Your 2nd Act
Welcome to Your 2nd Act podcast - where we celebrate the power and beauty of women in their middle years. Join me each fortnight as I chat to inspiring women from all walks of life, sharing their stories, insights, and hard-earned wisdom. Together, we'll explore the limitless possibilities of your next chapter and trust me, the curtain has just risen on your most exciting act yet.
Episodes
80 episodes
Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT… why does it all still feel so confusing? Even when you’re living it.
Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT… why does it all still feel so confusing? Even when you’re living it.In this episode, Michelle Parsonage admits what so many women are quietly thinking: she’s listened to the experts, re...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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49:42
Your 2nd Act & AIO Wellness present - THE REBOOT
Your 2nd Act & AIO Wellness present - THE REBOOTThis year, Michelle has made ‘collaboration’ a key focus, working alongside like-minded women to create meaningful conversations and experiences. In today’s episode, she’s joi...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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18:33
FROM SCHOOL PICK-UP TO SUPER YACHTS: THE MIDLIFE DJ DUO
FROM SCHOOL PICK-UP TO SUPER YACHTS: THE MIDLIFE DJ DUOSchool mums by day, DJ duo by night… In this episode, Michelle chat’s with Bri and Sarah from BSide DJs, two friends who decided midlife was the perfect moment to revive a ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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46:19
My 2025 Year in Review
My 2025 Year in ReviewIn this reflective solo episode, Michelle looks back on a year that quietly changed everything. She shares what 2025 taught her about midlife, identity, and learning to let go when life doesn’t look the way y...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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16:25
Midlife from both sides with Matt Elliott & Susan Pearse
Midlife From Both Sides with Matt Elliott & Susan PearseIn this episode, Michelle sits down with former NRL coach Matt Elliott and award-winning author Susan Pearse for a powerful and honest conversation about midlife seen throug...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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46:39
I Gave Away All My Money…and Instantly Regretted It!
I Gave Away All My Money…and Instantly Regretted It!Let’s be real, money talk isn’t exactly sexy. But ignoring it can lead to stress, missed opportunities, and even financial struggles, especially in midlife. Many women feel lo...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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37:15
My Midlife Job Reset: Finding the Courage to Try Something New!
My Midlife Job Reset: Finding the Courage to Try Something New!What do you do when you get tired of doing what you’ve always done and start feeling that quiet nudge to try something new? In this week’s solo e...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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14:48
We’re Starting a Women’s Circle and You’re Invited!
We’re Starting a Women’s Circle and You’re Invited!As we move through midlife, many of us start to crave deeper connection - real, honest conversations with women who truly understand what we’re going through. In this heartfelt...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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41:23
My Midlife Reset: The Honest Truth
Welcome back to Season 4 of Your 2nd Act! Michelle kicks things off with a personal solo episode, sharing the big changes she is navigating right now. From her daughter moving overseas to the decision to sell the famil...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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16:24
I Thought It Was Just Hormones….Turns Out It Was ADHD
Why are so many women being diagnosed with ADHD in midlife? and what does menopause have to do with it?In this episode, Michelle chats with Women’s Psychologist Leanne Mulheron about the rising awareness of ADHD in midlife women, and how...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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46:10
I Did a Shirley Valentine: Took a Gap Year and Found Myself.
Imagine reaching midlife and deciding to take a gap year, on your own, without your family, and without all the usual responsibilities. How many times have you thought, "I wish I could just do that," but for some reason, you don’t because you’r...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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39:40
Where Did My Sex Drive Go and Can I Get It Back?
So many women in midlife find themselves thinking, “What happened to my sex drive?” Whether it feels like it’s gone on a long holiday or disappeared completely, it’s something that’s often joked about, but rarely talked about honestly....
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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50:04
Empty Nest in Reverse: When the Parents Move Out!
Instead of the kids moving out, you pack up and leave, giving them the family home while you and your partner start fresh somewhere new. That’s exactly what Sara and her husband did, and in this conversation, Sara shares how this bold move tran...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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37:15
Why Won’t He Open Up? Helping Midlife Men Break the Silence
As we move through midlife, we often focus on the changes we’re experiencing, but what about the men in our lives? Our husbands, partners, brothers, and friends are navigating their own challenges, often in silence.In this deeply relatab...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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40:11
Help! I’ve Lost My Style and I Don’t Know Where to Start! - Courtney’s Guide to Getting It Back.
Feeling stuck in a style rut? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney a fashion stylist, content creator, and someone who’s completely reinvented herself in midlife.After 30 years in corporate, Courtney found herself qu...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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51:00
Midlife Friendships: Who Stays, Who Fades, and Who’s Still to Come!
We know how important female friendships are in midlife - hey, imagine life without them… scary, right? These relationships are our lifelines, our sounding boards, and our greatest cheerleaders, but what happens when a friendship no longer alig...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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13:10
A 2nd Act with Heart: Ren’s Mission to Help Women in Crisis!
Midlife is often seen as a time of reflection, but for many women, it’s also a time of bold reinvention. In this episode, I speak with Ren, co-founder of ReLove, about how she embraced her 2nd Act by starting a much needed charity, one...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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51:38
Breaking Free from ‘Good Girl’ Conditioning
Guys how many of you describe yourself as people-pleasers, perfectionists, or the one who’s always protecting others? Bloody exhausting… isn’t it!If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and today’s guest knows exactly how you feel. Dr....
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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40:00
Midlife and Alcohol - Do They Really Mix?
In this episode of Your 2nd Act, I sit down with Kath Elliott, an alcohol coach, to explore the complexities of alcohol consumption, particularly among midlife women. Many of us have grown up with alcohol as a central part of socialisi...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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47:50
“I Started a Women’s Health Clinic in My 2nd Act—Here’s Why"
This week, I chat with Hema Prakash, founder of Ponti Health, about the gaps in women’s healthcare, especially in midlife. So many of us feel unsupported and unheard when it comes to perimenopause, menopause, and our overall well-being. Hema sa...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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52:17
From Hidden Truths to Self-Discovery: A Midlife Awakening
In midlife, many of us start questioning who we really are beyond the roles we have played, whether as a mother, daughter, partner, or professional. But what happens when family secrets come to light and shake the very foundation of our identit...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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47:33
I Thought I’d Quit—10 Years Later, I’m Stronger Than Ever!
Ten years ago, I reluctantly walked into a gym, thinking, "Here we go again, another gym I’ll quit in a few months." But a decade later, I’m still training at the same gym with the same trainer, Dan, an exercise sports scientist who has complet...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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41:42
Burnout to Breakthrough: Sophie Scott’s Midlife Transformation
In this episode, Sophie Scott, award-winning medical journalist, mental health educator, and former ABC presenter, shares her powerful journey through burnout and high-functioning anxiety, offering invaluable insights into reclaiming balance an...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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47:40
Packing Up, Moving On: How Jane Turned Midlife into an Adventure!
Late last year, I sat down with my good friend Jane, who had just taken a bold leap into a new stage of life. After a long and successful corporate career, Jane decided it was time to shake things up. With her daughter away at university, she a...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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41:24
Enough of this BS – let me step fully into my power, with Megan Dalla-Camina!
Have you ever felt like midlife is less of a crisis and more of a calling? In this episode, I sit down with Megan Dalla-Camina, an award-winning women’s leadership and empowerment expert and bestselling author of Women Rising, to talk ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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39:35