Topics covered : Cancer, red flags, coercive control, faith, resilience. This week I speak to the incredible Nicola Hanney. Nicola lives in Dublin with her son and she’s been through hell and back. Her book, ‘Stronger -what didn’t kill me, made me’ is out now and in this conversation, we cover elements of her story. She comes from a large family and works as a hairdresser, and 8 years ago, when she was 36 she was first diagnosed with cancer. She then went on to meet a man called Paul Moody, a fo...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 32 min
Topics covered : Uncovering blind spots, racism, overwhelm, anxiety, panic attacks, burnout, regulation and dysregulation, consumerism, community and collective care, self-care, rupture and repair, glimmers. This week I speak to chartered psychologist, Allison Keating and it was wonderful to be in her company. She is married to Thomas and they have 3 daughters, Alannah is 15, Hayley is 12 and Brooke is 9 and they live in Dublin. And in this conversation, she talks about anxiety, overwhelm and pa...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Topics covered : George Floyd, Black Lives Matter movement, trauma, racism, empathy, capitalism, celebrity culture, social media, privilege, colonialism, photography, power of film and music, Palestine, injustice, grief, social justice, community. My guest this week is photographer, filmmaker, entrepreneur and social activist, the wonderful Misan Harriman. He is married to Camilla and they have 2 young daughters and they live in Surrey. He was born in Nigeria and came to England when he was a yo...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 24 min
Topics covered : Confidence, courage, anxiety, affirmations, bullshitting, self-talk. In this episode I speak to Professor Ian Robertson about confidence. Ian is a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist and he is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading researchers in neuropsychology and he’s also the author of several best-selling books, including ‘ How Confidence Works’ . In this conversation he tells us what confidence is, what makes someone confident, how we can improve it, the diff...
Sep 26, 2024•51 min
Topics covered : Poverty, heroin addiction, neglect, abuse, childhood rape, dysfunction, shame, positive influences, kindness, breaking negative cycles, therapy, recovery, attachment, opportunities, motherhood, education, academia, love, compassion, forgiveness, healing. Please read the full list of topics covered before you listen. I speak to the phenomenal Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan and it's an eye opening and challenging conversation at times but I highly recommend you stay with it until the end...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Topics covered : Childhood cancer, grief, perspective, gratitude. In this episode I speak to Roseanna Ruane about her wonderful daughter Saoírse who sadly passed away in March this year. We spoke a few weeks ago and in this heart-breaking conversation she talks about Saoirse, the kind and wise girl that she was, from her first cancer diagnosis when she was only 7 years old and how devastating life has been since she passed away. She talks about how much she believes in being grateful for what we...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 38 min
Topics covered : Resistance, solidarity, grief, finding purpose, empathy and selective empathy, creativity, racism, colonisation, injustice, double standards, hypocrisy, soft power. This week I speak to Oscar nominated and BAFTA Award winning Palestinian British filmmaker and human rights advocate, Farah Nabulsi. She lives in London with her husband and their 3 children and we spoke when she was recently in Galway for the Film Fleadh. Farah's work includes 'Today They Took My Son', endorsed by B...
Jul 26, 2024•57 min
Topics covered : Interior design, discovering your own style, trends. In this bite-sized episode I chat to interior designer Tiffany Jones of Beach House Interiors. Tiffany lives in Clare with her husband Wayne and their 3.5 year old son Guy. If you’re following me on Instagram you might be aware that we recently moved into our forever home by the sea and Tiffany was, and still is, our interior designer and now friend. In this conversation she talks about the role of an interior designer, how to...
Jul 11, 2024•27 min
Topics covered : Women’s health – sex, miscarriage, perimenopause, incontinence, shedding shame; motherhood and Mum guilt, Gaza and social media censorship. This week I speak to business owner, podcaster and personality, Laura Dowling, known online as the Fabulous Pharmacist. Laura lives in Dublin, with her husband Frank, their 3 boys who are 16, 13 and 11 and their dog Carlo. She worked as a pharmacist for over 20 years and is the founder & CEO of fabÜ nutritional supplements. In this conve...
Jul 04, 2024•59 min
Topics covered : Alopecia Universalas, positive birth story, empowerment, inequality, activism, allyship, grief, miscarriage, still birth, episiotomy, PRIDE, colonisation. This week I speak to celebrant and director of Entheos Ireland, Karen Dempsey, also known as The Bald Priestess. Karen lives in Dublin, with her husband Liam, their son Beineán (18), daughter Róisín (5) and their dog Milo. In this conversation Karen talks about Alopecia Universalas; coming to terms with it and how she doesn't ...
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Topics covered : Fibre, relaxation, routine, sleep, gut-brain axis, impact of stress, IBS, microbiome, biotics. Registered dietitian Lorraine Cooney has just released her book ‘Why you can’t go and what you can do to find life changing relief from constipation’ and this conversation is all about that! She talks about the importance of fibre, relaxation and routine when it comes to a healthy digestive system. Why supporting our microbiome is crucial and the differences between pro, pre and post b...
Jun 27, 2024•41 min
Topics covered : Palestine, Sinéad O’Connor, patriarchy, patriarchal feminine, family dynamics, wellness industry, grief, activism, midlife, decolonisation, liberation for all. This week I speak to author and teacher, Sarah Durham Wilson, known on Instagram as Sarah of Magdalene. She lives in Maine with her young daughter Avalon, her cat Odin and dog Riley. She previously worked as an Arts and music writer with the likes of Rolling Stone, GQ and Vanity Fair. And in this conversation she talks ab...
May 25, 2024•50 min
Topics covered : Politics, Gaza, threat of the Far-right, people power. This week I speak to farmer, scientist, feminist and leader of the Social Democrats, Holly Cairns. She lives in West Cork on her family farm with her partner Barry, her dog Hei Hei and her cat Blaze. And in this conversation she talks about growing up in a blended family, her bond with her mother, how she got into politics, her stance on the devastating situation in Gaza, the threat of the Far-right and the importance of uni...
May 20, 2024•53 min
Topics covered : Failure, faith, religion, awareness, meditation, death, compassion, love. This is a re-release of an episode I recorded with author, playwright, podcaster, poet and all-round wonderful human being, Michael Harding in December 2022. Michael is someone I had wanted to speak to for years so it was an absolute pleasure to speak with him. In this enlightening conversation we talk about his love of religion, the power of failure and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. His lates...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Shelly Mooney is a historian and artist who lives in County Wexford with her husband Kev, their sonFerdia and Lola their dog and she runs the brilliant Instagram page ‘Tales from the Wood’ which explores the history and mythology of Ireland. In this bite-sized episode she talks to us about the ancient Celtic festival of Bealtaine. She speaks of the importance of the Hill of Uisneach, the tradition of handfasting at this time, and the significance of the Hawthorn tree. The Hill of Uisneach - The ...
Apr 26, 2024•16 min
Topics covered : Illness, grief, miscarriage, motherhood, divorce, diet culture, overcoming challenges, self-regulation, thriving. This week I speak to author and midlife coach, Alana Kirk. Originally from Belfast, Alana lives in Dublin with her three teenage daughters, Daisy (18), Poppy (16) and Ruby (13), their 2 cats, Tiggy and Puka and their rescue dog Mojo. She works as a midlife coach and is in the process of writing her third book. And in this conversation she shares her own story with us...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Topics covered : the factors that impact our sleep, the benefits of good sleep and how to improve it. This week I speak to clinical hypnotherapist and bestselling author, Fiona Brennan. She lives in Dublin with her husband and business partner Ciarán, teenage son Luca and their dog Rosie. And in this conversation she explores some of the elements in her latest book ‘Sleep well - 8 habits to help you fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed’, our individual chronotypes, the power of napping...
Apr 12, 2024•34 min
Topics covered : Palestinian heritage, injustice, speaking up, Zionism, artwashing. This week I speak to Irish Palestinian artist, Róisín El Cherif and it's a powerful conversation. She lives in Galway with her parents, her Mom is Irish and her father is from Gaza and she has lived in Ireland for 18 years now. She talks about growing up as an Irish-Palestinian and she shares her perspective on the past 6 months, in particular. This month Róisín will also be releasing a very special song with all...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 20 min
Topics covered : The power of play in building connection with kids, touch, secure attachment, body acceptance, positive modelling, rupture and repair, breaking negative behaviours, resilience building. This week I speak to child and adolescent psychotherapist Debbie Cullinane. She lives in Mayo with her husband James and their two kids, Elsie and Freddie. And in this conversation, she talks about the power of play in building connection with our children and why positive modelling and apologisi...
Mar 22, 2024•46 min
Topics covered : Perfectionism, people pleasing, the impact of the Covid pandemic, anxiety, loneliness, marriage breakdown, grief, guilt, therapy, change, freedom, same-sex relationship, rumours, finding joy, childfree by choice. This week I speak to Cat Lawlor, baker and owner of 'The Cake Cuppery' and it’s a gripping conversation. Originally from Dublin, Cat now lives in Wexford with her girlfriend Louise and their two cats. In this conversation we chat about listening to your gut instinct, ov...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Topics covered : Palestine, protests, social justice, community, paradigm shift, hope. This week, my guest is Caoimhe Butterly who is an educator, a human rights activist, filmmaker & trained therapist, who has worked as a volunteer ambulance worker in Gaza, alongside Palestinian paramedics, and has also spent years in the West Bank. She was born in Ireland to Irish parents who migrated to Canada when she was a baby, where she spent the first 10 years of her life and then she lived in Maurit...
Mar 08, 2024•1 hr
Topics covered : Betrayal, heartbreak, breakdown, trust, prevention, repair, connection, healing. Originally from Douglas in Cork, psychotherapist Richard Hogan lives in Dublin with his wife and their 3 daughters. He writes a weekly column with the Irish Examiner and often appears on TV and radio and he specialises in working with families. He’s also written two brilliant books ‘Parenting the screenager’ and ‘Home is where the start is’ and during this conversation he talks about affairs. Why pe...
Mar 02, 2024•33 min
Topics covered : Palestine, people power, social justice, privilege, culture, indigenous languages, Gaeilge, patriarchy, oppression, being Muslim, Brené Brown, whiteness, female empowerment. This week, journalist, filmmaker, podcaster, presenter and writer, the remarkable Dr. Myriam François is my guest. Myriam is a Londoner whose mother is Irish (she's from Leitrim), and her father is French. Her award-winning, directorial debut documentary is ‘Finding Alaa’ and her podcast is ‘We need to talk ...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Topics covered : Fear, regret, fertility journey, acceptance, career change, anxiety, toxic positivity, triggers, comparisons, peak performance. Life coach Mark Fennell is back on the pod! Mark is married to Fiona and has spent over 20 years helping people through his coaching business. His online following has grown massively over the past few years too and on Instagram, he currently has 160K followers and is known for his video content. We last spoke over 2 years ago and his episodes are still...
Feb 17, 2024•53 min
Topics covered : TV presenting, change, leaving on her terms, her Mum Brenda, grief, parenting, family life, synchronicities and signs. This week I speak to TV presenter Karen Koster who lives in Dublin with her husband John, a retired businessman and their 3 kids, Finn who is 9, JJ who is 8 and their daughter Eve who is 5, along with their dogs Brownie and Nidge! She has a degree in English literature and French from Trinity and she has been working in TV for the past 20 years. In this conversa...
Feb 09, 2024•51 min
Topics covered : Accountability, acceptance, action, hoarding, guilt, repetition, transformation. This week I speak to stylist Fiona Hayes who lives in Limerick with her husband Trevor, their 2 boys Matthew and Ross, along with her Dad Nick. She has been dressing people for over 15 years, many who are well known. She also runs her own bespoke retail events company, and she has appeared on TV from Channel 4’s Queen of Frocks to TV3 and most recently RTÉ’s Today show. And in this conversation she ...
Feb 02, 2024•53 min
Topics covered : Overcorrection, parenthood, perfectionism, overwhelm, labelling, resilience, smart phones, porn, the importance of setting boundaries. Originally from Douglas in Cork, psychotherapist Richard Hogan lives in Dublin with his wife and their 3 daughters. He writes a weekly column with the Irish Examiner and often appears on TV and Radio and he specialises in working with families. He’s also written two books ‘ Parenting the screenager’ and ‘Home is where the start is’ and during thi...
Jan 29, 2024•55 min
Topics covered : his relationship with his Dad Gabor, Zionism, privilege, Jewishness, Palestinians, heartbreak, perspective, purpose. This week I speak to the brilliant Daniel Maté and it’s a conversation that has really helped me and I think you’ll feel the same when you listen to it. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York and he’s an award-winning composer, lyricist, and playwright for musical theatre. Outside of music and theatre , he runs the world’s only “ men...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 18 min
Topics covered : Money scripts - avoidance, vigilance, status seeker, worshipper; scarcity, self-sabotage, ancestral trauma, financial infidelity, secret spending, sales, marketing, dopamine, advice. In my first episode of 2024, I speak to Loretta Kennedy about money. She's an accredited trauma informed money coach with a background in business, psychology and counselling. Originally from Mayo, Loretta lives in Cork with Ruairí, her soon to be husband, and partner of 20 years and their 3 daughte...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Topics covered : her childhood, the power of journaling, self-worth, being wronged, sitting with pain, authenticity, gaslighting, boundaries, growth, inner child, healing. Over the Christmas break, I’m re-releasing some powerful episodes from 2023 and in February, I spoke to Lebanese-Canadian author, poet, speaker, activist and educator, the incredible Najwa Zebian. Najwa being a guest on ‘Ready to be Real’ is a dream come true for me as she is someone I have long admired. She grew up in a conse...
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 14 min
