Audio Disclaimer:We apologise for some audio inconsistencies throughout this episode. We experienced some technical issues during recording and have done our best to enhance and clean up the audio in post-production. Thanks for your understanding, and we hope you enjoy the conversation regardless.In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with psychotherapist and psychosexual therapist Patrick Rory John for one of our most open and thought-provoking conversations yet.Patrick works across sexuality, relationships, disability, queer and trans identity, mental health and recovery. Their own lived experience sits at the heart of the work, having navigated addiction, disability, queerness, faith, discrimination and recovery before becoming a therapist.The conversation explores a topic that is still rarely discussed openly: sexuality and disability.Patrick challenges the idea that protecting people with disability should mean controlling their lives, and explains the difference between safeguarding someone and taking away their autonomy. They discuss privacy, dating, relationships, sex education, online safety, support workers, restrictive practices and the concept of dignity of risk.Rachel and Patrick also unpack queer relationships, pronouns, identity, heteronormativity, the impact of growing up without healthy queer relationship models, and why belonging and community matter so deeply.Patrick opens up about growing up in a Catholic Irish family in Sydney, coming out young, becoming heavily involved in the church, being excommunicated after their sexuality became known, and the addiction and recovery journey that ultimately led them towards therapy.They also talk about the future of sex education for people with disability, why support workers need better training, how providers can create safer environments without making people's worlds smaller, and the importance of actually listening to people with lived experience rather than speaking for them.And, because this is What Are We Drinking?, Patrick joins Rachel over a non-alcoholic margarita.This episode is funny, vulnerable, challenging and deeply human.

The NDIS is changing. But are these reforms creating a better future for participants, or putting the entire ecosystem under pressure?

In this special NDIS Reform Roundtable episode of What Are We Drinking? with Rachel Carey, industry leaders come together for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the biggest challenges facing the disability sector.

From registration changes and SIL Practice Standards, to pricing, participant choice, provider sustainability, AI decision-making and the future of the NDIS, this conversation explores the questions many people are asking but few are willing to debate openly.

Hosted by Rachel Carey, this roundtable brings together passionate voices from across the sector to discuss:

• Does the NDIS actually need reform?

• Will tighter regulation improve participant outcomes?

• Should every NDIS provider be registered?

• Are reforms prioritising savings over participant choice?

• Could changes unintentionally impact the people the scheme exists to support?

• What does the future of disability services look like in 5 years?

The conversation also explores the role of quality providers, lived experience, innovation and collaboration in creating a sustainable NDIS that delivers better outcomes for Australians living with disability.

This isn’t about being for or against reform.

It’s about asking the harder question:

How do we make sure the future of the NDIS works for the people who need it most?

Featuring:

Yasser Zaki - Global CEO of Tender Loving Care

Chris Hill - COO of Allara Support Services

Tim Roberts - General Manager of Ethical SDA

Amanda Winslade - Business Relationship Manager at Plan Partners

George Ayoub - Founder of Solution Ideas Ability Boutique

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Aden Perry — founder of OurChoice Disability — for a raw, funny and honest conversation about rugby league, disability support, community access, young leadership and building a business with purpose.

Aden shares his journey from growing up in the Sutherland Shire and chasing rugby league, to entering the disability sector at 18 and being confronted by the reality of personal care, group homes and the lives of people who need genuine support.

That experience became the foundation for OurChoice Disability — a business Aden started at just 21 years old with a simple mission: to give participants real experiences, real connection and real opportunities to build confidence, independence and capacity.

Rachel and Aden unpack why community access is so much more than “just going out for fun.” From learning how to order a coffee, go shopping, build friendships, cook meals, move your body, regulate emotions and come home with a story to tell — this conversation is a powerful reminder of how much growth happens in everyday moments.

They also discuss rugby league, resilience, knockbacks, mental health, tall poppy syndrome, the pressure of being a young founder, asking for help, building a young team, and the impact potential NDIS cuts to community participation could have on participants and families.

This episode is energetic, emotional, hilarious and deeply relevant to the disability sector right now.

Topics:

Aden Perry’s upbringing in the Sutherland Shire

Rugby league, resilience and knockbacks

Playing footy across Sydney, Wollongong and representative pathways

Rachel giving Aden his first job in disability

Entering personal care at 18

The confronting reality of disability support work

Working in group homes

Supporting participants with complex needs

Why Aden started OurChoice Disability at 21

What OurChoice is really about

Community access as capacity building

Helping participants build independence

Social skills, confidence and friendship

Giving participants “dinner table stories”

Why community participation is not just playtime

NDIS cuts and the risk to social/community participation

The pressure of being a young founder

Mental health, burnout and asking for help

Tall poppy syndrome

Building a young team and strong culture

Why sport, movement and fitness matter

Meal prep, life skills and future program ideas

Rachel and Aden’s full-circle relationship

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Dain Walker — personal brand strategist, founder of Rivyl, author, speaker, creator and the man known as “the internet’s brand strategist.”Dain shares the full story behind his journey, from a chaotic childhood and time in foster care, to being $200,000 in debt, working at Telstra, and having a life-changing moment after seeing Gary Vee speak live. That moment became the spark that pushed him into content, branding, entrepreneurship and building the creative empire he leads today.Rachel and Dain dive deep into personal branding, why businesses without visible founders are already falling behind, and why people connect with people, stories and characters far more than logos. Dain breaks down the difference between authenticity and identity, why imperfect characters are more powerful, and how founders can use their story to build real trust online.They also unpack business growth, creativity, fatherhood, leadership, podcasting, content teams, trauma, resilience and the importance of designing the person you want to become.And yes — instead of whiskey, wine or a flashy cocktail, Dain chose vanilla custard. Naturally.This episode is funny, raw, practical and packed with gold for anyone building a brand, business or better version of themselves.

Key Topics Discussed

• Who Dain Walker really is beyond the brand
• Growing up in chaos and entering foster care
• How childhood adversity shaped his empathy and creativity
• Going from $200K debt to building Rivyl
• The Gary Vee moment that changed his life
• Why he chose vanilla custard as his drink
• Why personal brands matter more than ever
• Why people follow people, not logos
• The difference between personal, product and company brands
• Steve Jobs, Apple and the power of founder-led storytelling
• Why authenticity can be a confusing word
• Building a character, identity and online presence
• Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man as personal brand metaphors
• How to balance being real with being strategic online
• Personal branding in regulated industries like the NDIS
• The role of entertainment and education in content
• How founders should think about social media
• Internal creative teams and modern content strategy
• Podcasting as business development
• Fatherhood, family and staying present
• What’s next for Dain, including live events

In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel sits down with Rhys and Jaxon from Empower Care Solutions Hub for a raw, funny and genuinely moving conversation about friendship, business, disability support and what it means to help young people feel like they belong.

From becoming best mates and building a business together, to working long hours, navigating burnout and putting everything back into the people they support, Rhys and Jaxon open up about the real grind behind Empower Care. Their mission is simple but powerful: helping young people feel seen, heard, believed in and supported to take the next step.

They share the stories behind Empower Care’s programs, including Teens Night, Fit Friends, 1:1 support and community-based activities that build confidence, connection and real-life skills. Empower Care’s own website describes these programs as spaces for young people to build confidence, friendships, independence and genuine connection.

The conversation also dives into the viral learner licence moment, supporting young people through anxiety and isolation, the importance of genuine care in disability support, and why connection should always come before goals.

This episode is about more than support work. It’s about belonging, confidence, brotherhood and the kind of impact that happens when people actually give a shit.

Key Topics Discussed

- How Rhys and Jaxon became friends

- Building Empower Care from the ground up

- The early grind of business ownership

- Burnout, sacrifice and backing each other

- Supporting young people with disability

- Why young people need belonging and connection

- Rhys’ personal experience with anxiety and feeling lost

- Jaxon’s journey from stable employment into support work

- Teens Night and the power of social connection

- Fit Friends, cooking, gym and community activities

- The viral learner licence success story

- Building confidence through small wins

- Professional boundaries vs genuine care

- Why families want support workers who actually care

- Imposter syndrome and showing up scared

- Social media, storytelling and building a brand

- Their long-term vision for an Empower Care community hub

- Advice for young people and parents

What Are We Drinking's first guest — Amanda Rose, returns, and she doesn't hold back.

From women in business and government procurement to AI, taxation, entrepreneurship, financial independence and the future of Australia, Amanda doesn't hold back.

As the founder of Small Business Women Australia, Amanda is on a mission to change how women access opportunities, contracts and economic power. She shares why only a tiny percentage of government contracts go to women-owned businesses, why she's built another business focused on changing that, and what she believes needs to happen to create genuine financial independence for women.

Rachel and Amanda also tackle some of the biggest issues facing Australians right now — the cost of living crisis, small business pressures, AI's impact on jobs, payroll tax, housing affordability, government policy and why critical thinking matters more than ever.

Whether you agree with Amanda or not, one thing is certain: she's never afraid to say exactly what she thinks.

What happens when you combine sharp comedy, lived experience, and fearless advocacy?In this episode of What Are We Drinking?, Rachel Carey sits down with comedian, writer, filmmaker and disability advocate Madeleine Stewart for a candid conversation about using humour to challenge stereotypes and change perceptions around disability.Madeleine shares her journey from growing up in Campbelltown to performing stand-up comedy across Australia, appearing on the ABC, creating films, and becoming one of the country's most recognised disability advocates. Together, Rachel and Madeleine unpack the power of representation, the realities of dating and relationships with a disability, inclusion in mainstream media, and the impact current NDIS changes are having on people with disabilities.This episode is funny, honest, challenging and deeply important.

Key Topics

- Madeleine's journey into comedy and advocacy

- Using humour to challenge disability stereotypes

- Representation in Australian media

- Working with the ABC and film projects

- Growing up with a disability in Western Sydney

- Dating, relationships and disability

- Why "inspirational" can be a problematic label

- Inclusion beyond performative diversity

- The current state of the NDIS

- NDIS cuts and their real-world impact

- Creating social change through storytelling

- The future of disability advocacy in Australia

What happens to your identity, your relationships, and your sex life after a stroke — and why is the healthcare system barely even asking the question?

This week on What Are We Drinking, Rachel sits down with William Kokay — social worker, PhD researcher, and the man on a mission to bridge one of the biggest gaps in post-stroke care. Over a Cosmo (obviously), they get into a conversation that is equal parts hilarious, eye-opening, and genuinely important.

William's work sits at the intersection of stroke rehabilitation, sexuality, gender identity and the LGBTQ+ community — and it's groundbreaking because almost no one else is doing it. He's spent years inside neurology wards, talking to patients and their partners about the things most clinicians quietly sidestep. And he's funding most of it himself.

In this episode, they get into:

• Why sexuality and identity are almost always left out of stroke recovery conversations
• The gap in care for LGBTQ+ stroke survivors — and why it matters for everyone
• What it means when your partner becomes your carer overnight
• The NDIS, funding cuts to sexuality support, and who's getting left behind
• How Donald Trump's policies are literally affecting research participants in Australia
• What healthcare professionals still don't understand about queer health
• Growing up in the 90s without role models, and how that shaped William's life's work
• Why identity isn't fixed — and why that's actually a beautiful thing

This one is unfiltered, unapologetic, and full of moments that'll make you think differently about what it really means to treat the whole person — not just the medical condition.