Creative consultant & media expert

I’m available to talk to journalists, programme-makers, podcast hosts, etc. about my areas of expertise including love, sex, gender, self-help, mental health, and mindfulness. There’s a list of my key media engagements here. I have also worked with documentary-makers, playwrights, film-makers, novelists, and other writers on their work in this capacity.

Please read the following information about what I can and can’t offer to the media before contacting me on meg.john.barker@gmail.com with clear details of what you are looking for, and any deadlines or fees so that I can make my decision.

You can find biographies here to use when referring to me in a media report, publicity for an event, or elsewhere. A photograph is also provided.

There is also a Wikipedia page with further information, my books listed here, and many of my publications are downloadable through AcademiaEdu and Google Scholar.

What I can help with

I am available for interviews with journalists on my areas of expertise, and can also write articles myself on these topics, so long as I am assured that the piece will be sensible, non-sensationalist, and affirmative in terms of gender, sexual, and relationship diversity and other intersecting identities/practices.

These are the conditions under which I may be able to help with TV/radio/podcast programmes as a consultant and/or appearing on a programme:

• It’s important that you provide me with enough information to make an informed decision: about the thinking behind the programme, who else will be involved, and others you’ve made. If the programme relates to gender or sexually marginalised people, please be clear why you think it is a relevant/important topic and assure me that you’ll follow the Trans Media Watch guidelines.
• Please state what you’re offering in terms of payment for my time/expertise.
• I’ll need enough time to chat with you and others involved beforehand and do any necessary preparation – I’ll generally need at least a month between first contact and recording given my other commitments.
• I’ll want a contract including editorial control (to see the final programme and be able to approve or ask for changes). I’ll also want any potentially vulnerably participants in the programme to have the same rights.

What I can’t help with

Please note that I can’t help with the following:

• Accessing therapeutic clients or participants from gender, sexual, or relationship diverse communities to take part in interviews or documentaries,
• Conducting therapy or psychological diagnosis or assessment on television/radio (and no psychotherapist, counsellor or psychologist should ethically offer this)
• Commenting directly on celebrities,
• Topics which are outside my areas of expertise.

Hopefully the posts and resources on this site will answer some of your questions.