Mother Tongue

Today's guest is someone who has built an incredibly engaged community by sharing the everyday moments of life with honesty, warmth and authenticity. Poppy Owen is a content creator and digital storyteller whose beautifully curated platforms inspire hundreds of thousands of women every day. From fashion and interiors to motherhood, lifestyle and travel, she's created a space that feels b...

Today's guest is someone whose work I think every parent will relate to. I'm joined by Nada, founder of The Home Order, a professional home organisation company helping families create homes that feel calmer, function better and work with family life, rather than against it. Because let's be honest, most of us aren't striving for Pinterest-perfect pantries. We're simply tr...

Today I'm joined by Natasha Mahtani, a Relationship Strategist and Financial Wellbeing Mentor, and this is one of those conversations that I think every woman should listen to. We talk about modern relationships, the realities of marriage and divorce, and why financial wellbeing is something we all need to be paying more attention to — regardless of our relationship status. Because whilst we...

Peptides seem to be everywhere at the moment. Whether it's social media, wellness clinics, biohacking podcasts or conversations between friends, it feels like everyone is talking about peptides for everything from better sleep and energy to fat loss, muscle building and ageing well. But what actually are peptides? Which claims are backed by science, which are overhyped, and how do people know...

Hair is one of those topics that seems to come up in every conversation. Whether it's finding a colour that actually suits you, covering greys, deciding whether extensions are worth it, or simply trying to make your hair look a little fuller and healthier, there is so much advice out there that it can be difficult to know what is actually right for you. And I think so many women are looking f...

Today I’m joined by Stefanie O’Connell - an award-winning journalist who writes about money, power and ambition, and the author of The Ambition Penalty. Her work challenges a lot of what we’ve been told as women - that if we just work hard enough, lean in, and push through the imposter syndrome, we’ll get there. But the data tells a very different story. Stefanie looks at the real cost of ambition...

Today’s episode is for anyone who has ever had a business idea… and then immediately felt completely overwhelmed by everything that comes next. Because I think the idea is often the easy part - it’s the ‘how do I actually turn this into something real?’ that stops so many people in their tracks. I’m joined by Emily Griffiths, who has built and scaled her own business and really understands what it...

Today we’re joined by a guest who is opening up a conversation that so many of us are quietly having - but rarely saying out loud. Sophie Rose-Arnold is an alcohol-free advocate who shares a refreshingly honest perspective on what it really looks like to step away from drinking - especially as a woman navigating motherhood, friendships, and everyday life. After nearly two decades of drinking, Soph...

Today’s guest is someone I’ve been really looking forward to having on the podcast - especially because she brings so much clarity to a space that can feel noisy, confusing, and very trend-led. Grainne Sullivan is the founder of Glazed Aesthetics, and she’s known for her thoughtful, no-nonsense approach to skin care. Rather than chasing quick fixes or viral treatments, Gráinne focuses on long-term...

Travelling with kids isn’t quite the relaxing escape it once was - but it can still be one of the most rewarding, memorable things you do as a family. In this episode, I’m sharing an honest take on what travel really looks like with three children and some of my favourite spots to visit, including the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa - which struck that rare balance between true luxury and ge...

Today we’re joined by a guest who is quietly redefining what life in Dubai can really look like - and this is a powerful listen for anyone moving here, or wondering if the city is the right fit for their family. Laura Jones is a mum of three and the creator behind Home by Laura Jones , where she shares a slower, more intentional side of life in a city often known for its speed, luxury and excess....

Today’s guest is no stranger to the spotlight -or to the juggle. Helen Farmer is a much-loved voice across the UAE: broadcaster, writer, mum, and now, published author.  But behind the headlines and the mic is a story of grit, growth, and learning to thrive with ADHD - while raising kids, writing books, and showing up every day with honesty and heart.  In this episode, we explore what balance real...

Today, we’re joined by Beth Clay, founder of Finance Her Well, to talk about something many of us think about often but don’t always talk about openly - money. From the psychology behind our relationship with money to why so many women feel stress or shame around finances, this conversation explores how our experiences shape the way we earn, save, spend and invest. Beth also shares simple ways to...

Today we’re joined by a guest who has spent over two decades building businesses  and now helps women do the same while navigating motherhood, ambition, and the reality of limited time. Deborah Henning is an entrepreneur, mentor and the founder of Self Made CEO, a mentorship program designed to help women build profitable businesses without sacrificing their families, their wellbeing, or their ide...

Today we’re joined by a guest whose journey proves that reinvention doesn’t have to take years - sometimes it starts with one video and the courage to press post. Camilla Rhuda is a Dubai-based content creator who went from working as a teacher and governess to building a rapidly growing social media platform in less than a year. What began as a creative outlet after becoming a mum quickly turned...

Today we’re diving into something that has honestly blown my mind - gut health. I recently did three tests with Precision Wellness: the Gut Chex, Nutri Chex, and a Functional Blood Test. The results were eye-opening. We found that my gut was out of balance, the supplements I’d been religiously taking weren’t even being absorbed, and I might not actually be coeliac after all. So I had to get the br...

Today I’m joined by the wonderful Emily Mayers, the founder of The Working Dream. Emily is a coach and advocate who specialises in supporting women particularly mothers who are navigating ADHD and the challenges that come with balancing motherhood, work, and identity.   Through The Working Dream, she helps women move from overwhelm and self-doubt into confidence, clarity, and practical systems tha...

Today’s guest is Alice Law - a wellbeing expert, educator and the author of Unstressable, a book that completely reframes how we understand stress. Alice’s work focuses on the nervous system and why so many high-functioning women feel permanently exhausted, overwhelmed or wired, even when life looks “fine” from the outside. What I love about Alice’s approach is that it’s not about bubble baths or...

Today we’re joined by Aliesha Brar - a woman who truly knows what it means to wear many hats. From fashion and luxury to design, culinary arts and now entrepreneurship, Aliesha’s career has taken her across industries and continents. But it was becoming a mother that inspired her to take a leap into creating something of her own.  As the founder of Boo Boo Laand, a premium children’s entertainment...

Today I am chatting with Lewis Allsopp, founder of Allsopp & Allsopp, one of the people who helped shape the Dubai property scene. We will talk straight about the market right now, where it is headed, which communities actually work for families, and practical tips for anyone moving here. Lewis is also a hands-on dad of two, this conversation goes beyond property. We dig into modern fatherhood...

Today on Mother Tongue, I’m joined by someone who will be very familiar to many of you - Harriet Mandak. Harriet is a coach and mentor who specialises in helping women uncover their values, set boundaries, and create healthier habits and routines that truly support their lives. She’s been on the podcast before, and every time she joins us the response from our community is incredible.  Harriet is...

Today we have a guest whose work has quietly, beautifully shaped the way millions of people smell the world. Jo Malone CBE is a self-taught perfumer and entrepreneur who founded Jo Malone London and later sold the brand in 2006. In 2011, she launched Jo Loves - brands that turned simple scent into a language of memory and luxury.   She grew Jo Malone London from a kitchen-table idea into a global...

Today we’re joined by not one, but two powerhouse guests from Mediclinic Middle East for a vital conversation on something every mother deserves to understand better — her postpartum body.   First, we have Dr. Maria Peñalver Gaspar, a Specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who brings a compassionate and clinical perspective to what truly happens to our bodies after birth — from physical recove...

Joining us today is Ms. Mona Joumaa, Lead Clinical Dietitian at Mediclinic Middle East and a passionate advocate for realistic, healthy family nutrition.  As mums, we’re often juggling picky eaters, postpartum cravings, and the constant question of “what’s for dinner?” Mona is here to help make feeding ourselves  and our families less stressful and more nourishing. From postpartum nutrition for he...

Today on the podcast, we're diving into a topic that’s often whispered about but rarely unpacked properly— the mummy makeover . From myths and misconceptions to real advice on what to expect, we’re getting into the facts with someone who knows this field inside and out. Joining us is Dr Charles Bain, a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon at Mediclinic Middle East. With ye...