Unpacked; When life happens

About Unpacked; When life happens

Hosted by Lisa Bondarenko, Unpacked is a therapy-informed podcast exploring the human experience through raw, meaningful and deeply honest conversations. Through a mix of solo episodes and conversations with experts and everyday people, Lisa unpacks the beautiful, the brutal, and everything in between. Stories behind the survival. Conversations beneath the coping. Moments that shape who we become. Blending professional insight, lived experience, and vulnerability, Unpacked creates a space where people feel seen and understood because when life happens, we often need somewhere safe to land.

Publisher

Lisa Bondarenko

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Aug 2025

Latest episode

26 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   26 Aug 2026

   Tammy Barton: The cost of hard - money, stress and the things that shape us.

   Tammy Barton: What is hard? And who gets to decide? In this episode of Unpacked – When Life Happens, I sit down with Tammy Barton from My Budget for a conversation that goes far beyond budgeting and bank accounts. We talk about our relationship with money, financial stress, and the impact that growing up has on the way we see security, success and what we believe we can handle. Tammy also shares her experience of growing up alongside her brother who has a disability, and how that shaped her perspective on life. Because sometimes the things we experience early in life become the measuring stick for everything that comes after. We talk about money. We talk about stress. We talk about family. And we unpack a question that stayed with me: What is hard? Because hard isn't always something we can compare. What feels overwhelming to one person might be something another person has learned to navigate. And sometimes, what makes us resilient isn't that life was easy — it's that we had to learn how to adapt to the life in front of us. A conversation about finances, family, perspective and the experiences that quietly shape who we become.

2. 

   31 Jul 2026

   Grier Neilson: Unpacked - Out of frame after 50

   Grier Neilson: Unpacked - Out of frame after 50In this episode, I sit down with Grier, the founder of FLOCK50, a movement dedicated to photographing women over 50 after discovering a confronting truth: women in this stage of life are among the most unphotographed people in the world. What began as a photography project quickly became something much bigger — a powerful reminder that visibility matters, and that women do not become less worthy of being seen as they age. Together, we unpack the emotional impact of disappearing from family photos, the stories women carry about aging, body image and confidence, and why so many of us end up behind the camera instead of in front of it. This is a conversation about reclaiming your presence, owning your story, embracing the wisdom that comes with age, and most importantly… getting your sass back on. If you’ve ever looked through your camera roll and realized you’re missing from your own life, this episode is for you.

3. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Emily Harrison: Kids, Devices & The Adults Holding Them

   In this honest and refreshingly non-judgmental conversation, I sit down with Emily from Wait Mate to unpack one of the biggest parenting challenges of our time: kids, screens and addiction. This isn't a political debate or a conversation about blame. It's a real discussion for parents who are in the trenches, trying to navigate technology in a world where screens are everywhere. Together, we explore what screen addiction can look like in children, why so many parents feel overwhelmed, and why it's never too late to make meaningful changes. We also turn the lens back on ourselves, examining the relationship adults have with their own devices and the behaviours our children are watching every day. Whether you're worried you've already missed the boat, feeling stuck in power struggles around devices, or simply looking for a more balanced perspective, this episode offers compassion, practical insights and hope. Because perhaps the conversation isn't just about our kids' addiction to screens—it's about all of us."Until next time, stay curious, stay connected, and keep unpacking." Like and subscribe for more episodes

4. 

   16 May 2026

   Cassie Day: Caring — What It Takes, What It Gives

   Cassie Day - Caring — What It Takes, What It GivesThere are some people who don’t just survive hardseasons — they build something meaningful from them. In this episode, we sit down with Cassie Day — mum, advocate, and original founder of The Carers Place. After years walking the corridors of hospitals, specialists and endless appointments fighting for her son’s health, Cassie knows the reality of parenting through uncertainty, exhaustion and resilience. As a single mumnavigating some of life’s toughest moments, she turned lived experience into purpose — creating a safe place for families caring for children with disabilities. This is a conversation about strength, burnout, advocacy, motherhood, isolation, and whathappens when someone decides no family should feel alone. A powerful and deeply human conversation. Please subscribe, leave a review, and help us bring more real conversations like this to light.

5. 

   25 Apr 2026

   Samuel Powell-Pepper: Beyond the Guernsey: Unfiltered

   Samuel Powell - Pepper - Beyond the Guernsey: Unfiltered Known across the AFL for his strength, athleticism and fierce presence on the field, Samuel Powell-Pepper has earned respect through both talent and character. But this conversation goes far beyond football. It’s about the man behind the athlete — the father, the husband, and the human navigating life, identity and purpose beyond the game. Together, we unpack what the past two years of injury have meant mentally and emotionally, how he has stayed grounded through setbacks, and the dreams he still holds for the future. Sam also opens up about love, childhood, resilience, and the people who shaped the man he is today. Whether you follow AFL or not, this is a conversation about perseverance, growth and the reality that success never protects anyone from life’s challenges.

6. 

   24 Mar 2026

   Michelle Mc Cranor - Her name is Celeste

   Every day in Australia, six families leave hospital without their baby. For Michelle, that day was August 9, 2001. After a long labour, her daughter Celeste was born perfect, but not alive—turning motherhood into grief in an instant. With around 2,000 stillbirths each year, many preventable, this episode explores the conversations we avoid and the awareness that could save lives. Driven to create change, Michelle ran nearly 1,000km from Seacliff to Warrnambool in 2024, raising over $100,000 for Stillbirth Foundation Australia and giving voice to families who often go unheard. This is a powerful story of one woman’s grief, courage, and determination to create change.

7. 

   3 Mar 2026

   Derrick McManus: 30 Seconds from Death

   Derrick McManus When South Australia’s largest STAR Force siege erupted into chaos, Derrick McManus found himself in the line of fire — and at the centre of a moment that should have ended his life. Shot 14 times with a high-powered rifle, Derrick remained conscious, bleeding and fighting to stay alive for three agonising hours before rescue. He was 30 seconds from death. Most would never return to operational duty. Yet just two years later, Derrick stepped back into the world of elite policing — resuming sniper and counter-terrorism responsibilities. No PTSD. No depression. No ongoing therapy. In this gripping conversation, we explore survival, resilience, mindset, and what it truly takes to come back from the brink — not just alive, but unbroken.

8. 

   11 Feb 2026

   Jacqueline DeGiovanni: When life and death meet in the corridor...

   Jacqueline’s Story – Love, Loss, and Life’s Turning PointsOn the day Jacqueline (Jacq) welcomed her second child into the world, her first daughter, Aimee, was a patient in the same hospital merely two floors down critically ill. Tragically she passed away hours post her sisters delivery. This story of heartbreak and hope captures the depths of grief, the power of enduring love, and the courage to keep showing up when life feels unthinkable. Jacq’s journey is a testament to human resilience, faith, and the search for meaning amidst profound loss.

9. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Christie Wilson – Navigating Neurodivergence

   Christie Wilson – Navigating Neurodivergence As a qualified educator/leader with the school system and mum to two boys with ADHD, Christie knows first hand the emotional toll and beauty of raising neurodivergent children. In this candid episode, she shares her journey through the school system, the strain it can place on families and marriages, and the small wins that matter most. A must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone trying to understand life beyond the neurotypical lens. Real talk, real challenges, and real love for every stepof the journey. Subscribe to this Podcast to get alerts on the next episode landing. For more information www.lisabondarenko.com.au

10. 

    2 Dec 2025

    Wala Truscott: Sex, Love and the cheeky wink...

    Wala Truscott is a sex and intimacy coach who gets straight to the heart of what’s missing in so many relationships: true connection. This episode dives into how couples can rediscover one another, improve emotional and physical intimacy, and strip things back to the basics of what it means to reallysee and feel each other again. Honest, bold, and essential listening for couples cravingdeeper connection. If this story inspired you don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe to the 360 Woman Podcast. To find the 360 Woman app jump over to www.lisabondarenko.com.au

11. 

    17 Nov 2025

    Sam Healy: The Science of Stillness & Meditation

    What happens when a teacher brings meditation into the classroom — not as an experiment, but as a daily practice? Educator and speaker Sam Healy has seen firsthand how stillness, breath, and neuroscience can transform young minds and reshape the way we learn. In this episode, we explore how meditation moved from the yoga mat to the school desk, what happens in the brain when we pause, and why this practice isn’t just for the spiritual or the serene — it’s for the everyday human trying to navigate life with more calm, focus, and connection. A conversation that reminds us: you don’t need a guru to change your mind — just a moment of stillness.

12. 

    4 Nov 2025

    Jacqui Watts: The Peri - Meno Pause Perspective

    Jacqui, a passionate naturopath, takes us deep intothe often-misunderstood worlds of perimenopause and menopause — breaking down symptoms, solutions, and how to thrive through the hormonal trenches. From teen years to midlife and ageing, Jacqui brings clarity and empowerment to what every woman deserves to understand about her health and body from the inside out. Don’t miss this essential conversation on hormones,health, and womanhood through the decades. Don't forget to like and subscribe now! For more information www.lisabondarenko.com.au

13. 

    21 Oct 2025

    Jenni Eyles - Behind the curtain of cancer

    Jenni Eyles – Behind the curtain of cancer When Jenni was diagnosed with breast cancer, she faced the full spectrum of fear, strength, vulnerability, and truth. As a woman, wife, and mother, she shares what it really means to endure treatment—the unexpected highs, the devastating lows, and what people in the trenches actually need from their community. In Australia, around 21,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year—that’s an average of 58 people every day—and 1 in 7 women will face this diagnosis in their lifetime. While survival rates have improved to over 90% at five years, the emotional, physical, and social impact remains profound. This raw, honest, and powerful episode goes beyond statistics. It’s about illness, identity, and the human connections that hold us together when life unravels. Jenni's authentic and engaging way of seeing life carries a quiet strength and a heartfelt reminder of what truly matters. If this story moved you or reminded you of your own strength, don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe to the 360 Woman Podcast. To find the 360 Woman app jump over to www.lisabondarenko.com.au

14. 

    7 Oct 2025

    Nicole Rooney: After the affair

    After experiencing infidelity and the end of her marriage, single mum Nicole had every reason to break — but instead, she built something stronger. In this episode, she shares her personal path from heartbreak to healing, the patterns she broke, and the traditions she created to raise four children in a home filled with strength, love, and honesty. When a marriage breaks down, it’s not just the relationship that ends — it’s the future you imagined, the trust you built, and the version of yourself that existed within that partnership. Betrayal cuts deeply because it shakes the foundations of safety and belonging, leaving behind grief, anger, and confusion. Nicole opens up about navigating this storm: facing rebuilding, finding her identity outside of being a wife, and learning how to hold space for her children’s pain while managing her own. Together, we explore how betrayal can become a turning point — not just an ending, but an awakening. Through raw honesty and reflection, Nicole reminds us that healing isn’t linear. It’s messy, real, and requires courage to look at what was broken and decide to grow from it. This episode is for anyone who has faced infidelity, loss, or the unraveling of a life they thought would last forever — and is now learning how to rebuild, piece by piece, with purpose and power. If this story moved you or reminded you of your own strength, don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe to the 360 Woman Podcast. Join our community of women rewriting their stories — one truth, one episode, one healing step at a time.

15. 

    24 Sept 2025

    Annie Harvey: The sandwich generation - Dementia, Aged Care & Laughter Therapy

    After experiencing the slow loss of her parents through dementia, Annie found herself navigating the complexities of aged care and anticipatory grief. It was this deeply personal journey that led her to become a grief doula — supporting others through loss, change, and emotional healing. Trained in laughter therapy and mindfulness, Annie brings a gentle, grounded approach to grief work. Her story is one of transformation, compassion, and finding light even when the path is uncertain. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of how we care, cope, and connect when facing life’s hardest goodbyes.What Annie’s story reminds us is that grief is not only about final goodbyes—it can begin earlier. It’s woven into the changes, losses, adjustments that happen before the end when it comes to dementia. And while grief is deeply personal, no one has to walk it entirely alone. Her transformation into a grief doula is a gift: because it turns what could be only suffering or isolation into something that also holds light, meaning, compassion. If you are reading this and are somewhere in that space — caring, waiting, loving, losing — know: your feelings matter. What you are going through is real. And there is help, healing, connection waiting. Tune in now — a conversation on grief, love, and healing from the heart. Enjoying the podcast? If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover these conversations and grow our community. www.lisabondarenko.com.auwww.360woman.com.au

16. 

    9 Sept 2025

    Noni Potter :Grief & Trauma Uncut

    Grief and trauma aren’t just about death. They show up in everyday life—through breakups, burnout, family breakdowns, health struggles, job loss, or even the quiet heartbreaks we don’t talk about. In this week’s 360 Woman podcast a real, honest conversation with expert Noni Potter who shares about the moments that shake us, change us, and sometimes break us. It’s a space where we explore what it really means to navigate life’s toughest seasons, and how to keep moving forward—even when it feels impossible. Together, we explore how trauma impacts our minds, bodies, and relationships—and share practical tools to help you rebuild, reconnect, and rediscover yourself. Because healing isn’t just about “getting over it.” It’s about finding your way through—and sometimes, it starts with hearing someone say, “Me too.” Enjoying the podcast? If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover these conversations and grow our community. www.lisabondarenko.com.au www.360woman.com.au

17. 

    26 Aug 2025

    Hannah Mellier - Life before, during and after an eating disorder

    Hannah has walked the painful road of an eatingdisorder — and come out the other side remarkably and extraordinarily. Now a counsellor and educator, she’s dedicated to helping others navigate recovery and redefine their relationship with food, body, and self-worth. In this powerful episode, she opens up about the sobering statistics, the impact of social media on body image, and what parents can do to foster a healthy mindset in the next generation. This is an honest and raw conversation that I hope will bring context and clarity to those questioning their own relationship with food, scales and external aesthetics. You are more than your body... Tune in here.... To find Hannah - www.embodied.au To see more of Lisa Bondarenko www.360woman.com.au Please like and subscribe to this Podcast.

18. 

    12 Aug 2025

    Kellie Finlayson – When cancer strikes

    At just three months postpartum with a gorgeous baby girl, Kellie was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer — a life-altering moment that came when she should’ve been soaking in new motherhood. Through unimaginable pain, she’s learned not just to survive, but to thrive — becoming a voice of hope, strength, and fierce vulnerability. In this powerful episode, Kellie shares her journey of turning personal crisis into public purpose, and what it truly means to live while facing the unimaginable. Listen now — a story of resilience, motherhood, and the power of showing up.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

8 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

18 ratings