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Broken to Brilliant's Voice of Survivors Podcast

Broken to Brilliant's Voice of Survivors Podcast

By: Broken to Brilliant Charity
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About this listen

 Empowering domestic violence survivors on their healing journey. Join the Broken to Brilliant podcast for insightful conversations, mentorship, and strategies to rebuild your life after abuse. Tune in to find hope, support, and practical guidance from those who have walked the path of recovery. Your journey from Broken to Brilliant starts here.Copyright Broken to Brilliant PTY LTD Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • From Survivor to Founder: Kate Crowley-Smith on Recovery, Rebuilding and Hope

    From Survivor to Founder: Kate Crowley-Smith on Recovery, Rebuilding and Hope
    Jan 14 2026

    From Survivor to Founder: Kate Crowley-Smith on Recovery, Rebuilding and Hope

    In this episode of The Voice of Survivors, host Nicci Heath sits down with Kate Crowley-Smith, Founding Director of Broken to Brilliant.

    Kate shares her journey as a survivor of domestic violence, a mother of two, and a health professional with a background in nursing, injury prevention, and trauma-informed education. Together, Kate and Nicci explore why recovery from domestic violence is not a one-off activity in one moment, but a long-term journey that can last years.

    The conversation reflects on:

    • Why Broken to Brilliant was created by survivors, for survivors
    • The importance of long-term, peer-led recovery support
    • How programs like Stepping Stones help survivors reconstruct their sense of self
    • The reality that healing is not linear and survivors can move between surviving, thriving, and being triggered
    • Why lived experience education is critical for systems change, including police education.

    Kate speaks candidly about hope, transformation, and why survivors deserve support that helps them move from survival to a life they choose.

    Listen to more podcasts

    • Women's Voice
    • Two women committed to empowering survivors

    Read more about Broken to Brilliant in our blog:

    • The Launch
    • Top Ten Strategies

    Thank you

    Thank you to Nicci for her passion for hosting this program and to Andrew (Nicci's Hubby) and all the family for your support in recording this podcast.

    Karen Jacobsen, our International Patron and the Australian voice in Siri, welcomes and thanks you for listening.

    Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity that domestic violence survivors founded to support fellow survivors to rebuild their lives after abuse.

    We know how hard it is, having lived through the trauma of abuse and travelled the long road to recovery. Therefore, we founded the charity to provide hope and strategies to other survivors to make their journey a little bit easier.

    Thanks to Sound Engineer Chris McCallum, known as SoundO for our Podcast training.

    Thank you to Joanne Helder, a Radio, Podcast & Communications Professional, for podcast training.
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Why We Must Say and Do Something – A Conversation with Bob Atkinson AO APM

    Why We Must Say and Do Something – A Conversation with Bob Atkinson AO APM
    Jan 7 2026
    Why We Must Say and Do Something – A Conversation with Bob Atkinson AO APM* In this episode of The Voice of Survivors, host Nicci Heath is joined by Bob Atkinson AO APM, former Queensland Police Commissioner and Patron of Broken to Brilliant. With a career spanning 44 years in the Queensland Police Service, Bob reflects on his lifelong commitment to justice, prevention, and victim support. The conversation draws on his experience as a Royal Commissioner into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, his work in youth justice, reconciliation, and his role in the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and his ongoing advocacy for community-wide responsibility in addressing domestic and family violence. Together, Nicci and Bob explore: How domestic violence was historically treated as "private family business"Why societal change requires more than police or courts aloneThe importance of prevention, early intervention, response, and recoveryThe role of survivor-led organisations like Broken to Brilliant in long-term healingWhy ordinary people "saying and doing something" is the real tipping point for change Bob shares why he became a Patron of Broken to Brilliant and why survivor-led, volunteer-run organisations play a critical role in rebuilding confidence, safety, and hope after abuse. * Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and the Australian Police Medal (APM) Photo Bob is one of the four Broken to Brilliant Patrons and Ambassador Left to Right: Bob Atkinson, Loretta Ryan, Bruce Sullivan and Karen Jacobsen. Links Mr Robert (Bob) Atkinson AO APM - 2019 Queensland GreatCo-Chair Domestic and Family Violence Prevention CouncilOn Friday, 11 January 2013, the then Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, appointed six Commissioners for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Bob was one of those CommissionersOn 12 February 2018, Mr Robert (Bob) Atkinson AO was appointed Special Advisor to the Honourable Di Farmer MP, who was then Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence. Mr Atkinson was asked to examine and report on a series of youth justice matters by 8 June 2018. The Atkinson Report On 15th December 2023, the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide appointed former Queensland Police Commissioner Robert "Bob" Atkinson AO APM as an Assistant Commissioner. Thank you Thank you to Nikki for her passion for hosting this program and to Andrew (Nikki's Hubby) and all the family for your support in recording this podcast. Karen Jacobsen, our International Patron and the Australian voice in Siri, welcomes and thanks you for listening. Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity that domestic violence survivors founded to support fellow survivors to rebuild their lives after abuse. We know how hard it is, having lived through the trauma of abuse and travelled the long road to recovery. Therefore, we founded the charity to provide hope and strategies to other survivors to make their journey a little bit easier. Thanks to Sound Engineer Chris McCallum, known as SoundO, for our Podcast training. Thank you to Joanne Helder, a Radio, Podcast & Communications Professional, for podcast training
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • GROW, Governance & Giving Back. Margaret's journey with Broken to Brilliant. Hosted by Nikki.

    GROW, Governance & Giving Back. Margaret's journey with Broken to Brilliant. Hosted by Nikki.
    Dec 29 2025

    GROW, Governance & Giving Back. Margaret's journey with Broken to Brilliant.

    Hosted by Nikki.

    In this episode of The Voice of Survivors, host Nicci Heath is joined by Margaret King, Director of Broken to Brilliant and founder of the GROW – Gardening for Recovery, Opportunity and Wellbeing program.

    Margaret brings a wealth of experience from her career as a registered nurse, nursing director, and healthcare project officer, alongside extensive experience in governance, policy development, and project management. In the conversation, Margaret reflects on the vital role she plays within Broken to Brilliant — helping to ensure survivor-led ideas are backed by policy to ensure well-governed programs.

    Listeners will hear how Margaret:

    • Provides stability and governance to support creative survivor-led initiatives
    • Ensures compliance with ACNC requirements, policies, working towards accreditation
    • Supports fundraising events such as the High Tea behind the scenes
    • Developed GROW, a horticultural therapy program that supports healing, confidence, and reconnection through gardening

    Margaret also shares how her family supports her work and why structure, care, and compassion are essential foundations for survivor-led organisations to thrive.

    For bookings into the GROW program - watch out for sessions on the Broken to Brilliant What's On webpage

    Thank yo u to Nikki for her passion for hosting this program and to Andrew (Nikki's Hubby) and all the family for your support in recording this podcast.

    Karen Jacobsen, our International Patron and the Australian voice in Siri welcomes and thanks you for listening.

    Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity that domestic violence survivors founded to support fellow survivors to rebuild their lives after abuse.

    We know how hard it is, having lived through the trauma of abuse and travelled the long road to recovery. Therefore, we founded the charity to provide hope and strategies to other survivors to make their journey a little bit easier.

    Thanks to Sound Engineer Chris McCallum, known as Sound,o for our Podcast training.

    Thank you to Joanne Helder, a Radio, Podcast & Communications Professional, for podcast training
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
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