Hala Sourani : Gaza, forever in my heart

Topics covered : a brief history of Palestine, Israeli mindset, racism, dehumanisation, solidarity. I sat down with author and activist Fintan Drury in mid August to speak about Palestine.In this conversation he takes us through a brief history of Palestine and the relentless injustices that Palestinians have endured for decades.Book : 'Catastrophe : Nakba II'You can listen to other conversations that discuss Palestine on Ready to be Real from December 2023 onwards, episodes with guests like Ruth Smith, Daniel Maté, Dr Myriam François, Caoimhe Butterly, Róisín El Cherif, Sarah Durham Wilson, Farah Nabulsi, Misan Harriman, Hala Sourani, Dr Gabor Maté, Raeeka Yassaie and more. Links :B'Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied TerritoriesHaMokedLouis Theroux - The SettlersRTÉ PlayerIf you enjoy Ready to be Real, please consider following, rating, and reviewing the podcast — it really helps!And thank you, as always, for your support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Sep 37min

This is The Real Take — a glimpse of the honesty, wisdom and connection you’ll find in every episode of Ready to be Real.In this mini pod I speak to Miriam Hussey about regulating our nervous systems especially in these turbulent times, spiritual bypassing and the power of collective care.If you found this snippet helpful, you can hear the full conversation with Miriam anytime now and her book 'Light Up' will be available to buy from the 25th of September — and it’s definitely one to get!Thanks so much for listening to Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Sep 10min

Topics covered : Nervous system responses to stress, chakras, spiritual bypassing, self and collective care, motherhood, gratitude. In this episode, I speak to integrative health coach and co-founder of wellness platform 'Soul Space', Miriam Hussey.She was a guest on one of my very first episodes of Ready to be Real back in 2019, alongside her husband Gerry — I love being in her company and I always take so much from listening to her speak.She’s a mother of two, she spent 10 years working as a pharmacist, and she’s just written her first book: 'Light Up — Energise Your Body, Awaken Your Mind, Supercharge Your Soul.' In this conversation, we explore what true wellness really means — from how our nervous systems respond to stress, to the importance of honouring the full range of emotions we experience as humans.If you enjoy Ready to be Real, please consider following, rating, and reviewing the podcast — it really helps!And thank you, as always, for your support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Sep 49min

​Topics covered: Early-onset Parkinson’s disease, anger, grief, acceptance, adapting.This is The Real Take — a glimpse of the honesty, wisdom and connection you’ll find in every episode of Ready to be Real.In this snippet I speak to Irish Examiner fashion editor and author, Annmarie O’Connor, about life with early-onset Parkinson’s disease.The youngest of five girls, Annmarie grew up on Long Island, New York, before moving to Ireland at the age of twelve. With strong family roots here — her mother’s side is from Inishbofin — many of her childhood summers were spent on the island.She went on to build a successful career in fashion styling, working in the industry for almost two decades, and has already published two books: The Happy Closet and The Happy Medium.But in December 2021, her world changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease — a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, mood, motivation, and much more.​Annmarie's memoir ​'Twitch – My Life with Parkinson’s​', is out now and you can hear the full conversation anytime!Any mention of medication is Annmarie’s personal experience only and should not be taken as medical advice.The Michael J. Fox article referenced ​during our chat can be found here:​'Pity is another form of abuse' - Michael J Fox on Parkinson'sIf you enjoy Ready to be Real, please consider following, rating, and reviewing the podcast — it really makes a difference.And thank you, as always, for your support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Sep 22min

Topics covered: Early-onset Parkinson’s disease, symptoms, pain, denial, grief, acceptance, adapting.In this episode, I speak with Irish Examiner fashion editor and author, Annmarie O’Connor, about her experience of living with Parkinson’s disease.The youngest of five girls, Annmarie grew up on Long Island, New York, before moving to Ireland at the age of twelve. With strong family roots here — her mother’s side is from Inishbofin — many of her childhood summers were spent on the island.She went on to build a successful career in fashion styling, working in the industry for almost two decades, and has already published two books: The Happy Closet and The Happy Medium.But in December 2021, her world changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease — a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, mood, motivation, and much more.Her memoir, ​'Twitch – My Life with Parkinson’s​', has just been released, and in this conversation Annmarie speaks openly about the past few years, what the condition has taught her, and the realities of life now.Any mention of medication in this episode is Annmarie’s personal experience only and should not be taken as medical advice.The Michael J. Fox article referenced in our chat can be found here:​'Pity is another form of abuse' - Michael J Fox on Parkinson'sIf you enjoy Ready to be Real, please consider following, rating, and reviewing the podcast — it really makes a difference.And thank you, as always, for your support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Sep 1h 14min

This is The Real Take — a glimpse of the honesty, wisdom and connection you’ll find in every episode of Ready to be Real.In this ​b​onus episode I speak to health food advocate and Instagram sensation Sophie Morris about food labels and what to be aware of when doing our food shop, health halos and how she deals with criticism.​You can hear the full conversation with Sophie Morris now.​Listen here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Sep 16min

Topics covered : Understanding food labels, ultra processed food, the psychology of supermarket shopping, clever food swaps, health halos and handling criticism. ​Welcome to my first episode back after the summer break, I’m joined by health food advocate and Instagram sensation, Sophie Morris.S​he lives in Greystones, in Wicklow with her husband Robbie and their two boys, Wrio and Max.And over the past year, her following online has skyrocketed thanks to her no-nonsense food videos — breaking down the tricks of the food industry and showing us how to make smarter choices.She learned so much about the business of food when she ran her own cookie-dough company (Kooky Dough) back in 2009, and she’s now channelling all of that experience into her brand-new book 'Sophie’s Swaps' — a must-have for anyone who wants to shop and eat with more awareness.In this conversation, Sophie explains how the food system really works, how we’re being manipulated in the supermarket aisles, what to watch out for on labels, and the clever swaps that can make a big difference​.If you’re a fan of what I do, please follow, rate and review in all the usual places.And thanks, as always, for your support of Ready to be Real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Sep 53min

A quick update about Ready to be Real...I'm taking a break for the summer, but I’ll be back again in the autumn.Thanks so much for your continued support, it means so much to me and thanks also to my amazing guests who made these conversations possible. The past ten months have been intense — full of meaningful work (I've been working on a documentary series) and the juggle of modern life — so I haven’t been as consistent with the pod as I would’ve liked. That said, the episodes I have released have been powerful.With over 200 conversations available, there’s plenty to revisit — from thought-provoking, emotional discussions to unforgettable chats with incredible guests like photographer and activist Misan Harriman and the one and only Dr. Gabor Maté.We’ve tackled everything from grief, addiction, and coercive control, to menopause, adolescence, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.These are honest, human conversations — some might challenge you, and many will stay with you long after you’ve listened to them.If you have any feedback for me, guest suggestions, or topics you'd love me to explore when I'm back, please do get in touch — DM me on Instagram 𝗦í𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗼𝗶𝗴𝗲 (@sileseoige) • Instagram photos and videos or drop an ema​il to hello@readytobereal.comHave a lovely summer, and I’ll chat to you again in September — more organised than ever, with weekly episodes you can rely on.And as always...Saoirse don Phalaistín. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27 Juni 1min