Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

When our DNA episode went live, we expected emotion. What we didn’t expect was backlash, national media attention, and one of the most divided audiences we’ve ever seen.In this behind-the-scenes episode, Lisa is joined by producer Aaron to reveal what was really happening off camera while the viral DNA story was unfolding - including the unexpected personal journey Aaron himself was on at the very same time.As Jeanette’s story of discovering a hidden family member captivated millions, Aaron was quietly waiting for his own DNA results in the hope of uncovering a missing branch of his family tree. What followed for both of them raised difficult questions about truth, identity, family, and the risks of genetic testing.We unpack:What you didn’t see during the original DNA episodeThe emotional and ethical fallout behind the scenesThe private producer’s story unfolding in real timeThe backlash, strong opinions, and public reactionThe risks most people don’t consider before taking a DNA testAnd how this one episode changed the future of the podcastThis is the untold story behind our most talked-about episode - raw, reflective, and honest.🎙️ Listener question: Would you still take a DNA test after hearing what really happened? Take the poll on our YouTube channel---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

Take this 3 min quiz and receive your FREE tailored workbook from Lisa.---What if you’re not lost at all - you’ve simply forgotten the evidence of who you really are?In this intimate coaching episode, Lisa takes you on a guided journey through the moments, memories and emotions that have quietly shaped your life. With Dr Carol’s powerful teaching - that every breath leaves an imprint - Lisa reveals how each woman she’s spoken to carries a golden thread woven through her story… and so do you.You’ll explore: ✨ The moment you’re secretly proud of but never speak about ✨ The strengths you used without even realising ✨ The clues your past is leaving for your present ✨ How to activate the code within you and step into your next eraIf you’re listening on a commute, a walk, or in the car, take a breath.This is your moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the woman you’ve always been.------ Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait---0:00 – Why you’re not lost (you’ve just lost the evidence).0:32 – How life moments leave an imprint on who you are.1:12 – When was the last time you truly saw yourself?2:28 – A guided moment to breathe and come into the now.3:13 – Understanding the “golden thread” in your story.4:14 – How small moments shape your identity.5:16 – Lisa’s story from travelling that changed everything.7:06 – The ripple effect of your energy and experiences.8:49 – You haven’t lost yourself — you’ve forgotten the clues.10:08 – Guided coaching: three questions to uncover your strengths.12:05 – Realising your strengths have always been there.13:27 – Using your story as a toolbox for today.14:21 – What you’re no longer willing to tolerate.15:19 – Activating your next era with courage.16:42 – How Lisa helps women find their building blocks.17:38 – Rediscovering the layers that make you who you are.18:53 – Reclaiming the parts of you that have dimmed.19:16 – How to take the quiz or book a coaching session.20:10 – Final reflection: the one moment you can use today.---Series Producer: Aaron Nelson

What really happens when you spend ten full days alone in complete darkness?In this extraordinary episode, Dr Carol Talbot joins Lisa to share one of the most intense and transformative experiences of her life - a 10-day dark room retreat designed to strip away external stimuli, awaken the body’s natural chemistry, and reveal who we truly are beneath our learned patterns and conditioning.Carol explains in grounded, accessible language how the body floods with melatonin, then pinoline, and eventually endogenous DMT when deprived of light, creating a cascade of healing, repair and vivid inner experiences. She also shares how darkness helped her reconnect to what she calls our “multi-dimensional DNA” - not just the biology we inherit, but the deeper intelligence, memory and potential held within us. You’ll hear:What happens to the body and mind in pitch-black darknessWhy melatonin and DMT can create intense emotional breakthroughsHow childhood conditioning shapes the “story” we keep relivingWhat DNA might hold beyond physical traitsWhy many women feel stuck in repeating patterns — and how to break themHow Carol uncovers the fears, blocks and beliefs that quietly trip us upWhat “optimal timelines” are and how they reveal your potentialThis is one of the most unusual and thought-stretching conversations we’ve ever shared - part science, part spirit, part emotional awakening - and a powerful invitation to question who you are, what’s holding you back, and who you could be if you stepped into a bigger version of yourself.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

This week’s episode is a personal message for Children’s Grief Awareness Week. I’m honouring my stepchildren, their mum, and the charity that supported our family through some of our hardest moments. Grief Encounter provide life-changing help for children and young people navigating loss. If you’d like to learn more or support their work, you can visit their website here.

To mark Children’s Grief Awareness Week, Dr Shelley Gilbert MBE joins Real Women’s Stories for one of the most important and thought-provoking conversations we’ve had on the show.Shelley lost both her parents before her 10th birthday - an experience that shaped every part of her life and ultimately led her to build one of the UK’s leading childhood bereavement charities.In this episode, Shelley shares:What it’s really like to experience parental death as a childHow trauma affects a child’s thoughts, feelings, and behavioursThe “conspiracy of silence” families often fall intoHow children can be supported with the right language and spaceAnd then the conversation turns somewhere unexpected - to AI.Shelley reflects on the emerging trend of using artificial intelligence to recreate the faces, voices, and movements of people who have died, and the emotional and ethical questions this raises for grieving families.This episode combines lived experience, psychological insight, and a deeply human question:Just because AI can bring someone back… should we let it?A powerful, essential watch for anyone supporting a grieving child or exploring the evolving relationship between grief and technology.--- Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait---0:00 – Shelley’s childhood story: losing both parents before age 101:10 – The silence around her mum’s illness and what children aren’t told2:25 – The night her father died and the shock that followed3:40 – How children cope: survival mode, fear, and the “tiger” metaphor5:00 – The “conspiracy of silence” and why families avoid talking about death6:15 – Trauma’s impact on thoughts, feelings and behaviour7:30 – Why language matters: saying “died” vs “lost”8:45 – The Grief Book and the beginnings of Grief Encounter10:00 – AI enters the conversation: recreating loved ones with technology11:20 – The emotional risks of AI memorials and how children can heal safely---Series Producer: Aaron Nelson

Take this 3 min quiz and receive your FREE tailored workbook from Lisa.---Have you ever made a big life decision that felt right in your heart - but wrong to everyone else?In this coaching episode, Lisa Quait shares her own story of packing up her life to travel solo across Asia, and how that single choice shaped the woman she became. Inspired by another woman’s powerful act of leaving a note behind to start anew, Lisa explores the deep guilt, courage, and clarity that come from choosing yourself - even when it means saying no to what others expect.💬 You’ll learn: • Why guilt often follows our most authentic choices • How to reframe guilt into strength • How to trust your instincts and make decisions for you • A simple 3-step reflection to start choosing yourself again👉 Take the New ERA Quiz and download Lisa’s free workbook in the show notes to uncover what’s holding you back from saying yes to the life you really want.🎧 Real Women’s Stories is a space for women to reconnect with their truth, share their journeys, and rediscover the power of their own voice.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait--- 0:00 – The choices that change everything 1:20 – Why guilt follows our decisions 3:55 – Lisa’s story: leaving the UK to travel solo 6:30 – Letting go of guilt and finding peace 9:45 – When overthinking stops you moving forward 11:45 – Turning guilt into strength 13:20 – Margaux’s story: leaving with only a note 16:30 – Learning to choose yourself 20:10 – Reframing guilt as courage 24:00 – What past choices can teach you now 27:00 – How to reconnect with your true self 28:30 – One choice you can make for you today 31:20 – Take the New ERA Quiz + next steps---Series Producer: Aaron NelsonPR & Marketing: Kate Williams