What really happens in the final moments of life?

In this moving episode of Hey Soul Sista, Mel sits down with death doula, plant medicine practitioner and spiritual guide, Kat Courtney, to explore what she has witnessed after sitting with people as they transition from life to death.

Kat shares extraordinary insights from more than two decades working with dying patients, near-death experiences, spirit communication, and plant medicine journeys including ayahuasca.

Together, we explore:

• What people see in their final moments
• Whether loved ones really appear before death
• What it feels like to leave the body
• How plant medicine reveals the nature of the soul
• The experience of ayahuasca rituals
• Why death may not be an ending, but a transition

This conversation is not about fear—it’s about meaning, presence, and what it really means to live fully while we are here.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when we die, or felt a connection to something beyond this life, this episode will stay with you.

Connect with KAT COURTNEY: 

• Instagram @plantmedicinepeople
• Website: plantmedicinepeople.com 
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @PlantMedicinePeople

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic event in our hometown of Newcastle has sparked a much bigger conversation about the world we are living in.

In this episode of Hey Soul Sista, host, Mel Histon, is joined by writer and social commentator Alex Morris to explore one of the most complex questions of our time:

Are we becoming safer… or slowly giving away our freedom?

After the devastating loss of a young man on Beaumont Street, calls for increased CCTV surveillance have divided the community — raising deeper questions about safety, control, and how societies respond to fear.

Together, Alex and Mel explore:

• The emotional impact of violence in close-knit communities
• Why fear often drives calls for more surveillance and control
• Whether CCTV actually prevents crime or simply records it
• The “slippery slope” between protection and overreach
• How technology is reshaping privacy and human behaviour
• What books like Nineteen Eighty-Four reveal about surveillance, power, and control
• And whether it’s possible to build a society based on trust rather than fear

This is not a black-and-white conversation.

It’s a human one.

A reflection on how we respond to tragedy, how fear shapes policy, and what it really means to feel free in today’s world.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when the life you’ve built over decades begins to fall apart?

In this deeply moving episode of Hey Soul Sista, I sit down with acclaimed author and journalist Karina Machado — the writer behind the beloved books Spirit Sisters, Where Spirits Dwell, and Love Never Dies.

For years, Karina has dedicated her work to exploring extraordinary real-life stories of spiritual experiences, intuition, and connection beyond the physical world.

But in midlife, she found herself living her own.

After the gradual end of her 27-year marriage, Karina entered what she describes as a profound tarot “Tower moment” — a time of loss, identity unraveling, and deep emotional transformation.

And then something began to shift.

Not in an overnight, dramatic way… but through subtle experiences of meaning, synchronicity, and life feeling strangely alive with messages and guidance.

In this conversation, Karina shares:

• The emotional reality of her marriage ending after 27 years
• What it feels like when your identity begins to dissolve in midlife
• How creativity and writing became a lifeline through grief and change
• The synchronicities and meaningful experiences that began to emerge
• Why she believes midlife is not a crisis — but a powerful threshold of awakening
• The inspiration behind her app Reconnect & Create
• And how women can begin to reconnect with their inner voice, creativity, and truth

We also explore powerful themes of spiritual experience, intuition, and the invisible threads that seem to guide us through life’s most uncertain moments.

Karina’s perspective is both grounded and deeply expansive — shaped by decades of storytelling, journalism, and listening to others share their most intimate encounters with the unseen.

This is an episode about endings… but also what becomes possible when we allow something new to emerge.

✨ If this episode resonates with you, share it with a woman who may be navigating change, grief, or a midlife awakening.

💛 Follow Hey Soul Sista for more conversations on healing, intuition, spirituality, and soulful living.

Connect with Karina Machado: 

• App Reconnect & Create App
• Podcast Spirit Sisters Podcast
• Watch the Spirit Sisters Podcast on YouTube
• Connect with me on Substack
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with Mel Histon:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Follow Hey Soul Sista on Instagram: @heysoulsistapodcast
• Follow Mel on Instagram: @melissahiston 
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista 
• Website: heysoulsista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After sharing Melissa Demery’s deeply moving story, two weeks ago, something unexpected happened…

Hundreds of you reached out — sharing your own experiences of loss, connection, and moments that felt impossible to explain. Stories of sensing your loved ones, dreaming of them, feeling their presence… and knowing, somehow, they were still with you.

In this follow-up episode, I sit down with psychic medium and psychiatric nurse Rebecca Gibson to explore the question we all ask at some point:

What actually happens when we die?

This is not about proving one truth — it’s about opening a conversation.

Together, we explore:

• The difference between the body and the “soul”
• What happens in the moments around death
• Why so many people experience signs from loved ones
• Dreams, sensations, and unexplainable connections
• Different spiritual and religious perspectives on the afterlife
• The role of belief, scepticism, and grief
• And ultimately… what this means for how we live

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:
“Are they still with me?”

And for those who have felt it… and just needed to know they’re not alone.

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

• Many Lives, Many Masters – Dr. Brian Weiss
• Proof of Heaven – Dr. Eben Alexander
• Angels in My Hair – Lorna Byrne
• Where Spirits Dwell – Karina Machado

Connect with Mel Histon:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!  
• Follow Hey Soul Sista on Instagram: @heysoulsistapodcast 
• Follow Mel on Instagram: @melissahiston 
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista 
• Website: heysoulsista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the people we love never really leave?

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Hey Soul Sista, Mel Histon sits down with psychic medium Barbra Banner to explore what really happens after we die — and how those on the other side may still be guiding, protecting, and communicating with us.

Barbra shares how her psychic abilities awakened later in life through a series of unexplainable experiences… from lights flickering to spirit encounters in her own home. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling.

Together, they dive into:

• What happens to the soul after death
• Signs your loved ones are still around you
• How spirit communicates (and what we often miss)
• The truth about soul contracts and past lives
• Why we choose our life experiences — even the painful ones
• How to reconnect with your intuition and inner knowing

Mel also opens up about her own personal experience with a loved one visiting her after death — a moment that completely shifted her perspective on the spirit world.

Connect with Barbra:

• Website: bannermedium.com

Connect with Mel Histon:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista! 
• Follow Hey Soul Sista on Instagram: @heysoulsistapodcast 
• Follow Mel on Instagram: @melissahiston 
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista 
• Website: heysoulsista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is one of the most tender and powerful conversations I've ever shared on Hey Soul Sista.

My childhood friend, Melissa Demery, is a mother, dietician, and the heart behind the charity Charlie’s Run for Kids — but before anything else, she is Charlie Carr’s mum.

Charlie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just eight months old and spent her entire life courageously battling cancer. She passed away at eight years old.

In this episode, Mel shares:

• The moment she was told her baby had stage 4 cancer
• What it’s like to live through multiple relapses
• The reality of palliative care as a mother
• The impact of grief on relationships and identity
• The heartbreaking conversation telling her son his sister would die
• The moment Charlie took her final breath in her arms
• All she has learned about love, acceptance and living your best life with joy!

She also shares a profound experience after Charlie’s passing that completely changed her understanding of life, death, and the soul.

This is a conversation about grief…
But also about courage, motherhood, legacy, and choosing to live fully — even after unimaginable loss.

Connect with Charlie's Run for Kids:

• Instagram: charliesrun4kids
• Website: https://www.charliesr4k.com/

Connect with Mel Histon: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Follow Hey Soul Sista on Instagram: @heysoulsistapodcast
• Follow Mel on Instagram: @melissahiston
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all say it: “I was so triggered.”
But what’s actually happening in our brain, body, and nervous system when that wave hits?

In this deeply honest and practical conversation, host Mel Histon, sits down with psychologist Kaz Amos to unpack the science and the soul of emotional triggers — why they happen, where they come from, and how we can finally heal them.

Mel shares powerful personal stories — from family conflict to cancer surgeries — revealing how past experiences can live quietly in the body for years before suddenly resurfacing. Kaz brings clarity and compassion, explaining the psychology behind reactivity, trauma, nervous system responses, and why our reactions often make sense when we understand our history.

You’ll learn:

• What a trigger really is (and why it’s not “being dramatic”)
• The difference between reacting and responding
• How childhood and family experiences shape our emotional wiring
• Why small moments can feel overwhelming
• The surprising ways trauma lives in the body
• Practical tools to calm yourself in the moment
• How Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps reframe thoughts
• What EMDR therapy is and how it helps heal trauma
• A simple SOS technique to regulate your nervous system fast
• Whether true emotional healing is possible

You are not broken. Your nervous system is trying to protect you.
And healing is possible.

🎧 Listen now and take the first step toward responding — not reacting.

Connect with Kaz:

• Follow Kaz on Instagram: kaz.amos
• Website: kazamos.com.au 
• Through the Hummingbird Centre for psychology sessions, workshops, and speaking engagements. Hummingbird Centre

Connect with Mel:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Follow Hey Soul Sista on Instagram: @heysoulsistapodcast
• Follow Mel on Instagram: @melissahiston
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this empowering episode, host Mel Histon and her guests, dive into why so many women hold back their voices—and why fear of judgment shouldn’t stop you from speaking up. Join Mel, Jamie Abbott and Alex Morris to explore:

• Real stories of courage, authenticity, and speaking your truth

• How societal pressures and “middle-age judgment” impact women

• Practical advice for overcoming fear and embracing your confidence

• Inspiring examples of women reclaiming their voices—regardless of age or background

Whether it’s speaking on stage, sharing your story online, or standing up in everyday life, this episode is your reminder: you’ll always be judged, so why not speak your truth anyway?

Listen in to feel empowered, inspired, and ready to show up as your boldest self.

Connect with JAIMIE ABBOTT: 

• Follow Jaimie on Instagram: @jaimieabbott www.jaimieabbott.com.au
• Listen Jaimie's podcast: Pitch Perfect with Jaimie Abbott

Connect with ALEX MORRIS:

• Instagram @alexmorriswrite
• Substack: alexmorriswrite.substack.com
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Hey Soul Sista, Mel Histon sits down with domestic violence advocate Tabitha Acret.

In 2022, Tabitha’s daughter Mackenzie Anderson was brutally murdered by her former partner in an act of domestic violence. Mackenzie was just 21 years old.

In the aftermath of unimaginable grief, Tabitha has turned her pain into purpose — becoming a powerful voice calling for stronger protections for women and children and reform within the justice system.

In this raw and courageous conversation, Tabitha shares:

• Who Mackenzie was as a person
• The devastating moment her world changed forever
• Navigating the justice system after Mackenzie’s murder
• The sentencing of Mackenzie’s killer
• How grief transformed into advocacy
• Why she is fighting to change the system for other families

This episode was recorded during the week of International Women’s Day and serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing fight to end violence against women.

Mackenzie’s story matters. And Tabitha’s voice is helping drive change.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence and homicide. Please take care while listening.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Shelton Wilder — a powerhouse Los Angeles real estate agent, founder of Wilder Women Networking, and the fearless leader of a thriving all-female team. She’s a mum of two boys, proudly sober for over 15 years, and someone who has completely rebuilt her life from the ground up.

From launching a clothing line and appearing on Shark Tank to hitting rock bottom with bankruptcy and rehab, Shelton’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. She turned every setback into a stepping stone, pivoted into real estate, and became one of LA’s most successful agents — all while supporting women in business and helping communities rebuild after devastating fires.

In this episode, Shelton shares:

• How she turned failure and loss into fuel for success

• Lessons from building an all-female real estate team

• Her vision for the Pacific Palisades’ recovery and future

• The power of sobriety, resilience, and reinvention

This is a story of courage, reinvention, and rising stronger than ever — a must-listen for anyone chasing dreams, overcoming setbacks, or building their own empire.

Connect with SHELTON WILDER:

• Instagram @sheltonwilderestates
• Website: sheltonwilder.com

Connect with MEL HISTON: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.