Belinda MacDougall has built one of Australia's most successful wellness businesses, helping millions of people transform their health through The Lady Shake and The Man Shake. But as you'll hear in this conversation, success wasn't the destination—it was just the beginning.

In this inspiring episode, Belinda shares the mindset that helped her build an extraordinary life, why she's never been afraid to ask "Why not?", and what she's learned about purpose, generosity and staying grounded along the way.

Together, we explore why success alone can't fulfil you, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, overcoming self-doubt, and why giving back has become one of the most meaningful chapters of her journey.

Whether you're chasing a dream, navigating a new season of life, or wondering what truly matters, this conversation will leave you feeling inspired to think bigger—and live more intentionally.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why success isn't the finish line
• The mindset behind building The Lady Shake
• Why Belinda has never been afraid to dream big
• Overcoming self-doubt and limiting beliefs
• The importance of purpose beyond achievement
• Staying humble while achieving success
• The power of surrounding yourself with the right people
• Why giving back has become Belinda's greatest passion
• What success can never give you—and what really matters instead

Connect with MEL HISTON: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista! 
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6niLZqnSLAdilLmwzgWbgg?si=cfa5ec0db2154cdc
• Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hey-soul-sista-with-mel-histon/id1479778469
• Website: heysoulsista.com 
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever wondered if the people we love ever really leave us?

Maybe you've had a dream that felt incredibly real. A favourite song played at exactly the right moment. You caught the unmistakable scent of someone's perfume, or a bird appeared when you needed comfort most. Are these simply coincidences... or could they be signs?

In this deeply moving conversation, psychic medium and psychiatric nurse Rebecca Gibson returns to Hey Soul Sista to explore one of life's greatest mysteries: whether our loved ones continue to communicate with us after they've passed.

Rebecca shares her own extraordinary experiences, including her near-death experience, powerful stories of spirit communication, and why she believes our consciousness continues long after our physical bodies are gone. Together, we discuss why grief can sometimes make it harder to notice signs, how dreams, songs and synchronicities can become meaningful messages, and why slowing down may be the key to recognising them.

Whether you're spiritual, sceptical or simply missing someone you love, this conversation offers comfort, hope and a beautiful reminder that love may never truly leave us.

In this episode we discuss:
• Do our loved ones stay with us after they die?
• The most common signs people receive from loved ones
• Dreams, songs, scents and synchronicities
• Why grief can block us from recognising signs
• Rebecca's extraordinary personal experiences
• What happens when we die?
• Can our loved ones hear us when we talk to them?
• Practical ways to become more aware of signs around you

If this episode brings you comfort, we'd love you to follow Hey Soul Sista, leave a review and share it with someone who may need to hear this conversation today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when the woman everyone remembers as a beauty icon discovers that the greatest transformation isn’t how she looks — but who she becomes?

In this very special episode of Hey Soul Sista, I sit down with Alison Brahe-Daddo — one of Australia’s most recognisable models and, for many women of my generation, a true teenage icon.

But this conversation isn’t just about the magazine covers or the modelling years. It’s about the woman behind the image and the many chapters that have shaped her journey.

Ali shares what it was like growing up in the spotlight, taking the leap to move to America, building a life and family, and navigating the identity shifts that come with different seasons of womanhood.

We talk about:
✨ Leaving behind one version of yourself and finding another
✨ The courage it takes to reinvent yourself
✨ Marriage, motherhood and growing together through life’s changes
✨ Menopause as a powerful transition, not an ending
✨ Her book Queen Menopause and the lessons she learned along the way
✨ Creating Aviiana and why supporting women through midlife became such an important mission

Ali’s story is a beautiful reminder that we are never finished becoming who we are meant to be.

Whether you’re navigating menopause, a career change, an empty nest, a new chapter, or simply asking yourself “Who am I now?”, this conversation will remind you that your next chapter might just be your most powerful one yet.

✨ Follow Hey Soul Sista for more conversations about midlife, self-discovery, courage and soulful living.

Connect with ALI DADDO: 

• Website: https://aviiana.com.au/
• Ali's book 'Queen Menopause'

• Instagram @alidaddo

Connect with MEL HISTON: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista! 
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6niLZqnSLAdilLmwzgWbgg?si=cfa5ec0db2154cdc
• Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hey-soul-sista-with-mel-histon/id1479778469
• Website: heysoulsista.com 
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever promised yourself, "This time will be different"… only to find yourself slipping back into the same habits, behaviours or patterns?

Whether it's emotional eating, people-pleasing, unhealthy relationships, procrastination or simply struggling to stick with the changes you want to make, so many of us end up asking the same question:

Why do I keep doing this?

In this episode of Hey Soul Sista, psychologist Kaz Amos explains why lasting change is about so much more than willpower. Together, we explore what's really happening inside the brain, why we're wired to seek what's familiar, how our nervous system shapes our behaviour, and why understanding ourselves with compassion is often the key to breaking old patterns.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why we keep returning to behaviours we know aren't serving us
• The difference between knowing what to do and actually being able to do it
• Why your brain naturally prefers what's familiar
• How neural pathways influence your habits and behaviour
• The role of dopamine, stress and emotional regulation
• Why shame often keeps us stuck
• Practical ways to create lasting change with self-awareness and self-compassion

If you've ever felt frustrated with yourself for ending up back where you started, this episode will leave you with a completely different perspective—and hopefully a little more kindness towards yourself.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow Hey Soul Sista, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who might need to hear it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian entertainer, comedian, author and broadcaster Em Rusciano joins Mel Histon to talk about her new live show, "Addicted to Love." But what unfolds is a deeply personal conversation about identity, AuDHD, self-worth, relationships, midlife, and why so many women spend their lives seeking validation before learning to choose themselves.

In this honest and thought-provoking episode, Mel and Em explore the patterns that keep so many women seeking validation, approval and the feeling of being "chosen."

Known for her fearless honesty and razor-sharp humour, Em shares how receiving an AuDHD diagnosis later in life helped her better understand herself, while opening the door to a much bigger conversation about identity, relationships and self-worth.

Together, Mel and Em discuss why so many women lose themselves trying to meet other people's expectations, and what it really takes to reclaim your voice, your confidence and your sense of self.

In this episode we explore:

• Em's journey following her AuDHD diagnosis
• The inspiration behind her show "Addicted to Love"
• Why so many women seek validation outside themselves
• People-pleasing and "good girl" conditioning
• Relationships, dating and choosing yourself after heartbreak
• Perimenopause, identity and midlife transformation
• Learning to trust yourself and let go of perfection
• Why self-worth changes everything

This conversation is funny, vulnerable, insightful and filled with those moments that make you stop and think, "I've never looked at it that way before."

If you've ever felt like you've spent your life trying to be enough for everyone else, this episode is for you.

Connect with EM RUSCIANO: 

• Website: https://emrusciano.com/
• Get tickets to 'Addicted to Love': https://emrusciano.com/addicted-to-love/
• Em's podcast 'Emsolation' - Emsolation podcast
• Instagram @emrusciano

Connect with MEL HISTON: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista! 
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6niLZqnSLAdilLmwzgWbgg?si=cfa5ec0db2154cdc
• Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hey-soul-sista-with-mel-histon/id1479778469
• Website: heysoulsista.com 
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brain fog, sudden chin hairs, mood swings, and feeling like you are losing your mind—if you are a woman over 40, it’s not just stress. It’s perimenopause.

In this episode, women’s health specialist Dr Shauna Watts breaks down the wildly fluctuating hormones that cause these unexpected changes. Host, Mel Histon, and Dr Shauna dive deep into the signs doctors frequently miss, how dropping estrogen impacts your brain, and the honest, evidence-based truth about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) so you can finally get relief.

If you have been feeling uncharacteristic anxiety, fatigue, or just not like yourself lately, this conversation is the validation and medical clarity you have been looking for.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

• The "Zone of Chaos": What perimenopause actually is and when it starts.
• Brain Fog Explained: How dropping estrogen levels physically impact your brain health, memory, and cognition.
• The Hidden Symptoms: Why changing hormones lead to unexpected changes like body composition shifts and chin hairs.
• Demystifying Hormones and HRT: An honest, evidence-based look at the safety, side effects, and benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy.

About Our Guest:Dr Shauna Watts is a respected Australian General Practitioner specializing in women's health, lifestyle medicine, and menopause management. She is passionate about empowering women with evidence-based education to navigate midlife changes with confidence and clarity.

Connect with DR SHAUNA WATTS: 

• Website: https://youbydrshaunawatts.com.au/ 
• Dr Shauna's podcast 'All About You' - https://www.allaboutyoupod.com/
• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3YhnZ3pO6zaEOgFvIUo99b
• Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/all-about-you-with-dr-shauna-watts/id1720112408  Facebook  @YOUbyDrShaunaWattsNewcastle 
• Instagram @youbydrshaunawatts

 

Connect with MEL HISTON: 

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista! 
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6niLZqnSLAdilLmwzgWbgg?si=cfa5ec0db2154cdc
• Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hey-soul-sista-with-mel-histon/id1479778469
• Website: heysoulsista.com 
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the parts of yourself you've spent your whole life hiding are actually your greatest gifts?

In this powerful episode of Hey Soul Sista, Mel Histon sits down with author, speaker and psychic medium Chezzi Denyer to explore the extraordinary story behind her new book, 'The Weird Little Girl Who Talked To Ghosts'.

As a child, Chezzi experienced what she describes as communication with spirits and a deep connection to the unseen world. But after years of feeling different, being labelled "weird" and trying to fit in, she gradually shut that part of herself down.

It wasn't until a profound period of grief, loss and personal transformation that those experiences began to return—leading her on a journey that would change her life forever.

Together, Mel and Chezzi explore:

• Growing up feeling different and learning to hide who you are
• The impact of childhood experiences and being labelled "weird"
• Why so many women dim their light to fit in
• Grief, loss and spiritual awakening
• Intuition, signs and synchronicities
• Messages from loved ones who have passed
• Motherhood, self-doubt and learning to trust yourself
• Whether we all have intuitive abilities
• How to reconnect with your inner knowing
• The inspiration behind The Weird Little Girl Who Talked To Ghosts

Whether you're curious about mediumship, fascinated by spirituality, navigating grief, or simply trying to reconnect with your authentic self, this conversation offers comfort, insight and hope.

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com 

Connect with CHEZZI DENYER:

• Website: https://chezzidenyer.com.au/
• Chezzi's book - The Weird Little Girl That Talked To Ghosts
• Facebook @thechezzidiaries
• Instagram @chezzidenyer

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with a soul sister who needs to hear it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After spending seven days in a coma with a rare and life-threatening form of bacterial meningitis, renowned neurosurgeon Dr Eben Alexander says he experienced a reality beyond this world—one that challenged everything he thought he knew about life, death and consciousness.

Before his near-death experience, Dr Eben was a respected brain surgeon who believed consciousness was created entirely by the brain. But what happened during those seven days would completely transform his understanding of reality and lead him to write the international bestseller Proof of Heaven.

In this profound and thought-provoking conversation, host - Mel Histon - and Dr Eben explore some of humanity's biggest questions:

✨ What happens when we die?
✨ Does consciousness survive beyond the physical body?
✨ Can we reconnect with loved ones after death?
✨ What is a life review?
✨ Why are so many people reporting near-death experiences?
✨ Is there a deeper purpose behind suffering and grief?
✨ What role does love play in the journey of the soul?

Dr Eben also shares the extraordinary story of meeting a woman during his near-death experience who would later be revealed to be his biological sister—someone he had never met in this lifetime.

Whether you're curious, skeptical, grieving someone you love, or simply searching for deeper meaning, this conversation offers a fascinating exploration of life, death and the possibility that we are far more than our physical bodies.

One message sits at the heart of Dr Eben's story:

"You are deeply loved and cherished forever."

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing these powerful conversations to more women around the world.

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

Connect with DR EBEN ALEXANDER:

• Website: https://ebenalexander.com/
• For Binaural Beats and Meditations - https://www.sacredacoustics.com/
• Dr Eben's books - Proof of Heaven, Living in a Mindful Universe, The Map of Heaven
• Instagram @ebenalex3md

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if healing isn't about becoming someone new, but remembering who you've always been?

In this deeply soulful and thought-provoking conversation, Melissa sits down with psychotherapist, trauma therapist and author Naomi Sirio to explore the connection between healing, spirituality and the journey back to self.

Drawing on more than two decades of therapeutic practice and the insights from her new book Souljourn, Naomi shares why so many of us feel disconnected, how childhood experiences continue to shape our adult lives, and what it really means to do the inner work.

Together they explore attachment styles, trauma, grief, relationships, self-sabotage, journaling, meditation and the parts of ourselves we leave behind along the way. They also dive into the spiritual side of healing, discussing signs from loved ones who have passed, intuition, soul connection and the possibility that there is more to life than what we can see.

This is a conversation about slowing down, listening inwardly, and finding your way home to yourself.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The meaning behind Naomi's book Souljourn
• Why healing is a lifelong journey
• Attachment styles and how they shape our relationships
• Childhood trauma and the impact of emotional attunement
• Why we repeat patterns and self-sabotage
• The power of journaling and self-reflection
• Meditation, somatic healing and reconnecting with the body
• Signs from spirit and connection with loved ones who have passed
• Finding meaning, purpose and connection in everyday life
• The journey back to your authentic self

If you've ever felt lost, disconnected, or curious about the deeper meaning behind your experiences, this episode offers gentle wisdom, hope and practical insights for your own soul journey.

Connect with NAOMI SIRIO:

• Instagram @souljourn_with_naomi
• Website: https://www.souljourn.com.au
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com
• Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel like life has become one long to-do list?

In this episode of Hey Soul Sista, host, Mel Histon, sits down with organisation expert, podcast host and founder of Beautifully Organised, Marissa Roberts, for a heartfelt conversation about simplifying life, creating space for yourself and learning to nurture your own wellbeing.

Together they explore why so many women struggle to switch off, the pressure of trying to do it all, and how small changes can create more calm, ease and joy in everyday life.

Marissa shares practical tips for reducing overwhelm, setting healthy boundaries, saying no without guilt, creating simple self-care rituals and letting go of perfectionism.

The conversation also takes some fun and unexpected turns as Marissa shares her experiences working as an extra in movies and television shows, including a memorable moment involving Ryan Gosling!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why so many women feel constantly overwhelmed
• The mental load and invisible pressures women carry
• How organisation can create more peace and freedom
• Practical ways to simplify daily life
• Learning to say no without guilt
• People pleasing, boundaries and protecting your energy
• Creating self-care rituals that actually fit into real life
• The benefits of solo travel and making time for yourself
• Letting go of perfectionism
• Finding more joy, calm and balance in everyday life

If you've been craving a softer, simpler way of living, this episode is a beautiful reminder that you don't need to do more—you may simply need to make space for what matters most.

Connect with Marissa Roberts:
Beautifully Organised
The Simpler Business Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with a woman in your life who could use a little more peace, simplicity and self-care.

** Hey Soul Sista listeners can have FREE access to Marissa’s course The Busy Mum’s Guide to Making Life Easier:

https://marissaroberts.thrivecart.com/bmgtmle/?coupon=HEYSOULSISTA

** Hey Soul Sista listeners can have FREE access to Marissa’s Business Boundaries toolkit:

https://www.marissaroberts.com/business-boundaries/ 

Connect with MARISSA ROBERTS: 

• Instagram @marissarobertsofficial

• The Simpler Business Podcast https://www.marissaroberts.com/podcast/

• Website: https://www.beautifullyorganised.com/
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista 

Connect with MEL HISTON:

• Subscribe to make sure you hear the next instalment of Hey Soul Sista!
• Instagram @melissahiston
• Instagram @heysoulsistapodcast
• Watch the podcast video on YouTube: @heysoulsista
• Website: heysoulsista.com - Website: gotyourbacksista.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.