Episode Twelve - Jacqui Lambie

Content Warning, this episode contains conversations about suicide.
If this discussion raises concerns for you around suicidal thoughts or tendencies for you or anyone you know, please talk to someone.

Reach out to your doctor, GP or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for help.

There’s no doubt a lot of us are feeling a bit lost or struggling at the moment.

Well you’re not alone. In Bounce Back, Andrew talks to prominent Australians about major challenges that have been thrown their way, and how they’ve overcome these difficulties on the road to success.

In this episode Dr. Rochford speaks with Jacqui Lambie.

Senator Jacqui Lambie is one of the most recognisable faces in Australian politics. Her determination to 'tell it how it is' has been shaped by years of experiences, setbacks and challenges. 

Senator Lambie served in the military for eleven years until 2000 where a debilitating back injury led to a medical discharge. She then struggled to raise her two boys on her own in the North-West of Tasmania. Fighting the Department of Veteran's Affairs for fair compensation while drinking heavily and addicted to prescription drugs. 

After being hospitalised and spending time in a Hobart Psychiatric Ward, she deliberately walked out in front of a car. This was rock bottom but also a turning point.

Fast forward to 2013 and Jacqui Lambie became Senator Lambie, elected to Parliament as a member of the Palmer United Party and fast became one of the most recognisable faces in Canberra. 

In 2015 Senator Lambie struck a chord with thousands of parents across Australia when she told Parliament that her son was addicted to ice. 

Since then she has resigned from Parliament, went onto Reality TV show to finance her election campaign and was re-elected to the Senate in 2019.  

This series will feature some of Australia’s most recognised sports men and women, prominent businesspeople and well-known politicians, allowing them to tell their story, in their own words.

Bounce Back is about promoting well-being and good mental health, by showing that even in the most difficult of times, there are people who you can turn to for support - whether they’re mates, family, colleagues, professionals even your neighbours.

It’s about how to look after yourself when things are tough, believing in yourself and knowing you can come through it even stronger. 

Dr. Andrew Rochford is a proud ambassador for DrinkWise, which is sponsoring this podcast.

We hope you enjoy Bounce Back. 

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