The story I had to share

⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses suicide, grief, which some listeners may find distressing.

If you need support, you're not alone — help is available:

• Lifeline (24/7 crisis support): 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.au

Sarah Rosse spent her career as a high-functioning professional in human services, confident in her ability to help others navigate mental health crises. In October 2023, her 16-year-old son attempted to take his life, shattering her sense of control and forcing her to confront the gap between her professional knowledge and her lived reality as a mother. The fracture triggered deep shame: she believed she had failed, that people saw her as a terrible mother. Through journaling, she moved from brain-dumping her pain to intentional reflection, eventually writing a memoir about identity, family, loss, and resilience. Today, Sarah speaks publicly about mental health, parenting, and authenticity, committed to 100 conversations over 12 months about the themes in her book. Her son received an ADHD diagnosis and ongoing support; their connection has deepened. Sarah has stopped dyeing her hair, begun public speaking despite being a self-described introvert, and embraced discomfort as the path to growth.

Sarah Rosse is a memoirist, journaling coach, and human services professional who lives in regional Victoria. After her 16-year-old son attempted suicide in October 2023, she began writing the story that became her first book, framed through the lens of kintsugi. She now works to help others find their voice through writing and lived experience.

In this Kintsugi Heroes conversation with John Milham, Sarah shares the story behind the moments below.

🎙️ IN THIS CONVERSATION:

• Shame thrives in silence; connection breaks it.

• Professional knowledge doesn't prepare you for your own crisis.

• Journaling moves from survival to meaning through intentionality.

• The mental health system fails without advocates.

• Discomfort signals the direction of growth.

🕒 CHAPTERS:

00:00 Stories that hold us together

01:45 What is a memoirist?

05:53 Journaling as a framework

10:57 The crisis: October 2023

14:04 Shame and the weight of silence

20:35 Presence over fixing

28:28 Professional knowledge meets lived experience

33:31 Navigating the mental health system

37:52 Embracing discomfort as growth

41:24 What I hope for my son

44:32 100 Conversations: a new mission

48:27 Sharing stories so others can hear them

🎧 If this story moved you, follow Kintsugi Heroes in your podcast app so you never miss an episode.

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ABOUT KINTSUGI HEROES

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Welcome.

We're glad you found your way here.

Kintsugi Heroes was created from a simple belief: every person has a story worth sharing, and sometimes the story we need to hear arrives exactly when we need it most.

Our name comes from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, they are honoured as part of the object's history. We believe people are much the same. The experiences that challenge us, break us, shape us, and help us grow are often the very things that connect us to one another.

This channel is home to honest conversations about resilience, hope, grief, recovery, courage, love, and what it means to keep moving forward when life doesn't go to plan.

Here you'll find six podcast series, each sharing stories through a different lens:

• Kintsugi Heroes, hosted by John Milham

• Animals & Us, hosted by Natalie Stockdale

• Grit Diaries: From Grit to Grace, hosted by Simone Allan and Maryan Bova

• From There to Here, hosted by Emma Bellamy-Dodd

• Golden Threads: Stories of Disability & Resilience

• Pride in Stories, hosted by John Dwyer

Every story shared here is offered with the hope that it helps someone feel a little less alone. A little more understood. A little more connected.

Whether you're navigating a difficult season, supporting someone you love, or simply looking for meaningful conversations, you're welcome here.

New episodes are released weekly across our series.

If you'd like to help us keep these stories freely available to everyone, you can support our work here: https://www.kintsugiheroes.com.au/donate

Thank you for being part of this community.

We help people tell the stories they need to share so others can discover the story they need to hear.

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CONNECT WITH US

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#KintsugiHeroes #LivedExperience #ResiliencePodcast #StoriesThatMatter #GoldenJoinery #MentalHealth #Motherhood #SuicidePrevention #MemoirWriting #ParentalSupport #AuthenticSelf #BreakingTheStigma

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Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit, and every story we share is free for the people who need it. If this show has meant something to you, you can help us keep going. Visit kintsugiheroes.com.au and click donate. Every contribution helps us keep telling these stories, and it's tax-deductible.

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