Adversity to Strength with Lee Freeman

Adversity to Strength is a story-led podcast hosted by psychotherapist and brand founder Lee Freeman, featuring raw, no-punches-pulled conversations with guests who share how they got through some of the most difficult times in their lives.Each episode explores how those experiences affected their lives, their mental health, and the inner strength they found to keep going. Through honest, powerful storytelling, guests open up about what they faced, how it changed them, and what it means to move forward after life gets hard.A podcast about real people, real resilience, and real strength.

Adversity to Strength with Lee Freeman is a health podcast hosted by Lee Freeman, with 147 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Lee Freeman hosts Adversity to Strength with Lee Freeman, a health show with 147 episodes published.

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  Episode #160

  Colleen Clifford: Alcohol, Grief and the Turning Point That Changed Everything

  Sep 1, 202642 minS1

  In this episode of Adversity to Strength , Colleen Clifford shares her deeply personal journey through grief, alcohol misuse, loss and recovery after losing her husband to alcohol-related suicide. Colleen reflects on her own relationship with binge drinking, the ways grief and trauma affected her behaviour, and the moment she realised that one reckless decision could have changed her life forever. That wake-up call became the beginning of a much deeper process of self-awareness, responsibility and change. We discuss the difference between alcohol dependence and binge drinking, the hidden risks of unhealthy drinking patterns, the impact of suicide on those left behind, and how loss can force us to re-examine the way we are living. Colleen also speaks about healing, personal responsibility, resilience, hope and why sharing painful experiences honestly can help others recognise patterns in their own lives before it is too late. This is an open and reflective conversation about grief, recovery, transformation and finding a way forward after profound loss.

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  Episode #152

  Hollyanna Vellichor : Losing Everything and Rebuilding from the Ground Up

  Aug 27, 202649 minS1

  In this episode of Adversity to Strength , Hollyanna Fisher shares her extraordinary journey of leaving the high-control religious cult she was born into and rebuilding her life after losing almost everything that had once defined her. Hollyanna opens up about the psychological impact of growing up within a tightly controlled belief system, the process of questioning authority, and the enormous personal cost of leaving. We explore identity, trauma, gaslighting, parental alienation, self-trust and what happens when the world you were raised to believe in suddenly falls away. We also discuss Hollyanna’s experiences with chronic pain and complex trauma, and how those experiences led her to explore the relationship between the body, movement, memory and recovery. She explains why she believes the body can communicate what the conscious mind has not yet understood, and how small, patient changes can help rebuild resilience over time. This is a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about freedom, identity, trauma recovery, self-discovery and learning to trust yourself again after years of being told who you were supposed to be.

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  Episode #160

  Dale Atkinson: From Terminal Diagnosis to Patient Advocate

  Aug 11, 202648 minS1

  n this episode of Adversity to Strength , Dale Atkinson shares his extraordinary journey after being diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer and told his condition was inoperable and incurable. Rather than accepting a single pathway, Dale immersed himself in research, explored personalised and integrative treatment options, questioned the limitations of standard approaches, and became a determined advocate for his own care. We discuss the emotional impact of a terminal diagnosis, the importance of patient advocacy, trust in healthcare, personalised medicine, immunotherapy, environmental factors, and the role of research in uncovering additional treatment possibilities. Dale also reflects on what he learned about the healthcare system from the perspective of both patient and experienced governance professional, including the challenges of navigating consent, communication, off-label treatments and fragmented care. This is a powerful conversation about resilience, research, uncertainty, advocacy and taking an active role in your own healthcare when the stakes could not be higher.

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  Episode #152

  Katie Rizzo: Losing Her Son to Addiction and Learning to Live With Grief

  Jul 28, 202648 minS1

  In this deeply moving episode of Adversity to Strength , Katie Rizzo shares the devastating experience of losing her son, Nicholas, to addiction and the journey of grief that followed. Katie speaks openly about the early warning signs, the impact addiction had on her family, the challenges of treatment and rehabilitation, and the guilt, shame and helplessness many families experience when someone they love is struggling with substance use. She also explains her powerful way of understanding grief by comparing it to pregnancy: the shock and physical symptoms at the beginning, the numbness that follows, the need for others to recognise the loss, and eventually learning how to carry grief rather than expecting it to disappear. We discuss addiction as a disease, the importance of support groups, the value of journaling and poetry, and how creative expression helped Katie maintain a connection with her son while beginning to rebuild her life. This is an honest and compassionate conversation about addiction, child loss, grief, resilience and finding ways to keep living while carrying the memory of someone you love.

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  Episode #150

  Scott Lackey: How Failure Became My Greatest Teacher

  Jul 14, 202653 minS1

  In this episode of Adversity to Strength , Scott Lackey shares his remarkable journey through military service, entrepreneurial failure, personal adversity and the pursuit of a life filled with purpose rather than simply achievement. Scott reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his life, from joining the Army and developing discipline and resilience to experiencing business setbacks, financial loss and the difficult lessons that failure can teach. He explains how these experiences forced him to confront his own identity, rebuild his confidence and discover that success without fulfilment ultimately leaves people feeling empty. Together, we explore accountability, self-belief, faith, consistency, leadership and why embracing adversity can become the foundation for lasting personal growth. Scott also shares practical insights on overcoming self-doubt, learning from failure and finding the courage to live authentically, even when life doesn't go to plan. This is an inspiring conversation about resilience, discipline, transformation and discovering purpose through life's greatest challenges.

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