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Westsider Radio: This Complex Life

Westsider Radio: This Complex Life

By: Mario Pinti
Listen for free

Got questions about parenting, teenagers, or relationships? Ever wonder why your teen won’t talk to you, or why your relationship feels like hard work lately? Hi, I’m Marie Vakakis, a therapist, mental health educator, and someone who’s been behind the scenes with countless families and couples navigating the ups and downs of real life.

This Complex Life is your go-to for relatable insights, practical advice, and real talk about parenting, raising teenagers, and navigating relationships. I’ll share what I’ve learned from years of sitting in the therapist’s chair, helping parents understand their teens, supporting couples through tough times, and figuring out what actually works when life feels overwhelming.

Whether it’s understanding your teen’s moods, handling family drama, or reconnecting in your relationship, I’m here to give you practical advice, relatable insights and a little humour to keep it real. Parenting and relationships aren’t easy, but they don’t have to feel impossible.

2026 Westsider Radio Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • 7 signs your partner is emotionally checked out

    7 signs your partner is emotionally checked out
    Jun 8 2026

    You're spending time together. Dinners, dog walks, evenings on the couch. Nobody's fighting, nothing is obviously broken. Something feels completely off and you can't quite point to it. In this episode I walk through seven signs your partner might be emotionally checked out, even when everything looks fine from the outside.


    Resources and Links

    • Relationship Reset course: marievakakis.com.au

    • Free Conflict Workbook: marievakakis.com.au

    • Connected Teens parenting course

    • Marathon sessions at The Therapy Hub: thetherapyhub.com.au


    askmarie@marievakakis.com.au
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • The psychology of the ick and what it says about you

    The psychology of the ick and what it says about you
    May 28 2026

    The ick in dating. That sudden, full-body recoil where someone does something completely normal and you just shut down. 64% of people have experienced it, and a quarter ended the relationship because of it. But is the ick a red flag, or is it fear of intimacy disguised as disgust?

    Therapist Marie Vakakis unpacks the psychology of the ick, what it reveals about your attachment style, and asks: are we being too picky, or are we terrified of being truly seen?

    This episode covers:

    • What the ick actually is and why it happens

    • Red flags vs superficial triggers

    • How shame, projection and avoidant attachment drive the ick

    • Are we being too picky in dating?

    • What to do when the ick shows up

    Show notes and more at marievakakis.com.au

    Got a question for the podcast? Email it to

    askmarie@marievakakis.com.au
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
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