Ladies, We Need To Talk

We’re told boobs are sexy! Bouncy! Nutritious food banks even! But what happens when they betray you? Every year in Australia, around 20,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Forty per cent of those will need a mastectomy, surgery to have the breast tissue removed. Some of those women will choose not reconstruct, to stay "flat."Yumi Stynes speaks to "flatties" about their relationship with their new bodies. You'll hear from women who've had one or both breasts removed about how their decision has reshaped their sex lives and body image and how they've found hope in new forms.If you've got boobs, or know someone who does, this episode will make you question how you think about them. Featured in this episode: Dr Charlotte Tottman, psycho-oncologist  Useful links:Upfront About Breast Cancer – What You Don't Know Until You Do, with Dr Charlotte TottmanBreast Cancer Network AustraliaSo Brave Breast Cancer CharityMastectomy: Breast Surgery and RecoveryWhat to listen to next: Will we ever have a cure for endom

When she was 16, Pub Choir's Astrid Jorgensen wanted to be a nun. So how did she end up in pubs, night after night, teaching people to sing?For years, Astrid felt like she didn't belong to the world of music. But she found her way in, on her terms. Astrid was never going to be an elite Opera singer, but in rediscovering the joy of singing for the sake of it, she invited the world to sing along too.Astrid has fused her unique talents together to create Pub Choir — the largest choir in the world. She teaches everyday punters to sing a three-part harmony, where the audience becomes the performers.Yumi Stynes sits down with Astrid for a candid conversation about the messiness of life, how she found her voice and began singing to her own tune.What to listen to next: Turia Pitt is a selfish womanMental health: Anxiety and how to beat itWill we ever have a cure for endometriosis?You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.  What to rea

Up to one in five people have irritable bowel syndrome and women are three times as likely to be affected. From bloating, cramping, constipation and diarrhea, the symptoms can be debilitating, let alone make it hard to do up a pair of jeans! Even though IBS is so common, there’s no cure. But there’s increasing research about the best ways to manage symptoms - from the low FODMAP diet to managing anxiety to live a better and less gassy life.  Featured in this episode: Associate Professor Jess Biesiekierski from the University of MelbourneIBS participant study https://www.gutresearchstudy.com.What to listen to next:  Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen GunterSandwich generation — the women looking after everyoneMental health: Overcoming depressionMental health: Anxiety and how to beat itYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.  What to read next:   How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhoodWhat loving someone with

With "wellness" advice from influencers flooding our feeds, it's hard to sort fact from absolute nonsense and know what to eat to feel good.Enter Laureate Professor in nutrition and dietetics, Clare Collins. Yumi sits down with Clare to get the low down on the good stuff we should be eating on and the nasty stuff we should avoid. How much protein is enough? Is fibre a big deal? Are probiotics bulls*#t?This episode will help you turn down the noise on nonsense diet trends and listen to what your guts are telling you.What to listen to next: Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen GunterStepmums: Why do they get such a hard time?Endometriosis: Pain, periods, medical gaslightingClare and Jessie Stephens on twinning, pregnancy and envyYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.  What to read next:  How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhoodWhat loving someone with an addiction or dependence can look likeThe dark side of bei

Turia Pitt was doing it all — working, mothering, wifeing — and she was exhausted. Being everything to everyone came at a huge cost to her mental health — she was close to burnout, and so she decided to flip the script on being a 'good woman'.Over a decade after sustaining life threatening burns to most of her body in a grassfire, Turia's become a famous author, speaker and athlete. She also had two kids. When Turia's family moved away from their support network for her husband's career, Turia took on a lot and did it with a smile on her face. But inside, she was suffocating.Turia realised that being selfless wasn't getting her where she wanted in life, so it was time to be selfish! She sits down with Yumi Stynes in a refreshingly honest conversation about mum-guilt, saying no, vices, disability and leaving the husbands at home to go hiking with your besties.Turia Pitt is the author of Selfish: How to unlearn the rules that are breaking you.What to listen to next: Body image and babies with Turia Pitt and Sop

She's one of the great cultural villains; the evil stepmother. Stepmums are up against it. Besides fighting bad press generated by endless pop-culture references, they're chucked in the deep end of parenting without a life boat.Yumi Stynes meets stepmothers who've experienced the joy of loving their partner's child as well as the difficulty of slotting into a 'mum' role when the kids already have one.Plus, researcher Dr Bailey Oliver Blackburn explains the challenges of stepmothering, from responsibility without authority to constant comparison and feeling excluded.This episode is a celebration of the unique role that stepmums play and offers some tools to navigate a complex family dynamic.What to listen to next:Toxic mumsBreaking the motherhood contractMental health: Overcoming depressionMental health: Anxiety and how to beat itMental health: Loving someone with an addictionYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. What to r

Standing by watching a loved one's addiction can be heartbreaking and confusing. One in ten Australian's struggle with a substance disorder and one in five experience gambling harm.For every person struggling with an addiction, there are people close to them. The wives, mothers, sisters and children watching their addictions play havoc with their lives.Yumi Stynes sits down with women who've been on the sidelines of someone else's addiction, and who've found a path through a challenging situation.In this episode you'll hear how to look after your own mental health as a carer and how to have those difficult conversations.Featured in this episode: Caroline Thain, Manager of Clinical Advice and Governance at Headspace Special thanks to Dr Steph Kershaw from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use for her help with this episode. Helpful resources: National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline 1800 250 015  SHARC's Family Drug and Gambling Helpline 1300 660 068 Lifeline on 13 11 14 Beyond Bl

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition facing women. One in three will be diagnosed in her lifetime. From overwhelming worry to spiralling thoughts, panic attacks to avoidance, anxiety can have a huge impact. But the good news is that we know how to treat it.In part two of this three-part mental health series, Yumi Stynes chats to Julie Goodwin, of MasterChef fame, to understand how she got on top of her crippling anxiety. She also sits down with neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Professor Bronwyn Graham to talk anxiety-busting strategies.The episode explores how hormones, sleep, lifestyle, and medication can impact anxiety and help you emerge stronger than ever.Featured in this episode:Professor Bronwyn Graham, neuroscientist and clinical psychologistJulie Goodwin, cook and authorIf you need someone to talk to, call:Lifeline on 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 Headspace on 1800 650 890 QLife on 1800 184 527 What to listen to next:Mental health

One in six women will get depression in their lifetime, compared with one in ten men. So, is it hormones or circumstances or a combination of both that's makes us more susceptible? And importantly, how can we confront the black dog if it's at our door?In part one of this three-part series, Yumi Stynes sits down with women who've been in the grips of depression to understand how they overcame it. She also lays out the essential ingredients for good mental health.Featured in this episode:Professor Bronwyn Graham, neuroscientist and clinical psychologistIf you need someone to talk to, call:Lifeline on 13 11 14 Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 Headspace on 1800 650 890 QLife on 1800 184 527 Come and see a live recording of the podcast in Sydney on October 16. Yumi’s in conversation with Sophie Gilbert, author of Girl on Girl: How pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves. Tickets here!What to listen to next:Loneliness — you're n

One in three women in Australia will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in their lifetime and one in six will experience depression. This Mental Health Month, it's time to find solutions.In this three-part series, Yumi Stynes chats to leading experts about hacking your brain, hormones, nutrition (and yes, mental load) to feel better.Yumi speaks to women with depression and anxiety about the treatments and lifestyle changes that have helped them feel better. We also look at how to look after your mental health when you love someone with an addiction.Featured in this series: neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Professor Bronwyn Graham, Headspace's Caroline Thain and beloved cook Julie Goodwin.What to listen to next:Loneliness — you're not aloneThe price of perfectionismHow to give zero f*cks Perimenopause: lifting the brain fogYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. What to read next:How Turia Pitt's body image change

Twins Clare and Jessie Stephens have been by each other's side for all of life's firsts. The first day of school, first job, first love, first pregnancy and birth plus that time Clare dyed her hair brown (spoiler alert: disaster).The sisters, both writers and podcasters, live in tandem. They're also competitive high achievers.So what's it like when your best friend is also your harshest critic, most fierce rival and biggest cheerleader? How do you figure out who you are when your identity and DNA are so closely linked with another? Yumi Stynes sits down with the twins for a raucous conversation about the love and war of sisterhood.Clare Stephens is the author of The Worst Thing I've Ever Done and host of The Pile On podcast. Jessie Stephens is the author of Something Bad Is Going to Happen and host of the Mamamia Out Loud podcast.What to listen to next:Sashi Perera on reinventionRosie Waterland and Jamila Rizvi's broken brainsJessie Tu, on miscarriage and doing motherhood her wayThe price of perfectionismYou

Married mum Deepa Paul didn’t have ‘sleeping with strangers’ on her bingo card. She grew up in the Catholic and conservative Philippines and married her college sweetheart. But underneath, Deepa yearned for more.   Deepa wanted to open up her marriage, but convincing her husband took time and tears. Eventually, they settled on boundaries and set up their dating profiles. Having sex with new people meant that Deepa could explore her desires without shame. It also sparked a renewal in her marriage.  In her book Ask me how it works: love in an open marriage Deepa answers the questions we all want to know about polyamory.  What to listen to next:The new way to dateHow to have better sex, with Emily NagoskiEsther Perel will change how you think about intimacyOh my kink! Pulling back the covers on BDSMYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. What to read next: How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhoodThe dark side of being

This is a guided meditation to help with chronic pain.  Endometriosis hurts. It can be a gnarling, twisting, stabbing, relentless source of pain. Finding a way through that pain can be overwhelming at times. Meditation can help.  Gynaecological surgeon and endometriosis specialist Dr Pav Nanayakkara guides you through a series of breathing exercises to shift your relationship with pain.  This isn’t a standard Ladies, We Need to Talk episode, it’s a tool for your mindfulness toolbox. One you can come back to any time you need.  These meditations aren't designed to replace medical pain relief or the advice of a good doctor, rather to compliment them.What to listen to next:Endometriosis: Pain, periods, medical gaslightingThe rage in my pelvisWhen sex hurtsPerimenopause: WTF is happening to our bodiesFree to bleed: escaping menstrual shameYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.What to read next:Shame and disgust: Why we find th

Around one million Australian women live with endometriosis. That's around one in seven, so chances are you know someone dealing with debilitating pain, medical misogyny and fertility issues because of the disease.Awareness about endometriosis has expanded in the last few years, but there's still a long way to go. Yumi Stynes meets women who've spent a lot of time and money seeking a diagnosis and fighting to be heard.She also sits down with Professor Caroline Ford from the Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute at UNSW who offers hope for a future with tailored treatments and less BS.Helpful links:Endometriosis Foundation  (these folks run support groups)National Endometriosis Clinical and Scientific trials registryEndometriosis AustraliaPelvic Pain foundationEndo ZoneWhat to listen to next:The rage in my pelvisWhen sex hurtsPerimenopause: WTF is happening to our bodiesFree to bleed: escaping menstrual shameShedding the shame of herpesThe new way to dateYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to T

Artificial Intelligence is supercharging a new era of misogyny. There are more weapons than ever for men to use against women to silence and shame us, chief among them deepfakes (AI generated images and videos). And tech companies and regulators are not doing enough to fight this abuse, which is affecting everyone from schoolgirls to prime ministers.After her book Men Who Hate Women dropped, academic Laura Bates was sent an AI-generated nightmare. It was her face, used in a sexually violent doctored image.Her new book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny dives into this wild collision of technology and hate, from deepfake pornography to cyber brothels, chatbots and robot girlfriends.Laura calls out a future where women are easy targets and the rules don't apply. The tech might be new, but the misogyny is old and crusty —and Laura says it's time to fight back and protect women now.Come to our next live show:How pop culture turned a generation of women against themselvesWhat to

Trying to find a life partner on a dating app who's not a gun toting, fish wielding weirdo can be like trying to find a needle in the haystack. But according to Professor Jennie Young, there's a much more empowering way of sorting through all that hay. She's come up with a technique to hack the apps called 'The Burnt Haystack Method' to help women wade through the online swamp.Jennie never thought she would use her academic background to become a dating influencer. She was 50 when she first started online dating and was struck by the onslaught of stilted, mundane, and rude conversations. She kept getting the same advice — make yourself as appealing as possible and give men the benefit of the doubt. But Jennie, along with her army of followers, is turning that advice on its head. She's giving women permission to be as judgemental as possible and be totally yourself along the way.Jennie chats with Yumi Stynes about how to hack the apps and win at dating. Think of this episode as a tool in your arsenal if you're

Dating apps are a drag. And women are ditching them in droves. Beyond the swiping, more of us are daring to date in real life. Yumi Stynes chats to women moving away from the apps and towards in-person singles events.From post-divorce blind dates to queer speed dating, dinners with strangers and exercise classes, all in the name of finding love. Or at least a little lust.Plus, friend of the pod and Lifestyle Editor at Guardian Australia, Alyx Gorman helps us understand why more women are dating IRL.What to listen to next: Loneliness — you're not alone Relationship resuscitation — coming back from the brink 'All Women Want' — how to have great sex, with Alyx GormanDigital dating despairWhat to read next:The women staying single by choice in a world of relentless dating pressureSugar babies give rich, older men the 'full girlfriend experience' at a priceGlobal study shows online dating does not always lead to happy relationshipsThis episode will address questions like, why are people logging off the dating apps

As part of Women's Health Week we're bringing back our episode on Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and the difficulty of getting a diagnosis. Weight gain, bristly hairs, no period. Welcome to Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome.  PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility worldwide and it can cause debilitating physical and psychological symptoms. 1 in 8 women have PCOS, so that’s at least a couple of friends in your group chat. So why do we still know so little about it?  Yumi Stynes catches up with ladies who’ve been battling PCOS for years and finds out how they get on top of it. Featured in this episode: Professor Helena Teede, female endocrine specialist from Monash UniversityThis episode will answer questions such as: What is PCOS? Why does PCOS cause weight pain?What is the link between PCOS and infertility? How is PCOS diagnosed?  What to listen to next: Has Ozempic killed body positivity? Calling out wellness bullsh*t with Dr Jen GunterPerimenopause: but aren't I too young? You can binge more episodes

Stand-up star Sashi Perera called off her wedding at the last minute. There were tears and tantrums but that wasn't the final time the lawyer-turned-comedian blew up her life.Moving to a country in the middle of civil unrest? Tick. Dating a series of duds? Tick. Quitting a well-paid job for stand-up comedy? Tick.Sashi's redefined what success means to her through career changes, relationship breakdowns and IVF struggles. Yumi Stynes sits down with Sashi to find out how she's learned to run her own race.What to listen to next:How to give zero f*cks with Gina Chick, Jessie Tu and Anna Broinowski Jessie Tu, on miscarriage and doing motherhood her way Emotional labour with Rose Hackman The price of perfectionism What to read next: The price of perfectionism for womenHow Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhoodSandy seemingly has a perfect marriage, but she’d never been lonelierYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. This e

A herpes diagnosis can come with a whole lot of stigma, but it shouldn't. Around 15% of us carry the antibodies to genital herpes, making it one of the most common STIs in Australia.Yumi Stynes finds out what it's like hearing you have herpes for the first time and how to best manage. From itching to tell partners to soothing your symptoms and how to keep sex humming. Plus, STI expert Dr Ellie Freedman explains the science behind the virus and how it changes over time.You might also like:The secret lives of vaginasEsther Perel — how to have a hard conversationThis episode contains references to genital herpes, herpes simplex virus type one, herpes simplex virus type two, antibodies, sexual health, womens health, shame, stigma, mental health, vagina, vulva.