Advertise on podcast: UNDISTRACTED with Laura Bennett

Jonah Marais rose to fame as one-fifth of pop group Why Don’t We, building a global fanbase before legal issues forced the band into hiatus in 2022. Since then, he’s been redefining his identity beyond the group and found a faith that's alerted his artistic ambition. Jonah will bring The Dreamer Tour to Australia in November.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian Para-Athlete Matt Formston lost 95 percent of his vision at just five years old. Determined not to let his disability define him, he went on to become a champion cyclist and surfer, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2025 and now leads and trains global executive business teams. His memoir 'Why Not?' is a cure for the limited thinking that holds many of us back.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By 2030, it’s estimated 45 percent of women will be single and child free. It a contrast to previous generations where marriage and kids was the expected norm, but for many reasons a lot of women aren’t in the relationships they were brought up to assume were guaranteed.Sydney author Sheree Joseph wants a husband and family, but an ill-timed breakup and medical diagnosis has so far sent her life in a different direction. Her memoir 'Juicy' offers a warm, hilarious and honest account of what it’s like to be single and child free when your stage of life dictates otherwise, and why we need to redefine what it means to have a thriving, happy life and celebrate the singles.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British cook Rachel Khoo is known to Australians fans for her work on 'The Great Australian Bakeoff', but many years before she appeared on our screens it was cooking out of a small kitchen in her Parisan flat that gave Rachel her first TV role. 'The Little Paris Kitchen' became a hit BBC series and now a memoir of the same name. Rachel speaks to us about the effect of food on culture, knowing which ideas to chase and why the story of this little kitchen took 5 years to tell.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is author and former Hope 103.2 journalist Clare Bruce. In memoir 'Sinner, Saint, Servant', Clare tells the story of Troy White. A onetime policeman, pastor and military chaplain who struggled with PSTD, anxiety and depression, and a growing alcohol addiction his admirers had little awareness of.Clare talks about how to have faith in tandem with struggle, the pressure on ministry leaders, and goes into the world of a writer going from idea to execution and the delicacy of handling someone else’s life story.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the #MeToo movement emboldened victims to speak up about gendered violence, survivors found themselves silenced by defamation laws being used to stop them sharing their experiences. In Silenced, International human rights lawyer and co-author of How Many More Women? Jennifer Robinson shows us how the legal system is used to discredit and financially ruin survivors and journalists reporting on their stories. Jennifer draws on her experience representing Hollywood actress Amber Heard in one of the most high-profile defamation battles in recent history, showing the personal cost of these cases on women like Amber, and locally, former Australian political staffer Brittany Higgins among many guests. Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is Embrace Grace founder Amy Ford. In her teens Amy fell pregnant unexpectedly and, as happens for many young women in the church, was met with judgement, shame and rejection. Her goal since, has been to equip churches to support women in choosing life at such a crucial time in their lives, and see the church as the first place women turn to and not run from.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel stuck? You’re a Christian who loves Jesus, you believe God has a good plan for your life, and yet you feel like something has stalled. Today we’re welcoming back minister and host and author of the Heal with God podcast and book Heather O’Brien.   After years of struggling with depression and leaning into Scripture and prayer, Heather began hearing God’s voice and developing step-by-step tools to help Christians become unstuck – dealing with fear, procrastination, anger, a number of symptoms – that hold us back from living well.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is a photojournalist with Compassion International. For more than 20 years, Edwin Estioko has documented children and families living through poverty, disaster and recovery in the Philippines - one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. His work takes him into communities after typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other crises, often after the initial headlines have moved on. Edwin recently returned from Mindanao, documenting the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated communities across the southern islands of the Philippines.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode relates to end-of-life care. In his memoir ‘As She Chose’, guest Oliver Christen tells the story of his 86-year-old mum and her choice to, in his words, “consciously end a life well lived”. He explores end of life choices through his journey as a son supporting his dying mum. Who, when she can no longer live independently, choices an alternative to a prolonged decline of medications, hospital routines, and lost agency.If the themes of this episode could cause you distress, help is available via Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline 13 11 14.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As July starts, so too does a commitment by many to embrace Dry July. In today’s episode we’re dipping into the archives for a chat with sobriety advocate and wellness coach Justine Santowiak. In 2012 she almost lost her life when her alcohol addiction became too much, entering rehab and forever cutting ties with the substance the controlled her. Justine found a way forward and wants the same for fellow addicts.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you become, and have, a quality friend? Why are adult friendships exhausting sometimes, and could we be better off talking to A.I.? Our guest today is Sheridan Voysey. Author, broadcaster and founder of Friendship Lab, a platform empowering people with the resources they need to make friendships thrive and invest in one of our most neglected relationships.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is former Standford lecturer, author and entrepreneur Nir Eyal. His latest book, 'Beyond Belief', looks at the science behind motivation and achievement, how prayer and ritual effect belief and when quitting is the best option.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today is adoptive mum and founder of Forever Projects Anna Dombkins. Together with her husband Mark, Anna moved to Tanzania and adopted three babies in need of urgent care. Anna’s book 'Home Forever' tells the story of why they left Australia to grow their family, the reality of having six kids now and why she wants adoption to happen less.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re jumping into end time theology about the return of Christ and getting a dose of Bible school with Christian author, speaker and founder of Messenger International, John Bevere. John admits to avoiding the potentially controversial subject for 40 years, but his new book 'The King is Coming' covers what he thinks is a pressing need for people to prepare for the return of Christ and understand their role leading up to it.Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.