TABOO

Episode 15 of Taboo features Chinese herbalist and practitioner Kathleen Dowd discussing the COVID pandemic from a clinician’s perspective. Fiona and Kathleen recount early cases, lockdowns, and frontline experiences treating respiratory illness with herbal medicine.

The conversation covers contentious topics including early treatment options (like ivermectin), concerns about mRNA vaccines and manufacturing, censorship of dissentin...

Part two of Breda’s story follows her life after childhood sexual abuse and focuses on her experiences navigating medical care. She describes triggering encounters during hospital stays, physiotherapy and mammograms, and explains why healthcare must become trauma-informed so patients feel respected and safe.

Breda calls for mandatory trauma training for all healthcare staff, better communication and consent around touch, and a syst...

To protect the identity of today's guest, we have altered her voice. This has been done in such a way as to not compromise the quality of the recording, nor the content of the recording.

This episode features Breda, who shares her harrowing experience of prolonged childhood sexual abuse by a family member, the family silence that followed, the long-term effects on her relationships and mental health, and her journey toward healing ...

In this emotional episode Fiona speaks with breast cancer survivor Treasa and medical tattooist Aislinn about diagnosis, treatment, reconstruction, and the long path back to identity and confidence.

They explore practical supports—wigs, prosthetics, scar revision and areola tattooing—the role of family and counselling, and the transformative impact of compassionate, specialist care.

ABOUT GUEST

Aislinn Horgan is a registered nurs...

After taking time off to truly switch off and reset, Fiona returns for Episode 12 of Taboo with a deeply honest and uplifting conversation featuring Moira Geary, known as The Recombobulator.

Moira shares her powerful personal story — from years of anxiety, shame, and self-doubt to creating QTT (Quantum Thinking Transformation) and helping others reclaim their confidence and purpose. Together, Fiona and Moira explore the importance ...

This episode follows Michael’s candid account of losing his father to suicide at 16, stepping into a caretaker role, and finding support in friends and family while navigating grief.

He discusses his mixed experiences with professional help, how medication affected his creativity, and how these events shaped his identity, relationships and resilience.

Michael shares practical takeaways: grief changes but eases with time, lean on fr...

In this episode, Fiona and her nephew Michael recount the day Michael learned his father, John, had died by suicide and explore the profound impact on a family of five children.

They discuss the events leading up to the death, including economic and mental health struggles, the shock and fragmentation that followed, and how the family coped and found resilience over time.

ABOUT THE HOST

Dr. Fiona Barry is a distinguished healthca...

In this episode Nathalie Lennon shares her honest journey from social-media-fuelled fitness and aesthetic obsession to overtraining, injury and hypothalamic amenorrhea, and the long road back to recovery.

She discusses the mental-health impact of diet culture, the role of social media and family messages, and how she now coaches holistically to help clients prioritize long-term health over short-term looks.

ABOUT GUEST

Nathalie is ...

In this episode psychotherapist Paul O' Beirne joins Fiona to explore sexual health and intimacy across the lifespan, covering topics from phimosis and pornography's impact on teenagers to performance anxiety and reconnecting with your sexual self. They discuss practical tools like sensate focus, compassionate communication, and how to redefine sex beyond performance and penetration. Tune in for candid, judgment-free conversation a...

In this impactful episode of Taboo, host Fiona invites renowned sex and intimacy coach Sarah Rose Bright to delve into a revolutionary conversation about the need to redefine societal attitudes towards sex. Sarah shares her journey from fear and shame around sex to empowerment and fulfillment, highlighting how she now guides individuals and couples in transforming their sexual experiences into profound and pleasurable connections.

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Welcome back to part two of 'When Love Hurts: Understanding Toxic Family Dynamics'. Join us as Fiona and guest Katie McKenna delve into how historical and cultural influences have shaped family relationships in Ireland. Explore the profound impact of past traumas on current dynamics, and the journey of awareness and healing. Through insightful conversation, they uncover the path to recognizing dysfunctional patterns, the process of...

In this episode of the Taboo podcast, we delve into the complex and often unspoken dynamics of family relationships with special guest Katie McKenna. Host Fiona is joined by Katie, an insightful voice in understanding family toxicity, to explore the deeply rooted cultural and religious values in Ireland that can perpetuate less-than-ideal family dynamics.

Together, they discuss the central role family plays in Irish culture, emphas...

In this powerful episode of the "Taboo" podcast, we delve into a deeply personal story that exposes the complexities and challenges of navigating the fertility industry. Our guest shares her six-year-long journey through fertility treatments, highlighting the emotional and financial toll of dealing with clinics that often prioritize profits over patient care. With voice alteration to protect her identity, she candidly discusses key...

In this episode, we welcome Virginia Foley, a strategic visionary and business coach dedicated to female empowerment. Virginia shares her journey of overcoming generational trauma, focusing on how digging into her past revealed unforeseen strengths and insights. As the founder of Up She Rises, she blends business strategy with spirituality, supporting women globally in finding balance between career ambitions and personal fulfillme...

Welcome to another deeply moving episode of Taboo. Today, we dive into an intimate conversation between a mother and daughter, exploring the sensitive journey of parental separation and divorce. Join us as Lena Sharkey, a bright and insightful arts student, shares her personal experiences and profound insights navigating her parents' divorce from the age of 13.

Together, they unpack complex emotions and discuss the unspoken dynamic...

In this compelling episode of Taboo, join host Fiona as she dives deep into the pressing issues surrounding pornography and its impact on the younger generation. Featuring insightful guest Eoghan Cleary, an educator and advocate deeply involved in child protection and digital media education, the episode sheds light on the critical need for reform in sex education. Eoghan, with his extensive experience, shares real-world insights f...

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Taboo podcast, where we shed light on society's most sensitive and unspoken truths. Today, we are joined by Margo Noonan, a dedicated advanced nurse practitioner specializing in sexual assault forensic examination at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Cork, which she now leads. With over two decades of experience, Margo has been instrumental in updating the Irish National Sexual Assa...

In this deeply personal conversation, Louise George – psychotherapist, yoga teacher, mobility specialist, and all-around beautiful human being – joins me to talk about:

• How she first started to compare her body to others at age 5
• Her family‘s dysfunctional relationship with food
• The impact of people’s comments on her body and how she internalised them
• Her journey into anorexia and bulimia
• The pivotal moment when she knew she n...