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The Laura Dowling Experience

Laura Dowling
The Laura Dowling Experience
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  • The Episode: Mary Ann Kenny's Story of Grief, Psychosis, and Recovery
    What happens when grief collides with a broken mental health system? In this raw and powerful conversation, Mary Ann Kenny shares the devastating journey that began when her husband died suddenly, leaving her alone with two young children. What followed was unimaginable - a psychotic episode triggered by medication side effects that led to her hospitalisation and a harrowing fight to keep her children.Mary Ann reveals with striking clarity how a single "false confession" made under duress transformed her from grieving mother to perceived threat, resulting in her children being placed on an at-risk register until adulthood. Her account of being questioned by teams of professionals without therapeutic support, experiencing severe physical suffering that went untreated, and fighting to reclaim her identity as a mother challenges everything we believe about mental healthcare.What makes this conversation extraordinary is Mary Ann's ability to articulate her experience of psychosis from the inside - the delusional conviction of guilt she developed, her eventual recovery, and her painstaking work to understand what happened by obtaining her medical records. Beyond the trauma, this is ultimately a story of incredible resilience, as Marianne not only recovered but transformed her experience into her memoir "The Episode."This discussion goes far beyond a personal story to expose critical gaps in mental healthcare and question how we support those experiencing psychosis. For anyone who has faced mental health challenges, supported someone through crisis, or simply believes in more compassionate care, Marianne's journey offers profound insights into the human capacity to shatter and rebuild. Her voice speaks not just for herself, but for countless others who haven't found the words to tell their stories.Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Owning My Body: Body Image, Aging & Self-Acceptance with Edwina Ings-Chambers
    Journalist and beauty editor Edwina Ings-Chambers shares her refreshingly honest take on body image and the concept of body ownership rather than confidence. She opens up about feeling she's never had full agency over her body, even when slim, and how menopause has brought both new challenges and unexpected freedom.Key Points:Why Edwina rejects “body neutrality” in favour of body ownershipGrowing up with a critical, image-focused motherEmotional eating vs exercise as coping strategiesMenopause changes: loss of body familiarity but newfound freedomWorking in fashion while battling body image issuesA lifelong love of vintage fashion and old Hollywood glamourCareer highlights at The Financial Times and beyondThanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Numbers Behind the Diagnosis: How Cancer Data Shapes Our Future
    Send us a textCancer has overtaken cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in Ireland, yet our mortality rates are falling faster than anywhere else in Europe. What's driving this paradox? Professor Deirdre Murray, Director of the National Cancer Registry of Ireland, pulls back the curtain on how cancer data is transforming healthcare in this country.Every year, the Registry captures data on approximately 24,000 new invasive cancer cases, plus 11,000 skin cancers. While this might sound alarming, Murray explains how this comprehensive collection method actually provides Ireland with more accurate statistics compared to countries that only sample portions of their population. The registry tracks three vital metrics: incidence rates, mortality figures, and survival statistics – all essential for effective cancer control.The conversation takes fascinating turns through Ireland's screening programmes, where cervical screening has already begun reducing cancer incidence, and the revolutionary impact of the HPV vaccine, which is projected to make cervical cancer a rare disease by 2040. Murray dismantles common misconceptions about cancer, explaining why most patients are over 60 despite media portrayals focusing on younger patients, and why early diagnosis remains so crucial: "The earlier you go to get things checked out, the earlier the stage you are diagnosed, the less treatment you're going to need."Perhaps most striking is Murray's revelation about Ireland's technological challenges. Despite being a tech-literate nation, Ireland ranks last among 22 developed countries for health digital policy and data linkages. With over 800 different systems operating across our public health sector alone, the fragmentation prevents the seamless information flow that could transform cancer care. As Murray puts it, "My local Tesco knows more about me than my local hospital does."Whether you're concerned about cancer risk factors, curious about screening programmes, or interested in how data shapes healthcare policy, this episode offers invaluable insights into the present and future of cancer control in Ireland. Listen now to understand the remarkable progress we've made and the challenges that still lie ahead.Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Reclaiming Intimacy: ADHD, Sexual Trauma and the Right to Pleasure with Dr Natasha Langan
    Send us a textDr Natasha Langan, a chartered clinical psychologist and accredited psychosexual therapist, explores how childhood sexual abuse impacts intimacy, and how ADHD in women can increase vulnerability to traumatic relationships and sexual exploitation.• Women with ADHD face higher rates of sexual victimization, unplanned pregnancies, and relationship dissatisfaction• Trauma includes both major events (sexual assault) and smaller experiences that accumulate over time (public humiliation, feeling "different")• Shame plays a central role in both ADHD and sexual trauma, creating beliefs that "something is wrong with me"• Compassion-focused therapy helps address shame by understanding our "tricky brains" that evolved for survival, not happiness• Vaginismus involves involuntary pelvic floor muscle spasms making penetration painful or impossible• Women's pain has historically been dismissed by healthcare providers, creating barriers to proper treatment• Sexual healing requires broadening ideas about what constitutes sex beyond penetration• A multidisciplinary approach combining physiotherapy, psychology, and sometimes medical care is most effective• Sexual health is a fundamental human right that includes pleasure, not just prevention of STIs or pregnancyThanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Navigating Separation and Divorce with Family Law Solicitor Hilary O'Connor
    Send us a textNavigating separation and divorce is emotionally charged and legally complex, requiring careful consideration of finances, children’s needs, and your own well-being throughout the process. Family law solicitor Hilary O’Connor offers clear guidance on managing this challenging life transition.Mediation should be the initial step in separation proceedings as it is free and enables couples to resolve issues collaboratively.Living “separate and apart” for one year qualifies for separation in Ireland, while divorce requires two years out of the last three.Emotions run high during separation – being “too mad and too sad” can impair decision-making and needlessly prolong the process.The family home often becomes a central issue, but financial realities mean that one household budget must now support two homes.Pensions are just as important as property in settlement discussions, yet are frequently overlooked.Access to children is the child’s right to see both parents, not a “gift” the primary carer can withhold.The legal process includes submitting affidavits of means and welfare, with full financial disclosure required for settlements.Qualified cohabitants (those living together for 2+ years with children or 5+ years without) have similar, though not identical, rights to married couples.Maintenance for children continues until the age of 18 (or 23 if in full-time education), while spousal maintenance may be lifelong.Self-care is essential – seek counselling, surround yourself with supportive people, and “stock up on vitamins” as your immune system will be affected.Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About The Laura Dowling Experience

Conversations about health, science, wellness, life, love, sex and everything in-between. Laura is a Pharmacist who loves to talk to interesting people about their unique life and work experiences. See @fabulouspharmacist on instagram for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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