Today you’re going to hear from my sister in law, Shanna Whan.

Please be aware that this episode does deal with sensitive topics and adult themes. If you find this triggers anything for you, please phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.

In an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department.

Rural Adversity Mental Health Program: Linking people to Mental Health Support ramhp.com.au

Shan and I have known each other for eleven years. My husband Pete and Shan’s husband Tim are brothers and very close so we see each other regularly and really love their company. Tim and Shan are a fabulous aunty and uncle to our children and we’re very glad that Shan has been able to recover from her addiction to alcohol, to allow our relationships to flourish.

For about 20 years, alcohol ruled Shan’s life, and ultimately nearly took it. 6 years ago she hit rock bottom and she describes it as a miracle that she was able to truly acknowledge there was a problem and begin to heal.

Now Shan is the founder and CEO of the national charity, Sober in the Country (https://www.soberinthecountry.org/) who are an independent not-for-profit charity addressing alcohol harm in the bush through their #OK2SAYNO campaign & via advocacy, social impact and providing a rural members only peer-to-peer support group.

Pete and I, and our extended family, are very proud of all she has achieved so far and look forward to seeing what more is to come.

I was a bit nervous to record this podcast with Shan, or Shania as I affectionately call her because she’s so gifted at speaking and being able to get her message across, but I soon relaxed and realised that it was just us, having a cuppa in the home Tim and Shan recently moved into which is the old family church belonging to the Whans, dedicated to our husbands’ great grandmother and actually where Pete and I were married 8 years ago.

You’ll hear Shan scold her new puppy, Mallee; her new companion for loyal and elderly Blue Heeler, Fleabag. It was a little snapshot that I thought was too good to edit out.

It was a special bush setting, for a special conversation.

This is Shanna’s story.