“Before hitting rock bottom, I hit the top of the mountain.”

This week, I can’t fully fathom the episode I get to share with the watchers and listeners of the Rock Your Bottom Podcast.

Paul Whatuira played his first game for the Warriors at just 17 years old, and the journey he has been on since has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. In this episode, Paul joins me on the couch to talk about his rise through the NRL, the pressures that came with it, and the battles he faced with his mental health, medication, and drinking. We dive into how his career in the NRL came to an end while he was overseas in England, simply because he was no longer functioning under the weight of the medication he was prescribed.

And now? Paul is running his own business, He Mana a Roto - Internal Strength. WOW.

Paul has walked through some of life’s greatest challenges. From the pressure and expectations of being a young star on the field to the isolation and loneliness he lived with for years, his journey has taken him somewhere he never imagined he could go.

Today, Paul runs He Mana a Roto (Internal Strength), a 12-step programme to wellness built from everything he has learned along his healing journey. He works with rangatahi, parents, and individuals facing their own battles, offering tools, strategies and education to support mental health and well-being. His programme is for anyone, rooted in lived experience, insight and of course, internal strength. It is grounded in helping people become the best version of themselves.

This episode holds so much growth. It offers a real insight into what happens behind the scenes and off the field, the struggles people don’t see, the support that is needed, and the truth that no one is immune to hardship. Paul speaks openly about what has helped him maintain his mental health and overall well-being, and the practices that continue to keep him grounded.

Paul, thank you for your willingness, openness and vulnerability in this episode. Your story is a powerful reminder that wellness has no limits and that anyone can rewrite the ending to their story.

This episode brings Season One of the Rock Your Bottom Podcast to a close. Thank you to every single person who has watched, listened and supported the mahi behind the scenes. This has been a year of learning, growing, listening and sharing, and I truly cannot thank you all enough. I couldn’t think of a more meaningful episode to close the season with.

Season 2 will be coming soon… keep a close eye out in 2026! See you guys then.

Paul's website

https://www.internalstrength.nz/

Paul's documentary i talk about in the episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4mFk29HP_U&t=1052s

Support the Rock Your Bottom podcast by subscribing, liking, and sharing it far and wide. You never know who might need to hear one of these conversations.❤️ - Leave me a comment on what you enjoyed most about the episode!

You can listen to this episode on all platforms, wherever you get your podcasts.📲Follow us on socials to stay updated with what’s happening and who’s coming on next!

TikTok: rockyourbottomofficial

Instagram: rockyourbottom

Facebook: Rock Your Bottom

If you’re struggling, please know: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

📞 Alcohol and Other Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797

📞Need to talk?: 1737

Want to get in touch?

Email: rockyourbottomofficial@gmail.com

This week’s episode is an incredible one. I’m joined by Lachie Samuel Mariu, all the way from Perth, who opens up and shares his raw and honest journey through life. From being sexually abused as a child, to running away from South Auckland in his late teens, landing a FIFO job, and navigating the heavy culture that came with it. Lachie’s story is filled with powerful twists and turns. He also shares the moment he discovered that the daughter he had raised for 10 years wasn’t biologically his, his battles with mental health, substance use, and weight gain, and, more recently, the serious health challenges he’s faced, including heart problems, a stroke, memory loss, and nearly losing his life.

Lachie opens up about the impact his journey has had on his relationships, the toll that FIFO life took on his mental health, and what day-to-day reality in that environment was really like. He speaks honestly about the process of finding his way out, without skipping past the mental, physical, and emotional battles he faced along the way. His story is a raw reminder of the strength it takes to rebuild, and the power of choosing healing even when life has stripped you bare.

After spending over a decade within the FIFO world, Lachie has now turned his pain into purpose. He speaks at conferences, runs FIFO mental health groups, and works one-on-one with individuals, helping them navigate the same challenges he once faced. His journey into this work began after leaving FIFO, when he started his own podcast, creating a space for honest conversations with people who’ve been through tough life experiences and showing others that healing is possible.

The conversation Lachie and I shared was packed with so much insight, but what stood out to me most was the way he brings awareness to the bigger picture, that mental health matters for everyone. His openness is a reminder that you never truly know what someone might be going through, and just how important it is to keep these conversations alive.

A massive thank you to Lachie for sharing his journey in the hope that it reaches the next person who needs to hear it. You can find Lachie on Instagram @lachiesamuel, where he regularly shares updates, and through his website at www.lachiesamuel.com.

Support the Rock Your Bottom podcast by subscribing, liking, and sharing it far and wide. You never know who might need to hear one of these conversations.❤️ - Leave me a comment on what you enjoyed most about the episode!

You can listen to this episode on all platforms, wherever you get your podcasts.📲

Follow us on socials to stay updated with what’s happening and who’s coming on next!

TikTok: rockyourbottomofficial

Instagram: rockyourbottom

Facebook: Rock Your Bottom

If you’re struggling, please know: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

📞 Alcohol and Other Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797

📞Safe to talk - Sexual harm helpline: 0800 044 334

Want to get in touch?

Email: rockyourbottomofficial@gmail.com

This week, Paige Swaney joins me on the couch to share her powerful journey from addiction to recovery/sobriety and the impact mental health challenges have had along the way. At just 25 years old, Paige has over two years of recovery under her belt and a story that’s as raw as it is inspiring.

Residing here in Tāmaki Makaurau, Paige is young, full of love and light, and truly one of a kind. She opens up about getting sober at 23, navigating early recovery, and the intense challenges she’s faced with her mental health, including chronic nausea, anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts. Paige’s honesty and strength shine through as she shares the moment she realised substances were no longer serving her and how she began rebuilding her life from the inside out.

My favourite part of this conversation is the courage Paige brings to the table. She reminds us that you don’t have to meet any “criteria” or age to decide you have a problem with substances. Addiction does not discriminate, and her story is a powerful reminder of how something as common and accepted as alcohol can quickly take a real turn for the worse.

A massive thank you to Paige for her time, for sharing her journey, and for being a true role model for the up-and-coming youth walking in similar shoes. It’s people like Paige, those willing to share their stories in the hope of helping others realise that anything is possible and that no one has to face their challenges alone, who make conversations like this so meaningful.

Today, Paige is a lived experience Peer Support Worker, walking alongside others who are facing similar struggles to those she has overcome herself, a true inspiration to many.

This was an amazing kōrero, and I hope you enjoy listening to or watching it as much as we enjoyed having it.

Support the Rock Your Bottom podcast by subscribing, liking, and sharing it far and wide. You never know who might need to hear one of these conversations.❤️ - Leave me a comment on what you enjoyed most about the episode!

You can listen to this episode on all platforms, wherever you get your podcasts.📲

Follow us on socials to stay updated with what’s happening and who’s coming on next!

TikTok: rockyourbottomofficial

Instagram: rockyourbottom

Facebook: Rock Your Bottom

If you’re struggling, please know: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

📞 Alcohol and Other Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797

Want to get in touch?

Email: rockyourbottomofficial@gmail.com