Life Academy

We start with a heartfelt conversation about raising daughters in a world that still asks girls to protect themselves.

Then, the pop culture homework takes a turn: Kim Kardashian’s five nannies, Dena’s confession about getting help, and Rihanna keeping everyone waiting. Plus, which Hollywood star held up an entire room… for fried chicken?

Big feelings, questionable celebrity behaviour, and plenty of opinions, dAlings 🎭💕

This episode is brought to you by Protect-A-Bed: https://protectabed.com.au/

A gentle heads-up: this episode discusses violence against women, domestic violence, sexual abuse, trauma, addiction and body image, and contains strong language. Please listen with care. The lighter pop culture chat begins at 10:24.

00:00 — Welcome, acknowledgement & a gentle heads-up

01:30 — Women’s safety and raising daughters

03:13 — The quote that broke us as girl mums

07:03 — The impact beyond the headlines

10:24 — Switching gears: Glastonbury gossip

12:09 — Our celebrity psychic picks the headliners

13:29 — Harry, Meghan & the royal obsession

15:08 — Kim Kardashian, five nannies & the mum police

17:01 — Dena’s au pair confession

18:13 — Rihanna keeps Fashion Week waiting

18:54 — Two hours… for fried chicken?!

19:56 — Manifesting Rihanna’s music comeback

20:44 — Love you, dAlings

If this conversation brings anything up for you, support is available. In Australia, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit https://www.1800respect.org.au for support, 24/7.

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Have we left it too late for another baby? dAlings, this one gets personal 🩵 Between Bali belly before Bali and birthday chaos, we’re talking about trying for another baby—and the feelings we don’t always want to admit.

What happens when getting pregnant isn’t as easy the second time? When someone else’s happy news hurts? And when you’re longing for another chance at the newborn days?

Dena shares a heartbreaking loss, Alicia gets honest about the waiting, and somehow we still end up plotting our reality TV careers.

Big love to anyone quietly hoping it’s their turn next 🩵

Content warning: This episode discusses miscarriage, fertility struggles, postnatal depression, eating disorders, body image and bereavement, and contains adult themes and coarse language.

00:00 Welcome, dAlings + we’re barely holding it together
03:53 We thought it would happen again…
05:01 When making a baby stops being fun
06:57 Are we ready to take the next step?
10:24 The newborn days Dena wishes she could get back
11:37 Happy for you… but when is it our turn?
14:46 Do we actually want to know the answers?
18:09 The news that put everything into perspective
23:16 You can be grateful and still have a shit day
25:45 Dena’s ready to be on the other side of the retreat
26:51 Everyone’s day is planned… except Alicia’s
31:37 Vision boards + could we Abigail our way onto The Traitors?
36:32 Supermodels, Abigail questions & dating disasters
40:52 Recs/Homework

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Join our Facebook group:
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Watch us on YouTube:
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Recs/Homework:
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke — Dena’s audiobook pick about a tradwife influencer whose picture-perfect online life meets the brutal reality of 1855.

Little Hottie — Alicia’s repeat recommendation for a rechargeable heat pack she’s been using constantly, with Dena equally obsessed with hers.

Make a vision board — Inspired by their retreat chat: carve out some time to put your goals on paper, and try including your own face in the images so you can picture yourself there.

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Nothing says Life Lately like a full-blown Bali transformation, a birthday spent sick in bed and Alicia entering mama-bear mode at kindy 💀

We’re talking body image, motherhood, female friendship, career setbacks and whether Alicia crossed the line by stepping in when Isla was being left out.

Come for Dena’s Bali awakening, stay to shop our Favourite Four products from September below. Love you, dAlings 🫶

00:00 Welcome to Life Academy

01:53 The Bali retreat that changed everything

10:08 Sick on your birthday and still having to mum

13:45 Could we be cast in the same show again?

15:28 Going full mama bear for your child

22:18 Favourite Four for September

Shop Our Favourite Four Products From September:

1. Kiehl’s 1CC CollaShot Plump Serum – A bouncy serum featuring pink vitamin B12 and recombinant collagen polypeptide, designed to visibly plump the skin and target signs of ageing. Purchase the new 1CC CollaShot Plump Serum and receive 25% off sitewide (excluding sets) using code COLLAGEN25. Valid 30 September to 11 October.

2. Best & Less Nappy Bag – Dena’s affordable everyday bag that looks far more expensive than it is, with plenty of room for all the mum essentials.

3. Sarah J. Maas Books– Alicia’s latest fantasy obsession, including the *Throne of Glass* and *A Court of Thorns and Roses* series. Expect immersive worlds, romance and varying levels of spice.

4. Tulita Vikasa Fragrance – Dena’s long-lasting, 100% natural fragrance housed in a refillable bottle with an activated rose-quartz crystal cap.

Follow us at:

📸 Dena's Instagram

📸 Alicia's Instagram

📸 Life Academy Instagram

🎵 Life Academy TikTok

🔵 Join our Facebook group

▶️ Watch us on YouTube

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This episode takes us straight into one of Dance Academy’s most iconic side quests: Kat becoming a music video girlie 💃🎬

This week, we live-react to 'Heartbeat' episode and unpack the Miles Kelly storyline, what filming those dance scenes was really like, the wardrobe choices we still have questions about, and the scenes Alicia was much more nervous to film than anyone realised.

And then there’s the kiss. Let’s just say the director had notes 😭

Come rewatch Dance Academy with the girls who lived it, remembered half of it, and are discovering the rest right alongside you, dAlings 🩵

1:14 — Reacting to the opening music performance

3:35 — The boys get VERY competitive behind the scenes

7:14 — Dena wanted Kat’s music video storyline BADLY

10:03 — The music video shoot begins

14:45 — Dena’s intense 5AM Dance Academy workout routine

16:56 — Alicia reveals how nervous she was filming the dance scenes

19:49 — The moment Alicia knew the kiss was coming

20:24 — THAT kiss… and the director’s brutal note 😭

22:34 — Filming the Miles Kelly music video

26:40 — The role was originally meant for Ruby Rose?!

27:18 — Watching the finished music video for the first time

29:09 — Final reactions to Episode 9

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Apparently all roads lead back to an Australian teen drama 😭🇦🇺

This week, we unpack Kendall Jenner allegedly funding the romance, the H2O reboot that should absolutely exist, what Kat and Abigail would be doing now, and the Sydney Sweeney ad that has the internet very divided.

There’s also reality TV tea, an Emmys red carpet debrief, a little Nicole Kidman appreciation, Practical Magic 2 hype, and some very unexpected Sandra Bullock lore.

As always: under-researched, over-opinionated, and somehow still committed to the assignment. Pop culture homework complete, dAlings 🎭💅

1:04 — Kendall Jenner’s alleged sugar mummy era with Jacob Elordi

4:07 — The H2O reboot that apparently nobody wanted?!

6:13 — Could Dance Academy: Next Generation actually work?

8:28 — Sydney Sweeney’s controversial sports campaign

15:22 — Alix Earle’s reality show and the Alex Cooper fallout

17:59 — The Emmys red carpet debrief: hits, misses and fashion crimes

19:23 — Nicole Kidman, beauty tweaks and red carpet reactions

21:19 — Shailene Woodley’s look gets absolutely roasted

22:02 — Practical Magic 2 and the Sandra Bullock love fest

22:54 — Why 28 Days has been watched way too many times

23:40 — Final thoughts

Follow us at:

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Okay… we might have accidentally unlocked a new Life Academy era 👀🎭

After months of talking about the live show, we finally got on stage; and meeting our dAlings in real life hit way harder than either of us expected. There were tears, Dance Academy throwbacks, a surprise guest, a very big “wait… should we actually take this on tour?” moment.

There’s also some VERY exciting acting news, the reality of returning to set after years away, and an airport story so unnecessarily chaotic that honestly… of course it happened to us 😭

To everyone who came, watched, listened, sent us love, or has been here quietly supporting us from the start - thank you. We’re beyond grateful for every single one of you 🥹🩵

2:18 — The forgotten airport bag and pre-show travel chaos

7:02 — Getting ready for the Life Academy live show

11:21 — Meeting our dAlings and why it hit so hard

17:12 — Behind-the-scenes chaos before going on stage

22:03 — The live show begins and the first big laugh

23:50 — Tim Pocock joins us on stage

27:20 — Could Life Academy go on tour?

30:24 — Back on set after five years and two new acting jobs

40:05 — Bondi dreams and the trip home from hell

49:10 — Period chaos, trying for another baby, and wrapping the weekend

51:14 — Recs and final thank-yous

Follow us at:

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https://www.instagram.com/lifeacademythepodcast

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Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/957273649851434/

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAcademyThePodcast

Recs/Homework:

Abrand jeans — Stretchy, comfortable jeans with a flattering fit.

Best&Less — Affordable summer clothes and matching sets for holiday packing.

Famesick by Lena Dunham — A book rec with behind-the-scenes stories, career reflections, and plenty of tea.

Boody period underwear — Soft, comfortable period undies that can handle a heavier flow.

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“EXCUSE ME?? Your therapist did WHAT?”

dAlings, this episode takes a turn 😭 We start with the usual chaos: live show excitement, mum guilt, Bali dreams, acting feelings and a little accidental OnlyFans brainstorming!! Before Dena drops one of the wildest stories we’ve had on Life Academy.

She shares what happened with a former therapist she once trusted completely, how blurred the boundaries became, why she didn’t see the red flags at the time and what finally made her realise just how unhealthy the whole dynamic had been.

Big love to anyone who’s had to untangle a relationship they once thought was helping them 🩵

3:53 Isla’s behaviour improves + the sweetest parent trend

9:13 Why Alicia couldn’t watch the Logies

12:31 Podcast research somehow turns into an OnlyFans spiral

18:40 Bali retreat, mum guilt & needing to actually receive

28:11 Dena’s car skincare “life hack”

36:12 Dena reveals the therapist relationship that crossed major boundaries

42:40 Why Dena finally reported her

46:16 The “past life” story that now sounds completely wild

49:17 Alex saw through the therapist immediately

50:32 Recs/Homework

Follow us at:

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https://www.instagram.com/lifeacademythepodcast

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Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/957273649851434/

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAcademyThePodcast

Recs/Homework:

kit: hand soap — Dena’s pick for a luxe-feeling hand wash without going full Aesop pricing.

Denada mango protein ice cream bar — A sugar-free, high-protein dessert Dena says she’s currently obsessed with.

@briestrongerthancancer — visit Kendra Bird’s Instagram stories and click the affiliate links, which she says help generate money for families going through childhood cancer.

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Pop culture is giving us absolutely no peace this week, dAlings 🍿

We’re back with another wildly unqualified catch-up featuring unexpected celeb pairings, relationship updates, Taylor Swift theories, a little Off Campus chaos and an Anne Hathaway performance that has Dena rethinking EVERYTHING.

There’s also some heavier news in the mix, plus a few very random detours because obviously we cannot stay on topic.

Drop the pop culture story we absolutely HAVE to talk about next week 🩵

Follow us at:

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https://www.instagram.com/aliciabanit

https://www.instagram.com/lifeacademythepodcast

https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeacademythepodcast

Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/957273649851434/

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAcademyThePodcast

1:07 Belmont Cameli + Martha Stewart in the most random ad pairing

2:37 New Harry Potter casting & the J.K. Rowling controversy

5:39 Kim Kardashian & Lewis Hamilton go public

7:50 The sad celebrity news dominating the week

12:36 Postpartum mental health & the Lindsay Clancy case

16:16 Travis Scott’s surprise role in The Odyssey

17:29 Our latest Taylor Swift wedding photo theory

18:43 Alicia on why she still can’t watch the Logies

19:38 Moulin Rouge! is coming back to Australia

21:02 Nicole Kidman’s undercover Ibiza raving era

22:55 Anne Hathaway’s HUGE year & Mother Mary

26:15 Final pop culture thoughts

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We’re grateful for our bodies… but some days, loving them is really bloody hard 😭

This week gets a little more honest than usual, dAlings. Dena opens up about cancelling a Sydney photoshoot because her body confidence had hit such a low point, and we talk about that awful space where you can know all the “right” things about body positivity, gratitude and self-love… and still look in the mirror and feel completely disconnected from yourself.

We also get into Alicia’s own insecurities around ageing and her face, why raising daughters makes all of this feel even more important, and how we’re trying to model self-compassion without pretending we’ve magically figured it all out. Plus, there’s a very sweet friendship moment, toddler updates, beauty recs and some classic Life Academy chaos to balance out the heavier stuff.

Tell us what helps you feel more like yourself again on the hard body-image days, dAlings 🩵🩵

3:04 Therapy, nervous-system overload & finally letting it all out

6:21 Toddler survival mode is slowly easing

8:24 A surprise gift & a very sweet bestie moment

13:21 The honest body-confidence conversation

19:49 When someone telling you “you’re beautiful” isn’t enough

26:35 Grieving the body and identity you used to have

31:12 Why inclusive sizing still has such a long way to go

37:43 Trying not to pass body issues down to our daughters

45:50 Why self-compassion has to be modelled, not just taught

51:19 Raising kind girls who can also stand up for themselves

57:18 Recs/Homework

Recs/Homework

Dermal lip balm — Alicia’s new replacement for her much-missed discontinued Blistex...

Morphe setting spray — Dena’s current favourite for keeping makeup in place without killing the finish.

Full blood work — Dena’s homework after discovering a significant B12 deficiency that may have been contributing to fatigue and brain fog.

Follow us at:

https://www.instagram.com/denaamy

https://www.instagram.com/aliciabanit

https://www.instagram.com/lifeacademythepodcast

https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeacademythepodcast

Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/957273649851434/

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAcademyThePodcast

Recs/Homework:

Dermal lip balm — Alicia’s new replacement for her much-missed discontinued Blistex...

Morphe setting spray — Dena’s current favourite for keeping makeup in place without killing the finish.

Full blood work — Dena’s homework after discovering a significant B12 deficiency that may have been contributing to fatigue and brain fog.

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If you’re in your 20s wondering why everyone else seems to have a plan… this one is VERY much for you, dAlings.

This one is a very special episode because THE Sarah Davidson — yes, our girl from Seize the Yay — is joining us today!! At this point, we genuinely think Sarah has had about nine different careers (god bless a too-talented girl 😭), and somehow every single one makes sense when you hear the full story.

From ballet to law, Matcha Maiden to content creation, she talks about why none of those chapters were wasted — even the ones that felt completely random at the time. We also have such an honest chat about being adopted, becoming a mum, learning to live with anxiety and panic attacks, and why sometimes the career you’re meant to have literally doesn’t exist yet.

There are SO many little nuggets in this episode for anyone feeling lost, behind, scared to change direction or just deeply unsure what the hell they’re doing 🩵

3:02 Meet Sarah Davidson: ballerina, lawyer, founder & creator

7:58 Growing up adopted & how it shaped her identity

14:46 Motherhood changed how Sarah thought about her birth mother

19:36 The ballerina era & realising dance might not be forever

27:35 Leaving ballet, losing direction & nearly getting expelled

34:16 How Matcha Maiden actually started

36:24 The health crisis that changed everything

40:16 Selling the business & realising bigger isn’t always better

41:56 Why your dream job might not even exist yet

46:03 How to stop overthinking & train yourself to take risks

50:24 Sarah opens up about depression, panic attacks & anxiety

59:10 How Sarah taught herself content creation & editing

1:01:56 Working mum guilt, creativity & never having enough time

1:03:10 Recs/Homework

1:07:15 “If it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive”

Follow us at:

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Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/957273649851434/

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeAcademyThePodcast

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