Less Surface Level

In this episode, I move beyond the “why” and get into the practical side of staying connected to your friends while you’re in a relationship. I talk through the real-life “how tos”, the small, tangible ways you can maintain your friendships even when your relationship feels intense, all-consuming, and naturally takes up a lot of your time and energy. I unpack the common patterns that can lead to f...

Hi my loves! It's the season finale, thank you all for being here! In this episode, I’m talking about the role AI is starting to play in our relationships and how tools like ChatGPT can start to replace the messy, real parts of relationships, like processing emotions together, navigating conflict, and just being seen in our unfiltered state. I talk about emotional outsourcing, over-polished co...

In this episode, I talk about why WLW relationships can feel so intense and why it can be so easy to centre your partner, sometimes without even realising what it’s costing you. I explore the emotional depth of queer relationships, where that “they’re my whole world” feeling comes from, and how your identity and perspective can slowly start to narrow when love becomes all-consuming. I also unpack...

Today I’m chatting to Stephanie Cannalonga, exploring what it means to come into your identity as a queer woman, especially when that journey doesn’t fit the expectations you were raised with. This episode gently moves through the coming out experience in the context of religion, the fear, the vulnerability, and the conversations that stayed with her. We reflect on first relationships, what they r...

Introduction: In 2026, a major investigation by ABC Four Corners raised concerns about the surgical practices of Melbourne gynaecologist Dr Simon Gordon, a specialist who treated thousands of patients for endometriosis and pelvic pain. The investigation examined allegations that some patients may have undergone unnecessary endometriosis surgeries, including procedures involving the removal of repr...

In this episode, I’m answering anonymous instagram questions about coming out, labels, fear, and community. We talk about that strange mix of relief and heaviness after coming out, and whether that feeling ever shifts. I share how living openly felt like putting down a backpack I didn’t realise I was carrying. We get into the reality that coming out isn’t a one-time thing. It shows up at work, wit...

Today I’m joined by Brihony Dawson, a non-binary entertainer, performer, and entrepreneur who’s built a life and career by backing themselves, even when the path wasn’t obvious. We talk about Brihony’s gender journey, their experience of top surgery, and how they went from feeling stuck in jobs that didn’t fit, to touring the world and now running a seven-figure entertainment business. This is a c...

In this episode of Less Surface Level, I sit down with Blue and Kim, two lesbians who are on a huge travel year together and sharing their lives online, joining us from Vietnam. We talk about how life has shifted for them over the last few years, including living in Amsterdam and taking a year off to travel together as partners. We explore the big moments that shaped who they are, the beliefs they...

In this episode, I’m chatting with my friend Thalia about her experience of being a lesbian while living with borderline personality disorder and bipolar type 2. Thalia shares what life felt like before she had words for her inner world, what it was like to finally receive her diagnoses, and the mix of relief, grief, fear, and clarity that came with that. We talk about how those labels initially s...

I’ve got a change of pace in this ep, the mic gets turned around and my best mate Holly interviews me. We start with a quick fire about guilty pleasures, google searches, and the best advice I’ve ever been given and then get into bigger questions about work, identity, mental health, queerness and illness. We talk about what people often assume about me in the first 10 seconds, how childhood illnes...

this is basically my mini survival guide for heartbreak, the actually-helpful things that kept me afloat. if you’re freshly going through a break up, need a helping hand or chronically overthinking about the what ifs, hopefully this is an antidote. i love you. it get's easier. T. X

Today I'm sitting down with my beautiful friend Courtney to explore the parts of her story that often stay unseen, the ones that shaped how she came to understand herself, her sexuality, and the kind of love that comes from realising what you deserve. We talk about dating women for the first time, the patterns she noticed repeating, and the lessons that showed her the version of herself she wa...

Today I’m sitting with Brooke Blurton, Noongar woman, youth worker, author, television figure, and powerful voice in queer and First Nations storytelling; for a conversation that steps beyond the public versions of her life. Together we explore what the last year has looked like for Brooke, including a deep chapter of healing, self-connection, and learning how to hold herself with more softness. B...

Sweet Sammy Foster is back on Less Surface Level, and a lot has changed since we recorded an episode a year ago. In this episode, we catch up on everything that’s happened in her world; the heartbreak, the healing, the lessons, and the ways she’s grown into a clearer, stronger version of herself. We talk about what it’s like to look back at your past self after a big chapter ends, the things that...

Ever wondered if you're queer enough to be involved in the LGBTQIA+ community? Today we answer this question and so much more. I'm meeting Moose. She is Queer, Polyamorous, and brilliant. Moose is works at Queer Move, a company dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming culture for Queer people to work at. Moose discusses her diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, her experiences as a Queer, Polyamorous w...

In this episode, Tessa sits down with Ashlee Thomas; Australian lived-experience advocate, speaker, and co-founder of The Secret Burden, a charity leading national change around body image, eating disorders, and women’s mental health. Ashlee opens up about her powerful journey from anorexia to self-acceptance and peace. Together, we explore how women can begin releasing the constant pressure to “f...

In this deeply honest conversation, Melbourne-based writer and spoken word artist Franks Martin opens up about the evolution of love; from the tenderness of first infatuations to the ache of heartbreak and the quiet beauty of healing. Together we explore what it means to keep your heart open after loss, to write through longing, and to transform pain into art. Franks reflects on the relationships...

Today I sit down with the brilliant queer, non-binary and talented musician, Umbra Moon. We get to hear more of their behind the scenes, including two coming out stories, their run in with acrylic nails, how they got their name, and why masc vs. femme energy gets treated so differently. We talk about what it means to grow up queer and non-binary, to find language for who you are, and to let that t...

This week's episode is with Tash Fabrizi, our third episode together! We were so excited to dive into what it really means to know yourself and trust your own direction. We unpack how identity forms the foundation for confidence and self-trust, and what happens when parts of us want different things, one craving change, another holding back in fear. We talk about the inner rewiring that helps peop...

We’re kicking off season four with Jane Kanizay. She opens up about what drove her to reach the summit alongside her daughter, and how leaving a relationship reshaped the way she sees herself and her freedom. Jane shares her journey of coming out later in life, navigating those big questions about identity while raising four teens and young adults. We chat about family, love, resilience, and what...

What does it take to turn teenage pain into purpose that changes lives? In this episode, I sit down with Archie Beetle (they/them); the Founder and CEO of Queer Town, a Melbourne-based organisation reimagining what genuine LGBTIQA+ inclusion looks like across workplaces, schools, and communities. Archie opens up about growing up queer, leaving the closet in high school, and the pivotal moments tha...

Have you guys heard of the nine limiting beliefs that hold us back in life? Did you ever learn what yours is? Or the way that it impacts your life? Today's throwback episode is with the beautiful Kat John. Kat share the nine beliefs that will hold you back in life, and reminds us that limiting beliefs aren’t the truth, they’re stories we’ve rehearsed. In this episode we're diving into how...

Today I’m joined by Sophie Shaw. Like me, Soph in her 20s that she was attracted to women, and she’s been brave enough to let that truth completely reshape her life. The way she continues to lean into authenticity is inspires others to do the same. Together we chat about our coming out experiences, navigating people’s opinions and beliefs around the LGBTQIA+ community, the freedom that comes with...

Throwback Thursday episode: Your favourite LGBTQIA+ / mental health / anti-diet advocate / MAFS participant Natasha Fabrizi joins us today to chat all things love, life, and moving across the world; offering wisdom not just on relationships, but on carving out a life that feels authentic and free. In this episode, we sit down with Tash to explore the kind of love that reshapes everything you thoug...

Hi everyone, welcome to final episode of Season 3 (Season 4 coming next) of Less Surface Level. During this episode we revisit the journey of opening, running, and eventually letting go of Beans Bar; a queer, neurodivergent-led community venue that became so much more than a bar. We sit down with Beca Pressing, the brilliant woman who created Beans, reflecting on what it was like to open it with h...