What does it mean to rewrite your story and then help others do the same? In this episode, Mel sits down with Tahlia Isaac, founder and CEO of Project:herSELF, a transformative initiative supporting women impacted by incarceration. Tahlia’s journey from navigating the criminal legal system to becoming a fierce advocate for justice is a testament to resilience, purpose, and the power of lived experience.
Through raw honesty and grounded wisdom, Tahlia shares how she built Project:herSELF to offer trauma-informed, peer-led support for women reentering society. She speaks candidly about the emotional toll of incarceration, the barriers to rebuilding life post-release, and the urgent need to challenge the labels that follow women long after their sentences end.
Together, Mel and Tahlia explore:
- The founding vision behind Project:herSELF and its community-first approach
- The role of storytelling in healing and advocacy
- Why systems often fail women and how grassroots leadership is changing that
- What it means to support those still inside, while thriving on the outside
This is a conversation about dignity, justice, and the radical act of believing in someone’s future. Whether you’ve walked a similar path or want to be part of the change, Tahlia’s voice will stay with you long after the episode ends.
The Handy Guide - The Lady Musgrave Trust
On behalf of the Hair Therapist we acknowledge the Turrbal and Jagera people, the traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast is produced.
The topics in this podcast are of general nature, we are not licensed professionals, so if any of the content brings up anything for you, please turn it off and reach out for support:
Lifeline Australia - 13 11 14 - Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention.
13YARN - Call 13 92 76 | 24 /7 Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Home | 1800RESPECT National Domestic and Sexual Violence Counselling Service
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Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services
CREDITS:
Host: Melissa Alsemgeest
Guest: Tahlia Isaac
Editor: Robert Alsemgeest
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