For this episode I am joined by Kate Baily co-founder of the Love Sober platform and author of 'Love Your Sober Year.'  Kate coaches women to feel empowered by their choice to stop drinking alcohol, harnessing their decision to go sober and pivot from surviving to thriving in all areas of their lives using a holistic approach to growth, mindset and wellbeing. Join Kate and me as we talk about both of our sober journeys during Perimenopause including:- Perimenopause and alcohol.The...

I am joined for this episode by the fabulous Mel Schilling. Human behaviour and performance specialist and Married at First Sight relationship expert Mel Schilling talks to me about her new book The C* Word. Mel draws on her 20-year background in psychology, with this empowering and practical guide to making friends with our fear, tackling imposter syndrome and building the skills of confidence to enhance every aspect of our lives.  Join us as we delve into:- How can we rebuild our confidence...

My guest for the final episode of S7 of the podcast is Kim Vopni aka @thevaginacoach. Kim is a speaker, women’s health educator, coach and Menopause support practitioner. She is also the author of the bestselling book Your Pelvic Floor which was The Merry Menopause Bookclub pick in February.  Menopause can bring several changes to the body, including pelvic health issues. Join us as we discuss:- The Importance of Pelvic Floor Health: Kim emphasises the importance of pelvic floor health and...

My guests for this episode are the authors of You Me and The Space Between Us, married couple Matt and Sarah Davies . Matt is a marriage counsellor and psychosexual and relationship therapist, and Sarah is a movement and somatic coach.   Combing both their areas of expertise, You, Me and The Space Between Us is a blend of personal narrative and expert advice, written with empathy and warmth. It is a book for anyone who is struggling with their relationship. I LOVED IT and would highly...

My guest today is Fran Littlewood author of the best-selling novel Amazing Grace Adams. A story of the rollercoaster ride of Perimenopause which explores love, loss, motherhood, female rage, shame, self-blame, and the societal pressure of perfection. Join myself and Fran, a former Times Journalist and mother of three teenage daughters as we discuss:  The plot of Amazing Grace Adams and how it relates to the experiences of women who feel overwhelmed by their many roles and responsibilities....

To kick off the NEW season of The Merry Menopause Bookclub Podcast, I am delighted to have as my guest Anya Bergman author of best selling novel The Witches of Vardø.  In this episode, Anya shares her fascination with the real-life story of three women - Ana, Ingeborg, and Maren - who fought for survival during the brutal Witch trials of 1662 on the remote Norwegian island of Vardø. Anya's novel is a powerful and poignant blend of historical fact, folktales, and mythology that aims to reclaim...

What better way to finish off season six of The Merry Menopause Bookclub Podcast than with Bonnie Garmus author of The Sunday Times No 1 Bestseller “Lessons in Chemistry” Bonnie and I connected on Instagram where I was raving about Lessons in Chemistry, It is one of my favourite  reads this year so far and I was delighted Bonnie said yes to being my guest. Lessons In Chemistry is about a woman named Elizabeth Zott, a fictional chemist in late 50s early 60s America. She gets fired from her...

Anniki Sommerville’s specialist subjects include Perimenopause, parenting and work/life juggling. She has written for The Telegraph, The Guardian and Grazia and is the author of 5 books.  In this episode, we talk about her latest book - The Big Quit  which is all about how to navigate work and find the right balance for you.  My personal experience and that of friends, clients and The Merry Menopause community drew me to this book.  Perimenopause and Menopause can put a spotlight on our...

Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer are the co-founders of Red School. Together they have spent over 10,000 hours researching and refining their radical new approach to health, creativity, leadership and spiritual life. And the best bit? It's rooted in the bloody, wild, radical power of the menstrual cycle and Menopause. They are the authors of two Hay House books Wild Power - which completely changed my life - and the book we are discussing in this epsiode the newly released Wise Power,...

My guest for this episode is Dr Sharon Blackie award-winning writer, Psychologist and Mythologist. Her highly acclaimed books, courses, lectures and workshops are focused on the development of the mythic imagination, and on the relevance of myth, fairy tales and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today. She joins me to discuss her new book Hagitude which explores how nine very different female archetypes chosen from myths and fairytales can help us...

My guest for this episode to discuss her first adult book The Change is  feminist author in the Young Adult and children’s space, Kirsten Miller. The Change is the story of three women in their Perimenopause who discover that the changes of reaching this age are also their Superpowers. Life has become so quiet for Nessa since her husband died and her daughters left home that she starts to hear the dead. Jo channels her rage and the heat of her hot flashes and makes them her strength and...

To kick off Season 6 of The Merry Menopause Bookclub Podcast my wonderful  guest today is Naturopathic Doctor Lara Briden.  A graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Lara practices in  Christchurch, New Zealand, treating women with symptoms of PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, Perimenopause, and many other hormone- and period-related health problems. Lara joins me to talk about the second of her two brilliant books Hormone Repair Manual which is about navigating and relieving the...

Christie Watson's first novel, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, won the Costa First Novel Award; her second, Where Women Are Kings, achieved international critical acclaim; and her nursing memoir, The Language of Kindness, was a number one bestseller.  In 2020, during the first peak of the pandemic, she published The Courage to Care and briefly returned to clinical work. During this time Christie was shocked not only by the changing world, but her changing body, as her Perimenopause took hold. My book...

I knew that Kate Codrington and I were destined to meet. Her name has been mentioned many times by past guests of the podcast so I was delighted when our friends at Harper Collins sent me a copy of her book Second Spring and Kate agreed to be my guest. Kate is a mentor, speaker, artist, writer and therapist, and host of the “Life - an inside job” podcast. And when she’s not doing all these things you’ll find her playing in her compost heaps at her home in Hertfordshire. Join us in...

For the first time on The Merry Menopause Bookclub podcast, I’ve chosen a fiction book, Bonny and Read is the historical reimagining of two female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read.  Author Julie Walker first came across this swashbuckling duo as a teenager when she was listening to the Adam Ant song Five Guns West.  She was instantly fascinated by their story and has meticulously researched them ever since.  Bonny and Read has been longlisted for both the Mslexia First Novel Prize and the...

My guest for this episode is Dr Jenna Macciochi an expert immunologist who has spent over 20 years as a scientist researching the impact that lifestyle has on the immune system in health and disease.  Her latest book “Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity”, is a guide to cultivating strong immune health from a voice of reason in a rising tide of pseudoscience and promises of quick fixes.  The book encourages us to audit our lifestyle and identify key areas that might not be serving our health...

Since she was little, Awen Clement has been fascinated by the magic of the moon and this led her to write and publish her book, Moon Wise. Awen is a healer and intuitive who works deeply with the land, the moon and the elements.  She teaches on spiritual connection, healing and sacred leadership, and is the founder of The Earth House, a fledgling community for folk who walk an Earth-centred spiritual path.  When she isn’t working or teaching Awen is raising four awesome young humans and can...

My guest for this episode is Kate Muir, author of “Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause (but were too afraid to ask)” Kate is a writer, campaigner and documentary maker. She is the co-creator and producer of the revolutionary channel 4 documentary Sex, Myths and the Menopause and an activist for The Menopause Charity.  Join us in conversation as we discuss:- The Revolution!! Why Menopause is a feminist issue.Why many of us are forced to look at our lives in a cold, new light at...

My guest today is Petra Coveney founder and creator of Menopause Yoga, the world’s first Menopause specific yoga practice and fully accredited teacher training course. Petra is a member of the British Menopause Society and a senior teacher and trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance Professionals.  Petra joins me to talk about her book Menopause Yoga which supports her training course and is also designed to raise awareness and share knowledge of Yoga and how it can support...

In this episode, I am joined by Period preacher and author of “My Greatest Period Ever” Lucy Peach. Lucy has performed at TEDX and toured around the globe with multiple sell-out seasons of her hilarious and heartfelt show ‘My Greatest Period Ever.’ In her own words, Lucy is changing the world “One Period at a time.” Join us as we discuss  Why it’s never too late to learn about your cycleDream, Do, Give and Take - the 4 phases of our cycle. Why other women are your alliesHow to support each...

My guest for this episode is Cara Wheatley-McGrain Hay House author, Mindset coach, and Educational Consultant.  Cara founded The Mindful Gut project on a mission to inspire 1 million people to become the custodians of their gut microbiome and she joins me to talk about her book “Calm your gut, a mindful and compassionate guide to healing IBD and IBS. In this episode: Cara shares her story of living with Ulcerated Colitis, from her teenage years to almost losing her colon in her early...

I kick off Season 4 with journalist, editor, co-host of "Postcards from Midlife" podcast and mum of four Lorraine Candy. Formerly the editor in chief of the Sunday Times Style magazine, Elle and Cosmopolitan, Lorraine has been writing about parenting in national newspapers and magazines for more than a decade.  In this episode, we talk about her family memoir “Mum What’s wrong with you” 101 things only mothers of girls know. In the pages of her book  Lorraine is lighting the way for other...

For the final episode of Season 4, I am joined by Dr Ginni Mansberg, a sought-after speaker and regular host and medical expert on Australian TV. A forerunner of the Menopause conversation in Australia, she is the author of today’s book choice, The M Word: How to Thrive in the Menopause which offers sound advice for women going through Menopause, as well as a way to excel in this new stage of life.  Ginni has been a GP for over 30 years and she is passionate about the importance of giving...

In the penultimate episode of Series 3 I am joined by Josie Lloyd author of 15 bestselling novels (as both Josie Lloyd and Joanna Rees), including the number one hit Come Together, which she co-authored with her husband Emlyn Rees, and the bestselling parody We're Going On A Bar Hunt.  But this episode is dedicated to her latest book The Cancer Ladies Running Club. A fictional tale, based on Josie’s own experience of surviving Breast Cancer.  1 in 7 women are going to get Breast Cancer and 1...