How many of us meander and stumble along in “a life that is expected of us?” For Rochelle Pattison, that meant pursuing a successful career in law and finance, getting married and having kids.

Growing up as a young boy in a regional NSW town, Rochelle knew that she was different, but believed she had to hide that difference. As a teenager, she worked hard, and excelled at sport, music and academia while boarding at an all-boys boarding school in Melbourne. So, when her Dad pulled her aside to tell her she was “too prissy,” she was hurt and terrified.

After living under a painful cloak of secrecy, lies, and shame for decades, Rochelle made a decision to explore her agony in therapy, as well as open up to the only person who knew her secret, in a quest to discover her true self.

In this conversation with Rochelle, we learn what it’s like to live with unbearable shame and the distress of living a life that’s inauthentic to who you are at your very core. We also glean emotional insights into what can ensue when you tell your partner of 29 years that you’re not who they think you are.

However, don’t be fooled. This is not only a conversation of gender dysphoria, but a powerful story of the fight to live as the real you, the you that you always sensed you were. And that makes it a profoundly human story that could be yours or mine, but luckily for our treasured Human Cogs listeners, this is Rochelle’s story.

Guest: Rochelle Pattison
Socials: Instagram, LinkedIn

Hosts: Sabina Read and Madeleine Grummet
Producer: Daryl Missen at Purple Wax

Human Cogs is available on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts or via our website.

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Suffering Now But Glory Forever