So much of women's lives and so many of our experiences are hushed up, not spoken about and hidden. The Hidden World of Women is focused on bringing awareness to the experiences of women. There is no shame, no secrecy. Just women talking openly about their and our experiences. We want to let women know that you aren't alone, we want to bring awareness and shine hope for women.
Episodes
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Tomorrow is international women’s day. As this is a podcast for women by women and brought to you by Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services, we couldn’t let the day without pass without having a conversation around IWD. This years theme is Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.
In this episode Emma speaks with Jayde Robinson-Clancy from the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing https://cwsw.org.au/ to discuss the issues that surround International Women’s Day. We discuss this years theme for International Women’s Day as well as discussing whether International Women’s Day is still relevant in 2022? While we intended to focus on the theme for IWD2022 it wouldn’t be an episode of The Hidden World of Women if we didn’t go off on at least a dozen tangents.
We delve into what are the underpinning ideas around gender equality, gender equality, social bias, and violence against women. We also touched on QANTAS uniforms for flight attendants, school uniforms, whether women should need to smile, should you accept an apology if the words and actions don’t align. Safe to say we covered a lot of ground with this topic and I am grateful to Jayde for her time.
The website that Jayde spoke about are:
United Nations Women’s site https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day
ANROWS https://www.anrows.org.au/
Our watch https://www.ourwatch.org.au/
Preventing Violence Together https://pvt.org.au/
International mens day https://www.internationalmensday.info/
If you want to attend the virtual event you can contact info@cwsw.org.au to register.
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Feb 21, 2022
Monday Feb 21, 2022
In the last episode I spoke with Paris about with an introduction to home schooling. One of the fears that is often discussed when talking with parents about the idea of home schooling is how will it impact my children’s further education? ‘The only way into uni is ATAR, can my kids do ATAR if I’m home schooling them?’
There are many pathways into higher education regardless of whether you decide to home school your children or go through main stream school system.
In this episode I spoke with Danika about her experiences of alternate pathways to further education. Danika started a university degree while she was completing year 10 and then did not attend year 11 and 12 and instead studied a university degree and a TAFE certificate without needing her WACE, or ATAR.
In this episode we discuss the different path, people’s expectations and different options, the pressures from teachers and the pressures from peers as well. We also discuss some of the obstacles to studying at TAFE and the learning curve from swapping from writing for year 10 to writing for university.
In the episode we talk about Open University https://www.open.edu.au/ and the support they gave in this entry into university.
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Jan 24, 2022
Monday Jan 24, 2022
The school year is almost upon us again, someone remind me where the summer holidays went? This time last year I chatted to Cindy in Episode 12 about schooling in uncertainty, ways to help reduce anxiety as kids start school, return to school or perhaps start a new chapter in schooling, you can check out that episode here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-it99b-f9aaab
As we get closer to the start of the school year a number of parents are starting to consider whether a traditional route of schooling is the best option for their children and family or whether perhaps home-schooling would be a better fit and just what a home-schooling journey may look life. For some families the thought of home-schooling fills them with excitement. Others can be almost paralysed with fear.
In this episode I chat with Paris about her experiences with home-schooling her boys. Paris home-schooled her boys for 5 years and I home-schooled my son for 3 years. Together we discuss the highs and lows of home-schooling, some of the common fears, some of the myths and some hints and tips for parents who are considering home-school for their family.
Some useful links
Education Department WA – Home School https://www.wa.gov.au/service/education-and-training/school-education/home-schooling-western-australia
Home Education WA - HEWA https://hewa.wa.edu.au/
WA curriculum - https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/curriculum-browser
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Monday Jan 10, 2022
Some women dream of becoming parents, other women make life choices not to become mothers and then the universe works in mysterious ways and when they meet the man or woman of their dreams the new partner comes with children.
Being a stepparent has many challenges, negotiating different parenting styles, not wanting to overstep but wanting to do the best you can for children that come into your life.
No parenting is easy, there are lots of additional stressors and challenges that come with step parenting.
In this episode Emma talks with Jen about her experiences of being a step mother of two young girls.
Books that Jen speaks about; StepMonster https://www.amazon.com.au/Stepmonster-Look-Real-Stepmothers-Think/dp/1517071380 , The Happy StepMother https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Stepmother-Empower-Yourself-Thrive/dp/037389225X , StepCoupling https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/976033.Stepcoupling .
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Journey into Motherhood – Same sex parenting part 2
This is the second part of the episode talking to Kelly and Sam Pilgram-Byrne about their experience and journey into motherhood and having to be a part of changing laws to be able to become mums. This episode picks up just after I have asked them if everything they went through was worth it.
I would love to give a brief synopsis of what we covered in this episode but oh my goodness, what didn’t we cover? Fostering, same sex marriage reform in Australia, raising a non-binary child, and so many more tangents.
HWW episodes are normally around an hour but this conversation dug into places the three of us weren’t expecting. We diverted off topic (surprise, surprise) but the conversation was too valuable to cut after the journey to motherhood discussion sort of wrapped up so I have cut the episode into two parts and this second part is an adventure that’s for sure!
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Journey into Motherhood – Same sex parenting
Where do babies come from? Well when a mummy and daddy love each other very much…. But what happens when the couple doesn’t involve a daddy? What happens when it’s a mum and a mumma who love each other very much?
In this episode I talk with Kelly and Sam Pilgram-Byrne about their experience and journey into motherhood. I was amazed to find out that only a short time ago it was illegal for single women and women in a same sex couple to be able to access IVF. If Sam and Kelly wanted to have a baby they would have to take a man with them to the appointment and get him to lie and say he was one of their partners. They did not want to start their family based on a lie (not to mention one of them not being able to be on the birth certificate and the ‘dad’ having custody rights!) They made a decision. They would have to change the law.
Obviously they didn’t change the laws alone, but can you imagine having to change the laws so you can become a parent? I can’t.
HWW episodes are normally around an hour but this conversation dug into places the three of us weren’t expecting. We diverted off topic (surprise, surprise) but the conversation was too valuable to cut after the journey to motherhood discussion sort of wrapped up so I have cut the episode into two parts and the second part will be released in a fortnight.
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
This is the third episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
Journey into Motherhood – IVF egg donation
Approximately one in 35 women are unable to produce their own oocytes (eggs). For those women their options for having a family are to 1) not have children, 2) look to adopt, or 3) experience pregnancy via oocyte (egg) donation.
In this episode of The Hidden World of Women, I speak with Monique who went through the process of donating eggs twice. In the episode Monique says that you have to be under 40 to donate eggs however the requirements have been updated and now women have to be under the age of 35 to donate eggs. For more information you can check out this document https://www.conceptfertility.com.au/files/3415/9287/6930/Egg_Donation_12-3-3_UserTemp_15.pdf
In the episode Monique talks about an article she read in the local paper highlighting the shortage of donor eggs for IVF. I said I would try to find out if there were still the long waitlists to access donor eggs. Not surprisingly I have found it difficult to find that information. Some clinics advertise that there are no wait times but an article that specifically focuses on how hard it is to access donor eggs https://www.childmags.com.au/how-hard-is-it-to-access-donor-eggs/ states that Australia has an egg donor shortage.
I found it fascinating to talk to Monique. As the saying goes ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ and I am fast realising just how much I don’t know about the alternate routes to becoming a mother. I had no idea what the process was to donate eggs and as always I am very grateful to Monique for sharing her experiences so freely.
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Oct 18, 2021
Monday Oct 18, 2021
This is the second episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
In this episode Emma speaks with Cinta about her journey to become a mother. While not an unconventional journey into motherhood Cinta did start a little earlier than some and was pregnant while sitting her TEE (now ATAR). Cinta talks of how her Irish Catholic upbringing added an extra layer of concern over having to break the news of a teen pregnancy to her family and friends.
In the episode Cinta mentioned the adolescent clinic at King Edward Memorial Hospital and information is available here https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/Service-directory/Adolescent-Clinic Cinta also mentioned special considerations (now called Special Provisions) she had for sitting her TEE (now ATAR) and information is available here https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/special-provisions
Emma and Cinta also spoke of high schools that are in Perth with childcare provisions for young parents. In the episode there were two schools mentioned however it turns out there are a lot more options available. Information around the inclusion of pregnant students at school as well as specialist schools with childcare facilities and young father inclusion can be found here http://det.wa.edu.au/detcms/inclusiveeducation/child-protection/public/resources/Guidelines.en?page=14
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Oct 04, 2021
Monday Oct 04, 2021
This is the first episode in a new series ‘Journey into Motherhood’.
This series focuses on the fact that not all journeys into motherhood look the same. There are many different ways to become a parent.
In this episode Emma speaks with Rebecca about her journey to become a mother. Rebecca and her husband both knew from an early age that conceiving naturally may be challenging for them and so they explored both IVF and adoption.
Rebecca shares her story looking into both adoption and IVF while focusing on sharing her and her husband’s experiences with adopting their son here in Western Australia.
Rebecca talks about the requirements and stages of the adoption process. If you want more information about the process of adopting here in Western Australia you can check out this link https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/FosteringandAdoption/AdoptionAndHomeForLife/Pages/AllAboutAdoption.aspx
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/
Monday Sep 20, 2021
Monday Sep 20, 2021
In this episode Emma speaks with Kate about the importance of sharing stories of motherhood. Kate is the online learning co-ordinator at WHWS and Hidden World of You and recently MC’d the perinatal mental health symposium. During that event it was really highlighted how our birth stories impact us. During the symposium it became a bit of a running joke with Kate saying ‘I’ll tell you my birth story’. With a hiccup in the guest schedule leaving this episode without a guest Kate stepped in at the last minute and we thought ‘great, a chance to finally hear Kate’s birth story’.
It didn’t quite go to plan and instead, in the conversation Emma and Kate talk about how we can create spaces to share birth stories, how we can talk about our experiences of pregnancy, birth and motherhood and ways that we can support mums and create safe spaces.
During the episode Emma and Kate mention that we are trying to create a space where parents can share their birth stories (where mums can share their experiences and where support people can share their stories as well). We see this as having two main benefits, one is a space for people to share experiences that shaped and impacted them and the other is that for expectant parents it can be a village to learn from. If you would like to share your birth story please send it to info@whws.org.au
In the episode Emma mentions a previous episode where Georg and Joanne share their experiences of perinatal mental health issues, that is available here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-nngt7-10881c2
And don’t forget if you want to keep up to date with what we are offering at Women’s Health and Wellbeing Services www.whws.org.au
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthandwellbeingservices
We also continue to add content to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCju-8oH3lDHZYi18wvgSJTQ
WHWS (and this podcast) rely on donations to support our community. If you would like to make a donation you can head to our Give Now page. https://www.givenow.com.au/whws
Or check out The Hidden World of You our online learning platform https://hiddenworldofyou.com.au/