Grey Areas with Petra Bagust

Getting up at stupid-o’clock every weekday morning to perform in front of the nation requires a certain type of strength and stamina. Add perimenopause to the pressure cooker of live television and you’ve got yourself a potent cocktail of challenges.

Part of Jenny-May Clarkson’s secret is the dynamic partnership she’s forged with her husband Dean. In this episode they share the story of their second-chance-at-love romance, and how their differences complement each other in raising twins, working hard, and navigating major life transitions.

Jenny-May also shares about receiving her moko kauae (traditional Māori tattoo), and how understanding and embracing her heritage has invited her inner critic to take a back seat.

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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Having children and becoming a mother is a huge part of our collective cultural script. When you’re single, the question is ‘when are you going to find someone?’ When you find someone, the question becomes ‘when are you having children?’

So what about the many women who don’t have children, either by choice, circumstance or because they’re unable to?

Otherhood is a newly published book of essays on being childless, childfree and child-adjacent.

Lil O’Brien and Kathryn van Beek are two of the editors of this anthology, which charts the challenges, joys and griefs that being without children brings, and has also inadvertently created space and a lovely community for people who aren’t mothers. Ka pai!

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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In a culture of unhealthy comparison and burdensome perfectionism, how do we cultivate an openness to getting it wrong? … Like, really get down and dirty with failure and understand how necessary it is for growth and basically learning anything at all.

Dr Jin Russell’s intimidating bio reads like the ultimate perfectionist’s achievement list. She’s a Consultant Developmental Paediatrician at Starship Children’s Health and a researcher in public health, investigating the impact of poverty on children. She’s won clinical awards, competitive research grants, has multiple degrees including a PhD, and sits on several boards. She’s spoken publicly on behalf of vulnerable children. Oh, and she’s a mum – no biggie.

Yet in spite of her achievements and accolades, she’s keenly interested in what failure can produce in us, and how to pursue excellence without being weighed down by the impossible pursuit of perfection.

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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The world of investing has long been dominated by men, but did you know that the women who do invest typically do better than their male counterparts?

Honestly, it’s never been easier with the technology now available to us, so let’s figure out what positive action we can take because the good news is it’s never too late to get amongst it.

Victoria Harris is passionate about women taking control of their financial futures. Along with her podcast co-host, Sophie Hallwright, she founded Raising The Curve to help wāhine do just that.

Later in the episode Kirstien Taylor from Generate Kiwisaver talks about the simple things that we can do now to better prepare ourselves for retirement.

Check out Victoria and Sophie's podcast The Curve.

Disclaimer: No part of this podcast is intended as financial advice; it is intended as general information only. For more information about the Generate KiwiSaver Scheme see their Product Disclosure Statement at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds. The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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There are moments in time where issues that have lurked in the shadows reach a tipping point and break into the public consciousness. Now is such a time for neurodiversity and ADHD. We are ready for healthier, more embracing conversations about how different brains work.

TV presenter and actor Sonia Gray is on a quest to make life better for neurodiverse children and their families since her own tempestuous journey with daughter Inez. Her experiences and research has also led to discovering some of the mysteries of her own brain and how she’s uniquely wired! This is personal.

Sonia opens a window into the difficulty of raising neurodiverse children in a world that often doesn’t value difference, and explores the pain of being misunderstood. Sonia shares her public journey as an advocate, as well as her private journey towards loving self-acceptance.

For more podcasts on the topic check out Sonia's own podcast series No Such Thing As Normal, as well as the ADHD episode of Are You Mental? by Mick Andrews.

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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Open a refreshing window to the world of creativity with Dr. Selina Tusitala Marsh as we riff on creativity and poetry. Turns out you don’t have to give it up after high school.

Selina, an accomplished poet, academic, and illustrator, shares profound insights and captivating tales from her journey, which includes becoming NZ’s official poet (aka Poet Laureate), an unconventional marriage break up, and being honoured as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

From the physicality of marathons to the tranquillity of walking, we discuss the evolution of our creative lives and the surprises ageing invites us into. 

With her trademark wisdom and wit, Selina shares the transformational role of poetry in empowering Pasifika leaders and reflects on the expansive nature of creativity, such as making a cup of tea with love… does it taste any different?

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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Hot on the heels of launching her new book Evolving, Judy Bailey sat down with Petra to talk all things ageing.

At 72 years old, Judy has a sparkle that's infectious. Her credentialed career as a journalist, along with her natural curiosity and sense of fun make her an ideal guide to navigate the landscape of ageing, and explore the latest research on how to do it well.

It’s exciting to hear that since leaving television, Judy is having some of the most fulfilling years of her life! Naturally, they haven’t been without trials, including navigating her husband Chris’s cancer diagnosis.

Be encouraged by Judy’s insights and enthusiasm and take meaningful action for your future now, knowing you can do it with a twinkle in your eye, throughout your golden years.

Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.

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We're kicking off Season 5 with our LIVE recording of a fun and fascinating panel discussion tackling pleasure, intimacy, and love in midlife and menopause with writer Niki Bezzant and relationship coach Meg Cowan.

Niki Bezzant is a trained journalist whose book This Changes Everything: the honest guide to menopause and perimenopause has, for thousands of New Zealanders, shed light on the oddly overlooked experience of women and ageing. Diving into sexuality, intimacy and desire in her upcoming book The Everything Guide Niki tackles a raft of ‘sex myths for grown-ups’ and shows us we’re not alone in navigating the highs and lows of our sexual journeys.

Meg Cowan is a sex & relationship coach who’s created The Couples Guide to Hotter Sex in 10 Days! and The Shame-free Sex Course, delivering empowering practical skills to people all around the world. Meg is pro-pleasure, practical and positive - and believes we can all find our way to magnificent sexual expression whatever our season.

The night also featured a special musical appearance from Aro - the creators of the Grey Areas waiata/theme song Korimako. Catch Aro's brand new album out 19th April!

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Kia ora! Petra here and we’re getting ready for Season 5!

5 feels like a milestone… off to school and all that, growing up literally - thanks for coming on this journey with me - hasn’t it been fun and also fascinating!?! 

We have built up quite the collection of stories and questions to travel with us into our next season - hopefully with more compassion, humour and  courageous can-do. Let’s keep going! 

Who would have thought we’d talk about vulval skin health, pelvic floors, boobs bones and all the things menopause! There is plenty left to yarn about, so many great stories to share and I hope that in sharing stories of our wonderful guests and their ‘grey areas’ - you feel more at home in your own skin, head and heart.

This season I’m joined by more fabulous guests including authors Judy Bailey, Niki Bezzant and Selina Tusitala Marsh, presenter Sonia Gray and sex coach Meg Cowan.

We go fossicking about in experiences of perfectionism and adult diagnosis of ADHD, take personal journeys into creativity, relationship changes like separation and even ageing on purpose, as well as a particular highlight of mine - talking about pleasure, intimacy and love in mid-life with two awesome wāhine - live on stage - that’s right we did a live event and I LOVED IT!

So join me for Season 5 of Grey Areas with Petra Bagust!

New episodes drop weekly from April 18th on rova, or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

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Film reviewer extraordinaire Kate Rodger joins Grey Areas for another laugh-filled chat about stepping outside of her ‘lane’, dealing with feelings of overwhelm, and the progress she's making on her personal goals.

Kate brings her trademark humour and wildly generous way with words to a conversation about new challenges, making time for what’s important, and never being afraid to have a good ol’ cry in the staff loos.

If you want to hear more from Kate check out her earlier episode The edges of menopause from Season 2!

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