https://catlouisedunn.com/links

Cat Dunn - Life After I Left, Melbourne (2026)

12/08/2026

TW: Domestic violence, coercive control, narcissistic abuse, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and eating disorders.

This week's episode is the most vulnerable thing I've ever shared on this podcast.

I'm reading my own chapter from the bestselling anthology, EmpowerHer Legacy, aloud, in full, for you.

Not a summary. Not the version I've told before. The whole thing.

My childhood. 20 years of abusive relationships. The love bombing. The moment I stood in a kitchen and stared at the knife block. The day I left: running around the apartment, unplugging the CCTV, throwing what I could into my car and driving away terrified.

The emergency housing. The forty-page police statement. 9 moves in 10 months.

And the part nobody talks about: missing him.

I'm sharing this because I wanted to go first. Because if I'm going to ask women to trust me with their stories in our anthology, the least I can do is show you what that looks like.

In this episode, I share:

- Growing up in a home where women were silent, and how that became my blueprint for love
- 20 years of abusive relationships - different faces, the same story
- Why love bombing doesn't arrive dressed as abuse
- The difference between the turning point and the actual leaving
- Grieving someone who hurt you, and why that doesn't make you weak
- The shame of wanting to go back
- Why storytelling saved my life
This episode is for every woman who has ever been told her story is too much, too messy, or too shameful to share. It is not.

Your story is not something to survive privately. It is something to use.

And when you tell the truth about what happened to you - what it took to get out, what it took to rebuild - another woman somewhere hears her own life more clearly.

Stories save lives. Storytelling saved mine.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/episode/76I4gfV1NJqANNHB5stso5

05/08/2026

TW: childhood physical abuse, narcissistic abuse, family estrangement.

She was born into chaos. And for a long time, that chaos was all she knew.

Chris Wasko grew up with two narcissistic parents - an overt narcissist father who was physically abusive, and a covert narcissist mother whose manipulation was so subtle it looked like love.

She stayed for years. She forgave. She tried. Then her father hit one of her children.

She forgave that too.

It took another 8 years, and her father threatening her husband, before Chris finally said: enough.

Leaving didn't feel like peace. It felt like terror. Because when abuse is all you've ever known, walking away from it is one of the hardest things you can do.

But she did it.

And in the process of healing, something unexpected happened - her psychic and intuitive abilities started coming back online. Trauma had been muting them her entire life.

Today Chris is a spiritual counsellor, energy healer, and author helping old souls and survivors of narcissistic abuse heal the energy body and reclaim themselves.

This is one of the most honest, eye-opening conversations we've had on the podcast.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Why covert narcissism is often harder to recognise than overt abuse
- Whether narcissists can actually change (Chris gives the real answer)
- How narcissism is a generational pattern, and how to reverse-engineer it
- 10 years of estrangement and what it looks like when a narcissist comes after you
- Practical grounding and energy tools for anyone currently in a narcissistic relationship
If you've ever questioned whether what you went through was "bad enough" to justify walking away, this one's for you.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/episode/42IIIfNeOUWpjETfO2qVN5

05/08/2026

Wanna join me in Bali?

Life After I Left is heading overseas for our first international event!
We're thrilled to be part of Michelle Gardiner's The Aspire Summit.

We will be lighting this island up as we deep dive into some SUPER important spaces….

This will crack you open from day 1, help you to dig deep where it truly matters and welcome a big breath of coming home to yourself by the end of our time together.

This year's theme is Embrace, Embody & Empress.

A few places remain for an unforgettable experience in Bali, and you can join us for the whole summit or attend one day - totally up to you.

The Aspire Summit is where women founders, leaders and changemakers come together to reconnect, grow and lead with purpose.

Who's in?

📍 Soulshine Bali, Ubud
📅 15–19 August 2026
🎟️ https://www.theaspireseries.com/the-aspire-summit

01/08/2026

Do you want to be an author in our first anthology?

Big news… Life After I Left is becoming a book!!!

The Life After I Left Anthology is a collection of real, raw, honest stories from women who have turned their pain into purpose.

No filters. No fluff. No topic off limits.

And we want YOU.

If you have a story you haven't told yet, or one you want to tell again, louder, to a bigger audience, this is your invitation.

You don't need to be a writer; you need a story.

We care about what you've been through, not your spelling and grammar.

Here's what you need to know:

- Open to women (and those identifying as women) based in Australia
- Submissions open 1 - 31 Aug 2026
- Selected authors will write 7,000–9,000 words
- Being selected includes a one-time investment of $500, covering professional editing, publishing, distribution & a full marketing and visibility campaign
- AI-written submissions won't be considered
- All info is in the application form

You won't be alone in this.

You'll have a whole team behind you. Our publisher is Jenna Little and The Daring Press, and all selected authors will create this piece of storytelling together as a community.

The book will be released approximately March 2027, with an Australia-wide launch roadshow.

You'll also have the opportunity to share your story live on stage.

(Not an author but want to speak? Keep your eyes peeled for more info.)

Apply now: https://forms.gle/Ai6srhDqkuXL4Sbe8

And if you know a woman whose story deserves to be in print, please share this post with her.

Submissions are open from 1 - 31 Aug 2026.

One month. Don't miss out!

30/07/2026

It's happening...

Life After I Left is becoming a book!

You've heard these stories on the podcast. You've maybe been in the room at our Melbourne events.

Now I want those stories in people's hands - real, physical, permanent.

The Life After I Left Anthology is a collection of real, raw, honest stories from women who have turned their pain into purpose.

And I'm looking for Australian women to be in it.

Here's what I need from you:

- A story. That's it.
- You don't have to be a writer
- No topic is off limits
- AI-written submissions won't be considered; this is YOUR story—nobody tells it like you
- Must be based in Australia (we're doing an Australia-wide book launch roadshow in 2027)

You won't be doing this alone. You'll be part of a community of authors the whole way through, and you'll receive support from me and our incredible publisher, Jenna Little of The Daring Press.

Applications are open from 1 - 31 August 2026.

If you have a story you haven't told yet - or you want to tell it again, this is your invitation.

And if you know a woman whose story the world needs to hear, please share this episode with her.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KFIScjDrqPQckLLA09JT0

22/07/2026

I have a question...

Has there been a moment in your life where you left?

Maybe you left a:

relationship/marriage/career/city/religion/identity/diagnosis/addiction/business/version of yourself.

Or maybe you haven't left yet, but you're standing at the edge of a decision that could change everything.

I'm looking for guests to share their stories on the Life After I Left podcast.

Not celebrities. Not people with perfect stories. Not people who've got it all "figured out".

Real women with real stories. Women who are willing to say, "This happened to me... and here's what came next."

Over the past year, we've shared stories about domestic violence, grief, cults, cancer, motherhood, divorce, body image, perimenopause, business pivots, spirituality, policing, anxiety, trauma, travel, identity, writing, public speaking, and so much more!

Because "leaving" looks different for everyone. And EVERY SINGLE STORY reminds us that we're not alone.

If you've ever thought..."I don't know if my story is interesting enough...", I guarantee it is - and I'd love to hear from you. Because somewhere out there is someone who needs your story.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/yWGz7SAfzNdpna5dA

And if this post made you think of someone else, tag them or send them this post.

❤️ Remember: Don't be silent. Be unstoppable.

21/07/2026

Do you really want it? 'Coz you're not acting like you do.

The universe is testing the s**t outta me!

I've stalled creating my new biz and now I'm being bombarded with awesome sounding OBM and Community Manager roles.

Am I tempted? F**K yes I am!

Regular income, stability, great clients, showing off my expertise.

What's not to like?

But it's not what I desire. It's not what makes me jump outta bed everyday.

We're all being tested by the universe.

So... why aren't I doing the things that will get me the biz, life, and community I want?

Well... why aren't YOU?

20/07/2026

I am soooo full of sh*t!

I told you all a whole ago about burning down my OBM biz, and building a new biz teaching you how to use your fear as fuel.

And I've disappeared.

Why?

Because I'm so f**king afraid. I'm so scared of stepping into the role of mentor/coach/teacher/consultant. Even though I'm already doing it.

Even though I've got evidence that I can do this. Even though I've gotten women results. Even though I'm actually supporting women every day with this already.

I've let the fear consume me and keep me small.

And I'm sick of it. I'm sick of not having the life I want. I'm sick of the self-sabotage and the imposter syndrome.

I'm sick of letting my fear keep me small instead of using the way I know I'm supposed to - as fuel to drive me to go get everything I've ever wanted.

And to teach you to do the same.

Something is coming. Something that'll light a fire under your fear's ass.

Something that doesn't exist anywhere else.

You want in? Join my mailing list to be the FIRST! 🖤

15/07/2026

What is your fear actually costing you?

I recently took myself on a solo trip to Adelaide.

Dinner alone. A jail tour alone. A huge festival alone, surrounded by groups of people laughing and having a great time while I stood there by myself.

I almost didn't go. I questioned it right up until the flight.

But standing in that crowd, feeling lonely and out of place, I didn't numb it. I didn't force a connection. I just sat with it.

And that's when I realised; this was never really about the trip.

This is one of the most honest conversations I've had with myself on this podcast.

In this episode, I chat about:

- Why I booked the trip when I was flat, overwhelmed, and stuck in decision paralysis
- The self-talk loop that almost talked me out of going
- Doing dinner, tourist spots, a winery day, and a festival all by myself
- Why being alone isn't the same as being lonely
- Struggling to connect with people and not making it mean anything about me
- Two decades in relationships where I was still alone the whole time
- Small steps to build your own comfort with being solo

If there's somewhere you've been avoiding because you'd have to face it alone, this one's for you.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cUitvbA2ncK5jZxjDkWMf

Cat Dunn - Life After I Left

12/08/2026

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

01/08/2026

30/07/2026

22/07/2026

21/07/2026

20/07/2026

15/07/2026

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