Healing Gals Podcast

This week, Molly is joined by the gorgeous Stephen (aka Annie Queeries / Mannie Queeries) for a deeply moving, funny, and heart-opening conversation. Stephen is a drag performer, podcaster, content creator, and all-round angel.Together, they explore what it’s like to grow up outside of the narrow “box” men are expected to fit into, and the profound impact of being rejected by society for simply being yourself. Stephen shares honestly about his formative years, homophobia, identity, and the long-term effects of emotional disconnection.This episode also tenderly holds space for grief, as Stephen speaks about the very recent passing of his mam, how giving up alcohol changed his life, and what healthy love looks like when you finally believe you deserve it.You are going to laugh, cry, and feel so seen listening to this one, gals.Topics We CoverStephen’s hilarious TikTok videosGrowing up queer and experiencing homophobiaReclaiming and unpacking “the F word”Exploring identity outside rigid gender normsThe impact of societal rejection on self-worthThe magic of female friendshipsAlok Vaid-Menon and gender expansivenessThe conditioning men receive under patriarchyHow emotional disconnection leads to long-term health issuesFinding sexuality confusing and unsafe in a rigid worldThe powerful “I deserve” toolGiving up alcohol and choosing self-respectChanging career paths later in lifeRedefining healthy loveLosing a mam to cancerGrief, funerals, and honouring life after loss Support the PodcastThe Healing Gals Podcast is a one-woman show — Molly records, edits, and promotes every episode herself.If you’ve received something meaningful from this conversation, consider supporting the show by buying Molly a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HealinggalspodcastYour support helps keep these heartfelt, healing conversations coming. Connect with MollyHave a dilemma or topic you’d love to hear discussed on the podcast?Email Molly at healinggalspodcast@gmail.com — she’d love to hear from you.

Season 5, Episode 8 – VALUES; Don’t Betray Yourself features gorgeous conversation between Molly and Katelyn Divilly, the only female Traitor from The Traitors Ireland Season One. Katelyn is an Organisational Development Consultant who works closely with teams to improve leadership, culture, and performance. In this episode, she brings both her professional insight and personal experience to a deep, honest exploration of values — how to identify them, live by them, and what happens when we betray them. At the very start of the episode, Molly also shares grounded, compassionate tips for navigating the Christmas season when you’re surrounded by dysfunctional family dynamics.Together, Molly and Katelyn unpack why values are foundational to living a good life, making aligned decisions, and maintaining self-trust — especially in environments shaped by misogyny, poor leadership, or limiting beliefs. Drawing on psychology, real-life examples, and moments of humour and reflection, the conversation moves through identity, rest, nature, and relationships, asking what it really means to perform well as an individual and as part of a team. They also explore whether shared values are essential in romantic partnerships, how bad management can erode personal integrity, and why slowing down — through rest, walking, or even the Camino — is not optional but essential.Topics covered:Tips for surviving the Christmas season with dysfunctional family membersHaving “special energy” and protecting itThe Aileen Wuornos serial killer documentary on NetflixMisogyny and its impact on womenThe Traitors Ireland: impact and lived experienceLimiting beliefs and negative vs positive self-talkWe are nature, not separate from itVALUES: how to identify them and why they matterThe Peter Principle in leadershipMartin Seligman and Values in ActionMeeting a partner: do they need the same values as you?Core values vs secondary valuesBad managers and managers who compromise your valuesTattoos as identity and meaningThis Is Not a Self-Help Book, But It Might Just Help You by Mark MehiganRest as essentialWalking the Camino and slowing down. Support the PodcastThe Healing Gals Podcast is a one-woman show — Molly records, edits, and promotes every episode herself.If you’ve received something meaningful from this conversation, consider supporting the show by buying Molly a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HealinggalspodcastYour support helps keep these heartfelt, healing conversations coming. Connect with MollyHave a dilemma or topic you’d love to hear discussed on the podcast?Email Molly at healinggalspodcast@gmail.com — she’d love to hear from you.

In this episode, Molly sits down with Lorraine Hogan, founder of Festival Mná.Lorraine shares her personal journey to creating Festival Mná and the vision behind a space devoted to celebrating women in all stages of life. ✨ Topics Covered:Lorraine’s path to creating Festival MnáPerimenopause & menopause as rites of passageWomen as a collective and the power of gatheringWhat to expect from Festival MnáThe 2025 theme: REBIRTHRemembering how special women truly areWhat holds women back from stepping fully into themselvesSelf-advocacy: where to start and how to growFor more information go to festival mná go to @festivalmná on all socials, visit https://festivalmna.com/ or go to https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/festival-mna-2026-tickets-1401554630629 for tickets.

In this important and necessary episode of Healing Gals Podcast, Molly sits down with well-known Irish solicitor Terry Gorry to discuss how women are impacted by and navigate the Irish justice system after experiencing abuse. This conversation offers both legal insight and cultural context, shedding light on the realities women face when seeking safety, protection, and justice.Terry explains the different legal protections available to women, including barring orders, protection orders and safety orders, outlining what each means and when they may apply. He speaks openly about the challenges women encounter when engaging with the courts and the emotional and practical barriers that often exist when attempting to leave abusive situations.The conversation also explores wider societal issues, including the rise of the manosphere and increasing male violence, and how these cultural shifts are influencing attitudes towards women. Terry reflects on how becoming a father to daughters deepened his awareness of women’s lived experiences and shaped his understanding of gendered harm.Molly and Terry discuss sexual harassment, including harassment in the workplace, and Terry shares his experience taking cases on behalf of women who have been sexually harassed. They also delve into divorce and separation, highlighting what women need to consider, how the courts approach access, the reality of so-called deadbeat dads, maintenance obligations, and whether men can be legally compelled to pay maintenance. The episode also touches on Jenny’s Law and the case of Jason Poole, and why these issues matter for women’s safety and legal reform in Ireland.Following the interview, Molly reflects on how the government’s current housing policies are keeping women trapped in unsafe and abusive situations, challenging the narrative that women can simply leave. She highlights how lack of housing options continues to force women to choose between homelessness and harm, and why systemic change is urgently needed.This episode is essential listening for women navigating abuse, separation, or the Irish legal system, and for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of how patriarchy, policy and justice intersect in women’s lives. Support the PodcastThe Healing Gals Podcast is a one-woman show — Molly records, edits, and promotes every episode herself.If you’ve received something meaningful from this conversation, consider supporting the show by buying Molly a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HealinggalspodcastYour support helps keep these heartfelt, healing conversations coming. Connect with MollyHave a dilemma or topic you’d love to hear discussed on the podcast?Email Molly at healinggalspodcast@gmail.com — she’d love to hear from you.

In this powerful and surprisingly hilarious episode of Healing Gals Podcast, host Molly Smyth sits down with breakup coach, retreat facilitator, women’s circle leader, and celebrant Kelly Hunt. Together, they explore what it really looks like to reclaim yourself after heartbreak, betrayal, or the quiet unraveling of a relationship that was never aligned with your soul.Kelly opens up about her own divorce journey—including why she threw a divorce party to celebrate closing a chapter that no longer served her and stepping boldly into the life she was meant to live. She shares how her personal healing led her to her purpose: guiding women through breakups, transitions, and deep self-rediscovery.And then… things take a turn in the best way.Molly revisits emails sent by a former boyfriend—the same boyfriend whose cheating she unpacked in Season 1, Episode 1 (“Shame”). With new clarity and a lot more humor, Molly and Kelly break down the manipulation, gaslighting, and emotional gymnastics hiding in plain sight within those old messages. What once felt confusing or painful is now unmistakable—and honestly, pretty funny—when viewed through a healed lens.This episode is equal parts empowerment, catharsis, sisterhood, and comedic relief. If you’ve ever doubted your intuition, ignored red flags, or felt ashamed for trusting the wrong person… this one is for you.Topics covered:Kelly’s divorce journey and why she chose to celebrate itHow she became a breakup coach, retreat facilitator, and celebrantThe power of community, women’s circles, and ritual during life transitionsWhat healing looks like when you finally choose youMolly’s past experience with infidelity and the emotional chaos of not knowingLive reactions to real emails from Molly’s ex—featuring gaslighting, manipulation, and accidental comedyHow hindsight turns pain into clarity… and sometimes into laughterReframing shame after being cheated onWhy reclaiming your story is one of the most liberating parts of healing If You Enjoyed This Episode…Please follow, rate, and leave a review—it helps the Healing Gals community grow and supports conversations that help women reconnect to who they were before the world got its hands on them. Support the PodcastThe Healing Gals Podcast is a one-woman show — Molly records, edits, and promotes every episode herself.If you’ve received something meaningful from this conversation, consider supporting the show by buying Molly a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HealinggalspodcastYour support helps keep these heartfelt, healing conversations coming. Connect with MollyHave a dilemma or topic you’d love to hear discussed on the podcast?Email Molly at healinggalspodcast@gmail.com — she’d love to hear from you.Remember, You're good enough exactly as you are 

S5 Ep4: Is My Parent A Narcissist? with Accredited Psychotherapist Kaite McKennaIn this powerful episode of Healing Gals Podcast, I’m joined by accredited psychotherapist, podcaster, and author Katie McKenna—host of the acclaimed podcast Beyond Survival and co-author of International Best Selling book You’re Not the Problem.Together, we dive deep into the complex dynamics of growing up with a narcissistic parent and how this differs from being raised by an emotionally immature parent. Katie breaks down the core traits of narcissistic parenting and the subtle—but profoundly damaging—patterns that can show up in families affected by this dynamic.We explore:What truly defines a narcissistic parentHow narcissism differs from emotional immaturityThe impact this parenting style has on the entire family systemThe roles siblings often fall into—and why they compete, clash, or disconnectCommon dysfunctional family behaviours that keep the cycle goingThe roles children adopt to survive: the hero, the scapegoat, the lost child, the peacemaker, and moreKatie shares countless real-life examples throughout our conversation, making it easier for listeners to identify if they have experienced—or are currently experiencing—these patterns in their own families.This episode is validating, eye-opening, and deeply empowering for anyone on a healing journey from childhood dysfunction. Support the PodcastThe Healing Gals Podcast is a one-woman show — Molly records, edits, and promotes every episode herself.If you’ve received something meaningful from this conversation, consider supporting the show by buying Molly a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/HealinggalspodcastYour support helps keep these heartfelt, healing conversations coming. Connect with MollyHave a dilemma or topic you’d love to hear discussed on the podcast?Email Molly at healinggalspodcast@gmail.com — she’d love to hear from you.Remember, You're good enough exactly as you are