Michael Harding : Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary (re-release)

Topics covered : Life in Gaza, living under occupation, murder, grief, trauma, injustice. In my final episode in 2024, I speak to Palestinian mother Hala Sourani. In October 2023, Hala was married to Mohammad and they had 2 girls Shahd who was 6 and Rahaf who was 5 and they lived in Gaza. In November of that year, they tried to flee but, in the process, both Mohammad and Rahaf were murdered by Israelis. As you can imagine, this is a harrowing account of that time so please be aware before you listen but I really hope you do stay with this conversation as intense as it is and that you allow yourself to connect with Hala and the pain and injustice that she and so many have been, and continue to be, subjected to. She came to Ireland with her daughter Shahd in February and has been working as a volunteer here and remarkably she completed a MBA last month too.  I wish we never had to have this conversation. I wish she was still in Gaza with her husband and girls, but that is unfortunately not the case. This is without a doubt one of the most important conversations I’ve ever had on Ready to be Real and I am honoured that she trusted me with it. She’s not comfortable speaking about the Go Fund Me that has been set up to help her but I’m going to ask you to please consider donating what you can so that she and her daughter can try and rebuild their lives here in Ireland. They need and deserve our support. Any and all donations would be gratefully received. Fundraiser by Sarah Costello : Urgent Help For Halla & Chahd (Gazans in Ireland) Go raibh mile maith agaibh. A special word of thanks to the wonderful Kate O’Dwyer, the founder of 'Pals for Palestine' for all her help in connecting Hala and I and for all her love and guidance behind the scenes. I’ll be back in the New Year with more episodes and thanks for your support as always. Until then, tabhair aire agus Nollaig Shona dhaoibh go léir. Saoirse don Phailistín. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Motherhood, grief, loss of identity, birth trauma, breastfeeding, shedding shame, celebrity culture, awakening, humanity. In this episode I speak to Matrescence coach Jacqueline Kelly. She lives in Dublin with her husband Stuart and their two children Fionn and Molly. And in this conversation she talks to us about Motherhood, her own personal experience of it, the loss of her own mother and coming to terms with her absence and the importance of recognising all mothers. At times it’s a challenging conversation as we deal with topics such as birth trauma, breastfeeding and grief so please be aware before you listen. Resources : Alexandra Sacks on Matrescence… A new way to think about the transition to motherhood | Alexandra Sacks - YouTube The article I wrote sharing my own struggles with breastfeeding… Síle Seoige: My first weeks with Cathal... and why I stopped breastfeeding - Her.ie Pals for Palestine… (@palsforpalestine_ireland) • Instagram photos and videos And to connect with Jac, go to… BRAVE Hearts - Our Brave Hearts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Sleep, food, exercise, connection, sex, health appointments, past traumas. This is the third episode with Menopause coach and author, Catherine O’Keeffe known online as Wellness Warrior and once again she covers a multitude! Topics like sleep, food and exercise are discussed. The importance of checking in with yourself and going for appointments like a DEXA scan or a visit to a women’s health physio; past traumas that can revisit you during your perimenopausal years and life after menopause. Catherine's 6 M’s of Menopause – MOT, Menu, Movement, Mingle, Meaning, Minding you. There are no quick fixes when it comes to treating symptoms of menopause and regarding vitamins, herbs etc, find what works for you personally and remember to always check with your doctor before taking any supplements. If you want to reach out to Catherine, you can email her directly on catherine@wellnesswarrior.ie Her book : ‘All You Need to Know About Menopause’ is available on her website Wellness Warrior Find her our Instagram Catherine O Keeffe (@wellnesswarrior.ie) • Instagram photos and videos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : HRT, early menopause, supplements. This episode was recorded over 3.5 years ago but is still as relevant as ever. I speak to Menopause coach and author, Catherine O’Keeffe, known online as Wellness Warrior. When I recorded this conversation with Catherine, I was 41 and hoping to have another baby. Now, I’m 45 with very fortunate to have 2 young kids but I’m also now in perimenopause and listening to this chat once again, I took so much from it. So I’ve been experiencing things like changes to my period and brain fog and a number of other typical symptoms for about 6-8 months now and this pod is full of information as Catherine delves into the physical, mental and emotional aspects of perimenopause and it’s a must listen! The conversation is split in two, to allow you to absorb the information as it’s such a complicated and sensitive topic and the experience of menopause is so different for every woman. This is the second part where talks about HRT, early menopause and she also answers a selection of your questions that were sent in on Instagram, including advice on supplements. And Part 3 is coming next week! Mentioned during the conversation * None of the brands mentioned during the conversation are sponsored and of course there are plenty of other brands on the market too. Find what works for you personally and remember to always check with your doctor before taking any supplements. Supplements B Vitamins, Omega 3, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Maca, Camu Camu, Sage and Rhodiola. Brands 'Cleanmarine MenoMin' Magnesium supplement 'MAG365' Maca capsules and powder 'Sarah's choice' Sage 'Menosan A.Vogel' Omega 3 & Vitamin D3 'MorEPA Platinum Elite' Vitamin D 'One Nutrition' or 'SOMEGA' Rhodiola 'Terranova' Camu Camu 'Sarah's Choice' Tulsi 'Pukka Tulsi Clarity Tea' If you want to reach out to Catherine, you can email her directly on catherine@wellnesswarrior.ie Her book : ‘All You Need to Know About Menopause’ is available on her website Wellness Warrior Find her our Instagram Catherine O Keeffe (@wellnesswarrior.ie) • Instagram photos and videos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered : Anxiety, brain fog, flooding, hot flushes, night sweats, weight gain, aches and pains, urinary incontinence, vaginal atrophy, pelvic physio, the impact of stress, sleep. This episode was recorded over 3.5 years ago but it's still as relevant as ever. I speak to Menopause coach and author, Catherine O’Keeffe, known online as Wellness Warrior. When I recorded this conversation, I was 41 and hoping to have another baby. Now, I’m 45 and I'm very fortunate to have 2 young kids but I’m also now in perimenopause and listening to this chat once again, I took so much from it. So I’ve been experiencing things like changes to my period and brain fog and a number of other typical symptoms for about 6-8 months now and this pod is full of information as Catherine delves into the physical, mental and emotional aspects of perimenopause and it’s a must listen! Menopause is such a complicated and sensitive topic and the experience of it is so different for every woman. If you want to reach out to Catherine, you can email her directly on catherine@wellnesswarrior.ie Her book : ‘All You Need to Know About Menopause’ is available on her website Wellness Warrior And find her on Instagram Catherine O Keeffe (@wellnesswarrior.ie) • Instagram photos and videos Mentioned during the conversation: Prof Myra Hunter & CBT Techniques: 02-WHC-FACTSHEET-CBT-WOMEN-FEB-2023-A.pdf Products : ‘Yes organics’ Natural vaginal moisturiser ‘Olive & Bee’ Natural lubricant * 24 patch testing is very important before applying any product internally ‘Vagifem’ – prescription only, from your GP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.