Listening to Families

This episode was recorded in April 2023. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Sharon Tellick, speaking on behalf of parents and caregivers, talks with Ursula McCulloch, Consultant Clinical Psychologist with the Paediatric Feeding Team, about ARFID. Ursula explains what ARFID is, how it differs from picky eating, and why it can have a significant impact on a child’s health. Together,...

This episode was recorded in April 2023. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ In this episode, Heidi Brace, Social Worker and Adolescent Family Therapist with the Eating Disorder Service, joins Sharon Tellick to unpack the complexities of eating disorders—from early signs to daily challenges. Heidi offers insights, addressing the importance of regular meals, brain impacts, and the l...

This episode was recorded in October 2023. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Sharlene, a parent, speaks with Rebecca Barnard, Occupational Therapist, and Sophie Hall, Dietitian, about the emotional and practical challenges of restricted and fussy eating. They discuss how to create a calm mealtime environment, support consistent routines, and when to seek further help. Tools like...

This episode was recorded in July 2024. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Eczema can be a frustrating and exhausting condition for both children and their families. In this episode, Allergy & Eczema Clinical Nurse Specialist Aimee Mackey answers the most common questions about eczema what triggers it, how to manage flare-ups, and the best treatments available. From skincare r...

This episode was recorded in September 2022. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Emma Worsfold, Deputy Principal and school Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO), asks questions on behalf of families with Jess Caldwell, Child and Adolescent Psychologist. Jess explains how emotional regulation develops and how parents can support children in recognising, naming, and managing e...

This episode was recorded in May 2024. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Megan, a parent of a neurodivergent child, speaks with Georgina Hemings Speech-Language Therapist, Andrea Ramsell Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB), and Vanessa Rowan Teacher: Southern Health School. They discuss how to support learning, communication, and transitions in various environments, w...

This episode was recorded in October 2022 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Community member Hamimah speaks with Clinical Psychologist Zeenah Adam and Registered Nurse Najah Ali Mohamed about recognising stress, strategies for coping, knowing when to seek help, what to expect from therapy, and building trusting relationships with healthcare providers.

This episode was recorded in December 2022 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Registered Nurse Najah Ali Mohamed talks with Dr. Amin Daneshfar, Physical Health Coach, and Dr. Isa Sulaiman-Hill, General Practitioner, about supporting physical and mental wellbeing. They share practical strategies to nurture health, explore the connection between physical and mental wellbe...

This episode was recorded in July 2023 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Jen Shields from Qtopia and GP Dr. Rebecca Nicholls answer parent questions about gender identity. They share practical advice for talking with schools and GPs and finding the right support for young people.

This episode was recorded in March 2023 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Members of the Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Youth Advisory Council role-play a GP visit, showing how young people can prepare, speak up, and make the most of their time with the doctor. It’s a practical resource for both rangatahi and whânau.

This episode was recorded in November 2023 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parent Sharlene speaks with Deb Bradshaw, Clinical Lead at Te Tumu Waiora, and Lurita Kurene, Health Coach and Support Worker Lead. They explain how these relatively new roles work alongside GP clinics to support people’s overall health and wellbeing. This includes helping with mental health,...

This episode was recorded in March 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parent Sharlene chats with Nicky Scott, Practice Nurse at Travis Medical Centre, about how nurses support whānau through services like immunisations, Before School Checks, managing long-term conditions, and providing everyday health advice and guidance. They also discuss how nurses help make GP c...

This episode was recorded in December 2023 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parent Sharlene talks with Dr. David Pilbrow from Travis Medical Centre about the range of services families can access at their local GP clinic. They discuss the GP care team, booking longer appointments, using the patient portal, preparing questions, and navigating follow-ups.

This episode was recorded in August 2024. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Professor Andrew Day, Paediatric Gastroenterologist, explains Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis in young people. He is joined by Kendall, who lives with IBD, and her mother Micah. Together, they discuss diagnosis, flares, remission, and the support needed for families navigatingchronic illness. This...

This episode was recorded in November 2023 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parent Shelley talks with Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr. Matt Eggleston about some medications used for mental health conditions in children and young people. They cover questions about overmedication, which conditions might require long-term treatment, the Special Authority...

This episode was recorded in March 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Members of Digital Waitaha—including Megan Rutter, Youth Chair and Neysa Koizumi, Lead Facilitator answer families’ questions about online safety with Becky Voisey, Kaiārahi Team Leader at Mana Ake. They discuss device readiness, strategies for supporting children online, responding to inappropri...

This episode was recorded in June 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Sharlene, a parent of neurodivergent children, sits down with Becky Voisey and Jonathan Crosbie, Kaiārahi Team Leaders at Mana Ake, and Julie Forman, a Counsellor at Presbyterian Support. Together, they explore Tuning in to Kids, Tuning in to Teens, and Dads Tuning in to Kids — looking at how thes...

This episode was recorded in April 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/Parent Sharlene chats with pharmacist Simon Murphy about the wide range of services available at local pharmacies. They cover safe medication use, clinical advice, quiet consultation rooms, and how pharmacies offer whānau-friendly support beyond prescriptions.

This episode was recorded in June 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parents Megan and Meghan speak with school principal Graeme Norman, Adam Duchac, Practice Lead, and Makera Hansen-James, Co Lead at Tupuranga / Pou Whirinaki, Christchurch School Attendance and Engagement services. They explore primary school attendance challenges—such as anxiety, bullying, transp...

This episode was recorded in June 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Parent Sharlene talks with Billy Brice, a Wellbeing Coordinator, and Jo Chapman, an Attendance and Engagement Mentor. They discuss common barriers that teenagers face with attendance, what helps keep them engaged—like routines, mental health support, and strong communication—and the collaborative...

This episode was recorded in September 2023. Visit our Website here: ⁠listeningtofamilies.co.nz⁠ Parents Kim and Temira, a parent join Occupational Therapists Justine Aldous and Penny Price to explore sensory processing differences. They discuss what it means to be sensory seeking or sensory avoidant and how this affects learning, behaviour, and emotional expression This podcast shares personal st...

This episode was recorded in March 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Catherine Gallagher, Clinical Psychologist and Practice Manager at START, and Registered Child Psychologist Sam MacGibbon join Liz Reilly, Kaiārahi Team Leader at Mana Ake, to discuss what sexual abuse is, how to recognise signs, and how parents and whānau can respond to disclosures and provide s...

This episode was recorded in March 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Clinical Psychologist and START Practice Manager Catherine Gallagher, together with Registered Child Psychologist Sam MacGibbon, continue their conversation with Liz Reilly, Kaiārahi Team Leader at Mana Ake. They explore the questions families often face after a disclosure—how to talk about it, h...

This episode was recorded in April 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Alisha Keith from Stand Children’s Services – Mana Ake is joined by Lara Beskeen and Joel Agnew from Stop Services. Together they talk about how families can support young people, strengthen communication, and have conversations about topics like pornography and online safety. They also share pra...

This episode was recorded in February 2024 Visit our website here: https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/ Alisha Keith from Stand Children’s Services talks with Betty Gallagher and Lyn Jansen from Stop Services. They explore what “age-expected behaviours” look like, when to be concerned, and how to support children with additional needs. They also share ways to start conversations about safe touch...