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Apr 8, 2026 1 hr 4 min

Growing Up Together And Facing PTSD After Policing

from Mad Mel’s Mic Hosted by Melissa Smith

Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 8 We 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, and what helped him learn how to support me with patience and faith. • where “Fez” comes from and what it says about our childhood • the age gap between us and why we clashed so hard • the confidence shift Matthew sees when I join the police • what first responder exposure can do over time • how PTSD shows up later even when you think you coped • what helplessness looks like for family on the outside • why music becomes an outlet when words fail • the guilt and uncertainty of visiting and supporting • what Matthew learns about stigma and men getting help • why healing has no fixed timeline and patience matters You can find me on Facebook and Instagram and don't forget to like and follow. Songs of the week: Linkin Park - Heavy is the Crown https://youtu.be/ZAt8oxY0GQo?si=0WGCoxmQN2x9d1Pz Harvest - There is a Peace https://youtu.be/YWmH9a4gjn4?si=0Vm7_BdLKfhfMR0l Thought of the week Romans 12:2 NLT "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

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Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 8 We 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, and what helped him learn how to support me with patience and faith. • where “Fez” comes from and what it says about our childhood • the age gap between us and why we clashed so hard • the confidence shift Matthew sees when ...

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Growing Up Together And Facing PTSD After Policing

0:00 1:04:53

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Welcome And Podcast Purpose
  2. 0:45 The Fez Nickname Origin Story
  3. 2:10 Song Of The Week And Meaning
  4. 4:07 Childhood Gap And Sibling Dynamic
  5. 12:27 Confidence And Clashes Growing Up
  6. 20:37 Joining The Police And Real Fears
  7. 27:28 How Policing Changed Personality
  8. 32:01 PTSD Turning Point And Hidden Trauma
  9. 41:21 Supporting Someone In Hospital
  10. 46:25 Learning What PTSD Really Is
  11. 54:14 Signs Of Healing And Patience
  12. 1:00:56 Faith Focused Thought And Closing

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This episode is 1 hour and 4 minutes long.

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This episode was published on April 8, 2026.

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