Stay in the Loop with Lucy

Why is it so natural to go into comparison? Are we measured from such an early age that we have forgotten how to adore each other just for being who we are rather than for what we do or achieve? Annette, Gabe and Lucy tease out what is behind this pernicious virus that seems to permeate way too much of our society. Annette and Gabe are both practising counsellors who work with people from all walks of life. Their focus is relationships and have dedicated themselves to walk the intricacy that makes a relationship truly harmonious so they can support clients from lived experience. Their practice crosses borders thanks to online platforms therefore, what they bring to their interviews has a wholeness that leaves no one out

The year 7-9 Community Problem Solving Team from Ravenswood Girls School have, once again, offered a unique insight into the challenges of Neurodiversity in a school environment. Abi, Millie, Mia and Grace talk us through their project and what their team of 11 have done for the competition this year. Unravelling Uniqueness is a wonderful celebration of how we can celebrate neurodiversity.

How often do we hide our true selves behind a mask of humour? All too often it gets us out of a crippling shyness or give us an opportunity to be more popular... Meet Philip Hills - a man unafraid to wear a tiara

There is a very particular skill brought to cleaning that leaves an imprint in the home which forms the foundation for how we live and move in that space. Do we appreciate that about the work we do, or the work we employ someone else to do for us? Check out this interview with Mary-Louise, June and Michael as they share what they all bring to the work they do... you will never clean in the same way again - or not appreciate the work your cleaner does on your behalf.

After the last post on death and dying - I felt there was an important question to ask - do we know how to live?! Let's be honest, there are handbooks for everything and most of them tell us we are have much to learn, so when Cynthia Hickman a psychotherapist wrote a 'Handbook for Being Human' I was intrigued. My interview with Cynthia talks to how we grow up in this world without buying into the fear factor that is fed to us left, right, centre, up and down! Towards the end of the interview Cynthia shares how important we all are to the culture of our world. I so love her call for us all to be part of the change we want to see in the world - to change the culture of being human from the ground up. I see bulbs are sprouting already...

Are we ready to have a 'maturing' conversation about death and dying that considers the concept of loss and grief and how everyone's experience does not need to be the same? Jasmine, Deborah and Anita offer different lived experiences with one common theme - they did not own the person who passed - no matter the role they played in their lives and therefore their experience of grief was not as 'expected'.

Helen offers an insight into the generation for whom the internet has been their 'normal'. Her parents introduced her to online dating and yet it was certainly not all smooth sailing. What Helen offers is an insight into manipulation, what you put in reflects what you get out and meeting the right person when you are actually ready not when you think you are ready!

Hannah has been in the online dating scene for 20 years - she started young! She now has so much to share about what to watch out for and how to embrace all it has to offer

Let me introduce you to Marika, a woman who brings a steadiness to the discussion about online dating, she normalises the practicals of talking to people and when that moment arrives to be exclusive and commit to seeing where the relationship might go. She is also a stunning representation of someone who is unafraid to be themselves - “This is who I am in all my variety of expressions”

Susan who had never done anything like this before, "it was like starting all over again”. She offers her experience as an older person and takes some of the mystery out of it. Clearly, Susan would encourage us all to have a go at something new because even though something isn't quite right and might not continue, there is still lots of opportunity to grow for all involved. Most importantly - what is your 'WHY', for Susan it was simple, you can't not share all your gorgeousness with someone else.

Trudy started online dating at 40. She had experienced all the comments about having to meet someone, about feeling like it was never going to happen. Then she got speaking to a local farmer! Trudy went from Mr High to Mr Right with wonderful support and a little bit of coaching from family and friends! Top tip - make sure your photo matches what you look like now...

Meet Rosie, her strengths are honesty and directness. Why mess around, why look or settle for scraps, still falling for feeling 'not worthy' of love?

Meet Shelley who has a slightly different perspective to dating sites. She has learnt a lot about herself, but also about the games, the manipulation and the resulting hurts that is rife within the online dating world. If we don't want to play the games it may be worth remembering that each swipe left or right is a person and that if you are calling not to be used, then to be sure you are acting with integrity yourself.

We think we want to 'play the field' and hang out to see if we get a better offer but I am not so sure this is the way to go! From what I am hearing from these women it is about setting a standard knowing your self-worth way before you meet someone. Then there is no question of whether you will be one to 'mess around' or not...

Each of our children are very different and no one size fits all. This Big Little Kids audio is from parents who have parented their teens through the challenge of the end of High School. Here they offer back some experience that may support you to embrace what is on offer in those last years. Still Stay in the Loop with Lucy but a slightly different flavour!

Sometimes we need to take a moment to understand what is behind the rebellion. Stay in the Loop with Lucy takes a moment here with Big Little Kids to consider how we can view our behaviour in childhood as an adult. Does the child inside ever really go or is there a big little kid in all of us trying to work out what was behind our seemingly wayward behaviour and can that reflection offer gold to parents trying to deal with a rebellious teen?

Rather than judge the Gamer in your home, perhaps it is about understanding them. Leigh has been that gamer, and now reflects on her addiction from 'the other side' where the compulsion loop, she so simply describes, has no hold on her. There are some great top tips on how to address an addiction, be that to gaming or anything else that is used to cope with life rather than live it.

Young people have much to say but how do they find an outlet for that expression without being intimidated by doing something new or meeting new people? Meet Eloise who started to see the benefits of the Social Justice team in year 9 at school and now sees it as part of who she is and her purpose in life.

Has a woman's cycle been reduced to knowledge about how to, or how not to, get pregnant? Is there more to understand about the cycles of our body and could our body's cycles be as expressive as natures cycles but we are missing the text messages?! Join Sara Harris from Living Stillness and founder of Follow Your Flow as she takes us into the most wonderful world of wonder - the female body.

We have all these pictures about how to be the perfect parent and they can all come to a rather messy, puss filled head when constrained by lockdown and restrictions in our physical space. Yet how we approach it can have a massive impact on outcomes. What if it is a wonderful opportunity to listen to each other and to honour what each person in the home is feeling? Listen to my three amazing guests share their lived experiences.

Two men, two very different experiences but one outcome - a new focus on life with all to live for. Meet Greg and Sam, both are out of work but embracing life at home with the family and discovering that their wives have been working much harder than they gave them credit for!

We can see children as too small to know any better, or we can see them as equals who have much to offer us by reflection. Ryan Adams shares with great tenderness how his behaviour could have been described as 'rambunctious' and perhaps 'difficult' but to him, he was trying to work out who he was and trying to build his own boundaries. Now, as a parent himself, he offers some wise reflections for us, not just as parents, but as a community who parent the many children and young adults in our community.

This interview considers the challenges faced by 3 women who had successful careers and who lost their jobs during COVID-19. Rather than shut them down, it has opened them up to countless opportunities. Join Rachel, Anna and Carmen share how this has opened their eyes to so much more than their job titles and helped them consider how we might raise our girls to value their essence beyond the external trappings.

Lockdown can be seen in two ways - our worst nightmare, or an opportunity to re-evaluate, make changes, set new foundations and then take that back out into the world again. Are you ready to consider if the lenses through which you have viewed your life to date are the lenses that best reflect your true self? Gabrielle Caplice and Annette Baker join Lucy Dahill for another in-depth discussion on ease, unease and disease.

It is not so simple to clock criticism and just stop it, sometimes we need to take a step back an understand why it is there and why it is our 'go-to' when things don't go our way. Annette and Gabrielle offer an insight into ho we can take a moment to stop, observe and read before we react and find ourselves in a toxic soup of criticism again.

Do we clock how much we criticise each other in families? Have we just taken it as our normal and therefore it is just expected and accepted and if that is the case, does it really matter? Join Annette, Gabrielle and Lucy as they consider how criticism plays out in families.

How ready are we to talk about the current state of play in nursing and health care? Is it possible that this world-wide crisis has highlighted patterns of behaviour that have been taken as normal for many years? In this episode Lucy talks to two nurses and two health care practitioners - all of whom speak from experience about how it has been and how it can be. Get ready for some practical self-care tips to take into life, whether or not you work in health care.

Do we underestimate how important sleep is to our mental and physical health? Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection shares the importance of sleep in so many aspects of our lives.

Have you worried about your child just not 'getting it' at school? Have you watched them disengage and lose faith in education and themselves? Perhaps they are more suited to a work environment. Listen to one parent who realised they needed to do something to support their young person and how they went about it.

In cancer care there is always a question of quality versus quantity. Kate has come to her own decision about what she would like and it is likely to ask you to consider your approach to living quality of life is over quantity as well as to question what being healthy actually means.

In this intimate interview with Lucy Dahill, Jodie Matthews shares her intimate experience with pregnancy, loss and growth. In sharing her story she offers others support for not only how to deal with the loss of a child, but also how to support someone who has lost a child.

Truth and honesty are foundational tenets of most school and workplace mission statements, but I would ask, how can we consider what the truth is if we don't first know how to be honest with ourselves or others? Gabrielle Caplice, Annette Baker and Lucy Dahill unravel why we may not want to be honest but why it is a matter of future health and wellbeing.

Take two young men, just starting out their career but already successful, one idea and passion for 'being part of the change in this world' and then add an awesome Head of Operations and bingo you have socially conscious ethical business Humanitix, an organisation making waves in the online ticketing world. Google have just made them one of the 4 organisations to receive $1 million towards their project! That is one solid stamp of confidence for Humanitix, their board and the team of investors who have supported them to date.

How much do we underestimate the heart? Is it just part of our function or can it and does it offer so much more that can support us as we live our lives? Phil Shirvington has worked with a dynamic group of teachers to bring the heart, stillness and questioning into practice through Wisdom, Life Faith Studies and shares some foundational understanding as well as top tips for practice.

How much does shame influence the decisions we make and the behaviours we have taken as our normal? Jean Gamble talks us through shame and regret and teases out the different types of shame - toxic, functional and vicarious shame. What if there is a way to re-frame our thinking? Get snug as a bug in a rug and perhaps a pen and paper - you may want to take notes!

The show today is an up close and personal with study – the stress, the anxiety, the need – and perhaps most importantly the why. Do we have a reason for doing our study, is it ours and therefore has a purpose? If so, can we support ourselves to ensure we keep the study in balance with our other commitments in life thereby keeping perspective. Join Lucy as she shares some of the things she learnt the hard way!

What is it like being a Board Member in diverse industries? Is there a challenge with gender diversity and is there a big difference between for profit and not-for-profit boards? These are just a few of the questions covered in this interview with Teresa Dyson, an experienced Board Director, as she walks us through her life and decision making process inspiring others to hone the personal and professional skills to contribute in life.

Mandy Newman and Lydia Hamilton have put their hat firmly in the ring to raise the standard and quality of writing in our world. Listen to their focus of building confidence in children’s skills to value their voices and the magic that is just waiting to be expressed in written form.

Hold onto your hats because this is a corker! How much does fear influence our upbringing and the foundations of our decision making and relationships? We come to the conclusion...alot! What is so supportive about this program is how we can so easily support each other to recognise how this fear of standing out, of speaking up, of having a go, can rob us all of our valuable contribution to life and lead to anxiety and loneliness.

Do we consider the high stress jobs our fathers do? Perhaps we could consider farming as one of those high pressure jobs. This show introduces us to Chris Iffland who shares first hand what life is like as a 5th generation farmer. Also hear Neil McWhannell talk about the Rotary Club initiative to support the farmers, Hugh Burne our second farmer tell us about some of the infrastructure he has put in place that is supporting both his farm and his neighbours premises. Lastly United Tradies Chris Saville will be sharing his new project and helping our farmer Chris on the farm!

If the way we live contributes to our health, then that puts us firmly in the drivers seat to be able to contribute to our medicine as well. Eunice Minford shares with Lucy Dahill what an empowering marriage Esoteric and Conventional Medicine make and how it considers the doctor and the patient's health and wellbeing.

Katie Walls and Donna Gianniotis share with Lucy Dahill the details of their one day Breast Cancer Care Retreat through Esoteric Women's Health offering a fresh way to approach breast cancer care. We talk about sympathy, not avoiding conversations, who we ask for support and how to self-care...Is it time for a re-assessment of what we have taken as loving care?

How much are we really in charge of what we wear, what we buy and how we style? This interview with Jenny Hayes and Carmin Hall is so inspiring for creating space in our lives both emotionally and physically.

When chronic pain affects 1 in 5 adults according to Pain Australia and is the leading cause of absenteeism and early retirement, there is a conversation to be had about how we can bring a level of care to ourselves that supports the body to rebalance itself. In this interview Kate Greenaway and Jean Gamble offer practical tips and experienced insight.

Once and a while someone comes along who lives and breaths a dedication to making the world a more loving and caring place. Jo Karaolis shares the story of her life and how she found herself learning from her students so much along the way. This will inspire teachers, parents and anyone who would like to empower children to be the engaged, responsible and accountable adults they are all capable of being.

The worst drought in 100 years is happening now in NSW. 80% of our state is in drought and it is time we stood together to support. Just because we don't live in rural Australia it doesn't mean you can't do something to help. Firstly, take time to understand the problem and then consider what part you can play to support - it might be by considering where you shop, what conversations we should be having with your MP's or what other people in the field are already doing and perhaps donating resources or cash to their efforts.

It is time to talk about Toxic Masculinity and see how this issue is so much more than a gender issue. Joining Lucy Dahill in the studio are Robyn Jones, Tony Sambell and Stephen Gammack.

Have you considered that the extremes of clutter start with the small stuff? At what time do we consider the small stuff to be big enough to do something about? Join Jenny Hayes and Lucy Dahill talk about decluttering your home, your wardrobe even your life! Includes top tips on where, why and how to start.

Time for a practical look at stress, how we get there and how we can start to address the patterns of behaviour we have taken as normal so we don't end up stressed. No perfection but looking at a simple commitment to appreciate and look at the quality of what we do... building consistency in that appreciation.

Do we know what Unconditional Love is? Imagine if there was a way to love and be loved that was so simple and normal that it was actually harder work not to Love in that way. In a world where Connection and Love seem to be what we all want but what we don't seem to achieve check out the latest episode from Stay in the Loop with Lucy.

CEO Deb Sazdanoff and her Daughter Layla talk about what is unique about Studio Artes, about inclusion, respect and FUN! They have their big fundraised production Wild at Hornsby RSL Friday 22nd June.