What if the therapist you were seeing just got it?

What if you didn’t have to explain your cultural background, your lived experience, or the reasons you approach life the way you do?

In this episode of Inside Social Work, I sat down with Tham Fuyana, Social Worker, Family Therapist and Educator, to talk about what it’s like navigating therapy as a BIPOC client.

BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and people/ person of colour

While I'm not a person of colour and can’t speak from lived experience, I shared reflections from my perspective as a therapist and acknowledged the limits of my own experience, while making space for this important conversation.

Tham shares powerful insights from their lived experience as a person of colour and as a therapist, reflecting on how this shapes their work and the way they connect with clients.

Tham talks about the experience of searching for a BIPOC therapist, the invisible barriers to accessing mental health care, and why representation and understanding matter in the therapy room. They reflect on what it means to be truly seen, and the challenges many people of colour face when navigating mental health services.

Key things discussed

• What it means to seek a BIPOC therapist and why it matters
• How intersectionality shapes the therapy experience
• Barriers to accessing mental health care for people of colour
• The emotional weight of having to always explain your story
• Why some people feel safer being vulnerable with someone who "gets it"
• How representation can impact trust and connection in therapy
• The complexity of navigating multiple identities in multicultural Australia
• Practical ways to find the right therapist for you

Resources

Therapy Hub: https://www.thetherapyhub.com.au

Got something you'd like to hear on the podcast?

🎙️ Got a question or something on your mind? Send it through. You can write it or email a voice memo to contact@marievakakis.com.au, and it might be featured in a future episode of Inside Social Work.

Your curiosity could help shape a conversation that resonates with the wider community.

Want to be a guest? Submit a speaker request here

http://marievakakis.com.au/be-a-podcast-guest/

Got an anonymous question? Submit it here:

https://forms.gle/wg7Lk61xde9Lge976

In this episode of Inside Social Work, I am joined by psychologist and researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins for an honest, reflective conversation about the professional and emotional impact of client suicide.

We discuss the emotional aftermath, ethical concerns, and the invisible weight carried by clinicians, social workers, and mental health practitioners.

Whether you've experienced this personally or are supporting someone who has, this episode offers insight, validation and guidance.

Key takeaways

• Why suicide loss can feel isolating for professionals

• The unspoken guilt, shame and fear that often accompany a client death

• How organisations and colleagues can support impacted staff

• The importance of reflective practice and clinical supervision

• Balancing professional responsibility with human vulnerability

• Navigating coronial investigations and confidentiality concerns

• Reframing grief and finding space to heal

About the Guest:

Dr Bronwyn Milkins (PhD, MPsych) is a psychologist and researcher whose passions are working therapeutically with neurodivergent and LGBTIQA+ clients with trauma, advocacy on equitable and accessible mental health care, and supporting diversity in the mental health workforce. Bronwyn’s current research aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people who experience trauma-related dissociation. She also hosts the popular 'Mental Work' podcast which exists to support Australian mental health workers.

Contact Dr Bronwyn Milkins @ mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com

Resources

• Royal College of Psychiatrists – If a Patient Dies by Suicide (PDF)
• APA – Coping with Patient Suicide
• IASP – Guidelines to Assist Clinical Staff After Suicide

🎙️ If this topic resonates with you, or if you’re navigating the loss of a client, this episode might offer some comfort or perspective.

Got something you'd like to hear on the podcast?

🎙️ Got a question or something on your mind? Send it through. You can write it or email a voice memo to contact@marievakakis.com.au, and it might be featured in a future episode of Inside Social Work.

Your curiosity could help shape a conversation that resonates with the wider community.

Want to be a guest? Submit a speaker request here

http://marievakakis.com.au/be-a-podcast-guest/

Got an anonymous question? Submit it here:

https://forms.gle/wg7Lk61xde9Lge976

What does it really mean to work in this space? To support others, hold complex stories, and still show up with care?

In this new season of Inside Social Work, I’m having real, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about life as a social worker and allied health professional. Whether you’re just starting, mid-career, or wondering what’s next, this season is for you.

We’ll explore supervision, burnout, grief, identity shifts, cultural safety, politics, money, and the things that impact our work but rarely get talked about in training.

I'll be sharing reflections, research, and stories from the field, with a mix of expert voices and everyday practitioners.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I doing enough?” or “Does anyone else feel like this?”, you’re not alone.

🎙️ Got a question or something on your mind? Send it through. You can write it or email a voice memo to contact@marievakakis.com.au, and it might be featured in a future episode of Inside Social Work.

Your curiosity could help shape a conversation that resonates with the wider community.

Want to be a guest? Submit a speaker request here

http://marievakakis.com.au/be-a-podcast-guest/

Got an anonymous question? Submit it here:

https://forms.gle/wg7Lk61xde9Lge976