Finding Your Pink 🦩

Trigger warning: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse, trauma and the delayed realisation of abuse. Please take care while listening.

In 2020, in her 40s, Tara Thompson realised that she had been sexually abused as a child.

In this deeply honest conversation, Tara talks about the experience of finding out something that had been hidden from her for so many years, and the questions, emotions and memories that followed.

She shares what it meant to understand her childhood through a completely different lens, the importance of being believed, and why speaking out has become such an important part of taking her power back.

Tara also talks about justice, the courage it can take to tell your story, and the reality that for many survivors, the journey doesn't begin until long after the abuse has happened.

One in four women and one in six men experience sexual abuse before the age of 18 in Ireland. Tara's story is a reminder of why we need to listen, believe and keep talking about it.

This is a difficult conversation, but an important one — about truth, survival, power and finding your voice

Tara's Website -https://thequestyoga.com/

Tara on You Tube - The Quest Yoga - YouTube

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What happens when the life you thought you were going to have doesn’t turn out the way you imagined?

We’re often sold the fairytale of two parents, a child and a happy family life. But what happens when a long-term relationship or marriage ends – and suddenly you find yourself having to write a completely different story?

In this episode, I’m joined by Orla Donoghue, who became a single parent after her relationship ended during the Covid lockdown. She found herself grieving not just the relationship, but the whole life she had imagined for herself and her son.

We talk about the shock of separation, the loneliness that can come with starting again, the stigma and sense of failure that can creep in, and what it feels like to suddenly have to share your child between two homes.

Orla is incredibly honest about those early days – feeling as though the script had been ripped up and she had no idea what the next line was. But she also talks about finding her way through it, asking for help and eventually turning her own experience into a new career supporting other single parents through Solas Coaching.

This is a conversation about separation, motherhood, grief, starting again and finding your way when life looks nothing like the picture you had planned. And, ultimately, about discovering that a different life can still be a good life.

Find out more about Solas Coaching here - https://www.solascoaching.com/

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In the first episode of Series 4, I’m joined by the wonderful Dr Doireann O’Leary for a deeply honest conversation about loss, love, motherhood, resilience and finding your way back to yourself.

Doireann opens up about losing her beloved sister Elaine, losing her dad to cancer, and then facing her own cancer diagnosis just weeks later.

We talk about grief, rebuilding your life after unimaginable loss, becoming a mum and that feeling of “Who the heck am I anymore?”

But perhaps most importantly, we talk about how moving forward doesn’t mean leaving the people we’ve lost behind.

We remember them. We carry them with us. And we keep living. 💗

A really special conversation about Resilience • Rebuilding • Remembering — and finding your pink again.

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Welcome to season 4 of Finding Your Pink with me Emma Ledden

This podcast is about rediscovering your colour and spark and this new season is all  about choosing life.

Choosing joy after grief.

Choosing courage after fear.

And Choosing to believe your story isn't over yet.

Every guest you'll hear has faced moments they never expected. But instead of letting those moments define them, they chose to write another chapter.

Season 4 of Finding Your Pink begins September 21st and I can't wait to share these conversations with you. 

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And just like that… Season 3 comes to a close 🦩

This final episode is a chance to pause, reflect and say thank you for all the conversations, vulnerability, honesty and connection shared throughout this season of Finding Your Pink.

We talk about confidence, boundaries, reinvention, identity and what it really means to slowly return to yourself — in your own time.

Thank you for listening, sharing, supporting and finding your pink alongside me.

The final episode of Season 3 is out now 🎙️✨

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In this deeply powerful episode of Finding Your Pink, I sit down with Emer O’Neill—author, educator, broadcaster, and activist—to explore the lived reality of being Black and Irish.

From her early days as a teacher to becoming a familiar face on RTÉ, Emer shares how one honest video about her experiences changed the course of her life—and led her into activism. But with that visibility came a heavy cost.

Emer speaks openly about the weight of using your voice to challenge bias, the backlash she has faced, and the emotional toll of standing up for what is right. She shares heartbreaking moments from her childhood, the reality of navigating the world on guard, and the everyday experiences—from hair touching to being asked “where are you really from?”—that highlight the deeper issues of race and belonging.

This conversation is not about blame—it’s about awareness. About learning to sit with discomfort, to question what we think we know, and to grow.

At its core, this episode is about humanity. About seeing each other. And about finding compassion in the conversations that matter most.

Emer's Book - https://www.amazon.ie/Same-but-Different-Emer-ONeill/dp/0717192857/ref=sr_1_1?crid=243SCYUIHKGB7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.noOCqCQNrTPeB6ahIuGCDYanIADzQWSmi58bwt8HlLHGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.jJz-mpOdaet0wEzQQTB4GWJ60YxFTyGsMYHNeCSuIXs&dib_tag=se&keywords=emer+o+neill&qid=1776505503&sprefix=emer+o+neill+%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-1

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On this episode of Finding Your Pink, I’m joined by an Irish woman who followed her dream all the way to the top of the fashion world.

Kristine Kilty is a fashion stylist, creative director and entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades working at the highest level of the industry — styling celebrities, collaborating with global brands and working alongside iconic names like Vivienne Westwood, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Chanel and Dior.

But Kristine’s story isn’t just about fashion and success.

In this conversation, she shares the reality behind the glamour of the fashion industry — the long hours, the relentless pace and the surprising moments of solitude that come with a career in the spotlight.

Kristine also opens up about a life-changing brain injury that forced her to slow down, reassess her life and rediscover what truly mattered.

What followed was not just recovery, but reinvention.

Together we talk about ambition, resilience, alignment, and the courage it takes to evolve — even when others don’t understand your path.

And of course, we talk about what it really means to find your pink.

Kristine’s Debut Book is available here - https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Stylist-Banging-Portfolio-Powerful-ebook/dp/B0GMK839C1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=S4HGMFXOS8YP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cF9G0zYEesNjOyJakfhidRHU26YS1oP2x7FOHV6o4ZBZD5QjFsNaNvHj6l5gX9uS.o_heR1-X27PpdWrO5HNHnoeWvCe9x53lYz3mDiEbuNA&dib_tag=se&keywords=fashion+stylist+kristine+kilty&qid=1773497261&sprefix=fashion+stylist+kristine+kilty%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-1

Kristine also has a Jewellery brand and you can find it here - https://frequencyparisibiza.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorJCAFUFPp0-Bthgxxm9MWVr_roHrkIwz7kJyfPRRwJkXwvntlA

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In this week’s episode of Finding Your Pink, I’m joined by the incredible Miriam Hussey — integrative lifestyle pharmacist, co-founder of Soul Space, bestselling author, and a woman who truly embodies light.

Miriam shares what it really means to “find your light” — and why so many of us have unknowingly dimmed it. From childhood conditioning and subconscious programming, to burnout, motherhood depletion, and modern-day busyness, we explore how our light becomes blocked… and how to gently reconnect with it.

We talk about the concept of a “soul script,” the importance of pressing pause, and the courage it takes to align with those quiet inner whispers. Miriam also shares her own experience of reaching a depleted, broken place in motherhood — and how learning to move from head to heart became the turning point.

This is a conversation about choosing your hard, regulating your nervous system, and remembering that even when life feels heavy, your light is never gone — it’s just waiting to be reignited.

✨ Be brave. Be beautiful. Be you.

Miriam and Gerry are running an event in Dublin on Sunday April 12th called Soul Sunday -Tickets available here https://ti.to/soul-space-the-experience/soul-sunday-talbot-hotel?source=instagram_bio&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnRJIPwOeqCY51_KPhgUaQSkdZenG6fDV9PnraEca5yi74Xhd2GMNr0UrigME_aem_10WUZWUCSOvuhYTnc_MvOg

📚 Miriam’s book: Light Up - https://www.amazon.ie/Light-Up-Energise-supercharge-SHORTLISTED/dp/0717197190/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QMM73P1NIPU4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lSxCDNnSZIzXQd2getAhNw.4bhZLsPZufykzwBG12pDm9Iurk1TtZ7D8r17DDR3uYI&dib_tag=se&keywords=light+up+miriam+hussey&qid=1772022185&sprefix=miriam++light+up%2Caps%2C57&sr=8-1

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Content note: This episode discusses infertility and pregnancy loss- Please listen with care.

Today on Finding Your Pink, I’m joined by my dear friend Julie Wells — a woman with a remarkable career in marketing who has also faced some of the most difficult personal challenges imaginable.

Julie shares her experience of undergoing nine rounds of IVF, multiple miscarriages, and the emotional, physical, and financial toll infertility took on her body, her marriage, and her life. From navigating daily scans and injections while holding down a demanding career, to the devastating language used around pregnancy loss, this conversation is raw, honest, and deeply important.

Julie also speaks about the impact infertility has on relationships, including the often-unspoken experience of partners and husbands, and the guilt that can follow even after becoming a parent.

This is a conversation about grief, resilience, identity, and what it really means to “find your pink” after years of survival.

Julie's main goal in telling her story is to help others. Please find the resources she mentioned below.

Helena Tubridy - https://helenatubridy.com/

National Infertility Support and Information Group - https://nisig.com/

The Fertility Detective - https://www.jessicabourke.com/

Connect with Julie - https://www.instagram.com/jguckian/

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In this brand new episode we’re talking about a topic that can still feel uncomfortable — even in 2026 — sex.

So many of us grow up without the language, confidence, or education to talk about our bodies, pleasure, or intimacy without shame. And yet, these conversations matter — because understanding our sexuality is part of understanding ourselves and finding our pink.

My guest today knows this deeply. Grace Alice O’Shea is a sex educator and author. Her work supports women to unlearn shame, reconnect with their bodies, and approach sex with curiosity, compassion, and confidence.

In this open, honest, and deeply validating conversation, Grace and I talk about sex — without pressure, performance, or judgement.

Grace explains why low libido is the number one reason people come to see her — and why, most of the time, it makes complete sense. We explore how desire is shaped by exhaustion, emotional labour, relationships, and the ways sex is often framed around pleasing others rather than comfort, consent, or pleasure.

We also talk about vaginismus — a common but rarely discussed condition — and why so many women feel disconnected from sex, unsure of what they like, or quietly carrying shame about their bodies.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why there is no “normal” or golden number for sex
• Why pleasure matters more than orgasms
• Faking orgasms and the pressure to perform
• How small moments of connection build intimacy
• Losing yourself in an emotionally abusive relationship
• What it means to lose — and find — your pink
• Leaving a PhD after panic attacks
• And Grace’s late autism diagnosis after a lifetime of being told she was “just anxious”

🎧 A powerful listen for anyone navigating intimacy, identity, and self-trust.

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