Intersectional Psychology

Is the fastest way to get over someone really to get under someone else?  Can a relationship ever be successful if one or both of the people in it feel like one of them is settling for the other?  And when will “bonker balls” be added to the DSM? To answer some of these questions, Aurora Brown is joined by healthy choices, Clinical Psychologist Nazneen Firfirey and Biodiversity and Conservation Bi...

How is Rebecca ever going to rekindle her romance with Josh, now that Valencia has warned her to stay away from them both?  Will we ever learn more about Rebecca’s childhood and the obvious trauma she’s experienced?  And is this burgeoning relationship between Rebecca and Paula simply a one-way street – or will Rebecca ever do something for Paula?  To answer these questions, Aurora is joined by he...

Can Rebecca freely admit that she moved to West Covina for Josh, now that Paula has discovered her secret?  What is Paula's damage, that she is encouraging Rebecca to pursue Josh?  What type of codependent relationship will develop between these women?  And speaking of types, what type is Josh's girlfriend?  To answer these questions, Aurora is joined by her "cazh buds" Counselling Psychologist Re...

Aurora Brown is joined by Registered Counsellor and Student Clinical Psychologist HuiMei "Lulu" Lu and award-winning actor, singer, director, and vocal coach Richard White to kick off We're All So Broken Inside -- a deep dive into the portrayal of mental health and psychology in the CW musical dramedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Together, they unpack the pilot episode, in which Rebecca Bunch quits her hi...

Is economic empowerment really the fastest route to gender equality — or have we reduced liberation to a market strategy?  In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, we unpack one of the biggest debates in gender and development: whether increasing women’s economic participation is enough to dismantle inequality.  From microfinance and entrepreneurship to land ownership, migration, climate chan...

Why do some athletes get celebrated for their natural advantages — while others are treated as problems to be solved? In this episode, we explore the case of Caster Semenya to unpack how gender, race, and power shape who is allowed to belong in sport. From international regulations on testosterone to media narratives about “fairness,” Semenya’s story reveals how institutions continue to police bod...

In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, we explore how religion shapes our understanding of justice in South Africa, particularly in relation to gender. From early moral teachings about "right" and "wrong", to the ways religious doctrine influences law, relationships, and social norms, faith plays a far more political role than it often admits. Drawing on personal experience, psychological i...

Content Note: This episode discusses gender-based violence and femicide. Please take care of yourself while listening.  Gender-based violence is often described as a crisis. But what if it’s also a system? In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, we examine how patriarchal ideology helps produce and sustain gender-based violence in South Africa. From early childhood socialisation to cultural...

Content Note: This episode discusses gender-based violence, rape culture, and femicide. Please take care of yourself while listening. South Africa doesn’t just have a “violence problem.” It has a patriarchy problem. In this episode, Aurora unpacks how gender-based violence is sustained — not only through individual perpetrators, but through systems: colonial legacies, racial capitalism, religious...

Content Note: This episode discusses masculinity, power, and gender-based violence at a structural and analytical level. There are no graphic descriptions, but some themes may be challenging. Please take care of yourself while listening. Masculinity is often treated as a personality trait — something individual men have or don’t have, something that can be improved with better intentions. In this...

What happens when feminism is treated as universal — despite emerging from very unequal histories and contexts? In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, I compare Anglo-American feminism and African feminisms, asking what gets lost when Western feminist frameworks are exported as the default lens for understanding gender, power, and justice. Drawing on African feminist scholarship and decolon...

This mini episode shares updates for Intersectional Psychology in 2026, including a new biweekly release schedule, ongoing Patreon benefits, and a preview of upcoming series on GBV, disability, democracy, climate justice, migration, and the return of Intersectional Scenes. 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus content at Patreon.com/IntersectionalPsychology . 📄 Download a transcript of t...

Season 3 of Intersectional Psychology focuses on trans and gender-diverse healthcare, rights, and resistance, with a particular emphasis on South Africa and the African continent. This episode challenges myths and centres lived experience, offering evidence-based insight and a clear-eyed look at the political realities shaping care and access today. 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus c...

This Best Of Season 2 episode of Intersectional Psychology brings together key moments from a season focused on decolonising mental health practice. Host Aurora Brown, Registered Counsellor, is joined by Shaheeda Sadeck and Neesha Chhiba, two Registered Counsellors working at the intersections of psychology, culture, spirituality, community care, and social justice. Together, they explore how colo...

What is intersectional psychology — and why does it matter so much for mental health today? In this Best of Season 1 episode, Aurora Brown brings together key moments from all four episodes of Dissecting Intersectional Psychology, offering a rich and accessible introduction to intersectionality, social justice, and their ethical relevance to psychology and counselling practice. This episode also g...

In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, we dive head-first into the colourful chaos of Disney Pixar’s Inside Out — a film that looks deceptively simple, but opens the door to some beautifully complex conversations about emotions, memory, identity development, neurodiversity, and what it means to be human. I’m joined by two brilliant guests: Marlize Labuschagne, Educational Psychologist, whos...

A 40-minute guided body scan to reduce stress, support emotional regulation, and support better sleep. In this guided body scan meditation, we slow down, breathe, and explore the body with curiosity rather than criticism. Whether you’re new to mindfulness or a seasoned pro who just needs a reminder to unclench your jaw (again), this relaxation practice invites you to reconnect with your body in a...

Burnout isn’t a personal failure — it’s a signal. And if your signal is currently flashing, sirening, or doing that chaotic strobe-light thing… you’re in the right place. In this month’s guided relaxation practice, we slow everything down and offer your nervous system exactly what it’s been begging for: rest, grounding, and a moment of personal care. 🎁 Support the podcast and get exclusive bonus...

Can we tell stories of violence without reproducing harm? Aurora sits down with Nicole Engelbrecht of True Crime South Africa to unpack the ethics — and emotional toll — of the true crime genre. ⚠ Content note: This episode includes discussion of violent crime, murder, and hate-motivated violence, including references to the 2003 Sizzlers massacre in Cape Town. While approached with care and respe...

I'm joined again by autistic, Afrikan, trans liberation scholar siv greyson about what it takes to live and love bravely at the intersections of race, gender, and neurodivergence. This episode turns from theory to practice: what safety feels like, how chosen families are built, and why real allyship means doing it scared. Together, we unpack the emotional work of reconciliation, the courage of vul...

⚠ Content Note: This episode discusses murder, gender-based violence, queerphobia, and ableist tropes in film. Listener wellbeing comes first — take breaks when needed. Aurora Brown and true-crime podcaster and author Nicole Engelbrecht check into the Bates Motel to unpack Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) — the film that redefined horror, shocked censors, and spawned a thousand shower-scene parodi...

What does it mean to be trans, autistic, and Afrikan in South Africa today? In this episode of Intersectional Psychology, host Aurora Brown talks with siv greyson — an autistic, Afrikan, and transgender liberation scholar — about navigating identity, healthcare, and everyday life at the intersections of race, gender, and neurodivergence. Siv shares powerful insights into the realities of being a n...

How do films and TV shows shape the way we think about mental health? From harmful stereotypes to ethical storytelling, representation on screen has real consequences for stigma, care, and justice. In this episode, Aurora introduces the Fanon Test for Mental Health Representation in Media — a new tool inspired by the Bechdel Test, grounded in intersectional and decolonial psychology, and designed...

In this month's guided relaxation practice, Aurora leads you through a Loving-Kindness Meditation (metta). This ancient practice, now backed by modern psychology, helps us cultivate compassion for ourselves, our loved ones, people we struggle with, and ultimately all beings. Research shows that regular practice can reduce stress, quiet the inner critic, strengthen resilience, and even improve phys...

Aurora drops into your feed for a brief announcement about upcoming episodes and maintenance.  Exclusive bonus content 🎁 Patreon - Extended ad-free and bonus episodes Stay connected ⭐ Rate/Review in your podcast app to help others find us 🔔 Subscribe for new monthly relaxation practices 📮 Got feedback or questions? Reach out at @IntersectionalPsychology You can contribute to the Palestine Chil...