Episode 16: Sexuality, safeguarding and relationships

This impactful episode explores one of the most fundamental aspects of being human—sexuality, relationships and the right to safety and self-expression. Featuring three esteemed and highly experienced guests, the conversation offers vital insights for parents and caregivers of children and young people with spinal cord injury.

First, we’re joined by Amanda and Pat, specialist counsellors from Northcott’s Sexuality and Relationships Education (SRE) service. They unpack the broad and often misunderstood concept of sexuality; sensuality, intimacy, identity and protection from harm. Through the lens of human rights and trauma-informed practice, Amanda and Pat offer practical, compassionate advice for supporting young people with spinal cord injury in building healthy sexual identities. They share inclusive tools and strategies for fostering autonomy, consent and safe relationship development from an early age.

Next, we hear from Candice, a specialist social worker and qualified sexologist from Care Rehab, who brings nearly two decades of expertise in spinal cord injury. Candice explores the emotional and psychological dimensions of sexuality post-injury, including the importance of challenging ableism, understanding the diverse expressions of intimacy and pleasure and addressing common misconceptions around fertility. She provides thoughtful, empowering guidance for parents navigating this complex space, stressing the value of open conversations, adaptive sex education, and modelling respect and body autonomy at home.

This is essential listening for anyone seeking to better support young people with spinal cord injury to develop a healthy, informed and empowered sense of sexuality. Through this deeply human conversation, you’ll gain tools and strategies to uphold dignity, autonomy and sexual rights, and help shape safer, more inclusive futures.

 

Meet our Guests:

Candice Care-Unger

Candice is a highly experienced and specialist social worker and qualified psychosexual therapist. She brings over 20 years of dedicated practice in complex hospital and community-based spinal cord injury rehabilitation, with her work spanning Sydney, rural New South Wales, Brisbane, Scotland, and New York. Candice currently serves as the dynamic NSW Branch President of the Society of Australian Sexologists (SAS) and is a respected, award-winning clinician-researcher with a strong portfolio of peer-reviewed publications. She is also the host and producer of the engaging podcast series A Wheelie Good Sex Chat.

 

Amanda Damian and Pat Hukins  

Amanda and Pat are exceptional specialist counsellors representing the Sexuality and Relationships Education (SRE) service at Northcott. SRE is a human rights-based clinical service that provides therapeutic support, assessment, training and education to support people with disability achieve their sexuality-related goals and needs in a holistic and person-centred way. As pioneers in the field, Amanda and Pat are passionate advocates and educators, leading the way in promoting the sexuality and relationship rights of people with disability.

 

Image courtesy of Spine Care Foundation.

 

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