The Hook Up

Can first loves last? On the podcast we’re talking about high school sweethearts, how you can make those relationships last, and what you might miss out on if your first love is your only love. Clinical psychologist Gemma Cribb will join you to talk about how you might be able to get over those first relationships humps.

It’s a substance that’s pretty popular on dancefloors and is known to be a go-to drug for men during sex with other men as it relaxes muscles in the body. And while it’s illegal to sell, supply or inhale products containing amyl, it can be still sold online or in sex shops as room deodoriser or video head cleaner, but the government body - the TGA - wants to change that and further restrict the sale. On the podcast, Dr Brad will join us to chat about what exactly poppers are and what they can do to you, and you'll hear from Steve Spencer, who’s a gay activist and amyl enthusiast and even has a tattoo of an amyl bottle on his chest.

Spencer Tunick is a New York photographer, famous, or perhaps infamous for his mass nude photo shoots in public spaces. He’s in Australia right now for his latest installation Return Of The Nude. He gets volunteers to pose naked with each other and this time round, Nat was one of them. On the podcast you’ll hear from the man himself, hear what happened when Nat got naked with hundreds of strangers in the name of art.

What’s sex and dating like when you’re Jewish? Well it can be a bit complicated. You'll hear from a Rabbi to tell us the ins and outs of Jewish dating, and how you can reconcile being gay and Jewish. You'll also hear from a young woman who was raised as a Modern Orthodox Jew, but then came up against some challenges when dating outside of her faith.

If you haven’t heard of it, you may have done it. It’s masturbating before a stressful situation. This could be a date or a big day at work. Men and women do it, but sometimes for different reasons. You'll hear from people who swear by it, and a sexologist will walk us through the benefits it can have.

It’s thirst-trapping but for lifestyle, image-crafting for your crush. It’s what Jay Gatsby did to attract the attention of his love Daisy, throwing huge lavish parties and living a grand life in the hopes she might notice. Some might say all modern social media is this to an extent. But does it work? You’ll hear from a relationships expert on what the best way forward is, and from a few self-confessed Gatsby-ers.

Plenty of people change their name after getting married, but it can be a divisive thing. Would you change your name when you get married? Changing your surname has long been expected of women, but things have been changing. On the podcast you’ll hear why people are so connected to their last names, and you’ll also from a sex and relationships therapist on how you can negotiate the situation with your partner if you don’t see eye to eye on it. You'll hear from people who've merged their last names, where the husband has taken the wife's name, and people who've made a whole new name.

About 3 per cent of Australians live with bipolar disorder. It’s a condition that makes it really hard to regulate your mood. You get depressive episodes and high energy mania. It can make dating and maintaining relationships really difficult, both for the person with bipolar, and their partner. On the podcast, you’ll hear from Professor Greg Murray, a clinical psychologist who specialises in bipolar disorder, and you'll hear from Jess who’s living with bipolar and in her early 20s. She’s also an ambassador for SANE Australia.

If this podcast brings up thing that you want to talk about, there is always Lifeline - 13 11 14.

Urinary tract infections are no fun and they can cause a lot of pain and may even stop you from having sex. You’ll hear how you can prevent getting them and what you can do when you think you might have one. Featuring Dr Amanda Newman specialist women’s health GP at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.

The Five Love Languages is an idea created by Dr Gary Chapman that there are five general ways people like to express and receive love. Those are touch, quality time, words of affirmation, receiving gifts and acts of service. What the hell does all that mean and how can knowing your language improve your relationship? Featuring sex therapist and relationships counsellor Jacqueline Hellyer.