressures of others. Sarah’s husband, Eric, believed the world was already brimming with children in need of loving homes.  Everyone else, it seemed, whispered doubts into Sarah's ears. Parenthood, they said, would be the end of her cherished life.  But the yearning within her refused to be silenced. It threatened to fracture her marriage, until Sarah & Eric made a monumental decision that would forever alter the course of their lives: to foster a child with the hope of adoption.False starts and dashed dreams tested their resilience. But a phone call finally arrived, carrying with it the news of a fragile three-day-old baby girl, desperately needing a foster family. Sarah and Eric rushed to the hospital as a couple and returned home as parents to a beautiful stranger. But the foster system, with its singular objective of reuniting children with their biological parents, served as a constant reminder of the bittersweet reality that awaited them. Shaken but undeterred by the looming heartbreak, Sarah and Eric, poured love, stability, and safety into the child they ached to call their own. Sarah's extraordinary book, "Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What isn't Ours," will shatter your heart, challenge your moral compass, and rekindle your faith in the inherent goodness that resides within each of us, even in the face of shattered dreams.But this isn’t merely a tale of fiercely loving someone else's child. When a writer lays bare their vulnerabilities and exposes their own frailties, eschewing self-serving narratives - as Sarah has done - you know you’ve uncovered a rare gem. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable episode of "BRAVE JOURNEYS."; one that deconstructs the very essence of motherhood, & explores the profound truth that every child who enters our lives is, at first, a stranger waiting to be discovered. This is a story of belonging & loss as well as audacious, selfless love. BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Sarah hereFollow Sarah on Insta hereFollow Sarah on Facebook hereBuy Sarah’s exquisite memoir, "Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What isn't Ours" hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode here NEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Sarah SentillesAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson  BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Akhim Dev - The Children in the Pictures: Hunting Paedophiles

Dear friends, brace yourselves for an episode unlike any other. In truth, it’s a conversation that’s been incredibly difficult to prepare for, but one that must be shared. Tonight, as your children lie safely in their beds, enveloped in love & protected from harm, it’s crucial to remember that this isn’t the reality for countless children across the globe.Joining me this week is filmmaker Akhim Dev – or Dev as he’s affectionately known.  Fuelled by a deep concern for the online safety of his youngest daughter, it quickly evolved into something much greater. So shaken by the vast and intricate web of online sexual exploitation of children, Dev set out to expose this horrific reality through the making of the internationally acclaimed documentary, "The Children in the Pictures."This groundbreaking film takes us inside Taskforce Argos, an elite Australian police unit, as it infiltrates global criminal networks by going undercover to rescue children from the world's most depraved child abusers. Child Online Sexual exploitation is the fastest growing major crime in the world, and perpetrators are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Until recently led by one of Australia’s most decorated police officers, Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, Taskforce Argos devotes every waking moment to sifting through vast quantities of child sexual abuse materials, searching for vital clues that could help them rescue young victims."The Children in the Pictures" has been screened in over 150 countries, leaving audiences both aghast & galvanised to play their part in the eradication of online child sexual exploitation. The film’s been screened at the United Nations, the US Congress, and the Australian Parliament. The film’s companion podcast of the same name recently won GOLD at the esteemed 2023 New York Festival Radio Awards, as well as Best Documentary at the Australian Radio Awards. But for the members of Taskforce Argos as well as Dev & his team, this calling has nothing to do with prestigious prizes, it’s all & only about saving the Children in the Pictures.Please note that this incredibly powerful and important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks graphically about online childhood sexual exploitation and isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If you know a child in immediate danger, please contact police in Australia – call 000.And if you need immediate support, contact The Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Akhim hereFollow Akhim on Insta hereFollow Akhim on Facebook hereWatch “The Children in the Pictures”hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Akhim DevA

Ginger Gentile - Erasing Family: Loving Your Children More Than You Hate Your Ex

Filmmaker & Changemaker - Ginger Gentile is on a mission to save children from the trauma of high-conflict divorce. Drawing on her own journey as a child torn between two parents, Ginger’s first documentary, ERASING DAD (Borrando a Papa), was instrumental in getting the Argentinian government to pass mandatory co-parenting laws.Her follow up feature documentary, ERASING FAMILY, exposes the heart-wrenching anguish experienced by children when a loving parent is erased from their lives.   This issue affects 22 million families in the US alone. No birthdays, no holidays, no contact whatsoever.  We’re taking about loving mothers & fathers who haven’t seen their children for years.  Parental alienation destroys lives, bankrupts’ people, tears children from their homes, separates biological siblings, causes lifelong psychological damage & it’s a $50 billion dollar industry.Ginger works tirelessly to advocate for the rights of children and parents & is unyielding in her hopes to reform longstanding customs and laws for custody and child support that are supposed to protect children, but which she says often obliterates families.As a now in-demand consultant, Ginger coaches parents who are suffering from parental alienation, helping them reunite with their erased children and heal the estrangement caused by divorce or separation.  Ginger also works to educate Family Court professionals on how to combat this silent, but truly devastating, public health crisis.  Ginger’s dedication & leadership in this space have not gone unnoticed and in 2019 she was heralded as an Architect of Change by Maria Shriver. If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Ginger hereFollow Ginger on Insta hereFollow Ginger on Twitter hereFollow Ginger on Facebook hereWatch “Erasing Family”hereFind out more about reversing parental alienation hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Ginger GentileAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Colin Campbell - Finding the Words

When Colin Campbell’s two teenage children - Ruby & Hart - were tragically killed by a drunk driver, he and his wife Gail, were plunged headlong into a grief so devastating they felt they might lose their minds.  One second, they’re going on a family drive to their new holiday home.  The next, their entire world had been extinguished.In his remarkable & courageous book Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope & Purpose, Colin shares their unique journey through agonizing grief and shines a desperately needed light on a new vision for mourning catastrophic loss.  This includes demanding that others speak about their beloved children, from a society that’s all but programmed to send well intended but ultimately trite condolences – like - “there are no words”.  Because there are words.  We just have to be courageous enough to access them and hold space for others’ agony, as uncomfortable and awkward as that might be.Colin’s one person show titled, Grief: A One Man ShitShow, channels his shock, anguish and rage into a tragic-comic exploration of our culture’s inability to talk about grief.  It premiered at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it won a Best of Broadwater Award.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Coin herePurchase Colin’s incredible book, “Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope & Purpose” here Follow Colin on Insta hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes here CREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Colin CampbellAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Jane Epstein - Complicated Courage: Sibling Sexual Abuse, The Silent Epidemic

Imagine the unimaginable: a young girl, only six years old, enduring years of sexual molestation at the hands of her own brother. It's a chilling reality that many find difficult to comprehend. Yet, this form of abuse, known as child-on-child or sibling sexual abuse, accounts for an appalling 40% of all sexual abuse cases against children. Yes, you heard that right. FORTY PER CENT.Complicating matters further, many victims of sibling sexual trauma feel complicit in the abuse, often struggling to recognise it as abuse at all.  My next guest, Jane Epstein, has not only survived this Sibling Sexual Abuse, but has become a global advocate in the field.As a young woman, Jane turned to stripping, substances & poisonous relationships to numb the pain. But when Jane became a mother of two toddlers in her early 40s, the dam finally burst.Parenthood has a way of transforming us, especially those who’ve endured abuse as children. Becoming a parent compels us to love, nurture, & protect our own kids.  But it also has an incredible way of reopening old wounds & forces us to interrogate who was there to protect us when we needed it most.Jane understands this struggle all too well. Today, she’s resolute about breaking the silence & shedding light on this dark corner of the human experience. Brace yourself for a journey that will touch your heart, challenge your perceptions & leave you with a renewed sense of urgency to protect the most vulnerable among us. Please note that this incredibly powerful & important episode of BRAVE JOURNEYS talks about sexual abuse & Suicide & isn’t remotely suitable for little ears.If anything you hear during this episode is triggering in any way, please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe.  And please remember if you’re in Australia, you can phone Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14.BUT BEFORE YOU GO…Find out more about Jane hereFollow Jane on Insta hereFollow Jane on Twitter hereFollow Jane on Facebook hereFind out more about Tam hereFollow Tam on InstaFollow BRAVE JOURNEYS on InstaJoin the conversation and chat about the episode hereNEED MORE INSPIRATION?Find other BRAVE JOURNEYS episodes hereCREDITS:Creator, Host & Executive Producer: Tammi FaradayWith thanks to my special guest: Jane EpsteinAudio Editor: Melissa MayWith very special thanks to George Weinberg and Ursula Ferguson BRAVE JOURNEYS acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we record this podcast on, the Yaluk-ut Weelam Clan of the Boon Wurrungwho are part of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders, both past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.