In this uplifting and expansive episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) is joined by creative strategist Briona (Grow Creative) to explore the deeply human and wildly underutilized power of creativity.

Together, they unpack what it really means to be creative (hint: it’s not just for artists), how fear and self-judgment block our flow, and why play, joy, and holistic marketing are the keys to both personal growth and business success.

Briona shares how she uses coaching and strategy to help people reconnect with their true voice, tap into their intuition, and express themselves - professionally and personally - with clarity, courage, and creativity.

Whether you’re running a business, going through a life transition, or simply feeling creatively stuck, this episode will help you reconnect to the spark inside you.

What we talk about:

• What “creative strategy” actually means—and why it’s about alignment, not aesthetics
  

• Why holistic marketing starts with internal clarity and emotional resonance
  

• How fear and self-judgment block creativity—and what to do about it
  

• The role of play and permission in unlocking energy and insight
  

• How to balance professionalism and spirituality in an authentic way
  

• Why everyone is creative, even (especially) if they don’t think they are
  

• The difference between trying to ‘perform’ creativity and actually being in flow
  

• How creative thinking leads to better strategy, better results—and more joy
  

• Why safe spaces are the catalyst for creative and personal breakthroughs

  How Briona helps people reconnect to their truth, purpose, and voice

00:00 – The Role of Creativity in Business and Life

10:45 – Unblocking Creativity: Personal Coaching Insights 20:22 – The Importance of Play and Self-Expression

30:14 – Balancing Professionalism and Spirituality

40:27 – Embracing Authenticity in Creative Pursuits

In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) is joined by sleep therapist Jean O’ Hanlon, who shares her journey through sleep paralysis and the winding path that led her to open her own sleep clinic.

Together, they unpack the complex relationship between sleep, lifestyle, and mental health from the challenges of post-pandemic sleep disruption to the often misunderstood world of sleep hygiene. Jean offers both professional insights and hard-won personal wisdom on overcoming insomnia, managing anxiety, and tuning into your body’s natural rhythms.

The conversation moves beyond general sleep tips, exploring how mindfulness, social connection, caffeine, sugar, and even fasting impact sleep and how a personalised, compassionate approach to health can unlock real change.

What You’ll Learn:

• How caffeine and sugar impact sleep, even early in the day

• The importance of understanding what’s normal in the sleep cycle

• How fasting can disrupt sleep and why it’s not for everyone

• Ways to approach your health as a living experiment, with curiosity, not guilt

00:00 – Introduction to Sleep Therapy and Personal Journey 07:03 – Understanding Sleep Disorders: Personal Experiences and Insights

15:09 – The Impact of Lifestyle on Sleep Quality

22:03 – Mindfulness and Meditation: Overcoming Mental Barriers

29:49 – Post-Pandemic Sleep Challenges and Social Support

35:01 – Sleep Hygiene: Essential Practices for Better Sleep

41:14 – The Caffeine Conundrum

49:12 – Personalised Health Experiments

54:35 – Understanding Normal Sleep Patterns

01:00:16 – The Essence of Well-Being

In this solo episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) unpacks the complex and often misunderstood world of cardiovascular health, with a special focus on how heart disease presents in women and going beyond cholesterol in our discussion of heart health and longevity.

Claire dives into the real root causes of cardiovascular issues - including inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, gut dysfunction, and chronic stress - and offers a whole-person approach to preventing and managing heart disease.

This episode goes far beyond cholesterol charts, offering practical tools and deeper understanding to help you truly support your heart -physically, emotionally, and energetically.

What You’ll Hear:

• The emerging science behind gut health and cardiovascular function

• How chronic emotional stress impacts your heart and nervous system

• The difference between helpful and harmful cholesterol

• Why a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet matters more than you think

• Simple lifestyle shifts to reduce heart disease risk

00:00 – Introduction to Cardiovascular Health

04:49 – Understanding Women's Heart Health

11:02 – The Role of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

17:37 – Oxidative Stress and Its Impact

24:32 – Gut Health and Heart Connection

32:22 – Stress and Emotional Health

39:55 – Nutritional Strategies for Heart Health

43:31 – Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Keywords:

cardiovascular health, heart disease, women’s health, inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, gut health, nutrition, stress management, heart health tips, holistic health, blood sugar, cholesterol, hormone health, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle medicine

Do you feel like your energy is running on empty, no matter how much sleep you get? Are brain fog and fatigue making it harder to focus and function throughout the day? In this solo episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) dives deep into the science of energy production, uncovering the real reasons why so many people struggle with chronic exhaustion, sluggish metabolism, and mental fog.

She breaks down how mitochondria, thyroid health, blood sugar, and detoxification all play a role in sustaining energy - and why stress, inflammation, and even certain diets can leave you feeling drained.

Claire also explores post-viral fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and adrenal dysfunction, explaining why some people never fully recover their energy levels after illness or prolonged stress.

The episode concludes with a guided breathwork exercise to help restore energy and regulate the nervous system.

Key Topics Covered:

• How mitochondria power every cell in your body - and why they stop working

• The impact of thyroid dysfunction on metabolism, energy & brain fog

• Why blood sugar crashes and insulin resistance lead to exhaustion

• The role of chronic stress, inflammation & nervous system dysregulation

• How post-viral fatigue, long COVID & fibromyalgia affect energy metabolism
  

• Why detoxification is essential and how toxin overload drains energy
  

• The importance of setting boundaries & managing energy output
  Nutrition, supplements & breathwork techniques to restore vitality
  

If you’ve been struggling with low energy, brain fog, or chronic fatigue, this episode will help you understand the root causes and provide practical solutions to rebuild your energy naturally.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why mitochondria are the key to energy production and how to support them

• How blood sugar fluctuations contribute to energy crashes & brain fog

• The connection between thyroid dysfunction & chronic exhaustion

• Why chronic stress & inflammation damage energy metabolism

• How post-viral fatigue, ME & fibromyalgia disrupt energy regulation

• Why certain diets (keto, fasting) don’t work for everyone & what to do instead

• The best foods, supplements & self-care strategies for sustained energy

• How to set boundaries & protect your energy from daily drains

• A simple breathwork practice to regulate your nervous system and boost energy
  

Chapters

00:00 – Understanding Energy and Its Blockages

06:12 – Blood Sugar Regulation and Energy Levels

12:01 – Thyroid Function and Energy

18:12 – Managing Energy and Setting Boundaries

23:51 – Self-Care, Nutrition & Energy Management

27:29 – The Role of Detoxification in Energy Levels

30:52 – Herbal and Nutritional Support for Energy Restoration

33:12 – Guided Breathwork for Energy & Nervous System Regulation

Resources:

Mito Food Plan is available here: https://www.honestgoodness.ie/blog

Spoon Theory: https://www.honestgoodness.ie/blog⁠Krebs Cycle with Nutrients: https://www.honestgoodness.ie/blog⁠

Does talking about money make you uncomfortable? Do you feel overwhelmed by business finances or personal budgeting? You’re not alone.

In this episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness) sits down with Shirley Dempsey, (Balanced by Shirley) a financial mentor and educator, to discuss the fears, misconceptions, and emotional roadblocks that hold many people back from financial confidence.

Shirley shares her personal journey from the corporate finance world to mindfulness-based financial mentorship, explaining why money isn’t just numbers - it’s deeply emotional. She discusses how limiting beliefs, cultural influences and financial literacy gaps shape our relationship with money, often leading to financial stress and avoidance.

This episode will help you feel more confident, in control, and mindful about your finances—whether in business or everyday life.

Key Topics Covered:

• Bridging the gap between business owners and accountants

• How financial stress impacts mental health and decision-making

• Why financial literacy should be taught from an early age

• Mindfulness and finance: How to shift from scarcity to abundance

• Breaking limiting beliefs and reshaping your money mindset

• Understanding debt: When it’s helpful vs. when it’s harmful

• Intentional spending and how to avoid emotional financial pitfalls

• Building an emergency fund and financial routine that works for you

Whether you're a business owner, struggling with personal finances, or just looking for a healthier relationship with money, this episode will give you practical strategies and a fresh perspective on financial success.

What You’ll Learn:

• How fear and avoidance create financial roadblocks

• Why your accountant works for you and how to communicate better

• The biggest financial mistakes business owners make

• How to teach kids about money without fear or scarcity thinking

• Why savings is non-negotiable, even in uncertain times

• How limiting beliefs shape your financial reality and how to shift them

  The importance of routine and tracking for long-term financial health

• How to move from financial stress to financial empowerment

00:00 Introduction to Financial Mentorship

02:53 Bridging the Gap: Business Owners and Accountants

05:53 The Fear of Finances: Breaking the Stigma

09:11 Personal Experiences: The Impact of Financial Stress

12:06 Mindfulness and Finance: A New Approach

14:58 Education and Financial Literacy: A Call to Action

17:40 Cultural Influences on Money Mindset

20:15 Parenting and Financial Education for Children

26:21 Cultivating an Abundant Mindset

28:23 Breaking Limiting Beliefs

30:16 The Importance of Routine in Financial Health

32:31 Understanding Personal and Business Finances

36:34 Simplifying Financial Tracking

38:08 Teaching Financial Literacy to the Next Generation

39:47 Navigating Debt Wisely

43:43 Building an Emergency Fund

44:38 Intentional Spending and Emotional Spending

45:46 Planning for Financial Success

46:38 Connecting with Shirley Dempsey

About Shirley Dempsey, Founder of Balanced by Shirley

At Balanced by Shirley, we specialise in empowering entrepreneurs and business owners with the tools for growth, financial awareness, and clarity.

As a finance educator and business mentor, I help you navigate the complexities of building and developing your business while ensuring mindfulness remains at the core of everything we do. My mission is to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to grow your business with confidence and clear direction

Website: https://balancedbyshirley.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancedbyshirley?utm_source=qr&igsh=aWZmOTNoM3Y5eWs5

Personal Finance Ebook: https://balancedbyshirley.com/product/ebook-mind-your-money/

Get 10% off any product offered by Balanced by Shirley with the discount code Podcast10

What if the emotions you carry aren’t just yours?

What if ancestral trauma, past experiences, and subconscious beliefs are shaping your reality today?

In this deeply insightful episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) sits down with Michelle A. Hardwick, a practitioner specialising in emotional release, trauma healing, and energy work. Michelle shares her personal transformation - from the high-stress world of hospitality to becoming a healer - and how her journey led her to powerful techniques like Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), hypnosis, and past life regression.

This episode is an essential listen for anyone seeking emotional healing, personal growth, and a deeper connection to themselves. 

Together, we explore:

• How trapped emotions shape our present experiences

• Why familiar patterns & relationships often mirror past wounds

• The power of EFT for releasing emotional & physical stress

• How ancestral trauma is passed down through generations

• Shame, self-judgment & breaking free from toxic cycles

• The role of nature, meditation & self-care in restoring balance

• Finding your tribe & why community is essential for healing

Whether you’ve struggled with unresolved emotions, trauma, or simply want to deepen your self-awareness and personal growth, this episode offers tools to help you heal, find balance and reclaim your emotional freedom.

What You’ll Learn:

• How trapped emotions shape our present experiences

• Why familiar patterns & relationships often mirror past wounds

• The power of EFT for releasing emotional & physical stress

• How ancestral trauma is passed down through generations

• Shame, self-judgment & breaking free from toxic cycles

• The role of nature, meditation & self-care in restoring balance

  Finding your tribe & why community is essential for healing

00:00 – Introduction to Emotional Release & Healing

04:35 – Michelle’s Journey from Hospitality to Healing

09:20 – How EFT Works & Why It’s So Powerful

11:57 – The Role of Shame & Judgment in Emotional Healing

16:10 – Breaking Free from Repeating Toxic Patterns

22:15 – Finding Balance Through Nature, Meditation & Self-Care

25:01 – Ancestral Trauma: What We Carry from Past Generations

31:39 – The Power of Community & Finding Your Tribe

39:15 – Wellbeing & Emotional Freedom: What It Really Means

45:51 – Michelle’s Personal Self-Care & Wellbeing Practices

Special Opportunities with Michelle:

For those seeking to deepen their emotional wellness journey, Michelle offers a monthly Freedom & Self-Love Circle — an intimate online gathering designed to help you release self-doubt, break free from people-pleasing, and reclaim your inner voice.

Limited to 12 participants per session, this space encourages gentle self-discovery and growth. Book now to receive a complimentary 30-Day Self-Love Journal Guide when you sign up.

Exclusive Podcast Listener Offer: When you book a full 2-hour consultation with Michelle and mention the promo code "PODCASTBONUS," you'll receive a complimentary 30-minute follow-up session, ensuring you feel fully supported on your journey.

Whether you’ve struggled with unresolved emotions, trauma, or simply want to deepen your self-awareness and personal growth, this episode offers tools to help you heal, find balance, and reclaim your emotional freedom.

For bookings and further details, visit: https://releasepeace.ie/booking https://michellehardwick.com/ https://www.honestgoodness.ie/

Limited Time Offer – Available exclusively to podcast listeners

Did you know that it wasn’t until the 2000s that menstruating women were commonly included in scientific studies? And that the first study using actual menstrual blood instead of blue liquid in product testing didn’t happen until 2023? Women's health has been misunderstood and under-researched for far too long.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the complex world of hormones, the menstrual cycle, and hormonal imbalances—and how they affect your energy, mood, digestion, skin, and overall well-being.

From PMS and PMDD to PCOS, acne, and endometriosis, we’ll explore why these conditions occur and how stress, diet, and lifestyle choices play a major role in hormonal health. You'll also learn about the crucial roles of estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, and prolactin, plus the impact of hormonal birth control on your body.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

• The Missing Education – Why so many of us never learned about how our hormones work
• The Hormone Symphony – How estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone interact
• DHEA: The Master Hormone – How it influences energy, libido, and metabolism
• Hormonal Birth Control – Its impact on mood, skin, and ovulation
• PMS vs. PMDD – Understanding the difference & why PMS isn’t “just part of being a woman”
• PCOS, Acne & Androgens – How testosterone and blood sugar affect skin & cycles
• Endometriosis & Estrogen Imbalance – The myths, research, and management strategies
• Blood Sugar & Hormones – Why sugar crashes can worsen hormone imbalances
• Stress & Hormones – How mental, emotional & physical stress disrupts cycles

•  Your hormones are not the same every day—your body is constantly changing.
• High stress levels (mental or physical) can impact ovulation & cycle regularity.

• Androgens & blood sugar play a bigger role in acne than estrogen.

  PMS is not something you just have to accept—imbalances can be addressed.

• DHEA & testosterone are essential for motivation, muscle strength & libido.

  Nutritional therapy & lifestyle changes can significantly improve hormonal balance.

  
  

Contact me for support if you are

• Considering hormone testing if you experience persistent symptoms
• Want to learn how nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle can support your hormone balance
• Motivated to take control of your health by understanding your body better

In this transformative episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) sits down with Phoebe O’ Regan (Awen Soul), a sacred tattoo artist and intuitive guide, to explore tattooing as a powerful ritual of self-expression, healing, and personal transformation.Phoebe shares how she creates a deeply intentional experience for her clients, from grounding meditations to channeled designs that emerge intuitively. She discusses the role of trust, embodiment and energy work in tattooing - how each symbol can serve as a rite of passage, an anchor or a portal to new beginnings.The conversation also dives into human design, a system that helps individuals align with their unique energy and purpose. Phoebe shares her journey into this wisdom, how it changed her perspective and how it can be used to navigate life with greater self-awareness.If you've ever been drawn to tattoos as a way to mark transitions, embody your truth, or connect with something deeper - this episode will shift the way you see ink forever.What we talk about

• How tattoos can serve as sacred rites of passage
• The power of intuitive tattooing and trusting the creative process
• Why embodiment and ritual are key to an intentional tattoo experience
• An introduction to human design and how it aligns with personal energy
• The unique energetic types in human design and how they navigate the world
• Why trauma-informed tattooing creates a deeper sense of safety and transformation
• How embracing creativity leads to self-discovery and empowerment

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Sacred Tattooing & Energy Work

03:12 – The Intuitive Process Behind Channeled Tattoos

06:45 – Holding Space: Rituals & Embodiment in Tattooing

11:46 – How Tattoos Can Symbolize Rites of Passage

14:10 – Phoebe’s Journey into Human Design & Mysticism

18:31 – Understanding the 5 Human Design Types & Their Energy Flow

24:09 – The Role of Creativity & Spirituality in Self-Discovery

27:46 – Trusting Your Own Unique Path & Embracing Your Gifts

30:55 – Final Thoughts on Sacred Tattooing & Future Explorations

About Phoebe

Phoebe works as a guide supporting people to strengthen their relationship with their bodies, nature & their purpose through ceremony, ritual, rewilding, art, & ancient wisdom systems such as astrology, human design & the Viking runes. You can find her work atwww.awensoul.ie

Keywords:sacred tattooing, intuitive tattoos, energy work, human design, personal transformation, rituals, trauma-informed tattooing, spiritual tools, soul alignment, well-being, creativity, embodiment, intentional art

In this empowering episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) sits down with Vicky Shilling, a self-belief business coach, to explore the real reasons people get stuck - often not lack of strategy but lack of self-belief. Vicky shares her insights on how self-doubt disguises itself as procrastination, perfectionism and people-pleasing, keeping us from reaching our full potential.

Through her coaching work and personal journey, Vicky has uncovered that many entrepreneurs don’t need more information - they need the confidence to implement what they already know.

She introduces the concepts of the Inner Protector (the voice that keeps us small) and we discuss the Inner Mentor (the voice that moves us forward) offering practical tools to navigate these internal dynamics.

What You’ll Learn:

This episode is packed with actionable strategies and powerful mindset shifts for anyone looking to build confidence, take action, and move past the invisible barriers holding them back.

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck despite having all the tools, this conversation will change the way you approach self-belief and success.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Self-Belief Coaching

04:02 – Understanding Self-Doubt and Its Manifestations

10:55 – The Role of the Inner Protector

17:11 – Engaging with the Inner Mentor22:00 – The Importance of Self-Awareness in Well-Being

Results of the survey, discussed, are available on Vicky's Substack account.

About Vicky Shilling

Vicky Shilling is a Self-Belief Business Coach, helping solopreneurs change their beliefs so they can make more sales and more impact.

She loves honest chat about self-doubt, the true feelings and emotions of running your business and sharing tips and tools to help solo business owners become True Experimenters when it comes to taking bold steps to do the work they love

In this inspiring episode, Claire O’ Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) is joined by Rachel Beare, (The Yoga House) to reflect on their experiences in 2024, a year of personal growth, meaningful collaborations and community connections. Together, they explore the transformative power of combining joy and devotion in all aspects of life. From parenting to collaborating to practicing yoga, Rachel shares how infusing joy into acts of devotion creates genuine, positive energy that benefits both the giver and the receiver.

Listeners will hear about the importance of:

Reflecting on who you are in each moment and the energy you bring to your actions.

Avoiding the "shadow side" of service, such as resentment or depletion, which can unintentionally harm those around us.

Transforming self-care, relationships and community through joyful intention and authenticity.

Setting boundaries and saying “no” to what doesn’t serve you in order to foster personal freedom and growth.

Asking simple yet profound questions to ensure your practices are nourishing for both yourself and others.

Embracing mistakes as an essential part of the learning journey.

Rachel also shares her thoughts on what lies ahead in 2025, including her vision for embracing freedom and releasing the need to please others.

With actionable insights and heartfelt stories, this episode serves as a powerful reminder to live with intention, compassion, and joy.

Rachel’s passion for her practice and teaching shines through, offering inspiration for anyone seeking more meaning and peace in their daily lives.

Chapters:

Upcoming collaboration: 

Join Claire and Beare on February 22, 2025, for a 4-hour workshop focused on understanding and balancing female hormones. This session combines nourishing yoga sequences with actionable insights into hormonal health. Perfect for women, and anyone supporting them, this workshop offers practical tools to boost health and vitality.

Book Now

Keywords:

yoga, devotion, joy, personal growth, self-care, community, mindfulness, authenticity, transformation, conscious living, energy, teaching, parenting, self-awareness, intention, shadow work, resilience, connection, freedom.