Episode 37 - Andy MacFarlane

In this raw and powerful episode of Triumph Beyond Trauma , Andy shares his incredible journey, from chasing childhood dreams to becoming a mounted officer, undercover operative, and tactical policing expert. We dive deep into the highs and lows of his career—protecting dignitaries during the Sydney Olympics, cracking major drug syndicates, and the isolation and danger of life undercover. Andy opens up about the emotional toll of these roles, the challenges of balancing family life, and his battle with PTSD. This episode is not just about Andy's professional milestones—it's about resilience. He candidly reveals how he hit rock bottom, sleeping rough and struggling to rebuild his life, and the extraordinary journey that followed. Andy's honesty, humour, and insight make this an episode you won't want to miss. (We do cover the topic of suicide and suicide ideation so please be mindful of this). ** Content Warning ** Due to the nature of this Podcast and the discussions that I have with Guests, I feel it's important to underline that there may be content within the episodes that have the potential to cause harm. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact one of the services below for support. Find Rosie Skene: Buy Me A Coffee Website Micro Programs Waitlist Learn more about the First Responder Mental Wellness Method Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Join our private Facebook Group - First Responder & Veteran Mental Wellness To keep up to date and get weekly emails from me - Newsletter Roll With The Punches Podcast Episode 820 Find Andy MacFarlane LinkedIn Mental Health Resources: 000 - Concerns for someone's immediate welfare, please call 000 (Australia) RUOK? - Resources https://www.ruok.org.au/every-day-resources LIFELINE, Crisis Support & Suicide Prevention - 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 1800 Respect, Domestic, Family & Sexual Violence Counselling - 1800 737 732 -https://www.1800respect.org.au/ Suicide Call Back Service, 24hr free video & online counselling - 1300 659 467 -https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/ Blue Knot, Empowering Recovery from Complex Trauma - 1300 650 380 - https://blueknot.org.au/ Head Space, National Youth Mental Health Foundation - https://www.headspace.com/ Black Dog Institute - https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/ Kids Helpline (24/7, for youth 5-25) 1800 55 1800 - https://kidshelpline.com.au/ Support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - 13 YARN (24/7) 13 92 76 - https://www.13yarn.org.au/ MensLine (24/7) 1300 78 99 78 - https://mensline.org.au/ QLife (3pm-midnight) 1800 184 527 - Anonymous, free LGBTI support - https://qlife.org.au/