Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered

Melanie Clark
  • 4.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture

Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered is a real-talk podcast where nothing is off-limits. Hosted by Melanie “Auntie Mel Mel” Clark, this show dives into the messy, meaningful, hilarious, painful, and powerful moments that shape us.

  1. 3d ago

    Beneath the Eye of the Backbone: Love, Loss & Finding Your Way Back with Alexis Wold

    One summer can change everything. In the summer of 2002, 20-year-old Alexis Wold headed to Montana to work as a wrangler in Glacier National Park. What began as an adventure filled with horses, friendship, breathtaking scenery and unexpected romance became a chapter of her life she would carry for more than two decades. Alexis eventually turned that experience into Beneath the Eye of the Backbone: A Tale of Love and Loss in Many Glacier. And this isn't fiction—it's her true story. In this episode, Alexis joins Auntie Mel Mel for an open conversation about young love, complicated relationships, addiction, loss, grief, survival and finding your way back after life changes in ways you never expected. We also talk about what it was like for Alexis to revisit her 20-year-old self while writing the book, learning to look at that younger woman with more compassion, and what healing looks like years later. 🐎 A summer in Montana.❤️ A love that changed her.💔 A loss she carried with her.📖 And the true story she finally decided to tell. S2 E8 — Beneath the Eye of the Backbone: Love, Loss & Finding Your Way Back with Alexis Wold 📖 Find Beneath the Eye of the Backbone: A Tale of Love and Loss in Many Glacier by Alexis Wold online wherever you get your books. Follow Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered for more honest conversations about the parts of life we don't always talk about. #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #AlexisWold #BeneathTheEyeOfTheBackbone #LoveAndLoss #GriefAndHealing #TrueStory #Memoir #AuthorInterview #Montana #GlacierNationalPark #HealingJourney

    Beneath the Eye of the Backbone: Love, Loss & Finding Your Way Back with Alexis Wold

  2. Sep 29

    Recovery in Motion: How Fitness Helped Ernest Williams Rebuild His Life

    Recovery isn't only about what you stop doing — it's about the life you build in its place. In this episode of Auntie Mel Mel: Life Unfiltered, Ernest Williams shares his journey through addiction, incarceration, toxic relationships, and ultimately recovery. Now two years clean and pursuing personal training, Ernest has discovered a new passion and purpose through fitness. We talk about the role exercise has played in his recovery, why he believes movement can be so valuable for people overcoming addiction, and his desire to use what he's learned to inspire others. Ernest also shares a powerful comparison about the way buffalo face a storm. 🦬 Rather than running away from it, they move toward it and get through it — something that perfectly describes the mindset he's learned to bring into recovery. We talk about treatment, changing your environment, walking away from toxic relationships, fitness, rebuilding your identity, and learning to face what you once tried to escape. This is Ernest's story of recovery in motion — and the life he's continuing to build. ❤️ #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #RecoveryInMotion #AddictionRecovery #FitnessAndRecovery #RecoveryJourney #PersonalTraining #Sobriety #RecoveryIsPossible #FindingPurpose

    Recovery in Motion: How Fitness Helped Ernest Williams Rebuild His Life

  3. Sep 25

    Finding Your Voice: Confidence, Courage & Speaking Up with Autumn Jose

    What happens when someone who grew up shy and afraid to speak in front of people decides to stop letting that fear hold her back? This week, Auntie Mel Mel is joined by her friend Autumn Jose, MBA, to talk about finding your voice, building confidence, and learning to speak up—even when you're nervous. Autumn shares how shyness affected her growing up, the ways she now recognizes it held her back, and what happened when she began challenging herself to step outside of that comfort zone. Today, Autumn works in marketing in the banking industry and serves as Vice President of Education for Western Maryland Toastmasters—helping others develop the very skills she once struggled with herself. Mel and Autumn talk about public-speaking anxiety, Toastmasters, career growth, leadership, confidence, getting uncomfortable, and the difference between waiting until you're fearless and learning to do something while you're still afraid. They also look back at the shy younger version of Autumn and what she'd tell that girl today. Because finding your voice isn't necessarily about becoming the loudest person in the room. Sometimes it's simply realizing that what you have to say deserves to be heard. 💜 🎙️ Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered Real people. Real stories. Real life—the messy parts included. #AuntieMelMelLifeUnfiltered #FindingYourVoice #PublicSpeaking #Toastmasters #Confidence #PersonalGrowth

    Finding Your Voice: Confidence, Courage & Speaking Up with Autumn Jose

  4. Sep 22

    * Trigger: Infant Loss * Their Lives Mattered: A Loss Mom’s Story of Love, Grief & Survival with Karyn Ward

    ⚠️ TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed conversations about infant loss, infant death, the death of a child, grief, trauma, and the circumstances surrounding the loss of a baby. Please listen with care and protect your heart. It is completely okay to skip this episode or come back when and if you're ready. Returning guest Karyn Ward joins Auntie Mel Mel for an incredibly personal conversation about a part of her life she hasn't fully shared on the podcast before: being a loss mom. Karyn shares the stories of her two babies, the devastating reality of losing them, and what it means to continue carrying their love and memory throughout her life. Together, two loss moms talk openly about grief, motherhood after loss, the things people don't understand until they've lived it, and how loss can become intertwined with trauma, addiction, recovery, and survival. This conversation is raw. It's emotional. And at times, it's difficult. But Karyn's babies are more than the way they died. They existed. They were loved. They are remembered. Their lives mattered. ❤️ Thank you, Karyn, for trusting Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered with their stories. #TheirLivesMattered #InfantLoss #LossMom #Grief #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered

    * Trigger: Infant Loss * Their Lives Mattered: A Loss Mom’s Story of Love, Grief & Survival with Karyn Ward

  5. Sep 18

    Finding Your Way Through the Hard Stuff: Spiritual Direction, Grief & Hope with Christine V. Davies

    What is a spiritual director, and how can spiritual direction help us navigate the questions that don't always have easy answers? In this episode, Auntie Mel Mel sits down with spiritual director and hospital chaplain Christine V. Davies for an honest conversation about grief, spirituality, hope, and finding our way through some of life's hardest moments. Christine explains what spiritual direction actually looks like, how it differs from therapy, and why having a safe space to wrestle with questions about faith, meaning, loss, and life can be so powerful. We also talk about grief and how we show up for people who are hurting, the pressure to find the "right" words, questioning our beliefs during difficult seasons, healthcare proxies and advance directives, and why we shouldn't be afraid of conversations simply because they're uncomfortable. Sometimes there isn't an answer. Sometimes there isn't anything to fix. Sometimes what we need most is someone willing to sit beside us in the hard stuff. 🌐 Connect with Christine V. Davies:https://www.christinevdavies.com/ 🎧 Auntie Mel Mel Life UnfilteredNew episodes on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@auntiemelmellifeunfiltered #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #ChristineVDavies #SpiritualDirection #Grief #Hope #Spirituality #GriefSupport #Podcast

    Finding Your Way Through the Hard Stuff: Spiritual Direction, Grief & Hope with Christine V. Davies

  6. Sep 15

    Learning to Be Yourself: Neurodivergence, CPTSD & the Eldest Daughter Experience with Janessa of Nessa’s Safe Space

    What happens when you spend so much of your life being who everyone else needs you to be that you have to learn who YOU actually are? In this episode, Auntie Mel Mel sits down with Janessa Neighbors of Nessa’s Safe Space for an honest conversation about neurodivergence, CPTSD, ADHD, autism, people-pleasing, boundaries, authenticity, and the very real eldest daughter experience. Janessa and Mel originally connected over being eldest daughters—and neither remembers applying for all the unpaid positions that apparently came with the job. 😂 Together, they talk about growing up as the responsible one, how people-pleasing patterns develop, learning to say no without carrying the guilt, understanding yourself through the lens of neurodivergence and trauma, and what happens when you finally start choosing yourself. They also get into something especially important: learning who you are underneath the expectations, masking, survival mode, and roles you've spent years carrying. It's a conversation for the eldest daughters, neurodivergent women, recovering people pleasers, boundary-setters-in-training, and anyone learning that becoming your most authentic self doesn't require everyone else's approval. 💜 About Janessa:Janessa Neighbors is the woman behind Nessa’s Safe Space, offering coaching and resources to support women navigating people-pleasing, boundaries, relationships, healing, and personal growth. 🌐 Learn more about Nessa’s Safe Space:https://www.nessasafespace.space/ 🎙️ Auntie Mel Mel Life UnfilteredReal people. Real stories. Real conversations. Life—unfiltered. #Neurodivergence #CPTSD #ADHD #Autism #EldestDaughter #PeoplePleasing #Boundaries #NessasSafeSpace

    Learning to Be Yourself: Neurodivergence, CPTSD & the Eldest Daughter Experience with Janessa of Nessa’s Safe Space

  7. Sep 11

    When “Fine” Isn’t Enough: Finding Joy & Your Next Chapter with Connie Cotter

    What happens when life looks good on paper…but deep down, you know “fine” just isn’t enough anymore? In this episode of Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered, I sit down with Connie Cotter, Certified High Performance Coach, for a real conversation about finding joy, rediscovering yourself, and figuring out what comes next when the life you’ve built doesn’t feel quite right anymore. Connie shares her own journey from a successful career and checking all the boxes she thought she was supposed to check, to realizing that something was still missing. We talk about: 💜 Going from “fine” to fulfilled💜 Redefining what success really means💜 Finding yourself during life transitions💜 Faith, purpose, and listening to that inner nudge💜 Why wanting more doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful💜 The fear that comes with making a change💜 Finding joy in your next chapter💜 Giving yourself permission to ask, “What do I actually want?” Because sometimes nothing has to be terribly “wrong” for you to realize that something needs to change. If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, “I should be happy…so why does it feel like something is missing?” this conversation is for you. ✨ Connect with Connie Cotter:https://conniecotter.com/ 🎙️ Auntie Mel Mel Life UnfilteredReal stories. Real conversations. No judgment. If this episode speaks to you, follow the podcast and share it with someone who might need to hear this conversation too. 💜 #AuntieMelMel #AuntieMelMelLifeUnfiltered #ConnieCotter #WhenFineIsntEnough #FindingJoy #NextChapter #LifeTransitions #FindingPurpose #PersonalGrowth #RedefiningSuccess #SelfDiscovery #Season2

    When “Fine” Isn’t Enough: Finding Joy & Your Next Chapter with Connie Cotter

  8. Sep 8 ·  Bonus

    Just Me, Mel: Life Updates, Season 2 & What’s Coming Next | Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered

    We’re back for Season 2! 🎙️💜 But before the guest conversations begin, I wanted some time with YOU. No guest. No formal interview. Just me, Mel. In this Season 2 kickoff, I’m catching you up on life during my time away, talking about why I needed the break, and sharing what’s changed — both personally and with Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered. I’m also giving you a preview of the conversations coming your way this season and some exciting changes, including full video episodes on YouTube and more ways to connect through Patreon. Season 2 may look a little different, but this will always be a place for real people to have real conversations about real life — without judgment and without pretending everything is perfect. Same Auntie. Bigger Conversations. 💜 Thank you for being here. Whether you've been listening since Season 1 or you just found me today, pull up a chair. We've got a lot to talk about.

    Just Me, Mel: Life Updates, Season 2 & What’s Coming Next | Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered
See All (51)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered is a real-talk podcast where nothing is off-limits. Hosted by Melanie “Auntie Mel Mel” Clark, this show dives into the messy, meaningful, hilarious, painful, and powerful moments that shape us.

Information