The Hair Therapist

Melissa Alsemgeest
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Welcome to The Hair Therapist! I'm your host Mel. The Hair Therapist brings you real life stories from the salon chair and beyond. You will be introduced to guests from different backgrounds and experiences who have the courage to bring awareness to social issues, altering perceptions and changing stigmas. A community of daring individuals ready to transform lives, connected by stories woven from a collective of tapestries.   My life is a testament to one’s ability of the human strength and spirit to expand and rise to a challenge, battling through domestic & family violence, family drug & alcohol addiction, I barely made it through high school.   Starting my hairdressing apprenticeship at 15 was my saviour. With over 3 decades of listening to stories in the salon chair, I have heard it all as the poor man's unpaid, unqualified hair therapist.   My passion project is to use my skills to give back by doing hundreds of haircuts per year on our most vulnerable communities – people struggling and doing it tough. Sometimes it is not about the haircut it is about the meaningful connections through conversations, feeling seen and heard. I encourage my listeners to give back.   These stories are not just about survival; they’re about transforming pain into power and inspiring others to do the same.    @InfectiousBehaviour | Linktree   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    Sobriety, Motherhood & Success of Mamawest Part 1

    Today's guest is proof that your past may explain part of your story, but it never gets to decide your future. At just 34 years old, Sheridan Rose Shaw has built a career and a life that many people only dream about. She is a wife, mum of two, award winning hairdresser, educator, creative director, O&M Ambassador, Pivot Point ANZ Creative Consultant, salon owner, and the founder of the incredible MAMAWEST in Melbourne's west. A salon celebrated not only for exceptional hairdressing, but for inclusivity, community, creativity and making people feel genuinely seen and heard. In 2026, Sheridan's work received international recognition when she secured a remarkable double win at the prestigious#ONESHOT Hair Awards in Florida, taking home both Hot Shot Salon Decor and Big Shot Editorial Shot - International after earning an extraordinary ten nominations. But this episode isn't really about awards, it's about the woman behind them. Because before the stages, the trophies, the brand ambassadorships and the global recognition, Sheridan was fighting a very different battle. One that led her into addiction, homelessness, heartbreak and a moment where her life could have gone in a completely different direction. Today, she celebrates 14 years of sobriety. This is a conversation about courage, recovery, motherhood, ambition, leadership and what can happen when one brave decision changes everything. We talk about the little girl who struggled to find her place, leaving school in Year 9, discovering creativity through makeup and hair, navigating addiction, rebuilding her life, becoming a mother, creating one of Australia's most admired salon cultures and leading a movement that has become far bigger than hair. There are moments in this conversation that will make you laugh, moments that might bring you to tears, and moments that will challenge the way you think about success. Because success isn't built in the spotlight. It's built in the decisions nobody sees. So wherever you're listening from today, buckle up for a powerful, honest and incredibly human conversation. Sheridan Rose Shaw | Award Winning Melbourne Hairdresser (@sheridanroseshaw_mamawest) • Instagram photos and videos MAMAWEST (20+) Facebook - MAMAWEST MAMAWEST (@_mamawest) | TikTok 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Sheridan Rose Shaw Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Oct 26

    From Sleeping Rough to Runways Around the World Part 2

    Some stories don’t just surprise you - they stop you. Richard Kavanagh’s is one of them. Before the runways, before Italian Vogue, before becoming five‑time Australian Session Stylist of the Year, Richard’s life looked nothing like the global career he’s known for today. He grew up in New Zealand searching for belonging in places that could have destroyed him, addiction, violence, homelessness, and years spent living rough. But somewhere in the chaos, two things found him: martial arts - giving him the discipline, structure and father‑figure he’d been missing and hairdressing, giving him a doorway out of survival mode and into a future he couldn’t yet imagine. And what a future it became. Richard went on to work backstage at Fashion Weeks in New York, Sydney and New Zealand, directing hair for brands like Armani, Prada, Versace, Marc Jacobs and McQueen. He built a career that reads like a global passport, editorial, runway, celebrity, education, becoming one of the southern hemisphere’s most respected hair professionals. But he didn’t stop there. After more than 30 years in the industry, Richard stepped into a new arena: technology and AI. As co‑founder and co‑CEO of piiq, he’s now building tools that reshape how consumers understand their hair and how hairdressers deliver expertise in a changing world. Today, we’re not just talking about the achievements. We’re talking about the distance between the boy Richard was and the man sitting opposite me now. The homelessness. The addiction. The violence. The turning points. The mentors. The moments he nearly didn’t survive. And the extraordinary chapters that came after. This conversation will challenge the way you see the person standing in front of you, because today’s behaviour tells you very little about tomorrow’s potential. Richard Kavanagh is a reminder that belonging can break you and the right belonging can rebuild you. And I cannot wait for you to hear this. Richard Kavanagh AI Haircare Recommendations | Your Virtual Hair Expert | piiq Digital Richard Kavanagh (@richardkavanagh) • Instagram photos and videos youtube.com/@howtohair 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Richard Kavanagh Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Oct 19

    From Sleeping Rough to Runways Around the World Part 1

    Some stories don’t just surprise you - they stop you. Richard Kavanagh’s is one of them. Before the runways, before Italian Vogue, before becoming five‑time Australian Session Stylist of the Year, Richard’s life looked nothing like the global career he’s known for today. He grew up in New Zealand searching for belonging in places that could have destroyed him, addiction, violence, homelessness, and years spent living rough. But somewhere in the chaos, two things found him: martial arts - giving him the discipline, structure and father‑figure he’d been missing and hairdressing, giving him a doorway out of survival mode and into a future he couldn’t yet imagine. And what a future it became. Richard went on to work backstage at Fashion Weeks in New York, Sydney and New Zealand, directing hair for brands like Armani, Prada, Versace, Marc Jacobs and McQueen. He built a career that reads like a global passport, editorial, runway, celebrity, education, becoming one of the southern hemisphere’s most respected hair professionals. But he didn’t stop there. After more than 30 years in the industry, Richard stepped into a new arena: technology and AI. As co‑founder and co‑CEO of piiq, he’s now building tools that reshape how consumers understand their hair and how hairdressers deliver expertise in a changing world. Today, we’re not just talking about the achievements. We’re talking about the distance between the boy Richard was and the man sitting opposite me now. The homelessness. The addiction. The violence. The turning points. The mentors. The moments he nearly didn’t survive. And the extraordinary chapters that came after. This conversation will challenge the way you see the person standing in front of you, because today’s behaviour tells you very little about tomorrow’s potential. Richard Kavanagh is a reminder that belonging can break you and the right belonging can rebuild you. And I cannot wait for you to hear this. Richard Kavanagh AI Haircare Recommendations | Your Virtual Hair Expert | piiq Digital Richard Kavanagh (@richardkavanagh) • Instagram photos and videos youtube.com/@howtohair 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Richard Kavanagh Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Oct 12

    The Questions Our Leaders Don’t Want to Answer

    There are some voices in Australian media that don’t just fill air time - they shake the room. And Jason Matthews is one of them. A radio veteran with decades of experience across multiple networks, Jason has built a reputation for sharp commentary, intelligent storytelling and an unwavering commitment to calling out the issues most people would rather avoid. He’s worked across senior production, content leadership and on air roles, managing high pressure teams and shaping conversations that matter. Today, he’s the host of 4BC Breakfast, one of Brisbane’s most influential morning platforms, a microphone he uses to challenge political leaders, amplify community concerns and push for accountability on domestic and family violence, homelessness, cost of living pressures and the systems failing our most vulnerable Australians. In this conversation, Jason and I go beyond the studio walls. We talk about the emotional weight of covering violence and crisis every day, the moments that shaped him, the stories he still carries home, and the fire that drives him to keep speaking up even when leaders won’t front up to the microphone. Jason Matthews is bold, outspoken, deeply human and absolutely unwilling to accept “that’s just the way it is.” So gorgeous humans, buckle up. The microphone is on. And today, we’re going to talk about the questions our leaders don’t want to answer, with the man who refuses to stop asking them. (29) Jason Matthews | LinkedIn 4BC Breakfast - 4BC 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Jason Matthews Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Oct 5

    Policing The Things You Can’t Unsee

    Some careers shape you. Others transform you. And for Nikki Paterson, 24 years in the Queensland Police Service did both. During her decades on the frontline, Nikki stood in the most human of moments, beside people in deep crisis, sometimes keeping them alive long enough to receive help. Those experiences didn’t just define her policing career, they ignited a lifelong commitment to changing how we understand, respond to and support mental health in high‑stress environments. Today, Nikki brings that same courage and clarity of purpose to her work as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and leader within Accomplish Education, helping workplaces act earlier, respond better, and build cultures where psychological safety isn’t an aspiration - it’s a practice. Her mission is simple but profound: to ensure the people who show up for us, our first responders, have the support, training, and understanding they need to stay well, stay connected, and stay human. In this conversation, Nikki opens up about the realities of policing, the emotional weight carried by those who serve, and the turning points that led her to champion mental health advocacy. She shares how operational experience shaped her teaching philosophy, why early intervention matters, and what meaningful support for first responders truly looks like. This is a story about service, resilience, and purpose and about one woman using her frontline experience to change the way we care for the people who protect our communities. Nikki Paterson | LinkedIn Accomplish Education: Home | LinkedIn 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Nikki Paterson Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Sep 28

    Wolston Park Asylum - Who Was Protecting the Children? Part 2

    This week on The Hair Therapist, Mel sits down with Deborah Mason - survivor, mother, artist and advocate - to share one of the most confronting and important conversations ever recorded on this podcast. Deb’s childhood was marked by sexual abuse, violence and abandonment, followed by her admission at just sixteen to Wolston Park Hospital and later Osler House, where she endured sexual assault, chemical restraint and the loss of basic human dignity. Her teenage years were taken from her by systems that were meant to protect her. But Deb’s story is not only about what happened to her. It is about the woman she became despite it. Today, she is restoring the identities of thousands of people who died inside Wolston Park and were buried under institutional numbers. Her research has already uncovered more than 4,500 names, giving dignity back to people forgotten for decades. In this episode, Deb speaks openly about her childhood, her time inside Wolston Park, the loss of her friends, homelessness, addiction, motherhood, and the extraordinary advocacy work she is doing now, work that has led to her nomination for Australian of the Year 2027. This conversation includes detailed discussions of childhood sexual abuse, rape, institutional abuse, suicide, violence, overdose, addiction, child loss and severe trauma. Please listen with care. Deb’s courage reminds us that behind every diagnosis, file and number is a human being who deserved safety, dignity and love. And to anyone listening who carries trauma from an institution, a family or a system that failed them, this episode is for you. You are seen. You are heard. Patients allege rape, beatings and staff cover-ups at Brisbane mental hospital in damning report - ABC News 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Deborah Mason Editor: Robert Alsemgeest GET IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Sep 21

    Wolston Park Asylum - Who Was Protecting the Children? Part 1

    This week on The Hair Therapist, Mel sits down with Deborah Mason - survivor, mother, artist and advocate - to share one of the most confronting and important conversations ever recorded on this podcast.   Deb’s childhood was marked by sexual abuse, violence and abandonment, followed by her admission at just sixteen to Wolston Park Hospital and later Osler House, where she endured sexual assault, chemical restraint and the loss of basic human dignity. Her teenage years were taken from her by systems that were meant to protect her.   But Deb’s story is not only about what happened to her. It is about the woman she became despite it.   Today, she is restoring the identities of thousands of people who died inside Wolston Park and were buried under institutional numbers. Her research has already uncovered more than 4,500 names, giving dignity back to people forgotten for decades.   In this episode, Deb speaks openly about her childhood, her time inside Wolston Park, the loss of her friends, homelessness, addiction, motherhood, and the extraordinary advocacy work she is doing now, work that has led to her nomination for Australian of the Year 2027.   This conversation includes detailed discussions of childhood sexual abuse, rape, institutional abuse, suicide, violence, overdose, addiction, child loss and severe trauma. Please listen with care. Deb’s courage reminds us that behind every diagnosis, file and number is a human being who deserved safety, dignity and love. And to anyone listening who carries trauma from an institution, a family or a system that failed them, this episode is for you.   You are seen.   You are heard. Patients allege rape, beatings and staff cover-ups at Brisbane mental hospital in damning report - ABC News 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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services     CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Deborah Mason Editor: Robert Alsemgeest   GET IN TOUCH:       https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Sep 14

    A Life Changed in Seconds Part 2

    In this week’s episode Mel sits down with Dominic Beirne for a raw, courageous and deeply reflective conversation.   Dom’s life has been shaped by experiences that would break many - adoption, childhood sexual abuse, grief, addiction, domestic and family violence, profound loss, and a catastrophic motorcycle accident that left him a paraplegic at 47. And just when he thought he had survived the worst, Dom faced cancer of the tongue, major surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.   But this episode isn’t just about trauma. It’s about accountability, healing, and the moment a person decides they can no longer outrun their past.   Dom speaks openly about the anger and verbal abuse that once shaped his relationships, acknowledging the harm caused and the responsibility required to change. He shares how addiction became a way of silencing pain he didn’t know how to face, and how sobriety forced him to confront the little boy who never understood why those things happened to him.   We explore the day his life changed in seconds, one corner, one motorcycle, one moment and the reality of living every day in a body that now requires a completely different level of care. From pressure injuries and infections to accessibility challenges and the emotional toll of disability, Dom offers an honest look at what most people never see.   And yet, woven through every chapter is resilience. Dom drives. He competes in para bobsleigh. He advocates for spinal cord research. He continues to rebuild a life shaped not by what he’s lost, but by what he still hopes is possible.   This conversation asks a powerful question:   When does understanding what happened to us become taking responsibility for what we’re doing to others?   Dom’s answer and the chapter he names as the hardest to survive may surprise you.   This is a story of trauma, accountability, forgiveness, identity, disability, hope and the moment life forces you to finally look at everything you’ve been carrying.   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 Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800 Ask Izzy Search over 450,000 support services     CREDITS: Host: Melissa Alsemgeest Guest: Dominic Beirne Editor: Robert Alsemgeest   GET IN TOUCH:       https://linktr.ee/InfectiousBehaviour Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

Welcome to The Hair Therapist! I'm your host Mel. The Hair Therapist brings you real life stories from the salon chair and beyond. You will be introduced to guests from different backgrounds and experiences who have the courage to bring awareness to social issues, altering perceptions and changing stigmas. A community of daring individuals ready to transform lives, connected by stories woven from a collective of tapestries.   My life is a testament to one’s ability of the human strength and spirit to expand and rise to a challenge, battling through domestic & family violence, family drug & alcohol addiction, I barely made it through high school.   Starting my hairdressing apprenticeship at 15 was my saviour. With over 3 decades of listening to stories in the salon chair, I have heard it all as the poor man's unpaid, unqualified hair therapist.   My passion project is to use my skills to give back by doing hundreds of haircuts per year on our most vulnerable communities – people struggling and doing it tough. Sometimes it is not about the haircut it is about the meaningful connections through conversations, feeling seen and heard. I encourage my listeners to give back.   These stories are not just about survival; they’re about transforming pain into power and inspiring others to do the same.    @InfectiousBehaviour | Linktree   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Melissa Alsemgeest
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Melissa Alsemgeest
  • Show Website
    The Hair Therapist

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