In this festive episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle welcomes back Hannah Bartlett from Jolly Festive for another holiday season! Past Christmas episodes with Hannah have been among our most downloaded to date, so she’s back by popular demand to sprinkle more holiday cheer. Together, they dive into practical tips for making your money go further, taking care of yourself during the busy season, and embracing fun, sustainable ways to reuse Christmas decor and cards. Hannah also shares advice on staying safe from scams during the holidays. Finally, the episode wraps up with a special trip down memory lane, revisiting the best moments from previous Christmas specials.

Key Takeaways:

🎙️ Stretch Your Christmas Budget: Discover creative and practical ways to save money while still enjoying a magical holiday season.

🎙️ Self-Care During the Holidays: Prioritize your well-being with simple strategies to reduce stress and avoid festive burnout, including the use of an advent candle to carve out mindful, reflective moments each day.

🎙️ Sustainable Christmas Ideas: Learn how to reuse and recycle decorations, cards, and wrapping materials in fun, eco-friendly ways.

🎙️ Best of Christmas Past: Relive the top moments from previous Christmas episodes with Jolly Festive for timeless inspiration.

Episode Resources:

🌟 Visit Jolly Festive’s website for more holiday inspiration: jollyfestive.com

🌟 Follow Jolly Festive on Instagram: @JollyFestive

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Tune in to the Christmas Special for tips, nostalgia, and holiday cheer to make this festive season your best yet!

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In this transformative episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle speaks with breath work coach Caroline Boyle, exploring the profound impact of breath work on wellness, mental health, and emotional resilience. Caroline shares her personal journey with breath work, especially its supportive role during her battle with breast cancer and the loss of her father. Together, they uncover the science and benefits behind conscious breathing, including its effectiveness for managing stress, enhancing athletic performance, supporting respiratory health, and even facilitating emotional release. Caroline offers practical techniques for integrating breath work into daily life, making it accessible for everyone looking to deepen their well-being and emotional healing.

Key Takeaways:

🎙️ Breath work for Emotional and Physical Healing: Breath work offers a powerful means of emotional release and healing, even supporting trauma recovery without verbal processing.

🎙️ Daily Benefits of Breath Awareness: Simple, intentional breath work techniques can alleviate stress, improve mental clarity, and support emotional stability.

🎙️ Breath and Physical Health: Nose breathing enhances respiratory function, detoxification, and overall health, as 70% of metabolic waste is expelled through breathing.

🎙️ Supportive for Menopause and Hormonal Changes: Regular breath work can be a valuable tool for managing symptoms related to menopause and other hormonal shifts, providing calmness and stability.

Episode Resources:

🌟 Connect with Caroline Boyle on Instagram at @breathwork_with_caroline.

🌟 Learn more on her website: carolineboyle.com

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Tune in to The Power of Breathwork for Midlife Wellness for insights on integrating this powerful tool into your daily life for better health, resilience, and peace.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this insightful episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle is joined by Clare Jefferies, owner of four Home Instead franchises, who opens up about her journey into elder care and shares her experiences of caring for ageing parents. Clare emphasises the need for compassionate, person-centred care and offers practical advice on navigating the complexities of the ageing process. The conversation explores proactive approaches to caregiving, from creating safe home environments to discussing sensitive topics like power of attorney and incontinence support. Clare also shares tips on evaluating care homes, seeking help from social services, and the importance of self-care for caregivers. Together, Michelle and Clare tackle the emotional challenges of caregiving, offering insights to empower listeners in their own journeys with ageing loved ones.

Key Takeaways:

🎙️ Compassionate, Person-Centred Care: Supporting ageing parents requires sensitivity, open communication, and tailoring care to respect each individual’s needs and dignity.

🎙️ Plan Ahead: Establish a power of attorney, promote a safe home environment, and discuss care options early on to prevent crises and ensure family peace of mind.

🎙️ Utilise Resources and Support: Tap into organisations like Age UK and social services, ask for help without guilt, and use available resources to support both caregivers and families.

🎙️ Prioritise Caregiver Well-Being: Acknowledge and address complex emotions like guilt and frustration, and remember that self-care is essential for sustaining energy and compassion in caregiving.

Episode Resources:

Connect with Clare Jefferies:

• linkedin.com/in/clarejefferies
• Home Instead: homeinstead.co.uk/wimbledonandkingston

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Tune in to Supporting Our Ageing Parents for insights on compassionate caregiving, proactive elder support, and navigating the emotional journey of caring for loved ones.

Ageing parents, home care, power of attorney, difficult conversations, support, care homes, aging parents, care, home environment, physical health, mental health, levels of care, incontinence, social services, immersive training, complex emotions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this inspiring episode, Dame Prue Leith joins Michelle to share her insights on embracing colour and confidence in midlife, encouraging listeners to experiment with their personal style as a means of self-expression. Prue discusses her philosophy that fashion should be fun and that age should never limit our choices. The conversation then moves to a deeply personal topic: assisted dying. Prue, an advocate for the right to a dignified death, shares her perspective on why this choice should be available and respected. She also introduces her latest cookbook, Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom, which focuses on simple, enjoyable recipes designed to make cooking accessible for everyone. 

Key Takeaways:

🎙️ The Power of Colour and Fashion: Embracing colour can boost confidence and help combat feelings of invisibility, making fashion a fun and powerful form of self-expression in midlife.

🎙️ Dignity in Dying: Prue believes that the right to a dignified death is just as important as dignity in life and shares her insights on compassionate options.

🎙️ Accessible Cooking for All: With her latest cookbook, Prue aims to make cooking approachable and enjoyable, especially for those hesitant in the kitchen.

🎙️ Healthy Food for Children: Teaching children to love nutritious food early on is essential for their development.

Episode Resources:

• Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom by Prue Leith
• This episode is sponsored by Kettlewell – discover your colour palette and feel your best self at kettlewellcolour.co.uk, complete the colour quiz for 15% off your first order.

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Tune in to Prue Leith | Exploring Dignity in Dying and discover inspiring insights on cooking, colour, confidence, and the power of choice in every stage of life.

Colour, confidence, aging, cookbook, cooking tips, assisted dying, dignity, food education, ageism, vibrant fashion

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this inspiring episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle sits down with wellness advocate and fitness expert Kate Rowe-Ham for a deep dive into the complex journey of menopause and future proofing our health. Kate shares her insights on how strength training, mindful nutrition  and taking charge of personal well-being can transform this life stage. The conversation emphasises the power of health ownership, body confidence, and viewing menopause as a time of growth rather than limitation. Kate and Michelle also bond over their experiences with late ADHD diagnoses, sharing how understanding and embracing their diagnoses has brought a new perspective to midlife.

Key Takeaways: 

🎙️ Menopause as a Personal Journey: Every woman’s menopause experience is different, there is no such thing as a ‘menopause workout’ - it’s more about how we factor in our changing surroundings including stress and lifestyle..

🎙️ The Power of Strength Training: Kate emphasises that strength training is particularly beneficial for midlife women, helping with physical strength and confidence, weight, mood and sleep.

🎙️ Taking Control of Health: Owning your health is essential for navigating midlife successfully. Proactive steps can prevent future health issues.

🎙️ Navigating Alcohol and Balance: Kate’s journey with alcohol serves as a reminder of the power of self-reflection and making health-aligned choices.

🎙️ Late Diagnosis of ADHD: Michelle and Kate share how their late ADHD diagnoses brought clarity and new energy to their midlife journeys, empowering them to embrace life with more understanding and focus.

Episode Resources:

• Follow Kate Rowe-Ham on Instagram: @KateRoweHam and @owningingyourmenopause  for fitness inspiration and wellness tips.
• MenoMY skincare and supplements for perimenopause and menopause

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Tune in to discover practical ways to embrace this life stage, support your body, and find strength in health, self-discovery, and new perspectives in midlife.

menopause, strength training, health, wellness, nutrition, women empowerment, ADHD, fitness, lifestyle, longevity

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Two Women Chatting, Michelle sits down with Susan Saunders, a renowned brain health coach, to discuss the vital topic of brain health for women over 50. Susan shares her deeply personal journey of caring for her mother with dementia, which inspired her to dive into research on reducing her own risk and helping others do the same. With her expertise, she breaks down the steps we can take to prioritise brain health and offers hope for a healthier future.

Key Insights: 

🎙️Prioritising Brain Health: "Susan underscores the importance of taking a proactive, holistic approach to brain health. By focusing on nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and cognitive engagement, we can reduce our risk of dementia and enhance our overall well-being." 

🎙️Understanding Brain Fog vs. Dementia: "Normal age-related brain fog differs significantly from dementia symptoms. Susan explains the signs to watch out for and emphasises the importance of seeking medical advice if concerns arise." 

🎙️Gut Health and the Brain: "The gut-brain connection is more powerful than many realize. Susan discusses how a healthy diet, rich in nutrients, can significantly impact cognitive function and brain health." 

🎙️Menopause as a Time of Growth: "Susan highlights the potential for personal growth and reinvention during menopause. Rather than viewing it as a time of decline, it can be an opportunity for empowerment and positive change."

Love these insights? Share your thoughts and stories at [email protected], and don't forget to rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform!

Episode Resources:

About Susan Saunders: Discover more about Susan Saunders and her mission to help women boost their brain power and reduce the risk of dementia.

Website: susansaundershealth.com | Instagram: @susansaundershealth

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🌟 Midlife Library: TwoWomenChatting.com

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Join us for this enlightening episode on 'Clearing the Fog: Boosting Brain Power and Cognitive Function in Midlife' with Susan Saunders!

brain health, dementia risk, women over 50, menopause, brain fog, holistic approach, lifestyle choices, nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, cognitive engagement, environmental factors, normal aging, dementia symptoms, gut health, medications, research

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle sits down with Jessica Buchanan, a former teacher working in Somalia who shares her harrowing experience of being kidnapped and held captive for 93 days. Jess recounts the moment she realised something was wrong and the events that led to her abduction. She vividly describes the conditions she endured during captivity, including sleeping outside in the desert and facing the constant threat of violence. Despite the challenges, Jess demonstrates remarkable resilience and finds solace in introspection and planning for the future.

Key Insights: 

🎙️The Power of Instincts: "Jess emphasises the importance of trusting your instincts and recognizing warning signs. Her story highlights how these gut feelings can be crucial in life-threatening situations." 

🎙️ Resilience in Adversity: "The resilience and strength of the human spirit shine through Jess's account. She shares how introspection and future planning helped her endure the harsh conditions of captivity." 

🎙️ Gratitude Amid Hardship: "Gratitude played a significant role in Jess's survival. She discusses how finding peace and perspective, even in the darkest times, helped her maintain hope and resilience. Meditating and breath work allowed her to unpack past trauma, helping her cope through the long 93 days of captivity." 

🎙️ Connecting to Survive: "Jess talks about her ability to connect with her captors, which ultimately saved her life. She reflects on the profound impact of human connection in difficult circumstances and the challenges of reintegrating into normal life post-rescue."

Love these insights? Share your thoughts and stories at [email protected] and don't forget to rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform!

This episode is sponsored by Sarah Haran - use code TWC24 to get 25% off your first bag, plus 3 re-style accessories at checkout!

Episode Resources: About Jess Buchanan: Connect with Jess Buchanan and learn more about her incredible story of survival and resilience. Website: jessbuchanan.com | Instagram: @jessicabuchanan

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Tune in for an inspiring discussion on 'From Captivity to Courage: A Journey of Survival and Resilience' with Jess Buchanan!

Kidnapping, captivity, survival, resilience, betrayal, introspection, planning, kidnapping, survival, gratitude, connection, rescue, reintegration, parenting, purpose

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this enlightening episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle is joined by psychologist, author and wellbeing expert Suzy Reading to share her top tips for improving sleep and embracing the winter season. Suzy offers practical advice on how to prioritise self-care, create a sleep-friendly routine and even find joy in the colder, darker months. From yoga nidra to gut health, Suzy explains how these often-overlooked factors can make a world of difference in how we sleep and thrive.

Key Insights: 

🎙️Selfishness vs. Self-Advocacy: Suzy discusses the misconception of selfishness when it comes to prioritising personal wellbeing. She explains the importance of advocating for yourself and taking time to rest and recharge, particularly when it comes to sleep.

🎙️The Power of Consistency in Sleep Hygiene: A regular sleep routine is crucial for good rest. Suzy shares unexpected tips, like incorporating muscle relaxation exercises and practising yoga nidra, to help calm your mind and body before bed.

🎙️Gut Health and Its Impact on Sleep: Gut health plays a significant role in your overall wellbeing and sleep quality. Suzy explains how what you eat and when you eat can affect your rest, offering practical advice on improving gut health for better sleep.

🎙️Surviving and Thriving in Winter: Winter doesn’t have to be something we just “get through.” Suzy introduces the concept of going into “hibernation mode” as a way to embrace the season, with tips for creating cozy, restful routines that help you not only survive but thrive during the colder months.

Enjoyed this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop us a line at [email protected] and leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform.

Episode Resources:

• Suzy Reading’s New Book: Self-Care For Winter – Learn how to care for your body, mind, and spirit throughout the winter months.
• Follow Suzy on Instagram: @SuzyReading for more tips on wellbeing and self-care.

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🌟 Midlife Library: TwoWomenChatting.com

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Tune in for this insightful episode, Top Tips on Sleep and Finding the Bright Side of Winter, and learn how to create restful routines, prioritise your wellbeing, and discover joy even during the winter months.

sleep, midlife, challenges, caring, nurturing, modern life, stimulation, busyness, self-care, relaxation, consistency, regularity, rest, wakefulness, diet, gut health, exercise, yoga, calming practices, HRT, probiotics, magnesium spray, rest, self-care, winter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this heartwarming episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle is joined by ‘instagram poet’ and author Donna Ashworth to explore the transformative power of poetry, vibrant colours and the bravery women show in everyday life, especially in midlife. Donna shares her personal journey from blogger to celebrated poet, discussing how creative expression can heal and uplift. She also treats listeners to a live reading of one of her powerful poems from new book Growing Brave, showcasing how poetry can connect and inspire women. Together, they dive into topics like embracing colour for a positive mindset, finding courage in daily choices and the importance of acceptance.

Key Insights:

🎙️ Dopamine Dressing for a Brighter Outlook: Donna introduces “dopamine dressing” — the idea that wearing bold, vibrant colours can instantly elevate your mood and mindset. Something as simple as a bright outfit can have a huge impact on how you feel and move through the day.

🎙️ Bravery in Everyday Life: Bravery doesn’t always mean facing big, dramatic events. Donna and Michelle talk about how women show courage in small, everyday actions—whether it’s through resilience, kindness, or self-care.

🎙️ Neurodiversity and hyper empathy: Donna shares how she deals with the ADHD chaos of thoughts, not allowing herself to be 'gaslit' by her inner voice - and how she connects spiritually to the energy of others both past and present.

🎙️ Healing Through Acceptance: Accepting your emotions—whether they’re from anxiety, grief, or daily stresses—helps foster healing. Donna explains how writing can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and talks about the emotional connection between generations of women.

Enjoyed this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop us a line at [email protected] and leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform.

Episode Resources:

Donna Ashworth's Poetry Collections: Explore Donna’s books, which celebrate the strength, resilience, and beauty of women, available on major online retailers.

Insta: @donnaashworthwords 

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Join us for this inspiring episode, Growing Brave, where we celebrate the joy of colour, the quiet acts of everyday bravery, and the power of poetry to connect women across generations.

Donna Ashworth, poetry, bravery, empowerment, midlife women, mental health, colour therapy, energy connection, acceptance, anxiety, hyper empathy, neurodiversity, ADHD, manifesting, inner voice

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In this captivating episode of Two Women Chatting, Michelle sits down with the beloved Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver to explore her deeply personal journey and her new book, A Work in Progress. Sue opens up about the complexities of her life, from being adopted and always feeling a bit different to her experiences of resilience, rebellion, and self-discovery. This episode is a heartfelt conversation about ageing positively, embracing who you are and finding joy in life’s second act.

Key Insights: 

🎙️Navigating Life as an Adoptee: Sue discusses how being adopted shaped her identity, making her feel different even though her family always loved and supported her. Her rebellious spirit helped her navigate the challenges of feeling othered and searching for belonging.

🎙The Power of Connection: An almost unbelievable coincidence resulted in Sue finding her birth mother and revealed a family history steeped in the world of acting, bringing Sue’s life full circle. Introducing her birth mother to her adopted mother created a beautiful, extended family, underscoring the power of love and connection.

🎙Embracing Midlife and Beyond: Sue shares her journey of questioning long-held beliefs, including her relationship with alcohol during the pandemic. By embracing curiosity and the three principles of mind, consciousness, and thought, she found freedom and trained as a therapist with a renewed sense of purpose.

Enjoyed this conversation? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Drop us a line at [email protected], and don’t forget to leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform.

Episode Resources:

Sue Cleaver's New Book: A Work in Progress

Discover more about Sue's personal journey of resilience, self-discovery, and the profound moments that shaped her life. Available at all major bookstores and online retailers.

Instagram: @official_suecleaver

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Join us for this inspiring episode with Sue Cleaver, where we explore ageing positively and the power of embracing every chapter of life!

Sue Cleaver, Coronation Street, adoption, feeling different, rebelliousness, resilience, becoming a mother, working as a nanny, serendipitous meeting, birth mother, acting, belonging, othered, alcohol, pandemic, freedom, thoughts, beliefs, three principles, mind, consciousness, thought, joy, midlife

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