Episode 193. Why It’s Never Too Late to Heal, with Tully Johns

PODCAST
Written By Ashleigh Butterss

Ep 193. Why It’s Never Too Late to Heal, with Tully Johns

My guest this week is Tully Johns, a Melbourne based health coach who spent close to fifteen years working as a zookeeper before turning to helping people. For most of three decades, Tully carried the effects of childhood sexual abuse without a name for it, showing up instead as depression, anxiety, and eventually a PTSD diagnosis. It was only in his forties, after his brother came forward with his own memories and pursued a case against their father, that Tully began to understand what he himself had survived.

In this conversation, Tully shares what it was like to process decades of trauma later in life, the stretch of days he could not get out of bed that became his turning point, and the small, unglamorous practices that slowly rebuilt his life from the ground up. He and Ash talk about connection, letting people in, and what it means to parent well after having none of that modelled for you. This is a tender and deeply honest conversation about healing on your own timeline and choosing, every day, not to be defined by what happened to you.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse, please listen with care. Support services have been included in the episode show notes. 

Episode chapters:

00:00 Introducing Tully Johns

06:33 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile

07:00 Discovering the Abuse: A Four Year Old's Burden

14:11 His Brother's Case and the Public Fallout

18:13 Forty Years to Process What Happened

26:03 Finding Escape and Purpose Through Animals

32:05 The Catabasis: Hitting a Wall as a Stay at Home Dad

36:17 The Fake Smile That Started the Rebuild

38:16 One Word Journaling and Small Daily Wins

40:58 Movement as Medicine

45:57 Self Compassion Alongside Discipline

49:06 Reparenting the Four Year Old Within

53:01 Why Connection Changes Everything

01:00:40 Three Non-Negotiables for a Happy, Authentic Life


Connect with Tully using the links below: 


Support Services

If this episode has brought anything up for you, support is available:

  • Blue Knot Helpline provides specialist support for adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse. Call 1300 657 380.

  • 1800RESPECT provides free, confidential counselling and support for anyone impacted by sexual violence. Call 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Bravehearts provides information and support relating specifically to child sexual abuse. Call 1800 272 831, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm AEST.

  • Lifeline provides crisis support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 13 11 14.

Ashleigh Butterss
Next

Episode 192. From “Certified Insane” to 32 Years of Recovery, with Suzi Raleigh