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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 losing yourself.

• deciding to pause for the year and return with interviews
• why Desperado still hits and why support matters more than fixing
• sport, injuries, and the Sydney Marathon dilemma
• the first official talk, clinician feedback, and refining the story
• sharing the podcast boldly and a lucky comedy‑night connection
• listener messages that validate lived experience
• how to support with texts, SUDS scale, and small, specific offers
• Christmas reminders: say no, take breaks, celebrate micro‑wins
• goals for more talks and consistent socials next year

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Song of the Week:

Desperado - The Eagles

https://youtu.be/-q93wc3-deU?si=COxU7-nH25nyJ3uf

How to Make Gravy - Paul Kelly

https://youtu.be/iYqIF2XkqKU?si=DCtdPUSGbwPK0L_W

Thought of the Week:

- Its ok if your struggling - You are allowed to say no - You are not a burden - You are more important than other peoples expectations - Christmas looks different for everyone - Its ok to take breaks - You are not alone - Its ok if you need to just get through the day.

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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 going.

• setting a clear content warning and care invitation
• hospital bed to finding a voice through podcasting
• pride in police service and the cost of identity loss
• ankle injury as the turning point from avoidance to facing PTSD
• the quiet version of PTSD behind everyday routines
• grief for career and self, balanced by music, laughter, and friendship
• starting the podcast to feel human and useful again
• honesty over perfection, no magic cure, steady effort
• power of kindness from others and toward self
• recognition of listeners’ struggles and the value of small wins
• reaching out for support as a sign of strength

If you would like to have me talk to anybody, please reach out

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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 it helps
• STAIR explained as skills for emotion, communication, and boundaries
• feeling again after numbness and noticing growth
• drive, soothe, threat systems and why soothe shrinks in PTSD
• SUDS check‑ins, naming emotions, and body mapping
• practicing skills in the green zone to use in red
• fast arousal drops with cold, space, and grounding
• upcoming courses on sleep and trauma recovery
• pickleball, Persian food, and a lesson in humility
• season plan, holiday pause, and self‑kindness over comparison

You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and don’t forget to like and follow

Song of the Week:

Andra Day - Rise Up

https://youtu.be/lwgr_IMeEgA

Thought of the Week:

"There will be a lot of posts soon from people sharing how much they achieved in 2025. But, in case someone needs to hear this.... It's okay if the only thing you did this year was just get through it"