Balados

To wrap up the first season of Elles parlent, our host Karen Uwase welcomes back Julie Fournier, social worker and psychotherapist. Together, they deconstruct a persistent myth: the idea that we shouldn’t bring work home. Through a neurobiological lens, Julie explains that compartmentalizing our lives as counsellors is unrealistic. Listen to this 20-minute episode inviting us to show more kindness to ourselves.

Our host Karen Uwase speaks with Ms. Rachelle Laforge. The family lawyer explains legal intimidation, a control tactic used by abusers in legal proceedings. Through specific examples, our guest outlines how this type of intimidation manifests itself in the context of intimate partner violence and touches on its impacts. Listen to this 25-minute episode, presented in collaboration with the Centre juridique pour femmes de l’Ontario (CJFO).

To kickstart the year, our host Karen Uwase welcomes Ms. Julie Lassonde once more to talk about a little-known topic: intimate partner violence between women. During this 30-minute episode, presented in collaboration with Action ontarienne and the Centre juridique pour femmes de l’Ontario (CJFO), they discuss offering non-heteronormative services to survivors and deconstruct persistent misconceptions about lesbian and queer relationships.

In this fourth instalment of our podcast Elles parlent, our host Karen Uwase welcomes back Julie Fournier, social worker and psychotherapist. This month, she challenges the notion that reassuring someone experiencing guilt is the right response. In these situations, is sympathy really what’s best?

This month, our host Karen Uwase speaks with trans feminist activist Fae Johnstone for a special 43-minute episode on fake feminists. They delve into the intertwined history of different social movements and the hypocrisy and betrayal that slowed their progress. Listen to this fascinating discussion which stresses the importance of intersectional solidarity between all women.

For this month’s second episode of Elles parlent, Karen Uwase welcomes Ms. Julie Lassonde. They tackle the topic of legal violence as a control tactic used by abusers, especially in separation proceedings. Through Ms. Lassonde’s guidance, find out more about the magnitude of the issue and learn how to better support survivors. This 20-minute episode is presented by Action ontarienne and the Centre juridique pour femmes de l’Ontario (CJFO).

In the inaugural edition of Action ontarienne’s Elles parlent podcast, Karen Uwase speaks to Julie Fournier, social worker and psychotherapist. The director of La Porte rouge consultation talks about emotion resonance in helping relationships. Are empathy and self-compassion key to managing compassion fatigue? Find out our expert’s thoughts on the matter in this 20-minute episode.

Our society is built by—and for—men, and by—and for—institutions. What can seem neutral on the surface is not in practice and can often lead to conflicts between our values and responsibilities as counsellors, especially in the field of gender-based violence. In this episode, Karen Uwase speaks with Michelle Petersen about how systems can fail people, and how we can survive its shortcomings.

This month, Karen Uwase welcomes Megan Blanche, a Master’s of Medical Anthropology student. They explore these questions: Are people with eating disorders adequately supported? How do eating disorders relate to gender-based violence? How can we truly support eating disorders survivors? Our guest tells us about the criticisms of the business-as-usual approach and offers new ways to think of eating disorders.

In this episode, Karen Uwase and her guest, Karyne Montgomer, talk about tensions between feminism and Christianity. They touch on the specific experiences of survivors who are deeply established in their religious communities, the role of women in religious leadership, and new biblical, feminist perspectives.

With Karen Uwase, researcher Sadjo Paquita breaks down racism in helping relationships. They examine racism and how it manifests, as well as its different impacts on professional relationships within the Ontario healthcare system. They also address ways to ensure equitable access to healthcare services.

In this episode, Karen Uwase talks about technology-mediated violence, including on dating apps, with her guest, Dr. Christopher Dietzel. Their conversation tackles online harassment, online violence that continues offline, its impacts, the men behind this violence, and the defining characteristics of Grindr’s queer community.

In the second part of this chat on feminist parenthood, Karen Uwase talks with Maïra Martin about topics that are often not explored from a young age, including children’s privacy, sex education, gender identities, and queer realities. Through her lived experience, both as a mother and a feminist, Maïra shares her thoughts on balancing parental control with a child’s autonomy, ways to discuss injustice and current events without sensationalizing them, as well as the importance of welcoming diverse backgrounds with openness, respect, and curiosity. Both intimate and political, this episode helps make parents more aware in their educational journey, without adding pressure.

In this second part of the conversation, Karen Uwase and Mélanie Stafford continue talking about treatment programs and the public backlash to them. They also discuss the inherent hypocrisy with respect to the mental health discourse, as well as the work that needs to take place to make our systems and institutions more accessible to those dealing with mental health issues. Towards the end of their chat, Mélanie shares key messages on the topic.

In the episode’s first part, Karen Uwase chats with Mélanie Stafford for a vital conversation on ableism. Together, they explore the ways in which ableism intertwines with other forms of oppression, such as patriarchy, colonialism, and gender-based violence. Mélanie also shares her thoughts on the relationship between ableism and substance use, the impacts of repressive policies, and the limitations of treatment programs and conditions to access housing, which are often disconnected from people’s lived realities.

In this episode, Karen Uwase sits down with Marie-Pascale Lafrenière to explore the links between capitalism and patriarchy. Together, they assess the systemic effects of late-stage capitalism on financial insecurity, gender inequalities, work conditions, and violence against women. Through specific examples and perceptive insights, Marie-Pascale also tackles how capitalism seeps into our daily life, encompassing everything from education, health, housing, and relationships. She also explores how it contributes to impoverishment, isolation, and tolerance of injustices.

An essential conversation to understand why eradicating gender-based violence also requires rethinking traditional economic models.

This month, Karen Uwase speaks with Michelle Petersen to examine a troubling reality: the ways in which healthcare systems fail women. They tackle medical misogyny, the lack of understanding of trauma and its impacts on health care, stigmatizing psychiatric diagnoses, and postpartum depression. Challenges, such as the medical culture, the hierarchy of roles, the relationship to power, and gender norms throughout the system are also addressed.

In this authentic and engaging conversation, Karen Uwase discusses feminist parenting with Maïra Martin. They talk about passing on values to kids from a young age centred on equality, social justice, solidarity, and respect.

Drawing on her personal experience as a mother and a feminist activist, Maïra explores the daily challenges related to raising children without gender stereotypes; teaching empathy, non-violence, and critical thinking skills; and allowing space for diverse identities and journeys. They also discuss how to talk about complex topics, like healthy masculinity, gender identity, social inequalities, and global conflicts without infantilizing or scaring kids.

Anchored in real life, this thoughtful episode will help you think about parenting through a conscious, brave, and decidedly feminist lens.

In this new episode, Karen Uwase hosts Sophie Doucet, Ph. D. student at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, to discuss a little-discussed topic: BDSM. They deconstruct myths and talk about roles, consent, and the immediate and long-term impacts of people who engage in BDSM practices, through a feminist lens. Our guest also highlights the difference between abuse and BDSM and shares resources for those interested in learning more about BDSM.

Géorgie Gagné, an artist, educator, facilitator, and activist with Cree and Franco-Quebecois heritage, sits down with our host Karen Uwase for an essential conversation on conflicts within feminist, queer, and Indigenous movements. They tackle the need to rethink how we handle disagreements, the tension between retributive and transformative justice, as well as the importance of prioritizing “accountability spaces” over “safe spaces”.

With nuance, Géorgie invites us to consider solidarity, dignity, and accountability as pillars of our work, and explores the limits of cancel culture and the possible avenues towards collective transformation.

Julie Lalonde, Franco-Ontarian feminist activist, joins our host Karen Uwase for a powerful conversation covering different perspectives on stalking and sexual harassment. They unpack the culture that trivializes violence and gaslighting through media, mainstream portrayals of romance, and social media. The justice system’s shortcomings are also highlighted, and practical solutions are offered.