February 17th 2026 is the 4th anniversary of sexual conversion therapies being banned in Victoria, and I make a point of marking it each year.

Welcome to the new-ish year, where we are once again nearing the end of January, and many people are lamenting their well-meaning resolution to do things different this year (which only lasted days or weeks).

When exploring personal history during assessment with gay clients, something that feels easy to overlook is the subtle way our sexual orientation can be denied by the world around us, in hundreds of little details.

Self-talk is a big deal when it comes to our mental health, and some concepts have more impact than others. In this piece, I’ll be introducing ‘parts language’, a self-talk technique that helps to create space within yourself to cope better with difficult experiences.

Ask most people about their strongest motivator, and the answer will often be ‘deadlines’. Whether it’s for school, work, or chores, we often feel most driven by the urgency of barely avoiding a disaster, and this can become our default response.