The Psychology Sisters

Please take care while listening to this episode. Especially if you have experienced pregnancy loss, infertility or if you are currently experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, as the content in this episode may be triggering.

To our Psychology sista's and mista's, welcome to episode 3 “Birth, baby and becoming - understanding the psychological side of birth”, we want to acknowledge that it is a privilege to carry and birth a healthy baby.
We acknowledge our own bias's, privilege, and agency in the disclosures we share during this episode.

Kat share's from her own experience on the following:
- What was the most important thing for you during birth?
- What do you wish you knew that you know now?
- What would I go back and tell myself?  

We go explore the many complex psychological processes around birth such as:
Fear!!!
The conflict of birth being natural but feels like a crisis 
Pressure to do birth "right" e.g. natural 
Identity and parts of yourself you are meeting


We hope you love this episode!

Aimee + Kat

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Please take care while listening to this episode. Especially if you have experienced pregnancy loss, infertility or if you are currently experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, as the content in this episode may be triggering.

This episode also discusses eating disorders and body image. Please skip this episode if this is triggering for you. 

We start this episode with sharing what we wish we knew when we were pregnant that we know now and what would I go back and tell myself?  

Pregnancy is a really big deal and it's a unique experience for each individual. 

This episode is jam packed as we deep dive into the psychological labour of pregnancy!

We explore the following: 

• Antenatal anxiety + depression - The fear begins when we’re pregnant
• Constant worry and fear of "is everything okay" - we don't know what we don't know 
• Feeling a huge load, heaviness, and demand 
• Loss of control and overwhelm with change  
• People pleasing and perfectionism during pregnancy 
• Social narratives and boundaries during this time – being physically touched, having your commented on etc.
• Body image and disordered eating 
• Identity shifts
• Loneliness
• Shame - I do not feel any joy in this pregnancy, I don't feel like I'm doing anything right, self-doubt with experience, is there something wrong with me?
• Expectations vs reality - not the magical experience I expected it to be 
• Feeling overwhelmed and bombarded with all of this information – what do I do with all of this information. 
• Disconnect with partner: "we're having a baby" but it's happening to me and feeling like you can't understand 

let us know your thoughts on this episode!!

Aimee + Kat 

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Welcome to The Psychology Mamas – a podcast series brought to you by the Psychology Sisters dedicated to understanding the psychological journey of parenthood.

Before we dive into this episode, we want to acknowledge that it is a privilege to have the choice of conceiving a child.
We acknowledge our own bias's, privilege and agency in the disclosures we share during this episode.

We understand this episode does not speak to all of the layering and nuances in this conversation such as sex, culture, religion, experiences of infertility, oppressed and marginalised communities and economics that intersect and compound this decision.


To have children or to not have children? 

In this ep we dive into the following: 

• How to decide if you want kids or not? 
• What impacts our decision to have children?
• The ticking clock and societal pressure 
• How do you know if you're making the right decision 
• How to know when you're ready  
• Past experiences in childhood impact our decisions around parenting
  
  
  

Our hope for you as you journey through this era with us, is to create a safe space for you to explore this conversation honestly and openly and to deepen your understanding of what impacts your decision making when it comes to whether or not we choose to be parents. So that you don't feel so alone in the fear, pressure and overwhelm of trying to make life changing decision. 

Aimee + Kat 

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hellllloooooo psycho sista's and mista's!!

We have the marvellous Maddie back on the pod today to talk all things understanding your own red flags!!

But First! Maddie shares a slithery pit with us! 

We often talk about red flags in relationships and friendships, but rarely do we open a discussion around red flags in ourselves and that’s exactly what we are here to do today! 

This episode is not about labelling certain behaviours as wrong or bad or toxic. It’s more about deepening our own understanding of self and our red flags can be used as important signals of information that we might be out of alignment with our values, that we need to feel safer or more authentic with self and others, Or they’re sometimes part of old memory systems remind you to have limited interaction with a person.

This is about growing our capacity to show up better for ourselves and to improve the quality of connection we’re experiencing. 

Red flags in ourselves: It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me,

1.Avoidance 
2.You rely on others and external sources for worth: If you’re constantly looking for validation and if you feed off of others’ good views about you, you will always be looking for gratification on the outside and never find it within.
3.You struggle to communicate
5.Criticising and putting ourselves or others down
6.Boundaries only going one way – controlling behaviour or needing to be in complete control. 
7.Struggle to apologise, take responsibility and own your part 
8.Assumptions 

Consider the perspective of, what can I learn here? What is this trying to teach me? 
This red flag I'm experiencing, what direction is it going to guide me in? and can I use my red flags as that, signposts and signals to re-direct. 



We hope you enjoy! 

Aimee, Kat + Maddie 

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hello lovely listeners!! 🎙️ ✨💛

TW - this episode discusses sexual abuse and child sexual assault. This episode also discusses pregnancy and parenthood- if this is triggering for you in anyway - please skip this episode.

Join us for part two of the listener Q&A!! 💕

 Aimee and Kat share their pit and peaks of the weeks that have been ✨💛

We also answer YOUR questions on:
✨Why is it when someone tells you not to do something you NEED to do it?
✨How to work through resentment?
✨How to reengage with life! Feeling so flat/dissociated/ disengaged and want to feel like I'm living!?
✨What is PMDD?
✨ How does childhood sexual abuse affect you?

Please let us know what you think of this episode and if you have any questions you would like answered, send them to our DMs!😍💛  @thepsychologysisters!


For support please head to:
1800RESPECT is available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence.

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 
Provides 24/7 telephone and face-to-face counselling for people impacted by institutional child sexual abuse. This means adults who were sexually assaulted as a child at an institution — like a school, church, club, or children’s home — or by someone who worked at one of those places — like a teacher, a religious figure, or a camp leader — for example. The counselling is offered to survivors, as well as other people impacted, like parents or professionals.
Phone: 1800 211 028. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

National Violence and Abuse Trauma Counselling and Recovery Service 
Telephone and online support, as well as information and referrals, for anyone in Australia who is or has experienced domestic or family violence, or those who support them.
Phone: 1800 385 578.

Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Helpline 
Provides 24/7 telephone trauma counselling from counsellors who have completed specialist training to support anyone in Australia who is from the LGBTIQ+ community and has recently or in the past experienced domestic, family or sexual violence. The service also provides telephone support to family members, friends and supporters, or professionals who are impacted by violence targeted towards the LGBTIQ+ community.
Phone: 1800 497 212. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hellllloooooo psycho sista's and mista's!!

We have the marvellous Maddie back in action for a bit of a different vibe today! We are sharing our hard truths from years of experience in and out of the therapy chair!

The episodes starts with a general catch-up and pit and peak - Kat shares a hilarious and relatable pit surrounding motherhood and the ambition of being an appointment girly. 
Maddie and Aimee empathise over some fur baby related pits before we get into the juicy bit's of the episode!! 


We hope you enjoy! 

Aimee, Kat + Maddie 

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hello lovely listeners!!

Join us for an old school Q + A!
We had so many questions we have broken this up into two parts. 

We answer your questions on: 
What is the ultimate goal in therapy? 
How do you support a friend that withdraws? 
How to talk to your therapist about therapy not working? 
What is the ADHD assessment process like? 
How to rebuild trust after betrayal and being hurt? 

If YOU have any Qs you'd like to send in, please feel welcome to slide into our dms!!


We hope you love this episode!
Aimee + Kat 

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hello hello and welcome back to another episode with Maddie!!

We are deep diving into grief!! 

Grief is coming to terms with a huge empty space of something that you have lost – that cannot be replicated. 
And it’s a necessary process to come to terms with loss 

-Your grief is unique and it is yours – your relationship to loss is as unique as your finger print. There are no two the same 
-It’s universal and intensely personal 
-There is no formula for grief and there is no such thing as the right way to mourn someone 
-Grief is long. Not in the same intensity. It changes as you grow around it.
-a process that can include ambivalent feelings. Relief and anger can be mixed with love and grief. Joy and sorrow 
- grief is relearning how to experience the world of relationship, at a time of emotional turmoil. 
-Grief can also reweave life and meaning. 
- All grief is valid. 


Here is the Ted Talk Maddie was speaking about: 
Nora McInerny: We don't "move on" from grief. We move forward with it | TED Talk


We hope you enjoyed this episode,
Maddie, Aimee + Kat

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hellllllllllllooooooooo lovely listeners!!

In this episode we answered a listener question that was sent in to our DMs!!

"Why is taking accountability so hard? I'm chronically late, I have a hard time receiving feedback in my personal life, I aware of it I just don't know how to hold myself more accountable."

Accountability is defined as taking ownership and responsibility for one's actions, decisions, and outcomes. It is a critical component of personal growth and development, as well as building and maintaining healthy relationships. 

Taking accountability is an essential part of personal and professional growth. 
However, it can be challenging for some people due to fear of failure, blame-shifting, low emotional intelligence, low self-esteem, or fear of negative consequences. 

By taking accountability for our actions, we can build stronger relationships, improve our self-esteem, and become better versions of ourselves.

My favourite quote of all time - We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we created our world. – Gabor Mate

Our stories and unconscious narratives and assumptions that we hold can be major blocks in our capacity to take accountability. We are responding from active defence mechanisms!! 


Let us know what you thought of this episode and feel free to slide into our DMs if you have a question or a topic you'd like us to unpack!!

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.

Hello lovely listeners!! 🎙️ ✨💛

TW - this episode discusses domestic violence, abuse themes and pregnancy - if this is triggering for you in anyway - please skip this episode.

The long wait is hopefully worth it, as we have a jam packed episode for you! 💕

Maddie, Aimee and Kat discuss the complexities, nuances and multiplicities of women’s safety and everything thats been happening for an important check-in. We also invite you to check-in with safe and trusted people in your life to have more conversations about the impact this may be having on you and the people around you ✨💛

We also answer YOUR questions on:
✨what is intuition and why don’t I have one?
✨How to cope with the perceived challenges of different seasons of life?
✨How to find what gives me joy (hobbies, interests etc)
✨Gut feeling Vs Anxiety - how to tell the difference?
✨Tips for identity loss after having a baby?

Please let us know what you think of this episode and if you have any questions you would like answered, send them to our DMs!😍💛  @thepsychologysisters!


For support please head to:
1800RESPECT is available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence.
Men’s Referral Service. The Men’s Referral Service is the national counselling, information and referral service for men looking to change their behaviour.
If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s behaviour, call 1300 766 491.
Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) is the peak body for financial counsellors in Australia. Access free resources and advice from a private financial counsellor. Call 1800 007 007 to speak to someone in your state.

You can find more of us here:

The Thriving Therapists:
To connect with a safe and supportive community of like-minded therapists, head to our Thriving Therapists Facebook group:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/224252457083630/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF

Or find us on our Instagram:
https://instagram.com/thethrivingtherapists?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

6 -week anxiety course:
coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety.teachable.com/p/coming-home-how-to-care-for-anxiety

Our Online Psychology practice:
https://thepsychcollaborative.com.au

The Psychology Sisters Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologysisters/?hl=en

The Psych Collaborative instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychcollaborative/?hl=en

Please note: this episode is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalised psychological advice.