Signposts for Living with Dr Kirsten Hunter: Recent Episodes
Dr Kirsten Hunter
Opening the doors of Psychology to you. The ultimate clinical conversation across the expanse of challenging issues. Improve your quality of life. Kirsten has learnt from 20+ years of experience where the therapeutic value lies. She is eager to open the floodgates of psychological knowledge and share it with you.This podcast was prompted by her writing the Signposts for Living series. Together covering 153 areas, these books include Control you Consciousness, Understanding Myself, Mindfulness and State of Flow, Understanding Others - loved ones to tricky ones, Parenting and Nailing being an Adult. Kirsten is an enthusiastic sharer of valued information. She's eager to start a conversation.www.kirstenhunterauthor.com
Podcast - Do people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder believe their own lies? Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
You should have seen Kristen's face when I bought this topic into the room. Truth is fairly irrelevant to people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, they tell a version of the story that suits their agenda, so many lies. But do they know they are doing it? Do they realise their pattern of mistruths? This is a complex and compelling topic.
Share your thoughts, I'm sure you have many...
Podcast - Singer Sue Ray; neurodivergence in the creative world
Sue Ray is known as an Australian Indigenous multi-award-winning singer/songwriter. She's has roots in the Australian and American music scene. Her authentic and fresh approach to country/blues and roots music is matched by her enchanting voice (have a listen - you won't forget her voice once you've heard it). Today however, we are spoilt to have Sue talk about her neurodivergent experience in her creative world. Sue's story is very touching, inspiring and highly relatable. What she also has is charisma, the sort you wish your could bottle. I so enjoyed Sue sharing her world through her neurodivergent lens.
Sue Ray, we are all so fortunate and grateful for your time to come and share your story. Warmest thankyou. And listeners... yes! Sue Ray is working on fresh music coming out soon! Keep your ear to out.
Weaponising incompetence. Someone may never have paid the bills, cleaned the bathroom, learnt how to communicate effectively, learnt how to calm their anger, learnt how to do the washing... you name it... But do they try to learn or simply say 'I'm not good at that'. There's a difference between knowing our weaknesses and stepping away from trying to improve ourselves. Let's chat...
Podcast: The difference between hyperfixation in ASD and ADHD. Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
This is an interesting dissection in the world of psychology. Hyperfixation is a common characteristic of both ASD and ADHD, but yet there is a difference in the expression of this symptom across these two diagnoses. Let's see if we can clear this up?
Podcast: My challenges living in Antarctica. Special Guest David Wardle
It's not very often that you get to have a sit down chat with someone who has lived in Antarctica, so I was beyond eager to dive into David's lived experience on this one. I have always thought it would be like living on another planet to live in Antarctica, and hearing David's stories... I was not wrong. I also appreciated him sharing his personal struggles with living in such close quarters with fellow humans and away from his young family.
Thankyou so much David for taking this time to share your story. So many of the themes that pulse through your experience in Antarctica are relatable.
Enjoy everyone!
Quick Chat: Do you really have a bad memory?
A lot of clients say to me 'I have a bad memory', when it truth memory is a complex thing and their reported experience of their memory is very much in the realm of normal / typical... This may be an interesting quick chat for you to reflect on your memory (strengths and weaknesses) and for you to learn to work with your beautiful brain.
Podcast: Do you have to be psychologically minded to be happy? Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
With our increasing focus on our mental health, our level of self awareness, and our psychological skillset, I ask the question of whether this is all essential to be happy? The question may appear obvious, but perhaps there are those that are smiling through life without much psychological intelligence.
Thankyou Kristen for fleshing this odd question out with me.
What do you all think?
Choices - the end of life. Bringing Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation to QLD. Dr Harry Jacobs and Fiona Jacobs.
I was incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to chat with Harry and Fiona Jacobs. Through their medical background and their personal story of loss, they have taken action where action was urgent and overdue. Harry and Fiona explain with such clarity and sensitivity the various avenues involved with Voluntary Assisted Dying, they discuss when and how these choices need to be available to us, and the political terrain that they (and their colleagues) had to overcome to bring this end of life choice to QLD.
This podcast was such a valuable learning curve for me, I'm excited to share it. Harry and Fiona, my warmest heartfelt thankyou for sharing your personal story and challenging journey through this complex area. We Queenslanders now benefit from you providing us with choice at a time when we are our most vulnerable.
Those in the know come along to Couples Therapy to tweak and further strengthen their relationship. But most couples come along at absolute breaking point, where their long held patterns of behaviour have created a huge chasm between them that is difficult, but often not impossible to recover from.
We can learn from this. There is so much to learn about ourselves and our partners. There is so much misunderstanding and hurt to be resolved. I thought I'd overview the advantages of Couples Therapy for those who are curious. It definitely can be a life changing choice.
Podcast: Domestic Violence against men. Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
It is estimated that 1 in 4 women (27%) experience domestic violence. Sadly, this is a known fact. What isn't known is that 1 in 8 men (12%) also experience domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Men are routinely left in the shadows when they experience DV (coercive control, physical violence, psychological and emotional abuse, verbal abuse etc). Because men are considered the 'stronger sex', society can often not make sense of the fact that they too can be on the receiving end of a tormenting partner. Men are often not believed, which makes their trauma exponentially worse.
Plenty of women are controlling, manipulative and set on eroding their partner's self believe and choice. Let's take a moment to chat about the men on the receiving end, the hidden population.
Thanks Kristen for joining me as we shed light on this topic together.
Podcast: Transitioning our children with Autism into adulthood; a parent's perspective. Special Guest Dr Karen Glasby.
Karen wears so many hats when it comes to this topic. She is an academic, and an advocate for parents, but most importantly she is a mother of a young man with Autism. Karen, like many parent's, has been to hell and back with her son. Her family have watched helplessly as their son struggled with his adult independence, without the cognitive capacity to match this new life stage. As their son was an adult, he theoretically could make his own choices, but they as a family were left to pick up the pieces again and again.
Karen took her search for answers beyond her own front door, and into academia. Her research findings humble us even further. I will let her explain. Thank you immensely for your time Karen and for sharing your story and your wisdom. I truly appreciate the fire in your belly in trying to open everyone's eyes to this issue.
Are you critically judgmental or compassionate judgemental, there is a difference.
I have clients come into session worried that they are judgemental, that they are critical of others. This opens up a fascinating topic of what it means to observe your world and how you respond to what you see.
I thought I would add this topic out of interest because it always creates such interesting responses.
Have a think, where do you sit?
Podcast: The gender roles that have shaped you. Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
Have you ever thought about who your role models are with regard to your masculinity and femininity? With regard to your sense of your gender? It's a fascinating personal question. Are there adults who you swore you'd wouldn't turn out like, or other's in your personal world or in a more far off role that have inspired you? Where do you get a sense of what kind of man or woman you want to be? What is your yard stick?
I surprised poor Kristen with this topic with not much notice, and she didn't disappoint. I really loved us chewing through our personal experiences here. Fun and thought provoking...
Podcast: It's nice to be nice; why volunteering is amazing. Special Guest 'Krazy Kevin' Howarth.
Kevin is one of those big personalities that leaves a lasting impression. Kevin is a man of many talents, he is 'Krazy Kevin' radio and DJ personality, he is Toowoomba's Town Crier, he's officially the loudest person in Australia, he has won the 'Best DJ in the UK' and he is an active member of our community who seems to pop up all over the place. But what people might not know about Kevin is that he has an impressive history of contributing truly meaningful volunteer work in the most varied and bizarre places and international situations. Kevin is a huge advocate of volunteering (the second biggest workforce he educated me), and Kevin is involved in acknowledging this vital role of volunteers.
Kevin is such a kind hearted enthusiast in life. I'm sure you'll find his energy contagious.
Thank you so much Kevin for sharing your experiences and your passion. We are all spoilt!
Do you know the difference between OCD and OCPD?
Over my 25 years as a Clinical Psychologist, I've seen this misunderstanding come up time and time again. A client comes in complaining that they or their partner has OCD, but they actually have OCPD, and vice versa. One presentation is a debilitating anxiety condition, the other is a personality type.
Have a listen. You might recognise these conditions in people in your life?
Podcast: What do your pet peeves say about you? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
You know those things that irritate you, and drive you nuts? We all have pet peeves. We can I'm sure all list them easily. What is interesting is that our pet peeves are unique to each of us and this is a very interesting thing. Our pet peeves actually say a lot about us. They are a reflection of our personality traits, our values and our previous experiences.
So have a listen. I wonder what your pet peeves say about you? It's a glance in the mirror...
Podcast: Murder of my 8 year old brother - Change in DOCS legislation. Special Guest: Chantelle Deetlefs
The media made a living off this 1982 tragedy, but up until now, Chantelle Deetlefs, the key witness has never told her story.
This tragic story is about so many things; mental health, dangerous critical assumptions and decisions, ignoring multiple cries for help, duty of care, risk assessment procedures and dismissal of a youth's voice. Chantelle tells me that for herself personally, it was about learning to survive.
This is a powerful historical story that sadly still resonates today.
Chantelle, I am honoured that you chose this platform to finally set the story straight. It was brave of you. I hope it was yet another step toward healing.
Quick Chat: Can parents tell their children not to smoke if they are smokers?
This controversial topic comes up surprisingly often in session. Parents don't want their children to smoke, but what if they themselves are smokers? What if they are modelling smoking as a normal way of life to their children?
This is super tricky issue and I have loads of empathy for adults caught in this situation as quitting smoking is argued to be the most difficult addiction to overcome. More the reason to desperately try to discourage our children from smoking right? But then the child says 'Yeah, but you do it...'
Jump on and see what you think about this controversial topic.
Podcast: Why should we cry? Our chemical release. Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
Do you know what happens to your neurochemical self when you cry? Our bodies are pretty clever in their design. When you hear what the physical perks are of releasing a good cry you might just embrace the opportunity when next it comes up.
I personally feel extremely comfortable with tears. I don't feel unsettled when my clients cry in session, I give them all the space they need to be in that moment and release. And when I feel a tearful release, I really value how good it is for me. Find out why for yourself.
Hope you enjoy.
When Suzie Holt wins the Federal election in 2025 for the seat of Groom (come on Toowoomba... surely!), our region is in for a much needed shake up. I never put my hat in the ring for politics, but with Suzie Holt I'll make an exception. I've known Suzie for perhaps 18 years, and I can tell you she's got brains, a strong community conscience, brilliant communication skills and the warrior heart of a pioneer. The reason that I'm so confident for a win is that in the last election, before Toowoomba had much time to get to know Suzie, she came second place on two-party preference. That's truly extraordinary for a new comer! But now that Suzie has proven that she's a woman of action, I'm busting to see Toowoomba step out of the cobwebs and embrace some fresh initiative in 2025.
Now onto our podcast... 'The Justice Response to Sexual Violence.' This topic was chosen as Suzie excitedly informed me that there is currently a review happening into how our Justice channels respond to sexual violence. What is working for sexual abuse survivors, and what is not? Unfortunately the report card is not a good one, and Suzie is grabbing the opportunity to look to international justice practices (Spain!) to see alternative models we can embrace.
I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Suzie about how she came to politics, and what has fuelled the incredible fire in her belly to advocate for the community's needs. We circled through some great topics, with sexual violence reform being our punchline.
Thanks Suzie for your time, your thoughts and your passion.
Everyone... jump on Suzie's website (attached in comments) and check her out. You can't get a more determined, practical and relatable Federal candidate for our region of Groom. Grab her for a chat. She'd love that!
linktr.ee/suzieholt4groom
Podcast: The importance of financial independence for women; breaking the cycle. Special Guest Bec Balfour
It's very difficult to leave a toxic relationship. One of the most daunting and practical barriers can be our finances. Financial independence of some sort means that we have more freedom and choice to leave.
Bec Balfour comes at this topic from many angles. She has her personal story of finding the strength to leave a DV relationship, she set herself up with a new career, independent finances, and her own business. She now also provides financial independence for her staff. Furthermore... what's her work area? Finances no less. Bec is eager to join all of these threads and discuss how important it is to be mindful to be empowered rather then vulnerable in your financial position.
This not just relevant for young woman, we can all relate to the importance of knowing we have choice.
Thanks Bec for sharing and for your passion to educate and inspire.
Quick Chat: What is forgiveness really?
Forgiveness is one of those words that we use, but we don't really think about what exactly we are referring to. From a psychological viewpoint, forgiveness is far from straightforward. How have you gone with forgiveness in your past? Have you discovered that it's actually a multi-layered thing to do.
Let's talk...
Podcast. What is age anyway? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
Age is such a subjective thing! How you feel within yourself, how you feel physically, your outlook, how you feel in the world... there are so many elements to age. I know some very old young people, and some very youthful older people, which begs the 'what is age anyway'.
As always Kristen and I enjoyed diving into this question together.
How do you feel with your age? How has your sense of age changed over time? Interesting! What can we learn from our own lived experience?
Podcast: Being a great leader for self and others. Special Guest: Vanya Hinton
Every since I started these podcasts I have wanted to interview Vanya. Not only is she extremely experienced and knowledgable in this organisational psychology field of leadership, but she is my dearest friend since childhood and through all of our adult life chapters together. This opportunity to hear more about her field was such a treat.
No matter our field, if we work in a team, we are all going to have experience with the importance of clear and supportive leadership. What a wonderfully relevant area to have a podcast about.
Thanks so much Vanya! Appreciate your time, and as ever that beautiful brain of yours.
Consent and the importance of being a good human. Special Guest: Adair Donaldson
Adair is a respected Solicitor who has a history of taking on community issues. He doesn't let things go when he takes on a passionate cause. Fortunately for those who have benefited from hearing him speak on the topic, he is passionate about educating youths and the public generally about the urgency and importance of consent.
Adair visits schools and other educational forums to speak about consent. He can see the danger and the ripple effect of poor choices, and how common it is to have a lack of knowledge on the topic of consent. I was especially interested to hear his broader view regarding the importance of men taking a stand amongst other men, and speaking up.
Thankyou Adair for you time and for sharing your knowledge and experience. I truly appreciate how community minded you are.
QUICK CHAT: Protect your child from adult information.
This is an issue that we all face when parenting our children. How much information is appropriate for our child? It sounds so simple, but so often our children are exposed to, and left to deal with adult information.
Let's chat about it for a moment...
Losing your baby after birth (CDH), you're not alone. Special Guest: Carmel Chesterfield
I had never heard of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), nor had this kind of in-depth conversation about losing a baby after birth. Carmel generously opened her world and my knowledge to these two painful experiences.
Carmel is one of those people that finds a way through, she is also a communicator. These traits are evident in this podcast where she shares her family's experiences as they had no choice but to crash through this life chapter of learning about their daughter's Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, and coming to terms with losing her so soon after her birth.
Thankyou Carmel for sharing your experiences and educating us about CDH. I truly appreciate your matter of fact attitude and capacity for healing.
For more information:
Web: cdh.org.au
Facebook CDH Australia
Instagram cdh_australia
Quick Chat: Parents who say 'It's easier if I just do it!'
Every parent has said these words to themselves 'It's easier if I just do it!' and then preceeded to do the job that their child should really be doing. I certainly have done this countless times and continue to (may I add).
BUT... what are we truly doing here? What are we teaching our kids? What habits are we reinforcing? Why are we doing this? What learning and shaping opportunities are we missing in these parenting moments?
Let's talk about this incredibly relatable and frustrating parenting struggle.
The Psychology of Town Planning. Special Guest: Jacob Hart
There is a very human part to town planning if you think about it. What do we as individuals and as a community need to live and thrive physically and psychologically? It really is the process of creating our modern habitat if you think about it. I found it fascinating to hear from a professional about all of the behind the scenes action that takes place.
Thank you Jake, you are such a warm hearted, clever, generous and intriguing person. I'm just calling as I see it! If you ever get to work with Jake, jump at the chance. You'll enjoy the process for sure.
Let's delve into the psychology of town planning. Let's examine our own little petri dish!
Quick Chat: How to do you stop sibling conflict?
This is a highly relatable topic - How many families struggle with their children or teenagers fighting or squabbling? How horrible is it for parents to constantly be refereeing and breaking them up? Living with this conflict can hijack the family's happiness. So how do you turn this around.
Firstly the saying 'That's what siblings do, they fight...' is an absolute cop out and not true. Find out why and how to sort out this family stressor head on.
Share your thoughts.
Podcast: Listening & Conversation a dying art amongst teenagers. Special Guest Mia Patterson
Mia Patterson is one of those educators that creates a meaningful and personal relationship with her students. While she is a Vice Principal at her High School, she remains grounded and able to be messy and accessible with her students. This is definitely part of her charm.
Mia returns for another valued podcast as we talk about the dangers of the impersonal world of social media, where teenagers (and adults!) think that texting is a conversation. We talk about the interpersonal relatedness of face to face conversation and the art of active listening. Are these skills been lost in our screen world?
I am sure that you will relate to this podcast. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts.
Podcast: Why Separation Anxiety in Children is over-diagnosed. Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
What is Separation Anxiety? It's pretty fascinating that we think we know what this diagnosis is but most of us actually don't. Come and join Kristen and I as we explore this diagnosis and the challenges that families experience.
Podcast: My story of Chronic Fatigue. Special Guest Courtney O'Leary
This was a long time anticipated podcast. I've always wanted to sit down with Courtney and hear her story of Chronic Fatigue. Who knew we would be serenaded by cicadas (sorry about that!)
When you listen to this podcast you will truly understand why I value Courtney so much. She has the kindest heart. She is walking integrity. It is so cruel that such a beautiful person was wounded mid flight by Chronic Fatigue. She had to claw her way back to where she is now and it hasn't been an easy ride. She has had to learn a lot about the condition, about her body, her limits, her healing and the need for more patience than I would argue is humanly possible.
Chronic Fatigue is an invisible giant that sits on you. While you are wiped out and ill from your core, the world doesn't see it. I really appreciated Courtney taking the time to share the psychological struggle, as well as the physical struggle that is inherent to Chronic Fatigue. This conversation was a true education for me. My goal is that podcasts like this one, personal stories and wisdom shared, and people like Courtney will finally bring much needed awareness to this condition that is argued to affect 1.3% of the population.
QUICK CHAT: Does it benefit my child to have a pet?
It is a profound thing to see the benefits of pets for children. There's a whole field of research on companion therapy that backs this up. This is a quick break down of how having a pet can benefit your child. And yes - of course this does depend on you choosing the right pet for your child and your home.
This is a simple but special topic!
Podcast: Who cleans the toilet at your house? Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan.
Who does what in your house? Honestly, truly, how are domestic roles shared or not shared? How much does your gender play a role in what you do?
This is such a fascinating question, and one that we often overlook. Yes, we may have gender ideals, but are we practicing what we preach?
Jump on board as we explore the truths of what happens behind closed doors. There are a few ouch moments in this podcast.
We'd love to hear your thoughts!
Cate is one of those passionate people that you energise from. So the world benefited when she decided that career counselling was to be her own career passion. Cate looks to the person, and walks alongside them as they find a career that matches who they are, and what they want.
We spend such an enormous slice of our life at work. How critical it is then to pick the right career path. But yet, would you agree that we don't focus enough on career counselling? More conversations (that involve for the most part listening to young people) need to happen to support the process of learning what options are out there, and to learn more about ourselves, our aptitude and our values.
What an incredibly important topic. Cate is the most delightful person. I thoroughly enjoy out time together, and this podcast is no exception.
I especially enjoyed discussing the societal pressures that young people face in choosing their career path. All so true, and so critical to avoid.
Hopefully, this podcast will leave you with a mirror to check yourself with regard to your personal choices and if relevant, your role as a parent.
Enjoy.
QUICK CHAT: Strategies to deal with ADHD at home and in the workplace
This is a conversation that I have so often in session that I thought it would be worth chatting about here. Life can be so much more manageable for people with ADHD when they really figure out how their brains work, and how to work with their brains.
If anyone has any extra learnt skills and strategies that they want to share, jump on and leave a comment for all.
I love that we are becoming more aware and transparent about the challenges and solutions for ADHD brains. Every little bit helps!
Podcast - The psychology of tattoos. Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
What do tattoos mean to you? - Self expression, artwork, sense of belonging, warding off people, a desire to be unique, or a desire to belong. What about tattoo regret? There's a fair bit of that around. Is it a big deal to commit to a tattoo, for some it's huge, for others it's 'whatever'.
How do we find the balance between the self expression of tattoos and avoiding tattoo regret. There's a lot of psychology in this question because it's all about YOU.
I've been eager to have this podcast with Kristen. Love to hear your thoughts.
Podcast: Behind the Covid Medical Frontline - A Time to Reflect. Special Guest Sally H.
This podcast blew me away. Sally is one of those quiet achievers. She is unassuming and a salt of the earth kind of person. She was also one of the integral players in Australian Health navigating the Pandemic wave that hit our shores.
Sally balanced the importance of her overwhelming job, with the challenge of supporting her young family during the pandemic. I am sure that many of you will relate to this podcast in several meaningful ways.
Sally you are a quiet legend with a heart as big as your clever smarts.
On behalf of our humble Australia, thankyou for helping us through the pandemic when we had no idea of your role.
Enjoy everyone! I did!
QUICK CHAT: ADHD in the workplace. Do you know about the honeymoon period?
ADHD with my adult clients is all about self awareness and strategies to work with our brain make-up. How we function in the workplace is no exception. I really enjoy this area as it is so meaningful and can be life-changing for people grappling with their ADHD brains.
Let's talk about our honeymoon period when we have ADHD and we start a new job.
Podcast: Can you live for too long? Co-presenter Kirsten Coggan
'Don't wish that for me!' This is what an elderly lady I know says when people say to her 'You could live till you're 100.'
This is an interesting issue that strangely comes up in psychology sessions. I enjoyed discusing this question of 'Can you live for too long?' with Kristen in our usual way - humour and depth all in the same sentence.
What do you think? When do we change our focus from longevity, to quality of life?
Hope you enjoy.
Podcast. Workplace Manslaughter - My Personal Story. Special Guest Lana Cormie
Lana and I pushed through some technical hitches (sorry about the music going dodgy and the abrupt ending!) to bring this incredibly important podcast to you.
I had never heard about Workplace Manslaughter or Industrial Manslaughter until very recently. Sadly, I'm sure there was a time that Lana hadn't heard of it either, but unfortunately, as she will explain, her world has turned upside down and now she is a reluctant expert on this tragic issue.
I'll let Lana explain her story. Sadly, I think her story raises more questions than answers.
Thankyou immensely Lana for bravely sharing with us.
NB: Lana needed to be incredibly cautious with regard to how much she shared as this is an ongoing legal process. My apologise that we had to work with these restrictions.
QUICK CHAT: Our children and their chores, their sense of ownership is important.
I didn't know whether to go with this topic, because it felt like such a small nuance issue. But then I realised that in session, this comes up all the time, and parents have implimented this approach and had great outcome. So I'm eager to share.
What are your thoughts? What do you think of the role of ownership when we take on a job... even something as mundane as our chores.
Let's talk this through a little.
Podcast: The confusion around Separation Anxiety.
When your child doesn't want to separate from from you at school drop off (as an example), is this due to it being their preference, a fear or a phobia? We talk about Separation Anxiety, but do we really now what we are talking about? Or are we all confused? I'm afraid that this is an area where Pop Psychology has taken most of us off track. It is so common to misunderstand 'Separation Anxiety'. We all really need to get the facts laid out for us so we can help our children. Hopefully this is achieved through this podcast.
Hope you enjoy, and this clears up the confusion.
Podcast: The Psychology of Painting. Special Guest Catherine Ketton
Painting is definitely one of our creative outlets where we can both challenge and lose ourselves. Beautiful Catherine Ketton is my mentor in the oil painting world, so I thought I would ask her along to hear about her process and her personal experience of oil painting.
I love the complexity of oil painting and the depth of finished product that you can achieve. Catherine spoke of how she is constantly trying new approaches and remains intrigued by mastering the different techniques.
If you are interested in oil painting, then this podcast is for you. But if you are interested in finding a passion that draws you into a world that you become lost and recharged in... then this podcast also provides an intriguing lens for your personal journey.
Grab your paintbrush and enjoy!
Podcast: How do we work out healthy boundaries at work? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan.
There seems to be no rule book with this one. How do we balance the importance of relationship building in the workplace, and the need to support mental health, with a boundary of some sort to keep our workplace professional.
As usual, Kristen and I threw this question at the wall to see how it would fall. We weren't disappointed. There is so much to this question. I'm sure that we all have our own experiences of this going well, and of course... not going well.
We would love to hear your thoughts on your experience of this curly question.
Podcast. Elite sport for kids; Pros and Cons. My Synchronised Swimming experience. Special Guest Sally Johnstone.
Sally is one of those lovely humble people. So when by chance I happened to discover that in her past life she was an elite Synchonised Swimmer I was intrigued and had to ask her along to do a podcast. I am so glad that I did. Because her story opened up to an intriguing can of worms with regard to the pros and cons of children being involved in elite sport. I appreciate this opportunity to enter into this unique world. It is one that we don't get to hear about very much. As a mother now, Sally shares even more indepth reflections.
I hope you enjoy! I certainly did. Thanks so much Sally.
QUICK CHAT: Am I grieving properly?
Does it surprise you that this is a frequently asked question in session. Grief can be daunting and exhausting. We can experience a big dose of the deepest heartache. So I guess it's no surprise that we often look for reassurance about how we are grieving.
I hope this podcast is helpful for those facing grief in some way or another.
Take care.
Podcast: Have you felt the hurt of Critical Humour?
Critical Humour is a sly fox. Have you ever had anyone say something that is truly hurtful, yet they say 'I'm only joking!', or 'can't you take a joke.'
How do you navigate this? What is going wrong? Do you have the right to feel hurt even though they are supposedly only joking?
Let's talk about this tricky topic. Let's iron it out, expose it, once and for all!
Podcast: Relationships - how to heal hurts. Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan.
When we have said something or done something to hurt our special person, it is a skill to know how to heal the hurt. How to move forward and genuinely feel okay. This podcast breaks down what we need from the other person in order to overcome our hurts. A simple sorry doesn't cut it. Why? Well we talk through the why's and the how's in this podcast.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Podcast: Doing school differently - for kids that haven't thrived in mainstream schooling. Special Guest Libby Rosentreter
Libby is an advocate for neurodiversity and alternative educational settings. She is the principle of Samaritan College in Toowoomba, SE QLD, Australia. Libby is one of those people that quietens all the noise, and gets to know what the inner working are of each child that she is working with. She doesn't think the children need to be a square peg that should fit into a square hole. Instead, she works to understand the child, and then she works to change the environment so that the child feels safe and can begin to show their potential.
My heart and my head sang when I met Libby. We need millions more like her in the world to make the world an intelligent and compassionate place, where difference is embraced and celebrated.
There is a very good reason that her school, Good Samaritan has a very long waiting list.
Come and enjoy Libby's insights and her story. Thankyou Libby for being so generous with your time. We all really appreciate it.
Podcast - Is it cliche that our childhood shapes us? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan.
In session, the Psychologist hopefully doesn't say the cliche words 'tell me about your childhood'... but the truth is, our childhood is central to shaping us.
How we learn about ourselves (healthy or unhealthy), how we learn to be in relationships (healthy or unhealthy), how we learn to relate to the world (healthy or unhealthy), our values (healthy or unhealthy), etc, etc. The point is... we have absorbed healthy and unhealthy patterns and experiences from our childhood, and this is a large focus in learning about your psychology.
Kristen and I explore this issue together. It's so pivotal that we all get our head around our own inner workings to get that much happier and skilled. Perhaps this podcast will nudge a few people in the right direction.
Podcast: Do you appreciate your body in the good times?
We humans have a bad habit of taking things for granted. Our bodies are no exception. Yes, when we are unwell, we miss when we were well. But then, when we are back to health, we tend to stop appreciating the health and capacity that we have. What a great topic to take a moment to consider... and to wake up to. We truly benefit in our mental health when we have gratitude for our bodies - in so many ways.
Podcast: My experience with Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. Special Guest Holly Paterson.
Where to begin? This podcast is layered with so many intriguing and confronting themes and issues... trauma, utter desperation, the power of psychedelic assisted therapy, and healing. Holly is a highly intelligent, informed and articulate advocate for so many who are lost to trauma. As she explains, Holly was exposed to trauma while in her highly specialised work role... a role that involved protecting the vulnerable. It is a cruel irony that she herself, ended up so vulnerable as a result. This led her on a desperate search for alternative answers when mainstream therapy could not help her.
I love that our paths have crossed and that we were able to share this very meaningful conversation. Thankyou for your openness to share Holly. I'm sure that your experience will help others to find their way out also.
More about Holly: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicintimacy/
Please note - this was recorded 13th June 2023 (yes, we are fortunate to have a backlog of podcasts yet to post!) so the information regarding Government Policy may be (hopefully is... ) out of date. Check the Australian Government websites for latest policy updates. Thanks so much!
Podcast: 'I fear conflict.' Co-Presenter Kristen Coggan
It's a strange thing.... client after client come in and say these words 'I fear conflict.' This is a completely valid statement of course, and it's often core to the struggles that we are having. No problems there... what is interesting is that we tend to think that we're alone in this thinking framework, when in truth, most of the population think and feel this same way. I was eager to talk through this topic with Kristen, and explore why this is a common fear, why we feel alone with it, and perhaps how to work through it.
We are social creatures, so conflict with loved ones and not so loved ones is inevitable. I'm sure this is a topic that we can all relate to.
QUICK CHAT: Domestic Violence - Does the cycle always continue?
There is no doubt that when you have been exposed to psychological or physical Domestic Violence, there are high odds (due to dangerous subconscious psychological forces) that you will end up in another Domestically Violent relationship. But... this is when the patterns remain under our conscious awareness and therefore out of our control. The cycle can break! Well and truly! This QUICK CHAT explains why it is a myth that Domestic Violence will repeat and explores the 'whys' and 'hows' of change.
On a personal and societal level, we all need to be skilled in our knowledge about this issue to take away the power of Domestic Violence in families.
The Vanuatu Project: bringing music to children. Special Guest Melissa Buchholz.
Melissa is a truly extraordinary pianist. If you have ever had the opportunity to hear her perform, you know that her reputation and impressive credentials are well earned. But her passion does not stop there, Melissa wants to bring music to those who don't have access to musical education. Her focus started out with rural schools, but now she is extending her focus to Vanuatu no less, a country that she has developed a deep connection with.
Her Vanuatu story is a sweet one, and her passion is contagious. Melissa is one of those precious people that have a fire in their belly to share their talents and to improve the lives of others. Hope you enjoy.
Podcast:- Separated Parents - Does your child feel like a visitor? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
Children can be very adaptive to parent separation when it's done well. We all know the obvious don'ts like 'Don't speak negatively about the other parent...', but there are some other curve ball issues that we need to master to make sure our child's childhood is not highjacked or damaged by parent separations. Unfortunately, these are not spoken about, and they can easily be missed.
I feel passionate about parents getting this right... separating so that your child thrives. I'm delighted that Kristen and I could dive into this topic and pull it apart. Would love to hear your thoughts.
When we are trying to help people who are anxious, overwhelmed and stressed it can be hard to know what to say. Of course we can't fix other people's struggles, although we might like to and may try. I love this simple analogy that came to me in session... the broken leg analogy. What do you think?
Podcast: Girls - Walking them through their teenage years, perfectionism, judgment, silence, mean girls and survival.
This is a huge topic that effects so many families. It's tough being a girl, and tough parenting girls with so many social and personal obstacles to navigate.
Mia is a bonafide expert on teenage girls. Her passion and dedication is unwavering. She brings with her insight and encouragement, something we all probably can benefit from.
Podcast: Are you creating guilt in your child. Co-presenter Kristen Coggan
Guilt is the strangest emotional state and thinking process. As parents, it's extraordinary how easy it is to set our child up to feel guilt. Perhaps we are programmed to feel guilt ourselves from our childhood, our culture or our religion. But guilt is a problem. Guilt can lead us to make choices that are not our own, choices that are based on blind obligation, not to mention the emotional toll.
How often do you feel guilt, how often do you make decisions to avoid feeling guilt? But perhaps most importantly, are you accidentally parenting your child through guilt?
This is an unspoken problem, it was really interesting where Kristen and I ended up on this one.
QUICK CHAT: Boundaries in Relationships
It is an important skill to learn - how to not feel responsible for others but remain supportive, and how to now allow others to step over our boundaries, and impose their needs on us. It's a tricky area. But once we master this skill (well enough anyway) we can prevent so much pain and heartache.
Podcast; False Assumptions about Muslim Women. Special Guest Ellisa Parker
Ellisa is one of those people who can't sit on the side lines. She's passionate about learning, advocating for the environment, woman and the community. As an Australian woman who has converted to her Muslim faith, she provides a fresh perspective on her religion, especially as she is someone who asks questions and demands accountability. Ellisa was eager to come along and debunk many of the false assumptions that exist with regard to Muslim Women. I was fascinated as she shared the need for there to be more education and advocacy for woman within her faith.
I love meeting people like Ellisa. She is a born agitator and pioneer. How can you not want to learn more about another world that is perhaps not so different from your own as you may have thought. Thankyou for your time Ellisa, you're a true gem.
Podcast - Why do people stay in toxic relationships? Co-presenter Kristen Coggan.
I am often asked this by distressed friends and relatives who painstakingly see their loved one stay in a toxic relationship. This is a tough question to be sure. I'm glad to take the time to flesh this out and really examine why people stay in a relationship that harms them.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Jump on and share.
Communication is like throwing a ball.
Psychologists spend a lot of time talking about communication. It's the foundation of so many tricky life issues. I love this analogy of it being like throwing a ball... and not pegging it. Check it out. What do you think?
Podcast: Death Doula - supporting end of life. Special Guest Deb Anderson
We have support with so many challenges in life, so it makes sense that we may need support with arguably life's biggest challenge - dealing with death. Deb is one of those rare people who has the skill and the gentle presence to help during this end stage of life. Many of us have not heard of a Death Doula. I was very interested to learn about how it all works.
To have a good death is a profound thing. I admire Deb for playing her part in helping in this direction.
I'm sure you'll find the conversation as interesting as I did. Thankyou Deb, the world is a richer place for having you in it.
Mental Health Support Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealtheachother
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Website - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/
Podcast - Parenting through your child's first crush. Co-presenter Kristen Coggan.
This is a sweet one. It is inevitable that your child will have their first (second and third!) crush, and let's hope that you have the sort of relationship where they can come to you with their whirlwind of emotion and confusion. This is a beautiful opportunity to tenderly understand, support and guide your child.
Life is full of crazy experiences. How wonderful that we can help our child with this one.
Mental Health Support Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealtheachother
Our monthly Psychology newsletter - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/newsletter/
Mental Health and Psychology Blog – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychology-blog/
Psychology Books for sale – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychological-books/
Website - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/
Podcast -
Our Teenage girls: Perfectionism, Confidence and Losing your Twirl. Special Guest - Mia Patterson.
Mia has been working in the world of education all her life. She is gifted, passionate and insightful with regard to the inner working of teenagers. Tonight we explored the headspace of many teens who fundamentally lack confidence and fear self expression.
I just love how Mia plays the goofball with her teenage students, when in truth she is lovingly guiding them toward backing themselves and exploring their voice and point of difference. Perfectionism and confidence is about needing to feel in control at a point when most teenagers feel completely out of control.
Join Mia and I as we delve into the teenage psyche and try to find ways to build them up from the inside out.
Thankyou Mia, I so enjoy our time together. You are truly a gem of wisdom and devotion.
Mental Health Support Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealtheachother
Our monthly Psychology newsletter - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/newsletter/
Mental Health and Psychology Blog – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychology-blog/
Psychology Books for sale – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychological-books/
Website - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/
How to support a loved one with grief.
Most people are scared of the grief state, so we can be awkward with how to support our loved ones. Many people either over-fuss, or withdraw do to fear. I'm happy to take a moment to talk through this process and to normalise that this is in fact a difficult area for most of us. Unfortunately, we are all going to find ourselves in the position of a loved one going through grief, so this is a great skill to have.
Mental Health Support Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mentalhealtheachother
Our monthly Psychology newsletter - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/newsletter/
Mental Health and Psychology Blog – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychology-blog/
Psychology Books for sale – https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/psychological-books/
Website - https://kirstenhunterauthor.com/
Podcast: Why mental health self-diagnosis is on the rise... and so dangerous
Dr Google is a common source of information when we are trying to understand what is wrong with our body and our minds. With regard to psychological disorders, I can tell you from too much experience that this is routinely inaccurate and therefore harmful. Kristen and I talk through this modern day dilemma, and discuss why we reach for self-diagnosis, why we get it so wrong, and how we can make our lives even more problematic when we are busy diagnosing ourselves.
We hope you enjoy this podcast. As ever... we enjoy the conversation involved whilst creating it. Thank you Kristen, you're a great co-pilot!
Grief is hard enough, but Complicated Grief is a whole new level. I'm always eager to share psychology knowledge. I hope this is helpful to you.
We met Robyn in Alice Springs, we were both staying with the deliciously eccentric Franciose Builder, our mutual friend. It was here that we first heard of her travels, leaving her winery behind her, Robyn has travelled all around Australia and back again. She then came and visited us in Toowoomba, which meant we could do our podcast face to face. It was a treat!
Robyn is a bundle of energy who can turn her hand at just about anything. It was great to hear about her experiences being truly off the grid, being alone with herself, learning about her passions, and many of her adventures that have unfolded over the years. We even heard about nudist caravan parks. Who knew! Her last posting had her trip at day 1924. Yes... that's over 5 years. Come on board the Robyn adventure, her story has a beginning, but not an end.
Phobias are more common than you think. There is no limit to the different things we can develop a phobic fear of - birds, flying, milk, grasshoppers, butterflies, eating noises, storms, heights, deep water... Just when I think I've heard it all, along comes another unique phobia. The good news is that you can overcome them. We talk through what phobias are and how they tend to form. I'm sure you or someone in your family have been effected by this terror reaction. Hope you hear some tips that help you out.
How would it be if you harnessed the ideal human state (state of flow) with how you approach parenting? This is about setting up your kid's world so they are being creative, expanding and experiencing genuine contentment and immersion in life. This is a great area of parenting to learn about. Everyone benefits!
Sam has his finger on the people side of real estate, and yes, he's my beautiful brother.
While Sam is passionate about real estate, it's the people side that drives him, and where he has built his name. Sam has just moved back from the UK where he established himself as having the knack for understanding the psychology of real estate. In his travels, he with colleagues, set up UK based Homesearch.
https://homesearch.co.uk/about-us/
Sam prides himself on listening to people and working to understand their personal needs and challenges when facing the ever daunting challenge of buying and selling real estate. He loves to study the big picture, and to learn from the mistakes we all make when facing perhaps the biggest financial investment of our lives. Be wise, not fearful, is what I heard from this podcast, and Sam generously gives us a sneak peak into this wisdom.
I love you Sam, and I loved having this conversation with you and learning even more about your world and your headspace. I admire you immensely. An absolute heartfelt thankyou for sharing with us.
Oh my gosh... if there was a common relationship gripe, this is it. I don't want to be gender based, but this really is a gender pattern that I see in session all the time. Kristen and I enjoyed pulling this age-old relationship dilemma apart. Can you relate? Are you just wanting your partner to listen and show they understand? Or are you going crazy wanting to just jump in and fix the problem, only to have your well intended efforts met with protests. I feel for both parties on this gender divide. Truly I do. But the good news is there is a solution. Listen in and best of luck!
State of flow is about doing things that expand your life, it's about feeling day to day contentment and feeling energised rather than drained. This is a topic, a life skill that you really need to master.
This podcast took my dear friend and co-presenter Kristen, by surprise. Self-efficacy is a term that we don't often use, but it is a key ingredient for being able to approach our life challenges with confidence and gusto! Find out more about what it is, and check in with yourself with how you are traveling with your levels of self-efficacy - a true gift to yourself.
Podcast: The Psychology of Songwriting. Special Guest - Mr Ben Beamish.
We are very fortunate to be joined today by Ben Beamish, also known as 'Sleepy Benjamin'. Ben is a performer, songwriter and producer. He is known for igniting is audience with his enthusiasm when on stage whether it be a concert, festival, or private gig.
We put our heads together during this podcast and talked through his personal process involved in songwriting... and you guested it, there's a lot of psychology involved. I didn't know where this podcast would go, but I'm certainly delighted with what we covered and where we ended up! Enjoy!
Catch Ben on Instagram - sleepy.benjamin
and Facebook - Sleepy Benjamin
Podcast: Rushing Woman Syndrome. Special Guest: Naturopath Taylah Teschner
Have you heard of this concept? Maybe not... but we have all heard of the busy busy modern woman who is trying to do it all. Taylah is passionate and eloquent as she talks us through her naturopathic work in this area. I really relate to how frequently we find ourselves rushing around, with unrelenting pressure to do it all, be it all, achieve it all. Enjoy this podcast as Taylah slows us down on this self care journey.
Relationships; keep your own identity.
It can be a tricky thing, to work in with your partner, to merge your worlds, to compromise as needed... but to stay true to yourself. So many clients struggle with this area. I think it's valuable to take a moment to check in on this challenging relationship challenge.
The difference between Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. Co-presenter Kristen Coggan.
Okay, so these conditions are regularly confused. So let's tease them apart once and for all. Borderline Personality Disorder can also be pretty tricky to get our heads around, so I'm eager for this opportunity to flesh this out a little. Thanks again Kristen, I just love our energy together and how you pull me apart with such ease and humour. Much enjoyed.
Girls; walking them through their teenage years - perfection, judgement, silence, mean girls and survival. Special Guest: Mia Patterson
Mia Patterson, the gifted and passionate wizard with children and teenagers, returns for this next edition. As an experienced educator she is passionate about building up teenagers and helping to guide and strengthen them through their often challenging and turbulent years. The podcast is really about the power of talking and engaging on a meaningful level with teenagers, especially teenage girls. Thankyou again Mia for sharing your contagious wisdom.
We adults can get too serious and too responsible in life and forget to tap into our creative side. But creativity is actually a key ingredient for our mental health, and our ability to keep expanding and developing. It's about self expression. It's about being in the moment. Creativity is linked with our ability to cope with stress, to recharge and to ground ourselves. Let's have a quick chat about your creative self.
Margie battled with her husband changing to a person she didn't marry, the process of learning about Alzheimer's Disease, creatively adjusting to the new challenges in daily life, and ultimately dealing with his death.
Margie is a clever and frank person. I appreciate her big hearted intention of wanting to help others with this podcast. She hopes this can be a supportive resource for others facing similar struggles.
A big thankyou Margie for your generous sharing.
We are anxious for our children to find their way in their future with their chosen career path. But what if in our good intentions we shape them to follow our interests, our career preferences, and our comfort zone. This is a really interesting area to take a moment to reflect on. How many of us adults have had our job areas mapped out by our parent's career presumptions and at some point felt stuck and unable to change direction. We need to have a think and not repeat this generational trend. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
'GRIT SUPERHERO' is the 2nd of the 4 books in the SQUISH child psychology book series.
This book strangely celebrates our hard times in that we can end up strengthened... we can learn GRIT. If children can learn this concept they can find meaning and morale in their hard times. This is a concept that all of our children can benefit from. I certainly wish I had learnt it as a child.
Jump online... the SQUISH books are available at all online stores - the 4 books sold separately, or as a combination book.
I always thought that 'Free Will' was a concept that related to religion. I was wrong. Emma Chalmers brings philosophy to life as she very patiently explains to me what the concept of Free Will actually is, whether we have it, and what this means in our day to day life, and our moment to moment decisions. It's a bit confronting really to think that we might not have as much control over ourselves as we thought. With Emma's exquisite brain, her natural curiosity, her charisma and her brilliant ability to translate philosophy to every day language, we are in for a treat with this podcast. Enjoy... I certainly did!
Wouldn't it be great if we worked out how our thoughts and our feelings worked in childhood, rather then leaving it to adulthood. Wouldn't it be great to help our kids through their tough times and through their inevitable insecurities. 'My Thoughts are Trash or Treasure' goes into the child's world to help skill them up with this profound life skill in a gentle and relatable way. Adults have told me that this book clicks for them also. Kristen and I get to talk through this book and the magic of it's delivery.
Jump online... the SQUISH books are available on all online stores, the four books sold separately, or as a combination book.
Perspective taking is the foundation of relationships. If you are not great at getting into other people's heads, how do you understand them? How do you be sensitive to their experiences and their needs. These are core ingredients to having a deep understanding of others, deeper connections and working through conflict areas. Listen in... where do you sit with this critical skillset? How does this affect your life?
Dr Bryan has one of those brains that I want to dive into and swim around in. And today I got to do just that! Today we talked through what we mean when we say 'trauma', and whether we are helping ourselves or not. This is a highly personal and therefore controversial topic. We are shaped enormously by events that we have lived through, but how do we relate to them, what role do we give them.
Bryan... you didn't disappoint. Come and join Bryan and I as we delve into this challenging topic.
The SQUISH series was written with a lot of love and creativity to bring advanced psychological skills to children. There are 4 books in the series, each with the gorgeous (often gently confronting) illustrations from the talented Emma Moorman. Kristen and I talk through the 4 titles, 'You are Gold', 'My Thoughts are Trash or Treasure', 'Grit Superhero', and 'I am an Outsider'. We want our kids to have these skills... we need our kids to have these skills. Jump on board and hear about what Squish can do for your kids.
Find out more about the Squish Series at kirstenhunterauthor.com
All of the 4 titles, the Combination Book and the Colouring Book are available at all online stores.
We all have negative thoughts; they can make or break our mood and our day. But what about our negative thoughts that are not rational and are self-sabotaging, the thoughts were we persistently bully ourselves. Dealing with our negative thoughts is core to psychology. I thought it would be helpful to take a moment to talk through some psychological skills here that can help all of us. Join me.
Bernie is passionate about our veterans feeling not only valued, but their skillsets and their time not going to waste. Bernie Baz is a local businessman from Toowoomba QLD, who was once a military man himself and understands the comradery of the military and then how people can feel lost post military service. I applaud Bernie for his valuing of veteran's mental health and his zestful advocacy for this group of under-represented Australians, but the best news is that Bernie has some pretty clever ideas to bring supply and demand together and provide some fixes.
Bernie is a man of action clearly. Hear all about it on this podcast, see him in the media, jump on his website to see his awe inspiring proposal - veteransfirst.com.au -, or follow his campaign to get Federal Government funding from the new Regional Growth Fund.
Bernie, as always, it was a pleasure. Your a clever man, a gentleman through and through!
This book 'Nailing being an Adult' is one of those books that we can all relate to. This is about making life easier and smoother for you through learning some great psychology tricks of the trade. This is not common sense, we need the helping hand from somewhere. Here it is. Kristen and I chew the fat as we always do, talking through what is covered in this final book in the 6 part SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING book series.
Long distance relationships are a tough gig. Here are some quick psychology tips - you may have geographical distance, but it doesn't mean that this needs to lead to personal distance. Jon and I had a long distance chapter in our relationship, so I can relate. Best of luck to you if this is your challenge right now!
This book 'Parenting' is the closest we will get to having a manual for parenting. There is so much wisdom, self awareness, self control, mindfulness and skill that is needed to work to master the art of parenting. This 5th title in the SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING book series covers loads of parenting themed issues that we cover in clinical sessions. From your child's emotional security, to your child's growing confidence, to serious behavioural issues, so much more is squeezed in. It is an ambitious book. Kristen and I have a quick chat about what is covered. We've had raving reviews over this book. I hope you enjoy!
We bought in the big guns to really iron out this mysterious question of how food affects us and what food we should reach for. Taylah Teschner is an experienced Clinical Naturopath who is all about nutrition and life balance. Taylah is a beautiful mix; she's warm, she's grounded and she's got some great professional wisdom to share with us. Thankyou for your generous time and enthusiasm Taylah. Listen up all... this is for everyone!
'Understanding Others' is a book about the psychology of how to be skilled with others; our loved ones and our tricky ones. Let's face it, people in our life either make or lives shine, or they are the cause of our biggest heartache. I'd say 80% of psychology session time is spent talking about how other people have affected us and how we can navigate our important relationships. This book is huge, it is impressively ambitious in the number of topics covered, while providing satiable depth of information. I'd love us all to know this stuff, our worlds and our wounds would run so much smoother!
Demitri is a GP and an experienced dancer. Dance... who knew it could be such a huge topic! Passion, discipline, connection, emotional outlet, cultural cross-over, joy. I loved diving into the psychology of this universal language. Demitri and I should put our heads together more often. Bit of a dance really!!!
Signposts for Living Podcast. Co-host Kristen Coggan.
Mindfulness and State of Flow is the 3rd title in my SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING book series. This book about the psychology of how to live optimally, to really absorb the good stuff. Kristen and I talk through this book and the importance of making Mindfulness an accessible and grounded topic, and introduces us to the lessor know cousin 'State of Flow'. This is about mastering being human. Enjoy!
Do you know your hot issues? Can you identify when they are being triggered? Do you know what to do with them? If you want to put yourself in a strong position psychologically then you need to be confident with your hot issues. It's always a work in progress, but let's start now.
We discuss the human side of design. Emmy-Clare, 'Do Good By Design' has eclectic experience in the design world, from Architecture, to Interior Design, to Construction/Project Management, to Branding, and now she has discovered her sweet spot, which is Service Design.
You have to have an indepth understanding of people to understand the demands of design, this is the psychology of design and the focus of this podcast. Thankyou Emmy-Clare for your insights and your enormous passion. So many exciting projects afoot for you.
Now this is a crazy ambitious book. The psychology of understanding yourself is the focus of this book in the 6 part SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING series. Basically, this book is a mirror to hold up and genuinely examine and learn about yourself using a whole host of psychological skills and knowledge. All for you. All about you. I enjoyed talking through this book with my dear friend Kristen.
I want to explain what it means to be congruent within yourself. It's not as tricky and theoretical as it sounds. The outcome? Peace of mind! Inner peace within yourself. Let's talk.
Kristen and I have a look at what is covered in the first book of the Signposts for Living book series. 'Control Your Consciousness.' My passion is sharing psychology wisdom about you, with you. So much is covered in this book. It's almost a quiz on how much you know about how your mind tics, how and why your emotions steer you, amongst many many other related themes. Let's chat.
Mia Patterson is a gifted and passionate wizard with children and teenagers. She has been in the education world forever, and today shares her insights regarding how to relate to children and teenagers so that we can take their hand and build their confidence from the inside out. Mia is contagious and wise. This is the beginning of many podcasts together I am sure. Take comfort and inspiration from Mia's ideas on how our kids tick and how to build their confidence in our crazy world.
We all have self sabotaging and irrational thoughts that leads to those anxious or down times. Our self esteem is the first casualty. This is a 5 minute chat about how to turn your dysfunctional thoughts around. Enjoy the benefits of turning your headspace around!
Hi all, thought it was time that we introduce the namesake for this podcast series; The SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING Book Series. I've been a clinical psychologist for 22 years now. It's tough not getting enough time with clients, and frustrating knowing that there is so much more psychology knowledge that they would benefit from, but that I can not deliver in session. I had the thought - 'What if the psychology knowledge in my head across the range of clinical areas was available in book form?' - and from this the SIGNPOSTS FOR LIVING book series was born. That's right, all the psychology knowledge in my head, across the expanse of clinical and life areas, poured out into these books. No wonder we needed 6 books.
Kristen and I had a good chat through what is covered in each of the 6 books in the series. The books are relatable, and conversational, and I was delighted to revisit the books with Kristen. I bet your ears will prick at many of the topics covered! Which book would you reach for?
Our Special Guest has been through the turmoil and stress of anticipating and doing jail time. He wishes that he knew then what he knows now, about the reality of all the ins and outs of how things work within this world, and the personal challenges he faced. 'Harry' shared a thought provoking world that had us both laughing and contemplating. I really appreciate him opening up this chapter of his life to us.
So much of our eating happens with us on automatic pilot mode or us just reacting to habits in life. Here are some great skills to make sure that we are present and purposeful in our relationship with food and eating.
The fostering world is a landmine area. Children are in need, but they can resent their new home. Trauma is real, but can become strangely normal to children. Carers can wholeheartedly want to nurture, but they can get burnt out by the daily demands. And then there is the need to work in a system that is designed to safeguard children in care, but is always restricted by financial, time and professional restraints. Foster care is it seems, all about extremes.
Nadine tackles this world of foster care with such enthusiasm it is contagious. She is one of those people that turns your head. She has a wonderful balance of big heart, clear head and loads of common sense. She brings these gifts to her family; her foster children and her biological family. Recently acknowledged with the '2022 Darling Downs Child Protection Award' I am delighted that Nadine took this time to share her experiences and life wisdom on this podcast.
Okay, I'm going to be very unpopular with many parents, children and teenagers here, but let's talk about the tidal wave of technology that our youth are consumed in. In their natural state they are wanting to be plugged in 24/7. Who is the decision maker here? Who is the bad guy and needs to create some boundaries so that our children and teens know how to function without a screen in their face? Parents! What a tough gig we face. Let's talk.
Let's take a moment to talk through some strategies to approach perhaps the three biggest challenges facing parents of young children; Sleep, Eating and Toileting. There is a reason that these issues come up again and again in session. They are tricky and they can hold your family's happiness hostage. Let's break them down with some why's and how's.
It can tough to feel lonely, either we are single, we are wanting more connection with friendships, with family perhaps, or we are in a lonely relationship. What if this lonely feeling is designed to activate us? I hope you find this silver lining helpful.
It can be tough to know whether to medicate our kids when they have psychological / neurological issues. Let's talk through the issue of whether to medicate our kids who are diagnosed with ADHD. I am sure that this is an issue close to home for families dealing with ADHD.
Stephan Neff is an anaesthetist, bestselling author, speaker, show host and alcoholic in recovery. Stephan has a fire in his belly when it comes to the psychology of recovering from alcohol addiction. I really enjoyed hearing his story and the profound step by step moments that accumulated to him overcoming his own personal anaesthetic - alcohol.
Thankyou Stephan for sharing your story and your profound personal and human insights. It was an absolute pleasure. You can find Stephan at mystepstosobriety.com
We understand that we need to love our child and guide them in their behaviour and their choices, but a third leg to the stool of parenting is showing that we are proud of our child. Our child learns confidence and positive self talk from first hearing the acknowledging language from their parent. Language that celebrates the unique person that our child is. Learn about how to foster confidence in your child, enjoy this podcast with my dearest and most enjoyed co-presenter Kristen.
Nathan was born and raised in Vanuatu. He shares both the sunshine and the darkness of his early life story, a picture that tourists don't get to see. So many stories interweave through Nathan's story; island life, family, trauma, and culture. It was a rich conversation. I'm delighted to share it with you.
The balance of having connection in our relationships but also being our own person comes under the microscope with the hot issue of enmeshed relationships. Is your individuality, your exercising your own life choices a threat to your loved one? Is it care or control from them? Let's talk about this very tricky yet common relationship issue.
Your sense of smell is a wonderful resource for taping into your memories. How can you make this work for you?
What are the pros and cons of establishing an Autism diagnosis? Katherine speaks from her wealth of experience as we break down this highly personal and challenging topic.
Men and women inhabit different worlds when it comes to frequency and type of orgasm. We are routinely not experts on our own sexuality and sensuality. Let's break it down and flesh it out! Welcome to this popular topic in psychology sessions.
Seriously, we need to be all over this. There is this thing that runs through our culture and shapes us and we don't even know about it. It's called the Protestant Work Ethic. Come and learn how you tick. This one is for everyone.... wait for some aha moments!
'I love my child but I find it hard to like them a lot of the time'. On an extreme day, this is what parents with Oppositional Defiant Disorder children often think, but dare not say. Join me as we flesh out what is going on with children and teenagers who are really tough to parent due to their defiance and their different way of thinking. Common sense parenting doesn't cut it here, you need to have specialised parenting skills or you won't survive with an intact sane family. You can't just know this stuff, you have to learn it. Join me.
I heard someone say that the 40s are a time of disappointment, and I lept to astounded disagreement. As it turns out, Kristen agreed. We enjoyed fleshing out the pros and cons of being in your 40s and many interesting thoughts, facts and bizarre stories came to the table.
Do you agree? Disagree? Write in...
This one will make your heart sing. You know when treasure is right under our nose and we take it for granted, well that's the case for singing. Melissa fills us in on how singing is good for us and how to embrace it with abandon. Let's take a page from Melissa's singing book... you'll benefit in a big way. Find out why.
This one's close to the heart. Kristen burst through the doors full of liberation, released desperation and exuberance for her next life chapter. Yes, Kristen has finally figured herself out (with regard to this anyway). Kristen shares her experience living with undiagnosed ADHD and how life changing and healing it is to now have the support to get her brain to work for her, instead of against her. Join us as Kristen shares her story, while Kirsten provides her clinical scaffolding. ADHD is bound to effect someone in your world. Join us.
Culture is about having a broad lens regarding what is around you... things we take for granted. I think this is a really interesting perspective to wrap your head around.
Dyslexia is a tricky curveball in life. Reading and writing are such cornerstone skills that we need to get by. What if your brain isn't wired to read or write? Your learning, your sense of your intelligence, your ability to navigate your day, your written chat to people, your freedom to express yourself in the written word, all of this is in knots when you have dyslexia.
Cate is such a sparky and thoughtful person, she has decided to come on board and share her hurdles and her story, and I truly appreciate it. Come and join Cate as we learn what the world has been like through her eyes.
We have all heard the word Narcissist and Narcissism, but do you actually have your head around the personality disorder at the core of this popular psych language? We delve into murky waters here. It's so important to understand the characteristics of this presentation, as so many have or will be faced with this curveball of personality. Best to be informed and prepared I always say!
This is crazy... we get hijacked by our sympathetic nervous system, and we need the rescue of our parasympathetic nervous system all the time through our daily lives, and yet few of us really know what's going on. Find out how you are wired in this brief relatable video.
We are looking at the underbelly of our social fabric here. When everything that can go wrong does go wrong, what is the impact on vulnerable children, and what can we do to help. How are we going as the responsible adults on duty to protect our vulnerable youth. Our report card is not great! Let's talk!
Have you got your communication skills all wrapped up? What if there was more to learn? How you communicate with people in your world either opens or closes doors and channels of understanding. Here are some easy and relatable tid-bits that we can all benefit from. Kristen and I enjoy each others company as always. Join us.
Depression can be tricky; our loved one can be so dark, withdrawn and despondent. How do you not get weighed down yourself? How do you remain helpful and supportive? Tough gig? Yes! Let's talk...
Nic talks through her experience as a parent with establishing her 9 year old daughter's diagnoses, her personal process of adjustment, and navigating the best path to support her daughter's needs. Nic is a character with effervescent energy for life, and the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree with her beautiful daughter. We are not alone when we need to wrangle with life's challenges. I hope you open your world to Nic's valuable insights.
You know... women have a lot of sh*t to deal with. Let's put it on the table. Let's talk about how to skill up to deal with our pre-menstrual brains and emotions. Half the population is in this together... let's talk.
Depression is so common but it is often misunderstood. Let's take a moment to check we understand what is happening for ourselves and our loved ones when we find ourselves in this dark place. We are talking about 40% of the population here. Do you understand depression? Let's find out.
This is a story of a boy from the country who didn't fit the straight mould. Cam is huge fun and he generously took the time to share his story. He had me captivated with his big heart and his big struggles. We'll have to do it again some time Cam!
Breaking up is painful, so when our heart is broken how do we use our head during this crucial time. Breaking up smart means reducing your pain and reducing your regrets. Learn how.
If you find yourself repeatedly disappointed by tricky people or tricky situations in your life than you're not using your wealth of knowledge to your benefit. Enter PROFILING! This is a masterclass level of skill in psychology. Save yourself the heartache and pain... learn these skills.
Jessica so kindly takes us through her story of weight gain, weight loss and self discovery; a story that so many of us can relate to. Jessica shares the pieces of her personal puzzle that fell apart and then came together again as she learnt to feel confident and connected within herself. We all struggle with self love, but once we can wrestle with it, it is the gift that just keeps giving...
Podcast - We all need friends, but you'd be surprised how often we struggle to make new connections. We need courage to put ourselves out there to bring quality people into our lives. Let's talk about the courage, fear, and skills involved in opening our world to new friendships. Let's make friendships a priority.
Podcast - In therapy, there is often an enormous gender divide with regard to when we want to have sex. It's more than just libido, it's our physical makeup and our life pressures. Let's break this down and sample some solutions.
In this podcast we delve into the joys and challenges of retirement. Retirement is about adjusting to life change, embracing new opportunities and engineering our world so that we live our best life. Gary Watson shares his stories, and he has a wealth of them! Gary is a character and a half, I really enjoyed chewing the fat with Gary, and untangling some of life's challenges.
Attribution style is an invisible force that moves you to the positive or negative in how you view your moment to moment experiences in your relationships. It is the ABC basic knowledge of Psychologists. Make it your knowledge base also.
It is an incredibly valuable skillset to be able to see the warning signs, the red flags early in a relationship. Skip the heart ache if you can. Learn how to side step someone who is not healthy to be in a relationship with.
Tobias shares his experiences throughout his transition in gender while also having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Tobias has a fresh and honest take on seeing the world through his ASD lens and negotiating his reality of gender. Personal insights, and insights into our world abound. Don't miss out. Tobias is a breath of fresh air.
We face hard decisions in life, but life gets a whole lot easier if we can feel confident in making these decisions. Let's talk about your confidence in steering your life.
Why do we fear failure when we need it? I'm eager to help you tame the inner boogie man.
This podcast joins the dots in life. The tapestry woven in this podcast is beautiful, and where we end up - with applying what we have learnt about human psychology to truly listening to and connecting with horses is breathtaking.
Kim, you are a legend! I so enjoyed this podcast!
Have you heard of the 'circle of knowledge'? This ancient philosophy tells us a lot about ourselves and our people. I won't spoil it for you. Listen in...
We are dating... and we put him/her on a pedestal. We can lose our judgement... what is happening? There is some interesting psychology at play here. To be warned is to be prepared... Let's talk.
Daniel shares his wealth and depth of experience as he finds parallels in cultural diversity in his travels across the world. I so enjoyed hearing his personal stories and extraordinary life experiences. You'll be touched by the cultural tapestry of Daniel's personal insights.
What we say is love, and our love template are completely different things. Kristen and I dissect this highly personal topic. Find out about your love template.
When chemistry hits with a third party this is a time to be careful, wise and sensible. Affairs don't just happen, we fuel them. This is a time to be real with what's going wrong.
Do you stress about your parenting?. Do you beat yourself up and worry if you're on track? Let's talk...
We all need our tribe, our community, our people. Jen and I flesh out this topic together as we explore what it means to have a sense of belonging, what we get out of it and the how to's.
Our sense of belonging is a key ingredient to living well but it's routinely overlooked. The skills of how to find our people is something that we assume we should have figured out, but a helping hand is always worth reaching for.
Let's dive into how you feel with your tribe.
Reducing stress in our lives and having buckets of self care are great life skills. Streamlining small decisions is a great way to achieve these. This quick chat breaks down this fundamental skill to living life smart and reaping the psychological rewards. So easy, so doable...
Aged two and a half years old, Susannah was centre stage to her mother's first psychotic episode with dire consequences. Susannah speaks about her experiences with a surprising sense of peace and learnt wisdom. Her insatiable curiosity to understand our world and the people in it has I'm sure helped her insights regarding this remarkable life experience of hers.
When chemistry hits with a third party this is a time to be careful, wise and sensible. Affairs don't just happen, we fuel them. This is a time to be real with what's going wrong.
Sex comes up in therapy all the time. Either the client presents to talk about sexual issues or problems, or we end up there at some point. These are the frequent flier topics that come up frequently in session. Hear about these sexual issues that so many of us relate to.
sex #sexual issues #psychology #self care #relationshiptherapy
No one is immune. We all become besotted and blind in the first stage of a relationship. But there is a lot going on here. Learn about yourself, learn about your personal projections and your baffling brain.
relationship #relationshipadvice #psychology #selfhelp
Secondary gain is a complex motivational pull that few know about. With this information our eyes can open up to what may be truly keeping us stuck in our tough times.
relationships #psychology
John, now a grandparent himself, has had a staggering and eye opening experience with his parents; his Dad who is heavily narcissistic in his behaviour, and his Mum who has lost her soul in her life of submission. John became informed and learnt to step out of this family dynamic. His launch into his current life approach is enlightening and heart-warming. He can now care for them and keep his head.
Meditation is the skill of concentration. You can learn this skill and make it part of your daily routine. Reap the benefits of a quieter mind.
Danielle and I had a thought provoking chat about people's relationships with their bodies and their approach to exercise. Our worlds of psychology and exercise coming together.
This is a deep dive into Autism. Katherine Clothier speaks with a wealth of experience and insight as a parent of a child with Autism. I really enjoyed our chewing over of so many crucial issues.
Enmeshed relationships sneak up on you and tie you up in disabling knots. What is an enmeshed relationship? Many are in one or have witnessed one and they don't know what it is. Time to skill up.
Are you the black sheep? Have you made others the black sheep in your family or at work? It's fascinating and humbling when we learn why we humans have this unfortunate knack of exclusion.
As well as love and pride for our child, parenting can be viewed as creating an apprenticeship for your child. You are guiding them in their self skills and life skills. What an incredible role we have as parents when you sit back and view it this way. This framework guides us in our decisions and supports us in our difficult times as parents.
Attachment style is the foundation of your psychology, but it really is something that most people don't know about or comprehend. This is about knowing how you tick. How do you feel about trusting love, letting people in and being vulnerable. This is your ability to love and be loved .
Is sleep your misbehaving bedfellow? 30% of the population right now are struggling to sleep. Without sleep we struggle to function, to cope with life and to be good company for ourselves and others. Here are the top psych tricks to get back on track when sleep eludes you.
State of flow is our optimal human state, so isn't it crazy that it's not common knowledge. We should be all over this, it's the Holy Grail for happiness. It's extremely doable and within easy reach. This podcast brings this gem of wisdom to you. Enjoy!
Podcast - How do we choose our partner? We all need to be skilled at who to choose as our life partner. Partnering well boosts quality of life, while poor judgment here can be a major life stressor. Learn the tricks, learn the clues. Be confident in your dating skills.
Human beings react to psychological threat. How? With a state of physical and mental crisis. This is called an Anxiety Attack, or in it's more severe form, a Panic Attack. Has this happened to you? If not, something in this direction will inevitably tap you on the shoulder at some point in your furture. We need to understand this human tendency, and learn to master our vulnerable.
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There you are with your loved one who is having a Panic Attack. What do you do? How do you talk them down? How do you not get caught up in their crisis? You can't fix it, so how do you help them to diffuse their Panic for themselves. These are essential skills. What a great area to feel confident in.
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It is a skill to diffuse an Anxiety Attack. They are a common human stress reaction and yet most of us have no idea how to handle them. We often have no idea of what is happening to us. Learn to take back control and not fear Anxiety Attacks. A great skill to have in your back pocket.
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We live in a hectic time. We are routinely in 'go' mode and using our energy reserves. It is therefore so incredibly important to know how to recharge our batteries. But most of us are getting this wrong. We are routinely doing the opposite of recharging our energy levels. Find out why and how.
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Femininity and masculinity is not about gender, it is about the balance between your nurturing and your goal directed self. Learn what this all means for you.
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