In this episode of Stories of Hope Worldwide, I’m joined by Stephen Hirst: founder of the Dads Community Group and a passionate advocate for men and fathers walking through trauma, loneliness, and relationship breakdown.

Stephen shares, with so much honesty, what it was like to lose his sense of identity after the end of his marriage. Not just the grief of the relationship, but the deeper ache of losing the everyday moments of fatherhood, the family home, and the life he thought he’d always have.

And in that raw, lonely space, we talk about what so many men silently carry: the pressure to keep providing while feeling emotionally abandoned, the shame that stops them reaching out, and the quiet danger of trying to “tough it out” alone.

What touched my heart in this conversation is how Stephen didn’t just survive that season — he turned it into something life-giving. He built a community where dads can be real, be accountable, learn healthier ways to cope, and find the kind of shoulder-to-shoulder connection that can genuinely save lives.

Get in touch with Stephen Hirst:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-hirst-superchargedu-coaching/

Website: https://superchargedu.com.au/

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Thank you for listening to Stories of HOPE: Inspiring Humans with Kerrie Atherton.

Kerrie Atherton is an Inspiring Speaker, Professional Counsellor and Mental Health Coach. To find out more about "Stories of Hope: Worldwide", head to https://storiesofhope.com.au/.

Purchase books in the "Stories of Hope" series, written by Kerrie: https://storiesofhope.com.au/product/stories-of-hope-australia-books/.

With thanks to:

Music: "Pilgrims" by Daniel Pratt (artlist.io)

Editing & Production: Matthew Bliss (https://www.mbpod.com)

Mentioned in this episode:

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