Family Pathway Solutions

01/02/2026

Parenting is hard. Parenting in a "Glass House" is a different league. 🔍

What happens to the family unit when it becomes a public system? The transition from private citizen to "Public Parent" is one of the most complex shifts a caregiver can make.

In this episode, we break down:

• The Surveillance Paradox: Creating "normalcy" while being monitored.
• Shared Authority: Navigating the "Privacy Tug-of-War" with the state.
• Professionalism vs. Passion: Loving a child like your own within a "temporary" framework.

It’s time to prioritize dignity over visibility. Join us for a raw look at the systemic oversight of modern parenting.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tNyZLAD3myO04klKgJPfN?si=AXaw6l28SNCGigiLS3H5Hw

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

19/01/2026

How does chronic threat rewire the developing brain?

In the latest episode of Relational Practice, Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey explore the neurobiology of C-PTSD. Drawing on the work of Dr. Bruce Perry, we discuss how "Disturbances in Self-Organization" (DSO) are not failures of character, but remarkable neurobiological adaptations to unsafe environments.

Episode Highlights:

• The distinction between acute PTSD and relational Complex Trauma.
• How the "survival brain" stays in a state of perpetual activation.
• Pathways to healing through EMDR and body-centered therapies.

Join us for this fortnightly deep dive into the world of relational practice.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/26pwbZiNoX44z0POIvcuAE?si=BUc7XTv5TmaS1MV5NkOttg

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

22/12/2025

New episode alert!

The holiday season often weaponizes "family time" into a tool for isolation. In this timely deep dive, we explore why coercive control is the core lethal risk factor in high-conflict relationships—present in 97% of intimate partner homicides.

Key Insights for Professionals & the Community: 📍 Redefining Harm: Domestic violence as the systematic theft of autonomy. 📍 The Tactics: Decoding isolation, economic abuse, and surveillance. 📍 The Clinical Lens: Documenting chronic patterns and addressing the psychological toll of CPTSD.

A vital, trauma-informed deep dive for anyone navigating or working alongside violence survivors this season.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/6pfEGCfe0HkMkyo1j2TD6I?si=GSLCaV9wSvafgYKRShnY-g

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

15/12/2025

Holding space in my heart for all the lives tragically lost and those injured in the horrific incident at Bondi. Their stories, and the pain their families are enduring, are unimaginable.

Thank you to the first responders and the brave individuals who acted selflessly. May we all offer kindness and support to those grappling with this trauma.

07/12/2025

For professionals working in child protection, OOHC, and clinical practice: Understanding emotional and behavioural regulation through a trauma lens is no longer optional—it is the ethical imperative for healing.

In Podcast Episode 22, Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey present a framework for applying a Trauma-Responsive Lens to dysregulation:

1. Trauma-Responsive vs. Trauma-Informed: Moving beyond knowing "What happened to you?" to actively changing practice based on that knowledge (citing SAMHSA).
2. Neurobiological Basis: Using a simplified Polyvagal Theory model to understand defence states (Safe, Fight/Flight, Freeze/Shutdown) as the root of dysregulation.
3. Reframing Motivation: Shifting assessment from non-compliance to identifying the protective function of the behaviour (e.g., Aggression as Gaining Control; Withdrawal as Self-Preservation).
4. The Three R’s: Practical strategies for Co-Regulation (Regulate, Relate, Reason) to restore the client's capacity for safety and agency.

This episode is a valuable professional development resource focused on collaborative, choice-based, and safety-first practice.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/64DnSdAMOJVsubRba7PKTu?si=O32kJw1IS1aQnW0x5nTNJw

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

24/11/2025

🚨 NEW EPISODE ALERT

In a new, essential episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, we undertake a deep, gendered analysis of the tension between legislative reform and judicial default in family violence cases.

We focus on the social work imperative: to close the harmful gap where the law explicitly mandates child safety as paramount, yet court practice often defaults to "contact at all costs."

Key Focus Areas:
• The Paradigm Shift: Analyzing how new laws remove presumptions for equal time in light of risk.
• The Ethical Challenge: Questioning the rationale behind judicial orders for contact (even supervised) with violent parents, despite documented harm, which re-traumatizes protective mothers and children.
• Evidence-Based Necessity: Reviewing sobering ANROWS research that confirms intimate partner violence as a major risk factor for filicide.

We advocate that the judicial principle of "best interests of the child" must be urgently reframed through a trauma-informed lens to mean "safety at all costs" when violence is present.

Join us to explore the urgent need for systemic cultural change, enhanced risk assessment tools, and mandatory trauma-informed training for all judicial and legal professionals.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Bjwd4o9BgQ9SxGJaQCC3H?si=yE6AcUrERjOBbF9omYLYBA

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

10/11/2025

We are thrilled to bring you our most groundbreaking episode yet! Join Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey as they introduce the Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM), the advanced attachment framework that moves beyond basic categories to explain the logic of trauma.



The DMM shows us that "insecure" behaviours are actually organized, adaptive responses to danger. We dive into:

Type A (Cognitive): The strategy of blocking negative feelings to rely on logic.

Type C (Affective): The strategy of relying on exaggerated emotions and blocking factual coherence.



If you are a therapist, social worker, or anyone working with complex trauma, this episode will fundamentally change how you approach clients. Learn the DMM-informed interventions that focus on realizing the adaptive significance of these strategies.



Tune in to discover why the DMM is the game-changer for therapy, parenting assessment, and critical decision-making in child protection.



https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ReM9wNz3radrEpUX3fhuC?si=pTW0-zm-SyKiiK5IKF-BGg

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

26/10/2025

🎙️ NEW EPISODE ALERT: Social Work Q&A! 🛡️

Got questions about the complex world of social work? We've got answers!

Join Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey for a special Q&A episode where they tackle your most pressing questions and pull back the curtain on the profession!

In this must-listen episode, we dive into:

• 🚫 The Biggest Misconception: What really is a social worker?
• 🗣️ Genuine Voice: Strategies for ensuring children have meaningful participation in decision-making.
• 🔗 The Intersection: How do trauma, child protection, and Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) connect in practice?
• 🚧 Systemic Hurdle: Identifying the single greatest challenge facing the sector today.
• 📈 Professional Growth: The essential role of social work supervision.

Whether you're a student, a seasoned practitioner, or simply curious about this vital work, this episode is packed with expert-led clarity.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2dyWiYlQT2pZ3oF8yYgaVP?si=DpjS4XRdQfu0Ro0Wt3q2pg

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

14/10/2025

Why Our Bodies Talk: A Social Worker's Guide to Polyvagal Theory.

Ever wondered what’s really happening when a client shuts down or a session suddenly feels tense? The answer lies in the Polyvagal Autonomic Ladder.

This latest episode of Relational Practice: a social work podcast, hosted by Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey, introduces the Polyvagal Theory—a game-changer for practitioners. Learn to read the body's unconscious defense systems (Ventral Vagal, Sympathetic, Dorsal Vagal) and understand Neuroception, the body's secret detective.

This is a vital guide to leveraging co-regulation to move clients from threat to safety. Tune in to discover why a regulated social worker is the most powerful tool in the room.

Listen now and transform your trauma-informed approach:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2j9PKGs5VxGHx4KRdZZCUH?si=yEuqrrICTuK002EUFKalqg

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

28/09/2025

💔 Ever wonder how social workers help people navigate the toughest times? Our latest Relational Practice podcast episode dives deep into grief and loss, exploring key theories like Kübler-Ross's stages, the Dual Process Model, and even "Disenfranchised Grief."

Discover how social workers use a "person-in-environment" lens to support individuals and families, respecting diverse cultural mourning rituals along the way. Grief often underpins the challenges we face, and understanding it is crucial for compassionate practice.

Tune in to learn more about supporting those experiencing loss and how unresolved grief can impact behaviour. Don't miss this essential listen for anyone in the social work field!

🎧 Listen now and let us know your thoughts!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Y8EvCvIees5N7CXMMoCZ6?si=ge1opT03RgqCwG2mOxWI1w

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

14/09/2025

New Episode Alert!!

You can feel the weight of a client's pain, but you just can't put a name to it. If you're a social worker, you've likely encountered ambiguous loss: the unique, agonizing grief that comes when someone is either physically gone but psychologically present (like a missing person) or physically there but psychologically absent (like a loved one with dementia).

On the new episode of "Relational Practice," hosts Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey are joined by the leading expert on the topic, Dr. Kenny Kor.

You'll learn:
• The definition of ambiguous loss and why it's so vital for social work.
• The Mitchell research's six dimensions of loss, giving you a powerful new way to understand the unspoken pain of families.
• The HEAR practice model, a clear, step-by-step guide to help clients navigate these incredibly difficult situations and find a path forward.

Don't let this type of grief go unnamed. Tune in now to get the tools you need to help families find clarity and healing.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7e3YGl5sBN4PeUTT390Fpu?si=eiAjYzPMRbGwq3a5QJ-aCQ

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode

31/08/2025

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2exqN5GHZjTSsLz4SW4OIV?si=77CLDdx4SX6QR7G1MKSF1w



On our new episode of Relational Practice, we challenge the "superhero" social worker myth and redefine resilience as a skill you can develop.

We're sharing actionable strategies on setting boundaries, building support networks, and embracing self-care as a professional necessity.

Tune in to learn why self-care isn't selfish, it's essential.

Want to ask us anything? We're planning a Q&A episode! Send your questions to us on Facebook, Instagram, or via email at relationalpractice01@gmail.com.

Relational Practice: a social work podcast · Episode