Women's Health And Wellbeing Episodes

If sex has slowly disappeared from your life - or started to feel like something you dread rather than look forward to - and you're not sure whether to blame your hormones, your relationship, your exhaustion, or just yourself, this episode is going to help. My guest is Dr Maria Sophocles, a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner who has spent 30 years working with women on the clinical frontline of this exact problem. She's the author of the brand new book The Bedro...

Tiff Hall has been part of Crappy to Happy since the very beginning, and she's a woman who knows reinvention better than most. She spent a decade building a powerful, values-driven fitness brand, showing up through pregnancies, injuries, illness, body changes and enormous personal pressure. And then she made a decision that surprised many people, selling TXO to 28 by Sam Wood and stepping out of her CEO role. This is an honest conversation about identity, grief, relief, and the courage it takes...

Women with ADHD are still being overlooked, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed, and the consequences can be profound. In this episode, I sit down with Tracy Otsuka, ADHD Coach and bestselling author of "ADHD for Smartass Women', whose mission is to help women stop pathologising themselves and start recognising their inherent creativity, intelligence, and strength. Tracy shares her personal story, beginning with her son’s diagnosis at age 12, which sparked her deep dive into understanding ADHD. Wha...

In this engaging conversation, Cass and Megan Dalla-Camina explore the challenges women face in the workplace, including gender bias, self-sabotage, and the impact of internalised patriarchy. Megan shares her journey from corporate America to empowering women through her work and her PhD studies in women's spirituality and leadership. They discuss the importance of recognising and overcoming societal expectations, the paradoxes of power, and the need for women to reclaim their feminine wisdom to thrive in their personal and professional lives.

In January, I commenced ADHD medication and now 11 months later, I'm sharing my experience of how it has impacted my productivity and mood. While my experience has been mostly positive, there are some negative effects that I wasn't expecting and even now, I'm still figuring out the right balance for me.In this episode, I'm sharing as honestly as possible what I was struggling with before, how the medication has improved things and the reality that it isn't a cure-all. If anyone is considering se...

Dr. Kate Mason unpacks the false dichotomy that suggests women must choose between being liked and being respected, and explains how this mindset leads to self-doubt and diminished confidence. Kate shares practical strategies for overcoming common communication pitfalls women fall into, such as over-apologising and minimising their contributions. This episode is a must-listen for any woman looking to assert herself confidently while still being true to her authentic self.Takeaways: Women oft...

Understanding the critical role of hormone therapy is essential for women at every stage of life, not just those who are navigating the complexities of menopause and beyond. In my second conversation with Dr. Louise Newson, we discuss how to know if your hormone levels are low, whether it's possible to take too high a dose, and also the potential consequences of not replacing your lost hormones as you get older, such as increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and even dementia. We dive in...

Dr. Louise Newson is a physician, hormone specialist and one of the world's leading voices in transforming menopause care. We discuss the misconceptions about menopause and hormone treatment, the benefits that HRT can provide even for women without overt symptoms, and how it can play a significant role in maintaining long-term health. Dr Louise highlights that hormonal changes affect every cell in our bodies, leading to surprising symptoms that women may not initially connect to their hormonal s...

Today, I'm celebrating a huge milestone: 100 days alcohol-free! It feels amazing, and I want to share my journey with you—from the challenges to the triumphs. I also dive deep into the reasons behind my decision, including some personal revelations about ADHD and how it has shaped my relationship with alcohol. It’s not just about quitting drinking but understanding why we turn to these habits in the first place. Plus, I’m inviting you to complete a listener survey to help us grow and improve the...

Dr. Michelle McQuaid joins me in this episode to dive deep into the concept of "good girl conditioning" and how it impacts women's mental health and well-being. We explore the societal expectations that shape our beliefs from a young age, often leading to exhaustion and a sense of emptiness, despite achieving external markers of success. Dr. McQuaid shares her personal journey of discovering these patterns and the research that highlights how they manifest in our lives, particularly for women. ...

This episode encourages listeners to carve out time for activities that bring them joy without the pressure of achieving specific goals or outcomes. Cass shares insights into the importance of finding a passion project, i.e. engaging in creative outlets or hobbies that allow for personal expression and fulfilment. By reconnecting with activities that light you up, you not only enhance your own mental health but also bring a more vibrant energy to your relationships with others. It's time to recl...

This week, Cass is joined by Lisa Messenger and Sarah Megginson, two colleagues and friends whose lives were changed forever when Sarah offered to be a gestational surrogate for Lisa. In this episode, we discuss Lisa's gruelling six-years and 16 rounds of IVF, and the significant financial, physical, and emotional toll of infertility. The episode delves into the legal and emotional complexities of surrogacy in Australia, the vital role of hope and resilience, and the deepening of Lisa and Sarah'...

Cass talks with fellow psychologist, Ariane Beeston about Ariane's experience of severe postpartum depression and psychosis. They discuss the feelings of failure that can prevent new mothers from asking for help, the lack of support available for mums beyond their babys' infancy, and the added shame of being a mental health professional experiencing mental illness.Ariane speaks candidly about how she was able to fool people into believing she was fine even when she wasn't, what it was like being...

Cass chats with Monique Mitchelson, a clinical psychologist and host of The Neurodivergent Woman podcast, about neurodiversity in women, specifically autism and ADHD. Monique shares that neurodivergence is often under-diagnosed, especially in girls and that many women are doing life in 'hard mode' when they don't have an accurate diagnosis.Monique shares some of the masking and compensatory strategies that neurodivergent individuals often use to navigate a neurotypical world. The conversation ex...

In this solo ep, Cass shares her decision to take an extended break from alcohol after quitting drinking for (almost) two years in 2020 and then taking it up again in 2022.She highlights all the best things she experienced during two years of being alcohol-free, as a way to remind herself of the benefits to be gained from staying sober, and as motivation to anyone else who might be toying with the idea of giving up their evening glass of wine, but is worried about how they'd cope without it. Con...

Cass responds to a listener who is experiencing body dissatisfaction during pregnancy. She highlights that while this is relatively common, it can be a concern if it contributes to poor maternal mental or physical health. She shares strategies for managing uncomfortable thoughts and feelings about your changing body and the importance of women feeling free to share their experience of any aspect of pregnancy or parenthood without guilt. Importantly, Cass highlights some of the signs of 'Pregorex...

Cass chats with Victoria Vanstone, host of the Sober Awkward Podcast and creator of the Drunk Mummy Sober Mummy blog and website, about her decision to leave behind her partying days in order to be a happier, less anxious, more present parent by giving up alcohol. Vic admits she didn't like sober people and that she feared no-one would want to be around her anymore if she stopped being the life of every party.Vic has recently published her first book, "A Thousand Wasted Sundays" and shares how s...

Cass sits down with Amelia Nagoski, who co-authored (with her identical twin sister, Emily Nagoski) the NYT bestselling book, "Burnout: The Secret to Solving Your Stress Cycle".Amelia shares that it is not just being a woman trying to meet society's "unmeetable expectations" that is a primary cause of burnout, but falling anywhere outside of what the mainstream considers to be the 'norm' in terms of race, sex, gender, appearance or ability. Listen to hear about: Human Giver Syndrome and why it'...

Chantel Mila began sharing ideas for creating 'pockets of peace' in your home during pandemic lockdowns. Just three years later, her eco-friendly home cleaning and styling videos have attracted an audience of millions worldwide. She's just launched her own product line called 'Mama Mila Home' and published her first book.In this episode, Chantel tells the story of her success and shares some of her most popular tips for how to turn your home into a sanctuary. Connect with Chantel:Instagram.com/m...

We all know how important play is for children, but it's just as important for grown-ups! In the busyness of life, we consider hobbies to be trivial and time-wasting, and can find ourselves being weighed down by responsibility and losing our connection to what brings us joy.In this episode, Cass explains the benefits of prioritising play, how playfulness is as much an attitude as an activity, and shares some ideas that might help you reconnect with your own sense of fun and inspire you to make m...

It's a full circle moment on Crappy to Happy as Tiff Hall returns to join Cass behind the mic. This time, not as a cohost but as guest, to reflect on the last few years of challenges: including bouncing forward post babies, business diversification and a changing relationship to her body.If you've not met Tiff before she's one of Australia's most trusted health and fitness experts. She's a personal trainer, author, journalist and best known for her television appearances on Gladiators, and The B...

Before starting her executive coaching company for CEO's and Founders, 'Reset', Liz Tran spent a decade in tech, most recently as the only female executive at a top venture capital firm. For most of her career, Liz Tran was sure that if people knew about her spiritual practices, they would never respect her as a business person. She worked in a world where numbers and spreadsheets were everything, so how could she admit that she believed in scientifically indefensible forces like the Tarot or fe...

Steph Claire Smith is a model, a business owner, author, podcast host, and she is a wife and mum to two-year-old Harvey. Together with her best friend Laura Henshaw, Steph co-founded KIC (formerly known as Keep It Cleaner): a wellness app with a mission to kick toxic wellness rules out the window.Today, Steph joins Cass to talk unpack: where KIC all began why this mission matters so much to her the gender bias she experiences as a founder and also the primary breadwinner in her family and th...

Around 85% of women will become a mother and most agree that pregnancy and parenthood are experiences that profoundly change us physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. Sadly though, mothers, minds and brains are mostly absent from popular pregnancy books and social media posts unless of course there is a discussion about what can go terribly wrong: baby blues, postnatal depression and of course the dreaded baby brain.Today, Dr. Sarah joins Cass to chat about the upside of pregnanc...