Lauren Seager-Smith became Chief Executive of The For Baby’s Sake Trust in May 2023, bringing expertise and experience in leading charities through growth and development, along with a track-record as a leading advocate for children’s rights and trauma-informed, whole-family approaches.

Lauren’s record of representing sensitive and complex needs of children and families to a public audience includes extensive media experience, including press, television and radio.

TRIGGER WARNING: At 4 minutes to 5 minutes Lauren speaks about the murder of baby Peter Connelly.

In this episode we speak about:

• Lauren's role and the work they do at FBS
• a bit about the founder, Stelio Stefanou and the why behind FBS
• breaking cycles of abuse by working with mums and dads
• how so much of real life can be covered up, to the detriment of so many
• some of the statistics: 1/5 children are impacted by domestic abuse and 30% of abuse cases begin in pregnancy, 1/5 couples break up by the baby's 1st birthday
• the parental relationship abuse spectrum (link to PDF below)
• Lauren's previous career experience and what's led her to this role
• the myth of the 'perfect Mum' and how damaging it is
• parenting and raising a mixed race family
• paradox, conflict and polarity on small and big scales

Themes: therapy, healing, abuse, childhood trauma, systemic inequality, mothering, parenting

At the end, I share a poem by Nikita Gill.

You can find out more about For Baby's Sake here on their website.

We mention Make Birth Better, Dr Chatterjee, Dr Gabor Maté, the UN and the parental relationship abuse spectrum.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on the platform that you listen.

For more insights and to contact me you can find me on Instagram, and at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

Children are not Tamagotchis. They won't just do and say what they're told. They are little humans with feelings and minds of their own.

Please note: I am not attempting to be a parenting coach. I am simply exposing what I feel passionate about and I know a lot of others will and do relate to.

In this episode I share my perspectives and approach to the (ridiculous) pressures we can feel as parents in this day and age, in the hope that it may bring you some relief (and a giggle or two).

In this episode I speak about:

• the pressure on Mums today
• the toxic expectations put upon parents and children
• why children's emotions matter too
• finding my truth and becoming the woman and MOTHER I want to be
• my approach to the things and people that may judge and push their opinions onto us
• why I said no to sleep training Matilda as a baby
• you're not wrong — and you're not failing as a Mum!
• maternal 'rage' and how I felt before I got therapy

Themes: parenting, motherhood, mental health, healing, matrescence

At the end, I share a poem written by Karen McMillan.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on the platform that you listen.

For more insights and to contact me you can find me on Instagram, and at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

Since 1999, Katie Thomas has been bringing the elegance of 1940s and 1950s lingerie to life through her brand, What Katie Did. She runs the business with her husband and daughter, balancing vintage glamour with a love of yoga, gardening, and life between Berkshire and Somerset.

I discovered Katie's work from doing Burlesque BUT it turned out that Katie and her husband (photographer for What Katie Did) had been doing my yoga class for years before I realised their other roles.

In this episode we speak about:

• a bit about Katie and her background that led her to 'What Katie Did'
• how clothes/the way you dress can make you FEEL
• the art of corsetry and choosing for your body type
• how Katie made her own clothes during pregnancy and the shock of her body changing
• adjusting to the changes that come with being a Mum; Matrescence
• 1950's style, bullet bras, Marilyn Monroe and more
• shapewear; girdles, corselette, waist cinchers, power mesh
• boobs and breast-feeding in my wedding dress
• wigs, wig-fitting — and how great they can look!!
• why corsets are not for partners but for ourselves

Themes: fashion, vintage lingerie, burlesque, matrescence, postnatal wellbeing, hyper-feminine style,

At the end, I share a poem by Nikita Gill.

You can find out more about Katie via her website www.whatkatiedid.com and/or find her here on Instagram.

We mention Bettie Page, Rosie the Riveter, Roland Mouret, Good Wood Revival, and Zoe Charles' TED Talk on Femininity.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on the platform that you listen.

For more insights and to contact me you can find me on Instagram, and at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

I have begun to teach BURLESQUE!! This episode is a bit of an 'announcement', about what I have moved into doing, alongside my 1:1 coaching work. After doing a degree in Dance with Performing Arts over 20 years ago I am delighted to now be teaching burlesque, as a form of empowerment and healing for women and Mothers.

PLEASE NOTE: At 23 minutes 30 seconds to 27 minutes and 20 seconds I speak about 'pussy' and more, so beware who you're listening around.

In this episode, I speak on:

• the power of being in circle/a safe space with other women to heal the witch wound
• the clothing and 'kit' involved in burlesque that you can use
• how FEELING good and in greater connection with your body can positively impact so many areas of life
• knowing more about where burlesque comes from and what 'persona' you may wish to play
• female body parts and the names for the parts of our genitalia (believe it or not, MANY women — and men — don't know)
• paying tribute to who and what we have learned from — and trusting the process to arrive where I have now
• a bit about the classic burlesque moves, poses and working with or without a mirror
• listening to your body, it's wants and desires... will YOU join us?

Themes: burlesque, women's circles, healing, the witch wound, sensuality, dance

At the end I share a poem written by Matilda, my daughter.

I mention Zoe Charles and her TED Talk on Femininity, Diane Purkiss and Seed Talks, Anna Lou Walker and her book 'The Little Book of Vaginas', Emily Nagoski and her book 'Come As You Are', Regena Thomashauer and her book 'Pussy: A Reclamation'.

I speak about Episode #3 of my podcast 'Knowing Your Body Better and Why It Matters; Sex, Instincts and More'.

For more insights, you can follow me on Instagram, and don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

Libby Chow is the mother of two spirited, loving teenagers and is married to her longtime partner. They live on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne, Australia.

A seasoned video and film creator, Libby brings over two decades of experience to her work. In 2015, she founded her production company, Bee Here Productions, and went on to direct the acclaimed short documentary Giving Voice to Menopause (2021), which premiered at the New York Female Voices Rock Festival. Her most recent film, The Kids Play, screened at the 2024 Melbourne Documentary Festival and received both the Best Social Documentary and Audience Award at the 2024 Doc Screenings International Film Festival in Europe.

Libby is an absolute Goddess and it was such a pleasure to meet her (virtually) on this call and record our conversation for you to hear.

TRIGGER WARNING: We touch on hypnobirthing, early pregnancy loss (aka miscarriage) and birth trauma.

In this episode we speak about:

• Libby's experiences as a woman and mother so far and learning about her body
• understanding what it is to be a woman
• a bit about Libby's birth experiences
• menstrual cycle awareness
• Libby's work as a videographer and the feature documentary she is making about Matrescence with Amy Taylor-Kabbaz and Claire Tonti
• knowing and loving ourselves deeply — especially to prevent domestic abuse
• pausing to question "who am I?"
• the power of language
• sharing — and taking in — women's stories to balance things out more(!)

Themes: menstrual cycle awareness, matrescence, birth, film-making, self-care, domestic abuse,

At the end, I share a beautiful poem recently written by Libby herself.

You can find out more about Libby via her website and/or find her here on Instagram.

We mention Red School run by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, 'This Period In My Life' by Saskia Boujo, Claire Tonti, Gladys Kangau's work in Kenya on Period Poverty, Margaret Atwood, and Eli Pol of The Sane Mama.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on the platform that you listen.

For more insights and to contact me you can find me on Instagram, and at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

I find people can so often write themselves off as if they're on the decline, even in their 40's. I wanted to record this episode to invite you to question where you take on such ideas from and how changing those ideas may be useful — or even life-changing.

In this episode, I speak on:

• how we might feel about our age and growing older and why
• society's pressures and expectations
• the benefit of keeping the ego in check
• how it's possible to look after ourselves into later life
• the importance of learning about our nervous system
• 'elders' not always being older than us
• the female archetypes
• derogatory terms we can choose to see differently
• other cultures may be/feel different... ?

Themes: health, ageing, menopause, exercise, feminine archetypes

At the end, I share a poem written by Tanya Markul.

I mention Jane Harwicke Collings, Mark Twain, Socrates, Queer Eye.

For more insights, you can follow me on Instagram, and don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

Markella Kaplani is a Psychologist and Mother who lives in Athens, Greece.

With a Master’s degree in Clinical & Counselling Psychology and over 15 years of experience in psychotherapy and education, Markella has developed a deep understanding of the complexities of human relationships and the systems that shape our lives.

Becoming a mother herself inspired Markella to focus her work on supporting mothers and couples as they navigate the profound transitions of parenthood. Driven by a passion for empowering parents, Markella offers compassionate guidance to help them reconnect with themselves, their partners, their children, and their dreams.

In this episode we speak about:

• Markella's background and training that led her to the work she does today
• psychology and education; in working with children with special educational needs
• how parents can be blamed for so much
• the factors that affect our varying capacity to consume/read
• matrescence, patrescence and how these rites of passage can affect a relationship
• the trouble when fathers feel sidelined and the conflict(s) that can arise
• relationship to the SELF first and foremost
• the unique (and brilliant!) way Markella works with couples to help everyone in the family
• the huge (and sometimes uncomfortable) spiritual growth that can come from motherhood

Themes: psychology, parenting, relationships, matrescence, patrescence, neurodivergence, trauma, healing

At the end, I share some words from Khalil Gibran, from his book 'Sand and Foam'.

You can find out more about Markella here on her website and/or find Markella on Instagram.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on the platform that you listen.

For more insights and to contact me you can find me on Instagram, and at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.

To continue a little more on last week's episode with psychologist Suzy Reading, the theme of ADVOCACY came up. And because advocacy is such a hugely important topic I wanted to do a solo episode on it.

In this episode, I speak on:

• being an advocate for things and people that matter to you
• navigating conflict in relationships
• being open to receiving more
• over-apologising and rushing
• why knowing ourselves makes a difference
• listening to the body
• connecting to yourself/others via music

Themes: advocacy, nervous system, yoga, interoception, music

At the end, I share a poem written by Liezel Graham.

I mention Suzy Reading, Kate Northrup, Glennon Doyle, Brené Brown and Episode #14 of my podcast 'The Magic of Music'.

For more insights, you can follow me on Instagram, and don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.lucywyldecoaching.com.