The Hidden Reality of Mums in Addiction | with Karen from Luma

If you're a mum who's ever reached for a drink just to get through the witching hour... this one's for you.And if you've ever judged a mother in addiction, this one's for you too.In this episode, Paris sits down with Karen, senior counsellor and AOD programs officer at Luma; one of the largest and longest-running women's health services in Australia. Karen brings her own lived experience as the daughter of an alcoholic, the sister of drug addicts, and a mother who suffered severe postnatal depression in silence for years. She's also one of the most refreshingly straight-talking people in the sector.Together they get into the reality of motherhood and addiction; the shame that keeps women from asking for help, the mum wine culture nobody wants to call out, what actually happens when a pregnant woman is still using, and why the question is never "don't you love your children enough to stop?"What you'll hear in this episode:Why mothers are held to a standard that's genuinely inhumane, and how that drives addiction undergroundThe truth about mum wine culture and when "it's not a problem until it's a problem" becomes a problemWhat really happens when a pregnant woman is still using, and why fear of Department of Children Protection stops women getting helpThe Wanda's Clinic at King Edward Hospital; a program Karen describes as unlike anything she's ever seenWhy shame thrives in secrecy and why shaming people never creates lasting changeKaren's own postnatal depression experience, and what it cost her to stay silentWhy it's never a choice between the substance and the childThe one thing Karen wishes the public understood about mothers in addictionIf you've ever felt like you're holding the weight of the world together while falling apart silently... this one's for you.About KarenKaren is a senior counsellor and alcohol and other drugs programs officer at Luma in Perth, Western Australia. She brings her own lived experience as the daughter of an alcoholic and sister of drug addicts alongside a master's degree in counselling and six years of frontline work supporting women and families navigating addiction and recovery. She runs drop-in groups, one-on-one counselling, and the beloved Coffee Talk, a weekly Monday morning Facebook Live on the Women's Recovery Community page.Website: ⁠luma.org.au | Email: [email protected] | Phone: (08) 6330 5400Thank you to our Season 4 sponsors:⁠Coach Carly⁠ – Life & mindset coaching | ⁠Elevate Beyond Co.⁠ – Disability support services | ⁠Your Recovery⁠ – Addiction recovery supportThank you to our Production Team: Video/Audio Editing: ⁠Nevverland Studio⁠ | VA - ⁠Lyn Ebon⁠Australia Wide Directory of Services: ⁠https://www.myservices.org.au/⁠Western Australian AOD Services: ⁠https://wanada.org.au/greenbook/⁠National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015Lifeline: 13 11 14 | Suicide Call Back: 1300 659 467 | Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 | Mind Spot: 1800 61 44 34 | Head to Health: 1800 595 212 | Mens Line: 1300 78 99 78 | 13YARN: 13 92 76 | Thirrili: 1800 805 801 |QLife: 1800 184 527 | Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 | Headspace: 1800 650 890Follow The Podcast:⁠www.shtsfcked.com⁠ | ⁠Donate Here |⁠⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠TikTok