#31. "I Felt My Legs Were Just Blocks of Wood" | Reclaiming Strength, Rest & Hope with Jacqui Sheppard
When Jacqui Sheppard joined the MS to Success programme, she was exhausted. Her legs felt like blocks of wood, her independence had slipped away, and she carried a quiet fear of what the future held. But just weeks into the programme, something began to shift…In this heartfelt episode of Talk Healing to Me, host Karen Dwyer is joined by the brilliant Jacqui Sheppard — costume designer, creative soul, grandmother-to-be, and now, a woman reconnecting with her strength and learning to rest without guilt.Together, they talk about what healing really looks like after two decades of living with MS, why receiving support can be harder than giving it, and what it means to keep showing up — even when it would be easier to give up.Whether you’re living with chronic illness, supporting someone who is, or just navigating a life that feels heavier than it should — this conversation will move you.🌟 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:🧠 What it’s like to feel disconnected from your body — and how that begins to change📦 Why Jacqui felt her legs were like “lumps of meat”🛠️ The difference between trying to fix yourself and choosing to support yourself🌿 How nervous system healing and rest transformed her recovery💬 The power of being seen, supported, and safe🧃 Why smoothies (yes, smoothies!) helped her reconnect with her body👨👩👧👦 How her healing journey has impacted her relationship with her husband and family❤️ Why she says she didn’t have to fix herself to be welcome in the programmeConnect With Karen Dwyer:🌐 Talk with our nurse and get support with your MS health goals here 💬 Join the Free Facebook Group: Karen Dwyer Wellness Accelerator⏱️ Discover Your 5 Key Health Pillars in Under 3 Minutes: www.karendwyer.com📸 Instagram: @iamkarendwyer👍Facebook: Karen Dwyer💼 LinkedIn: Karen Dwyer🎥 Karen Dwyer TEDx Talk hereTalk Healing to Me:✨ Talk Healing to Me Listener Submission Form here🎥YouTube: Talk Healing to Me YouTube Channel📸 Instagram: @talkhealingtomepod👍 Facebook: @talkhealingtomepod🌐 Website: @talkhealingtomepod 📸TikTok: @talkhealingtomepod💼 LinkedIn: @talkhealingtomeMusic by Max Chubrey from Pixabay
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#30. Rest Is Not a Luxury - It’s a Rebellion | Karen Dwyer on Burnout, Worthiness & Letting Go of Perfect
What if rest isn’t something you earn - but something you deserve?In this powerful minisode, host Karen Dwyer reflects on her laugh-out-loud, heart-opening chat with Wendy Riordan - founder of Nourish and Flow Festival and co-founder of Pitched Perfect Tents.Together, they unpacked why women are still running on empty, how burnout has become normalised, and why permission to pause might be the most radical act of self-care. This solo episode is a love letter to every woman who’s tired of pushing through and ready to come back to herself.Whether you’re deep in survival mode or just craving a little more space to breathe — this one’s for you.🌟 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:💤 Why rest isn’t weakness - it’s a rebellion👜 The invisible load women carry (and how to set it down)📅 Why you need to schedule rest before burnout forces it🧘♀️ How healing happens in the pause - not the productivity💡 Karen’s favourite metaphor from the episode (hint: it blooms slowly)💬 The truth about needing help - and why it’s not a failure🌸 What to do when you’re “on your knees” and out of energy💞Connect with Wendy Riordan:📲 Instagram: @nourishandflow.ie🌐 Website: nourishandflow.ieConnect With Karen Dwyer:🌐 Talk with our nurse and get support with your MS health goals here 💬 Join the Free Facebook Group: Karen Dwyer Wellness Accelerator⏱️ Discover Your 5 Key Health Pillars in Under 3 Minutes: www.karendwyer.com📸 Instagram: @iamkarendwyer👍Facebook: Karen Dwyer💼 LinkedIn: Karen Dwyer🎥 Karen Dwyer TEDx Talk hereTalk Healing to Me:✨ Talk Healing to Me Listener Submission Form here🎥YouTube: Talk Healing to Me YouTube Channel📸 Instagram: @talkhealingtomepod👍 Facebook: @talkhealingtomepod🌐 Website: @talkhealingtomepod 📸TikTok: @talkhealingtomepod💼 LinkedIn: @talkhealingtomeMusic by Max Chubrey from Pixabay
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#29. Why Women Are Ditching Hustle Culture for Healing - with Wendy Riordan, Founder of Nourish & Flow
What if the most radical thing you could do for your health… was to stop?In this deeply honest and joy-filled episode of Talk Healing To Me, Karen Dwyer chats with Wendy Riordan – founder of Nourish & Flow, full-time mother, business owner, and festival queen – about the power of rest, how burnout shows up in women’s lives, and why honouring your own rhythm is the greatest rebellion of all.From ditching toxic wellness expectations to embracing glamping-style guilt-free retreats, Wendy shares how Rest Fest was born – and how healing happens when we stop trying to do it all.If you’ve ever said, “I just don’t have time to rest” – this conversation is your permission slip to hit pause and reconnect with yourself.🌟 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:🌿 Why rest is the most undervalued tool in your healing journey🌙 The truth about women, guilt, and the hustle cycle🔥 How Nourish & Flow became a space for emotional release and deep nervous system reset💤 The many types of rest (and why you need more than sleep)💖 How sisterhood, simplicity, and space can change your life🎪 Why this isn’t your typical “wellness” retreat📀 The music Wendy uses to unwind (linked below!)📅 What’s planned for Rest Fest 2025 – and how to join💞Connect with Wendy Riordan:📲 Instagram: @nourishandflow.ie🌐 Website: nourishandflow.ieConnect With Karen Dwyer:🌐 Talk with our nurse and get support with your MS health goals here 💬 Join the Free Facebook Group: Karen Dwyer Wellness Accelerator⏱️ Discover Your 5 Key Health Pillars in Under 3 Minutes: www.karendwyer.com📸 Instagram: @iamkarendwyer👍Facebook: Karen Dwyer💼 LinkedIn: Karen Dwyer🎥 Karen Dwyer TEDx Talk hereTalk Healing to Me:✨ Talk Healing to Me Listener Submission Form here🎥YouTube: Talk Healing to Me YouTube Channel📸 Instagram: @talkhealingtomepod👍 Facebook: @talkhealingtomepod🌐 Website: @talkhealingtomepod 📸TikTok: @talkhealingtomepod💼 LinkedIn: @talkhealingtomeMusic by Max Chubrey from Pixabay
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#28. 10 Hormone Truths Every Woman Needs to Hear | Karen Dwyer on Lessons from Valeria Lopez
You’ve tried the diets, counted the calories, pushed through fatigue — and still feel like something’s off. What if your body isn’t the problem… but the messenger?In this solo minisode, Talk Healing to Me host Karen Dwyer shares 10 powerful takeaways from her conversation with hormone and nutrition coach Valeria Lopez. From the truth about cravings and cortisol to why fatigue isn’t failure, this recap is packed with permission and practical shifts for women navigating chronic illness, burnout, and hormone imbalance.If you’ve been stuck in cycles of self-blame, this episode is your reminder: your body isn’t broken — it’s wise.🌟 In This Minisode, You’ll Learn:🧠 Why your hormones aren’t the enemy — they’re your superpower🥗 Why “eat to heal” works better than “starve to shrink”🏠 The real root cause might be your environment, not your body😴 Fatigue isn’t laziness — it’s intelligence🥑 Not all calories are equal (and fat is not the villain)☀️ How sunlight and sleep act as free hormone resets💬 Why cravings are clues not failure🧘♀️ Healing happens when you do less — with intention💞 You don’t need to earn rest🌿 You deserve to feel good now — not “when”💞Connect with Valeria Lopez:📸 Instagram: @wisefoodchoices_Connect With Karen Dwyer:🌐 Talk with our nurse and get support with your MS health goals here 💬 Join the Free Facebook Group: Karen Dwyer Wellness Accelerator⏱️ Discover Your 5 Key Health Pillars in Under 3 Minutes: www.karendwyer.com📸 Instagram: @iamkarendwyer👍Facebook: Karen Dwyer💼 LinkedIn: Karen Dwyer🎥 Karen Dwyer TEDx Talk hereTalk Healing to Me:✨ Talk Healing to Me Listener Submission Form here🎥YouTube: Talk Healing to Me YouTube Channel📸 Instagram: @talkhealingtomepod👍 Facebook: @talkhealingtomepod🌐 Website: @talkhealingtomepod 📸TikTok: @talkhealingtomepod💼 LinkedIn: @talkhealingtomeMusic by Max Chubrey from Pixabay
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#27. How to Fix Fatigue, Cravings & Thyroid Without Dieting | Valeria Lopez of Wise Food Choices
Are your cravings actually calling for connection? Is your metabolism really broken — or is your body just begging you to slow down?In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Talk Healing to Me host Karen Dwyer welcomes back Valeria Lopez, hormone and nutrition coach and founder of Wise Food Choices, to unpack even more myths about food, fatigue and female hormones.Together, they explore how simple habits like sun exposure, earlier dinners, and real nourishment in the morning can radically shift your energy and emotional health — especially if you’re a woman navigating chronic illness or autoimmune disease.🌟 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:🌞 The hormone-balancing power of sunlight (in 10 minutes a day)🧠 Why oxytocin matters more than you think🍳 Why cereal isn’t breakfast — and what is🥄 How to fast without skipping breakfast🧘♀️ The link between thyroid health, metabolism & mood🫶 Why “giving to yourself first” is the key to sustainable healing🔥 The symptom changes Valeria sees in women once they start fueling properly💞Connect with Valeria Lopez:📸 Instagram: @wisefoodchoices_Connect With Karen Dwyer:🌐 Talk with our nurse and get support with your MS health goals here 💬 Join the Free Facebook Group: Karen Dwyer Wellness Accelerator⏱️ Discover Your 5 Key Health Pillars in Under 3 Minutes: www.karendwyer.com📸 Instagram: @iamkarendwyer👍Facebook: Karen Dwyer💼 LinkedIn: Karen Dwyer🎥 Karen Dwyer TEDx Talk hereTalk Healing to Me:✨ Talk Healing to Me Listener Submission Form here🎥YouTube: Talk Healing to Me YouTube Channel📸 Instagram: @talkhealingtomepod👍 Facebook: @talkhealingtomepod🌐 Website: @talkhealingtomepod 📸TikTok: @talkhealingtomepod💼 LinkedIn: @talkhealingtomeMusic by Max Chubrey from Pixabay
On Talk Healing to Me, Karen Dwyer—TEDx speaker, health coach, and MS conqueror—dives deep with top global health experts to shake up your wellness journey.
Inspired by her own reversal of multiple sclerosis, Karen asks the blunt, honest questions you’ve always wanted to ask: Is sugar really that bad? Is balance even possible?
With humor, candor, and no-nonsense insights, each episode reveals practical (not medical) advice and fresh perspectives, empowering you to redefine health from home. Get ready to laugh, learn, and rethink wellness—because real healing starts here.
Ireland