Empowering Motherhood

Are you ready to birth your greatness? Dhakeria Cunningham from The Naked Movement shows you how to embrace vulnerability to tap into your strengths  and how to dump your baggage  to discover and develop your gifts. Dhakeria uses the art of writing, poetry and performance to aid the healing process and to “Birthing Greatness”.   In this interveiw she reflects on how her pregnancies, births and miscarriage have transformed her own life. “Women are trying to find balance, but what we need is to find a harmony”, says Dhakeria.   Show notes: 3 Phases of The Gift within - accepting, using and growing!The gift of the metamorphis of pregnancy, birth and motherhoodHow to embrace vulnerability in search of your transformationFusing Motherhood and your profressional life How developing your intuition and instinct can guide your choicesThe power of telling your storyTips to writing  "A new definition of NAKED.  It's about being vulnerable and transparent in search of your transformation"  Dhakeria Cunningham, The Naked Movement  

Feminism is a word that can conjure up all sorts of ideas and negative conotations from the way the so-called Feminist has been portrayed in the media.   This is interesting given that the definination of a Feminist is a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.  How can this phrase or topic be 'passe'?  Our guest Dr Penny Griffin has a PhD in Politics and International Reations and a passion for Feminist Theory.  As women, and as mothers we are consuming an ideal image of ourselves which is often misaligned to our own personal values and needs. Is consuming high-end products really the epitimy of feminism?  Not according to Dr Griffin.   "We are surrounded by choices that are problematic", she says and a "System that regulates women in terms of motherhood." https://socialsciences.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/people/penny-griffin/ Show notes: Are we in a post-feminist era and what does that mean?How does the media agenda effect your expectations as a woman?Do we even want what we are expected to want?The mythology around motherhood What do we hear when we hear the words feminist and feminismThe sea-change since Julia Guillard's mysonginist speachWhat does feminism mean for motherhood in 2016?What do the youth of today have to say? "To me, Feminism is about paying attention to the apparently trivial, mundane and intimate aspects of our lives."   Dr Penny Griffin. You can buy her book "Popular Culture, Political Economy and the Death of Feminism" here  

Being consciously aware is the name of the game these days - Conscious living and conscious parenting to name but a  few.  Efrat Wolfson brings her expertise on relationships, communication and conflict resolution through her signature program The Conscious Couples Formula. Efrat Wolfson has turned Conflict Resolution into an art with a very simple but extremely profound understanding and approach.  "We need to start translating judgment into deep needs" she says.  "Look for a solution to meet both needs - It can be complex but not impossible." She has background in facilitating conficct resolution between Palestinian-Israeli youth and adults, has a Masters in Human Rights Education and she co-founded a community Eco-Centre in Israel where they help to create a sustainable way of living and communicating.  What she discovered was "The dynamics of conflict between countires and people are exactly the same". Discover her approach and many great tips and insights at www.efratwolfson.com   Show Notes: Understainding the dynamics of conflictThe reason we start blaming, justifying, shaming and accusingWhat labelling does to our relationshipWhy we need to "start applying a genuine curiosity"How the BUT negates all that you've previously saidThe need to connect before jumping to solutionsHow our subconsious beliefs effect our relationships and our communicationThe number one reason we lose ourselves in a realtionship Visit www.efratwolfson.com for her valubale tools and resources and to join her Facebook group.  

Discover the secret to unwinding and untangling your busy mind and busy life.  Women are paritcularly "wound up" these days which only ends up one way - anxiety, insomnia, loss of connection with your knowing and who you really are.  Darshna Siva, Yoga Teacher and Energy Healer joins me for one of the hotest topics for women in the 21st Century - and one of my absolute passions.  This is a no frills, straight shooting conversation about Darshan's own journey from wound up Corporate to peaceful yogi. "Why are we so depleted? ... We have to ask ourselves, why are we doing this to ourselves?"  Darshana Siva Show notes: The need for more restorative time where you can unwind, rest and be creative.How can you re-tap into your empowered self?What's happening when you feel we are being unravelled and unpicked by the universe.Why you need to practice allowing youself to to flow with your intutitive self.What happens when you let go and stop looking?What is energy and consiousness and how an this help you find more peace and joy in your life. "I'm learning how to be feminine again, in a totally different way."  Darshna Siva Connect with Darsha at www.darshnasiva.com Join our Facebook group Empowering Motherhood Network  or visit my webiste www.empowering-motherhood.com 

Helicopter Parenting might keep your children safe in the short term, but what life skills are they missing out on for the long term that they gain through free play? Mike Lanza, Author of the book Playborhood, recognised a huge part of childhood that children seemed to be missing out on when he first had children of his own.  What were his fondest memories as a child, playing at a neighborhood hangout with friends, making up games, creating your own rules and culture seemed to be a thing of the past.  He's created a movement to bring back 'The Third Place' for kids, a sociologically important place where children build resilience, self-relience and independence among other things. "Playing on your own, it's not just an instinct, it's also a skill and children who do it a lot get quite good at it". Show notes: Pay attention to kids lives.  "What kids are missing out on today... these were our best memories".The Third Place, is fundamental to human beings, but it's being replaced by social media.The magic of continuity of play.Kids used to play "Pick-up Sports' where kids make the decisions and their own rules.The safety factor, how to make it safe for your kids to hang out in their neighbourhood.Time in front of the TV of computer is time taken away from interacting in the real world."It's never too early to start getting your kids in touch with your neighbourhood"How to create a neighbourhood hangout.How being contoroling as  a parent can be counter productive.The three ingredients for developing independence and self-relience.'If you invest the time when your kids are young it's a win-win". www.playborhood.com

Have you truly thought about the frequency, the life force energy of your food?  If you are looking for some inspiration in the kitchen, if you want to take your health to the next level and if you want to bring it all to your kitchen table with a higher frequency and with more mindfulness then don't miss this interview.  Shakti Grace (aka The Holistic Chef) talks slow food, clean food, fermented food and herbal alchemy to nurture and nourish your family.  She has translated her cheffing skills from high-end private yachts to your table.  Shakti brings fine food to the household kitchen and includes super foods, fermented foods and herbal alchemy so that you can enjoy food on a whole new level - a level of nourishment and healing.  "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" has a whole new meaning here.  Not only medicine for the body, but also for the soul, your family and the planet. www.theholisticchef.com.au        

Hypnobirthing isn't about losing control in labour, it;s about gaining control in labour.  Katie Kempster from Harmonic Hypnobirthing is a fabulous example of the type of person you need as part of your support team for your birthing journey. Women need to tap into a deep inner wisdom and strength in labour.  Listen in to hear how to work with your subconscious mind, use deep relaxation and subtle energy remedies such as bach flower and bush flower remedies to create a harmonic experience in labour.

Leslie Green talks to us about love, trust and pixie dust. What's the pixie dust?  Listen in, becuase itmay just weel be the secret component to discovering peace in your everyday life and creating a life fullof heartfelt joy.  Trust seems to be something that we unlearn throughout our lives, we feel we need to earn it - or do we disconnect from it?  Join us for a fascinating discussion about trust.  Yet another reason you need to learn some simple meditation techniques, so you can hear your inner voice and find that trust within you.  Trust in your inner voice and faith in the divine. How would your life be if you trusted that things are happening for you and not to you?   www.trustinlife.co

Lisa Romero from Inner Work Path gives us amazing insight into how you can develop, strengthen and enliven your child's development.   Rather than categorising our chidlren, we can work with the individual child to nurture and nourish their unique qualities for the benefit of all, not just for the benefit of the inidvidual.  Lisa works with Anthroposophy, a system developed by Rudolf Steiner, as a western path to awarenes, consciousness and evolution. This is a fascinating and enlightening discussion with Lisa about: How to develop meditation pracitices that will develop your 'knowing' in this noisy information age.  How to support your child's inner development and individual journey.How to improve health and wellbeing by looking at the way we live.How sexuality and gender play a role in our parenting in the 21st century. You can buy Lisa's books, read her articles and sign up to her workshops around the world at www.innerworkpath.com    

TRIGGER WARNING!  Healing birth trauma is a conversation that needs to be had and we have it with Lori Barklage from Birthing Peace Within.  So many women are 'at leasted'.. at least you have a healthy baby, at least you're ok, at least you had a good doctor  etc etc.  This does not help women feel better, it usually just serves to push their trauma deep inside hoping no-one will discover their secret.  Birth trauma needs to be acknlowedged and healed.  Today we talk about what birth trauma is, how women experience it and what you can do to begin your healing journey - maybe without even rehashing your story!  You can find out more about Lori's work here www.birthingpeacewithin.com   If you feel you need urgent help, your local government will have free frontline services.   In Australia www.beyondblue.com.au  www.lifeline.org.au  Tel 13 11 14   Proudly Sponsored by http://www.harmonichypnobirthing.com.au/

Jacinda Jaensch from Point Specifics Acupuncture joins us to talk all about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  She runs her family owned business with her husband Teja and grew up with cupping for her colds and acupuncture for a sprained ankle.  You might know about acupuncture and chinese herbs, but do you know how it works and the myriad of health issues it can help you with?  From fertility to turning breech babies, from blood pressure to back pain.   Jacinda gives us invaluable insights into managing your current problems and your long term health.  If you have teenage girls, make sure you don't miss this as it will give you some amzing advise and tips to helping her enjoy long term health and wellness, including obsetric health.   We cover mestruation issues, fertility, pregnancy birth, post natal recovery, general womens health, childrens health and menopause!    You can visit Jacinda's website at www.pointspecifics.com Proudly Sponsored by http://www.harmonichypnobirthing.com.au/

We explore Steiner education for 2015 and beyond with Norm Sievers, Princiapl of Lorien Novalis Steiner School, Dural (Sydney Australia) which was founded in in 1971 with 8 students. How does Steiner education prepare children for the future that is staring at us in the face?  What skills do Millenials and Generation 'Z' really need in our ever evolving world?  How does Steiner educatin fit in our modern world? www.lorien.nsw.edu.au  www.steinereducation.edu.au

There has been so much spoken about how women 'should' be that perhaps we've forgotten to be ourselves.  Patty Azar from Vision Alignment tells us why we should elmininate 'just', 'sorry' and 'lucky' from our vocabulary and learn to say NO more often as a way to serve our needs more authentically and to learn to not only value ourselves a whole lot more but be compensated by our real value. If you are bringing up girls, ready to get back into the workforce or want to improve your quality of life, then don't miss out on this pep talk from Patty.  It will not only leave you feeling inspired to honour your own value but also give you straight shooting tools in which to be compensated for it!  You can find out more at www.vision-alignment.com and follow her radio show/podcast The Magnificent Leader.

Dr Sarah Buckley is an expert in labour hormones.  She's the Author of Gentle Birth Gentle Mother, a Mother of 4 homebirthed children and an expert in the hormones of labour.  This riveting conversation about what a woman's body needs in order to labour more easily and safely.  The scientific evidence of the non-negotaible need for women to feel safe in labour is undeniable - but the advantages of natural labour and the labour hormones go far beyond the birth.   www.sarahbuckley.com Proudly Sponsored by http://www.harmonichypnobirthing.com.au/

Brett Rolfe is passionate about an Education Revolution.  He has created the The Schoolhouse Centre for Progressive Education,  an organisation that aims to facilitate conversations with some of the top educators and the community about what sort of education we want for our children and how can we create some change.  How can we tap into the unused resource that is Parents to assist in a productive way in the classroom?  How can we create a more conducive learning environment for children, given that especially in the early years they learn mostly through play and games?  What can we do to bring early primary school education into the 21st Century?   www.schoolhouse.edu.au  

Yoli Tamu is a singer, songwriter, speaker and educator who shares with us amazing insights on not only repairing and maintaining the mother daughter relationship, but nurturing it so that you both flourish.  If that sounds good to you, grab a cup of tea and listen in.  Creating time and space to listen and to be listened to is one of the keys.  But if things are not quite what you want them to be, perhaps even disfucntional or toxic, where do you start?  Start right here!  .. and be sure to follow up with Yoli's music that is sure to make anyone's day to feel brighter.  www.yolitamu.com

Discover how a qualified Naturopathic Herbalist can help you and your family maintain health and wellness by treating the person and not just the symptoms, as western medecine often tends to do.  Diana Mund from Bella Vista Natural Therapies in Sydney's North West discusses how herbs can help with many health concerns inlcuding conception, multiple miscarrriages, birth preparation and post natal recovery.  We also discuss how Diana uses Iridology, Flower remedies and your blood cycle to support diagnosis and the healing process. And if you have haven't heard of MTHFR yet, you need to listen in and see how Diana works with herb to over come this gene mutation that can be the cause of insomnia, ADD, depression, anxiety and many more conditions that people are living with more and more commonly today.  It's cutting edge science and an honour to have Diana explain it all to us.  All mankind needs for good health and healing is provided in nature... the challenge for science is to find it." Paracelsus, Father of Pharmacology 1493-1541 www.bellavistanaturaltherapues.com.au

Mary Jo McVeigh is a social worker with a huge heart and a great capacity to facilitate healing, especially in her area of expertise of working with children and women recovering a sense of secuirty and connection after experiencing serious trauma and abuse.  She  has an open heart to humanity.  Join us to learn about Mary Jo's work and what lessons we can learn from her experiences, how you can support her work and if you or someone you know needs help, what the first step is to reach out.  We will also learn from Mary Jo how we can improve our everyday parenting.  We often question ouselves as we look for the boundary of bringing up strong and resilient children without crossing over into the grey areas of abuse or traumatic childhood experiences and for bringing up happy, emotionally connected children without wrapping them in cotton wool.   Her solution - wrapping them with love and happiness, consistency and flexibility as she does with her Angel Blankets.  Listen in for some most profoundly important insights into healing and parenting from a woman who truly does embody empowerment in motherhood.  Find out more about Mary Jo at www.carahouse.com.au and PLEASE GIVE to her charity www.caracares.org.au which will help a child mark a turning point on thier road to finding an inner connection with love and security.

What if it was OK to reinvent yourself!  What if reinvention was a sexy thing to do?  Denise Hart joins us to share her wisdom as an entrepreneur, a business coach and a mother.  If you have thought about starting a business or have one rolling along already... and want your passion to be a success, tune in to download some of Denise's wisdom that can take you from struggling entrepreneur to CEO mindset.  Be willing to learn, be willing to be flexible and be willing to work strategically to create a business that you are fiscally responsbile to and is fiscally repsonsible to you. After pregnancy and raising young chidlren, many women start looking to re-connect with themselves again and to create a life that is fullfilling and flexible.  Denise will help you shift your mindset and embrace the process of transformation and reinvention to create the business and life that you want! Listen in to this episode to discover some absolute gems from a woman who's energy is contagious.   www.revenuerockstar.com  www.momentuminstituteforwomen.com

"The MUM Toolbox - Homeopathy" First of a series on Natural Therapies to add to your "Mum Toolbox".  Homeopathy is a complete speciailised Medcine System that can support your family to be the best they can be with little fuss and great results - physcially, mentally and emotionally.  Homeopathy is used by the British Royal family and is probably one of the reasons why Kate  looked so amazing after her birth!   Listen in to here about homeopathy - what it is, how it works, how you take it and the myriad of ailments and conditions you can use it for - espeically in pregnancy, birth and childhood.  This is one power packed, tiny pillule, you should add to your tool box.