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Season 2, Episode 3

We 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 concerts, volunteering and rep basketball becomes a field test for coping skills.

• time racing and naming the squeeze
• song of the week as an anchor
• stadium singalong and shared humanity
• how we record without a script
• volunteering highs, travel fatigue, rest needs
• trash TV as low-stakes mindfulness
• mental vs physical disability weights
• stigma of invisible injury and service dogs
• sideline anxiety and holding steady
• doing the work and owning progress
• thought of the week from Charlie Mackesy

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Song of the week

Stand By Me - Ben E. King

https://youtu.be/hwZNL7QVJjE?si=J8KRV0nOQcF9Ym7I

Thought of the Week:

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse - Charlie Mackesy

"Sometimes I feel lost, said the boy. Mw too said the Mole, but we love you and love brings you home"

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Season 2, episode 2

We 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 a slip into judgment, reset with compassion, and plan real-world steps that keep us grounded.

• new season update and mood check
• sleep disruption, anxiety spikes, and fatigue
• fear of joy and practicing self‑kindness
• online PTSD program first impressions
• the five pillars of recovery overview
• identity beyond work and uniforms
• catching and correcting judgmental thoughts
• connection plans, travel, and interviews
• weekly intention and thought of the week

Jump onto TikTok and have a look and share away because I feel that the more people who can listen and hopefully it resonates with them and they might be able to just get themselves out of a bit of a pickle
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

Song of the week:

Bad Day - Daniel Powter

https://youtu.be/gH476CxJxfg?si=X80mNCXKlAqtzeTB

Thought of the day:

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

"Is your glass half empty of half full?" asked the mole. "I think I'm grateful to have a glass" said the boy

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Season 2, episode 1

Season 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 kind to yourself.

• song of the week and why Unwell resonates with PTSD recovery
• family updates across graduation, school, and apprenticeship
• chaotic, joyful Christmas and six-hour karaoke marathon
• stormy coast holiday, board games, and being more present
• anxiety rising with late-night tennis and sleep loss
• practical link between sleep quality and symptom flare-ups
• pride in progress and permission for imperfect days
• starting an online PTSD and anxiety program and staying engaged
• plans to interview family and peers for lived experience insights
• thought of the week on self-kindness and closing reflection

“Thanks for tuning in to Mad Mail’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.”

Song of the week:

Unwell - Matchbox Twenty

https://youtu.be/WziA88-n02k?si=TBYwEuAyKkC1edNE

Thought of the week:

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

"Being kind to yourself in one of the greatest kindnesses, said the mole"

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Season 1 Finale; Episode 35

We 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 toolkit for getting through Christmas without losing yourself.

• deciding to pause for the year and return with interviews
• why Desperado still hits and why support matters more than fixing
• sport, injuries, and the Sydney Marathon dilemma
• the first official talk, clinician feedback, and refining the story
• sharing the podcast boldly and a lucky comedy‑night connection
• listener messages that validate lived experience
• how to support with texts, SUDS scale, and small, specific offers
• Christmas reminders: say no, take breaks, celebrate micro‑wins
• goals for more talks and consistent socials next year

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

Song of the Week:

Desperado - The Eagles

https://youtu.be/-q93wc3-deU?si=COxU7-nH25nyJ3uf

How to Make Gravy - Paul Kelly

https://youtu.be/iYqIF2XkqKU?si=DCtdPUSGbwPK0L_W

Thought of the Week:

- Its ok if your struggling  - You are allowed to say no  - You are not a burden  - You are more important than other peoples expectations  - Christmas looks different for everyone  - Its ok to take breaks  - You are not alone   - Its ok if you need to just get through the day.

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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 to practice kindness, celebrate small wins, and keep going.

• setting a clear content warning and care invitation 
• hospital bed to finding a voice through podcasting 
• pride in police service and the cost of identity loss 
• ankle injury as the turning point from avoidance to facing PTSD 
• the quiet version of PTSD behind everyday routines 
• grief for career and self, balanced by music, laughter, and friendship 
• starting the podcast to feel human and useful again 
• honesty over perfection, no magic cure, steady effort 
• power of kindness from others and toward self 
• recognition of listeners’ struggles and the value of small wins 
• reaching out for support as a sign of strength

If you would like to have me talk to anybody, please reach out

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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