Mad Mel’s Mic
Hi there! Welcome to Mad Mel’s Mic!! Thanks for joining me. My name is Melissa and this is a podcast all about me! About my life. About life with PTSD. About my life with a husband, kids and friends. Thanks for tuning in.
Episodes
47 episodes
Stop Living For Other People’s Opinions
Season 2, Episode 12**** trigger warning - talk of mental health and suicide****We follow the thread of “Follow Your Arrow” into the messy reality of PTSD, stigma, and why other people’s opinions can quietly steer our choices. I s...
Jeff Explains How Alcohol Masked PTSD Until It Finally Caught Up
Season 2, Episode 11***TRIGGER WARNING: TALK OF SUICIDE, DEATH AND OTHER TRAUMA RELATED INCIDENTS**** Please listen with caution and seek help where needed.We sit down with Jeff, a medically retired police officer, to talk honestl...
Riding Through Fear
Season 2 Episode 10:We catch up on what’s been happening in my life with PTSD and why “I’m good” can be the easiest answer even when it’s not true. I share how the Never Late Female Posty Ride pushed me straight through fear and still en...
If Words Can Shape A Life What Are Yours Building
Season 2, Episode 9We talk about the parts of my PTSD recovery I rarely say out loud, including how faith helps me keep moving when life feels too heavy. I also share a moment with Rory that reframes body image and self-worth, plus a sto...
Growing Up Together And Facing PTSD After Policing
Season 2, Episode 8We talk with my brother Matthew about our messy, funny sibling history and how my policing career changed the way we both saw the world. He shares what it felt like watching my PTSD unfold, what he got wrong at first, ...
You Are Not A Burden
Season 2, Episode 7I share what’s been on my mind lately, from a reel that reminded me I’m not a burden to the small routines that keep me steady when I start to feel flat. I also tell the full story of our Canberra pickleball weekend, a...
Raising A Future Police Officer Through Trauma
Season 2, Episode 6:Watching PTSD up close is one thing. Watching it happen to your child is another. For this conversation, I bring on my mum and dad to tell the story people rarely hear: what it’s like to raise a strong-willed kid, che...
I’m Learning To Stay Present Even When Anxiety Spikes
Season 2, Episode 5I catch up on a huge week and use a “song of the week” to remind us that everything we are is enough, even on the worst days. I also reflect on how my PTSD recovery shows up in real moments like family parties, anxiety...
Brighter Days Still Count
Season 2, Episode 4We break a two-week silence with a real check-in on PTSD, sleep, and why progress shows up as longer stretches between low days. From pickleball highs to a Bali trip without meds and a surprising psychedelic light sess...
Time Moves Fast, Hold Your People Close
Season 2, Episode 3We explore how fast life feels and why music, small joys, and steady people help us face PTSD and depression. A workshop comparing mental and physical disability weights reframes invisible pain, while a weekend of conc...
How I’m Learning To Be Kind To Myself While Managing PTSD And Real Life
Season 2, episode 2We share a tough week shaped by poor sleep, a medication gap, and that uneasy fear of feeling okay, then map out how the five pillars of PTSD recovery help us build longer stretches between storms. Along the way we own...
When Tomorrow Finally Arrives: Choosing Healing One Footstep At A Time
Season 2, episode 1Season two opens with a clear-eyed check-in on PTSD, family milestones, and the simple habits that shape recovery. We talk sleep, anxiety, honest wins, and a new outpatient program, ending with a gentle nudge to be kin...
Season Finale: Holding Space At Christmas
Season 1 Finale; Episode 35We close the season with a candid look at PTSD, support that actually helps, and the messy balance between ambition, health, and holidays. Music memories, first speaking gigs, and hard-won lessons shape a toolk...
Resilience Speaking - A Sneak Peek
Season 1, Episode 34:We share a preview of Melissa’s resilience talk, moving from a psychiatric ward bed to a microphone and a new sense of purpose. The story reframes PTSD as a quiet, masked struggle and offers hard-won ways ...
You Can’t Fix Me, But Please Stand By Me
We share what a second run through the STAIR program revealed about PTSD, emotion regulation, and the quiet signs of progress. A poem, a song, and a freezer‑door trick anchor simple tools you can use when the threat system takes over.• ...
How Small Habits, Shared Stories, And Support Networks Help Us Heal
Season 1, Episode 32We unpack a song-fueled habit challenge, explore how Emerge N See supports PTSD recovery with real community, and share honest moments from a week of anxiety spikes, parenting teens, and hard-won coping too...
Lightning Storm To Opalite
Season 1, Episode 31We trace a month of real life with PTSD: finding hope in a new Taylor Swift track, fighting a stubborn eye stye, stepping back onto the basketball court, buying a bigger bike, and learning from sleep shifts...
Sisterhood, Unmasked
Season 1 Episode 30:What happens when the person who knows your childhood best sits down to tell the truth about your hardest years? We invited my older sister, Emma, to unpack what PTSD looked like from her side of the glass—...
Masking, Meds, and the Long Walk Back to Myself
Welcome to Episode 29!The song of the week is Taylor Swift’s “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”—a fitting soundtrack for this season of life for me. I then open up about the emotional aftermath of coming off strong anti-de...
Daffodils and Growth: How True Friendship Evolves
Ever wondered what it's really like to stand by someone battling PTSD? This raw, laughter-filled conversation between best friends Melissa and Mel pulls back the curtain on one of the most meaningful relationships in mental health recovery....
This Season Doesn't Define Me
Welcome to Episode 27! Just recapping on last week's episode and wanted to let ya all know that I was not providing commentey about any relationship that I'm in (they are all amazing) when taking about using our precious time carefully. Just wa...
Not Everyone Deserves Your Energy: Lessons on Self-Worth
Hey hey, welcome to Episode 26! I know I kinda ghosted last week—life happened. So today I’m back to catch you up on everything: my health stuff, some deep thoughts on friendships, and yep… 20 years of marriage while juggling PTSD. Wild ride.
Finding Joy Again
Back home after hospital, I'm navigating my emotional landscape while balancing adventures with the need for self-care. My journey includes attending a friend's funeral and weekend trips that have taught me about finding joy amid healing.
My Teenage Son's Surprisingly Chill Take on Living with PTSD
Melissa sits down with her 15-year-old son to discuss how her PTSD diagnosis has impacted him over the past four years, revealing surprising insights about family resilience and emotional growth.• Son shares his experience growing up wi...