New Women’s Health podcast

By Ella Bradford

Down Syndrome Queensland (DSQ) has released an episode on its Now and the Future podcast to shine a light on women’s mental health.

The podcast episode is dedicated to women’s health Week, discussing the importance of identifying signs of a mental health problem and offering practical advice on getting support.

Who is featured

The episode features mental wellness advocate Donna Thistlethwaite, an expert in the field who can offer a personal insight.

Donna has lived with mental health challenges and attempted to end her life in 2012.

She is now dedicated to empowering others - speaking out and training people about resilience and mental wellness.

“Almost half of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetime, with 20 per cent in any year, and women are a majority of figures,” Donna says.

“There can be a lot of pressure on women and if you add into that caring for a child with a disability, it is a lot of load to carry.”

Donna provides listeners with insights into identifying early symptoms and addressing them in a proactive manner.

She encourages conversations about finding help and says sometimes just talking helps.

“Sometimes just talking can help process what’s going on. It’s really true, that old adage, that a problem shared is a problem halved,” Donna says.

“It’s one of COVID’s silver linings that people are having more of these conversations. It’s normalising and destigmatising, but I still think we’ve got a really long way to go.”

Donna says people often tell her they do not have time for self-care and resilience strategies.

“I like to challenge that because there are some things that we truly can slip into the cracks of a busy life. It’s about finding those things that bring you joy and making sure that you prioritise those in your life,” Donna explained.

Where to listen

The podcast episode aired on September 7 and can be listened to here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a2c156c3-30eb-4ba5-8df5-cbf19261df4a

The Now and the Future podcast can be listened to on any podcast platform and on the DSQ website.