Mindsmith Wellness

19/08/2026

"I got an AMH test and it said I have low ovarian reserve. Now I'm panicking. Have I left it too late to have kids?" I hear this fear a lot in practice. Don't panic! It's not as dire as you might fear.

It would be awesome of a simple blood test could help you predict your fertility and chances of being able to have a baby. Sometimes the rhetoric around the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) test suggests this is the case, but unfortunately, it is much more complex than that.

What the AMH test can tell you:
- a guide to how many eggs you may get from a egg retrieval cycle during fertility treatment; and
- a guide for the fertility specialist around dosing of medications during your treatment.

What the AMH test cannot tell you:
- how likely you are to get pregnant or have a baby;
- when menopause might start for you;
- the quality of your eggs;
- how quickly you need to start trying to conceive to maximise your chances of having the family you would like.

Dr Tessa Copp (I had the privilege of seeing her speak at the recent conference in Canberra!) and colleagues have developed a great facts sheet on the AMH test which explores the scientific research behind claims about the AMH test (see comments). Whether you have had the test and the results have caused you to rethink your plans around fertility, or you are contemplating getting the test done, it is helpful to use correct information in your decision-making.

14/08/2026

These last two weeks have been full! Very full! Surgery, recovery, conference and finally home. Now enjoying some recovery from my travels!!
It’s a good reminder that even the most fun, interesting and exciting adventures can still need recovery on the other side.
I’ll be posting all my new info and insights from the awesome conference in the coming week ☺️

11/08/2026

Very fortunate to hear Denny Sakkas (an Aussie!) speak at the conference in Canberra this week. Great to see a focus on male factor infertility with practical things men can do to improve s***m quality (and their overall health at the same time!)

In its first update in 14 years, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) released new treatment guidelines for recurrent miscarriage. They say that testing s***m for DNA damage could help explain multiple pregnancy losses. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/s***m-with-dna-damage-might-be-the-true-cause-of-repeated-miscarriages/

07/08/2026

How does ART close the door on those patients who don’t have a child or end up with fewer children than they want?
The beautifully brave Catherine Vallence discussed her lived experience of involuntary childlessness and suspended the industry to “close the door with care” on those parents who are not successful.
I loved her discussion of what is ‘safe’? There is good focus in IVF on physical safety but what about psychological safety, particularly for those clients who leave with empty arms?
It also needs to be psychologically safe in both the short and long terms regardless of reproductive outcomes.
This means considering the cumulative impacts of multiple cycles as well as the potentially catastrophic financial outcomes.
Loved the quote - The measure of success should be the “alleviation of patient suffering caused by an unfulfilled child wish.” This can be achievable regardless of whether the client is able to have a child. There is meaning and value in trying that often goes unrecognised. Further, clients need to know that they can stop. It can require great courage to decide not to proceed with more treatment and clients need to be empowered to make this choice.

07/08/2026

Frosty morning for Day 1 of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand conference!

First, coffee! ☕️

07/08/2026

So excited to be heading off from WTB ✈️ Toowoomba Wellcamp to Canberra for the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand annual conference!
I hope to be able to post lots of interesting insights in the fertility space over the next 5 days.

29/07/2026

Fact or fiction: Having a baby will bring a couple closer together?

Sadly, for 67% of couples that is not the case. Research shows that the years after the birth of a child are often the most unhappy for most couples. This feels even more disappointing for couples where they had the inaccurate belief that once baby arrived they would be happier than ever, especially for those who struggled with fertility issues.

If you are unhappy in this life stage, you aren’t failing. You are just like most couples. Just because you are in the trenches of early parenthood doesn’t mean you just have to keep toughing it out though.

I can help. You can attend an appointment either by yourself or as a couple. And bubs under 12 months are welcome too!



https://www.gottman.com/blog/bringing-baby-home-the-research/?fbclid=IwAR2fNVpNO9-Xu4tMOzgqeGdts2E_saX4LPczFJjhadzvzxeymw-lm4eWgS4

Discover how Bringing Home Baby was born and dig into the research results that support this program.

28/07/2026

Kelly is a beautiful local Toowoomba women’s health physio 💕

28/07/2026

Does Couples Therapy Actually Work?

It's a fair question. Perhaps you have tried it before and it hasn't achieved what you wanted. Or perhaps you know someone that tried and it didn't work.

But the research says yes!

Couples who engage in evidence-based therapy report significant improvements in relationship satisfaction, communication, and intimacy. This is especially true when they seek support early. (If you, like me, love to see the sources research, check the comments below!)

But here's what I also know from working with couples directly:

✅ Therapy works best when both partners are willing to be open (even a little)
✅ It's not about assigning blame. It's about understanding patterns
✅ Progress often happens faster than people expect. It can sometimes feel like nothing is working and then things just click into place!
✅ Even one person changing their approach can shift the dynamic for both. So even if your spouse doesn't want to go, come along by yourself first!

My approach is directed towards supporting couples to grow their intimacy but I also utilise a range of tools from evidence-based relationship therapies such as Gottman Therapy and Acceptance and Committment Therapy. Ultimately, the dynamic in a couple's relationship has a strong impact on intimacy, and vice versa!

The hardest part, for most couples though, is making the first call.

I make that easier with a free 15-minute discovery call; a low-stakes first step to ask questions and see if we're a good fit.

🔗 mindsmithwellness.com.au





Art: Henn Kim

27/07/2026

The Quiet Distance That Can Grow Between Couples

It rarely starts with a big fight or a dramatic moment.

Often it is just the slow drift. The conversations that stay surface-level. The nights where you're in the same bed, but feel far apart. When conversations are limited to what's for dinner or what the kids are doing. Intimacy might become a peck on leaving for work, or s*x feels like routine.

Because distance in a relationship often comes on gradually, it can be easy to dismiss or ignore. Nothing seems broken, nothing is failing; not yet. But left unaddressed, that distance can get wider and wider until the chasm becomes harder to bridge.

Often the first a couple notices is when they go on holidays and without work or kids, they find that have little to talk about. Or perhaps a newly empty nest reveals that they don't really know each other anymore.

Couples therapy and psychos*xual counselling can help you:
💙 Understand what's driving the disconnection and be reassured that it can be bridged
💙 Build new ways of communicating about intimacy and needs - hear and be heard again
💙 Rediscover what brought you together and learn to fall in love all over again

Like any slow growing problem, the sooner you take action, the less difficult it is. But equally it is never too late where both partners want to rediscover each other. If your spouse is the most important person in your life, prove that in your actions and prioritise that relationship through actively working on it.

I offer a free 15-minute discovery call. Touch base and find out how I can help you rediscover your passion for each other!

📲 mindsmithwellness.com.au



Art: Henn Kim Starry Night, Blurry Dreams (2021)