About Sex Ed Rescue

(and Cath Hakanson)

I help parents to talk to their kids about sex with less cringe and more confidence so they can empower their child to make smart sexual decisions

CATH HAKANSON | Registered Nurse | Midwife | Post-Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health & Venereology | Masters of Health Promotion | Post-Graduate Diploma of Sexology | Cert IV in Assessment & Workplace Training | Cert IV Relationship Education

Hi, I’m Cath Hakanson and I’m the person behind Sex Ed Rescue.

Hi, I’m Cath Hakanson (she/her) – qualified sexual health nurse, author, speaker and the founder of Sex Ed Rescue. Oh, and I’m Australian.

After a nursing career in sexual health, I used to think that sex education would be easy.

But I found myself squirming when my daughter asked me questions about where babies came from or why her baby brother’s penis sometimes poked out.

I struggled to answer my kids’ questions, and worried that I would say too much and take away their childhood innocence. Or even worse, that I would inadvertently encourage them to be sexually active.

But deep down I knew that my kids needed my help to thrive in this sexualised world.

So I spent every spare moment researching the topic and questioning friends with older kids. I drew on everything I’d learnt from working as a sex therapist, a STI and Women’s Health Nurse, an educator and researcher. 

I overcame my fears and started to have open and honest conversations with my kids about sex.

And the more I talked, the easier it became.

There are still times where I cringe, but I keep reminding myself about the bigger picture.

That by talking about difficult topics like sex, that my kids are growing up knowing that they can talk to me about anything. And they do!

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Sex Ed Rescue can help you with…

Giving age-appropriate answers to tricky questions about sex, like ‘How does the sperm get to the egg’ or ‘What does sex feel like’. And if you don’t know the answer, it doesn’t matter, as you now have the right tools.

Starting conversations that feel natural and guided by your personal values. Knowing that you’re satisfying your child’s curiosity and helping them to make sense of the mixed messages they receive about sex.

Imagine being an askable parent. With a child who knows they can turn to you for support, guidance and information. Having a closer relationship where your child knows they can ask you about anything, no matter what.

It’s all possible…

Sex Ed Rescue is filled with simple & straight-forward resources that were created to get you started… regardless of whether you’ve already started talking (or not).

Are you ready to start talking with LESS cringe and MORE confidence?

What others are saying

“I am so grateful for all that you provide in Sex Ed Rescue. Truly, it has had me way ahead of the game with explaining things and making both me and my kids feel comfortable about their bodies, their changes and sex-related ideas.” Sarah

“Thank you so so much. It’s all kinda scary and funny and interesting. I’m very grateful to you for being there always and I’m so glad I found you.” Vicky

“Love your work!! I’ve used a lot of your tips with my daughter and find them very helpful.” Peta

“I love your approach to sex education and how you emphasize not just the biological aspects but the emotional side as well. Keep up the good work!! I really appreciate it!!” Erika

Deep down, you know you need to talk to your child about sex

But something is holding you back.

Maybe you’re worried you’ll do more harm than good. By saying the wrong thing, too much or even worse, not enough.

Maybe it feels too awkward and embarrassing. And getting past your own feelings about sex, or fears for your child feels downright impossible.

Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed. What to say, when to say it… and it just feels too hard!

You want to be able to talk about sex with the confidence that you’re empowering your child to (one day) make smart sexual decisions.

But you’re not sure where to start.

I understand. Because I used to feel the same way.

I believe you can talk about sex with less cringe and more confidence, and empower your child to make smart sexual decisions.

You don’t have to be totally comfortable or be a ‘sexpert’ to have open and honest conversations about sex with your child. But with the right tools and knowledge, YOU can have age-appropriate conversations that will empower your child to make smart decisions about love, sex and relationships.

Are you ready to start talking with LESS cringe and MORE confidence?

“Thanks Cath!!! With everything you share and post I’ve learned a lot. And I don’t mean only information, but the way you treat other people and every topic with respect too.” Michel

“Keep up the great work! Cath is a brilliant resource. I have recommended to so many friends.” Hannah

“Thanks for all your fantastic emails, videos and posts, and not to forget, your books. I home-school my kids, so sex ed is totally down to me and husband to teach; he’s a lot more open than me on the subject, but I had a breakthrough last week, after reading some of your Boy Puberty and Girl Puberty (I will finish them in time!) I felt so much more confident and we’ve had two lessons so far which have gone well – thank you so much.” Nicole

“Thanks for your great newsletter, Cath! It is really helpful and deals so well with potentially tricky subjects. Keep up the good work!” Lori

Professional Bio

Cath Hakanson has been talking to clients about sex for the past 25 years as a nurse, midwife, sex therapist, researcher, author and educator. She’s spent the past 15 years trying to unravel why parents (herself included) struggle with sex education. Her solution was to create Sex Ed Rescue, an online resource that simplifies sex education and helps parents to empower their children with the right information about sex, so kids can talk to them about anything, no matter what.

Cath has lived all over Australia but currently lives in Perth with her partner, 2 children, and ever-growing menagerie of pets. Despite having an unusual profession, she bakes, sews, and knits for sanity, collects sexual trivia, and tries really hard not to embarrass her children in public. Well, most of the time anyway!

You can find my photos here & here.

Places I’ve been seen

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How to tell your child about the birds and bees before someone else does! – August 2016

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