A former army psychologist on ketamine therapy, PTSD and her surrogate twins

Louise O'Sullivan spent 10 years with the ADF, including deployments with the Special Forces in Afghanistan which eventually left her with PTSD, but a bigger battle lay ahead, the fight to save her premature twins.

After leaving the military, Louise wanted to begin a family but cancer treatment had left her unable to carry her own children so she found a surrogate in Ukraine.

But when her twins were born prematurely, she spent months living and caring for them in a Ukranian hospital.

Eventually Louise had to begin her own process of healing, which included a life changing course of ketamine therapy.

The episode of Conversations was produced by Jen Leake and the Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison.

It covers topics including psychology, trauma, Australian Defence Force, Afghanistan, women in the military, army training, physical and mental endurance, helicopter crash, fatalities, injury, ripping out, trauma response, PTSD, cervical cancer, chemotherapy, radiation, hysterectomy, international surrogacy, premature babies, health care in Ukraine, divorces, EMDR, ketamine therapy

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

The most shared episode of Conversations in 2025 was Sarah's interview with social psychologist Jonathan Hait on 'attention fracking' and how to stop tech companies stealing your focus.

Sarah's interview with Jonathan Haidt