Conversations: Psychology & Relationships

Mandy Nolan didn't fit in as a child, in the country town where she grew up. But later in life, her differences became her superpower (CW: discusses domestic violence and addiction)

Over her many decades as a practising psychiatrist, Veronica O'Keane developed a fascination for our memory, how it functions in the brain, and the role it has in shaping our identity

Once journalist and author Kate Legge recovered from the news her husband of 30 years was cheating on her, she uncovered four generations of infidelity through his family

Hilton Koppe on how his life as a soccer-obsessed country GP changed forever when he became a patient himself

Hilton Koppe grew up knowing his parents wanted him to become a doctor. When he got the marks to make it into medicine, they were overjoyed.

By the time he was 30, he'd started working as a country GP.  Hilton then became a beloved local doctor in Northern NSW, and he worked there for more than 3 decades.

But a few years ago, Hilton's own health suddenly went awry. He started experiencing constant neck pain, and then the side of his face went numb.

He was sent him for an MRI, which revealed nothing.

But then his own GP gave him an unexpected diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, related in part to his work as a doctor.

This news up-ended almost everything about Hilton's life.

Further information

Hilton's memoir is called One Curious Doctor

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Oceane was 18 when she attempted to take her own life. After a painstaking climb back into life, 20 years later she is a midwife, a writer and a mother of three (CW: mentions suicide and sexual assault)

Guiding daughters to become confident young woman in an age of smartphones and early sexualisation is tough. The parenting expert says in this complex arena, we can't leave these lessons to chance

Maggie Dent can clearly recall her indignation at being made to wear a dress as a little girl.

She was a tomboy and noticed when she was treated differently from little boys, who were allowed to be their exuberant selves when she was not.

The process of raising girls has changed since Maggie was a child, but there are new challenges today — smartphone usage and unwanted sexualisation of young girls, among others.

She says there are core lessons we can learn to face these challenges and raise confident and well-adjusted girls.

Further information

Girlhood: raising our little girls to be healthy, happy and heard is published by Pan Macmillan

Listen to Maggie's ABC Podcast Parental as Anything

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

When journalist Jason Om turned his skills towards his own family story he began to understand the real story of his perfectionist Buddhist Cambodian father and his Catholic Eurasian mother, who was stricken with an inexplicable sadness

Jason is a journalist with ABC TV.

A few years ago he turned his journalistic skills to his own family story.

Jason wanted to find out what had happened to his mother in Malaysia, and whether that could explain the melancholy she struggled with as he was growing up.

His questioning and searching for the truth also saw his father change in a way Jason never believed possible.

Further information

All Mixed Up is published by HarperCollins

Jason Om will be a guest at the 2022 Sydney Writers Festival

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Sian Prior with the story of the years of longing and loss which marked her quest to become a mother, and what happened when she found herself childless at the age of 50

For many years Sian Prior desperately wanted to have a baby.

Her longing to be a mother played havoc with her relationships and her body.

It never happened, and Sian had to decide what to do with the freedom that was hers.

Further information

Childless is published by Text

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Psychiatrist Dr Warren Ward treats patients who are severely ill with eating disorders. Understanding the mystery of human nature has driven him since he was a young doctor, and has led him down a strange path into examining the love lives of philosophers

David Heilpern with stories of drama, crime and heartache from his 21 years as a country magistrate (CW: references to drug use and sexual assault)

For 21 years David Heilpern was a country magistrate in towns including Dubbo, Brewarrina and Lismore.

This meant he was the Coroner, the Children's Court Judge, and the person handling all the domestic violence, assault, robbery, drug and driving offences.

The workload was intense, and life on the bench could be lonely. On Monday morning, he might have 90 people lined up outside his courtroom waiting for him to administer justice.

During his time in the job David endured death threats, people trashing the courtroom after being refused bail, and some who addressed him as 'Your Majesty'.

David was a magistrate well known for his compassion. He would often challenge the police, or stand up for victims of domestic violence.

In Dubbo in 1999 he dismissed a charge against a man who allegedly told a policeman holding the handlebars of his bike: 'get your f--king hands off' it.

More recently he took a stand over tough drug driving laws in NSW, which see many people lose their licence.

David also spoke out during his time on the bench about the vicarious trauma he experienced in having to examine some of society's most terrible crimes.

Further information

Help and support is always available.

Lifeline is available for 24 hour crisis support at 13 11 14

If this conversation has been difficult to hear you can also contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or chat to them via their website

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.