You Can Shine

You Can Shine


Episode 12 – BRAVE: from addiction and abuse to self-love with Barbara Fordham

December 16, 2020

This podcast interview features a respected Brisbane-based vocalist and actress with a voice that has captivated audiences for the past thirty years. She is a passionate performer, daughter, partner and mother with natural charisma, beauty and an honest, heart-felt delivery.  

This is Barbara Fordham ‘unplugged’ – raw, vulnerable and real.  

Barbara shares her story of how a choice between life over death was a significant defining moment that turned her life around from the depths of despair. Struggling with substance abuse and addiction, Barbara tells how realising her dream of performing, and leaning into the spiritual saved her life. She is now 24 years sober and the survivor of abuse. 

We talk of many life themes including abuse, addiction, joy, passion, motherhood resilience, service, bravery, self love and purpose. 

Learn from a woman who had to trust, lean into ‘pure love’, transformed her pain into passion and overcame surgery from an aggressive rare jaw tumour almost a decade ago, and continues to sing and live on strong with all her heart. 

Tune in, open your mind and heart, and be inspired. 

Resources: 

Make a donation to Barb’s charity of choice:  https://www.rbwhfoundation.com.au/donations/ 

Enjoy some serious fun music with R&B six piece band featuring Barbara Fordham - The Trespassers: https://bit.ly/35YLtMV

Poem - Diving Into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich: https://poets.org/poem/diving-wreck 

Take back control of your brain with Josie’s online course, featuring leading neuroscientist and expert in neuroplasticity and OCD, Dr Jeffrey M Schwartz: You Are Not Your Brain - https://josiethomson.com/you-are-not-your-brain/