Beyond The Surface Podcast

Trigger warning: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse, incest, trauma, and healing which may be confronting or activating for some listeners. Please listen with care.
In this deeply vulnerable and powerful conversation, Belinda sits down with trauma survivor, author, advocate, and breathwork facilitator Caroline Brunne, alongside her award-winning therapy Border Collie Louie, recently named Australia Dog of the Year.
Caroline shares her lived experience of childhood sexual abuse, family estrangement, and the long, layered road to healing.
This episode is both confronting and inspiring, offering hope, insight, and practical perspective for survivors and those supporting them. Caroline reflects on her upbringing, from a vibrant Mauritian family life to migrating to Australia as a child, and how her experience of sexual abuse began at age ten and continued for several years. She shares the complexity of living a “normal” life externally while navigating trauma internally, and how abuse reshaped her sense of safety, childhood innocence, and ability to access joy later in life.
Caroline is the author of More Than One Thing Can Be True and now dedicates her work to supporting survivors, opening conversations around trauma and replacing shame with understanding.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visit: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Connect with Caroline:
Website: https://carolinebrunne.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caroline_brunne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cgb.mgmt
Deep Breaths with Louie: https://cbrunne.setmore.com/

In this episode, Belinda is joined by former NRL player, media personality and men’s wellness facilitator Ryan Girdler for an honest conversation about men’s mental health, identity, pressure, and what real transformation actually looks like.
Ryan shares his “that was then, this is now” story from professional football and public success to the quieter, more confronting inner work that followed. They unpack what happens when the structure disappears, when achievement no longer defines you, and when you’re forced to slow down and meet yourself without distraction.
This conversation goes far beyond football. It’s about men stepping out of the system, letting go of control, doing the work, finding purpose, and getting clear on what you’d be willing to do for your family.
Ryan talks about how meditation and breathwork changed his life and led him to the path he’s on now… being of service, running retreats and events, facilitating breathwork, and advocating for men’s mental health by living what he teaches.
A grounded and real conversation about growth, evolving as a man, and having the courage to do the inner work.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals specialises in functional mushrooms, tonic herbs, and superfoods to support energy, immunity, focus, strength, gut health and wellness. Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Connect with Ryan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwgirdler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reconnectedmen/
Website: https://reconnectedmen.com/

In this episode, Belinda is joined by mindset and relationship coach Jess Cameron for a deeply honest conversation about self-leadership, emotional regulation, and why mindset work alone doesn’t create lasting change.
They explore what really keeps people stuck. Jess shares insights from her work with individuals and international companies as Head Performance Coach, unpacking why growth isn’t about thinking more positively or avoiding discomfort. It’s about getting out of your head, regulating your emotions, and building the capacity to lead yourself from the inside out.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
Why mindset alone isn’t enough for real change
The difference between understanding emotions intellectually and actually feeling them
Why procrastination and self-doubt are usually emotional blocks, not mindset problems
How emotional capacity determines how much success, money, and responsibility you can sustain
The hidden fear of success that keeps people playing small
What self-leadership actually looks like in everyday life
Why suppressing emotions leads to burnout, resentment, and disconnection

If you’ve done the mindset work but still feel stuck, overwhelmed, or burnt out, this episode will land.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Connect with Jess:
Website: https://jesscameron.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsjesscameron/

Belinda shares this statement on retreat, and every time, someone asks her to repeat it. In this episode, Belinda unpacks what it really means to live by this, and how it can change the way you move through relationships, feedback, judgment, and conflict.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
Why two people can experience the same situation in completely different ways.
How people see you through their own wounds, beliefs, and past experiences.
Why being misunderstood doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong.
How your reactions reveal patterns, triggers, and growth opportunities.
The difference between reacting unconsciously vs responding consciously.
How to stop trying to manage others’ perception and start embodying your truth.
How this statement can be connected to the Let Them / Let Me theory.
Practical reflections to increase self-awareness and stop taking everything personally.

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood, judged, or frustrated by others’ opinions, this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and permission to trust yourself, without needing approval from anyone else.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau

Some people are meant to walk with you for a season, a chapter, or a version of you. Growth, healing, and evolution change not just who you are, but who you show up as. And when that happens, not everyone can or will come with you.
In this episode, Belinda explores what it really means to outgrow friendships, clients, circles, and old versions of yourself. This isn’t about ego, cutting people off, or being dismissive. It’s about truth, alignment, and the freedom (and discomfort) that comes when you realise you’re not for everyone. And everyone isn’t for you.
Belinda shares practical reflections on how to navigate shifting relationships, release the need for approval, and find ease with the people and spaces that truly align with who you are today. This episode is for anyone who’s learning to honour their growth, embrace self-acceptance, and step fully into the version of themselves that’s ready to be seen.

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
Why some relationships only last for a season, and why that’s okay.
How personal growth changes your dynamics with others.
Why being seen as “too much” or “not enough” often isn’t about you.
The difference between disloyalty and authentic outgrowing.
How to stop trying to control other people’s perception of you.
Where your energy truly belongs and how to recognise aligned connections.
Practical questions to help you reflect on your relationships and alignment.

If you’ve ever felt the tension of outgrowing people, wondering if you’re doing something “wrong,” or struggling to belong, this episode will give you clarity, relief, and the permission to show up fully as you are.

Podcast Sponsor:
Evolution Botanicals: real, natural support for your health. From functional mushrooms for focus, energy and immunity, to traditional herbs that nourish and  support your nervous system.  Visti: https://evolutionbotanicals.com.au/ and add BTS10 for 10% off your first order.

Connect with Belinda:
Website: www.belindaanderson.com.au
(sign up to her Newsletter to receive updates on retreats, podcast episodes, and insights to help you heal, grow & thrive).
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.anderson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonau