Science of the Soul

Dr Karenne Hills was once a registered nurse before switching over to a career in counselling. She has been a counsellor for 25 years, a lecturer of counselling for 11 years, and her areas of expertise and interest are in children and adults with disabilities.

In this podcast, Dr Karenne Hills provided a deeply empathetic and educated exploration two major issues: Making meaning with people with disabilities and demystifying narcissism. The initial part of the podcast explored:

how she conducted research with non-verbal poets,

her journey as a mother raising two children with disabilities,

how she made meaning from her struggles, and

how she recognised the gifts and value of people with disabilities.

The rest of the podcast dives into the clinical definitions of narcissism, the types of narcissism, the psychological makeup of people with narcissistic personality disorders, how narcissism develops, and how it manifests.

Dr Karenne speculated over how narcissism manifests due to gender differences, highlights how strongly narcissism impacts the family, influences of family of origin, and lead to the development of codependency in intimate partners. She also talks about:

the patterns that develop within the individuals and families living with a narcissistic personality,

what couple counselling looks like,

growing up with narcissistic parents, and

the general consensus amongst experts on such relationships.

Our conversation later delves into whether psychedelics would be able to attain ego dissolution for people with narcissistic personality disorders, as well as how intimate partners psychologically and emotionally suffer from an ever-shifting reality.

Finally, Dr Karenne Hills leaves us with sound advice drawn from lived experience and evidence-based research on how to deal with narcissistic partners.

To learn more about how to navigate your communication with family members who you suspect have narcissistic personality disorders, visit the podcast link below by Rick Hanson & Forrest Hanson:

Being Well Podcast: Understanding Narcissism and Narcissistic Traits with Dr. Craig Malkin

https://rickhanson.com/being-well-podcast-understanding-narcissism-and-narcissistic-traits-with-dr-craig-malkin/

Roisin Taylor is a personal violence counsellor who supports universitystudents facing family violence, domestic violence and sexual abuse. Roisin is also engaged in a lot of prevention work in order to help students mitigate the risks involved when working in the sex industry as well as in domestic violence.

In this podcast, Roisin drew attention to the importance of understanding and learning about relationships, drawing boundaries, spotting red flags, understanding personality types, reflecting on early life attachment styles and how they play out in adult relationships, and the impacts of trauma.

With regards to people working in the sex industry, Roisin discussed:

- risk factors for violence and sexual abuse

- what establishing boundaries might look like

- expectations

-assertive communication

- trauma history

-non-consensual sharing of images such as revenge pornand,

- how to manage and prevent such incidents.

We discussed the societal stigma, as well as the shift in societal acceptance.

We also explored:

- thepsychological and mental demands of working in the industry.

- coping mechanisms and various types of dissociation

- the different mindsets people have when entering the industry

Finally, we discussed domestic violence by emphasising the role of power and control, the types of abuse,the cycle of violence, variousforms of abuse including multiple pregnancies and religious abuse and such.

Roisin also sheds some light upon ways to support loved ones who are experiencing violence.

If you or someone you care about are experiencing violence, or might be at risk, visit the links below to empower yourselves towards comprehensive care, education, safety plans, reporting and 24/7 crisis hotlines.

E-safety:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgK2qBhCHARIsAGACuzk2sDxlKEy8OPDiyeKaUSU2IHbjCFU0DrrtPvslTDvTIGw1ngEuLQ8aAm4oEALw_wcB

1800RESPECT:

https://www.1800respect.org.au/

1800 737 732

DVConnect:

https://www.dvconnect.org/

1800 811 811

Men's Referral Service (Yes, men face domestic violence too. Less physical violence, more emotional and psychological violence):

https://ntv.org.au/get-help/

Natajsa Wagner is a trauma psychotherapist and trainer. In this episode, Natajsa talks about the different types of trauma, and shares with us how she works with trauma. Natajsa talks about ensuring that clients have a base in safety and stabilisation, before progressing into processing memories and meaning making.

We discuss various trauma-related topics such as:

- Posttraumatic growth (PTG)

- The non-linear trajectory of trauma recovery

- The differences between PTSD and CPTSD

- When corporal punishment (physical punishment such as caning, often inflicted by parents and teachers) is traumatic and when it is not

- The cultural aspect of interpreting the corporal punishment

- Attachment patterns

- The Blue Knot Foundation (National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma)

- Ego Dissolution & Identity Shifts from PTG

- Structural Dissociation and Parts Work

- Multiple Personality Disorders (DID: Dissociative Identity Disorder)

Check out The Blue Knot Foundation: https://blueknot.org.au/ or call them at  1300 657 380

Natajsa can be reached through her website and social media:

https://www.natajsawagner.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NatajsaWagnerPsychotherapy/

For informative and humorous content, follow her on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/natajsa_wagner/

Isiah McKimmie is a renowned couple's counsellor and sexologist in Australia. Apart from her work, Isiah also lectures, works with a crisis hotline, and writes for news.com.au's Relationship Rehab column. Isiah has multiple degrees and postgrad qualifications in the field of intimacy, and had shared some profound insights on the various challenges we face, as psychosexual beings. 

Our conversation touches on: 

- common concerns she encounters with clients

- mismatched desires in couples, and the emotions felt as a result

- Isiah's general 3 Tiered Approach: Connection, Communication, and Sexual Intimacy

- reluctance, anxiety, shame & taboo

- sex education & sexual exercises

- Isiah's journey into education & career in human intimacy

- sexual expectations in mature couples

- changes in sexuality over the course of our lives

- other forms of intimacy and deep relational needs

- recovering from infidelity

- relationship challenges in couple's going through IVF

Isiah can be reached through her website and social media: 

https://isiah-mckimmie.com

https://www.instagram.com/isiahmckimmie.sexologist/?hl=en 

Isiah also has a blog and podcast. Her resources are well worth checking out: 

https://isiah-mckimmie.com/blog-podcast/ 

Sharon Stern is a clinical psychologist who specialises in trauma work. Sharon talks to us about multiplicity, i.e. the different parts of ourselves. She explains how we often reduce our different selves to one self. She references literature and figure of speech to explain this idea further. 

We talk about how this translates into the therapy space. We touched on:

- Philosophically in Greek mythology

- Freud's life

- Balancing between the parts of our ourselves

- Ownership of our parts

- How our parts ensure our survival 

- Compartmentalizing & Dissociation

- The Vagus Nerve

- Experiences in Early Childhood and how that can shape our parts

We finally arrive to Love & Compassion as an antidote, and how therapy helps us learn to tool to integrate of the different parts of ourselves. 

If you'd like to get in touch with Sharon, you can visit her website at: 

https://www.sharonsternpsychologist.com/

Or write to her at [email protected]. 

This episode introduces Mary Weru, a senior case manager working in sexual health and blood borne virus in the Northern Territory. 

Mary was a colleague from a few years ago, and she has always exuded extreme positivity and competence. She is now in the role of managing vulnerable individuals with sexually transmittable viruses, as well as campaigning for the education of these viruses. 

Through her work, she realised the intricacies and complexities of the vulnerable population and their 'resistance to treatment.'

She tells us about the challenges of the people she treats, and brings us insight into their lived experiences.

She also brings to the table a passionate discussion of how she negotiates her role, as a mediator between the medical professionals and the wellbeing of her clients. She describes the tension these two groups have towards each other.

As a result, the delicate balance between education and empathy seems to be a skill she has developed, working in this field.

Amongst all this, we also lightheartedly touch on transgender health and identity of Sister Girls in the Northern Territory. She shares anecdotes of the confusion professionals face when identifying Sister Girls for legal and medical purposes. 

Ultimately, Mary brings to home the importance of de-stigmatizing the nature of blood borne viruses, the effectiveness of the treatments of HIV and Hepatitis, developing effective family systems, and also how commonly prevalent they are in our society.

This conversation with Mary has illuminated a lot of my personal misconceptions about the reality of living with such viruses, as well as broadened my understanding on the topic. We hope this podcast will do the same for you.

Visit NTAHC and the NT Health Website for more information.

You can learn more from: 

NTAHC (Northern Territory Aids and Hepatitis Council)

https://www.ntahc.org.au/ 

ASHM

ASHM provides support to the HIV, viral hepatitis and sexual health workforce.

https://www.ashm.org.au/ 

NT Health

For professionals: https://health.nt.gov.au/professionals/centre-for-disease-control/resources-and-publications 

In this episode I’d like to share a wonderful experience I had a few weeks ago with the radio show Only human on 4zzz.

I was invited and interviewed by Dr Kim Stewart and Belle, and we talked about my PhD research in bereavement, trauma counselling for people with a refugee background, and culturally aware psychotherapy.

I talk about the Muslim population in Australia and Southeast Queensland, and the diversity in which it presents. We talk about the types of grief, the existential crises that can emerge from losing someone you love, and what support looks like. We also explored my experiences working with the humanitarian settlement program in Australia. 

I feel very privileged to have had this experience with such warm and seasoned hosts. It’s definitely different being the interviewee for a change.

So if you’re keen to know a little bit about my background, and some of my professional passions, and you have about 30 or so minutes to spare, I humbly invite you to tune in.

Officially, Isabel Osuna-Gatty is known a National Disability Coordination Officer in South Australia. In layman's terms, Isabel describes herself as a community educator. She engages with the Spanish speaking community, hosts her own radio show and online chat platform for Spanish speaking women worldwide.

Isabel is originally from Venezuela, and her experiences with disability and social exclusion has primed her for her work today. To learn more about Isabel's personal history, tune into Growing Bold Within the CALD Community in the link below: 

https://www.feroscare.com.au/grow-bold-podcast/season-two/episode-3-growing-bold-within-the-cald-community

Her background is in psychology, counselling, education and supporting disabilities. Her choice of medium is predominantly in the arts, whether verbal, digital, or plain ol' visual arts.

In this podcast, we explore trauma and learning amongst multicultural communities (migrant and/or refugee). We discuss how communication during group activities empower participants towards education and employment, as they assimilate and acculturate in Australia. 

Isabel educates us on how to approach such activities with cultural sensitivity, with a trauma-informed approach. This includes housekeeping rules of:

• what to say
• what not to say when participating during the group sessions
• how to create trust and rapport implicitly (disguised assistance)

We discuss the challenges and strategies of working with trauma survivors who do not choose to address their past traumas.

Here, we go in-depth to paint a vivid picture to take listeners through the extreme paradigm shift they face in order to grasp their challenges and experiences. 

We also draw upon our personal experiences as young students, and reflect upon teaching methods of the past. Isabel presents the 'glass half-full' philosophy to illustrate the types of educators, some of whom can be detrimental to the potential future success of youths that present with disabilities. 

She presents the work of Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator, and advocates his method of education and learning. 

You can connect with Isabel via LinkedIn at https://au.linkedin.com/in/isabel-osuna-gatty-83b38419 

or visit her website at https://isabelosunagatty.com/

Princess R. Lakshman is an inspiring and impressive personality. Princess is a qualified in traditional medicine, remedial masseuse, life coach, clinical nutritionist, and counsellor. She is also a writer, a poet, and is still continuing her post-graduate education in mental health. Her latest book, The Soul Speaks, is available on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Xlibris Publishers.

However, her extensive list of qualifications are simply a reflection of her desire to help and heal. Her remarkably holistic approaches further underscores her passion. Princess shares with us on how her journey of challenges and illnesses shaped her to who she is today. She tells us about her abusive marriage, her problematic family history and how she was disowned for religious reasons, and her encounter with a brain tumour. It is not surprising that she suffered from PTSD. 

However, this podcast is not about PTSD- instead it is about how Princess battled her wars and transcended them. This podcast is about Post-Traumatic Growth: PTG. Princess shares with us on how she turned her life around, and achieved growth through: a daily practice of self-awareness, mindfulness, changing her victim mentality, and narrative therapy. She approaches PTG through being aware of, accepting, and navigating through her 'darkness'. She talks about how she works with her own shame and guilt in order to transcend the darkness instead of rejecting it. She is also a spiritually-informed practitioner, therefore approaches challenges with an existential appreciation. 

A key highlight of the conversation is when Princess and I unpacked the difference between responding and reacting. She calls this "a gift of solitude." This particular insight of hers has permanently reframed my understanding of 'respond VS react' in a profound way. Thank you Princess, for sparing your time and sharing your knowledge with us. 

You can connect with Princess R. Lakshman through: 

https://mindbodyhealinghub.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mindbodyhealinghub/

https://www.instagram.com/muslimahmindmatters/

https://www.facebook.com/princessrlakshman/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/princess-r-lakshman-46697616/

Her new book, The Soul Speaks, which I absolutely love, is available on: 

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

XLIBRIS PUBLISHERS

Sidqie is a Professional Life Coach and works with fathers, young adults and leaders. He focuses on building emotionally intelligent families, and is particularly passionate about working with Men & Mental Health.

In this episode, Sidqie very humbly recounts his personal journey, including relationship breakdowns, and the major turning point of him losing a dear friend to suicide.

Sidqie also dives into issues of the stigma of men’s mental health, cultural influences, issues  around men’s attitudes towards vulnerability, and draws on some intimate familial anecdotes of how his emotions of pain and anguish were not acknowledged nor received. Yet, Sidqie manages to reframe some of his most unfortunate tales with compassion and understanding.

He shares a holistic account on the multifaceted areas of mental health awareness amongst men such as:

• Issues around shame,
• Negative self-talk,
• Various behavioural manifestations of escapism such as gaming,
• Impacts on work, children, and romantic relationships.

Sidqie also offers some insights and practices into reflecting and bringing the unconscious to the conscious mind.

You can find Sidqie at https://www.facebook.com/reconnectq/ and https://www.instagram.com/reconnect.q/ Reconnect Q provides coaching services for Fathers, Men and Youth in aspects of Life, Business and Leadership.