Can We Talk About This?

We end season 4 with a BIG one! In this episode, I have the absolute privilege of chatting to Dr. Rosie, a clinical psychologist and founder of The Birth Healing Collective, to discuss the difficult yet common experience of birthing again after birth trauma. Dr. Rosie shares her expertise on how women can heal from a traumatic birth, rebuild trust in their bodies, and prepare emotionally, socially...

Elly Taylor, an experienced relationship counsellor and perinatal researcher, shares her insights on why 92% of parents experience increased conflict and why 67% feel less happy in their relationships during the first year of parenthood. With over 25 years experience, Elly combines her extensive knowledge, insight, and personal journey to create a world-first relationship-developmental framework f...

#birthtraumaawareness Amber Melissa Kennedy, a two-time preeclampsia survivor, opens up about her traumatic experiences with preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, and a rare epidural complication during childbirth. Amber shares about her pregnancies, labour and early postpartum experiences, including being sent home from the ER with severe preeclampsia. Amber reflects on that time with much anguish and sp...

In this episode, Amber-lee, your host, sits down with Ebony, a young mother from Brisbane, as she shares her journey living with Epilepsy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), which is a group of inherited disorders that cause nerve damage. Ebony opens up about her diagnoses, the impact of these conditions on her young life and current life, and the emotional rollercoaster of discovering her son...

This episode delves into the complex and often overlooked topic of prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis involves genetic, developmental, or health issues in an unborn baby and statistics show that approximately 1 in 22 babies have a major congenital anomaly, and many of these diagnoses are made before birth. These diagnoses can be distressing and traumatic, presenting parents with difficult deci...

*As always, please consider what you are consuming Amber-lee is joined by Ariane Beeston, postnatal psychosis survivor, psychologist,  former child protection caseworker, and writer who courageously shares her journey through postnatal psychosis after the birth of her son over a decade ago. Ariane's harrowing experience, detailed in her memoir "Because I'm Not Myself You See: A Memoir of Motherhoo...

Do you feel different after having a baby? We've talked about matrescence but this episode is dedicated to understanding the biological changes and components of matrescence through a neuroscience lens. Host Amber-lee is joined by Dr. Sarah McKay, a renowned neuroscientist and author of Baby Brain: The surprising neuroscience of how pregnancy and motherhood sculpt our brains and change our minds (...

In this enlightening episode, host Amber-lee, delves into the complex web of anger and rage in motherhood with guest Yara Heary, a dedicated psychologist from Life After Birth Psychology. They explore the nuances of anger as both a valid and misunderstood emotion, distinct yet connected to the journey of mothering. The conversation traverses the landscape of societal expectations, cultural context...

In the final episode of the mental health mini-series, join host Amber-lee as she explores the transformative power of self-compassion. I delve into the concept of self-compassion with insights from leading researcher Dr. Kristen Neff and discover the key elements of self-kindness, shared humanity, and mindfulness as tools to nurture understanding and care towards oneself. Through relatable scenar...

In this episode, Amber-lee, the host of the mental health mini-series, delves into the powerful concept of acceptance. Drawing from her training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, she explores the importance of allowing emotions to be felt without judgment or resistance. Through a meditative exercise, Amber-lee guides listeners on a journey to accept and surf through their emotions like waves i...

#4 of the Mental Health Mini Series focuses on mindfulness and explores the importance of being present in the moment. Your host, Amber-lee shares insights on the concept of mindfulness, its benefits, and guides listeners through two mindfulness exercises they can incorporate into their daily lives. The first exercise, '5-4-3-2-1 Senses Grounding,' helps listeners connect with their immediate envi...

This episode in the Mental Health Mini Series, I, your host Amber-lee, take you through one of my favourite techniques, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This technique nourishes your mind and soul having a deep impact on your mental health and physiological responses to stress. Motherhood introduces unique psychological stresses, making us vulnerable to conditions like depression and anxiety....

Box Breathing, also known as square breathing or four-square breathing, is a structured breathing technique with roots in ancient yogic practices. This technique involves a rhythmic pattern of inhalation, holding the breath, exhalation, and holding the breath again, each for an equal count of time, typically ranging from four to eight counts.  As a mum, you wear many hats—nurturer, chef, chauffeur...

Welcome to season 4 of Can We Talk About This?! I am kicking off with a Mental Health Mini Series designed with mums in mind, where you get 6 episodes with me, Amber-lee Buendicho, offering some basic tools and resources for your mental health that you can incorporate in your daily life. We all know the demands of mothering and personal life can be stressful, triggering, frustration, exhausting an...

Brianna talks about her experience in her first pregnancy which was full of excitement and preparation to then find out at 14 weeks her baby had passed at 10 weeks gestation. Brianna talks about the devastating realisation she had been carrying a dead baby and openly talks about what her physical loss looked like and the aftermath of her ‘missed miscarriage’ and the impact grief, sadness and post...

Rebecca bravely shares her experiences struggling with her mental health since childhood and how her experiences becoming a mother exacerbated her struggles. Rebecca openly shares about her very wanted pregnancy and how anxiety and tokophobia (clinical fear of childbirth) robbed her of any joy or excitement and how that impacted her birth decisions and immediate postpartum experiences. We chat abo...

Too often struggling mums go to get support for their mental health and are told, “its just the baby blues, it will pass” when really, it’s not the baby blues. I, Amber-lee your host, thought an episode addressing all things baby blues would be helpful to this audience so that we can have an understanding of what is normal and what is not in early postpartum. I describe what the baby blues looks l...

This episode delves into the often-overlooked world of perinatal trauma and post-traumatic growth. Your host Amber-lee Buendicho is joined by the very down-to-earth and insightful Dr. Erin Bowe, author of the book 'More Than A Healthy Baby: Finding Strength & Growth After Birth Trauma'. We talk about what led her to write this book and Dr Erin expands on some of the concepts she writes about,...

Join me as I sit down with Vanessa, mum and Sex Therapist from Authentic Awareness, for an eye-opening discussion on the topic of sex after having a baby. Together, we delve into the often overlooked aspects of postpartum sex and how the conventional postpartum six-week clearance from healthcare providers can be a missed opportunity for important conversations with women and couples. Throughout ou...

In this powerful episode, we follow the courageous journey of Bec Black, a perinatal psychologist and mother of three, as she shares her deeply personal and traumatic experience of attempting a Homebirth After Caesarean (HBAC). Bec takes us through her emotional and physical struggle, the unforeseen challenges she faced during labour, and her transfer to the hospital. Throughout the episode, Bec o...

This episode is a little different as your host, Amber-lee offers some practical tips and experiences with finding the right psychologist or mental health professional during the perinatal period. This episode offers an exploration of unique challenges that arise during the perinatal period and why it is crucial to seek a mental health professional who has specialised knowledge in perinatal mental...

In this episode, join me as I sit down with Kath from FitNest Mama to talk about all things c-section recovery, and your pelvic floor does not escape this conversation! We explore a range of important aspects surrounding this subject, shedding light on what to expect during the recovery process, signs and symptoms something isn’t right, safe sequential and functional exercises postpartum, and so m...

In this episode, your host Amber-lee, speaks to Danni-Leigh about her experiences and challenges with infertility living in rural Queensland, Australia, receiving a late diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the emotional rollercoaster of navigating in-vitro-fertilisation (IVF), and the unforeseen emergency surgery to drain her ovaries and remove her fallopian tubes.   Throughout the conv...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Sarah Z, a courageous mother and founder of Birth Made Mindful, who shares her transformative journey through birth experiences and her subsequent path to becoming a doula. Sarah's story begins with a difficult birth that unexpectedly turned into a caesarean section with her first baby. Determined to have a different experience in her subsequent bir...

Neurodiverse people make up about 12% of Australians and are often underrepresented and misunderstood and so it is really important to have conversations and bring awareness to such a deserving topic. In this episode, Sarah, mum of 3 children, 2 with neurodiversity, chats to me about her experiences becoming a mother and realising her children were different and seeking answers. Sarah talks about...