Show Notes
⚠️ Content Advice This episode contains discussion of suicide, the death of a young person and sexual extortion. Please take care while listening. If this isn’t the right time for you to hear this conversation, please choose another episode and come back when you feel ready.
Support services are listed below.
Wayne Holdsworth’s son Mac was 17 when he died by suicide.
Before his death, Mac had experienced sexual extortion online — an experience Wayne says had a profound impact on his son. His story is a confronting reminder that what happens in our digital lives can have very real consequences offline.
Since Mac’s death, Wayne has made it his mission to help other families avoid the heartbreak his family has endured. Through SmackTalk, he shares Mac’s story and advocates for suicide prevention, online safety and what he calls “mental fitness.”
In this raw and honest conversation, Wayne shares the signs he believes he missed, what he wants every family to know, and why asking the right open-ended questions can be so important when someone is struggling.
🎧 What You’ll Hear • Mac’s story and the online sexual extortion he experienced • The signs Wayne says, in hindsight, he missed • What Wayne wants every family to know • Why open-ended questions can help us really check in with someone • Why Wayne prefers the term “mental fitness” • Why listening — and having the courage to keep asking — matters • Wayne’s push for greater and more responsible discussion of suicide in the media • How SmackTalk is taking Mac’s story into schools, workplaces and communities
🎙 About Wayne Holdsworth Wayne Holdsworth is the founder of SmackTalk and a passionate advocate for suicide prevention, online safety and mental fitness.
Through SmackTalk, Wayne shares Mac’s story with thousands of students, parents and professionals, helping people recognise when someone may be struggling and start conversations that matter.
SmackTalk
💙 Scroll Less September The Scroll Less Podcast is the official podcast of Scroll Less September — an Australian campaign helping us spend less time on our phones and more time living real life. Scroll Less September [email protected]
More Life. Less Scroll.
🔗 Resources & Support If this episode raises concerns for you or someone you know, support is available.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 In an emergency, call 000.
eSafety Commissioner — information and support around online sexual extortion and online safety. SmackTalk — Wayne’s work, presentations and resources.
⚠️ A Gentle Reminder This podcast is for general information and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical, psychological or professional advice.
If you are concerned about your mental health or the wellbeing of someone else, please seek professional support or contact one of the services above.
Acknowledgement of Country The Scroll Less Podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains. We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and pay our respects to Elders past and present.
🙏 Thanks for Listening If you found this episode valuable, please follow The Scroll Less Podcast, leave a review and share it with someone who may benefit from hearing Wayne’s message.
More Life. Less Scroll. 💙
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We will spend years of our lives on our phones. They connect us, entertain us and make life easier — but how are they changing the way we live?