Science  Write  Now

In this episode of Cognitive Conversations, I’m joined by Dr Jules Mead and Diane Clarke for a deep dive into how speech pathology informs dialogue in creative writing and the rather touchy subject of pain: why our human vocabulary always seems to fall short of describing it, and why we find it so hard to answer “on a scale of one to ten, how much pain are you in?”

In this fascinating interview, Jules and Diane share their expertise as creative and clinical practitioners, and how they came to specialise in paediatric pain and speech pathology.

Jules shares with us her experiences of using narrative in a medical setting and how her role as a nurse practitioner led her to undertake a PhD focused on the experience of persistent pain in fiction. What informs our understanding of pain - is it more than just a science? What factors might influence one person’s lived experience of persistent pain over another’s? What is “persistent pain” versus “acute pain” and why pain is such a subjective phenomenon?

Diane takes us through the fundamentals of what speech pathology is, what kinds of conditions it addresses, and how the field has evolved over time. How does her experience as a former speech pathologist inform her writing? What does she pay attention to in dialogue? What can fiction reveal or help us to understand about the universal experience?

Lastly, we discuss aspects of health or medical practice that need to be approached differently through arts-based or creative methodologies. What is it about the combination of art and science that ignites their curiosity? Do they have any particular models or personal philosophies that they take into the clinic?

Thank you both so much, Jules and Diane, for joining me for a 10/10 rewarding and enriching (and entirely painless) conversation!

Meet our guests

Dr Jules Mead (nee Richards) is a Nurse Practitioner who has worked with young people dealing with persistent pain for over twenty years. She has a PhD in creative writing, in which she explored the lived experience of young people with persistent pain through a fictional narrative. She is interested in transdisciplinary research and establishing links between the creative arts, education and health. Jules is passionate about advocating for young people with persistent pain and increasing awareness of their lived experience.

Diane Clarke is a retired Brisbane-based Speech Pathologist, who migrated to Australia in 1996 from the UK. Diane specialised in working with children and adults with complex communication needs, alternative and augmentative communication and completed her career as State-Wide Advisor for the Queensland Health Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme. She is the author of two books, The Photograph and The Bracelet where she draws on her knowledge of communication to write authentic dialogue and character interaction.

Diane’s latest novel, The Bracelet is being launched on Saturday 29 March 2025 at Chermside Library (Brisbane) and is available now. The Bracelet has been described as “a masterful family drama and murder mystery which explores themes of identity, inheritance and the impact of buried secrets.” (ooh, ah!) Connect with Diane via her author website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Register to attend the book launch via TryBooking. 

Jules’ debut novel Translating Emma is out in early April 2025. Check out Jules’ author website and connect on LinkedIn. 

This episode was recorded in-person at the State Library of Queensland on the Maiwar or Brisbane River on Kurilpa Point, Place of the Water Rat. We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People as the traditional custodians of these lands, and pay respects to Elders, past and present. 

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We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!