In this heartfelt conversation, wellbeing expert Esmee Ng shares powerful insights on nurturing family wellbeing while honoring our own needs as caregivers. Drawing from her personal journey and professional expertise, Esmee offers practical wisdom on breaking free from perfectionism, creating meaningful connection, and embracing self-compassion as the foundation of family care.

This Episode

Esmee shares her journey with family wellbeing and self-care. We explore:

• Why self-care isn't selfish but essential to family wellbeing
• Practical ways to integrate micro-moments of wellbeing into busy family life
• How parents can overcome guilt and embrace self-compassion
• The power of presence and its impact on children's development
• Creating tech boundaries that nurture meaningful family connection

Quotable Moments

"Self-compassion is the opposite of selfishness. It's actually the key to bringing the best version of ourselves for our families." - Esmee

"When we're constantly running on empty, we lose our ability to show up with patience, with presence, and with energy that our families need." - Esmee

"Being truly present with ourselves and our children is one of the most valuable things we can offer." - Esmee

Resources Mentioned

• The "Five Cs" of family wellbeing: communication, collaboration, connection, compassion and consistency
• Mindful awareness practices for different age groups
• Tech-free family time as a cornerstone of connection
• The power of "being kind to your mind" as a self-compassion practice

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

About Esmee Ng

Esmee Ng is a passionate wellbeing professional with a background in Positive Psychology and a deep commitment to helping families, especially mothers, thrive. Recognised as one of LinkedIn Australia's "Top 20 Voices" in 2020, Esmee has worked with over 1,500 children, 100 families, and 1,000 leaders, always with the goal of nurturing connection lovingly while honoring the wellbeing of each individual.

As a mother of three, Esmee understands the delicate balance of caring for others while honouring your own needs. Her approach combines practical strategies with compassionate understanding of the real challenges families face.

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this in depth and illuminating conversation, Narelle and Julie Ann welcome Professor Loretta Baldassar, an anthropologist whose work explores the intersections of culture, care, and aging. Drawing from her extensive research with migrant communities and leading the Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab at Edith Cowan University, Loretta shares profound insights about how cultural backgrounds shape women's experiences of aging and caregiving, challenging us to reconsider our understanding of independence, support networks, and what it means to age well across diverse communities.

This Episode

Professor Baldassar shares her journey and expertise on cultural care and aging. We explore:

• How culture shapes our understanding of independence and care as we age
• The "intergenerational contract" and how it's changing across cultures and generations
• The power of positive social connections and the concept of "three positive nodes" for wellbeing
• How creative expression, arts engagement, and facilitated digital access can transform wellbeing for aging women
• The unique challenges faced by women in the "sandwich generation" who care for both aging parents and children

Quotable Moments

"Culture is a zone of disagreement and contest, and it has to be. That's not unhealthy culture. That's healthy culture, transforming and shifting and moving with the times." - Loretta

"If you strengthen, if you resource, if you enrich, if you welcome, if you encourage, if you nurture homeland culture, you'll have cultural groups who have the capacity to relax about the host culture, to be open, to be playful." - Loretta

"Loneliness now is more deleterious and risky to your health outcomes than smoking. We know that social isolation is the worst thing for dementia." - Loretta

"The communities that are doing better are the ones that have strong cultural brokers... who can do the translating back and forward, not just of language, but also of culture." - Loretta

"As you age, you need to lean in. You need to be more mobile, more active. You need to be more socially engaged." - Loretta

Resources Mentioned

• World Health Organization research on ageism as a barrier to aging well
• SAGE (Social Ageing) Futures Lab research on social and cultural care
• Social network analysis showing the importance of having at least three positive connections
• "Facilitated digital access" as a way to maintain important connections across distances
• Arts engagement approaches for enhancing wellbeing in older adults

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this candid episode of She Speaks, we explore what wellbeing and self-care really look like beyond Instagram perfection and commercialised images. Kate Hulett, a Fremantle business owner, community advocate, artist, and independent political candidate, shares her raw experiences of balancing multiple roles while navigating the demands of political candidacy. With honesty and authenticity, she reveals the challenges and small victories in maintaining wellbeing during intensely busy periods of life.

This Episode

Kate shares her journey with wellbeing and self-care during a transformative time in her life. We explore:

• The reality of self-care during campaign season and how small rituals become essential anchors
• How deep community connections influence personal wellbeing and create meaning
• The importance of establishing boundaries in public roles without sacrificing authenticity
• Navigating gendered expectations and scrutiny as a woman in politics

Quotable Moments

"I would never say to a friend the things that I say to myself. If someone else was doing what I'm doing, I would be incredibly supportive. So I can reflect and try to practice that to myself." - Kate

"We've been trained to believe that we are all isolated and powerless. But when we come together with others, we are very strong." - Kate

"The bravery and courage that we seek from our leaders has dissipated, and with that so has our bravery and courage. But I can see it bubbling back up—people are getting involved again, hoping for more and asking for more." - Kate

Resources Mentioned

• Community Connections: Kate highlights the importance of local community gatherings, like the monthly community dinners she attended where anyone can participate
• Digital Boundaries: Setting expectations through email signatures about availability and response times
• Wellbeing Policies: Discussion of government policies that measure wellbeing instead of just GDP

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

About Kate

Kate Hulett is a Fremantle business owner whose retail store, Kate and Abel, has been part of the local streetscape for the past 11 years. Living around the corner from her shop, Kate is a longstanding advocate for building a smarter, more liveable and vibrant Fremantle. She recently ran a groundbreaking campaign for state parliament that mobilised the Fremantle community and saw WA's biggest swing against Labor, coming within just a few hundred votes of winning despite challenges from major parties.

At this election (May 2025), Kate is running as a Community Independent for Fremantle, with the goal of putting Fremantle's voice front and center on a strong crossbench of independents and holding major parties accountable on critical issues. Not linked to any political party or controlled by big business, billionaires, or lobbyists, Kate represents the community and is accountable only to her constituents. Her campaign exemplifies her belief that Fremantle deserves positive and courageous leadership for a better future.

Connect With Kate

Kate of Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/DITY_8FJWP0/

A Pirce of Kate Podcast https://www.kateforfremantle.com/podcast-a-piece-of-kate

Kate for Fremantle https://www.kateforfremantle.com/

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. Whi

In this second part of our conversation with public health researcher Felicity, we explore how to transform our relationship with menstruation from one of secrecy and shame to one of awareness and appreciation. Felicity shares her insights on befriending our cycles, breaking through cultural barriers of shame, and developing meaningful rituals that honor our bodies' natural rhythms. This episode offers practical wisdom for women seeking to reclaim their menstrual experiences as sources of power and self-knowledge.

This Episode

Building on the foundation of cycle awareness from Part 1, Felicity shares:

• How secrecy has limited women's understanding of their bodies and cycle health
• The process of "befriending" your cycle rather than merely enduring it
• Practical approaches to cycle-based self-care and meaningful rituals
• How cycle awareness can positively influence partnerships and family dynamics
• The transformative potential of embracing our cycles as sources of wisdom and power

Quotable Moments

"Would you believe I've been in this space for must be about 25-30 years and I still experience shame. I still feel discomfort raising it with someone I don't know, especially if there's a male around. So what I would say is it needs, we need to be courageous." - Felicity

"The magic is that as women, we embody life. You know, we carry within us the past, the present, and the future. It's all contained within us." - Felicity

"Just reflect on what is there... one small action that does bring you joy and it's gonna be just for you... pick a point in your cycle that you know you're going to remember." - Felicity

"My wish is the realization that each of us is unique. And each of us is worth getting to know ourselves better." - Felicity

Resources Mentioned

• The Red Tent movement - a community approach to honoring menstrual cycles collectively
• Evidence-based lifestyle change approaches for improving cycle health
• Dream journaling during menstruation as a way to capture insights and intuition

Connect With Us

• Catch up on Part 1 of our conversation with Felicity if you haven't already
• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

Connect with Felicity

Dr Felicity Roux is a Public Health researcher at Curtin Medical School. Her interests lie in menstrual health literacy which began during her clinical work as an accredited fertility awareness method educator. She developed and trialled a program called My Vital Cycles to equip schools to provide evidence-based menstrual health education and care. Felicity currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Australasian Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine.

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health or medical support. If you're struggling with menstrual health issues, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified healthcare practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this conversation, public health researcher Dr Felicity Roux from Curtin Medical School shares her expertise on menstrual health literacy. She offers a refreshing perspective on how our menstrual cycles serve as an inbuilt personal health monitor, helping us understand our bodies better and practice more intentional self-care. This episode challenges the unnecessary secrecy and shame surrounding menstruation, inviting listeners to develop a more compassionate and informed relationship with their cycles.

This Episode

Felicity shares her journey with menstrual health education and advocacy. We explore:

• How our menstrual cycles act as personal health monitors and what they reveal about our overall wellbeing
• The four phases of the menstrual cycle explained in accessible terms
• Key signs to look for when tracking your cycle and what they indicate about your health
• The connection between emotional wellbeing and our cycles

Quotable Moments

"Our cycles are our own inbuilt personal health monitor. We can just tap into it at any time. It's just a case of learning what to look for." - Felicity

"The periods and the cycle are fine, they're the good ones. The curse is the pain, the curse is the problems we get with the periods." - Felicity

"Let's start seeing it at the same level as we see our lungs, our heart... the cycle is seen as our fifth vital sign." - Felicity

"Every single cell in our body has a sex chromosome, and that sex chromosome is active for all of our lives regardless of whatever gender we perceive ourselves to be... sex matters." - Felicity

Resources Mentioned

• My Vital Cycles
• Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup
• The Australasian Institute for Relative Reproductive Medicine
• Evidence-based protocols for understanding your cycle: The Billings Ovulation Method, The Sympto-Thermal Method, and others
• Dr. Alyson McGregor's work on male-centric medicine and women's health

Connect With Us

• Listen to Part 2 of our conversation with Felicity in the next episode
• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

Connect with Felicity

Dr Felicity Roux is a Public Health researcher at Curtin Medical School. Her interests lie in menstrual health literacy which began during her clinical work as an accredited fertility awareness method educator. She developed and trialled a program called My Vital Cycles to equip schools to provide evidence-based menstrual health education and care. Felicity currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Australasian Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine.

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health or medical support. If you're struggling with menstrual health issues, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified healthcare practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this episode, Narelle connects with psychology student and research assistant Lilly to explore how self-trust and mindful awareness can transform our relationship with self-care. Together they unpack why many women struggle to trust themselves, what happens in our brains when we're not present, and practical ways to integrate mindfulness into even the busiest lives. This conversation offers a refreshing perspective on self-care that moves beyond commercialized notions to reveal how these practices can become natural parts of our daily experience rather than additional burdens.

This Episode

Lilly shares her journey and insights on self-trust and mindfulness. We explore:

• Why perfectionism and social comparison undermine our ability to trust ourselves
• How to distinguish between helpful caution and limiting self-doubt
• The neurological impacts of constantly living in the past or future instead of the present
• Practical first steps for cultivating self-trust, especially for women conditioned to prioritize others
• How mindful awareness helps address guilt around taking time for ourselves

Quotable Moments

"If you say to yourself 'I don't have time to be mindful,' you're essentially telling yourself that you're not a priority." - Lilly

"It's not about the destination, it's just the journey... When you think about the destination, it seems really far away. So just enjoy the ride of self-care and self-trust." - Lilly

"Don't compare yourself to someone else's self-care journey because it will just look completely different." - Lilly

"You have to fill your cup first so that you can help others and pour energy into others. You have to take care of yourself first." - Lilly

"When we are not just reacting to our emotions and ignoring them, it really opens a space of just accepting ourselves and thinking clearer." - Lilly

"Take a step back and look at what's draining your energy. Identify those areas where you can simplify... Simplifying frees up space and it just helps you focus on what really matters and what brings you joy." - Lilly

Resources Mentioned

• Neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to form new neural connections and rewire itself through learning and new experiences
• Walking meditation - an accessible mindfulness practice that can be integrated into daily activities
• The RAIN approach by Tara Brach (Recognize, Allow, Inquire, Nurture) - a framework for mindful awareness of difficult emotions

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this inspiring conversation, Natalie shares her remarkable journey from an exhausted single mother of three who struggled to find time for breakfast to a confident triathlete who discovered that challenging her physical limits could transform her entire approach to self-care. Her story reveals how embracing a seemingly impossible physical challenge became the catalyst for reclaiming her energy, strength, and sense of possibility.

This Episode Natalie shares her journey from never running to training for a 100km triathlon while raising three young children. We explore:

• How starting with tiny, manageable steps (running just 1km) led to life-changing growth
• The surprising discovery that physical challenges create rather than deplete energy
• Practical strategies for "Tetris-block" time management as a busy single parent
• Why self-care should be viewed as a necessity rather than a luxury

Quotable Moments "I used to struggle with really simple things like feeding myself breakfast. I'd run around getting everybody breakfast, but I physically couldn't also feed myself. When you start treating yourself in the same way, like 'this is not an option, this is non-negotiable,' you realize you actually do have time, no matter what circumstances you're in." - Natalie

"I don't feel any guilt whatsoever, and that's because I genuinely feel like it's my duty to take care of myself to the most possible capabilities that I can. I need to be the healthiest, most alive, most vibrant, most rested, strongest version of me so that I can look after them and stay alive for as long as possible because they need me." - Natalie

"When I'm on my runs, my brain gets to process things. It's the most bliss I've ever experienced. The mental clarity that I gain from exercise is something I've never had in life up until this moment." - Natalie

"I used to find really normal day-to-day things hard. Getting three children dressed was hard, getting them to school was hard. But now I do genuinely hard things, like really physically, mentally, emotionally difficult things. Those other day-to-day things have become so manageable." - Natalie

"Make self-care as non-negotiable as you do taking care of others." - Natalie

Resources Mentioned

• Every Woman Triathlon (Perth-based event with tutus!)
• The power of reframing "I don't have time" to "That's not a priority for me"
• Google Calendar as a color-coded self-care assistant
• Batch cooking to free up time for training

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

A Note on Wellbeing She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.

In this conversation, Narelle speaks with Dawn about mental health—what it truly encompasses and how we can support ourselves proactively. They explore the importance of developing strategies while we're feeling well to help navigate future difficult times, as these resources often become harder to access when we're struggling. Dawn shares her extensive knowledge as a mental health professional while offering compassionate, practical wisdom about self-care, kindness, and mental wellness.

In This Episode

• Understanding mental health as a dynamic, individual spectrum rather than a binary "well vs. ill" concept
• How cultural differences shape our understanding and approach to mental health
• The power of self-awareness and self-compassion as preventative mental health practices
• Building a personal mental health "toolkit" to draw upon during challenging times
• The importance of kindness—both to ourselves and others—as a foundation for wellbeing

Quotable Moments

"We all have mental health. We don't all have mental illness. We've probably all got mental health challenges along the way because it changes, it's flexible, it's transient, it's dynamic." - Dawn

"You're the most important person in the room and you're responsible for you." - Dawn

"The worst thing that you can do is nothing. Give something a go, even if it's something really, really simple." - Dawn

About Our Guest

Dawn Reid is the Coordinator of The Living Room at Edith Cowan University—a low-barrier mental health service dedicated to supporting student wellbeing. She brings extensive experience as a Registered Nurse, Credentialed Mental Health Nurse, and educator. With a background spanning forensic mental health, community care, inpatient wards, and emergency nursing, Dawn holds a Nursing Diploma, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Master's degrees in both Mental Health Nursing and Research Practice. Her diverse experience and compassionate approach make her a valuable voice in mental health conversations.

Connect With Us

• Follow She Speaks on Instagram: @shespeakswellbeingstrategies
• Visit our website: www.shespeakswellbeing.com

Other Links of Interest

This could be why you're depressed or anxious by Johann Hari

A Note on Wellbeing

She Speaks is dedicated to amplifying women's voices on self-care and wellbeing. While we share personal experiences, please remember that this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified mental health practitioner.

She Speaks is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government and Department of Communities Women's Grants for a Stronger Future Grants Program.