Today's topic is hormones and the massive part they have to play on our mental health. My guest is Diane Danzebrink - Diane is a Psychotherapist, Menopause Expert, Wellbeing Consultant and she tirelessly campaigns for improved care and support for menopausal women, having personally had a dreadful experience of the menopause herself. Diane is changing the menopause landscape for me, you and our daughters. Follow Diane Danzebrink on Instagram...

Sara Tasker's an Instagram Queen in my opinion - a photographer & writer who turned her hobby into a thriving Instagram business. She has a bestselling book, Hashtag Authentic and a podcast of the same name and she runs workshops and online courses that help people get the most out of Instagram be that for business or to feed their own creativity. Sara's the complete opposite of some of the shallow content/accounts that Instagram has a reputation for sometimes - her account @me_and_orla...

Actress Julie Graham has brought together a star studded cast to create a YouTube drama about a group of friends navigating midlife. It's called Dun Breedin and it's the first drama to be made entirely in lockdown - the cast and crew are all family members. The scripts are fabulous, the performances perfect, the filming and editing is slick and each episode leaves you wanting more. Midlife women are at the centre and Dun Breedin doesn't shy away from the realities of female friendship. It's...

Our guest today is Dr Philippa Kaye she’s a GP and author and she spoke to us about her new book ‘The M Word – Everything you need to know about the Menopause’. Her book has a holistic approach …. It’s not Lifestyle V Medicine but encourages an approach where the two work together…. Philippa has a real skill for giving the information that women need in an easily digestible way – The M Word is the only book you’ll need really – buy it and you’re covered …. And women really do need to get...

Lockdown week 6. Feeling tired & unmotivated? Lonely (whether you're actually alone or not)? Struggling to concentrate? Emotions like a bloody rollercoaster? Psychotherapist JC is back to give us clarity, understanding and coping mechanisms to help us more navigate these difficult times more peacefully. Jean-Claude Chalmet is a globally renowned psychotherapist, author, a featured columnist at The Times and founder of The Place Retreats in Bali and The Place London Psychotherapy...

After 40 years of feminism women STILL do the majority of the housework – so, while the gap in gender imbalance is slowly narrowing in the workplace at home it’s widening … what Sally Howard refers to as ‘the stalled revolution’… In her book, The Home Stretch, Why It's Time To Come Clean About Who Does The Dishes, Sally covers a wide variety of domestic arrangements and the gender presumptions that we’ve been disciplined into which lead to an unequal division of what she calls the...

1 in 3 UK families are now step-families or blended families and it’s a complex issue because each family is unique. Professor Lisa Doodson is the founder of the UK’s only research-based stepfamily resource centre called Happy Steps. Lisa is a chartered psychologist, an author and an absolute expert in stepfamily dynamics. She recently took part in the BBC documentary about Rio Ferdinand and his wife Kate’s experience - Rio and Kate: Becoming a Stepfamily More about Lisa Doodson: . Happy...

Rich Wilson is an award winning comedian and host of an award winning podcast in which he talks to funny and interesting people about men’s mental health it’s called Insane In The Men Brain. Rich is a middle aged guy, obviously a very funny one too and his list of guests on Insane In The Men Brain is really impressive and they ALL open up to him so honestly about really personal, emotional topics … people like David Baddiel, Rob Beckett, James Acaster and many more. There aren’t many voices...

Lynn Ruth Miller – Currently the oldest performing stand up female comedian on both sides of the Atlantic and dubbed the new Joan Rivers of Fringe Comedy at The Edinburgh International Fringe. Lynn Ruth started comedy & cabaret at 70 and at 86, she's still going strong. To be honest it was tricky keeping up with during this interview For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We talk to Dr Neil Stanley, author of 'How To Sleep Well'. Neil is a Sleep Expert and talks us through the absolute basics required to ensure good sleep and how to put them into practice alongside thoughts on working-from-home, power naps, separate beds, midlife sleep and how to minimise the effects of sleep disturbance during the menopause. More about Dr Neil Stanley: - http://www.thesleepconsultancy.com - https://twitter.com/drneilstanley More about Aimee...

Aimee and Louise had a quick chat about the current Coronavirus situation this morning (27/3/20) and how we’re feeling. Mind have loads of advice for keeping mentally well on their website along with practical information and further links to support you with work, benefits and housing issues as well as staying-at-home checklists and what to do if you are unwell.   https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/   More about Aimee...

Postcards From Midlife is The Times Podcast hosted by Lorraine Candy and Trish Halpin.   Lorraine’s 51 and Editor in Chief of The Sunday Times Style, as well as the Parenting Columnist for The Sunday Times Magazine. She was previously Editor at Elle Magazine for 12 years and Cosmopolitan for 4.   Trish is 52 and an award-winning editor with 20 years in charge of magazines Marie Claire, InStyle and Red.   Between them they have 6 children, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 husbands. Lorraine and Trish have...

Jean-Claude Chalmet is a globally renowned psychotherapist, author, a featured columnist at The Times and founder of The Place Retreats in Bali and The Place London Psychotherapy Practice.   In this episode JC addresses couple relationships and this is an episode for all ages! We share relationship dilemmas sent in by listeners concerning boredom, loneliness and the fall out from an affair.   Jean-Clause founded The Place Bali, a 5* retreat offering profound mind and body work with a...

Louisee and Aimee chat midlife issues with Arabella Weir as well as finding out about her current UK tour Does My Mum Loom Big In This, which was a sell-out last year at The Edinburgh Fringe.   Arabella is a writer of several books, she’s an actor, a comedian and star of The BBC’s hit sitcom Two Doors Down. Arabella coined the phrase ‘Does My Bum Look Big In This’ as part of one of her Fast Show characters ‘Insecure Woman’ and wrote the internationally best-selling book ‘Does My Bum Look Big...

Arabella Preston is the co-founder of Votary skincare. Arabella explained why we should be ditching lotions and creams and looking to oils for cleansing and moisturizing our skin. She also answered all our other questions about skincare and makeup. Arabella’s an advocate of keeping it simple and low maintenance too – a cleansing routine done daily is something your skins will thank you for and is the groundwork on which everything else relies. More about Arabella Preston and...

If you're 40+ and dreading ageing, this is the episode that's going to put your mind at rest - Louise and Aimee chat with the utterly fabulous Suzi Grant known and loved on Instagram as Alternative Ageing. Suzi's had a career in tv and radio, she's the author of 4 books, a qualified nutritionist, a huge online influencer on Instagram and YouTube and she's 70. She has over 28,000 followers and half of those are under 35 years of age. She's a joy and an inspiration. More about Suzi...

We love hearing from people who’ve started something new in their 40s & 50s, often it’s a time when smart, strong talented midlifers suddenly gain some clarity and take a leap of faith.   Sharon Walters is a London-based artist creating hand-assembled collages exploring black identity and mainstream beauty standards.   In this episode we talk to Sharon about her work, being in her 40s, sobriety and this incredibly creative time in her life.   More about Sharon Walters: Follow her on...

Dr Nighat Arif is an NHS & private GP with a specialist interest in women’s health and you’ve probably seen her on television on BBC Breakfast and also heard her on BBC Radio.    In this episode we began discussing the experience of menopause in ethnic minority communities and Nighat’s work in that area. Menopause is regarded with indifference often and not well understood, especially in ethnic minority groups where there is often a lack of willingness to discuss gynaecological issues....

Jean-Claude Chalmet is a globally renowned psychotherapist, author, a featured columnist at The Times and founder of The Place Retreats in Bali and The Place London Psychotherapy Practice.   In this episode we grilled Jean-Claude on the topic of parenting teenagers. This can feel like a lonely time for many parents. There’s plenty out there for new parents and those of young children, but not so much for those adolescent years.   Jean-Clause founded The Place Bali, a 5* retreat offering...

Emma Campbell is a writer, speaker, mum of four and a cancer patient.   The fear of ‘leaving too soon’ is something any parent can relate to. Whilst there’s physical treatment and recovery that needs focus for any cancer patient, what about the emotional side… the mental challenges to wellbeing?    In this episode Emma shares her experiences and insights of three cancer diagnosis’ in nine years, being a single mum to four children, falling in love on the chemo ward, and support through an...

Your Next Episode is presented by Louise Daniels and Aimee Cooper and produced by Dark Horse Digital.   Episode 21 with Sarah Wolujewicz. Sarah has over 14 years experience as a chartered physiotherapist. She works at the Havelock Clinic & also at a central London NHS Trust managing one of the largest pelvic health physiotherapy teams in the UK. She is the physiotherapist representative on the British Assoc. for Sexual Health and HIV special interest group in sexual dysfunction - A member...

Becoming sober or at least sober-curious is something that seems to be on the lips of many mid-lifers. From our late 40s we just can’t drink like we used to, we’re suddenly suffering from ‘hangxiety’, we’re noticing health niggles. It’s probably a time when we should all become more mindful about our boozing.   Dave Wilson decided at 55 to ‘go sober’ in January 2019. He created an Instagram account - @soberdave. He quickly found himself part of an incredible online community. Dave has...

Your Next Episode is presented by Louise Daniels and Aimee Cooper and produced by Dark Horse Digital.   Episode 20: With Laura Dodsworth, photographer, storyteller. Author of Bare Reality, Manhood and Womanhood. 100 Vaginas (Channel 4) What possesses a woman to take pictures of 100 boobs, 100 penises and 100 vulvas? (not all at the same time to be clear)... Listen to this wonderful episode to find out, hear about the process and the profound learning that took place for Laura along the...

Meg is joined by revered Osteopath of 40 years Andrew Ferguson.   Andrew explains exactly what Osteopathy is and how it can help women around perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. It’s not just about aches and pains either! Listen to find out why an osteopath might be able to help you and to hear Andrew’s suggestions for exercise at this time of our lives.   Andrew Ferguson offers individualized, holistic care at The Notting Hill Osteopathic...

Meg is joined by Caroline Gaskin who’s a natural health practitioner and one of the UK’s leading homeopaths.   For more info about Caroline’s workshops, retreats and consultations, visit her website: http://carolinegaskin.co.uk     Join her private Facebook Group: Managing Menopause Naturally: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567420193837434/   Webinar series FREE Webinar Managing Menopause Naturally  https://www.cheonline.co.uk/Managing-Menopause-Free-Webinar   The full 3-part...