It’s our final episode for the year, and it’s a special one!

Anita’s son Ben joins us in the studio while he’s home from Canada for Christmas. Ben is an advanced care paramedic, and we talk about the work he does, the situations he’s been in (from London’s busiest ambulance service to disaster response overseas), and what it takes to protect your mental health in a job where you see people on their worst days.

Then we circle back to something many of our teacups related to: how do you make Christmas feel like Christmas when you grew up with snow and cold… and now it’s blazing hot?

Thanks for being with us this year, teacups. We’ll see you in January. 🎄🫖

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Double A Chattery, we wade into one of the trickiest topics there is: going no contact with family.

Anita breaks down what narcissism actually is as a clinical diagnosis, and why the word is being thrown around far too loosely online. Together, she and Amanda unpack the rise of adult children cutting off parents, TikToks about “narcissistic mums and dads,” and the messy reality behind those decisions.

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Double A Chattery, we’re joined by Dr Richard “Harry” Harris, the anaesthetist and cave diver who helped rescue the 12 Thai boys and their coach in 2018. Harry talks through what was really happening in those crucial days, why he initially didn’t want to sedate the boys, how he made a decision when there was no good option, and what it’s like to hold that level of responsibility underwater and in medicine.

We also zoom out to everyday life: why Harry says he’s not a risk-taker but a risk manager, why so many of us misjudge danger, and whether we’ve become too risk-averse as a society. He and Anita compare notes on how we learn to cope with failure, build resilience, and teach young people to take healthy risks. Harry also opens up about life after decompression sickness and his new passion for underwater filmmaking.

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're talking about feminism, power, and what it means to live – and work – alongside men in 2025.

After a huge emotional response to last week’s conversation with end-of-life vet Dr Lissi Kennedy, Amanda and Anita read some beautiful listener stories about saying goodbye to beloved pets, and the strange comfort (and guilt) that lingers years later.

Then they shift gears into a very different kind of raw nerve: a New York Times piece originally headlined “Did Women Ruin the Workforce?” Anita has actually listened to the podcast behind it – and she’s furious. They unpack ideas of “toxic femininity,” the conservative backlash to feminism, and why women are still being blamed for “ruining” everything from golf to marriage.

AUDIO GRAB**- Mia Findlay- Recovery Coach and Founder of Beyond Body- gives her take on a woman saying she wants to “dismantle the whole feminist movement”

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This week on Double A Chattery, we're opening up about one of the hardest love stories we live — loving an ageing pet.

We're joined by Dr Alicia (Lissi) Kennedy, an end-of-life veterinarian and founder of Cherished Pets, who calls herself a “social-hearted vet”. Lissi talks about the grace of ageing pets, why the human–animal bond has grown so intense, and what a good death for a pet can look like. She explains her guiding principles for “when it’s time”, the role of euthanasia, how to involve children, and why aftercare and ritual (ashes, candles, small ceremonies) matter so much.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of pet death, euthanasia and grief. Please listen gently.

https://www.cherishedpetcare.com.au/

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This week on Double A Chattery, we’re unwrapping the strange, funny and revealing world of gift-giving. From the science of why some presents miss the mark to the social minefield of re-gifting, we talk about what our gifts really say about us.

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sit down with Dr Sharonne Zaks AM, a Melbourne-based dentist internationally recognised for pioneering trauma-informed dental care.

Sharonne explains how the dental chair—one of the most vulnerable places a person can be—can re-trigger memories for survivors of trauma. Her work has transformed how dentists think about trust, consent, and patient empowerment, leading to the Australian Dental Council adopting trauma-informed care into all dental training.

Want to learn more about Sharonne's work? Go to zaksdental.com.au

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are we now, five years after COVID first shut the world down?

From lockdown memories to hybrid work, empty campuses and vanishing “weak ties,” the conversation explores what we’ve gained, and what we’ve lost, since 2020.

Amanda recalls driving to work with a permission slip as an “essential” broadcaster, while Anita reflects on the chaos of moving her clinical teaching and therapy sessions online. They discuss:

• How lockdowns reshaped teaching, work, and home life

• Why we may never return to full campus or office culture

• The collapse in vaccination rates and rising distrust in science

• The new culture of “boundaries” and why saying yes still matters

• Whether convenience has replaced connection—and what that means for friendship and community

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The Double A Chattery podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed and this podcast is no substitute for professional psychological or other medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The use of information in this podcast is at the listener’s own risk. Listeners should seek the help of their health care professionals for any medical conditions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.