"I cannot believe that is how my cards fell. I cannot believe I should have a six-year-old daughter." Rebecca Sparrow is an author, columnist, mother, and Oprah worshipper. She's also one of the wisest women Mia Freedman knows.   After the death of her daughter Georgie, these two women connected and forged an unlikely friendship. In this interview with Mia, Rebecca talks about the loss of her daughter Georgie, the surrealness of losing a baby, and her new role as a teenage agony aunt, canvassing teens worst fears and anxieties in her new books. 

Your host is Mia Freedman.

With thanks to special guest Rebecca Sparrow. Find all of Bec's books here.

This podcast was produced by Elissa Ratliff 

CONTACT US

Suggest a guest via: podcast@mamamia.com.au

tweet us @mamamiapodcasts

or join the conversation on facebook
This show is part of the Mamamia Women’s Network 

<div>"I cannot believe that is how my cards fell. I cannot believe I should have a six-year-old daughter."</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Rebecca Sparrow is an author, columnist, mother, and Oprah worshipper. She's also one of the wisest women Mia Freedman knows. &nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>After the death of her daughter Georgie, these two women connected and forged an unlikely friendship.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>In this interview with Mia, Rebecca talks about&nbsp;the loss of her daughter Georgie, the surrealness of losing a baby, and her new role as a teenage&nbsp;agony aunt, canvassing teens worst fears and anxieties in her new books.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>
Your host is<a href="http://www.facebook.com/miafreedmanonline"> Mia Freedman.</a>
With thanks to special guest <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Rebecca-Sparrow-Writer-222279674577710/">Rebecca Sparrow</a>. Find all of Bec's books <a href="http://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?author=Rebecca%20Sparrow">here</a>.
This podcast was produced by<a href="https://twitter.com/elissaratliff"> Elissa Ratliff</a>&nbsp;
CONTACT US
Suggest a guest via:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@mamamia.com.au">podcast@mamamia.com.au</a>
tweet us <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mamamiapodcasts">@mamamiapodcasts</a>
or join the conversation on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mamamiapodcastnetwork">facebook</a> This show is part of the <a href="http://www.mamamia.com.au">Mamamia Women&rsquo;s Networ</a>k
</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>

Riveting stories. Fascinating lives. Australia’s #1 interview podcast, with Kate Langbroek.

Riveting stories. Fascinating lives. Australia&rsquo;s #1 interview podcast, with Kate Langbroek.

No Filter

Rebecca Sparrow on Surviving and Thriving After Loss

For more than a decade, Kate Seselja lived a double life.

Outwardly, she was a well-spoken suburban mum raising six children. Privately, she was trapped in a devastating poker machine addiction that would cost her more than $500,000, push her family into overwhelming debt, and bring her to the brink of suicide.

In this deeply confronting episode, Kate takes us back to the years when gambling consumed her life — the highs of winning, the crushing shame of losing, the secrecy, and the relentless hope that the next spin would fix everything. She reflects on how poker machines are designed to hijack the brain, why addiction thrives in silence, and how stigma keeps people trapped for far too long.

Kate also speaks candidly about her rock-bottom moment while pregnant with her sixth child, what stopped her from ending her life, and the long road to recovery that followed. Now an advocate and founder of The Hope Project, she dedicates her life to helping others understand gambling harm as a public health issue and not a personal failure.

This episode is a powerful reminder that gambling addiction doesn’t look the way we expect it to and that it can happen to anyone.

If this episode brings up anything for you, support is available. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Kate Seselja, along with at GHLEE (Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts) are calling for each state and territory to enforce loss limits on poker machines of $100 per day, $500 per month, and $5000 per year. This simple act will literally save lives. You can find out more information and sign their petition here.

CREDITS:

Guest: Kate Seselja

Host: Kate Langbroek

Group Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

For more than a decade, Kate Seselja lived a double life.
Outwardly, she was a well-spoken suburban mum raising six children. Privately, she was trapped in a devastating poker machine addiction that would cost her more than $500,000, push her family into overwhelming debt, and bring her to the brink of suicide.
In this deeply confronting episode, Kate takes us back to the years when gambling consumed her life &mdash; the highs of winning, the crushing shame of losing, the secrecy, and the relentless hope that the next spin would fix everything. She reflects on how poker machines are designed to hijack the brain, why addiction thrives in silence, and how stigma keeps people trapped for far too long.
Kate also speaks candidly about her rock-bottom moment while pregnant with her sixth child, what stopped her from ending her life, and the long road to recovery that followed. Now an advocate and founder of The Hope Project, she dedicates her life to helping others understand gambling harm as a public health issue and not a personal failure.
This episode is a powerful reminder that gambling addiction doesn&rsquo;t look the way we expect it to and that it can happen to anyone.
If this episode brings up anything for you, support is available. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Kate Seselja, along with at GHLEE (Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts) are calling for each state and territory to enforce loss limits on poker machines of $100 per day, $500 per month, and $5000 per year. This simple act will literally save lives. You can find out more information and sign their petition <a href="https://www.change.org/p/losslimitsnotlostlives-enforce-loss-limits-on-all-australian-poker-machines">here</a>.
CREDITS:
Guest: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the.hope.project/?hl=en">Kate Seselja</a>
Host:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/katelangbroek/?hl=en"> Kate Langbroek</a>
Group Executive Producer:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/naima_brown_official/"> Naima Brown</a>
Executive Producer:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/breeplayer/?hl=en"> Bree Player</a>
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
Video Producer: Josh Green
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

The Suburban Mum Who Lost $500,000 to Poker Machines

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/84599e29-a296-4046-9ce2-b3e1005f0d14/transcript

Angie Kent first joined No Filter back in 2019, she was fresh off The Bachelorette, newly in love, and stepping into a very public chapter of her life. A lot has changed since then.

In this episode, Angie returns with Kate Langbroek for an honest, deeply reflective conversation about what it means to choose a life that feels right, even when it doesn’t look the way you once imagined.

Angie opens up about her decision to become a solo mum by choice, sharing her IVF journey, the public reaction (both supportive and critical), and the internal certainty that led her here. She reflects on her search for love, the pressure women still face around partnership and timelines, and why companionship now matters more than financial stability, especially when so many women are finding men aren’t meeting them where they are.

This is a conversation about autonomy, motherhood, healing, and unlearning the scripts we’re handed. About trusting your instincts. About choosing yourself. And about what it really means to say, “I am the right person.”

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Angie Kent

Host: Kate Langbroek

Group Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Video Producer: Josh Green

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Angie Kent first joined No Filter back in 2019, she was fresh off&nbsp;The Bachelorette, newly in love, and stepping into a very public chapter of her life. A lot has changed since then.
In this episode, Angie returns with Kate Langbroek for an honest, deeply reflective conversation about what it means to choose a life that feels right, even when it doesn&rsquo;t look the way you once imagined.
Angie opens up about her decision to become a solo mum by choice, sharing her IVF journey, the public reaction (both supportive and critical), and the internal certainty that led her here. She reflects on her search for love, the pressure women still face around partnership and timelines, and why companionship now matters more than financial stability, especially when so many women are finding men aren&rsquo;t meeting them where they are.
This is a conversation about autonomy, motherhood, healing, and unlearning the scripts we&rsquo;re handed. About trusting your instincts. About choosing yourself. And about what it really means to say, &ldquo;I am the right person.&rdquo;
THE END BITS:
Listen to more No Filter interviews<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/"> here</a> and follow us on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/nofiltermamamia/"> here.</a>
Discover<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/"> more Mamamia podcasts here</a>.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma!<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960"> Send us a voice message</a>, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
CREDITS:
Guest: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/angiekent_/?hl=en">Angie Kent</a>
Host:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/katelangbroek/?hl=en"> Kate Langbroek</a>
Group Executive Producer:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/naima_brown_official/"> Naima Brown</a>
Executive Producer:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/breeplayer/?hl=en"> Bree Player</a>
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
Video Producer: Josh Green
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Angie Kent Always Knew She’d Be A Solo Mum

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/d84d447c-de79-4fa7-b766-b3d7003462d3/transcript

Jonathan Van Ness is one of the most recognisable and beloved figures in pop culture today - but in this conversation, they open up about the chapters of their life few people truly understand.

Jonathan speaks candidly about addiction, relapse, sex addiction, and living with HIV, including the moment they realised contracting HIV ultimately saved their life by forcing them to confront a dangerous relationship with meth. With extraordinary honesty, Jonathan reflects on survival, recovery, shame, joy, and what it really means to heal.

We also talk about identity, coming out as non-binary, people-pleasing, impulse behaviour, and why healing isn’t a destination — it’s a lifelong practice. Alongside the heavy moments, Jonathan brings humour, warmth and deep compassion, sharing how movement, group fitness, love, and chosen family helped them rebuild a life they want to stay in.

This is a powerful, vulnerable and deeply human conversation about staying alive, finding joy after trauma, and learning how to come home to yourself.

For information about Jonathan's upcoming Hot and Healed Tour head here. 

THE END BITS:

Listen to more No Filter interviews here and follow us on Instagram here.

Discover more Mamamia podcasts here.

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

We’re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400) Subscribe to enter.

CREDITS:

Guest: Jonathan Van Ness

Host: Naima Brown

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Tina Matalov

Video Producer: Josh Green

Recorded with Session in Progress studios.

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

 

Jonathan Van Ness is one of the most recognisable and beloved figures in pop culture today - but in this conversation, they open up about the chapters of their life few people truly understand.
Jonathan speaks candidly about addiction, relapse, sex addiction, and living with HIV, including the moment they realised contracting HIV ultimately saved their life by forcing them to confront a dangerous relationship with meth. With extraordinary honesty, Jonathan reflects on survival, recovery, shame, joy, and what it really means to heal.
We also talk about identity, coming out as non-binary, people-pleasing, impulse behaviour, and why healing isn&rsquo;t a destination &mdash; it&rsquo;s a lifelong practice. Alongside the heavy moments, Jonathan brings humour, warmth and deep compassion, sharing how movement, group fitness, love, and chosen family helped them rebuild a life they want to stay in.
This is a powerful, vulnerable and deeply human conversation about staying alive, finding joy after trauma, and learning how to come home to yourself.
For information about Jonathan's upcoming Hot and Healed Tour head <a href="https://jonathanvanness.com/tour/">here</a>.&nbsp;
THE END BITS:
Listen to more No Filter interviews<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/"> here</a> and follow us on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/nofiltermamamia/"> here.</a>
Discover<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/"> more Mamamia podcasts here</a>.
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma!<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960"> Send us a voice message</a>, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
We&rsquo;re giving away a Your Reformer Pilates bed (worth $3,400)&nbsp;<a href="http://mamamia.com.au/your-reformer-giveaway/?utm_source=mamamia&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=subscription&amp;utm_content=reformer-giveaway" data-stringify-link="http://mamamia.com.au/your-reformer-giveaway/?utm_source=mamamia&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=subscription&amp;utm_content=reformer-giveaway" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Subscribe to enter</a>.
CREDITS:
Guest: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jvn/?hl=en">Jonathan Van Ness</a>
Host: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/naima_brown_official/">Naima Brown</a>
Executive Producer:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/breeplayer/?hl=en">Bree Player</a>
Audio Producer: Tina Matalov
Video Producer: Josh Green
Recorded with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/session.in.progress/?hl=en">Session in Progress</a> studios.
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
&nbsp;

Jonathan Van Ness: Addiction, HIV and the Wake-Up Call That Saved My Life

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/418ce852-e7df-4fc1-b9fa-b3ae0024982a/transcript

Rebecca Sparrow on Surviving and Thriving After Loss

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