BTN - MENTAL HEALTH CHATS:

UNCLE TATTS REFLECTIONS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CHATS

About

At Between the Notes, we believe music and mental health go hand in hand. Behind every song is a real human story — and this space is here to honour that.

Right now, this part of BTN looks a little different.

After losing Tay, this isn’t something I feel ready to write about in the same way — and I want to be honest about that. Mental health still matters deeply here, but for now, I’m taking a step back from leading those conversations myself.

I’ve opened the door to guest writers to share their voices, stories, and perspectives — and I’m hopeful this space will continue to grow through the community around it.

In the meantime, you’ll find a collection of helpful mental health support links below. This will keep expanding, and we’re always open to suggestions — if there’s a service or resource that’s helped you, please share it with us.

Because at the heart of BTN is this simple truth:

You are not alone in what you feel — and help is always closer than you think.

- Uncle Tatt -

HELP & SUPPORT

Six Months Later – Stumbling Isn't Stopping

Six months after losing his partner of 24 years, Uncle Tatt reflects on grief, identity, resilience, and the reality of rebuilding a life that no longer looks the way it once did. From the highs of Scarborough Beach Weekender to the crushing weight of grief that followed, this deeply personal piece explores loss, growth, BTN Music Club's evolving direction, and the determination to keep moving forward—even when the path ahead isn't clear. Because stumbling isn't the same as

One Week Out — Holding It Together & Falling Apart

One week out from Farewell – Music in the Valley, I’m functioning… but barely. People tell me I’m strong, but they don’t see the daily tears, the PTSD moments, the sleepless nights, or how hard eating still is. I’m holding things together by treating the goodbye like an event — structure is the only way I can keep moving. Tay believed in BTN, so I’m continuing. I’m still Uncle Tatt. And the music is still calling.

A Note From Uncle Tatt – Where I’ve Been

Between the Notes has always been about honesty. Right now, that honesty looks like grief, trauma, and learning how to exist in a world that lost someone irreplaceable. This is a note about why BTN feels different — and why it’s still here, quietly holding space while healing happens.

Abbie Chatfield & the Quiet Power of Art as Therapy

Abbie Chatfield’s journey with art is not about fame, skill or titles — it’s about survival. When words become heavy and the world grows loud, creativity becomes a quiet place to breathe. In sharing her healing through art, Abbie reminds us that creating is not about impressing, but about staying. This essay explores how art therapy calms the mind, softens anxiety, and helps us find our way back to ourselves in a world that often overwhelms.

Every Day You Take Your Power Back — Josh Denham on Recovery and Resilience

Some nights on Mental Health Chats feel less like interviews and more like sitting by a fire with an old friend. My talk with Josh Denham was one of those — a raw, honest exchange about survival after trauma, breaking cycles, and finding calm in solitude. It’s a reminder that healing doesn’t always happen in therapy rooms — sometimes it happens in music, nature, and conversation.

Dancing Through the Darkness: A Conversation with Ash from Sass and Soul

In this heartfelt conversation, Ash Barchard opens up about the balance between creativity, motherhood, and mental health. As the director of Sass & Soul Dance and a proud “mamma bear,” Ash shares what it means to show up authentically — even when life feels heavy. Together, we talk about burnout, rediscovering joy, and the power of staying connected through honest conversation.

Between the Notes: Finding Balance in the Noise

What does it mean to stay okay in a world built on chaos and creativity? It’s a question I keep circling back to, especially after conversations like the one I had with vocalist Mardy Leith — a man whose voice can shake a stage, but whose honesty about the quieter parts of life might be what truly resonates. Mardy talked about routine — not as a cage, but as an anchor. For him, structure isn’t about control; it’s about keeping his head above water. “I’m ADHD, maybe a bit OCD

Welcome to Mental Health Chats: A Conversation Between Hearts

We’ve held hands through trauma, stigma, and twenty-two years of change. In this chat, Tay and I talk about queer love, resilience, and finding balance when the world doesn’t always make space for you.

When Doubt Becomes Fuel — Nick Convine on Survival, Creativity and Showing Up

Sometimes the most powerful thing an artist says isn’t a lyric — it’s a quiet truth said in an ordinary room. When Nick Convine shared, “The second I want to quit is when I have to make something,” it wasn’t a quote — it was survival. From recording on his phone after long days in aged care to carrying the weight of growing up too soon, Nick reminds us that doubt doesn’t stop you — it shows you where something matters. And sometimes, making something is how you keep going.

MENTAL HEALTH LINKS:

FIND DIFFERENT HELP AND SUPPORT PAGES - FIND ONE THATS RIGHT FOR YOU

Beyond Blue is a trusted Australian not-for-profit organisation delivering free mental health support, resources and information to help people affected by anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

They run a 24/7 support service (for Australians only), plus programs that promote early help, reduce stigma, and strengthen wellbeing across communities.

VISIT

Black Dog Institute is where science meets compassion to help you — and everyone — live a little lighter. They’re pioneering research into mood disorders like depression and bipolar, and turning that knowledge into real tools and support you can use today.

From online resources to innovative programs, they’re on a mission to bring hope, resilience and healing into everyday life — because mental health doesn’t wait, and neither should help.

VISIT

Beth supports mental and emotional healing through gentle, transformative hypnotherapy.

She helps people release fear, rewire old beliefs, and rediscover calm confidence—empowering them to live with greater peace, purpose, and self-trust.

Check-out her Quick-Help, a guided meditation to bring you back to your calm state.

VISIT

It Gets Better is the world’s largest storytelling effort to empower LGBTQ+ youth. Investing in local, like-minded organizations outside the US, It Gets Better brings story-telling and other life-affirming support to communities of LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.

VISIT

You deserve a welcoming, loving world.

And so do the people you care about.

Here you can reach out to a counselor if you're struggling, find answers and information, and get the tools you need to help someone else.

VISIT

ReachOut is a safe place where young people can openly express themselves, get a deeper understanding and perspective on what’s happening in their lives - to connect with people who will provide judgement-free support.

Designed with – and specifically for – young people, ReachOut is 100% online, anonymous and confidential, and lets young people connect on their terms

VISIT

Get in touch with Uncle Tatt to recommend other helpful links

BTN - MENTAL HEALTH CHATS:

UNCLE TATTS REFLECTIONS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CHATS

​At Between the Notes, we believe music and mental health go hand in hand. Behind every song is a real human story — and this space is here to honour that.

Right now, this part of BTN looks a little different.

After losing Tay, this isn’t something I feel ready to write about in the same way — and I want to be honest about that. Mental health still matters deeply here, but for now, I’m taking a step back from leading those conversations myself.

I’ve opened the door to guest writers to share their voices, stories, and perspectives — and I’m hopeful this space will continue to grow through the community around it.

In the meantime, you’ll find a collection of helpful mental health support links below. This will keep expanding, and we’re always open to suggestions — if there’s a service or resource that’s helped you, please share it with us.

Because at the heart of BTN is this simple truth: You are not alone in what you feel — and help is always closer than you think.

Six Months Later – Stumbling Isn't Stopping

One Week Out — Holding It Together & Falling Apart

A Note From Uncle Tatt – Where I’ve Been

Abbie Chatfield & the Quiet Power of Art as Therapy

Every Day You Take Your Power Back — Josh Denham on Recovery and Resilience

Dancing Through the Darkness: A Conversation with Ash from Sass and Soul

Between the Notes: Finding Balance in the Noise

Welcome to Mental Health Chats: A Conversation Between Hearts

When Doubt Becomes Fuel — Nick Convine on Survival, Creativity and Showing Up

MENTAL HEALTH LINKS:

FIND DIFFERENT HELP AND SUPPORT PAGES - FIND ONE THATS RIGHT FOR YOU

Get in touch with Uncle Tatt to recommend other helpful links

At Between the Notes, we believe music and mental health go hand in hand. Behind every song is a real human story — and this space is here to honour that.

Because at the heart of BTN is this simple truth:

You are not alone in what you feel — and help is always closer than you think.