Season 1, Episode 5: What I Learned When I Felt Like a Failure

What I Learned When I Felt Like a Failure: An Interview with Sarah Burt

Sarah is one of our regular contributors at Stories I’d Tell You at Dinner. Sarah shared what she learned from her experience of postnatal depression.

Sarah grew up in a non-Christian family in Albany, met some Christian friends in high school, then Jesus became her Lord and Saviour while at University. She now lives with her husband and two boys, two dogs and a number of chooks on a farm near Tambellup in the Great Southern. She is a school officer by day, and enjoys writing fiction and performing in amateur theatre in her spare time.

Show Notes

Thanks for listening to Season 1, Episode 3 of The After Dinner Mint, a podcast of Stories I’d Tell You at Dinner. Thanks for sharing your day with us!

We are interviewing all of our regular contributors in Season 1 of the podcast for you to get to know them better. Today’s guest is Sarah Burt, who lives on a farm in the Great Southern.

In today’s episode, we explore:

  • The joys of amateur theatre and getting out into nature 

  • The slow process of coming to Christ from a secular family through friends, Christian Union, and God’s gentle leading.

  • Sarah’s experiences of postnatal depression, what she learned about God’s character, and what helped her heal.

  • Encouragement for those struggling with depression and for those struggling postpartum.

If you are struggling postpartum, you can contact the PANDA National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline, or with depression in different circumstances you can contact Life Line on 13 11 14.

You can also book an appointment with your GP for a Mental Health Care Plan. They can refer you for sessions with a psychologist or social worker under Medicare. If you’re in regional or remote Western Australia, these can even be done via telehealth.

Mentioned in this episode:

Meredith van der Klip

King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) Mother Baby Unit

Fiona Stanley Hospital Mother Baby Unit

YUMMY BROWNIES

Ingredients

125g melted butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 eggs

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence 

1 and 1/2 cups caster sugar

3/4 cup plain flour


Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C and line a medium (22x22cm) square baking pan with baking paper.

2. Put all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

3. Add melted butter and stir well.

4. Whisk the eggs and vanilla essence together. Add to the mixture and mix until smooth.

5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until firm to touch. Allow the brownies to cool in the tray before cutting and serving.


(Thermomix method: Melt butter for 2-3 minutes on 60C, speed 4. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix for 30 seconds on speed 5. Pour into pan and bake).


Makes 16 medium brownies.


TOO EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE (from Thermomix cookbook)

Ingredients

120g butter

2 eggs

100g milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

120g sugar

120g self-raising flour

30g cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare a small ring tin or 20cm square pan.

2. Place butter in Thermomix bowl and melt for 2 minutes on 60C on speed 4.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix for 30 seconds on speed 5.

4. Pour into cake tin and bake in centre of pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes.

5. Dust with icing sugar and serve. Delicious while still warm and served with cream.

Nomination

Sarah nominated Leigh-Aire Hall as someone who encourages her and would love to hear from next 🫶🏻

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Season 1, Episode 4: Escaping Small Talk