Stories that Stir - SUNSHINE COAST - FREEDOM

After a sold-out launch at the Sunrise Beach SLSC, Stories that Stir™ is returning for its next life-affirming event.

Join us on 18th July where you'll hear from six inspiring people, who will share their 10-minute raw and personal stories linked to the theme FREEDOM, in all its shapes and forms.

It's being brought to you by the Sunshine Coast dream team including, Stephanie Rother, Arnaum Walkley, Renee Paolini, Marie Bampton, and Nicolette Wijers. 

The Stories that Stir™ event series was designed to break down barriers, stir conversation, and inspire positive change.

Audience members rave about how good it feels to spend a lovely evening, listening to other people's funny, moving, and inspiring stories and how connected to humanity the event makes them feel.

Leroy Midgley: Walk your Truth
After surviving a near-death car accident at age 18, Leroy was told he would suffer with pain for the rest of his life. Refusing to accept the diagnosis set Leroy on a journey of healing and natural therapies eventually making a full recovery that lead him down a path of becoming a healer and massage therapist. He now speaks about what he learned to support others on a healing journey.

Jean Sheehan – You are evil
“You were never wanted! You brought bad luck to the family” were the words that Jean Sheehan heard growing up in Kuwait. She was an outcast for her natural gift of seeing inside the human body like an X-ray and blood test. Experiencing abuse and homelessness gave her an opportunity to break old paradigm limits. She was determined to be the example of what is possible. 

Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane: Use your Voice
An incident from her childhood kept Roxanne’s voice locked down tight. She shares her journey of evolution and self-discovery that led to her finding the confidence to embrace the power she had inside all along.

Bardeep Panesar: F up to Freedom
A lively 21st birthday celebration turned into a living nightmare within moments. Follow Bardeep's 30-year journey battling guilt and addiction, enduring terrible self-destruction, and eventually recovering from trauma. His story reveals profound lessons he had to learn to recover from mental torture and begin the healing process

Arnaum Walkely: What’s in a Name?
Arnaum had a life-changing experience in the summer of 1987 while living in an Aboriginal Dreaming Camp in New South Wales. She wasn’t even considering a name change at the time, let alone a complete re-writing of her life as she knew it. This is her story.

Amy Livingstone: Lost & Found

Disconnected from family. Disconnected from culture. Loss of elders. Loss of community. Born into a culturally diverse family in Sydney, Australia, Amy sought to reconcile her multicultural origins with the distressing experiences of identity loss. Then, in her mid-30’s came a discovery that blew everything wide open and made her question yet again, where do I belong?

Here's what people are saying about Stories that Stir™ events:

"The moving stories will be etched in my mind for a long time. Thank you!" Sharon Melamed

"Unpretentious human storytelling in all its rawness and bravery." Daniela Iacono

If you plan to eat dinner at the venue, please arrive by 5pm to give yourself plenty of time. Otherwise, arrive by 6 pm to enjoy a drink and mingle. The storytelling will commence at 6.30 pm sharp.

* 18+ event

*Trigger warning: Story content may include sensitive topics such as trauma, suicide, death etc.