About Our Guest
John Hendry OAM, has taught in schools for over 50 years. He is a Life Member of Career Development Association of Australia and consultant to UNESCO in Bullying and School Violence. An ongoing “advisor” to Parents Victoria since 2017 and Active Education Australia. Formerly the Director of Student Welfare at Geelong Grammar School, John is a man of many talents and has received an OAM (Education) and an OAM (Cricket).
How One Man Transformed a Lifelong Challenge Into a Blueprint for Forgiveness, Resilience and Hope
In this moving conversation, John Hendry OAM shares how a childhood stammer became the foundation for a lifetime of choosing compassion, forgiveness, and hope.
From his earliest days at school, John discovered that the people who looked beyond his stammer shaped everything. A patient teacher, kind peers, and believing parents taught him that his challenges didn’t define him.
But the deepest truth he would ever learn came through tragedy. On his seventeenth birthday, after losing his younger brother in a traffic accident, John witnessed his father choose forgiveness in the darkest moment imaginable. In that moment, John learned the blueprint for living: choose forgiveness, choose connection, choose hope.
Over fifty years of teaching, and two Orders of Australia, John built a philosophy on the principle: forgiveness is not weakness, it’s the most enabling tool we possess. He learned to navigate life non-adversarially, to speak to himself with “and” instead of “but,” and to embody the principle that quality relationships with ourselves and others are the foundation of resilience.
John’s Tips
Manage fear so it doesn’t control you
Fear shuts down clear thinking, learn to calm yourself before reacting.Seek understanding, not reaction
In conflict, focus on understanding the other person’s perspective rather than escalating.Practice forgiveness to free yourself
Holding onto anger disables you; forgiveness helps you move forward.Build relationships on giving, not taking
Strong, lasting relationships are based on contribution, not transaction.
John’s Contact Details
Email: takethesingle@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendry-john-5504b037/
John’s References
Scroll up to listen to this episode on Substack.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music and Audible.
Time Stamps
00:00 Overcoming Stammering: A Journey Begins
02:32 The Role of Relationships in Managing Fear
06:29 The Impact of School on Self-Perception
08:12 Finding Self-Worth Through Sports
10:55 The Importance of Hope and Trust in Education
13:35 Forgiveness: A Key to Resilience
17:41 Navigating Forgiveness and Relationships
19:13 The Power of Non-Adversarial Relationships
23:40 Understanding Inhibiting Factors in Performance
28:04 The Role of Forgiveness in Personal Growth
32:38 Managing Fear and Emotional Responses
40:29 It’s A Wrap
If anything in this episode resonated with you and if you feel like you could use a little extra support, please consider reaching out to trusted local support services in your area. You don’t have to go through it alone.
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