The Hair Therapist

Some stories don’t just mark a life - they redirect it. Today, Mel sits down with Natascha Consigli, a woman whose journey has been shaped by profound loss, unprocessed trauma, and the long, courageous work of rebuilding a sense of belonging in the world.   Natascha’s early life was struck by tragedy with the death of her mother at a young age, a rupture that left her navigating childhood wit...

Some stories don’t just move us - they open us. Today, Mel sits down with Gia Sinha, a woman whose life has been shaped by experiences no child should ever have to endure, and whose courage has carried her through some of the darkest terrain a human being can face.   From a childhood marked by wounds that were buried too deep for words, to the moment, at thirty eight, when a cancer diagnosis...

Some stories don’t just move us - they open us. Today, Mel sits down with Gia Sinha, a woman whose life has been shaped by experiences no child should ever have to endure, and whose courage has carried her through some of the darkest terrain a human being can face.   From a childhood marked by wounds that were buried too deep for words, to the moment, at thirty eight, when a cancer diagnosis...

Every now and then, you meet someone whose life’s work is so deeply aligned with who they are that the impact they create feels almost effortless. Today’s guest, Chris Wildeboer, is one of those rare people.   Chris is a Certified Speaking Professional, a long‑standing member of Professional Speakers Australia, and the founder of Balance Central, a space she has spent more than 20 years shapi...

Some movements are born from strategy. Others are born from fire. Lioness Den is both.   In this episode, Mel sits down with Jenna Wilson and Rachael McKenzie - two women who have turned lived experience, professional grit, and a fierce sense of justice into a movement reshaping what’s possible for single mothers across Australia.   Jenna, the founder of Lioness Den, has built a communit...

Today’s guest is powerful, polished, and razor‑sharp, but beneath the success is a woman who has walked through heartbreak, survival, reinvention, toxic relationships, divorce, resilience, and the gritty, unglamorous work of rebuilding a life from the ground up.   Belinda J Shaw is an author, speaker, coach, stylist, and the President of Professional Speakers Australia QLD/NT. She’s also a fi...

Some lives read like a novel you can’t put down - chaotic, funny, raw, and unexpectedly profound. Scott Lamond’s story is exactly that. Growing up in the wild western suburbs of Melbourne, his childhood was anything but quiet. He and his mates spent their days mischievously exploring the neighbourhood, building skate ramps, riding boards, and making noise in punk bands. He was kicked out of three...

Some lives read like a novel you can’t put down - chaotic, funny, raw, and unexpectedly profound. Scott Lamond’s story is exactly that. Growing up in the wild western suburbs of Melbourne, his childhood was anything but quiet. He and his mates spent their days mischievously exploring the neighbourhood, building skate ramps, riding boards, and making noise in punk bands. He was kicked out of three...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Shelby Mahoney, Intake Coordinator at Children by Choice - Queensland’s leading pro‑choice, all‑options pregnancy support service. Shelby is often the very first voice people hear when they reach out for help, and she brings a rare blend of compassion, clarity, and deep sector knowledge to one of the most complex and misunderstood areas of healthcare: reproducti...

Some people volunteer. And then there are people like Cathy Barber. People who weave service so deeply into their lives that it becomes part of who they are.   Today, Mel sits down with a woman whose journey from London to Brisbane is stitched together by generosity, community, and an unwavering belief in showing up for others.   Cathy is a long‑serving volunteer and Branch Coordinator w...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Fiona Beamish, the CEO of the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC), and a woman whose career in the hair industry spans more than three decades, four continents, and an unwavering commitment to elevating the people who make this industry what it is.   Fiona’s story begins the way so many powerful industry stories do - on the salon floor, as an apprentice h...

In Australia, 75% of suicides are men. That’s not a statistic - that’s a wake‑up call. And too often, it starts with the same two words: “I’m fine.”   Stacey MacMillan‑White saw the truth behind that lie. The men in her life weren’t okay, and no one was asking the real questions. So she created The Great Mate Check‑In - a simple, grassroots movement giving men what they’ve been missing: a saf...

In this episode, Mel sits down with someone who isn’t just a guest - he’s family. After more than twenty years of friendship, Jamie reached out with something he felt he needed to talk about. What began as a routine annual cholesterol check turned into a moment that changed everything: a completely unexpected prostate cancer diagnosis that arrived without warning, without symptoms, and without the...

Today’s guest, Andrea Gullick, has lived through moments that reshape a life -nursing her newborn through cancer, becoming widowed at 27, and rebuilding herself from the inside out. Those experiences became the foundation of her work as a speaker, mentor, and wellbeing and culture specialist, helping people understand themselves with honesty, courage, and compassion.   In this conversation, A...

Today’s guest, Andrea Gullick, has lived through moments that reshape a life -nursing her newborn through cancer, becoming widowed at 27, and rebuilding herself from the inside out. Those experiences became the foundation of her work as a speaker, mentor, and wellbeing and culture specialist, helping people understand themselves with honesty, courage, and compassion.   In this conversation, A...

This episode discusses anxiety, depression, self‑harm, and suicidal thoughts, which may be distressing for some listeners. Today, Mel sits down with Bodie Morris, the Queensland athlete and founder of Alchemy Wears, whose raw honesty online has made him a standout voice for youth mental health. Before he was sharing straight‑up reflections on Instagram and TikTok, Bodie was a teenager fighting a b...

Norm grew up knowing that his father had spent his final years homeless on the streets of London - a fact he didn’t fully comprehend as a child, but one that stayed with him as a quiet, defining thread. That early awareness shaped his understanding of how quickly people can fall through the cracks, and it planted the conviction that safety and dignity should never be out of reach for anyone. &nbsp...

Norm grew up knowing that his father had spent his final years homeless on the streets of London - a fact he didn’t fully comprehend as a child, but one that stayed with him as a quiet, defining thread. That early awareness shaped his understanding of how quickly people can fall through the cracks, and it planted the conviction that safety and dignity should never be out of reach for anyone. &nbsp...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Janelle and Penny from Respect Inc, Queensland’s sex worker–led organisation advocating for safety, rights, and dignity in an industry long shaped by stigma and criminalisation. It’s a conversation arriving at a historic moment: after decades of campaigning by groups like Respect Inc and DecrimQLD, Queensland has now passed laws to decriminalise sex work, a refo...

A conversation with Tiffanee Cook is never just a conversation, it’s an invitation to step into the ring with your own story, to face the parts of yourself you’ve outrun, and to discover what strength really feels like when it’s earned from the inside out.   Tiffanee’s early years shaped her in ways she wouldn’t fully understand until much later. She carried unspoken pain, unprocessed experie...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Heidi Horne, speaker, author, traveler, coach, stress strategist and the creator of the One‑Minute Reset™, a simple but powerful method for shifting your state of mind in just 60 seconds. Heidi’s story is one of movement, across countries, careers, and inner landscapes. For years, she was the woman who could do everything, juggling work, family, and life at full...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Jools Purchase, the creative force behind Haus of Jools, whose path has taken her from the salon floor to the stage and back again, returning to hair with a renewed sense of artistry, purpose, and connection.   Jools began her career as a hairdresser, but it was dance that pulled her into a world of movement, discipline, and self‑expression. When she eventu...

A raw, redemptive, and deeply human conversation with Jason Blyth, a motivational speaker and youth advocate whose journey from chaos to purpose now fuels his mission to inspire change.   In this episode, Mel sits down with Jason Blyth, whose life story moves from childhood trauma and instability through addiction, violence, and rock bottom, and then into a profound, self‑driven transformatio...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Laura Valenti, Director at McGrath North Lakes and Moreton Bay, to explore the unique role property managers play in shaping safer communities. With years of experience leading teams in real estate, Laura brings both professional expertise and a deep commitment to community wellbeing. Their conversation highlights how property managers, often overlooked as front...

In this episode, Mel sits down with Sally Pymer - empowerment coach, speaker, and the driving force behind a movement that proves the simplest human gestures can create extraordinary change. Sally’s work centres on one powerful idea: a genuine smile can shift energy, soften stigma, and reconnect people who’ve forgotten what it feels like to be acknowledged.   Drawing from more than two decade...