What the Misfire Taught Me: Letting Go of Shame and Learning to Live Again with Bruce Simpson Artwork

Navigating Disability

Welcome to the Navigating Disability Podcast Show!! Your hosts, Kate Read and Jenn Abbott are committed to changing the narrative around 'normal' and 'ability' and look so forward to sharing our weekly guests with you! Get ready to be inspired, empowered and enlivened as we dive into education, lived experiences, expert advice, behind the scenes on political movements and how YOU, our listeners can THRIVE within your community!

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Navigating Disability

What the Misfire Taught Me: Letting Go of Shame and Learning to Live Again with Bruce Simpson

July 22, 2025 • Kate Read and Jenn Abbott • Episode 34

In this raw episode of Navigating Disability, hosts Kate Read and Jenn Abbott sit down with Bruce Simpson, a seasoned trial lawyer, disability advocate, and survivor of a profound mental health crisis.

Bruce opens up about what led to the moment his life nearly ended. A missed court deadline during recovery from a brain bleed, a career built on perfectionism, and decades of silent suffering brought him to the edge. But when his carefully planned final act didn’t go as expected, Bruce was forced to confront not only the weight of his despair but also the possibility of healing. One bullet didn’t fire, and everything changed.

What followed was four days in a psychiatric hospital, months of therapy and medication, and a radical shift in purpose. Now, Bruce uses his voice to challenge stigma, advocate for mental health equality, and remind others that they are not alone. With a semicolon tattooed on one hand and “I’m not finished” inked across the other, Bruce’s story is a battle cry for honesty, humanity, and hope.

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussions of mental health crises and self-harm. If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out to Lifeline at 13 11 14 (Australia) or 988 (US).

🎧 Listen now, share this powerful story, and don’t forget to subscribe.