Unclassified Woman

Welcome to Unclassified Woman. Today's episode is one that I know are you going to enjoy so much. Filled with so many nuggets of wisdom, so you may even want to grab a notebook! Laura Hollick is an award-winning Artist, Shaman, and Visionary Guide based in Canada. After walking 10,000 km on a vision quest, Laura clarified her purpose and dove headfirst into realising it and making it a reality. She is the founder of Soul Art Studio Inc., a business devoted to circulating love around the planet with creative inspiration and unique artistic creations. Laura’s life and art have been featured in a documentary produced by Bravo TV called "The Artist's Life: Laura Hollick. She’s hosted and produced over 500 radio shows, and given an inspiring TED talk called "You are the Art". She inspires audiences all over the world with global events that feature her art and insights, such as the upcoming International Soul Art Day (25th May), the Global Vision Quest, the Yoni Art Project and the nü Icon Movie. Do you yearn for

Today’s guest is Jules Galloway, who lives in Australia, while working as a passionate naturopath, speaker, podcaster, and recipe creator. Jules hosts a podcast, Shiny Healthy You, and loves surfing, hanging out with her husband and elderly rescued dogs, and walking the famous Byron Bay lighthouse track.  Jules recently returned from working as a volunteer at a refugee camp in Greece. She was drawn to this work and feels that her childfree entrepreneurial lifestyle allowed her the freedom to pursue that dream and fulfil that desire.  Jules knows all too well the toll that unhealthy living can take on mind and body. She went through a challenging childhood and youth, and then lived a party lifestyle for over a decade. She ditched the stressful city life for a fresh start and a peaceful setting in beautiful Byron Bay. After being diagnosed with Pyrrole disorder, adrenal fatigue, and a gene mutation, Jules learned the importance of nourishing herself with whole foods, supplements, happiness, gratitude, and a goo

Have you ever wanted to get more in tune with your body’s natural rhythms? For women, one effective way is by acknowledging the seasons that are within the monthly cycle. Even if you don't bleed any more, this is still relevant for you. My lovely guest today will have you throwing out the scales, booking the flight, launching the blog, and falling back in love with your life. She knows the missing key when it comes to women’s wellness, and she wants to share it with you! Listen with us to learn about harnessing that creative wisdom within our bodies as we align ourselves with our natural rhythm. Claire Baker is an Australian women’s coach and writer currently based in London. Through her popular e-books, blog, online courses, and live workshops, she teaches self-care, creative rekindling, how to live life aligned with your menstrual cycle, and how to be kind to yourself and the world. Join us now! What you’ll hear in this episode: Why Claire’s interest in the menstrual cycle stemmed from her own problems wit

Are you struggling with the decision whether or not to have children? If you are feeling pressured to make a choice, based on someone else's feelings, you will benefit from listening to today's guest, Karin Rahbek, author of "Do I Have To Be A Mother? A Childfree Woman's Honest and Unspoken Thoughts and Feelings."  Karin's hope is that this book will help other childfree women to understand and accept their feelings and be happy in who they are (and not focussed on the mother they could have been). Karin spent several years looking for precisely the book that she ended up writing for herself. The book describes in a potent and personal manner, the thoughts and feelings that are associated with not wanting to have children at all, in a society that views motherhood as the most natural part of being a woman. It is Karin's hope that by reading and talking openly about the doubts felt by other women, that women can become more honest with one another. She intends to help make the decision about motherhood less fr

Welcome to today's episode of Unclassified Woman and today we have a special episode for moon lovers! It seems very apt with today's full moon. If you'd like to understand more about how the phases of the moon can affect your mood, mind, body and soul, join Michelle and her guest, Dr. Ezzie Spencer, with today's show.  Today we're going to be talking about Ezzie's new book, An Abundant Life, Flourishing With The Cycles Of The Moon, which is her concept of Lunar Abundance and also her personal practice. This practice partners intellect with intuition and it has helped many women throughout the world, through one to one coaching sessions and through the support of Ezzie's flourishing online community at Lunar Abundance.com Ezzie has trained as a lawyer, worked in government non-profit and research sectors and earned a Ph.D in Women's Wellbeing and Justice After Violence. As a result of feeling that something elemental was missing in the intellectual world of law, Ezzie began to explore the correlation that she

Welcome to a special episode! Today the tables are turned and I’m being interviewed by my close friend Mariana Rudan. I met Mariana when I first arrived in Sydney years ago and we worked together, and she’s been a close friend ever since. She’s a journalist, presenter, newsreader, singer songwriter, travel lover, mother of two adorable children, and an amazing cook! She also speaks a few languages, so is a very talented lady. Sharing a little of my personal story seemed like a great way to mark the first year of the podcast and to celebrate International ChildFree Day, which is August 1. Ready? What you’ll hear in this episode: Michelle’s pregnancy a few years ago, about which she had always felt ambivalent and resistant to the assumption of 'having to have children'. At 10 weeks, she knew something was wrong. Diagnosis: “molar pregnancy”—abnormal cell growth in the uterus, when the embryo doesn’t develop, but the placenta keeps growing. How a molar pregnancy is linked to a pregnancy-related cancer. How the

Welcome to a very special show! This episode is monumental because this week marks the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of this Unclassified Woman podcast. It is also International Childfree Day on 1st August. This commenced in the USA in the 70's, to support and educate those who were consciously choosing not to have biological children. I’m honoured to share with you conversations with many self-empowered women around the world, blazing their own trails and embodying what it means to be a woman living her own truth. This has been a deeply reflective year for me as I have learnt so much from each of these women and been reminded of how there are so many variables in each woman's life. Sweeping generalisations are harmful and limiting to all women - so let's unite in supporting all women, whatever their life choices and circumstances. We have more in common than our differences and we all want to be loved and accepted for who we are. Today’s special show features an impactful woman and internationally celebrated yoga tea

Welcome! My guest today is Sasha Cagen, an author, coach, and lifestyle experimenter. Sasha Cagen helps single and divorcing women in life transition to figure out who they are, what they want, and to go get it. She also helps women reconnect to their sensuality and pleasure to help them get in touch with their unique desires for life. She does this work by combining her life coaching with a 7-day transformative tango holiday in Buenos Aires, using tango as a tool to help women reconnect to themselves and grow their confidence. Tango is Sasha's passion and the dance brought her to Buenos Aires. Sasha is well known as the founder of the Quirkyalone movement, which she created in 2000 to support women and men who prefer to be single rather than settle. Sasha’s books Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics (Harper) and To-Do List: From Buying Mile to Finding a Soul Mate, What Our Lists Reveal About Us (Simon & Schuster) have received attention on CNN, NPR, and the New York Times. Sasha is at w

Welcome! Today’s Unclassified Woman is Kristen Barnes from Melbourne, Australia. Kristen is in private practice as a registered psychologist and certified life coach. She has 25 years’ experience in counselling, therapeutic coaching, and using her supervisory skills to help coaches and therapists value themselves and carve out a passionate life. Kristen believes that you are most passionate and powerful when you simply dare to be yourself! Join us! What you’ll hear in this episode: Circumstances have combined to prevent traditional motherhood for Kristen. How she pursued motherhood via IVF and adopted embryos  over a 20 year period. Unexplained fertility prevailed, even though she tried everything humanly possible to have a biological child. How Kristen fostered homeless adolescents in a mothering role. “It was meant to be.” Her experience with an ongoing grieving process. Cultural expectations and stigmas that she has observed. “I felt like children were viewed as currency.” How Kristen dealt with inappropr

Welcome! My guest today is Carren Smith, an author, speaker, presenter, and podcast host. She’s an all-around amazing lady who has helped thousands transform their lives and businesses through her unique approach to self-leadership. Carren believes that the magic happens when clarity, passion, and action are engaged. She has presented to over 450,000 people across the globe over the last seven years. She writes for many publications and delivers up to 18 live seminars across Australia each year. Carren is the author of Soul Survivor, the account of her fight for survival in the 2002 Bali bombing. Carren loves leading others to find their voice and message through her philosophical approach to life. What you’ll hear in this episode: Carren says it just “never occurred” to her that she wouldn’t have kids. She was always and interested in becoming an entrepreneur and wanted to pursue her career more than a family. Carren realised that the natural path to feeling fulfilled and satisfied didn’t include motherhood

Welcome! My guest today is Alana Helbig, the host of the She Makes Magic podcast. Alana is a wild-hearted gypsy writer and blogger. She’s passionate about living life with purpose, and her musings on this topic have been featured in various publications. Alana moved on from the corporate world for something more in tune with the life she wanted to live. Her podcast showcases real stories from real women who have left ill-fitting lives behind to follow their dreams and their wild hearts. Be inspired when you connect with Alana at www.shemakesmagic.com What you’ll hear in this episode: How witnessing firsthand that motherhood is NOT a “walk in the park” spurred Alana to make the personal choice to NOT have kids. For many years, Alana focused on building her career in the IT industry. Her life included a great relationship, great friends, and a great life—but too much alcohol and drugs. At age 28, Alana asked herself some big questions: “What am I doing? What good do I bring to the world?”. How volunteering to

Welcome! Today’s guest is Kelly Surtees, a consulting astrologer, teacher, writer, and editor. She works with clients and students around the world, sharing her infectious passion for astrology. With 14+ years in private practice, Kelly is warm, experienced, and insightful. She loves exploring astrology’s history and loves escaping into the ocean. Kelly’s specialty areas include career, life direction, health, fertility, love, health, and happiness. Kelly meets clients and lectures throughout the US, Canada, and Australia, though she makes Canada her current home. Connect with Kelly at www.kellysastrology.com What you’ll hear in this episode: Kelly made a conscious choice in her early 20’s to NOT have children. She grew up as the oldest of six kids, never really wanted her own, and always felt like her siblings were, in a way, her “kids.” Kelly was fortunate to have two aunts who were terrific childless role models and made it seem NOT weird or unusual. Kelly later married a man with two children from a prev

Welcome! Today’s guest is Vienda Maria, who is a writer and mentor, currently based in New Zealand. She teaches women who want to do great things in the world, to choose freedom in life and work. Vienda shares her message and insights through her blog and many magazine articles. Connect with her at www.viendamaria.com What you’ll hear in this episode: Vienda made a personal choice to not have children. Motherhood wasn’t something she really dreamed about or felt was a top priority. A couple of years ago, her mother let her know that her expectation was that Vienda should have children, to bring meaning into her life. Her mother was hurt and upset with Vienda’s choice, feeling it was a waste. This clarifying incident helped cement Vienda's choice and feel empowered about it, even though it was a confronting situation. It can be challenging when we have differing views on such emotive topics, from our families and friends. These huge life choices can change over the years. As the decades go by in your life, pr

Welcome! My guest today is Jennifer Spaulding, a relationship coach, speaker, writer, and passionate supporter of single women. Her own journey from being single until her late 30’s, to finding real love with her husband helps her teach others about healthy and meaningful relationships. Jennifer has been featured in several publications and has spent 20 years coaching clients with her relationship expertise. Jennifer lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and dog. Let’s talk with Jennifer! What you’ll hear in this episode: Jennifer always assumed she would be a mother because that was what was modelled for her as she grew up. At age 16, she began having issues that she suspected would affect her fertility. At age 30, she was single and decided to adopt a dog (instead of a child.) She met her husband at age 39 but had recently discovered that she had premature ovarian failure, which meant early menopause symptoms. So often we never hear about these types of health issues, until we are investigating if there

Welcome! My guest today is Kamalamani, a Buddhist author and psychotherapist based in Bristol, England. Her first book was published in 2012, and titled Meditating with Character. Her latest book, Other Than Mother: Choosing Childlessness with Life in Mind is published by Earth Books. Kamalamani is a regular writer for several publications. She loves travelling, gardening, researching ancestry, and cooking for friends. Let’s hear more about her story! What You’ll Hear in This Episode: Kamalamani began practicing Buddhism in her early 20’s, when she saw how the age-old teachings of mindfulness and loving-kindness are relevant for the 21st century. She has chosen not to have children, but didn’t realise until age 27, that she DID actually have a choice. She decided to see how she felt after a year of consciously choosing 'not' to have a child. She used to say, “I’ll have a child by the time I’m 30.” How she became interested in researching and talking to people who choose childlessness voluntarily. How making

Welcome! My guest today is Sara Eckel, who lives in New York state with her husband. She is the author of It’s Not You: 27 Wrong Reasons You’re Single. Sara has been a freelance writer since 1997 and has written for numerous publications. Sara is a nationally syndicated columnist in the USA and has also written short fiction. She is a student of meditation and Buddhism. Let’s catch up with Sara! What you’ll hear in this episode: For Sara, living without children is a combination of choice and circumstances. She met her husband at age 39, but they didn’t marry until a few years later. It was a bigger priority for Sara to have a relationship with the right partner, rather than have children, even though they were totally open to it happening. She and her husband spent a year “not” not trying, but no pregnancy resulted. They stopped using birth control and so were happy to becoming pregnant at any point. They chose not to embark upon the journey of IVF, which is not without its challenges. Sara realised that li

Welcome! My guest today is Star Khechara, also known as “Miss Monetisation.” She’s a passive income strategist and e-course expert for leading women. Her online academy, Passive Income Rocks, has helped hundreds of women (and some men!) monetize their passions, knowledge, and expertise into automated recurring income for maximum impact. Star created The Wealth-Gasm for women, because “Smart women sell their knowledge, and not their time.” Find Star at www.starkhechara.com. One of the aspects I really appreciated about this episode is Star's honesty in expressing what some may feel is taboo to mention. Everyone is entitled to their perspective and it's important to create a space where every woman's voice is heard. What you’ll hear in this episode: Star always knew that she didn’t want to have children since she was very young. She wanted to walk a different path and not experience the whole marriage/mortgage lifestyle. At age 40, Star realised that the urge (to have a child) never came, in fact, the urge to

Welcome! My guest today is Marianne Elliott, a mouthy introvert who collects treasures and tells tales. She is the National Director for Action Station, a digital platform to enable social action. She rallies fellow New Zealanders to fight for truth, justice, and a kinder way. Marianne trained as a human rights lawyer, and worked in several places around the world before going to the Gaza Strip and Afghanistan. Stories are her secret weapon and yoga is her medicine. Her memoir, Zen Under Fire, is a moving account of working on the world’s most notorious battlefield and her personal story about the effect of her lifestyle on her relationships.  In this episode, you’ll learn: How Marianne’s decision not to have a child came from a combination of choices and circumstances. For many years, Marianne made life choices that didn’t coincide with life as a mother. When she contemplated parenthood, she didn't have a suitable partner with whom to embark on this life experience. “Sometimes, the choice is not between A a

Welcome! Today’s guest is Cherie Hausler, a freelance food writer, stylist and restaurant owner. She operates from Sydney to Bangkok to the Barossa Valley in South Australia. She lives her life in the fresh country air and is dedicated to experiencing good food in its entirety. Cherie believes that there are few things in life that can’t be helped with a fabulous cup of tea! Visit www.scullerymade.org to learn about her unique teas. Cherie shares the following about her life: The decision whether to have or not have a child is the biggest and most emotional topic for a woman. Cherie has made the choice to not have a child as a result of much “deep thinking” and consideration. People assume if you don’t have children that you don’t like children. Cherie says, “I ADORE children!” Cherie was adopted, and has met her birth mother. Cherie’s parents adopted two children, and then had a biological son who passed away at 6 months. They lost another son to premature birth and then proceeded to adopt Cherie. Cherie ha

Welcome and today's guest is Lisa Manterfield! Lisa is the creator of Life Without Baby.com and the author of the award-winning memoir, I’m Taking My Eggs and Going Home: How One Woman Dared to Say No to Motherhood. She offers workshops and popular e-books. Her new book, Life Without Baby: Surviving and Thriving When Motherhood Doesn’t Happen, is recently available. She lives a contented life in southern CA with her husband and cat. Lisa has successfully created an online community that gives a voice to those without children. Let’s chat with Lisa! In this episode, you’ll hear the following: Lisa’s child-free life is not really by choice, but by circumstance. She always wanted and expected to have children, but experienced fertility issues and a unpleasant fertility clinic encounter. She and her husband came to the realisation, “We ARE already a family—just a family of two.” Lisa explains the anger, grief, and confusion that plagued her for a long time. The loss of any hope of biological children was a HUGE