The Gurls Talk Podcast

Before Adwoa (briefly) leaves the chat to welcome her baby (!!!) -- you're in for a treat... In a very special episode of Gurls Talk, Adwoa sits down with acclaimed actress Denise Gough for a compelling conversation about her role in the play "People, Places, and Things." Together, they delve into themes of addiction, trauma, and the portrayal of these issues on stage. Denise Gough won ‘Best Actress’ at the 2016 Olivier Awards and at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for her performance as Emma in People Places & Things originally at the National Theatre in 2015.  She went on to win her second Olivier Award (‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’) for her performance in Tony Kushner's Angels in America for which she was nominated for a Tony Award®  when the National Theatre production transferred to Broadway. Gough has also been nominated for a British Academy Television Award for her performance in Clara Salaman incendiary three-part ITV series Too Close. More recently she played the role of Dedra Meero in Disney+’s hugely successful Star Wars spin-off series, Andor. People, Places, and Things will run until August 10th at the Trafalgar Theatre  in London. You can buy tickets here.  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Denise Gough  Producer: Wicked Child Studio, Hailey Rovner Malach  Composer: Mikey Long  Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast.

Carmen is a social worker, grief counsellor and death doula. Carmen is also the co-founder of BIPOC Death and Grief Talk, along with Kayla Carter, where they run free grief talks and grief education workshops for BIPOC individuals. Carmen and Kayla's goal is to embrace the intricate layers of radicalized grief, providing a space for validation and support among fellow grievers. Simultaneously, they seek to challenge and deconstruct Eurocentric notions surrounding death, grief, and loss, working towards destigmatizing discussions around mortality.  You can follow BIPOC Death and Grief Talk on Instagram @bipocdeathgrieftalk  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Carmen Galvan Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach  Editor: Morgan Muse Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Composer: Mikey Long  Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast. 

Paloma Elsesser is a supermodel and advocate for inclusivity in the fashion industry (and beyond). Winner of the British Fashion Council's 2023 Model of the Year award, Paloma is a trailblazer who uses her platform to challenge beauty standards and promote self-acceptance.  You can follow Paloma on Instagram @palomija  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Paloma Elsesser Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Editor: Morgan Muse Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts  Composer: Mikey Long  This podcast is generously supported by Jo Malone London 

Holly Madison is a model, television personality, and New York Times bestselling author. She gained fame for her role in the reality show "The Girls Next Door," showcasing life at the Playboy Mansion. Beyond her entertainment career, Holly is an advocate for body positivity and recently shared her late in life autism diagnosis with the world.  Follow Holly on Instagram @hollymadison Follow Holly on TikTok @hollyjeanmadison  You can watch Holly on the Investigation Discovery series "Lethally Blonde" and you can listen to Holly (and Bridgette!) on their podcast "Girls Next Level: Podcast."  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Holly Madison  Producer: Wicked Child Studio  Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach  Editor: Morgan Muse  Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Composer: Mikey Long  Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast. 

​​**This episode of the Gurls Talk podcast discusses sensitive topics surrounding suicide and the experience of losing a loved one to suicide.  While we aim to provide a supportive space for these conversations, we recognize that they may be distressing for some listeners. It's important to remember that help is available.  In the United States, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. For support in the UK, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 0800 689 5652.  If you or someone you know is struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to a friend, family member, loved one, coach, counselor, or seek professional help. Remember, you are not alone.** R;pple Suicide Prevention was founded in 2021 by Alice Hendy after she tragically lost her only sibling, Josh, to suicide.  Josh had been searching for techniques to take his own life through harmful internet searches. Witnessing the lack of appropriate support available online, Alice was inspired to take action and R;pple was born.  You can learn more about R;pple by heading to www.ripplesuicideprevention.com  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah Guest: Alice Hendy Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts  Editor: Morgan Muse  Composer: Mikey Long  Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast. 

Zoe Terakes (they/he) is a non-binary and trans masculine Australian actor best known for their roles in the movie "Talk To Me" and the TV series "Nine Perfect Strangers."  Zoe will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the first trans actor in the Disney+ series "Ironheart."  Including being an incredible actor, Zoe is a champion for queer representation in the media and has become a prominent voice in the entertainment industry. Their work not only entertains but also inspires audience to think critically about important social issues.  You can follow Zoe on Instagram @zoeterakes.  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Zoe Terakes  Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach  Editor: Morgan Muse  Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts  Composer: Mikey Long Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast. 

10 years ago Tally and Adwoa met in recovery. 10 years later Tally and Adwoa reconnect again at The Jo Malone Townhouse to discuss their recovery journey, the challenges they've encountered, and what they've learned along the way.  Talitha Fosh is a qualified psychotherapist who primarily works with addiction. She is nine years clean from alcohol and drugs, and a recovered anorexic. Talitha has worked in an addiction rehab centre, as well as with clients in her own private practice, Therapised.  Tally's debut book HOOKED is availble in the UK on May 18, 2024.  You can follow Tally on Instagram @therapised.  ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Talitha Fosh  Live Event Producer: Eve Swayland  Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Editor: Tiernan Dixon  Editor: Morgan Muse  Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts   Special thanks to Jo Malone for their generous support of the podcast. 

Born to Hollywood icons Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Tallulah Willis was raised in the glare of the spotlight, a reality that shaped her upbringing in profound ways. As a kid Tallulah faced vicious online bullying that impacted her mental health and led to the development of a years long eating disorder. Today Tallulah uses her platform to shed light on the challenges she's faced in an effort to reduce stigma and promote greater understanding and support for others.  You can follow Tallulah on Instagram @buuski  --  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah Guest: Tallulah Willis  Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Editor: Morgan Muse Composer: Mikey Long  This podcast is generously supported by Jo Malone London. 

Our dear friend Julia Samuel is here! Julia is a celebrated psychotherapist specializing in grief, who has spent the last three decades working with bereaved families. Julia is a three-time bestseller of the books Grief Works, This Too Shall Pass, and her latest book Every Family Has a Story. She is the host of the acclaimed podcast Therapy Works and the developer of the app Grief Works: Self-care & Love that helps users navigate grief after the death of a loved one. You can follow also Julia on Instagram @juliasamuelmbe  In this episode we discuss:  Sobriety The silence around generational trauma Finding resilience in the face of pain And Julia Samuel answers Gurls Talk community questions  --- Executive Prodcuer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Julia Samuel  Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Editor: Morgan Muse  Composer: Mikey Long  Special thanks to Jo Malone London. 

Freida Pinto is a critically-acclaimed actress, a mother, a women's and human rights activist, and entrepreneur.  Today we discuss:  Pregnancy loss What people don't tell you about postpartum (but should)  The guilt that comes with being a mother and having a career  Prioritizing your mental health (no matter what)  Entrepreneurship  You can follow Freida on Instagram @freidapinto and you can learn more about Anya but heading to www.thisisanya.com ---  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Freida Pinto  Producer: Wicked Child Studio Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Editor: Morgan Muse  Composer: Mikey Long Special thanks to Jo Malone London for their generous support of the podcast. 

Catherine Hardwicke is an iconic American filmmaker  best known for capturing the reality of the teenage experience on screen - from Twilight to Lords of Dogtown.   Today we're reflecting on the cultural impact of Catherine's directorial debut "Thirteen" -- which was released over twenty years in 2003.   Co-written with Nikki Reed,  "Thirteen" is a poignant and raw portrayal of adolescence, focusing on the turbulent life of a thirteen-year-old girl named Tracy. The film delves into Tracy's descent into rebellion and self-destructive behavior after she befriends a troubled peer, exploring themes of peer pressure, family dysfunction, and the search for identity in the midst of adolescence.  In this episode we discuss:  The cultural impact of "Thirteen"  Depicting mental health, self-harm, and girlhood on screen  Euphoria  Advice for aspiring filmmakers  You can follow Catherine on Instagram @catherinehardwicke to keep up with her newest projects. ---  Host: Adwoa Aboah  Guest: Catherine Hardwicke  Executive Producer: Gurls Talk, Inc.  Producer: Wicked Child Studio  Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach  Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts  Editor: Morgan Muse  Composer: Mikey Long 

Today we're talking about the opioid epidemic. 60 million people around the world struggle with opioid addiction and traditional methods of rehabilitation are failing are friends and family. In this episode you'll meet Sarah Laurel the founder of Savage Sisters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After recovering from substance use disorder, Sarah sought to build an organization that would provide thoughtful, trauma-informed resources for those recovering from substance use disorders. Sarah says "Our goal is to attack addiction ferociously with radical love through connection." Sarah is a force to be reckoned with, we hope you're as inspired by Sarah as we are.  You can learn more about Savage Sisters by heading to: http://www.savagesisters.org/ ----  Executive Producer, Gurls Talk, Inc.  Producer, Wicked Child Studio  Producer: Hailey Rovner Malach Production Assistant: Ginger Roberts Editor: Morgan Muse  Music composed by Mikey Long 

Mad excited to have my dear friend Chelsea Leyland on the podcast today. Chelsea is a DJ, cannabis and epilepsy activist, the co-founder of menstrual-health platform Looni, and she's a new mum! We discuss Chelsea's incredibly moving documentary Sisters Interrupted. The doc follows Chelsea and her sister Tamsin as they both battle forms of epilepsy and together fight for access to medical cannabis that could save both of their lives. We also chat about Chelsea's pregnancy journey, becoming a new mum, the importance of period literacy, and Chelsea's newest venture Looni.  You can follow Chelsea @chelsealeyland You can find where to watch "Sisters Interrupted" by heading to @sistersinterruptedmovie You can learn more about Looni by going to www.looni.co --- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio. Edited by Morgan Muse. Composed by Mikey Long. Special thanks to Ginger Roberts.  

Sophie Compton is a BIFA longlisted documentary director and producer who tells women’s stories of injustice and healing. "Another Body" is an 2023 British-American documentary film, directed, written, and produced by Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn. It follows a college student who seeks justice after finding deepfake pornography of herself online. You can follow Sophie on Instagram @sophietaracompton  You can find where to watch "Another Body" by heading to https://anotherbodyfilm.com/the-film/ -----  Executed Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc.  Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio.  Edited by Morgan Muse.  Composed by Mikey Long.  Special thanks to Ginger Roberts.

It's a dream come true! AOC has joined the chat.  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an American politician and the youngest woman EVER elected to the United States Congress. A member of the Democratic Party, she gained national attention for her progressive policy positions, including advocacy for the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. We celebrate AOC for her passion and unwavering commitment to social justice reform.  In this episode Adwoa and AOC discuss redefining positions of influence, embracing your authentic self, online activism, and facing fear head-on.  You can follow AOC on Instagram @AOC.  --  Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio. Composed by Mikey Long. Edited by Morgan Muse.  Special thanks to Ginger Roberts.  Generously supported by Jo Malone London.

We're thrilled to have Dina Gachman the author of So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and other Grave Concerns  on the podcast today. In 2018 Dina lost her mother to cancer and then her sister to alcoholism less than three years later. Dina's own experience with grief led her on a journey to understanding what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss. The holidays are a difficult time of year for so many of us. We hope you find comfort in this episode for those who are grieving and for those who have loved ones who are grieving. Mad, mad, mad amounts of love this holiday season! You can purchase So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and other Grave Concerns  at all major book retailers.  ---  Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc.  Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio.  Composed by Mikey Long.  Generously supported by Jo Malone London. 

Richie Shazam is a queer model, artist, and activist (and a New York legend!!) who seeks to subvert the gender binary in everything she does. With the holidays around the corner, we're talking about grief, coping with difficult familial relationships, and the beauty of found family. You can buy Richie's book SHAZAM here You can follow Richie here ---  Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio. Composed by Mikey Long. This podcast is generously supported by Jo Malone London.

We're excited to welcome one of Adwoa's dear friends Tilly Lawless on the podcast! Tilly Lawless is a queer, Sydney-based sex worker who advocates for sex worker rights. In this episode Tilly and Adwoa explore the stigmas sex workers face, the gig economy, and grief among many other topics.  You can learn more about Tilly by following @tilly_lawless  You can also watch her powerful Ted Talk here ---  Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc.  Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio.  Composed by Mikey Long. Generously supported by Jo Malone London.   

What is the "I" in LGBTQIA+? Today we're giving voice to the long-silenced intersex community.  According to Amnesty International, 1.7%  of the population is born with intersex traits -- comparable to the number of people born with red hair. On this episode you'll hear from Sean Saifa Wall (he/him/his) a Black queer intersex activist and rising scholar.  Saifa is committed to racial equity and a radical vision of bodily autonomy for people with intersex variations. Currently, he is a Marie Skłowdoska-Curie fellow at the University of Huddersfield in England examining the erasure of intersex people from social policy in Ireland and England. You can learn more about Saifa by visiting his website: https://www.seansaifa.com/ You can watch Saifa's (INCREDIBLE!) documentary Every Body on most streaming services.  ---------  Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc.  Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio.  Composed by Mikey Long.  Special thanks to Jo Malone London. 

Ai-jen Poo is a next-generation labor leader, award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. Ai-jen is the President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Director of Caring Across Generations, Co-Founder of SuperMajority and Trustee of the Ford Foundation.  In this episode we discuss the future of work, gender equality,  immigration, narrative change, and grassroots organizing. ---- Executive Produced by Gurls Talk, Inc. Produced by Hailey Rovner Malach of Wicked Child Studio.  Composed by Mikey Long.  Proudly supported by Jo Malone London.