On The Couch

From International Student to Sexual Health Nurse with Ruiqi Fan

Join Maddy as she sits down with Ruiqi Fan, a clinical nurse specialist working at the Sydney Sexual Health Clinic. Ruiqi talks about being an international student to now working with international students in a clinical setting, providing insight into the experience. Listen as we better understand why having multilingual nurses and interpreters is important in delivering sexual health services for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Australia.
This episode was recorded in June 2023 
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
 
Recommendations
The International Students Health Hub & Sydney Sexual Health Centre 
 
References
Sydney Sexual Health Centre 
International Student Health Hub 
RMB – Chinese Yuan currency 
The Guardian 
The Daily Telegraph 
CPR training 
Vaginal douching 
Sexual Health Infolink 
Australian Healthcare System 
Provincial – China health/hospital cover 
Medicare 
ACON 
Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service 
Translating and Interpreting services 
PrEP campaign – ending HIV 
Caddyshack Project Instagram 
Caddyshack Project Facebook 
 
Credits
Host: Maddy Stratten
Guest: Ruiqi Fan
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson 
Music: Little Pastries Instrumental (descript)
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

LGBTQIA+ Community Care, Mental Health & Emotions with Chris Cheers

How can we treat ourselves with kindness when unexpected emotions arise? Naomi sits down with psychologist Chris Cheers and reflects on the mental health impacts of lockdown on the queer and creative community. His book, The New Rulebook is a practical game changing guide to embracing uncertainty offering radical, evidence-based solutions to improve wellbeing. Providing individual psychology services and workshops to artists and creatives, and the LGBTQIA+ community, Chris is passionate about creating accessible, accepting and safe spaces.
This episode was recorded in May 2023
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
   
Recommendations    
 The New Rulebook & QLife 
 
References   
Emotional Agility Susan David 
Acceptance commitment therapy 
Viktor Frankl Man’s search for meaning 
Friends by Robin Dunbar
 
Credits 
Host: Naomi Viret   
Guest: Chris Cheers 
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson 
Music: Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

Language, Feminism & The Queer Space with Kirli Saunders

Maddy catches up with Kirli Saunders and dives into the importance of language, decolonization, feminism and queer space. Kirli is a proud Gunai Woman and award-winning multidisciplinary creator and consultant. Awarded NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2020, Kirli is an experienced speaker and facilitator advocating for the environment, gender, racial equality and LGBTIQA+ rights. In this episode Kirli shares her passion for continuing connection to Country and reads a powerful poem called Based On Us from her book Returning.
This episode was recorded in October 2022
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this episode contains the name of and discussion around a deceased person. This episode may contain words, descriptions and terms which may be culturally sensitive and reflect the views of those at the period in which the content was created. 
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
 
Recommendations
AIATSIS, Kindred & Returning
 
References
Vale Aunty Velma Mulcahy  
Cyanotype 
Joyce Saunders
The Incredible Freedom Machines 
Matt Otley 
Bec Young 
Red Room Poetry 
Tamryn Bennett 
Jo Featherstone 
Kirli Saunders Consulting 
Bindi 
Kindred 
Returning 
Going Home Play 
Department of Education on language 
United Nations Indigenous Decades of Language 
Brotherboys and Sistergirls 
Uluru Statement 
Griffith Review Dr Lilly Brown and Genevieve Grieves 
Raise the Age 
Alok 
Heartbreak High  
Tony Birch The White Girl 
Melissa Lucashenko 
Ellen Van Neerven 
Jazz Money 
Florence Given 
The Front Left  
Gang of Youths 
Frontier War Stories 
Horror Show 
Based On Us – Poem from Returning 
 
Credits
Host: Maddy Stratten
Guest: Kirli Saunders 
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson 
Music: Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

Sex, Pleasure & Desire with Sex Therapist Aleks Trkulja

Curious about sexology and the difference between a sex therapist, body therapist, sex coach and sex worker? Maddy chats with Aleks from The Pleasure Centre to explore why an individual or couple may seek sex therapy. Offering a safe and inclusive place, Aleks' practice is guided by multiple evidence-based therapeutic approaches. Hear about the Sex Buffet and Queering Sex concepts and how to put pleasure and desire on the menu. 
This episode was recorded in September 2022
 
CONTENT WARNINGS: This episode references sexual trauma  
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
 
Recommendations
The Pleasure Centre & The Science of Sex 
 
References  
Tanya Koens 
Matt Tilley 
PLISSIT model 
Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges 
Sapiens 
Schitts Creek 
 
Credits
Host: Maddy Stratten
Guests: Aleks Trkjula 
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson   
Music:  Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

The Top 10 Sexual Health Questions Answered by Nurse Nettie

Join Maddy in conversation with Frances Turner from Nurse Nettie, answering the most commonly asked sexual and reproductive health questions by young people. Nurse Nettie is an online service that provides qualified sexual health information to young people living in New South Wales, Australia. Fran provides a glimpse behind the curtain of how the team approach answering questions without judgement, making health information accessible and inclusive. 
This episode was recorded in June 2022
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
 
Recommendations
Nurse Nettie & Sexual Health Infolink (SHIL) 
 
References
Nurse Nettie 
NSW Health Play Safe 
Pronouns 
Sexual Health Infolink 
LGBTIQA+ community 
Labia Library  
FemFresh 
NSW Health 
Caddyshack Project 
Medicare Card 
Herpes 
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) 
Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs) 
Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) 
Sexual Health Clinics 
Aboriginal Medical Services 
Child Protection Units 
Mandatory Reporting Guidelines (MRG) 
Can I get an STI from that? 
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) 
Cervical Screening (Pap Smear)
Diethylstilboestrol (DES)
Premature ejaculation 
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 
Citalopram 
 
Credits
Host: Maddy Stratten
Guests: Frances Turner from Nurse Nettie
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson   
Music:   Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

Disability, Dating & Relationships with Liz Dore & Jan McGuire

Listen as Naomi chats with Liz and Jan from Relationships and Private Stuff about their lived experience of working with people with disability. People on the autism spectrum, with disability or brain injury face the same issues as other people when it comes to relationships. Friendship is important. And the desire to love and be loved, whether as a friend or an intimate companion, is a drive that defines a person in a way that no disability ever can.
This episode was recorded in May 2022
 
CONTENT WARNINGS: This episode references sexual assault  
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
   
Recommendations
Planet Puberty & Sexuality, Education, Counselling and Consultancy Agency (SECCA) 
   
References
Relationships and Private Stuff 
Lotus Project 
Family Planning 
Dateables 
Love on the Spectrum 
Sex, safe and fun guide 
Shine SA 
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 
Jewish Care 
Participate Australia 
Anglicare  
 
Credits 
Host: Naomi Viret
Guests: Liz Dore & Jan McGuire  
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson   
Music: Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines

Understanding the Transgender Lived Experience with TransHub

Join Naomi as she unpacks the transgender experience with Sophie from ACON’s TransHub. TransHub is a digital and resource platform providing clear and easy information about gender affirmation and healthcare for all trans and gender diverse people in NSW. Sophie dives deep into the history of transgender language and provides insight into the trans and non-binary experience.
This episode was recorded in February 2022 
 
Read transcript here
Check out our webpage for more information
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
 
Recommendations
Transhub & Disclosure 
 
References
Transhub 
ACON 
Trans Definition
Census 
Marriage equality 
Asexual 
Gender identity vs Sexual orientation 
Cisgender 
Cisalpine and Transalpine Gauls 
Pronoun 
Gender dysphoria 
Elagabalus 
Brotherboys and Sistergirls 
Gender Fluid 
Social affirmation 
Legal affirmation 
Medical affirmation 
Gender affirming doctors 
Informed Consent Medical guidelines
Top surgery 
Tucking 
Binding 
Transphobia 
Pansexual 
RuPaul's Drag Race 
Courtney Act 
Disclosure 
Norman Bates (Psycho movie) 
Ally 
 
Credits  
Host: Naomi Viret
Guests: Sophie Keeffe 
Producers: Maddy Stratten & Winnie Adamson   
Music: Little Pastries Instrumental (descript) 
 
NSW Health social media community guidelines