The Laura Dowling Experience

I’m taking a two-week break from the podcast to complete my new book, 'Love Your Vulva', and its audiobook, which will be released on September 23rd. In the meantime, explore the podcast archives with 133 episodes on topics like menopause, ADHD, sexual wellness, cardiology, physiotherapy, and more. For new listeners, I encourage you to start from the beginning to catch some great episodes. I'll be...

Adam Harris, an influential autism advocate from Ireland, shares his personal journey from childhood through to establishing the organisation 'As I Am'. The discussion touches on his early life, the challenges he faced as a child with autism, his education experience, and the development of his advocacy to promote autism awareness and inclusion. Adam highlights the significant progress made in Ire...

Episode Description: In this inspiring episode, Nicola shares her personal journey from being an anxious child and teacher to becoming a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) therapist. She explains the core principles of CBT and how it can help with anxiety, stress, low mood, menopause symptoms, parenting challenges, and more. Nicola also discusses the power of self-compassion, mindfulness, and res...

What happens when grief collides with a broken mental health system? In this raw and powerful conversation, Mary Ann Kenny shares the devastating journey that began when her husband died suddenly, leaving her alone with two young children. What followed was unimaginable - a psychotic episode triggered by medication side effects that led to her hospitalisation and a harrowing fight to keep her chil...

Journalist and beauty editor Edwina Ings-Chambers shares her refreshingly honest take on body image and the concept of body ownership rather than confidence. She opens up about feeling she's never had full agency over her body, even when slim, and how menopause has brought both new challenges and unexpected freedom. Key Points: Why Edwina rejects “body neutrality” in favour of  body ownership...

Send us a text Cancer has overtaken cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in Ireland, yet our mortality rates are falling faster than anywhere else in Europe. What's driving this paradox? Professor Deirdre Murray, Director of the National Cancer Registry of Ireland, pulls back the curtain on how cancer data is transforming healthcare in this country. Every year, the Registry ca...

Send us a text Dr Natasha Langan, a chartered clinical psychologist and accredited psychosexual therapist, explores how childhood sexual abuse impacts intimacy, and how ADHD in women can increase vulnerability to traumatic relationships and sexual exploitation. • Women with ADHD face higher rates of sexual victimization, unplanned pregnancies, and relationship dissatisfaction • Trauma includes bot...

Send us a text Navigating separation and divorce is emotionally charged and legally complex, requiring careful consideration of finances, children’s needs, and your own well-being throughout the process. Family law solicitor Hilary O’Connor offers clear guidance on managing this challenging life transition. Mediation should be the initial step in separation proceedings as it is free and enables co...

Send us a text Dr. Darragh McCashin joins us to explore how the online world affects our boys' mental, emotional and social development, offering insights on navigating digital challenges while supporting healthy masculinity. • Different responses to toxic online content: some boys consume and ignore, others parrot without understanding, some believe and embody, and some gradually adopt belie...

Send us a text Rereleasing this podcast as it was so popular and really demystified genital health! Dr. Aisling Loy, consultant in genitourinary medicine, debunks common misconceptions about sexual health and provides practical advice on addressing genital concerns with compassion and expertise. In this episode, we explore some of the most common myths and overlooked truths in vaginal and sexual h...

Send us a text Niamh Tallon, founder of Her Sport, is on a mission to change how we see women in sport through media coverage, education, and challenging the gender gap that exists across all levels of sport. • One in five girls drop out of sport between primary and secondary school compared to one in twenty boys • 94% of women in executive managerial positions have a background in sport, showing...

Send us a text Vicki Notaro shares her journey from leading magazine editor to successful novelist with two published books and a third on the way. She discusses how she always knew she wanted to be childless by choice and normalizing this decision for women. • Moving from journalism to fiction writing after experiencing burnout in the publishing industry • Finding medication helpful for managing...

Send us a text Ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Micheál O'Rourke takes us through the fascinating world of eye health, sharing insights from cataracts and macular degeneration to aesthetic procedures and vision preservation. • Eyes constantly move and blink even during sleep, requiring high energy and thin skin for optimal function • Cataracts are an inevitable part of aging, involving protein misalign...

Send us a text Sinéad Hingston-Green shares her heartbreaking journey of losing her husband Jeff while 19 weeks pregnant and how she rebuilt her life through grief, motherhood, and eventually finding love again. Her powerful story illustrates how we can honor those we've lost while still embracing new beginnings and finding purpose in our pain. • Sinead's husband Jeff died suddenly durin...

Send us a text James Green's honest conversation reveals how movement and authenticity can transform both physical and mental wellbeing. His personal journey through chronic illness, grief, and sexuality creates a powerful narrative about finding strength in vulnerability. • Athletic therapy specializes in musculoskeletal care, focusing on injury assessment and rehabilitation • Most effective...

Send us a text "What if your darkest moment became the catalyst for your greatest transformation?" This question lies at the heart of my profound conversation with Niall Harbison, whose remarkable journey from corporate success to rock-bottom alcoholism to purposeful revival might just change your perspective on what truly matters in life. Niall's story begins as a private chef for...

Send us a text From Being Dismissed by Doctors to Revolutionising Menopause Care in Ireland – Loretta Dingham’s Journey Is One Every Woman Needs to Hear When Loretta experienced her first hot flushes after her periods stopped at age 49, she thought she must be the youngest woman in Ireland to go through the menopause. Little did she know that the constellation of symptoms she had battled throughou...

Send us a text Dr. Clodagh Campbell, known as The Wellness Psychologist, shares her personal journey with anxiety as an adopted child and reveals how understanding yourself through psychology can transform both how you feel and how you live your life. <br><br>• How adoption and early separation created lifelong patterns of anxiety and abandonment fears<br>• The breaking point tha...

Send us a text In this episode, I’m joined by Abigail Godfrey — Netflix star of Selling the City and a high-profile real estate agent in Manhattan—for a raw and honest conversation about living with chronic pain, managing mental health, and the resilience it takes to thrive behind the scenes of success. Abi shares her experience of being born with congenital torticollis, as well as her journey wit...

Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Martin Rourke, a Dublin-based GP specialising in men’s health, for a wide-ranging and eye-opening conversation about testosterone, heart health, sleep, and the often-overlooked warning signs men ignore until it’s too late. From erectile dysfunction to fatigue and low motivation, Dr. Rourke explains how many of the symptoms men brush off could act...

Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with fitness coach, nutritionist, bestselling author and podcast host Brian Keane to explore how stress, hormones, and mindset play a huge role in overall wellbeing—particularly for women going through perimenopause and beyond. Brian breaks down what cortisol actually does in the body, how it’s often misunderstood, and why short bursts of physical stress—...

Send us a text In this episode, I’m joined by freediver, author, and speaker Claire Walsh for a powerful and vulnerable conversation about fertility, identity, and the emotional toll of IVF. Claire shares her deeply personal experience of going through seven IVF cycles that didn’t lead to pregnancy, opening up about the physical side effects, financial burden, and emotional rollercoaster that so m...

Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Dympna Little, the brilliantly sharp and darkly hilarious voice behind some of social media’s most honest conversations about grief, cancer, and humour as a coping mechanism. Dympna shares her mother’s battle with peritoneal cancer, highlighting the repeated misdiagnoses that delayed treatment and the raw realities of navigating end-of-life care. She...

Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Prof. Robert Kelly, a leading consultant cardiologist, to explore how small lifestyle changes can have a massive impact on heart health. We break away from the traditional approach to heart care, looking at nutrition, stress management, and mindset shifts that can help prevent and manage cardiovascular disease. Prof. Kelly shares insights on the Medi...

Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Maurice Neligan, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, to explore everything from knee pain and joint preservation to the latest advancements in joint replacement surgery. We break down what actually happens during surgery, how modern materials are improving outcomes, and the critical role of prehabilitation in setting patients up for success. Maurice share...