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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.

• outpatient stay at St John of God and why it helps 
• STAIR explained as skills for emotion, communication, and boundaries 
• feeling again after numbness and noticing growth 
• drive, soothe, threat systems and why soothe shrinks in PTSD 
• SUDS check‑ins, naming emotions, and body mapping 
• practicing skills in the green zone to use in red 
• fast arousal drops with cold, space, and grounding 
• upcoming courses on sleep and trauma recovery 
• pickleball, Persian food, and a lesson in humility 
• season plan, holiday pause, and self‑kindness over comparison

You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and don’t forget to like and follow

Song of the Week:

Andra Day - Rise Up

https://youtu.be/lwgr_IMeEgA

Thought of the Week:

"There will be a lot of posts soon from people sharing how much they achieved in 2025. But, in case someone needs to hear this.... It's okay if the only thing you did this year was just get through it"

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Season 1, Episode 32

We 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 tools. Hope shows up through small steps, skilled support, and a thought that reframes struggle.

• song of the week and a one-habit challenge
• why Emerge N See exists and who it helps
• Connect Hubs as safe, funded peer connection
• donations and plans to interview the founders
• anxiety during everyday life and sport
• parenting teenagers while protecting recovery time
• coping unmedicated with CBD and THC oils
• outpatient skills program and Remembrance Day support
• craft, joy, and a reflection on post-traumatic growth

If everybody could take the time to share it, that would be amazing as well
You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and don't forget to like and follow

Song of the Weeks:

Kasey Musgraves - Deeper Well

https://youtu.be/TGkMYMxi-hw?si=G3UFnMiqxkxS1R31

Thought of the week:

"one day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful" 

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Season 1, Episode 31

We 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, med changes, and a comical dosing mistake. The theme running through it all is “choose your hard,” backed by kindness, small wins, and steady practice.

• applying song lyrics as coping tools
• storm to opaline reframing
• stye remedies and listener tips
• return to basketball with braces and tape
• new Kawasaki Versys 300 and group ride
• kindness from a fellow rider pacing safely
• sleep updates without prazosin and cannabis tolerance
• antidepressant pause, nightmares, and tracking
• Wegovy, weight changes, and self-respect
• the weed plus injection mishap and lessons
• fitness gains in pickleball and daily energy
• Black Dog Institute walk progress and pride
• the “choose your hard” mantra and examples

You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and don’t forget to like and follow

Song of the Week

https://youtu.be/40l9KE36aNk?si=t3DCa9N72VvLyoXt

Thought of the Week:

"marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.   Obesity is hard. Fit is hard. Choose your hard.    Being in debt is hard. Beining financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.   Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.  Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. Choose wisely"

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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—how she noticed the shift from high-energy extrovert to survival mode, why asking direct questions saved us from guesswork, and the moment she knew the fog was finally lifting.

We trace the arc from a protected upbringing to a too-young entry into policing, the slow burn of masking, and the jolt that came when an ankle injury removed my last coping tool. Emma shares how she learned the language of support—snakes and ladders for daily setbacks, the SUDS scale for simple check-ins—and how boundaries made space for both safety and mutuality. We get into the awkward-but-necessary conversations about suicide risk, the discipline of doing nothing when nothing helps, and the balance between not coddling and not closing the door.

There’s a turning point you can hear: transcranial magnetic stimulation. We talk about TMS not as a miracle but as a measurable shift—humor returning, energy rising, perspective widening. Along the way, we challenge stigma, reflect on the realities of first responder mental health, and offer practical, human tools families can use right now. It’s messy, funny, and deeply hopeful—more weather report than fairy tale: mostly sunny with a chance of thunder.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs language for what they’re living. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s a small win you’re claiming today?

🎵 Song of the Week: I Take It Back by Missy Higgins
💭 Thought of the Day:
"Even the darkest clouds carry a silver lining."
And as Proverbs 29:18 reminds us:
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Hope—whether it’s a big dream or a small win—keeps us moving forward.

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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-depressants, with the standout achievement being: I haven’t neck-throated a single soul. Progress!

Then I dive into the mosaic of life lately:

• Rory's Year 12 graduation
• starting my very own veggie garden
• volunteering at an ultra and reconnecting with community
• starting Couch-to-5K with physio guidance and patience
• big aims: UTA waitlist, Sydney Marathon ballot, future 100 miler
• joined the One Step Forward f100km walking/running challenge in the month of October with the Black Dog Institute 
• teenagers, pickleball, and the changing texture of home life

The final thought of the week: “Positive vibes only” isn’t a thing. Humans have a wide range of emotions and that's ok.

Song of the Week:

Taylor Swift: I Can Do It With A Broken Heart

https://youtu.be/Sl6en1NPTYM?si=x9WW9PCPhgANZ3rD

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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.

From their first meeting at a running group to an adventurous three-day hike where they "could have died" (Melissa's words!), their friendship story takes an unexpected turn when PTSD enters the picture. With remarkable candor, Mel shares what it was like watching her vibrant, outgoing friend struggle before her first hospitalization, and the fear and uncertainty that surrounded that critical turning point.

The most powerful revelation? How PTSD actually deepened their connection rather than destroying it. "I think that your PTSD has made us get there a lot quicker," Mel reflects on their unusually honest friendship. Through impromptu daffodil photoshoots, poker tournaments, and countless small adventures, they've discovered the art of finding joy even on the darkest days.

For anyone supporting a loved one with mental health challenges, Mel offers this golden insight: "Lead with love, not fear." She explains how the tendency to walk on eggshells actually creates more problems than it solves, and how honest communication transformed their relationship. Meanwhile, Melissa shares how vulnerability—initially terrifying—became the unexpected gift that enriched all her relationships.

Whether you're navigating your own mental health journey or supporting someone who is, this episode offers both practical wisdom and emotional reassurance. As Mel beautifully puts it: "Friendship turns moments into memories" and "Good friends are sunshine between storms."

Listen now and discover how two friends learned to laugh together even when life wasn't funny, and how the right kind of support can make all the difference in healing.

Song of the week:

https://youtu.be/nMN4JZ8crVY?si=HdOU8vq9VOMgBXG_

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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 wanted to clear that up!! I love you all xox 

The song of the week is Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Although this is a love song, it reminds me that even mental health journeys have chapters and that those chapters don't need to define us permanently. Thinking about life's seasonality reminds me about life's changing seasons and can help us navigate difficult periods and times with hope and perspective. 

Currently, the season that I'm in is a medication-free season after many years of being medicated. However, I fully aware that i may need another hospital stay at some point again and that i might not always be medication-free.

I've also started playing pickleball, and I've also been given the all-clear to play basketball. I'm so pumped to play.

I also talk about the Aussie Greys Assistance Dogs program, which repurpose racing greyhounds as PTSD support animals. So good!

The thought of the week is "By facing our challenges and overcoming them, we grow stronger, wiser and more compassionate"

Find me on Facebook and Instagram, and don't forget to like and follow. Have a great week, and don't forget to be kind to yourself.

Song Of the Week:

Landslide - Fleetwood Mac

https://youtu.be/WM7-PYtXtJM?si=t4UG40UnqNABTg-X

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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.

Here’s what’s on my mind:

- First off, those weird tingles I’ve been getting? Turns out it’s anxiety, not anything neurological. Saw the neurologist, got the all-clear.

- Still off antidepressants and doing okay—just staying super aware of how I’m feeling and watching for any red flags.

- Oh, and my bestie Taylor Swift got engaged!! I mean, not technically my bestie, but... Absolutely. Congrats, queen 💍✨

Also, I’ve been thinking about something she said—about treating your energy like a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it, and that’s okay.

- It’s so important to notice when we’re in one-sided relationships. Effort should go both ways, right?

- So I’m asking you to take a sec and think: who are you spending your luxury energy on? Do they really deserve it?

- Alicia Keys’ “Brand New Me” has been on repeat lately—such a vibe. Friendships evolve, and that’s part of growing. It's also this week's song of the week. 

And yeah, 20 years of marriage. There were times it felt like we were just roommates but he’s my person. We’ve been through it all, and I still love him like crazy. He’s got my back, always.

So, be gentle with yourself this week. And remember: the people around you? They’re your planets. Orbit wisely 🌍💫

Song of the Week:

https://youtu.be/wOSv1TIa58M?si=ZL-K2MGOKmJVLQeX

Send us a text

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.

• Attended a beautiful beachside funeral for a hospital friend, complete with meaningful music (Broken Halos and Luke Combs)
• Still working through feelings of shame around crying despite knowing tears are healthy
• Weekend trip to Canberra featuring pickleball, electric scooter adventures, and a comedy show
• Discovered new purpose in developing "resilience speaking" presentations
• Finding balance between rest and experiences while recently off medication
• Upcoming neurologist appointment to discuss potential TMS treatment

Thanks for tuning in to Mad Mel's Mic. I'm Melissa Smith and I hope you've enjoyed listening. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram and don't forget to like and follow. Have a great week and don't forget to be kind to yourself.

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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 with a mother diagnosed with PTSD when he was 11
• The practical impacts of PTSD on family life, including hospital stays and household management
• How Melissa's mental health journey has helped her son develop greater emotional intelligence
• Son's surprisingly matter-of-fact approach to explaining his mother's condition to friends
• The visible differences son notices in Melissa's wellbeing after hospital treatment
• Simple but profound advice for supporting family members with PTSD: "give them a hug, sit with them, tell them you love them"
• Thought of the week: "The way we communicate with others and ourselves ultimately determines our quality of life"

Find me on Facebook and Instagram and don't forget to like and follow. Have a great week and don't forget to be kind to yourself.