When life gets overwhelming, more and more people are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support, and it's not hard to see why. Traditional therapy remains out of reach for many due to cost, stigma, and availability. But what happens when the tool you're leaning on was never designed to hold that weight?

In this episode, we chat to Dr. Rachel Wood. She's a cyber psychology PhD and founder of the AI Mental Health Collective. Dr. Wood helps us untangle the growing relationship between artificial intelligence and our emotional lives. She explains the difference between the general-purpose 'omnibots' millions use daily and the clinically grounded, human-supervised tools actually built for mental health support. The difference, she argues, matters more than most people realise.

We explore how AI can be genuinely useful as a rehearsal space. A low-stakes environment to practise empathy, work through difficult conversations, and build social confidence. But we can't rely on it too heavily because that comes with costs like cognitive offloading, emotional dependency, eroded critical thinking, and the subtle but significant loss of what she calls 'failure and repair' in human relationships.

We also get into the design choices that either protect or endanger users, and why sharing your most sensitive emotional data with an AI platform carries real privacy risks.

The takeaway? AI is going to continue to be used but it'll never fully replace other forms of mental health support. As Dr. Wood puts it, nothing protects us from over-dependence on technology quite like investing in high-quality human connection.

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

Policy. Diplomacy. Cyber. Three words guaranteed to clear a room (or so you'd think).

But cyber diplomacy matters and we provide real-world examples like the 2007 cyber attacks on Estonia, the Medibank breach and Australia slapping sanctions on Russian hackers and the infamous Stuxnet worm.

In this episode we break down what cyber diplomacy is, why it matters and what Australia is actually doing to strengthen ties across the Indo-Pacific (with a healthy dose of Mean Girls references and Harry Potter nostalgia thrown in).

(P.S. Anika called it 3 Days in Mariupol - it's 20 Days in Mariupol. Still haunting either way)

Australian Volunteers Program:

https://www.australianvolunteers.com/

20 Days In Mariupol:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/11/20-days-in-mariupol-documentary-oscar

Why is it called the Quad?

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-real-significance-of-the-quad/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

Imagine this, you're in your kitchen baking a cake and someone calls you from crypto.com saying they're from the security team and that there's been suspicious activity on your account. You are a crypto.com customer so this sounds pretty legitimate. But turns out it's not. It's just a scammer pretending to be from crypto.com.

This is what happened to Stephen. He received a call from a US number. The caller directed him to a convincing lookalike site (a hyphenated domain), pressured him with urgency, and prompted him to enter his app PIN and a 2FA code, plus delete the legitimate app and download another wallet app.

Everyone thinks that they wouldn't fall for a scam. But scammers use psychological tactics to get us when our guard is down. We loved Stephen sharing his story with us and we need to normalise talking about scamming because we are all vulnerable due to living in the digital world.

If you are know someone who you’re concerned could fall for a crypto scam, make sure you share this episode with them.

If you'd like to share your own scam story, please get in contact with us.

Report a scam:

https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

Report identity theft:

https://www.idcare.org/

Our Scam Stories:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ourscamstories_i-thought-i-was-immune-to-scams-i-felt-activity-7439816758481502208-wuI1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAABXP9DgBP6Ry-lt82_LL0JIly0YXzrG4z3o

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

In this episode, we are joined by Sam Brazier-Hollins, Head of Technical Consulting at Fujitsu (also Annie-Mei's former manager). We got so into the convo straight away that we forgot to get Sam to actually introduce himself properly. But you can look him up on LinkedIn.

We discuss Sam's recent work trip to New Zealand for the Digital Workplace Conference discussing Microsoft 365 security and AI adoption alongside change management. Sam also reflects on balancing cybersecurity work with having a three-month-old daughter.

Not sure what data you should be sharing with AI? This episode covers everything about privacy issues, data retention, bias, hallucinations and bots chatting to other bots.

We discuss when AI is useful (eg. taking meeting notes) and when it’s not.

If you’re in the consulting space, you’ll find this episode useful for providing tips on how to successfully roll out Microsoft Copilot. Sam is a Microsoft MVP, with the ‘P’ standing for Professional.

We also talk about the importance of taking time offline in an age where it feels like we’re constantly online. Sam and Annie-Mei love to cook, while Anika loves reading tarot cards. Can you tell we're all 30-something millennials?

Sam Brazier-Hollins:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-brazier-hollins/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

Jasmine McCrudden joins us for a juicy episode spilling the tea on all things cyber recruitment.

Wanna know if you're doing enough to stand out on your CV? Not sure what hiring managers are looking for in the interview? Jasmine is here to help.

She provides some great insights including where all the cybersecurity professionals are in Australia, and the biggest mistakes people are making on their CVs and during interviews.

Plus how much does LinkedIn matter for your personal brand? And is AI helping or hindering your chances of getting a job?

Also Jasmine has kindly reviewed two CVs that were part of a comp that we ran on LinkedIn. If you aren't following The Cybersecurity Gals on LinkedIn, make sure you go do that now.

The Cybersecurity Gals:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-cybersecurity-gals/

Jasmine McCrudden:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-mccrudden/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

We went to Canberra Cyber Hub HQ to chat with Dr. Vicki Gardiner (COO) and Madi Cook (Engagement Manager).

Vicki has had a lengthy career in STEM but is a chemistry girl at heart. Vicki is our first guest to not only have a PhD but to have her own Wikipedia page. Did we also mention she has an award named after her called the Vicki Gardiner Advocacy Award?

Madi has also had an interesting career that started in the travel industry only to be disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. She then pivoted into recruitment and tech roles before joining the Hub. She discusses the transferable skills like communication and problem-solving that helped her get to where she is now.

They explain the Hub’s role as a not-for-profit supporting cybersecurity (and expanding into space and quantum), and promote the Cyber Career Symposium, which showcases varied cyber careers for high school students, tertiary students, and career changers through panels, expos, hands-on activities, and expert advice. They also discuss workforce demand, the Cyber Warden program, cyber hygiene, AI tool risks, and cyber’s importance to protecting people, data, and national resilience.

Canberra Cyber Hub website:

https://canberracyberhub.com.au/

Cyber Careers Symposium registration (for graduates/career changers):

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/cyber-career-symposium-tertiary-students-graduates-career-transitioners-tickets-1982142697165?

Cyber Wardens:

https://cyberwardens.com.au/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

We're joined by Kersti Eesmaa, a former Estonian diplomat and current advocate for cyber resilience in Australia. Kersti shares her journey from diplomacy to becoming an ambassador for Estonia in Australia, and her transition to a new life and career Down Under. She opens up about her unique voice, the result of a childhood health crisis, and how it has become her trademark in public speaking.

The discussion covers the concept of cyber reserves in Estonia and Australia's potential for adopting a similar model. Kersti highlights the importance of community service in cyber security, the challenges, and the need for collaboration across various sectors.

The conversation also touches upon the significance of digital identity, online elections, and how digital solutions can help vulnerable communities, offering lessons from Estonia's advanced digital infrastructure. The episode is a blend of personal anecdotes, professional insights, and a vision for a digitally resilient future.

Cyber Civilian Reserve:
https://www.verticalscope.com.au/cyber-civilian-reserve

Cyber Volunteer Report:
https://bond.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-07/CyberVolunteerReport2025FIN.pdf

Australia Needs a Civilian Cyber Reserve:
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-needs-a-civilian-cyber-reserve-state-emergency-services-are-the-model/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals

In this episode of Lost In Cyberia, we’re joined by Rue Maharaj. Rue shares his extensive background, detailing his journey from South Africa to Australia via New Zealand, and his transition from private sector IT roles to public sector cybersecurity.

Focusing on his current role in cybersecurity defence management at Melbourne Water, Rue highlights the critical importance of incident response and psychological resilience in cybersecurity. The discussion dives deep into various profiles of cyber attackers, cybersecurity awareness, and the essential role of human psychology in both defending against and responding to cyber threats.

Rue also emphasises the need for diverse skill sets in the industry, advocating for the integration of fields such as psychology and criminology into cybersecurity practices.

CyPsy Conference 2026:
https://cypsy29.ulusofona.pt/

Send us Fan Mail

Find us on Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn @thecybersecuritygals