The Hook Up

Do you have a pet name for your partner?

For some of us, melting into baby babble and pet names around our significant others makes us feel all gooey and loved-up inside.

But for others, it's just a whole lotta cringe.

Psychotherapist Jacqueline Hellyer joins Nat to chat about why we do it, how to tell your partner if you hate it, and whether you should try to embrace it.

Have you ever been called "too emotional" in a relationship? 

When one member of a relationship is more emotional than the other, and no one knows how to handle that, it can cause all sorts of problems.

Clinical psychologist Dr Jarrod White joins Nat to discuss why being emotional gets such a bad wrap, how different levels of emotionality can impact a relationship, and how to be emotionally healthy with your partner.

For trans people, trying to get the right help when reproductive medicine is filed under ‘men’s and women’s health’ is straight up tough. 

This episode, Nat chats with Freddy McConnell, a journalist and self-described Seahorse — he's a dad who gave birth to his own son.

After that, the experts join Nat to discuss what fertility care looks like if you're trans or gender diverse, and learn how to navigate the soul searching, conflict and dysphoria that can come along with it.

Trying to navigate the medical system when you’re trans is already a minefield, but it’s particularly hard when you’re a guy going to a gyno, or a woman getting a prostate check. 

Since reproductive care is so often segregated into ‘men's’ or 'women’s' health, it can be really tough getting the right care when you’re trans or gender-non-conforming.

This episode, hear Bridget Hustwaite from triple j's Good Nights chatting with transgender man Cori Smith and nonbinary person Jess Tilley, who both live with endometriosis.

After that, the experts join Nat in the studio to look at navigating the healthcare system as a gender diverse person, and what still needs to change to ensure everyone feels seen.

It's Bisexual Visibility Day but bi+ people in relationships that look straight can feel totally unseen.

Have you ever wanted to be tied up and suspended from the ceiling? 

As with most things, there’s a kink for that.

Shibari is the art of Japanese rope bondage, which is often paired with suspension — being hung from frames and swings.

Nat heads to Oz Kink Fest to check it out for herself, and chats with suspension expert Avalon about why it's becoming so popular.

How do you feel about marriage?

And do you feel differently about it to your parents, your family or your friends?

For many of us, especially those of us who have culturally diverse or religious families, the people around us might be starting to put the pressure on to find 'the one'.

Psychologist Alicia Franklin joins Nat to discuss how to cope when you're feeling the pressure from every angle.

If you’re the kind of person who’s always working, it might be hard to find time for love. 

And while ambition can be a huge turn on, it doesn’t mean you want to be your partner’s lowest priority.

Sex therapist Lauren White and expert in performance pressure Dan Caprar join Nat to talk about how burnout can affect your relationship, how to be an understanding partner, and how to find a work-love balance.

When was the last time you got tested?

With World Sexual Health Day just passed, it’s a timely reminder that you should be getting tested regularly for STIs. But if you’ve never done it before, it can be daunting knowing where to start. So we’re here to help!

Nat goes inside a sexual health clinic and takes a look at when to get a check, what happens during and how to get your results.

Guests:

Samantha Read, sexual health nurse, Family Planning VictoriaDr Chris Fox, senior lecturer in sexual health, University of SydneyDr Clare Boerma, Associate Medical Director, Family Planning NSW