Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me This?

Nerina is a physiologist, Sleep Expert, Author & keynote speaker, who is dedicated to helping people and organisations to thrive, sleep more deeply and live more joyfully. 

Nerina spent a decade conducting sleep and wellness programmes at Nightingale Hospital in London, coaches on burnout prevention at Ashridge Business School and is the original founder of BUPA’s Corporate Wellbeing Solutions. Nerina works with individuals as well as numerous corporate clients from various industries including sport (Chelsea Football Club). She is particularly interested in how, post-pandemic, organisations and individuals can thrive rather than merely survive. Her recently published 4th book Finding Inner Safety (Capstone, 2022) suggests that an important way forward in these volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) times is to tap into our deepest sources of resilience and inner safety. Many of her keynotes and presentations are focused on showing organisations and individuals how to do this. 

Nerina is the author of three other books: Tired But Wired (Souvenir Press, 2010), Fast Asleep, Wide Awake (Thorsons, 2016), and The Little Book of Sleep: The Art of Natural Sleep (Gaia, 2018). Her work is often featured in the media including TV and Radio. 
www.drnerina.com @drnerina 

Joyce and Nerina have known each other for over 40 years, since they first met while doing their PhDs — which makes this episode particularly special. Both are deeply passionate about the idea of reclaiming joy. In this conversation, Nerina explores what joy really is. It’s not always easy to define. ChatGPT describes it as a deep feeling of happiness, delight, or contentment that often arises spontaneously — not always triggered by something external. Nerina expands on this, explaining why joy is so essential for both our physical and mental wellbeing. Of course, joy looks different for everyone. We each have to discover what brings us joy in our own way. Nerina argues that joy should be recognised as a priority not just in our personal lives, but also in schools and workplaces — right alongside sleep. This is the final episode in the mini-series on reclaiming joy for 2025. I hope it’s sparked some ideas and inspiration for how you might reconnect with your own sense of joy. I’ll be back with another mini-series on joy and happiness next year — so stay tuned.

Date of episode recording: 2025-07-30T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.14.09
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Dr Nerina Ramlakhan
Producer: Joyce Harper

Debbie is a spiritual coach, certified grief recovery specialist, teacher of multiple Yoga lineages, menopause coach and much more. She is a certified in many types of yoga and is accredited by the Yoga Alliance, with over 25 years' yoga experience. Debbie is also trained in Mental Health, and Occupational Safety and Health. Debbie was born into an environment marked by dysfunction and has navigated a world without safety or guidance. From this experience she brings together the transformative power of movement, mindfulness, spirituality, and healing into a cohesive experience that truly supports people in their journey. She has created something that is both essential and expansive, a sanctuary for those seeking not just physical wellness but a deeper connection to themselves. She runs 1:1 sessions, workshops and retreats and offers eco-conscious yoga accessories and a range of sustainable clothing, embodying her commitment to the environment. 

Website www.theyogajunkie.co.uk/ Instagram: @theyogajunkie 

After meeting Debbie at the Big Retreat Festival and experiencing her incredible 90-minute sound bath, I knew I had to invite her onto the podcast. Many people still don’t know what a sound bath is or why they might want to attend one — so in this episode, Debbie walks us through the whole experience. She explains what a sound bath actually is, the instruments she uses, and how these sounds can affect both the body and the mind. She also describes what to expect from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. For many, it can be a deeply calming and even transformative experience — I personally feel completely relaxed and reset after one. I especially love floating sound baths, which we also talk about. In Debbie’s studio in Wales, participants are suspended in hammocks for a truly unique experience. We also explore what yoga means to Debbie, and how she supports people navigating menopause and grief through her practice. If you’ve never tried a sound bath before, I hope this episode inspires you to give it a go. I’d love to hear what you think.

Date of episode recording: 2025-07-31T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.07.09
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Debbie Robinson - the Yoga Junkie
Producer: Joyce Harper

What can I say about this woman? Lu in Luland, AKA Lou Featherstone is a 50-something mom on a mission to help women of all ages unlock their potential and become as confident as they can be. Hence, the Self Love Revolution Tour! She is a founding member of the Zero F*s Club, a sex-positive movement that helps others grow old disgracefully!

To do that, Lou is touring the WORLD in her beloved vintage Bluebird bus, busting myths about midlife and menopause along the way. After emigrating from the UK to Portland, Oregon, she found herself extremely unhappy, she’d lost touch with her sexy self. Through small groups of AMAZING women in Portland, and her incredible Instagram community, she began to speak out more, and soon rediscovered her own voice. That process led to two huge discoveries: first, she mastered solo sex, which changed her relationship with her body and was a huge part of re-finding her confidence. Second, it led her to feel less connected to her husband, and she made the incredibly difficult, but incredibly bold, decision to separate.

At this time, she was a track-and-field tutor at a local high school, but they did not approve of her social media presence – so, naturally, she walked away and didn’t look back. Sustainable fashion is another HUGE passion of Lou’s, check out her Instagram to see her wild style. She has an array of fantastic clothes on her bus which she gives women permission to play with, involving a lot of fun and liberation. Every day she wakes up more in love with who she is. “I love myself more today than I did yesterday, and tomorrow I’ll love myself more than I do today.” And she’s a TEDX speaker – helping women find their roadmap to self-love. Rip up the rule book! Lou has reclaimed her joy.

https://luinluland.com/ @luinluland

Warning – we swear a lot!

This podcast is full of laugher, fun and outrageousness. This woman is so inspiring. Lou grew up in a vicarage and has worn many hats over the years – including heading up the PTA (yes, picture her with a clipboard, shaking things up). A major turning point came when she moved from the UK to the USA with her husband. It was there that she realised something was missing – and that it was time to make a radical change. That awakening was sparked when Lou realised the power of her vagina, vulva, orgasms, and menopause.

For many women, menopause becomes a superpower – the moment they truly let go of societal limitations. Lou embraced this shift. She left her husband, bought a vintage bus, started a YouTube channel, launched an Instagram account, and hit the road across America, inspiring women everywhere to reclaim their joy. Today, she’s performing a one-woman show and running her own festival in August 2025 in the UK. If you get the chance, go and see her. She’s unforgettable. She has some brilliant quotes, besides the one in her bio. Here is another – “Give up on the destination. Embrace the journey.” What more can I say?

For Harrison Ward, otherwise known as the Fell Foodie, the mountains are his solace, his gym and his kitchen. Harrison began suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts during puberty and discovered alcohol, whilst working in multiple roles in the hospitality trade, as a coping mechanism, drinking up to 20 pints a day and taking up smoking full time as he battled his mental illness. In 2016, when his relationship broke down, he vowed to get sober, remove alcohol from his life, stop smoking and really try and turn things around. He filled the void left by alcohol with the combination of hiking and cooking, gradually tackling more and more of the Lake District fells. 

He has always loved cooking from a very young age and used to cook with his grandmother. From the age of 10 he studied cookbooks and cooking shows quite religiously. Harrison began sharing his culinary adventures via social media in 2017 and soon captured people’s imaginations, using a stove and simple ingredients to create hearty but delicious meals. After being sober for two years in 2018, Harrison shared the full background to his story with his followers, including how he had lived with mental health issues and struggled with alcohol.

Harrison’s profile on social media has continued to grow as he also gained coverage in the news and on TV. He now has thousands of followers and continues to share his experience of mental health and open-air cooking online and via the media, as well as to corporate clients and schools. 

www.fellfoodie.co.uk 
Instagram @fellfoodie 

Many people struggle with life’s challenges and their mental health — some sadly lose that battle, while others find a way to turn things around. I’m not someone who cries easily, but listening to Harrison’s story moved me to tears, twice. Harrison has lifted himself out of depression and alcohol addiction and now lives with a remarkable sense of joy and purpose. He’s discovered his passions — being in nature, cooking, adventure, taking on new challenges, and building community — and his zest for life is truly infectious. After hearing this conversation, I hope it inspires everyone to take small, positive steps to reclaim their own joy. 

Spending time in nature is a gift we all have access to, and creativity lives within us all. What better way to express that than cooking and sharing a meal outdoors, surrounded by fresh air and good company? Harrison’s story is a reminder that even when life feels dark, there is always a path back to light, connection, and hope.

Date of episode recording: 2025-06-24T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.11.16
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Harrison Ward, The Fell Foodie
Producer: Joyce Harper

Sophie Messager did a PhD in Biology on the physiology of Reproduction in France. Then in the 90s, she moved to the UK, fell in love, started a family, and discovered her true calling through birth experiences supported by a doula. Trading science for birth work in 2010, she became a perinatal educator and doula and published her first book "Why Postnatal Recovery Matters". Witnessing the power of birth opened her mind to spiritual dimensions, leading her to become a Reiki and Reiki Drum practitioner and teacher and drum circle facilitator. Today, Sophie supports women through life's transitions. She offers closing the bones ceremonies, and various other healing rituals, reclaiming lost traditions and blending science with spiritual practices. When not facilitating ceremonies or training professionals, she will be wild swimming, drumming in nature, or dancing the 5 rhythms – staying connected to her body, spirit, and the natural world. Her new book is about drumming as a tool to empower women and is published in Sept but you can pre order it now. The beat of your own drum explores the history, science, and contemporary use of drumming, particularly as a path for women's wisdom, health, and transformation. And Sophie has a podcast called the wisdom messenger. https://sophiemessager.com/ Instagram: @sophie_messager 

Drumming has been an important ritual and healing practice throughout history and across cultures worldwide, connecting people to community, rhythm, and a sense of belonging. You might think that drumming for our health sounds a bit “woo-woo,” but in this unique podcast, two women with PhDs explore how shamanic drumming can boost our mental and physical wellbeing. Sophie is Joyce’s drumming teacher. Sophie uses drumming to support women throughout every stage of life — a topic she delves into in her latest book, The Beat of Your Own Drum. Diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Sophie chose to harness the power of the drum instead of medication, developing a technique she calls “drum microdosing.” She runs monthly drumming sessions, along with many other events, including drumming in nature with female friends and the Wheel of the Year festivals like Beltane. Can drumming be used to reclaim joy? Joyce and Sophie believe it can.

Date of episode recording: 2025-06-26T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.22.56
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Dr Sophie Messager
Producer: Joyce Harper

Julia Hollander is a singing therapist, teacher and performer. Julia’s first career in theatre took her all over the world. She founded the contemporary music theatre company, Operate in the late 80s. In 1991, at the age of 25, she was the first female opera director at the English National Opera, and she has staged operas all over the world. 

Julia writes nonfiction that originates in the lived experience, interweaving personal narratives with cutting-edge research. Her first book, Indian Folk Theatres, derived from over a decade working in India as a stage director and performer. She went on to write two memoirs about family life, When the Bough Breaks and Chicken Coops for the Soul. More recently, she returned to her performing arts roots with her latest book, Why We Sing, an exploration of the way in which singing benefits everyday wellbeing. Her plays for BBC radio include a dramatization of When the Bough Breaks and a drama about climate activism, The Kingsnorth Six, as well as an autobiographical documentary, The Letter. She has held writing and research fellowships with the Winston Churchill, Judith E. Wilson and Rajiv Gandhi Foundations, and has been writer in residence at Campsfield Immigration Detention Centre. Julia is currently the Royal Literary Fund Writer in Residence for the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Literature at Oxford University. 

Have you discovered the many physical and psychological benefits of singing? As Julia puts it, “We’re not singing because we’re happy — we’re happy because we’re singing.” It’s almost impossible not to smile when you sing. Since COVID, there’s been a surge in singing groups and choirs, and for good reason — singing with others strengthens social bonds and helps combat loneliness. From lullabies to school assemblies, singing has always been a part of our lives, woven through cultures and communities across the world. And now, research is revealing its potential to improve health and even support conditions like dementia. So perhaps it’s time to reclaim your joy — through singing.

Date of episode recording: 2025-06-11T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.02.40
Language of episode: English 
Presenter: Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Julia Hollander
Producer: Joyce Harper

Di Westaway turned her midlife crisis into a fantastic story of adventures and helping other women. Di is the Founder and Chief Adventure Chick at Wild Women On Top. She is a global leader and award-winning woman of influence who has inspired her team to create life changing adventures that get women walking in nature for good. The event that changed her life was in 2000, when Di decided to climb Mt Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere. She failed but in 2001 a movement was born. Di skilled up and started ‘Trek Training’ for women in her local national park. She trained coaches and clients, and together they travelled the world hiking iconic trails such as Mt Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu. In 2009 Di set up the charity Coastrek which is now Australia’s premier hiking challenge charity for women. You can choose to trek 50km, 30km or 20km along Australia’s most spectacular coastlines to get fit with friends and raise funds for charity. Together, the community of 70,000 trekkers has raised more than $48 million for charity. And in 2018 Coastrek established a partnership with the Australian mental health charity Beyond Blue. In 2020 Di was awarded the OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) for services in women’s health, fitness and charity services. 

https://www.wildwomenontop.com/ 
https://www.coastrek.com.au/ 
Instagram: @wildwomenontop 

This podcast will inspire you to get outside and have an adventure. For Di, that means trekking, climbing, cycling, and exploring mountains and coastlines. These adventures have transformed her life to technicolour. More and more research backs up what Di already knows: that exercise, nature, and friendship are powerful medicine for both body and mind. As she puts it, “How can I get a quick top-up when I’m feeling a bit shit? Go for a walk.” What’s the difference between walking and hiking? Di says hiking is a bit more of a mission — more adventurous and usually on a trail. The women who join Di are of all ages. Di is 65, and she and Joyce both need knee replacements — but as Di says, “Our health conditions might be obstacles, but they’re not barriers.” There’s always something we can do. Some women say they don’t have time. But Di believes self-care should be non-negotiable. When women come together for her adventures, they find more than movement. They find: Views. Giggles. Friendship. Chocolate. Champagne. Sounds perfect.

Transcription link:

www.joyceharper.com/podcasts

Date of episode recording: 2025-04-29T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.02.31
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Di Westaway
Producer: Joyce Harper

Deborah has always loved to travel, which for 20 years she did with her husband. When she found herself unexpectedly divorced 15 years ago, she decided that if she wanted to have the kinds of holidays she enjoyed she would have to take a leap of faith and travel solo. She didn’t want to backpack or share a room and she didn’t want to be herded around in a group following a strict, inflexible itinerary, but she did want to be safe and have some fun. So she set up Solo In Style with the idea of connecting like-minded women to encourage and support one another with their solo travels. Alongside a successful 30-year career in marketing, fine wine and culinary arts, Deb, now aged 65, continues to expand Solo in Style globally to support and encourage as many women as possible to fulfil their solo travel ambitions. Deb has a huge following on social media – follow her if you want to explore solo travel. 

Facebook – Solo in Style 
Instagram @soloinstyle 

Welcome to the first podcast in the mini-series on Reclaiming Joy. 

Have you been dreaming of travelling more, exploring new places, or going on an adventure? Maybe you're craving some quality time alone. You're not the only one—and that’s where Solo in Style can help. Founded by Deb, who followed her own passion for travel, it now supports thousands of women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s in finding their perfect getaway. If you’ve never travelled alone before, it can feel a little daunting. Where do you even begin? 

With over 15 years of experience, Deb and her supportive community are here to guide you. Whether you're unsure where to go or how to plan your first solo trip, you’ll find plenty of advice, encouragement, and inspiration. For many, a short break within the UK is a great way to start and build confidence. For others, it’s about heading somewhere new and exciting—many of Deb’s followers have already explored destinations all over the world. Not all solo travellers are single. Some are in relationships but choose to travel alone because their partner prefers a different kind of holiday. You could compromise… or you could create the adventure you’ve always dreamed of. Solo travel brings a unique kind of joy—and more and more women are discovering it. Solo in Style is more than just a travel community; it's a welcoming space where you can connect with like-minded women who are also embracing the freedom of going solo. So if this has been on your mind, don’t wait. Join the Solo in Style community and let the adventures begin.

Date of episode recording: 2025-04-24T00:00:00Z
Duration: 00.52.59
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Deborah Ives
Producer: Joyce Harper

Lucy Ward is a writer and journalist. Growing up near Manchester, she studied Early and Middle English at Oxford University, before becoming a journalist first working on education for The Independent then becoming a Lobby correspondent for The Guardian. She spent over five years at Westminster, campaigning for greater female representation, securing the first Lobby job-share and discovering that you could climb to the illuminated roof of the Palace and project your dancing shadow onto Big Ben. After a few years in Russia, she worked as a Communications Manager at the University of Cambridge, where she developed her interest in communicating complex research for lay audiences. Her first book is The Empress and the English Doctor which was shortlisted for the Pushkin House Book Prize 2022. 

Instagram and X: @lucymirandaward Web site: https://www.lucyward.uk/ 

Welcome to another podcast in the mini-series on Female Icons. During a chance meeting in the school playground, Lucy discovered a compelling story she felt driven to share — how Catherine the Great joined forces with a Quaker doctor from Essex to lead a ground-breaking public health campaign introducing smallpox inoculation in Russia. Catherine invited Dr. Thomas Dimsdale to St Petersburg on a secret mission that would ultimately change both their lives. It was an extraordinary act of bravery to undergo the inoculation herself before asking others to do the same. Lucy began writing this book just before the COVID-19 outbreak — timing that could have been disastrous but instead proved serendipitous. The contemporary debates around vaccination echoed those of Catherine’s time, where science, politics, and personal risk intersected in powerful ways. Despite the early death of her husband, Catherine defied expectations to become one of the greatest monarchs in history.

Date of episode recording: 2025-04-11T00:00:00Z
Duration: 01.16.11
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Lucy Ward
Producer: Joyce Harper

Lucy has always had a passion for medicine and history and through her career, she has spent time studying both. First Lucy studied medicine at University College London (UCL), graduating in 2013. And during her 3rd year of medicine, she took an intercalated year studying the History of Medicine at the Wellcome Library in London. After working full-time as a medical doctor for four years, she decided to pursue her interest in history further, undertaking a Masters in History and Philosophy of Science at UCL. Since then she has continued to juggle her career as a doctor with her passion for history and she completed an Early Modern History MPhil at the University of Cambridge in 2019. 

Lucy has almost completed her PhD which builds on her MPhil study to examine the early modern home as a space for knowledge-making. In 2021 Lucy was awarded an extraordinary Blue at the University of Cambridge for triathlon. A couple of weeks ago she led the Cambridge women’s rowing team to victory against Oxford in her role as President. X: @lucyjanehavard 

Welcome to another podcast in the mini-series on Female Icons. 

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was the first woman to qualify as a doctor in the UK, beginning her journey with her first medical lecture in 1860. She faced enormous resistance from men—first as a medical student, then as a practicing doctor—but she paved the way for generations of women to follow. When no one would employ her, she founded her own institution: the New Hospital for Women, where she provided care specifically for women and children. A true pioneer for women’s rights, her achievements extended far beyond medicine. In 1908, she became the first female mayor in the UK when she was elected Mayor of Aldeburgh. She married later in life and had her three children in her late 30s and early 40s. 

Lucy, too, is a modern-day role model—an inspiration for women pursuing their passions. With a deep love of both medicine and history, she has successfully built a career that combines these interests. She explains that her current research looks at manuscript recipe books from the 17th century which are collections of recipes, but also contained information about remedies, cleaning solutions, poems, stories and much more. Alongside her academic pursuits, she also excelled in sport, enjoying a brilliant athletic career while at Cambridge University. I hope the stories of these two remarkable women will inspire others to follow their own unique paths.

Date of episode recording: 2025-04-23T00:00:00Z
Duration: 00.47.40
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Professor Joyce Harper
Guests: Dr Lucy Havard
Producer: Joyce Harper