A raw conversation about healing, identity and breaking cycles of trauma unfolds as Reese shares his remarkable journey from childhood adversity to becoming an advocate for Indigenous communities and men's mental health.

Born to a teenage mother and raised among twenty children by his aunt in Brisbane, Reese experienced poverty, abuse and cultural disconnection that would shape his early years. His powerful story traces the path from homelessness and jail as a teenager to finding an unexpected opportunity through education that would transform his life. After completing university on scholarship, Reese built a career dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities – a deliberate choice that allowed him to help his people while healing himself.

The conversation delves into the complex nature of cultural identity as Reese shares how he grew up believing he was Waka Waka from Cherbourg, only to discover later in life his true heritage as Badtjala & Darumbul. This revelation sparked profound questions about belonging and highlights the lasting impacts of colonisation on First Nations connection to culture. ”I think there's always been something missing in me,” Reese reflects, identifying reconnection to culture as the crucial missing piece in his healing journey.

Perhaps most courageously, Rhys opens up about his decades-long battle with alcohol addiction, depression and anxiety – a struggle that mirrored his mother's own challenges with alcoholism before her death at 58. Now four and a half months sober, he shares the daily work of recovery and his emerging purpose to help other Indigenous men facing similar battles. ”There is help out there and you can come through it,” he affirms, planning to take this message into rehabilitation centers, jails and communities.

Throughout his story runs a powerful thread of breaking cycles – through encouraging education and employment for his daughters, being present for his grandchildren and confronting his own mental health challenges. Join us for this moving conversation about transformation, cultural reconnection and finding purpose through helping others heal.