In this uplifting and expansive episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) is joined by creative strategist Briona (Grow Creative) to explore the deeply human and wildly underutilized power of creativity.

Together, they unpack what it really means to be creative (hint: it’s not just for artists), how fear and self-judgment block our flow, and why play, joy, and holistic marketing are the keys to both personal growth and business success.

Briona shares how she uses coaching and strategy to help people reconnect with their true voice, tap into their intuition, and express themselves - professionally and personally - with clarity, courage, and creativity.

Whether you’re running a business, going through a life transition, or simply feeling creatively stuck, this episode will help you reconnect to the spark inside you.

What we talk about:

• What “creative strategy” actually means—and why it’s about alignment, not aesthetics
  

• Why holistic marketing starts with internal clarity and emotional resonance
  

• How fear and self-judgment block creativity—and what to do about it
  

• The role of play and permission in unlocking energy and insight
  

• How to balance professionalism and spirituality in an authentic way
  

• Why everyone is creative, even (especially) if they don’t think they are
  

• The difference between trying to ‘perform’ creativity and actually being in flow
  

• How creative thinking leads to better strategy, better results—and more joy
  

• Why safe spaces are the catalyst for creative and personal breakthroughs

  How Briona helps people reconnect to their truth, purpose, and voice

• 
  

  Chapters:

• 00:00 – The Role of Creativity in Business and Life

  10:45 – Unblocking Creativity: Personal Coaching Insights 20:22 – The Importance of Play and Self-Expression

  30:14 – Balancing Professionalism and Spirituality

  40:27 – Embracing Authenticity in Creative Pursuits
  

In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) is joined by sleep therapist Jean O’ Hanlon, who shares her journey through sleep paralysis and the winding path that led her to open her own sleep clinic.

Together, they unpack the complex relationship between sleep, lifestyle, and mental health from the challenges of post-pandemic sleep disruption to the often misunderstood world of sleep hygiene. Jean offers both professional insights and hard-won personal wisdom on overcoming insomnia, managing anxiety, and tuning into your body’s natural rhythms.

The conversation moves beyond general sleep tips, exploring how mindfulness, social connection, caffeine, sugar, and even fasting impact sleep and how a personalised, compassionate approach to health can unlock real change.

What You’ll Learn:

• • Why sleep paralysis can be a life-changing (and misunderstood) experience
  • How the medical system often overlooks sleep struggles, particularly in women
  • Why connection and social support are key for sleep and mental well-being
  • The real meaning of sleep hygiene and why the term might be misleading
• • How caffeine and sugar impact sleep, even early in the day

  • The importance of understanding what’s normal in the sleep cycle

  • How fasting can disrupt sleep and why it’s not for everyone

  • Ways to approach your health as a living experiment, with curiosity, not guilt

• • Why mindfulness and rest are not luxuries, but essential to healing
  • How resilience and awareness can reshape your relationship with sleep and energy

  
  

  Chapters:
  

• 00:00 – Introduction to Sleep Therapy and Personal Journey 07:03 – Understanding Sleep Disorders: Personal Experiences and Insights

  15:09 – The Impact of Lifestyle on Sleep Quality

  22:03 – Mindfulness and Meditation: Overcoming Mental Barriers

  29:49 – Post-Pandemic Sleep Challenges and Social Support

  35:01 – Sleep Hygiene: Essential Practices for Better Sleep

  41:14 – The Caffeine Conundrum

  49:12 – Personalised Health Experiments

  54:35 – Understanding Normal Sleep Patterns

  01:00:16 – The Essence of Well-Being

In this solo episode, Claire O’Brien (Honest and Goodness Nutrition) unpacks the complex and often misunderstood world of cardiovascular health, with a special focus on how heart disease presents in women and going beyond cholesterol in our discussion of heart health and longevity.

Claire dives into the real root causes of cardiovascular issues - including inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, gut dysfunction, and chronic stress - and offers a whole-person approach to preventing and managing heart disease.

This episode goes far beyond cholesterol charts, offering practical tools and deeper understanding to help you truly support your heart -physically, emotionally, and energetically.

What You’ll Hear:

• • Why women’s heart attack symptoms are often misunderstood or ignored
  • The role of inflammation, blood sugar, and insulin resistance in heart disease
• • How oxidative stress damages cardiovascular tissue over time

• • The emerging science behind gut health and cardiovascular function

  • How chronic emotional stress impacts your heart and nervous system

  • The difference between helpful and harmful cholesterol

  • Why a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet matters more than you think

  • Simple lifestyle shifts to reduce heart disease risk

• • What to eat and how to structure meals for blood sugar stability
  • How to tune into your body and notice the early signs of imbalance
    

• Chapters:

• 00:00 – Introduction to Cardiovascular Health

  04:49 – Understanding Women's Heart Health

  11:02 – The Role of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

  17:37 – Oxidative Stress and Its Impact

  24:32 – Gut Health and Heart Connection

  32:22 – Stress and Emotional Health

  39:55 – Nutritional Strategies for Heart Health

  43:31 – Conclusion and Key Takeaways

  
  Keywords:
  

  cardiovascular health, heart disease, women’s health, inflammation, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, gut health, nutrition, stress management, heart health tips, holistic health, blood sugar, cholesterol, hormone health, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle medicine