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 145 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Lee Freeman hosts Adversity to Strength with Lee Freeman, a health show with 145 episodes published.

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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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  Episode #148

  Anu Verma: Breaking Free from Childhood Sexual Trauma and Toxic Relationships

  Jul 3, 202643 minS1

  In this episode of Adversity to Strength , Anu Verma shares her remarkable journey of overcoming childhood trauma, toxic relationships, self-destructive behaviours and the long road to healing. Anu speaks openly about the lasting impact of childhood abuse, the emotional patterns that followed into adulthood, and how trauma can shape our relationships, identity and coping mechanisms. Together, we explore the importance of self-awareness, emotional regulation and recognising the survival strategies that often keep people trapped in cycles of shame, guilt and self-blame. We also discuss a range of healing approaches, including emotional regulation, journaling, hypnotherapy, Reiki, emotional freedom techniques and the role that travel, environment and supportive relationships can play in recovery. Anu explains why healing is rarely a straight line, how vulnerability can become a source of strength, and why sharing our stories helps others realise they are not alone. This is a deeply honest and inspiring conversation about resilience, recovery and the possibility of transforming pain into purpose. https://victim2victor.net/

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  Episode #141

  Katie Hadiaris: Escaping Toxic Workplaces and Rebuilding Your Life

  Jun 26, 202653 minS1

  In this episode of Adversity to Strength , Katie Hadiaris shares her deeply personal journey through workplace trauma, burnout and recovery, revealing how toxic work environments can have a profound impact on our mental health, relationships and sense of self. Katie explores how early life experiences shape the way we respond to stress, why many high performers become trapped in cycles of emotional overload, and how workplace manipulation, favouritism and narcissistic behaviours can leave lasting psychological scars. Drawing on both her personal experiences and professional expertise, she explains why trauma often follows predictable patterns and how understanding those patterns can become the first step towards healing. Together, we discuss burnout, workplace abuse, emotional regulation, boundaries, institutional betrayal, resilience and the importance of creating healthier relationships with work. Katie also shares practical strategies to help people recognise the warning signs, regulate their nervous system and begin rebuilding their confidence after toxic workplace experiences. This is an insightful and empowering conversation about recovery, self-awareness and finding the strength to reclaim your wellbeing after adversity. Katie Hadiaris's Website

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