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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

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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 group to an adventurous three-day hike where they "could have died" (Melissa's words!), their friendship story takes an unexpected turn when PTSD enters the picture. With remarkable candor, Mel shares what it was like watching her vibrant, outgoing friend struggle before her first hospitalization, and the fear and uncertainty that surrounded that critical turning point.

The most powerful revelation? How PTSD actually deepened their connection rather than destroying it. "I think that your PTSD has made us get there a lot quicker," Mel reflects on their unusually honest friendship. Through impromptu daffodil photoshoots, poker tournaments, and countless small adventures, they've discovered the art of finding joy even on the darkest days.

For anyone supporting a loved one with mental health challenges, Mel offers this golden insight: "Lead with love, not fear." She explains how the tendency to walk on eggshells actually creates more problems than it solves, and how honest communication transformed their relationship. Meanwhile, Melissa shares how vulnerability—initially terrifying—became the unexpected gift that enriched all her relationships.

Whether you're navigating your own mental health journey or supporting someone who is, this episode offers both practical wisdom and emotional reassurance. As Mel beautifully puts it: "Friendship turns moments into memories" and "Good friends are sunshine between storms."

Listen now and discover how two friends learned to laugh together even when life wasn't funny, and how the right kind of support can make all the difference in healing.

Song of the week:

https://youtu.be/nMN4JZ8crVY?si=HdOU8vq9VOMgBXG_