Mad Mel’s Mic
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 PTSD, navigating another mental health challenge, supporting someone you love, or simply looking for hope and connection, you’re welcome here. If this podcast helps just one person feel seen, understood and a little less alone, then every conversation has been worth having. Welcome to Mad Mel’s Mic—where together, we’re finding our voice through the chaos. And until next time… be kind to yourself.
Episodes
Seaon 2, Episode 31
Breaking the Invisible Chains
I'm back after a hot minute away! This week I'm catching you up on what's been happening, from my first speaking gig to family adventures overseas, and some unexpected reflections on just how far I've come in my recovery.
In this episode:
- My first presentation with The Change Room and finding that fire in my belly.
- Japan adventures, theme parks, bullet trains and a wh...
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.
In this episode:
- Preparing for my first big speaking presentation and managing the anxiety that comes with it
- Realising I can b...
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 again.
In this episode:
• celebrating 21 years of marriage and what I've learnt about commitment
• learning the ukulele for a ver...
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 Change Room myself, Matt became my mentor. Now, in a turn I didn't necessarily see coming, he's invited me to step to the other side o...
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 medication, setting boundaries, saying no, protecting our energy, getting back to exercise… and even something as si...
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 path from an 18-year policing career to being medically retired at 37 after PTSI hit hard and fast, revealing years of suppressed traum...
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 since then remind me I’m still moving forward.
• running out of phone storage and stumbling into old messages from 20...
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.
• questioning my intro, branding, and how to grow without losing authenticity
• noticing how cold weather and sm...
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 changed how I hear my own self-talk.
• saying “thank you” to PTSD and what that mindset shift unlocks
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 actually help.
• pop culture updates and why self-kindness comes first
• secret talents including guitar and why music matters aft...
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 that help us stay steady.
• asking you to send in burn-in questions for Mel’s upcoming takeover interview
• linking &ld...
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 reminder to listen less to fear and more to dreams.
• picking a song that feels like our friendship
• forgetting details but stil...
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 social choices that keep me from isolating.
• my PTSD turning point at 37 and the end of my police career
• why telling my st...
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 into isolation.
• posting TikTok and social videos despite perfectionism
• creating a podcast to reach people who feel isolated&...
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 down the snake.
• skipping song of the week because nothing resonates
• asking listeners for song suggestions and why ...
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 of the week and why bad days can still be “worth gold”
• knee injury update, physio appointment, an...
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 story, and my ongoing work to reframe PTSD as a significant life event with hard parts and real positives.
• Taylor Swift fandom and w...
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 it’s slow.
• correcting last week’s song credit mix-up
• taking The Cha...
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 sleep, creative projects, and small wins that keep me moving forward.
• feeling emotions again after coming off strong antidepressan...
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 triggered a sudden mental health crash, then work through practical ways to reframe setbacks and speak to ourselves with more kind...
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