PODCAST · society
Mad Mel’s Mic
by Melissa Smith
Mad Mel’s Mic Finding your voice through the chaos. Welcome to Mad Mel’s Mic—a podcast built on honest conversations, real stories and the belief that no one should face life’s challenges alone. I’m Mel, a former NSW Police officer who served for 18 years before being medically retired with PTSD. Like many people living with mental health challenges, I spent a long time feeling isolated and wondering if anyone truly understood what I was going through. It was through hearing other people’s lived experiences that I realised I wasn’t alone—and that’s why I created this podcast. Each week, I share my own journey and sit down with guests from all walks of life for open and honest conversations about mental health, trauma, resilience, recovery and the moments that shape us. Some stories are confronting, others are uplifting, but every one of them is real. Whether you’re living with P
Episodes
-
Finding That Fire Again
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 30 Finding That Fire Again This week I’m talking about the nerves, excitement and unexpected spark that has come with preparing for my first presentation with The Change Room and what happened when I tested it out on a much smaller audience at Mum’s Bible study....
-
Learning To Trust The Good Days Again
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 29: I mark my 21st wedding anniversary and reflect on relationships, love languages and the ordinary things that keep us connected. But this episode is also about something I've been noticing lately — small wins, hope, and slowly learning to trust the good days...
-
The Other Side of The Change Room - with Matt Elliott
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 28 What happens when life changes direction and the identity you once knew no longer quite fits? This week on Mad Mel’s Mic, I sit down with Matt Elliott, founder of The Change Room — and someone who has played a part in my own journey. After completing The…
more -
What If Your Past Self Saw You Now
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, episode 27 Sometimes progress doesn’t look like a huge breakthrough. Sometimes it looks like doing something today that you couldn’t have done 12 months ago. In this episode, I’m talking about those wins we so easily overlook — staying out of hospital, coming off...
-
When Your Head Breaks - With Narelle Fraser
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, episode 26 This episode is special. Melissa had the amazing opportunity be have a chat with Narelle Fraser who is a former Victorian Police officer. She started her own podcast NFI, Narelle Fraser Interviews after her own diagnosis of PSTI. We share Melissa Smith’s raw...
-
What If Healing Starts With Looking Back
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, episode 25 We go back through an unexpected “rabbit hole” that starts with a photo request and ends with me rereading the goodbye texts I sent when I left the police. I unpack how PTSD twisted my memory into feeling abandoned, and how those messages and my progress…
more -
You Can Take Your Life Back From PTSD
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, episode 24 I talk through what’s been on my mind lately, from refining my podcast branding to the way winter can get under your skin when you’re living with PTSD. A Katy Perry shower song turns into a reminder that taking your life back is hard, doable, and worth it. •...
-
Grateful For PTSD? A New Frame
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 23 I reflect on why I can honestly say “thank you” to PTSD even while admitting the low points, and how reframing my diagnosis helps me keep moving forward. I share the song and thought that keep me grounded, plus a small moment with a friend that completely...
-
The Other Mel Takeovers Questions
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 22 We hand the mic to the other Mel for Takeover Week and answer listener questions with no prep, which turns into a funny, honest look at my life with PTSD. We talk recovery tools, the awkward reality of boundaries, and the small ways people can show up that...
-
Walking The Road After PTSD
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 21 We talk through what PTSD recovery looks like on an ordinary week, from loneliness and broken dreams to the quiet pride of noticing real progress. We share a trigger test that goes better than expected, plus the small routines, friendships, and boundaries…
more -
Two Mels And One Mic
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 20 We bounce from pop culture to real life, using humour and friendship to make sense of memory lapses, big feelings, and the messy middle of everyday coping. We recap Toy Story, spiral a little on Taylor and Travis wedding rumours, and end with a simple…
more -
More Than Your Weakness
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 19 I share the real reason I started talking publicly about PTSD and how recording has become a surprising kind of therapy for me. I connect a song lyric to the hardest parts of recovery, then bring it back to everyday life with pain, setbacks, and the small...
-
When PTSD Changes Everything
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 18 I talk through a cold, hard week and why showing up online with raw honesty helps me feel less alone and helps others feel seen. A Toy Story song opens up a bigger truth about PTSD, identity loss, and why tiny actions and real connection keep me from sliding...
-
When Pain Hijacks Your Head
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 17 My knee injury has me sidelined from the sports that keep me grounded, and I can feel my brain racing ahead to the worst outcomes. I talk through how pain, poor sleep, and uncertainty flare my PTSD, and how I’m trying to use my tools before I slide too far…
more -
Bad Days Are Worth Gold
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 16 I’m riding a wave of optimism while also dealing with knee pain that’s starting to tug at my mental health. I talk through how I keep myself from sliding into isolation by leaning on practical tools, supportive people, and a more hopeful inner voice. • song…
more -
Friendship As Medicine
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 15 I talk about why friendship and connection can feel like the missing piece when life gets heavy, from Toy Story nostalgia to what real support looks like in practice. We also unpack recovery lessons from a course in Newcastle, a powerful cancer resilience...
-
Why It Is Not Too Late To Change
Send us Fan Mail Season 2 Episode 14 I’m recording from Newcastle while I’m deep in learning and thinking about what real change looks like when you live with PTSD. I use Green Day’s “Still Breathing” to remind you that if you’re still here, you can start again and you can move forward, even if...
-
What If Success Is Simply Love
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 13 I talk about what it feels like to swing through a whole stack of emotions in one day and how living with PTSD can make that feel like different versions of me. I share a tough reminder that PTSD still shows up sometimes, plus a few bright spots like better...
-
Stop Living For Other People’s Opinions
Send us Fan Mail 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 share how a sore knee and a jarred finger…
more -
Jeff Explains How Alcohol Masked PTSD Until It Finally Caught Up
Send us Fan Mail 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 honestly about PTSD, alcohol dependence, and the moment...
-
Riding Through Fear
Send us Fan Mail 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 ended with pride, friendship, and big funds...
-
If Words Can Shape A Life What Are Yours Building
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 9 We 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 story that proves how words can shape what we...
-
Growing Up Together And Facing PTSD After Policing
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…
more -
You Are Not A Burden
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 7 I 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 compliment that meant more than weight...
-
Raising A Future Police Officer Through Trauma
Send us Fan Mail 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, cheer her on into the police force, and then...
-
I’m Learning To Stay Present Even When Anxiety Spikes
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 5 I 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 spikes, and the small routines that keep…
more -
Brighter Days Still Count
Send us Fan Mail Season 2, Episode 4 We 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 session, we map tools that kept us steady. •...
-
Time Moves Fast, Hold Your People Close
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
How I’m Learning To Be Kind To Myself While Managing PTSD And Real Life
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
When Tomorrow Finally Arrives: Choosing Healing One Footstep At A Time
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
Season Finale: Holding Space At Christmas
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
Resilience Speaking - A Sneak Peek
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
You Can’t Fix Me, But Please Stand By Me
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
How Small Habits, Shared Stories, And Support Networks Help Us Heal
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
Lightning Storm To Opalite
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
Sisterhood, Unmasked
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
Masking, Meds, and the Long Walk Back to Myself
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
Daffodils and Growth: How True Friendship Evolves
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
This Season Doesn't Define Me
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
Not Everyone Deserves Your Energy: Lessons on Self-Worth
Send us Fan Mail 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…
more -
Finding Joy Again
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
My Teenage Son's Surprisingly Chill Take on Living with PTSD
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
Beyond the Dark Days
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 23 Trigger warning - discussion of suicide. Please seek help if you need assistance. Returning home after eight weeks in hospital has been a whirlwind of emotions, especially while processing the loss of two friends from the hospital community and adjusting to...
-
The Week that Was
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 22 I am super excited to be heading home after seven and a half weeks in hospital. I give a shout out to my sister who does the show notes (including this one). This week I also discuss how the week has been without anti depressants. Song of the Week: Alanis...
-
New Meds or No Meds
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 21 Welcome to episode 21. This week I discuss ongoing meds changes and still currently an inpatient. Hoping to be home in a week or so but the past week has been a scary, sleepless rollercoaster ride with me starting new meds. I shout out to the amazing nurses…
more -
Medication Change - The side effects for me
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 20 This episode I discuss the side effects I have experienced while weaning off my anti depressants. Song of the week: Im so proud of you - Julie Anne Vargas https://youtu.be/hmalRaJ26E8?si=qRPuvgwm2lonMpPQ Thought of the week: " "What's the bravest thing you've...
-
The Weeks That Were
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 20 Welcome to episode 20 after a six week break from recording. I am still in hospital and I am podcasting from here. Join me while I discuss my current TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) treatment and under go a med change. I share an amazing poem from an...
-
What are your anchors
Send us Fan Mail Season 1 Episode 18 Welcome to episode 18 where I discuss what pillars and anchors keep me motivated. Song of the week Liar - Jelly Roll https://youtu.be/HcNILY4gtNI?si=nr_ahNd2sn_SlGcq
-
There’s always been a rainbow hanging over your head
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, Episode 17 ****disclaimer content as this episode I discuss suicide and self harm**** Welcome to episode 17. It’s a tear jerker. Please look after yourself and call Lifeline on 131114 if you need assistance. Please also know that whilst I am not ok, and I am struggling…
more -
Who needs enemies when you have friends like these
Send us Fan Mail Season 1, episode 16 Welcome to episode 16. I start the episode with the week that was recounting an adventure I had with my car Stella Blue. I discuss how the weather affects your mood. There is a song and thought of the week. Song of the week Carry it well Sam Fisher...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Mad Mel’s Mic
Finding your voice through the chaos.
Welcome to Mad Mel’s Mic—a podcast built on honest conversations, real stories and the belief that no one should face life’s challenges alone.
I’m Mel, a former NSW Police officer who served for 18 years before being medically retired with PTSD. Like many people living with mental health challenges, I spent a long time feeling isolated and wondering if anyone truly understood what I was going through. It was through hearing other people’s lived experiences that I realised I wasn’t alone—and that’s why I created this podcast.
Each week, I share my own journey and sit down with guests from all walks of life for open and honest conversations about mental health, trauma, resilience, recovery and the moments that shape us. Some stories are confronting, others are uplifting, but every one of them is real.
Whether you’re living with P
HOSTED BY
Melissa Smith
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Mad Mel’s Mic have?
Mad Mel’s Mic currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Mad Mel’s Mic about?
Mad Mel’s Mic Finding your voice through the chaos. Welcome to Mad Mel’s Mic—a podcast built on honest conversations, real stories and the belief that no one should face life’s challenges alone. I’m Mel, a former NSW Police officer who served for 18 years before being medically retired with PTSD....
How often does Mad Mel’s Mic release new episodes?
Mad Mel’s Mic has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Mad Mel’s Mic?
You can listen to Mad Mel’s Mic on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Mad Mel’s Mic?
Mad Mel’s Mic is created and hosted by Melissa Smith.
URL copied to clipboard!