Welcome to The Unedited Woman series! In this episode, Ash shares her transformative experience attending a breathwork facilitator training in the Snowy Mountains. She discusses her initial scepticism towards breathwork, her journey of discovery, and the profound impact it has had on her life. Ash delves into the science behind breathwork, explaining how it can heal emotional trauma, improve overall wellness, and enhance focus. She emphasises the importance of breathwork in personal transformati...
Dec 11, 2024•38 min•Season 3Ep. 100
Welcome to The Unedited Woman series! In this episode, Ash welcomes Danni Carr for a heartfelt conversation about nervous system regulation, personal growth, and their upcoming workshops and retreats. They discuss the importance of understanding one's nervous system, the benefits of practices like yoga nidra, and how these tools can enhance relationships and overall well-being. Danni shares her journey of sobriety and the insights gained from her experiences, emphasising the significance of self...
Dec 09, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 99
Welcome to The Unedited Woman series! In today’s episode, Ash is having her Human Design chart read live on the podcast. Ash is joined by Human Design expert Aviva Joffe to explore the transformative power of human design. They discuss the origins of human design, Aviva's personal journey into this field, and the significance of understanding one's energy type. The conversation delves deeper as Aviva reads Ash’s Human Design chart live on the podcast, highlighting the importance of self-care, se...
Dec 07, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 98
Welcome to The Unedited Woman series! In today’s episode, Ash is sharing her recent engagement story. She discusses the story of how she met her fiancé and the beautiful moment of their engagement. Ash also delves into the importance of self-worth and how to reframe negative self-talk through mindfulness, affirmation practices, and gratitude. She highlights the power of neuroplasticity and the ability to rewire our thinking. The Radiant Woman event focused on physical transformation, skincare, m...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 97
Welcome to The Unedited Woman series ! In today’s episode, Ash is sharing an episode with you around the importance of mindfulness and its role in avoiding burnout. She highlights the high levels of stress experienced by women and the need to prioritise self-care. Ash explains that mindfulness is a practice that can regulate emotions and the nervous system, leading to improved mental clarity and overall well-being. She shares three breath practices - diaphragmatic breath, box breath, and alterna...
Dec 03, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 96
In this episode of Behind the Smile , Ash Butterss returns to share her journey of transformation and the importance of authentic conversations about mental health, trauma, and addiction. She reflects on her time away from the podcast, the lessons learned, and her commitment to creating a space for meaningful connections. Ash highlights the significance of trusting oneself, embracing the messiness of life, and the excitement of new beginnings as she prepares to relaunch the podcast with fresh co...
Dec 01, 2024•22 min•Season 3Ep. 95
In this final episode of Behind the Smile with Ash Butterss, I find myself caught between waves of emotion, from sadness to gratitude to a deep sense of excitement. They say all good things must come to an end, but within that ending lies the seeds of new beginnings. Throughout this journey I’ve always emphasised the importance of practicing what I preach, being guided by my intuition and leading with vulnerability. Now I’m taking my own advice, as I step into this next chapter. Behind the Smile...
Apr 14, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 94
This week I sat down with Lissie Turner, also known as Mel Bampton from Triple J’s ‘Mel in the Morning’ and creator of ‘Like a Version’. Now an author, speaker, founder of The Prana Project and internationally accredited senior yoga teacher and therapist, Lissie shares her profound journey from a life of prominence and partying to one of sobriety, dedicated to compassionate living, mental health, and yoga therapy. Lissie offers an unflinchingly honest look at her personal trials, including redef...
Apr 07, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 4Ep. 93
In this week’s episode, I sat down with Dr. David Wiss, a registered dietitian nutritionist who specialises in treating eating disorders and substance abuse. David shares his journey from hustling in the streets of West LA in the 90’s, his experience during the opioid epidemic, drug abuse and incarceration to becoming a thought leader in the intersection of nutrition and mental health. He provides insight into his work, exploring topics such as the impact of adverse childhood experiences on eati...
Mar 31, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 92
In this studio episode, I’m joined by Empowerment Specialist Laura Corcoran who is known for assisting women in boosting their energy, confidence, and magnetism. With a background in psychology, Laura merges conventional therapeutic methods with holistic healing modalities. Deeply rooted from her own experiences, Laura talks us through the essential practice of embracing stillness, establishing personal boundaries, articulating personal truths, and the critical role of mentorship in the journey ...
Mar 24, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 91
In this studio episode, I sit down with David Titeu - a mindset coach, mental health advocate, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the mental health support app, Linkmate. David takes us through his personal journey, from struggling with the weight of parental expectations and trying to fit in, to his battles with substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Throughout our conversation, David and I talk about the significance of initiating open and candid dialogues surrounding mental health, the importanc...
Mar 17, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 90
In this week’s episode, I sat down with recovery and social justice warrior, Nicole Obrigavitch. Nicole went from being a practicing lawyer, wife and mother, to dealing drugs and having a price on her head. A police operation led to her eventual arrest and conviction which saw her spend three years in prison. Since getting clean and sober in 2018, Nicole has fought to rebuild her life and give back. Today, as the Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatoon, Nicole works tireless...
Mar 10, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 89
In this episode, I’m joined by Dom McKenna – a husband, father, business owner, and fitness advocate from Melbourne. Dom candidly shares his struggles with substance abuse, shedding light on the pivotal moments that led him towards recovery. With raw honesty, he reflects on the ongoing challenges he faces in combating his 'isms' and how they continue to shape his life. But that's not all - Dom also offers invaluable insights into managing a successful business alongside his wife, the crucial rol...
Mar 03, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 88
In this week’s solo episode, I’m celebrating four years of continuous sobriety and in the spirit of stepping out from behind the smile, I wanted to reveal the reality of what this journey has looked like. Let’s call it, the not so sexy side to sobriety. I’ve divided the years into eras, with each era being a rollercoaster of challenges and growth. From those early days in rehab, to navigating recovery in a global pandemic, losing a baby, a divorce, a toxic situationship, to discovering my true s...
Feb 27, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 87
In this studio episode, I sit down with Jess Jackson, a meditation teacher and founder of the Bondi born skincare brand 'Good Living Only'. Jess talks openly about her initial hesitation towards sobriety and the challenges she faced in accepting her new lifestyle. She also reflects on the experiences that led her to make this transformative decision and how making the decision to truly own her sobriety has freed her from the shame she once felt. We also explore her move to Sydney, her Singapore ...
Feb 18, 2024•58 min•Season 4Ep. 86
In this episode, I sat down with Sabrina Zohar, a wildly successful entrepreneur, podcast host, and dating coach. In this candid conversation we spoke about mental health, relationships, and the not so sexy reality behind success. Sabrina is one of the most authentic humans I’ve ever met and was so open sharing her journey from battling depression post-breakup, finding solace in her work, and redefining interpersonal relationships. Emphasizing the importance of mental and emotional resilience, S...
Feb 11, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 85
In this week’s episode, I sat down with Joe Fishburn, a psychiatric mental health nurse with extensive experience working in hospital systems, community response teams, ED and primary health care settings. Joe talks about the undercurrent of stigma faced by those experiencing mental health challenges and the impact developmental trauma has on the development of complex personality disorders. Joe shared his thoughts on how we can support children in their early years to prevent complex mental hea...
Feb 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 84
In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Christina Galbato, a dynamic entrepreneur and the brains behind 'Create Her Empire.' She opens up about her journey from a secret alcohol addiction to embracing life in sobriety. Christina shares how her addiction resulted in both mental and physical health problems, affected her relationships, and damaged her self-esteem. Despite achieving huge success in her career, she was fighting a secret battle, all the while hiding behind a smile. Today...
Jan 28, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 83
In this episode, I talk to Sara Schley, an organizational consultant, spiritual leader, author, entrepreneur and bipolar human, about her journey with Bipolar II. Sara speaks about her experiences with cognitive dysfunction, her late diagnosis (25 years later), and the importance of the correct medications in the successful management of bipolar disorder. Sara also shares how medical misdiagnoses can lead to further complications. Drawing on personal experience and research, the conversation del...
Jan 21, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 82
In this episode, I'm joined by Jeremy Lipkowitz, a meditation teacher, coach, and porn addiction recovery expert. Jeremy shares his personal recovery story and emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and self-compassion in overcoming addiction. He talks about the harmful effects porn can have on mental health, relationships, and self-esteem, as well as the broader implications of the porn industry. Jeremy discusses his approach to recovery, which involves understanding the neurological aspects ...
Jan 14, 2024•59 min•Season 4Ep. 81
In this week’s episode I sat down with Doctor of Nutrition and Author, Dr. Brooke Scheller. Dr. Scheller is on a mission to help people heal their relationship with alcohol through nutrition, and her new book How to Eat to Change How You Drink is full of helpful tips and information to support anyone looking to change their drinking habits. In this conversation, Dr. Scheller discusses the role of nutrition in mental health and how nutrients can impact mood and the production of neurotransmitters...
Jan 07, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 80
To kick off the New Year, I’m sitting down with Trauma and Addiction Specialist Diane Young to discuss all things New Year’s Resolutions! In this conversation we explore the concept of setting intentions instead of New Year's resolutions and the benefits of taking small steps towards change. The conversation delves into the differences between heavy drinkers and grey area drinkers and the continuum of drinking behaviour. It also addresses the connection between childhood trauma and eating disord...
Dec 31, 2023•54 min•Season 4Ep. 79
It’s my birthday this week and I’m turning 36, so to celebrate I wanted to give you all a gift! In this week’s solo episode, I’m sharing with you all my 36 game changing lessons that have made a huge impact on my life! These lessons span across all facets of the human experience including relationships, mindset, career and health. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Behind the Smile episode without discussing recovery, but these lessons are really applicable to anyone wanting to expand their mind and st...
Dec 27, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 78
In this week’s episode I sat down with registered counsellor, alcohol coach and podcast host Isabella Ferguson. Bella identifies as having been a “grey-area” drinker throughout her 20-year drinking career, which came to an abrupt halt in February 2020 after entering a rehab facility. Today, Bella’s life couldn’t look more different. She’s left her former industry of law and is now a corporate wellness speaker as well as heading up a busy counselling practice focusing on helping people address th...
Dec 17, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 77
In this week’s episode I sat down with Sober Coach, Teacher’s Aide and mum of three, Megan Webb. From early childhood, Meg experienced crippling anxiety and by the age of 17, she’d developed a social phobia. Made worse by alcohol, Meg fell into a terrible cycle of self-medication which only fuelled her crippling mental health condition. After years of unsuccessfully trying to manage her drinking, Meg knew she needed to make a change. She felt unfulfilled and knew deep down that there was so much...
Dec 11, 2023•50 min•Season 3Ep. 76
In this week’s episode I sat down with New York Times Best Selling Author, Prison Reform Advocate and mother of four, Lara Love Hardin. Lara’s recently released memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love, recounts her slide from soccer mum, to opioid addict, to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback to becoming a highly successful ghost writer and published author. Lara’s journey from shame to redemption is now inspiring others as she works to help previously incarcerated women rebuild their l...
Dec 03, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 75
In this week’s episode I sat down with Aussie Ranger and single mum, Ali Burke. After spending decades immersed in a celebrated drinking culture, Ali reached a point in her life where she knew something had to change. Ali got sober curious which then led her down the path of hypnotherapy and a commitment to take one year off the booze. Six months in, the numerous benefits she experienced were enough for her to want to ditch the drink forever. Ali radiates a glass half full attitude and chooses t...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 74
In this week’s episode I sat down with Spiritual Advisor, Clinical Counsellor and Motivational Speaker, Fausto Castellanos. Known as “the hope dealer,” Fausto has found a way to turn his pain into his purpose by helping others along their own paths of recovery and healing. Fausto is an amazing speaker with incredible insights but what struck me most about this conversation was his openness and vulnerability around topics people tend to shy away from. This conversation is equal parts heartbreakin...
Nov 19, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 73
In this week’s episode I sat down with Recovery Coach, Yoga Teacher and host of the Sun and Moon Sober Living podcast, Mary Tilson. Mary has been sober for over a decade and is passionate about helping others find freedom from addiction so they can live fulfilling lives substance-free. Combining holistic principles such as meditation, breath work and yoga, Mary has discovered the healthy way to be naturally high and happy. Mary and I connected on a range of topics including: Our secrets make us ...
Nov 12, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 72
In this week’s episode I sat down with musician, running enthusiast and sobriety advocate, Luke Bayliss. From a young age, Luke experienced bullying at school which triggered debilitating anxiety and an eating disorder. Always feeling uncomfortable in his own skin, when Luke discovered alcohol, he found his insecurities melted away. Luke had a troubled relationship with booze from the outset which would later lead him to a near fatal car accident and multiple admissions into psych wards. It wasn...
Nov 05, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 71
