From family addiction and family breakdown to foster care, juvenile detention, homelessness, and incarceration, then back on the street. Jacob has lived through nearly every system meant to protect vulnerable children. And yet, those systems often failed him.
In this raw and unflinching conversation, Jacob sits down with Mel to share a story that’s still unfolding. Born to a mother battling addiction and handed over to a father whose abuse left deep scars, Jacob and his brother were eventually surrendered to the system. What followed was a cycle of displacement, survival, and trauma that continues to shape his life today.
Jacob speaks candidly about the demons he still battles, the weight of a past that won’t let go, and the reality of living on the street - doing his best to survive in a world that rarely makes space for healing. His story is one of resilience, yes but also of ongoing struggle, unanswered questions, and the search for stability.
This episode is a reminder that not every journey has a neat resolution. Sometimes, survival itself is the story.
Part two of Jacob’s interview drops in episode 82, where we go deeper into the systems, the stigma, and what hope looks like when you're still in the fight.
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: Jacob
Editor: Robert Alsemgeest
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