Regarding Me

Self-advocacy is encouraged but rarely explained or made explicit. And many women still don’t know they have the right to ask questions, get a second opinion, and offer feedback when it comes to their healthcare.You don’t need permission to advocate for healthcare that meets your needs. But if you wanted a reminder, this is it.In this timely episode of Regarding Me, I’m joined by Rebecca White, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Indigenous Health, and Women, to talk about self-health advocacy, not as a ‘bonus’ or nice-to-have, but as a right.We unpack the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, the importance of informed consent and shared decision-making, and what it takes to shift a healthcare system where women, especially younger women, are still dismissed or not taken seriously.Whether you’re in Australia or elsewhere, this conversation will help you understand what you’re entitled to and how to confidently speak up for the care that fits your life.You’ll hear:What your healthcare rights really mean and why they matterWhat the Australian Government is doing to support women's self-health advocacyHow to use the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights as a toolWhat informed consent is – across all healthcare interactionsWhy second opinions are a rightWhat to say when you feel dismissed or unsure what to askThe support services available to women from diverse communitiesHow we can shift systems and support each other to speak up“We are the only people we can depend on to be our own advocates when it comes to our healthcare.” — Rebecca White🔗 Want to start now?Download my free Six Self-Advocacy Steps (SSAS) guide, a practical tool to help you ask better questions and get the care you need.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

Before she passed from metastatic breast cancer, Sarah’s mum gave her the greatest gift: knowledge that may help Sarah future-proof her health.In this powerful follow-up conversation, Sarah Wallace opens up about what it means to self-advocate when you live with inherited risk factors for breast cancer but no diagnosis. For her, it’s a complicated space: considered ‘elective’ in the system, but a risk too great for her to wait.And now she’s facing the prospect of accessing her superannuation again drawing from the little she’s managed to save since using every cent she had to fund IVF. Together we talk about:The inherited cancer risk space, and why it can leave women feeling invisibleHow her mum’s knowledge shaped Sarah’s decisions around genetic testingWhy she feels risk-reduction surgery using her superannuation is her only optionWhat it looks like to advocate for yourself in the gaps, between risk and prevention, system and selfSarah’s story is a powerful reminder that advocacy is not only about facing a diagnosis. It is also about the courage to act before one comes.⚠️ This episode includes discussion of fertility challenges, pregnancy loss and related experiences. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you. It’s always okay to pause or step away if you need to.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

What price do you pay to advocate for your health - and for hope?For Sarah Wallace, that question has been answered in ways both heartbreaking and costly.Luan is joined by Sarah, founder of the Wish Collective, to talk about her experience of Assisted Fertility Treatment, pregnancy loss, and what she describes as the four hardships of fertility treatment: mental, emotional, physical and financial.When the wait lists were too long and the Medicare rebates fell short, Sarah drew down all her superannuation, more than $50,000, to fund IVF alone. That meant wiping out some of her future financial security for the chance of an earth-side baby. And to access those funds, she had to take on a mental health diagnosis that will remain on her health record.Together, they talk about dashed hopes, resilience and the strength that comes from community support in moments when you can’t carry it alone. Sarah’s story shines a light on the hidden costs women are asked to taken on, not just in the moment, but in ways that shape their future too.Her honesty is a powerful offering. It includes the gift of an earth-side baby, and now, a quietly joyful update.This is part one of their conversation. In part two, Sarah shares why she faces the prospect of drawing down on her superannuation again to help future-proof her health and reduce her inherited cancer risk. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!⚠️ A note for listeners: this episode discusses fertility challenges, pregnancy loss and related experiences. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you. It’s always okay to pause or step away if you need to.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

After cancer treatment ends, the pressure to bounce back can feel overwhelming. But what if your energy doesn’t return? What if the brain fog lingers, the pain persists, and “normal” expectations no longer fit?That’s where the concept of 'Crip Time' could help.Luan continues her discussion with Shona Edwards, Deputy Chair of Cancer Voices SA and co-founder of the University of Adelaide’s student Disability, Illness and Divergence Association. Together, they explore how 'Crip Time', a term from disability studies that offers a different way to think about time, energy and capacity, can resonate with people living with chronic illness or the long-term and ongoing effects of cancer.Together they explore:• Why “normal” timelines don’t work for people still healing• What crip time means, and why it can be a relief to discover• How it can help people after cancer reframe their recovery and survivorship• Why invisible impacts like fatigue, brain fog and pain don’t fit neatly into linear time• How advocacy and peer support roles can amplify these impacts, demanding more energy from those with lived experience• How supportive care and advocacy structures can better account for the fluctuating needs of advocates• Why solidarity and community are essential to making space for differenceThis episode speaks to anyone still navigating life after cancer or chronic illness, and to those working alongside lived experience patient advocates, peer supporters or community leaders.If you haven’t already, listen to Part 1: Looking After You While Supporting Others: Patient Advocacy & Peer Support where Luan and Shona explore the emotional labour of advocacy, and how to make it more sustainable.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

You become an advocate because you care. Because you want to make things better for the next person. Because your hard-earned experience shouldn’t go to waste. And you want people to have a better experience than you did and less alone.But advocacy - whether through peer support, sharing your story online online or policy work - can quietly take more from you than you realise.In this episode, Luan speaks with Shona Edwards, Deputy Chair of Cancer Voices SA and a leader in disability and patient advocacy, about the emotional and energetic cost of showing up for others while still living with health challenges yourself.Together they explore:• What peer mentoring, online community support and patient advocacy look like• How to recognise the roles you might already be playing• Why so many advocates feel called to support their community• The emotional labour that comes with being the “go-to” person• Practical ways to protect your energy, privacy and boundaries• Why self-care is a vital skill that helps make advocacy sustainableThis episode speaks to anyone who offers peer support or patient advocacy in a WhatsApp group, on Instagram, or through a formal advocacy or peer role. And if you work alongside lived experience advocates, it’s an important reminder of the respect and care they need too.This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In Part 2, we explore a concept from the disability space that might just help you rethink your relationship to time, energy and recovery.Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss it.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when you’re anything but, or said “yes” when every fibre of your being wanted to say “no”, this episode is for you.People-pleasing can quietly erode your ability to self-advocate, and you might not even realise you’re doing it.Luan is joined by empowerment coach Belinda Stark to explore why it’s so hard to speak up, how to spot the signs that you’re slipping into people-pleasing mode, and what it really looks like to set boundaries that honour your needs without guilt or apology.It’s a warm, insightful and laugh-out-loud conversation about taking up space, letting go of guilt, and learning when to give fewer f**ks - so you might want to pop your headphones in if little ones are around.In this episode we explore:What people-pleasing looks likeWhy saying “I’m fine” can be a red flagThe guilt many women feel around setting boundariesBelinda’s NFA method: a simple tool for asking for what you needHow to soften your “no” (without diluting it)Why pausing before you respond can shift everythingThe power of a hand on your heart and how to stay composed in tough conversationsWhen choosing not to speak up can still be an act of self-advocacyFor the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

When you’re in the thick of a health decision - scared, overwhelmed, unsure - how do you figure out what’s right for you?Even in hard moments, you're not empty-handed when it comes to making confident healthcare decisions.One of the most powerful tools you can lean on is your values. They’re your North Star when everything else feels uncertain. And even if you’ve never named them before, they’re there - quietly shaping what you need, what you’ll tolerate and what you absolutely won’t.In this episode of Regarding Me, Luan is joined by values-led leadership expert Tiffany Leone to unpack what values really are, how to figure out what yours are, and why they matter in healthcare.From knowing when to speak up, to knowing when to walk away, this conversation will help you connect with your inner compass so you can make healthcare decisions that feel right for you.For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)

When life flips into full F mode - fight, flight, freeze or fawn - it’s not just your mind that goes into meltdown. Your body feels it too.In this In the Meantime mini-episode, Luan shares how stomping around Sydney Harbour, swapping rave tunes for the Rocky theme and quietly recreating a childhood position of safety became unlikely acts of self-advocacy during cancer treatment.This one’s about body-set, not just mindset. Because confidence and calm don’t only live in your head. They live in your body too. And with simple, supportive rituals, you can gently prime yourself to show up, especially when everything feels like too much.No pressure. No performance. Just one small thing, if it feels right.Take 10 minutes to listen and come back to your body.Links for this episode:Read more about body-based practices on Luan's blog.Listen to the Regarding Me podcast episode with Suzy Reading.Listen to In the Meantime: You Don’t Have to Go Balls to the WallDownload the free SSAS (Six Self-Advocacy Steps) Guide.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate

This is one of the most frequently asked questions: how can women confidently advocate for their health when they’re overwhelmed, and being a ‘good’ patient is often seen as being quiet, compliant and not representing themselves?In this open-hearted episode, Luan is joined by psychologist and coach Suzy Reading to gently and curiously unpack what it really means to self-advocate. And they explore why community, compassion and permission are essential to recovery.Suzy shares beautifully simple physical movements – from the chicken wing stretch to the face hug – that you can use to prime your body and mind to speak up. She also offers phrases to help you ask for support from friends and family, so you can confidently co-create both a treatment plan with your healthcare team and a support plan with your loved ones.Suzy and Luan also unpack what she calls energetic bankruptcy: those moments when there’s just nothing left in the tank.This episode is an invitation to be tender with yourself, to let go of old expectations (of self and others), and to see how self-care can become the foundation of self-advocacy.Whether you're in survival mode, emerging from a tough season, or just need a reminder that it's okay to ask for help, this episode is a soft landing. It’s your moment to pause, breathe and come back to yourself with love.I promised Suzy I’d pull together a blog post with all the physical practices we talked about - from the chicken wing stretch to the face hug - and you can read it here!For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.Connect with Luan:Follow Luan on InstagramGet Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-AdvocacySign up for Luan's NewsletterCheck out Luan's websiteDisclaimerCREDITS:Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health AdvocateSound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)