Episoder
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the wise and encouraging Dr. Kristin Neff. Kristin is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas and is one of the world’s leading experts in self-compassion. Kristin was the first person to conduct research on self-compassion more than 20 years ago and she created a scale to measure it, which is used by thousands of practitioners all over the world. She’s written numerous academic articles as well as several books on the topic and has been recognised as one of the most influential scholars in the field of psychology. Well over 5000 studies have been conducted on self-compassion by various scholars since her ground-breaking articles were first published in 2003. She really is a trailblazer in this field.
In this conversation, Kristin describes what self-compassion actually is, the benefits of practising it in your life, and she shares some simple yet powerful tools which you can use to build your self-compassion.
She talks about the important difference between self-pity and self-compassion, and why self-compassion is actually a gift that benefits everyone. Despite being known as self-compassion, as Kristin explains, it’s not all about the self, it’s actually a powerful force that connects us to other people and acknowledges our common humanity.
Kristin gives some really practical tips for how you can get started and the good news is - the benefits can be felt immediately. Our producer Sam also shares with Kristin how her work on self-compassion changed her life. There were tears in the studio that day. We are so grateful to Kristin for this conversation and we hope you love this episode as much as we did.
Follow Kristin on IG here
Find out more about Kristin’s work and access free self-compassion tools here
Take the free self-compassion test here
Order Kristin Neff’s books here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the always fun and entertaining Leanne Nicol and we have an exclusive giveaway for one lucky Over The Back Fence listener, so stay tuned to hear all the details. Leanne is a former school principal, now certified Master Coach, who you may remember from our first chat with her, 100 First Dates . In that episode, Leanne shared with us the story of finding love again in her mid-forties and the funny highlights from all the dates she had to go on to ultimately find her husband.
In this bonus episode, we hear the story of what happened after Leanne left the podcast studio that day. She was feeling inspired by the energy in the room, so arranged to grab a coffee with our producer Sam, and that conversation led to a career change for Leanne, and one she is truly loving.
Leanne tells us about the coaching work she’s doing through her business, Fierce Hearts, and how she loves empowering people to be the best version of themselves. We talk about the benefits of coaching, some simple tools to help you make a mindset shift and we also discuss the differences between coaching and therapy or counselling.
And of course, because it’s Leanne, we couldn’t help but chat about the latest dating trends.
You’ll also hear in this episode about our exclusive competition which you can enter. Leanne has generously decided to give away one place in her upcoming Jump Start Your Fierce Heart coaching program to one of our lucky listeners, to help kick start a positive change in your life. Could it be you? You’ve got to be in it to win it!
Jump Start Your Fierce Heart - Exclusive Giveaway - Competition Details
How to Enter:
1️⃣ Follow both @overthebackfencepodcast and @fierce_hearts on Instagram
2️⃣ Tag 1 friend
3️⃣ In the comments tell us the positive change you’d like to make to your life in the next 3 monthsWhat You’ll Get:
1 x Discovery call
A small group program with 3 x 1.5-hour weekly Zoom sessions
3 x Accountability check-ins
1 x Workbook - that includes group session details, action plans and reflection and consolidation exercises
Coaching by a certified Master Coach
A safe, supportive space with like-minded people
Be challenged, supported, and held accountable
Value: $990
Entries close: 14 November 2024. Winners will be announced on our Instagram story and contacted by us to arrange the prize.
Follow Fierce Hearts on IG here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
Listen to our first interview with Leanne - 100 First Dates here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Mangler du episoder?
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the wise and inspiring Chip Conley. Chip is an entrepreneur, speaker and New York Times best-selling author. Chip spent the first part of his career in the hospitality industry - he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality in 1987, which became the 2nd largest operator of boutique hotels in the US. After selling his company in 2010, Chip went on to become the global head of strategy for Airbnb, transforming it from a fast-growing start-up to the world’s most valuable hospitality brand. His next step was to follow his new passion to reframe the concept of ageing, and help people navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. He founded the world’s first midlife wisdom school, Modern Elder Academy (MEA). He is also a loving father to his two sons.
In this conversation, we hear how Chip had a near death experience that made him question the way he was living his life, and he decided he wanted to do something new in the second half of his life. He became dedicated to helping people navigate midlife in a new way, shift their mindset to be pro-aging and realise their best years are ahead of them.
Chip shares some great advice for what people can do to find more meaning in midlife, the importance of being willing to learn new things, be a beginner again and how to focus on having a growth mindset. We also hear about the fun things that people get up to at his MEA schools in Baja and Santa Fe - we can’t wait to get there.
Chip is so inspiring and fills people with so much hope that the best is yet to come. We absolutely loved chatting with him and we hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
Follow Chip on IG here
Find out more about the Modern Elder Academy here
Buy Chip Conley’s book Learning to Love Midlife here
Find out more about Chip’s work here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the entertaining and multi-talented Tottie Goldsmith. Tottie has been part of the Australian performing arts industry for 4 decades, with an incredible career that spans music, film, television, radio and theatre. In the 80s, Tottie became known as Melbourne’s IT girl, and was part of the pop group, The Chantoozies. Over the next few decades she appeared on so many iconic Australian TV shows including Young Doctors, Prisoner, Neighbours, and The Sex/Life series to name just a few. Tottie is also a proud mum, a marriage celebrant and the niece of our beloved Olivia Newton-John. In 2020 Tottie was awarded an OAM for her contribution to charity and the performing arts.
In this episode, we hear all about Tottie’s unconventional upbringing and some of the incredible stories from her childhood. She was born in the 60s to a legend of the Australian nightclub industry, Brian Goldsmith and the model and actress Rona Newton-John. We hear the heartbreaking story of how Tottie’s mum left her and her 2 siblings, when Tottie was only 2.5, to pursue a career overseas and the huge impact that had on Tottie’s life.
Tottie opens up about the absolutely beautiful relationship that she had with her aunt Olivia, who was always looking out for her and loving her in ways that her mother wasn’t able to. Olivia was a true angel in Tottie’s life.
Not only that, but we hear some fun stories from Tottie’s love life and the lessons she’s learned along the way through the relationships she’s had. Tottie is someone who really has done a lot of work on herself, and is committed to continuing to learn and grow. It’s inspiring to listen to.
We had so much fun in this chat with Tottie - it was absolutely like having another girlfriend with us over the back fence. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.Follow Tottie on IG here
Support the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre here
Find out more about Tottie’s work here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the brilliant and inspiring Heather Mitchell. Heather is one of Australia’s most acclaimed actors, with a career spanning 4 decades. She has appeared in hundreds of theatre productions and her film and television credits are countless, including series such as Love Me, Fake, and The Unusual Suspects and films like The Great Gatsby, Muriel’s Wedding and Palm Beach. Heather also has a brilliant memoir, Everything and Nothing, where she shares so many personal stories from her life outside of acting, and we dive into some of these in this episode.
In this conversation Heather talks about how she is 66 and absolutely loving it! She shares her belief on why it’s a privilege to get old, and that she’s enjoying life more and more each day. As someone who lost their mother at a young age, and has overcome breast cancer herself twice, Heather really sees the true gift that it is to be able to get old, and has such a refreshing perspective on ageing.
We hear the beautiful love story of how Heather met her husband Martin, and the psychic who predicted it the day before - you’ll really want to tune in for this story, because it’s incredible.
Heather opens up about what it was like losing her mother at 17, and the pivotal moment in her life where she unknowingly had a conversation that would convince her mother not to tell anyone she was sick and dying.
We also get the inside scoop on what happened with Heather and Sam Neill, and how a recent interview they did together was the first time they ever talked about why their relationship ended, and what they learnt from each other was pretty amazing.
This episode is full of so many wonderful stories and we had such a lovely time talking to Heather. She is a kind and gentle soul, with a spirit and energy that radiates. We hope you love listening to her.
Follow Heather on IG here
Buy Heather’s Memoir - Everything and Nothing - here
Learn more about the Groundswell Foundation here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the fascinating and one-of-a-kind Molly Jane. Molly is an oracle, who is able to read and interpret energy, which helps people to align, gain clarity and upgrade their energy. As she explains in this interview, Molly really is at the forefront of a brand new modality, and she believes that in 10 years time, the type of work she does will become totally normal, and people will understand the importance of taking care of their energetic body, as well as their physical body.
In this chat we find out what it means to be an oracle, how Molly can read people’s energy and simple things that anyone can do to make sure they are clearing their energy, and paying attention to the people and places that align with their energy, so they can feel lighter and brighter.
Molly shares a great and practical tool - the blueprint - for how you can work out what’s truly important to you and set better boundaries for anything that doesn’t align with your blueprint, so that you aren’t weighed down by them.
Molly also does a reading for Di during the chat, so you can experience a taste of what it’s like to have an energetic upgrade - you’ll want to listen into this.
This was such a fascinating conversation with a truly special woman. We loved chatting to Molly and we hope you get as much out of it as we did.
Follow Molly Jane on IG here
Find out more about Molly Jane and her work here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the fun, creative and ambitious Lisa McGuigan. Lisa is a fourth generation winemaker from Australia’s Hunter Valley, blazing a new trail in wine, whilst paying homage to the work of her father, grandfather and great grandfather. You’ll hear in this interview that Lisa has a rebellious spirit, which meant she carved her own path, leaving behind the wine industry and pursuing a career in hospitality. Lisa excelled in this field, but as the years went on, she realised she couldn’t deny her genes and that winemaking is in her DNA. We’re so lucky she returned to the industry, because Lisa makes some absolutely incredible wines. She designed and directed the launch and meteoric rise of Tempus Two, one of Australia's most loved and successful wine brands and is now the founder of Lisa McGuigan Wines and Vamp.
There were lots of stories and laughs in this chat as Lisa brought some wines into the studio so Nicola and Di could have a wine tasting as they talked about her life. Lisa recalled the day she had a run-in with her father when she announced she wouldn’t be going into winemaking, which resulted in her being shipped off to Swiss Finishing School. What started as a punishment became a formative experience, and Lisa had a ball living in the alps and learnt a lot about herself in that one year alone.
Lisa shares the twists and turns along the way in her career - including the 20 years she spent working in hotels, the decision to return to winemaking in her own creative way and the adventures of starting her first brand Hermitage Road, which later became the famous Tempus Two. We also hear about Lisa’s latest brand, Lisa McGuigan Wines and her one-of-a-kind cellar door experience at Vamp.
This is a truly inspiring conversation with a woman who sees an opportunity and grabs it with both hands. She is an unstoppable and innovative force and we had so much fun (and delicious wine) with her in the studio. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.
Follow Lisa McGuigan on IG here
Follow Vamp on IG here
Buy Lisa McGuigan wines here
Vote for us in the Australian Podcast Awards here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week’s episode is a little bit different as it’s a chat with Nicola and Di in the studio about their recent trip to LA. We get all the highlights from the Summit Of Greatness event they attended, hosted by Lewis Howes - one of the most inspiring and successful podcasters globally, who has an audience of millions.
We hear about the key lessons they took away from some of the incredible speakers at the event, including scientist and teacher Dr. Joe Dispenza and relationships psychotherapist Esther Perel. Both Joe and Esther are New York Times best-selling authors and their work has touched and changed the lives of millions of people - we’re excited to share some powerful moments from both of them with you.
Nicola and Di also share their favourite moments from La La land and the ways they’ve been inspired to keep learning, growing and making positive changes in their lives. We hope you’ll feel uplifted and inspired by this conversation.
Follow Lewis Howes on IG here
Listen to the School of Greatness podcast here
Follow Dr. Joe Dispenza on IG here
Follow Esther Perel on IG here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the genuine and inspiring Ronni Kahn AO. Ronni is a social entrepreneur who founded the food rescue charity, OzHarvest. She is a passionate advocate and activist and her mission to fight food waste and feed hungry people is supported by some of the world’s finest chefs. Ronni is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was named Australian Local Hero of the Year in 2010. Her journey is the subject of a feature film, Food Fighter and her memoir, A Repurposed Life, has recently been published.
In this conversation, Ronni tells us the remarkable story of a trip back to South Africa to visit an old friend that uncovered Ronni’s purpose and changed the course of her life forever. She shares how it all began with OzHarvest, and how her passion is fuelled by purpose and Ronni considers it a privilege to be able to do the work she does in the world and make an incredible impact.
As well as Ronni’s passion to feed the hungry, we also talk about her activism around food waste and the little-known fact that food waste is the second biggest contributor to global warming, and costs the Australian economy $36.6 billion dollars a year. Ronni shares with us some simple ways that we can all reduce our food waste and help her achieve her mission for Australia to halve their food waste by 2030.
Ronni is a great storyteller and we hear all about some of the incredible people she’s collaborated with - from top international chefs to the patron of UK Harvest, none other than Queen Camilla herself.
To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of OzHarvest and bring awareness to the fact that 10 million Australians on any given day are in need of food, Ronni and her team are holding a Unite To Feed Australia concert on the 7th of November in Sydney, and she’d love for you all to be thaere! You can buy your tickets here.
We absolutely loved chatting to Ronni in the studio and hearing her uplifting message about the power each and every one of us has to make a difference in the world, no matter how big or small. We hope you love it too and that we can sing along with you Back Fencers at the concert in November.
Follow Ronni on IG here
Follow OzHarvest on IG here
Buy Tickets to the OzHarvest - Unite To Feed Australia Concert here
Buy Ronni’s Memoir - A Repurposed Life here
Find Out More about OzHarvest here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the energetic and vivacious Susan Bratton. Susan is an intimacy expert to millions and has been helping people improve their intimate relationships and sex life for the past 2 decades. Susan has written thousands of magazine and website articles, as well as over 40 books and programs to help people experience shame-free, frequent sexual pleasure, which she believes is a vital element of being alive. Susan also regularly appears on TV and podcasts from all over the world. She has been married for over 30 years and has so much to share.
In this conversation Susan talks about how she got started as a sexpert, as a married woman in her 40s who was deeply unhappy with her sex life and wanted to do something about it. As Susan and her husband started going to therapy and attending sex workshops, they learnt so many skills and became closer than ever, which made Susan passionate about teaching everything she was learning to others. She went on to create a media company, and write dozens of books and programs that have helped millions of people.
Susan shares so many juicy tips with us in this chat - it is full of ideas for how you can improve your love life, including a sex bucket list and what Susan likes to call hot sex dates. We hear about Susan’s desire dozen - the 12 things you can do to increase your pleasure and get more from your relationship.
We also talk about how Susan is feeling now that she’s in her 60s - the good news is, she’s absolutely loving it and having the best sex of her life!
We had so many laughs in this episode because it’s full of cheeky chat, but it’s also super informative and helpful. We hope you have a giggle along with us and get as much from this conversation as we did.
Follow Susan on IG here
Download Susan’s FREE Sex Life Bucket List here
Download Susan’s FREE Sexual Soulmate Pact here
Get Susan’s Tips, Videos and Articles here
Find out more about Susan’s work here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week we are bringing you something a little bit different - Nicola and Di recently headed off to Hamilton Island Race Week and interviewed a collection of world-class sailors whilst they were there. This week’s episode brings you all 4 of those inspiring chats.
First up we talk to Alice Parker - a remarkable 30-year old navigator who’s raced in 4 Sydney to Hobarts, as the only female on an all-male crew, as well as several world championships that have taken her to many different countries. We hear about Alice’s best moment at sea, as well as the most frightening, which happened during one of her Sydney to Hobarts. Not only is Alice an incredible young sailor, she’s also a physiotherapist and is back studying at uni again to upskill in some maths and physics. You’ll want to hear Alice’s answer for who she wants to meet at the back fence because it’s truly beautiful.
We then get the chance to chat with Mark Richards, the sailor and boat builder that many listeners would know as the long time skipper of Wild Oats, who has won the Sydney to Hobart a stunning 9 times! We hear the amazing story of how Mark got started in sailing and how he credits it to being adopted by the right people. Mark tells some great stories about his friendship with Bob Oatley, the comradery of the sailing community as well as his greatest achievements and most harrowing moments at sea.
Our third conversation is with the dynamic sailor girl Nic Douglass. When you listen in to this chat you’ll hear just how much passion and enthusiasm Nic has for sailing. Having just returned from the Olympics where Nic was part of the team commentating for the crowds on-the-ground in Marseille, we hear how the work she does now and the media company she started actually came after she was at one of her low points when she didn’t qualify for the London Olympics in 2012. Nic is proof that sometimes it’s the low moments in our lives and careers that become turning points and lead to really great opportunities.
Finally, we talk to the incredible Stacey Jackson who has sailed in a whopping 16 Sydney to Hobarts and is nowhere near stopping! Not only that but Stacey has also competed in a 9-month round-the-world race not once, but twice including conquering Cape Horn, which is known as the Mt Everest of the sailing world. We hear what it was like the first time Stacey sailed around the world and the most incredible story of how her crew survived after their mast broke shortly after they’d rounded Cape Horn on her second trip around the world. Stacey was also the skipper on Wild Oats when Julie Bishop famously jumped off the back of the boat after the start of the race in Sydney.
This week’s episode is full of so many great stories and wonderful personalities. It was so much fun recording on location up in Hamilton Island and we really hope you love tuning in to this one.
Follow Alice Parker on IG here
Follow Wild Oats XI on IG here
Follow Palm Beach Motor Yachts on IG here
Follow Sailor Girl Nic Douglass on IG here
Follow Stacey Jackson on IG here
Follow Hamilton Island Race Week on IG here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the joyful and inspiring Lisa Walker. Lisa is the co-founder of Eir - a women’s wellness company which creates supplements for women over 40 to help them feel well and full of joy. After a career in beauty and health marketing, Lisa spent years fine tuning the stories of other brands and celebrities including Canon, Invisible Zinc, Skinstitut, Lisa Wilkinson and Dr Chris Brown. Whilst she was working at Canon, Lisa met her business partner Kate, and the idea for Eir was born. Following the tragic loss of her husband in 2022, Lisa found a new sense of purpose and fulfilment in building her company and helping other women find midlife health for longevity to get the absolute best out of the 2nd half of their lives. Lisa is also the proud mum of 2 young boys.
In this chat we hear about Lisa’s year of YES - which was a decision she made on her 49th birthday, 1 year after her husband Ben had passed away, to commit to a year of yes. Yes to joy, to life, to love, to friends, to experiences. Yes to new beginnings. We hear lots of the great stories from that year - all the different things Lisa tried, from fly fishing to pole dancing, and what her favourite experience was. We also have a fun time chatting to Lisa about the dating scene in her 50s, the courage it takes to put yourself back out there and whether she’s open to meeting someone new.
Lisa also shares her thoughts on grief - how she’s coped through this difficult time, the tools that have helped her along the way, how she processes her grief and the lessons she continues to learn.
We had such a wonderful time in the studio with Lisa. It was an inspiring conversation that covered challenging things such as alcoholism and the loss of her husband, but also joyful and uplifting stories of finding a renewed sense of purpose in midlife. A real chat about what it’s like being human and the emotional rollercoaster that can be at times. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Follow Lisa Walker on IG here
Follow Eir Women on IG here
Find out more and order Eir Women products here
Read Lisa’s Year of Yes article here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the world-renowned psychotherapist, relationship and empowerment expert, Terri Cole. Through her best-selling books, online courses, YouTube videos, podcast episodes and psychotherapy practice, Terri has taught thousands of people how to improve their relationships, communicate effectively, set better boundaries, truly be seen and finally live free as the most authentic, most empowered version of themselves.
In this conversation, we hear Terri’s career story and how she went from being a talent agent to the top supermodels in the world in the 90s, to completely shifting gears and becoming a licensed therapist. We’re so glad she did, because Terri has gone on to become an expert in boundaries and relationships and she has a gift for taking complex psychological concepts and making them super easy to understand so you can take action and make positive changes.
We got a real taste of that in this interview, where Terri gives us a masterclass in what boundaries are, why they’re important, why so many of us have no idea how to set them or communicate them and she gives us the tools and language to become a boundary boss. Terri shares how it all goes back to childhood and the boundary blueprint we grew up with. We also get to hear about her new book Too Much, which is about breaking the cycle of high-functioning codependency, which Terri explains to us in simple terms.
Terri also shares the wonderful story of her first date with her husband, and how she insisted on finding someone who was willing to go deep and who had done years of therapy - Terri was in luck, because when they met, he’d been in therapy for 20 years! She shares with Nicola how it’s possible to meet a man like this if that’s what she wants to attract and it’s all about the energy she emanates.We absolutely loved chatting with Terri. She’s been on the top of our dream guest list for the podcast since the very beginning, and we hope after listening to this episode you’ll understand why. She is wise, insightful, helpful and a whole lot of fun as well! We hope you love hearing from Terri as much as we did.
Follow Terri Cole on IG here
Pre-order Terri’s new book Too Much here
Buy Terri’s book Boundary Boss here
Find out more about Terri’s work and online courses here
Listen to Terri’s podcast, The Terri Cole show here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the insightful family law expert Nikki Parkinson. Nikki is a divorce and separation coach who guides and supports people through this difficult time and helps them create a clear and practical pathway to navigate their separation. She has 25 years of experience with the family law system, as well as her own personal experience of divorce and as a mother of 3, Nikki also knows what it’s like to navigate co-parenting and how to take care of yourself through the challenging times.
In this conversation, we hear how Nikki believes you really can turn a breakup into a breakthrough, if you’re willing to do the work, reflect on what you’ve learnt and make the changes you need to make. Nikki shares how she works with her clients, and that it’s really about understanding their unique needs and taking a holistic approach.
Nikki opens up about her own personal story of divorce, including the mistakes she made along the way that we can learn from. She gives great tips and practical advice for what to do if you find yourself in this situation and why she believes time is our most precious commodity.
Even if you never have to go through a divorce or separation, this chat is full of great ideas for how to communicate well in any relationship, the benefits of being clear on the values you want to live by and the importance of treating yourself with kindness and self-compassion. Everyone can take away something helpful from this conversation.
We really loved chatting to Nikki and we hope you enjoy listening to this episode.
Follow Nikki and the Divorce Hub on IG here
Find our more about Nikki’s work and divorce coaching here
Follow The Divorce Hub community on Facebook here
Follow The Divorce Hub on LinkedIn here
Listen to Nikki’s Divorce and Separation podcast here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with our first ever return guest, David The Medium. We were lucky enough to kick off season 2 with an amazing episode with David full of predictions for the year ahead, so we were thrilled to have him back in the studio with us. For those who are new to David’s work, he is one of the most renowned Australian mediums and psychics, and he recently became the first medium to appear on Sky News Australia, on the popular show Power Hour with Gabriella Power.
In this conversation we hear all about David’s incredible Live show at the Sydney Opera House, and what it’s like to walk out on stage in front of 400 people with no script and connect in real time with the spirits of their loved ones who have passed away to deliver messages of love and support from the other side.
David shares what he believes happens after we die, and gives us a beautiful way to think about the collective consciousness that we all return to in the afterlife.
We also get David’s practical tips for manifesting and how you can attract whatever you want into your life by following some simple steps.
And to top it off, we catch up on Nicola and Di’s amazing European holiday adventures, including some classic stories of the Italian men and how they used their charm to try and romance the ladies - you’ll even get to hear a voice note that one of them sent our lovely Nicola, so stay tuned for that.
Big thanks to David for joining us in the studio again, it’s always special chatting with him and we hope you love it as much as we did.
Follow David The Medium on IG here
Find out more about David’s work including tickets to his live events
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the talented and brave Vikki Petraitis. Vikki is best known as a true crime writer and Casefile podcaster, who created The Frankston Murders series. Casefile is one of the most popular true crime podcasts around, topping the Apple charts with millions of downloads per month, so it was a thrill to get to hear some of the incredible stories from Vikki herself. As well as writing 18 books and having a top-rating podcast, Vikki is also a school teacher by day, which is where she has honed her wonderful storytelling abilities.
In this conversation, we dive deep into The Frankston Murders and hear how Vikki still gets a bit spooked to this day about what went on in the suburbs of Melbourne back in the early 90s. Vikki shares how she was out on patrol with police on the night of one of the victims, Natalie Russell’s murder, and how that motivated her to tell the story as a local community member. We talk about the way that the police disregarded the evidence at the time and the danger of what happens when women aren’t believed.
We also chat about how this book became a Casefile podcast, and the power of podcasting in not only sharing stories, but in some cases, making a real difference and getting laws changed. This was certainly the goal for Vikki - the Casefile team decided to release the podcast in 2023, the year that serial killer Paul Denyer was due for parole, and through their hard work they managed to get his parole bid denied and a law changed in parliament so that he can never apply again.
Vikki shares her theories on why she thinks many women are fascinated by true crime podcasts, her own addiction to writing true crime stories and why she believes that podcasts are one of the most powerful platforms around.
This is such a fascinating conversation with Vikki and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with her. We hope you love it as much as we did!
Follow Vikki on IG here
Buy Vikki’s latest book The Unbelieved here
Listen to The Frankston Murders on the Casefile podcast here
Find out more about Vikki’s work and true crime books here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the multi-talented journo, radio host, celebrity commentator and podcaster Jonathon Moran - better known as J.Mo. J.Mo is Australia's authority on all things entertainment, from film to TV, music and everything in between. He has more than 20 years experience in journalism and hosts the top rating national Confidential on Nova radio show with Tanya Hennessy. He is also Chief Entertainment Writer at The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph and Host of the new podcast Mental as Anyone.
In this conversation, Nicola asks J.Mo about the juicy world of celebrity gossip and how he really gets the stories, who his ‘inside sources’ are and why some stories end up in the media, even though the facts were never checked with the person involved.
J.Mo tells us about the idea for his podcast, Mental As Anyone, that we are all a little bit mental, and that no matter who you are, you’re going to have challenges and tough times to work through - none of us are alone. J.Mo shares that this is really a passion project for him to open up more conversations around mental health, particularly among men. We hear about some of the inspiring episodes he’s had so far with guests like Guy Sebastian and Robert Irwin.
J.Mo also generously opens up about his own struggles with mental health, the journey he’s been on with it for years and how he’s finally found tools that help him, which is why he’s so passionate about having conversations with others, normalising these struggles and sharing practical tips that could help others.
We had such a great time chatting with J.Mo in the studio. We talked about so many things - light and deep - and had a lot of laughs together. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
And of course, If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or suicidal thoughts and needs support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Follow J.Mo on IG here
Listen to J.Mo’s podcast Mental As Anyone here
Find out more about J.Mo’s work here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the wise and inspiring Jacinta Tynan. Jacinta is a well-known journalist, presenter, author, speaker and founder of The Spiritual Book Club. She is also a single mother to two boys, which is something she shares more about in her new book, The Single Mother’s Social Club.
In this conversation Jacinta shares what it was like for her when she became a single mother, how lonely and difficult it can be, but why ultimately she saw it as a gift and an opportunity for her to reflect deeply on her life and grow in the ways she needed to.
Jacinta talks about the importance of being present with your emotions and allowing them to pass through you, because the only way to process emotions is to feel them fully. Nicola and Di also open up about their own relationships ending, and what it was like becoming single parents much later in life. They were both able to move through the difficult times and come to a happier place, where they are loving life in their sixties on their own terms.
We also hear about Jacinta’s new business, The Spiritual Book Club - an online book club for anyone who loves books about spirituality, personal growth, presence and surrender - books that expand your mind and help connect you to your higher self. Jacinta has already interviewed some incredible authors for the book club like Gabby Bernstein and Deepak Chopra, and she’s just getting started.
We loved having Jacinta at our back fence. It was like having a good chat with a girlfriend and she shared so many pearls of wisdom. We hope you love this episode as much as we did.Follow Jacinta on IG here
Find out more and join The Spiritual Book Club here
Get tickets to The Spiritual Book Club in conversation with Luke McLeod event in Sydney, July 25th here
Buy Jacinta’s book The Single Mother’s Social Club here
Find out more about Jacinta’s work and books here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with writers, podcasters, and friends Laura Jackel and Cathy O’Brien. Laura and Cathy met when they both applied for a role at Mamamia through a program called The Encoreship, which gives opportunities to women to get back into the workforce in a meaningful way. When the recruiters at Mamamia couldn’t pick between the two, they offered Laura and Cathy the chance to job share. This led to a beautiful partnership and friendship, and now Laura and Cathy have created their own podcast, The Change, to discuss the changes in life that shake, break and make us.
In this conversation we hear what it was like to work at Mamamia, some of the funny moments in the office and the type of stories they got to write. Cathy shares more about her incredibly popular article about what it was like to be in her early fifties and feel like she was becoming invisible, and how she is now becoming more confident and finding her voice.
We also hear about Laura’s first story that she wrote for Mamamia, which was the inside scoop on what it was like to go to an elite sex party - you’ll want to stay tuned for the juicy details on that one!
We chat to both Laura and Cathy about the changes that they’ve been through and noticed in midlife, why they’re passionate about this topic and how their podcast came to be. Laura and Cathy also turn the tables on Di and Nicola and ask them about the big changes in their lives and what they’ve learned along the way.
This is such a fun conversation and we really loved being in the studio with Laura and Cathy. We hope you’ll find that listening to this episode is like being in a room with a group of girlfriends for a fun and meaningful chat. Enjoy.
Follow The Change podcast on IG here
Follow Laura on IG here
Follow Cathy on IG here
Read Cathy’s article on feeling like she’s becoming invisible here
Read Laura’s article on what really goes on at an elite sex party hereListen to The Change podcast here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
This week Nicola and Di chat with the wise and exceptional Dr. Frank Anderson. Frank is an author, psychiatrist, therapist, speaker and trauma specialist who’s spent the past three decades studying neuroscience and trauma treatment. His latest book, To Be Loved, is a deeply moving memoir that explores how Frank triumphed over trauma in his life and now he shares with us his message of love and healing.
In this conversation, we hear about Frank’s difficult upbringing - being sent to therapy as a child for 6 years because he was gay, which at that time, wasn’t acceptable in his family. Frank shares how he learnt to completely shut down his emotions and play the part he was ‘supposed’ to play to fit into society. Thankfully, through all the work and healing he’s done, Frank now has a beautiful family life with his husband and 2 children.
Dr. Frank breaks down what trauma really is, which is something that at least 70% of humans experience in their life. He talks about how it’s important to do the work and understand how our past experiences are influencing our current behaviour. As Frank says, you either repeat it, repress it or repair it.
Dr. Frank shares with us a powerful framework - the 5 T’s - for how we can heal from trauma and that ultimately, love and connection is the best pathway to healing.
This is such a moving and powerful conversation, and Dr. Frank is a true example of how anyone can turn their life around and heal no matter what they may have been through. It was so inspiring to learn from Dr. Frank and we were so grateful for his insights. We hope you love this conversation as much as we did.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or suicidal thoughts and needs support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Follow Dr. Frank on IG here
Buy Dr. Frank Anderson’s book To Be Loved here
Follow Nicola and Di on IG here
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Se mer
