Journey to Wellbeing - with Ana Stefan

Ana Stefan
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Hey there, welcome! I’m Ana, your host and Wellbeing Coach. In this podcast, I chat with people in the well-being industry to uncover their why and how. Many of my guests, like me, started on this journey from a desire to heal their own bodies or feel better in their lives—and discovered a passion for sharing their knowledge and helping others. We talk about their turning points, where they are now, and how they can help you feel your best. I hope you enjoy these conversations and feel inspired to write your own well-being story.

  1. Your Job Isn’t Your Worth -Redefining Success with Michelle McCarthy

    FEB 11

    Your Job Isn’t Your Worth -Redefining Success with Michelle McCarthy

    In this episode, I chat with Michelle McCarthy, a Dublin-based life and career coach who specialises in helping women navigate professional transitions with confidence. Michelle shares her journey from being a "high-achieving perfectionist" in the corporate marketing world to finding her true purpose through coaching. After overcoming personal struggles with body image and self-worth, she realised that the traditional corporate ladder didn't align with her new perspective on life. Now, she helps other women advocate for themselves, set boundaries, and find roles that bring them genuine fulfilment About the guest: Michelle McCarthy is a qualified Life and Career Coach who helps women land their next job move, navigate career transitions and build lasting confidence at work. She is deeply passionate about the importance of being happy at work - whether that means doing something you truly enjoy, learning to advocate for yourself, or setting healthier boundaries. Michelle began her career in the corporate world before training as a life coach and later as a career coach. She brings to her clients both a mindset-driven approach and a practical, real-world perspective, empowering them to create careers that feel fulfilling and aligned. Connect with Michelle: IG: https://www.instagram.com/michelleamccarthy_/ Website: https://michelleamccarthy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemccarthy-coach/.

    59 min
  2. You have to advocate for yourself- with Hannah Ryan

    11/11/2025

    You have to advocate for yourself- with Hannah Ryan

    In this episode, I reconnect with Hannah, who first joined me in the very first episode of this podcast to talk about her mysterious symptoms, endless medical tests, and the search for answers. After three years of struggle, countless appointments, and being told it was “just stress,” Hannah finally received a Lyme disease diagnosis , a diagnosis that brought her both relief and new challenges. Hannah opens up about what it’s really like to live with an invisible illness, how she’s completely changed her lifestyle, and why she’s passionate about raising awareness for Lyme disease, a condition that remains under-recognised and often difficult to diagnose. She also shares an important message for anyone navigating health uncertainty: trust your body, keep going, and advocate for yourself , even when the system makes it hard. You can self-refer, you can ask questions, and you deserve to be heard. 🎙️ If you haven’t already, listen back to Season 1 Episode 1 to hear Hannah’s story from the beginning.

    56 min
  3. Wellbeing is more than your physical body-with Bex Brame

    03/01/2025

    Wellbeing is more than your physical body-with Bex Brame

    In this episode, I chat with Bex Brame, a Health and Wellbeing Life Coach who helps women through life's expected and unexpected changes, twists, and transformations. Bex is no stranger to transformations; she has moved countries numerous times, started a family, changed careers, and experienced well-being in a unique way. We talk about her journey, her work and how wellbeing is more than your physical body. I hope you enjoy this episode. Her website is www.bexbrame.com,  IG handle is @bexbrame (here).  Sign up to her mailing list here with "'Sort your sh*t out for the week ahead' journaling prompts & audio guide here

    56 min
  4. Hormones, Fertility and Women's Health- With Celine Nelli

    12/30/2024

    Hormones, Fertility and Women's Health- With Celine Nelli

    In this episode, I chat with Celine, a nutritional therapist specializing in women’s health, hormones, and reproductive well-being. We talk about the importance of educating women about their bodies, cycles, and hormonal health, teaching young women and men about reproductive health early on, how to stand up for yourself during GP visits and medical appointments, the role of both partners in fertility challenges, balancing estrogen and progesterone for a healthy menstrual cycle, simple self-care practices like forest bathing and mindful movement, breaking free from the quick-fix wellness culture, embracing consistency over perfection, and the value of personalized approaches to health and well-being. Celine brings a wealth of expertise and a refreshing perspective to these topics, making this episode both empowering and deeply insightful. You can reach out to Celine at https://www.celinenellinutrition.com

    52 min
  5. Intuitive Eating- with Niamh Orbinski

    12/12/2024

    Intuitive Eating- with Niamh Orbinski

    In this episode, we dive deep into the world of intuitive eating with Niamh Orbinski. Niamh shares her expertise on tuning in to your body’s natural hunger cues, breaking free from diet culture, and reconnecting with a healthier, more joyful relationship with food. Whether you're navigating challenges with food or simply curious about how to shift your mindset, this conversation is filled with practical insights and empowering wisdom. Join us for an uplifting discussion that encourages you to trust yourself, listen to your body, and embrace food freedom without guilt or shame. Niamh Orbinski is a Nutritionist, Intuitive Eating Counselor and Yoga Teacher who runs a weight-inclusive, virtual nutrition practice specialising in intuitive eating, disordered eating and body image. Her work is HAES aligned, meaning that she encourages health-promoting behaviours, regardless of their outcome on weight. As a nutrition counsellor, she likes to get to the root of food issues and habits through what is best described as food and body image therapy. She believes that when we look beyond weight, we open ourselves up to a healthier relationship with food, body and self. She is also the author of 'No Apologies: Ditch Diet Culture and Rebuild Your Relationship with Food', which was published by Harper Collins in 2023 and the host of the Food Body and Beyond podcast. You can find Niamh at https://www.nutritionwithniamh.com

    56 min
  6. Challenging Fitness Stereotypes with Chrissy Hawkins

    10/23/2024

    Challenging Fitness Stereotypes with Chrissy Hawkins

    In this episode, I chat with Chrissy Hawkins, an equestrian strength coach, about her unique journey and insights on well-being and fitness. Chrissy shares how she transitioned from a communications background into personal training, with a special focus on helping equestrians improve their strength and confidence. Chrissy opens up about her lifelong passion for horse riding, starting at just 7 years old. She discusses the common challenges equestrians face, including a lack of confidence and a tendency to neglect their own health while caring for their beloved horses. We also explore Chrissy's perspective on horse welfare in the competitive equestrian industry, and the importance of the strict regulations in place to protect these majestic animals. One of the key topics we dive into is the benefits of weight training for women. Chrissy explains how strength training can improve bone density, joint health, and overall fitness - all while addressing the common fears women have about "bulking up." Chrissy also provides valuable advice for beginners on finding a supportive gym environment and working with a personal trainer, especially for those recovering from injuries. She shares her own fitness journey and the pivotal role that confidence has played in achieving her personal goals. Whether you're an equestrian, or simply someone looking to prioritize your well-being, this conversation with Chrissy is sure to inspire and empower you to embrace strength training and take charge of your holistic health. Chrissy is an Equestrian Strength coach who helps horse riders who want to  I help Equestrians to improve their riding position, Rehab injuries, Feel strong and confident, both in AND out of the saddle. She also works with a wide rand of people from 16-80 helping them keep fit and move better. Website: www.chrissyhawkins.com Instagram: @stronginthesaddle_ Tiktok: @stronginthesaddle Podcast: Why Not? Podcast

    55 min
  7. Life and wellbeing "outside the box" with Lauren Dawson

    09/11/2024

    Life and wellbeing "outside the box" with Lauren Dawson

    In this episode I chat with Lauren, a neuro-affirming coach and founder of Curious Coaching. Lauren shares her journey from particle physicist to workplace wellbeing expert and explores how her own late-discovered neurodivergence shaped her life, wellbeing and career. We also discuss the importance of creating inclusive workplaces that honour both neurodiversity and gender identity. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I do. You can connect with me on Instagram @anastefancoaching You can connect with Lauren soon LinkedIn or her website ⁠LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawsonlauren⁠ Website - ⁠⁠https://curious-coaching.co.uk/⁠ Reading list:  ADHD: An A to Z by Leanne Maskell is a great starting point, overview and reference point. 2. Unmasked: The ultimate guide to ADHD, autism and neurodivergence by Ellie Middleton for a great translation of traits into how they present in women. She also has a new book coming out in September  - 'How to be you' 3. Life Isn't Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, and In-Between by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi 4. Neuroqueer Heresies by Dr Nick Walker explores the neurodiversity paradigm, Autistic empowerment and postnormal possibilities 5. The power of different: Then link between disorder and genius by Gail Saltz, M.D. Covers a range of differences including ADHD

    56 min
  8. The Healing Power of Sound - with Simone Meschnig

    07/30/2024

    The Healing Power of Sound - with Simone Meschnig

    In this episode, I chat with Simone Meschnig, Sound Healing practitioner, Yoga and Meditation teacher, Shamanic energy healing practitioner, artist, and Laughter Yoga leader. We chat about her journey to discovering the magic of sound and how she turned burnout into a breakthrough after leaving her corporate job to become self-employed. At the end of our conversation, Simone kindly offered us a sample of her sound work, so I hope you enjoy it. Simone kindly shared some free resources here too, you can access a laughter yoga session here: https://youtu.be/R7bL_lWUh-0 Or an onlne sound bath at Sanctuaryhttps://youtu.be/ZfBYyI4bVKg You can reach out to Simone on. her website https://infinite-sound.com On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/simonemeschnig/?hl=en You can connect with me via email : info@anastefan.ie or on Instagram @https://www.instagram.com/anastefancoaching/?hl=en

    1h 3m
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About

Hey there, welcome! I’m Ana, your host and Wellbeing Coach. In this podcast, I chat with people in the well-being industry to uncover their why and how. Many of my guests, like me, started on this journey from a desire to heal their own bodies or feel better in their lives—and discovered a passion for sharing their knowledge and helping others. We talk about their turning points, where they are now, and how they can help you feel your best. I hope you enjoy these conversations and feel inspired to write your own well-being story.

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