Who We Are
Experience Strength is passionately committed to smashing the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction. Through the power of real-life experiences, we aim to educate, enlighten, and empower individuals and communities. Our mission is to foster understanding, promote acceptance, and give hope, one story at a time.
Scott Bellinger
Fueled by an unshakeable commitment to helping others and a magnetic presence on stage, Scotty launched Experience Strength.
Scott Bellinger is a powerful voice in the fight against addiction stigma, bringing both personal experience and professional expertise to his work as a coach, mentor, and recovery advocate. As a cancer survivor and person in recovery from addiction, Scott understands firsthand the challenges of overcoming life's toughest battles and the strength it takes to rebuild.
With a passion for education and breaking down barriers, Scott shares his compelling story of recovery to help others understand that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. His authentic approach to discussing addiction and recovery has made him a sought-after speaker who connects deeply with diverse audiences, from corporate settings to community groups and treatment facilities.
As a dedicated coach and mentor, Scott has guided countless individuals on their own journeys toward healing and personal growth. His compassionate yet direct style helps people navigate the complexities of recovery while building the tools they need for long-term success.
When he's not speaking or mentoring, Scott can be found on the water with a fishing line in hand, finding peace and perspective in nature's quiet moments. A passionate Sydney Swans supporter, he brings the same loyalty and enthusiasm to his team that he does to his mission of changing lives through his story.
Scott's message is clear: recovery is possible, stigma can be overcome, and every person deserves the chance to write a new chapter in their story. Through his speaking engagements, he continues to inspire hope and create understanding around one of society's most misunderstood challenges.
Mark Welder
Mark combines personal stories with evidence-based insights to connect deeply with audiences.
At the age of 54, Mark is a father, grandfather, and 14 years clean from drugs and alcohol. His addiction began at the tender age of 14, growing up on Brisbane’s southside, where early exposure led to a 26-year struggle with alcohol, meth, heroin, and crime. By the age of 24, he'd entered his first rehab facility, but despite several attempts—including a year-long stay in 2003—his addiction persisted, costing him his family and freedom.
In 2011, at rock bottom and ready to end his life, Mark had a moment of clarity—a vision of his daughters that pulled him back. The next day, he reached out and asked for help, commenced treatment, and began a new chapter. He’s been clean ever since.
Today, Mark is a committed father, an active member of Narcotics Anonymous, and a respected professional and trusted presence in the recovery community. For the past nine years, he’s worked at the Hader Clinic, guiding others through their own healing journeys. He’s helped over 3,000 patients, drawing on lived experience, vast knowledge and clinical insight.
Now living on the Sunshine Coast with his daughter, he has a passion for life, his family, his community and sharing his experiences with others. Mark is living proof that recovery is possible—and that it’s never too late to change your life or story.
Josh Withers
Josh is not just a speaker. He’s a catalyst for change!
Josh is a passionate and relatable speaker with a mission: to break the stigma surrounding addiction, foster real understanding, and empower individuals and organisations to build compassionate, supportive environments. His story is raw, real, and rooted in lived experience—from spiraling through addiction to finding clarity, purpose, and healing.
For Josh, addiction wasn’t just a personal struggle—it was a complex and isolating battle that tore through families, relationships, and self-worth. Recovery felt impossible. Nothing clicked until he met another recovering addict who simply said: “If you live a life where you do good things, you’re going to feel good.” That moment of raw truth hit home.
And then, came The Tale of Two Wolves…
A young Cherokee boy asks his grandmother, “Which wolf will win, the good one or the bad one?” She replies, “The one you feed.”
That lesson changed Josh’s life. He began feeding the good wolf — choosing honesty over hiding, effort over escape, contribution over chaos.
Today, Josh channels his story into a movement, Experience Strength, a platform built for those navigating addiction, especially young people. He’s launched a streetwear and active lifestyle brand, facilitated education and recovery-focused classes and promoted fitness, nutrition, sleep, and community connection as foundations for recovery.
As a lived experience advocate and recovery educator, Josh blends vulnerable storytelling with practical tools. His sessions are real, relatable, and deeply moving.
Ron Isherwood
Often referred to as the God Father of recovery, Ron shares what empowered him to change his life and how he helps others do the same.
Ron Isherwood brings over four decades of experience as an addiction specialist and the Director of The Truth About Addiction, where he has supported countless individuals on their journey to recovery. With 42 years of sobriety, he doesn’t just speak about recovery—he lives it. This lived experience allows him to connect with others on a level that clinical training alone cannot provide. His work is not based on judgment but on genuine connection, resilience, and the belief that everyone has the capacity to heal.
At the age of 17, Ron became a victim of institutional abuse—an experience that remained buried in his heart for more than 50 years. Though the pain was long hidden, it was never forgotten. Listening to the voices of other survivors gave Ron the strength to confront his own trauma, and today, he courageously shares his story to empower others to speak out.
Today, through Beyond Lighthouse, Ron channels his personal journey into purpose. He supports survivors of institutional sexual abuse—those who, like him, have felt unheard for too long. Combining his professional expertise in addiction recovery with a trauma-informed approach, Ron helps survivors navigate the complex pathways to justice, healing, and self-empowerment. His life’s work is a testament to the power of lived experience, and a beacon of hope for those still finding their way.
Renae Connors
A Strong Woman with a Powerful Story
Renae Connors is a powerful voice of transformation, recovery, and resilience who brings authentic lived experience to her speaking engagements. From the tight-knit coastal community of Newcastle, Renae's journey exemplifies the complex path from high achievement to addiction, and ultimately to sustained recovery and purpose-driven living.
As a former successful personal trainer and business owner, Renae built a thriving fitness enterprise while simultaneously battling the hidden struggles of addiction. Her professional achievements masked a deeper battle with substance dependency that ultimately led to the loss of her business, strained family relationships, and questionable decision making. This duality of outward success and inner turmoil gives her unique insight into the challenges faced by high-functioning individuals struggling with addiction and mental illness.
Renae's recovery story began when her desire to improve her life became greater than her desire to escape it. After hitting rock bottom and having to face the devastating consequences of her choices, she committed to comprehensive treatment through a dual-diagnosis rehabilitation program addressing both addiction and mental health challenges including depression and anxiety.
Renae's message centers on the truth that recovery is not a destination but an ongoing journey of growth, connection, and service. She emphasises that while the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of early recovery will pass, the work of building a meaningful life requires daily commitment, professional support, and authentic community connection.
Renae believes in the power of turning defects into assets, using her past struggles as tools to help others see their own potential for transformation. Her work is grounded in the understanding that sustainable change requires both inner work and outer support, and that true healing comes through service to others walking similar paths.
Mitch Knuth
Mitch stands as living proof that no matter how far someone has fallen, recovery is possible, and life can be rebuilt from the ground up.
Mitch Knuth's story begins on a cattle property in Charters Towers, where strong family values and hard work shaped his early years before moving to Townsville for education. Despite this solid foundation, Mitch was swept into a work-hard, party-hard culture that would ultimately define his life's greatest battle. At just 15 years old, his first encounter with drugs delivered an overwhelming sense of bliss that transformed casual experimentation into an all-consuming obsession, setting the stage for years of hidden struggle beneath a carefully maintained facade.
For over a decade, Mitch masterfully juggled two lives—completing trade qualifications, building a successful business, marrying, and raising three children while his addiction steadily consumed everything he had worked to achieve. Legal troubles in 2005 marked the beginning of his downward spiral, met initially with blame and denial rather than accountability. As his life grew increasingly chaotic, Mitch sought escape through geographic changes and career shifts, including underground mining work, but his addiction followed him everywhere, ultimately destroying his marriage through lies and manipulation.
The path to recovery proved tumultuous, with Mitch initially leaving rehabilitation only to experience a three-week relapse more severe than anything before, including another suicide attempt and return to psychosis. However, this setback became his true turning point when a powerful conversation with a program coordinator and an unexpected visit from his parents led to complete surrender. Recommitting fully to recovery, Mitch completed a rigorous 90-day inpatient program followed by an intensive 25-week outpatient program, and pursued a Certificate III in Community Services to extend his healing into service for others.
Today, with two years of sustained sobriety, Mitch stands as living proof that recovery can deliver everything drugs promise but never provide: genuine happiness, restored relationships, and purposeful living. He has rebuilt his construction business on honesty and integrity, reconnected with his children, and returned to the simple joys of fishing, boating, and camping. Through sponsoring others in recovery, volunteering in rehabilitation facilities, and passionate speaking engagements, Mitch demonstrates that no matter how far someone has fallen, recovery is possible and life can be completely rebuilt from the ground up.
Andrew clarke
The Everyday Aussie with a Relatable Story
Andrew Clarke is the kind of bloke you'd meet at any pub, footy club, or construction site across Australia. Born and raised in Perth, Andrew's story begins like so many others - a loving family, weekend sports, good mates, and the usual school antics. What makes Andrew's journey remarkable isn't where it started, but where it led him and how he found his way back.
Andrew's message is powerful in its simplicity: "Addiction and mental illness don’t discriminate.” They can touch anyone - the tradie next door, the mate at the pub, or the parent dropping the kids off at school. His story encompasses what many Aussie’s consider “normal” - after work beers, betting on the horses and a flutter on the pokies. But, following a relationship breakdown, Andrew found himself struggling with depression, battling ADHD and living pay to pay, due to his spiralling drinking and gambling.
Andrew connects with audiences because he is them - he's the everyday Australian who proves that recovery is possible, that help is available, and that there's no shame in asking for it. His down-to-earth approach and genuine nature make him relatable to working-class Australians who might otherwise feel that addiction recovery stories don't speak to their experience.
When Andrew takes the stage, audiences don't just hear a recovery story - they hear from someone who could be their brother, their workmate, or themselves. His authenticity, combined with his journey from the depths of addiction to becoming someone who gets a "massive kick out of helping others," makes him a powerful voice for hope and change.
Rick Fontyn
A seasoned veteran of the public speaking circuit, Rick is passionate about providing a voice to the unheard stories of recovery.
Rick Fontyn is the Director of Fontyn Media, and is a highly experienced media professional with a distinguished career in:
- Sports hosting & commentating
- Event Management
- Master of Ceremonies (sport, corporate & charity events)
With his extensive background in the media industry and genuine passion for sport, Rick has established himself as a trusted voice in the industry in his home state of Tasmania and across the country.
As a seasoned emcee, Rick brings energy, professionalism and authenticity to every event he hosts. His expertise as a sports presenter has seen him cover major sporting events and engage audiences across various platforms, combining his deep knowledge of sport with exceptional communication skills. Some of Rick’s clients include:
- Tennis Australia
- Hawthorn Football Club
- Supercars
"You can't do it on your own," Rick emphasises when discussing mental health recovery. He believes strongly in the power of support networks - friends, family, organisations, and professional support structures - as essential elements in helping people navigate mental health challenges and addiction.
Rick is committed to collaborating with organisations and advocates to spread awareness about mental health issues and provide hope to those who are struggling. He recognises that no one is immune to mental health challenges, whether through direct experience or indirect impact, and is dedicated to using his platform and experience to make a positive difference in people's lives.
Through his work with Fontyn Media and his advocacy efforts, Rick continues to combine his professional expertise with his passion for helping others.