About Mel

I’m Mel Knuckey, a wife, mum, community connector, advocate and lived experience speaker from Tasmania.

I never set out to become a speaker or to share such personal parts of my life. But after what happened to me, I knew I wanted to do something with my experience.

In late 2024, I became incredibly unwell. What followed were psychiatric hospital admissions, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and months of trying to understand how I had gone from living a busy, happy life to barely recognising myself.

Eventually, we discovered that perimenopause had been a significant piece of what was happening.

I now share my story because I want women, families, workplaces and health professionals to understand just how much perimenopause can affect a woman’s mental health and her life.

I talk about the parts that were frightening and difficult, but also about recovery and hope. I share what it was like to be searching for answers, what my family went through alongside me, and how much difference it can make when someone really listens.

I can’t change what happened to me, but I can speak about it. And if doing that helps another woman get answers sooner, helps a family understand what might be happening, or makes a workplace or health professional think a little differently, then sharing my story is worth it.