Creating Space Project

In the Creating Space Project, clinical psychologist Ruth Nelson interviews women for personal stories and then explores that story for what it reveals about the storyteller's values.

The Art of Authenticity 08/11/2025

The Art of Authenticity Do you ever feel like who you are on the inside is different to the way you perform for other people on the outside? You should listen to this episode. M did beautifully moving artwork for a journal article that I was part of, called Barometers of the City. Published in Human Arenas, it is qualitative research using poetry by psychologists as cultural data. M reflects on the process of producing art, which for her is about personal expression, for an audience. She describes being hyperaware of what’s expected of her in the world and feeling that she does not match the expectations of others, and the low self-worth that comes with that. Articulate and generous with her insights, M describes a phenomenon that is common to many of us. It is the need to be authentic to yourself and to heal your sense of pressure to meet the expectations of others. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/37766905

People Not Gender 09/25/2019

People Not Gender What would you ask a feminist psychologist? Dave asks about confidence in decision-making, and the ways we can all fall into traps of gendered normative behaviour. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/11396921

Asylum Seekers on PNG 09/15/2019

Asylum Seekers on PNG Cathy McGowan, politician, talks about the opportunity right now for Australian citizens to ask the government what their plans are for the remaining asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea and what it would take to have them transferred to New Zealand. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/11254271

Feminism and Counselling 08/28/2019

Feminism and Counselling Sahra O'Doherty and Ruth Nelson talk about Tanya's question regarding how you weave feminism into counselling, about being a values-based therapist, and the embodiment of values. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/11036807

Patriarchy and mental health 08/03/2019

Patriarchy and mental health What would you ask a feminist psychologist? Ruth Nelson and Sahra O'Doherty respond to Jess's question about the effect of patriarchy on women's mental health, and how many problems stem from inequality? /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/10764347

Uncomfortable Feelings 07/19/2019

Uncomfortable Feelings Psychologist Sahra O’Doherty talks about mental health, emotions and counselling. Society teaches us to fear failing. Shame and guilt feel painful. Vulnerability is frightening. So to come and talk to a psychologist can take a lot of courage. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/10582283

Ballot Boxes and Witness K 05/23/2019

Ballot Boxes and Witness K Elizabeth Biok, a legal monitor of the 1999 East Timorese Independence ballot, talks to the Creating Space Project about Witness K and his lawyer, who exposed Australia’s corrupt exploitation of Timor-Leste. Imprisoned, they face an unjust trial. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/9890342

Cultivating Openness 04/16/2019

Cultivating Openness The crisis of climate emergency faces us all and time is being wasted on fuelling hatred between religions. Cherie Heggie declared as a Bahá’í in 2015. What drew her to the faith is its belief that all the major religions of the world are from God. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/9423557

Midwifery 04/04/2019

Midwifery One in three women in Australia giving birth experience labour as a traumatic event. Grace Jeffery, student midwife, talks about the importance of continuity of care throughout pregnancy, and helping women feel safe and empowered in labour. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/9262994

Midwifery 04/04/2019

Kai Therapy 03/20/2019

Kai Therapy Guest interviewer Gavin and interpreter Sajsajee are in Bangkok, talking to naturopath Jik. A Kai therapist, Jik and her husband have created a city farm, in the hope of educating people about organic food and alternative medicine. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/9071912

Kayakiri 03/06/2019

Kayakiri When Jaeb purchased land in Thailand, the soil was so degraded from monocrop farming, chemical fertilisers and deforestation, it was like rock. Inspired by Dr John Liu, Jaeb has learnt about ecological restoration, permaculture and sustainable agriculture /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/8892854

Muck In and Help 02/21/2019

Muck In and Help Ev Van Bo and her husband packed up their caravan for a trip around Australia. On the way, they wanted to stop to help a farmer. So they contacted the Country Women’s Australia and were put in contact with Nea Worrell, from the Baradine Drought Pantry. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/8723870

Back on Country 01/19/2019

Back on Country Joondoburri woman from Yirin, Kim found out at 21 that she is Aboriginal. As a child, her father was sent to a boys’ home. Kim shares with the Creating Space Project the story of her family. TW: Abuse, suicide attempts. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/8313293

Wisdom of a Shaman 01/09/2019

Wisdom of a Shaman Daughter of an Ecuadorian Shaman, Julia has released Abuelito, her father's stories of adventures with his grandfather. Julia brings an Incan cosmovision into the modern world, with gentle lessons to help tackle climate change and bring about peace. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/8198276

Appreciating Rain 01/01/2019

Appreciating Rain Kate describes the most extensive drought she has seen in 40 years in Coonabarabran. Even the native trees have not survived. Kate lives among dust storms and dirt and often lacks the water to even wash her clothes. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/8096444

Cattle Yards 12/11/2018

Cattle Yards Kim works in town during the week and on the family farm on weekends. Her family are trying to keep some cattle alive during the drought. Hope, commitment, resilience and loyalty are the qualities that Kim uses to sustain herself and her family. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7882013

Family 12/03/2018

Family Isabelle is a teenage girl visiting family in outback NSW. I interview her in the Drought Pantry at the Baradine Country Women’s Association. Isabelle talks about what is important in life – family and working hard. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7778843

Fourth Generation 11/20/2018

Fourth Generation Julia Baird tells a story about being run over by the family car when she was four years old. She uses this story to reflect on the strength of the women in her family. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7638263

Drought Pantry 11/06/2018

Drought Pantry Nea Worrell, 40 years farming in Baradine, NSW, talks here about the impact of the worst drought in living memory and the remarkable work of the CWA. Despite hardship and heartbreak, this is about community resilience and hope. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7462526

Human Connection 10/31/2018

Human Connection Elise talks about being moved by the story of two women who arrived in Australia as refugees. She always encounters resilience in people fleeing vulnerable situations. Storytelling is a way to create human connections and building a more resilient society /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7392239

Risk and Dare 10/27/2018

Risk and Dare Christiane Nakhle and I are at Risk and Dare, a justice conference for young people. She talks about homelessness, and how women are the most significant proportion of homeless people in Australia, due to domestic violence and lack of support. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7335071

Diversity Within 10/15/2018

Diversity Within Celina McEwen talks about her parents meeting at a ball in 1960s London. We talk about how people relate across cultures, about being 'other' and how curiosity and openness let us approach boundaries and learn about other people. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7184363

Sporange 10/07/2018

Sporange The third of three interviews with young poets from the Spark Youth Theatre in NSW. Olivia reads a poem she wrote with a friend, Marcus. They riff on the word Sporange, and the themes range from unicycles to Donald Trump. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7138963

My Mind and the Page 09/27/2018

My Mind and the Page Seb reads a poem. Gabe Journey Jones and the Spark Youth Theatre respond. They talk about many things, including being bullied and feeling down about everything. What emerges is resilience and strength. The future is not perfect, but you will get there. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7097994

Baba Yaga 09/19/2018

Baba Yaga From Slavonic myth to the ways in which we recognise ourselves, the wit, insight and originality of the Spark Youth Theatre young poets lead us into an understanding of Baba Yaga, an original poem by 14 year old Orlando. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7063778

Mindful of Death 09/11/2018

Mindful of Death Rachel Menzies, clinical psychology and PhD candidate, researches death anxiety in mental health. Studying ancient history led her to realise that fear of death is pervasive throughout human history. Awareness of death helps Rachel live deliberately. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7031753

Driftwood and Beats 09/05/2018

Driftwood and Beats Poet and percussionist, Gabe Journey Jones is from Maori and African American bloodlines and born on Gadigal Land. Performing at the Unspoken Words Festival, Gabe takes time out to talk about creative communities, intersectionality and the heartbeat drum. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/7007068

Life, Death and Poetry 08/24/2018

Life, Death and Poetry Ali Whitelock is a poet. Prior to writing fulltime, she felt she was waiting for life to begin. When her abusive father died unexpectedly, grief and realising that she herself would one day die provided the catalyst to give up her job and write every day. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/6963779

Psychology and Lore 08/15/2018

Psychology and Lore Jenny and I are in an Open Dialogue group examining psychology and colonisation. Jenny, an Aboriginal woman, talks about how the term ‘decolonise’ is offensive for her. It evokes massacres and families torn apart. It doesn’t communicate love, only pain. /episode/index/show/creatingspaceproject/id/6928570

Creating Space Project

TOPICS