suppressing shame
Kicking off season two of Meet Q on Wear It Purple Day, Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about repressing your identity, self-acceptance, coming out, and the lasting impact of shame.
sex: what’s drugs got to do with it
Meet Q, a 42-year-old gay man stuck in a cycle with crystal methamphetamine. In particular, he’s struggling to engage in sober sex. Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about drugs in the gay community, chemsex, the importance of connecting rather than shaming, and life (and sex) after addiction.
love locked down: covid-19
Meet Q, a 30-something single woman wondering where the last few years of her life have gone after COVID. Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the shared grief, and ways to support ourselves as we look forward to a new normal.
deep breaths: exploring the cavern of love
Meet Q, a gay man who’s struggling during sex and feeling anxious in the bedroom with his partner. Tom, Dave and Jamie chat about how common sex anxiety is, the importance of relaxation to combat anxiety, and the ins and outs of bottoming. Redefine what sex can be for you and explore how our brain is our biggest sex organ. This week’s episode is an exciting journey into the wonderful world of sexual intimacy. Let’s all take an anal breath together.
a firm affirm: a gender story
Joined by the fabulous Dr Nate Reid this episode!
Meet Q, a gender diverse adolescent who’s exploring her gender identity and gender expression. She’s trying out pronouns and a chosen name, she’s letting her close friends know, but she’s worried about how her family might respond.
writing HIStory into the future
Meet Q, a 58-year-old gay man who’s struggling with getting older. He’s worried about the future, losing his independence, and what life will be like for him as an older gay man. Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about how common it is for LGBTQIAP+ people to feel lost and disconnected as they age, the importance of cherishing and celebrating the generations who have come before us and the stories they have to share, and connecting with community and your values to see ageing as an opportunity rather than a threat.
the dark room of depression
Meet Q, a gay man who’s struggling with depression. He’s lost his motivation and energy, he’s disconnected socially, and he isn’t experiencing any joy in life.
Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about how depression looks and feels, and how sometimes it’s hard to know when it’s there. They explore strategies including looking after physical health and wellbeing, taking some pressure off, finding moments of joy, and the power of gratitude to help with optimism and low mood.
Open waters: all aboard the relation-ship
Meet Q, a gay man who’s questioning what’s right for him in his relationship with his partner. Q is wanting to explore non-traditional options. He’s wondering whether non-monogamy might be right for him.
Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about the difference between sexual boundaries and romantic boundaries in relationships and define different types of non-monogamous relationships. They also explore the difficulty of vulnerable conversations in relationships (and the importance of these) and provide strategies to help explore what’s right for Q in his relationship and how to communicate this to his partner.
nobody puts bisexuality in a corner
Meet Q. Her mother is making passive aggressive comments about her bisexuality. Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about boundaries in family relationships, assertive communication, and the stigma bisexual people sometimes experience in being forgotten or misunderstood in the rainbow community.
the shame drain (shut up, beryl!)
Meet Q, a gay man who’s never felt enough. Q is struggling with self-worth, body image, belonging, and a critical internal voice that’s always telling him he’s worthless. Dave, Jamie, and Tom chat about how they would support Q – including issues with contingent self-worth, moving towards success rather than running away from failure, how to address the inner critical messages, and defusing from unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.