Embracing the Mind

We bring this special three-part investigation into birth trauma to a conclusion by discussing the stigma parents can face and the importance of validation from healthcare professionals. We also examine the other layers of support available to young families, and the importance of storytelling as a means of combating stigma, creating change and providing purpose. TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including still birth, depression, discussions of trauma, dissociation and postpartum psychosis. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also call the PANDA National Helpline on 1300 726 306, Monday-Saturday. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

In the second episode of our three-part investigation, we hear stories from parents about the impact birth trauma has had on their lives. They share some of the circumstances that led to the resultant birth trauma, and we unpack the loss of control that many parents experience before, during and even post-labour. TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including still birth, depression, discussions of trauma, dissociation and postpartum psychosis. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also call the PANDA National Helpline on 1300 726 306, Monday-Saturday. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including still birth, depression, discussions of trauma, dissociation and postpartum psychosis. We're closing season two of Embracing the Mind with a special three-part investigation into birth trauma. In our first episode, you’ll be introduced to Hannah Kelly, a mother-of-one who experienced post-partum psychosis after failing to receive adequate support in the birthing suite. You will also hear about risk factors from Dr Kelli MacMillan, a senior lecturer and clinical psychologist at Murdoch Uni and King Edward Memorial Hospital. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also call the PANDA National Helpline on 1300 726 306, Monday-Saturday. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including dissociation, burnout, intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviour and suicidal OCD. In our episode on obsessive compulsive disorder, I speak to Dr Leigh Sheppard about how receiving a diagnosis of OCD changed her career trajectory, and now sees her treating patients with OCD at her GP clinic, and making a difference with her not-for-profit OCDWA. I’m then joined by Curtin University’s Dr Rebecca Anderson, who busts a few myths about what OCD commonly looks like and tells me about the treatments available to people with the condition. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including mention of suicide. Today, we’re focusing on the impact that working FIFO, or fly-in-fly-out, can have on a person’s mental health. We speak to Matt Resta who works in the mining industry, about the ups and downs he’s faced living between site and his home, and why he’s decided to become an advocate for mental health in his workforce. We also speak to Dr Laura Fruhen, of Radboud University in the Netherlands. Before Laura moved overseas, she worked on a project with WA’s Mental Health Commission examining the mental health of FIFO workers. She tells us about the findings from that work, including some of the factors that can impact mental health on site. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including serious injury following a car accident, burn injury and depression. Today, we’ll be looking at post-traumatic growth – where people have been able to unlock newfound perspectives after suffering hardship. In this episode, we’re going to speak to 18-year-old Josh Forde, whose entire future was rewritten following an awful car accident just one year ago. Josh’s attitude in the months after the crash is a testament to his character and his ability to find the positives in anything. We’re then joined by Dr Lisa Martin from the Fiona Wood Foundation, who unpacks some of the theories about how post-traumatic growth occurs. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including anxiety and stigma. In today’s episode on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, we speak to PhD student Kate Fitzgerald. Kate received a diagnosis of ADHD just before the referral system was met with substantial delays through the COVID period. She explains how to get a diagnosis, and how ADHD affects her day-to-day. Telethon Kids Institute researcher and UWA PhD student Irene Mateo Arriero then explains the best practice for parents and family members to discuss their child’s ADHD with others, and counters the common misconceptions around overdiagnosis. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including anxiety and stigma. In today's really special episode, we will be speaking to 8-year-old Andre and his big sister Summer, who is 9 years old. Andre has a diagnosis for autism spectrum disorder, and we’ve gone to his house so he and Summer can ask me questions about my own experiences with autism, which my brother also has a diagnosis for. We’re then joined back at the office by CliniKids and Telethon Kids Institute’s Dr Gail Alvares, who tells us about the importance of listening to people with autism when doing research. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Check out Andre's favourite surfing group oceanheroes.com.au or on Instagram @oceanheroes You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including OCD, suicidal ideation and vocal tics. In today's episode, we'll be discussing one of the more misunderstood health conditions, Tourette Syndrome, or Tourette's. Today's first guests are mother and son Mandy and Conor Maysey, who join us to dispel common misconceptions about Tourette's, which Conor first realised he had after a traumatic period in his early 20s. The pair also discuss the great work being done by the Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia, of which Mandy is president. We are then joined by Telethon Kids Institute Senior Research Fellow and mum to a daughter with Tourette's, Dr Melissa Licari, who shares details about her campaign to launch Australia's first national research project evaluating the unmet needs of people with Tourette's and other tic conditions. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some listeners, including childhood trauma. We’re going to do things a little differently today. You see, it turns out it’s not all that easy to get someone diagnosed with sociopathy or psychopathy to talk about their experiences. So instead, we’re going straight to the research and talking to Dr Jacob Dye, a researcher at Federation University who does all sorts of interesting work looking at dark triads and other traits that are present in these disorders. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including depression, drug-related harm and PTSD. Over the next two episodes, we're going to discuss a couple of topics to which quite a bit of stigma is still attached. So we're changing up our format a little bit, going straight to some wonderful researchers in these fields. Today, we will be joined by ECU's Dr Stephen Bright, who tells us why dependence is the preferred term over addiction in research, dispels misconceptions around having an 'addictive personality', and shares insights into his research on pill testing. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some listeners, including war, displacement, violence and PTSD. Today's episode examines the mental health of refugees who have left behind their homeland in times of war. Our first Guest, Vlad Guz, woke up to bombs going off at Kyiv International Airport, heralding the beginning of a Russian invasion of his country. Vlad shares his story and explains why he thinks it is so important to not keep quiet. We are then joined by psychologist Avalon Tissue, who shares her own insights from working with refugees and the children of refugees. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Vlad's recommendations for anyone who would like to make a donation to Ukraine are United 24 and National Bank of Ukraine. NOTE: Alix mistakenly refers to Avalon Tissue, Clinical Psychologist (MCP) as a doctor in the introduction to this episode. Our sincere apologies to Avalon for the confusion!

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some viewers, including anxiety and depression. And we are back for a second season of Embracing the Mind! We kick off the new season with this episode devoted to something so many of us experience with the rigours of work-life balance: burnout. Our first guest is Renee Buckingham, who tells us about the workload she packs into her day as a vegan blogger, commercial radio producer and contractor. Clinical psychologist Dr Joyce Chong then explains some of the factors that contribute to feelings of overwhelm, and how to address these. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. You can follow Renee @melbveganguide and our host Alix @drwoolard on Instagram.

Welcome to Season 2 of Embracing the Mind. Join us as we talk about what goes on in the mind of an autistic child, what it’s like to receive a diagnosis of ADHD and how to live with OCD. We also speak to a Ukrainian refugee who survived the Russian invasion, learn how to grow from adversity, and finish with a special investigation into the trauma parents sometimes go through in the birthing suite.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be distressing to some listeners, including racial discrimination, transphobia, suicide, depression and anxiety. Today's very special bonus episode of Embracing the Mind follows the launch of the Walkern Katatdjin (Rainbow Knowledge) Phase 2 National Survey Community Report. This first-of-it-kind national survey investigated the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people in Australia. We will return with season two later this year. Our first guest is social worker Tahlia Blow, a queer Mununjali woman living in Naarm (Melbourne). Tahlia shares her perspective on experiencing racial discrimination while growing up, at the same time as exploring her own identity. Next, we are joined by Associate Professor Bep Uink, a researcher at Telethon Kids Institute and Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre at Murdoch University. Bep, a Noongar woman, was one of the lead authors on the Walkern Katatdjin Community Report. She received a research translation grant from Embrace @ Telethon Kids Institute to assist with publishing the report. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be upsetting to some listeners, including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Welcome to the final episode of season 1 of Embracing the Mind. Today, we explore the impact body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, can have on a person's life. Our first guest is Stacey Anderson, who bravely shares her own experiences with BDD and the measures she has put in place to look after her mental health and wellbeing. Next, Alix is joined by Dr Amy Malcolm from Swinburne University. Amy tells us about the prevalence of BDD in the social media generation, and shares how far research has come and still has to go. This may be our final episode of series 1, but we are excited to share a bonus episode or two while we work on season 2. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be upsetting to some listeners. Climate anxiety has become increasingly prevalent in schools and universities, where action groups such as School Strike 4 Climate have rapidly emerged in response to the threat of climate catastrophe. And with natural disasters increasing in frequency amid repeated warnings from agencies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a burden has fallen on younger generations set to inherit the repercussions of decisions made by today's policy-makers. Today's first guest, 16-year-old Victorian Joey Thompson, explains how he channels his own climate anxiety through action and activism for change. Next, Alix is joined by Associate Professor Fiona Charlson, a research fellow at the University of Queensland and leading expert on the mental health impacts of climate change. Fiona shares insights into the growing trend of climate anxiety in young people, and how people like Joey can actually use it for good. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be upsetting to some listeners, including racial discrimination. Cultural safety, or the creation of safe environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, has become a leading priority within the Australian healthcare system. Today's first guest is Gija woman Sarah Cattermole, an Aboriginal Community Coordinator at Telethon Kids Institute, who recalls a time she was made to feel culturally unsafe as a mother accessing healthcare services for her son. Sarah also discusses how to make workplaces more culturally safe. Next, Alix is joined by Dr Mishel McMahon, a Yorta Yorta woman and Aboriginal Rural Health Coordinator at La Trobe University. Mishel tells us why culturally safety translates to understanding who you are, and why it is important to all Australians. She also explains why we need to stop thinking in terms of 'diversity'. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be upsetting to some listeners, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It's been a massive elephant in the room ever since March 2020, when much of the world went into varying degrees of lockdown. In the years since, we've learned to hate terms like 'unprecedented' and 'genomic sequencing', as we've collectively tried to brush aside the mental toll of extended lockdowns and lives put on hold. But over three years on, we are still coming to terms with the true mental health impacts of COVID lockdowns. In today's episode, Alix speaks to Gabe Milton, who moved to Melbourne weeks before it plunged into what become one of the longest lockdowns in the world. She is then joined by the Black Dog Institute's Dr Sophie Li, who explains why lockdowns were especially difficult for younger people, and how digital treatments and technology came to the forefront as we remained in our homes. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.

TW: This episode contains discussion of content that may be upsetting to some listeners, including transphobia. Our first guest on today's episode is Xander Bickendorff, a research assistant focused on mental health outcomes of trans and gender diverse people. Xan shares their story of self-discovery of their gender identity, and offers some advice on how to be a better ally for trans and gender diverse people. Next, Alix speaks to Telethon Kids Institute researcher and UWA PhD candidate James Hill, a queer Ngarrindjeri man who is conducting research into the stigma experienced by trans and gender diverse young people. James outlines his research and explains why we need to centre the voices of people with lived experience in all research. If this episode has caused you distress, please reach out to a loved one or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Embrace is supported by its principal partner, Rio Tinto. Follow our host @dralwoolard on Instagram.