Ladies, We Need To Talk

ABC
  • 4.8 (231)
  • RELATIONSHIPS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Ladies, We Need to Talk goes deep on the women's health and relationship issues that are setting your group chat on fire. Come hang with the fabulous Yumi Stynes as she takes a candid, non-judgemental and often hilarious look at the deeply personal stuff that's hard to bring up, even with your closest mates. You'll meet incredible experts to help you improve your wellness, manage the mental load; survive break-ups and prioritise your mental health. With sensitivity, personal stories from real women, and serious smarts, this show is for women who feel the squeeze between work, their private life, and their pelvic floor. Get in touch with episode ideas, feedback or just say hi! Ladies@abc.net.au

  1. Why are we exercising less than men?

    1D AGO

    Why are we exercising less than men?

    In the exercise race, women are falling behind. Two out of five women aren’t moving enough and it’s bad for our health.  Between being time squeezed, feeling crappy about our bodies and guilt about taking a break from caring duties, women have less room for exercise than blokes. But ladies, it’s time to put on our sports bras and get sweaty!  In this episode, you’ll hear how to get your fitness mojo back and prioritise your wellness. You’ll meet exercise-hater-turned-evangelical-runner, Amanda Hooten. Plus, clinical psychologist Professor Lyndall Strazdins from the ANU shares tips on how to get physical.  This episode will answer questions like:  Why do women exercise less than men? What is the gender exercise gap? How are women and men’s relationship with exercise different? What can women do to exercise more? Why do we need to exercise more? How can I start exercising if I have a bad relationship with it? What to listen to next: Love ya guts! What to eat to feel your best How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off Mental health: Anxiety and how to beat it Paying for sex at 70 You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next: Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it went Building a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther Perel Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery Why genital herpes does not mean the end of your sex life This episode contains references to exercise, weight, eating disorders, body image, sport, running, pilates, mental load, gender, parenting, adolescence, women’s safety.

    26 min
  2. I didn’t love my baby: The shame of perinatal depression

    FEB 23

    I didn’t love my baby: The shame of perinatal depression

    What if, instead of being the best time of your life, new motherhood was miserable? Perinatal depression and anxiety affects one in five women in Australia. But the shame of it is carried in silence. Yumi Stynes speaks to women about their darkest days as new mums; sleep deprived, fearful and feeling alone. She hears how these women came through their suffering and got the help they needed. Featured in this episode:   Dr Erin Seeto, Clinical Psychologist and Director of Clinical Services at the Gidget Foundation If you need help: Lifeline Australia 13 11 14PANDA National Helpline 1300 726 306Gidget Foundation 1300 851 758This episode will answer questions like:  What does it feel like to have perinatal depression and anxiety? What is perinatal depression and anxiety? What are the risk factors of perinatal depression and anxiety? How is perinatal depression and anxiety treated? How do you recover from perinatal depression and anxiety? Can your relationship impact perinatal depression and anxiety?What to listen to next:  I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off Turia Pitt is a selfish woman Paying for sex at 70 You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next:   Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it went Building a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther Perel Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery Why genital herpes does not mean the end of your sex life This episode contains references to suicide, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, birth, birth trauma, mothering, parenting, mental health care plan, psychology, hospital, family, breastfeeding, colic, crying, sleeplessness, sleep deprivation.

    28 min
  3. ‘I’m leaving you,’ Belle’s husband became a stranger overnight

    FEB 16

    ‘I’m leaving you,’ Belle’s husband became a stranger overnight

    What happens when your husband suddenly becomes someone you don’t recognise? One cold day in 2020, Belle Burden’s partner of 20 years told her he was leaving her. There were was no warning, no chance to talk.  Before her relationship collapsed, Belle’s life looked enviable. Heiress to a wealthy New York family empire, she had the kids, the job, the holiday house and a committed marriage. But overnight, everything Belle thought she knew about her husband changed, and he became a stranger to her. Despite the pain of separation, Belle came to know herself again and rebuilt her life stronger than before.  This episode will answer questions like:  What does it feel like to be cheated on? Can you tell if your husband is having an affair? Do people suddenly fall out of love? Who is Belle Burden? How can women protect themselves financially in a marriage? What lessons are there to be learnt after going through divorce? What to listen to next: I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off Turia Pitt is a selfish woman Paying for sex at 70 You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next: Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it went Building a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther Perel Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery Why genital herpes does not mean the end of your sex life This episode contains references to divorce, separation, affair, cheating, heartbreak, money, settlement, parenting, re-invention, self-discovery, gender, mothering, independent, finance.

    25 min
  4. Parenting blind, with Nas Campanella

    FEB 9

    Parenting blind, with Nas Campanella

    What’s it like to parent when you can’t see your kid? Nas Campanella, the ABC’s National Disability Affairs reporter, knows there’s many ways to be a great mum. As a blind woman, she’s navigated internalised ableism, and copped BS from strangers. Through it all, she’s given the middle finger to expectations and come out the other side stronger. She talks to Yumi Stynes about the quiet strength that comes from trusting her own instincts and the deep bond she’s formed with her son.   This episode will answer questions like:  What’s it like to be a mother while vision impaired? How do blind parents use sound, touch and voice to care for their babies?What are the biggest challenges of parenting with a disability? How do you keep children safe without relying on sight? How do people use sound, touch and instinct to read their baby’s needs? What public scrutiny do disabled parents receive? How do you raise an empathetic child? What to listen to next:  I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals Life without boobs: Meet the women staying flat after breast cancer Body image and babies with Turia Pitt and Sophie Walker Where's my village? Esther Perel on how to build community You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next:   Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it went Building a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther Perel Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery Why genital herpes does not mean the end of your sex life This episode contains references to disability, vision impaired, blind, mother, parent, National Disability Affairs reporter, ABC, work-life-balance, working mum, child, baby, parenting, teaching, attachment.

    21 min
  5. I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals

    FEB 2

    I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticals

    Marriage sabbaticals aren't a divorce, or an excuse for guilt-free frotting but a chance to reset priorities. But do they work? It can be hard to figure out how to fix a relationship in need of repair when you're in the grind of the day-to-day. Living separately for a while or even taking a solo holiday can be a chance for a jump-start, but it comes with risks. Yumi Stynes meets women who've hit pause on their partnerships in the hopes of coming back together stronger than before. This episode will answer questions like:  What is a marriage sabbatical? Why do women feel like they need a break from their marriage? Why do some women feel like they care for their husbands like children? How can you ask for a break from your relationship? How do you know you’re happy in a relationship? What does an equal partnership look like? How do relationship preferences change over time? Can having a break save your marriage? What to listen to next:  Women who cheat Is everyone having better sex than me? The new way to date How pop culture f*cked us up, with Sophie Gilbert You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next:   How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie Gilbert How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off Paying for sex at 70 Life without boobs: Meet the women staying flat after breast cancer This episode contains references to sex, marriage, family, parenting, mental load, emotional labour, domestic labour, inequality, chores, perimenopause, break-ups, relationship, love, psychology, attachment.

    27 min
  6. Who the f*ck is Madeline? Getting cheated on

    JAN 26

    Who the f*ck is Madeline? Getting cheated on

    How does it feel to be betrayed by the person you love most? Women open up to Yumi Stynes about being cheated on and picking up the pieces of their shattered hearts. There's the fishy feeling you try to shake off, finding texts, unearthing emails, wondering if you're paranoid. And then, the moment of truth and painful aftermath. From Beyonce to Lily Allen, queens everywhere have wondered, "How did I get caught up in your double life??" For some women, infidelity destroys the foundation of trust forever. For others it leads to bloodletting and rebuilding the relationship. Featured in this episode:   Christina Spaccavento, sex and relationships counsellor This episode will answer questions like:  What does it feel like to be cheated on? How do some women find out their partner has been cheating on them? Why do people cheat? Can you stay in a relationship after infidelity?  How do you rebuild trust after cheating? What to listen to next: Women who cheat Is everyone having better sex than me? The new way to date How pop culture f*cked us up, with Sophie Gilbert You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next: Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood What loving someone with an addiction or dependence can look like The dark side of being a perfectionist This episode contains references to sex, marriage, cheating, West End Girl, Lily Allen, Madeline, Beyonce, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Becky with the good hair, Shakira, Lemonade, infidelity, women, family, emotional cheating.

    24 min
  7. How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie Gilbert

    JAN 19

    How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie Gilbert

    Millennial pop culture has a lot to answer for. From Britney Spears' sexy schoolgirl outfit to an underage Kate Moss on the cover of Vogue and Paris Hilton in pube-skimming velvet tracksuits, the message was clear — being hot, sexy and desirable meant #girlpower. So how did we all buy into the lie that self-objectification is empowerment? Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist Sophie Gilbert says the Spice Girls, Demi Moore, Britney Spears and the Kardashians all had a role to play in how we feel about ourselves as women. Sophie chats to Yumi Stynes about how pop culture turned a generation of women against themselves and what we can do about it. What to listen to next: Emotional labour with Rose Hackman Clare and Jessie Stephens on twinning, pregnancy and envy Has Ozempic killed body inclusivity? Are our boys ok? Fighting online misogyny with Kate Scott You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next:   Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood What loving someone with an addiction or dependence can look like The dark side of being a perfectionist This episode will answer questions like:  What were the messages being sent about womanhood in the 1990s and 2000s? How did the Spice Girls rise to popularity? What did the term ‘girl power’ mean? How did pop culture impact body image and fashion? What did pop culture teach us about women’s sexuality? What is pop culture today teaching us about womanhood? This episode contains references to sexuality, pop culture, music, performance, girl, woman, gender, gender roles, Britney Spears, Kate Moss, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, the Spice Girls, Pamela Anderson, body image, thinness, beauty, capitalism, entertainment industry.

    31 min
  8. Going gay in middle age

    JAN 12

    Going gay in middle age

    What’s it like to switch teams mid-season? Nicola was married to a man for 25 years before she fell in love with a woman. Jennifer and Marija were in their 40s when everything they knew about their sexuality changed.   Yumi Stynes chats to later-in-life lesbians to hear what they’ve learned from swapping sides. She also gets the low-down on sexuality research across the life span, and why so many women are coming out in their second act.  What to listen to next: How swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better off Where's my village? Esther Perel on how to build community Will we ever have a cure for endometriosis? Hacking online dating with Prof. Jennie Young You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.   What to read next:   Why Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgery How Turia Pitt's body image changed in motherhood What loving someone with an addiction or dependence can look like The dark side of being a perfectionist This episode will answer questions like:  What’s it like to fall in love with a woman in middle age? Are some women straight and then turn gay? How common is bisexuality? How fluid is sexuality? What does it feel like to have sex with a woman for the first time? This episode contains references to sexuality, family, mother, parenting relationships, lesbian, gay, straight, sex, orgasm, religion.

    29 min
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Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
231 Ratings

About

Ladies, We Need to Talk goes deep on the women's health and relationship issues that are setting your group chat on fire. Come hang with the fabulous Yumi Stynes as she takes a candid, non-judgemental and often hilarious look at the deeply personal stuff that's hard to bring up, even with your closest mates. You'll meet incredible experts to help you improve your wellness, manage the mental load; survive break-ups and prioritise your mental health. With sensitivity, personal stories from real women, and serious smarts, this show is for women who feel the squeeze between work, their private life, and their pelvic floor. Get in touch with episode ideas, feedback or just say hi! Ladies@abc.net.au

Information

  • Creator
    ABC
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    269
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    Ladies, We Need To Talk

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