Best Catherine O’Brien Podcasts (2025)

1
From Palestine to jobseeker and keeping children safe online: Tanya Plibersek on Labor’s tough calls – Australian Politics podcast 28:06

6h ago28:06

28:06

Tanya Plibersek, one of Labor’s most recognisable political figures and the minister for social services, joins us as the government faces big decisions at home and abroad. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to her about the push to recognise Palestinian statehood, the jobseeker rate and the urgent fight to keep children safe online…

1
Book Club: The Marriage Vendetta by Caroline Madden 27:27

12h ago27:27

27:27

This month on The Women’s Podcast Book Club, Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín Ingle, and Ann Ingle are discussing The Marriage Vendetta by debut author Caroline Madden. The book tells the story of Eliza Sheridan, who seeks the help of a marriage therapist to mend her relationship with her unloving and unsupportive husband Richard. As their ses…

1
Guardian Essential report: Albanese starts second term with solid approval, but Trump presidency looms – Australian Politics podcast 19:27

2d ago19:27

19:27

As Anthony Albanese readies his second‑term reform agenda, Guardian Australia’s Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media’s Peter Lewis about the elephant in the room: Australia’s dependence on the US and how its high‑stakes defence gambles could shape both his leadership and the nation’s strategic future…

1
Emily's Story: Diagnosed by a Podcast 1:05:51

4d ago1:05:51

1:05:51

In this episode of Medical Detectives, Emily shares her staggering 17-year diagnostic odyssey, starting at age 17 with a seemingly mild ankle sprain that never fully resolved, and winding through years of dismissals, generic compression socks, and contradictory specialist visits. Through her story, we uncover the compounding harm of miscommunicatio…

1
Resetting the Liberals: Zoe McKenzie on reform, climate and winning back women 22:24

8d ago22:24

22:24

As parliament resumes, the focus shifts to how the major parties plan to reset. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Liberal MP for Flinders and shadow assistant minister Zoe McKenzie. She isn’t convinced by quotas but says the party needs meaningful reform if it’s serious about bringing more women into the fold – and winning back th…

1
Sleep Divorce: Why sleeping separately might be good for your relationship 56:07

8d ago56:07

56:07

Would you sleep in a different room to your partner? Or do you think couples should share a bed together? That's what we’re asking on today’s episode of The Women’s Podcast. While many people enjoy sharing a bed with their other half, there are many others who prefer to go solo when it comes to sleep. This could be for reasons including loud snorin…

1
Catherine's Story: The Cost of a Cure 1:27:45

11d ago1:27:45

1:27:45

This emotionally powerful episode of The Medical Detectives follows Catherine, a devoted mother and academic, as she shares the gripping journey of seeking answers for her young son George’s mysterious motor delays. What begins as a typical birth story slowly unravels into a harrowing diagnostic odyssey marked by missed milestones, medical gaslight…

1
Why women should be lifting weights (especially as we age) 57:28

17d ago57:28

57:28

In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by women’s health and fitness coach Elaine Gillespie, to talk about the transformative power of lifting weights and strength training. From navigating fitness during perimenopause to returning to exercise postpartum, Gillespie explains why lifting weights isn’t just for bodybuilders - it’s essential for wo…

1
Tracy's Story: When the Doctor Becomes the Patient 57:08

19d ago57:08

57:08

In this episode of The Medical Detectives, we sit down with high‑risk OB‑GYN Dr. Tracy. When her own health takes a puzzling turn, she must become her own Medical Detective. What starts as vague aches, mysterious rashes, and alarmingly low blood counts quickly spirals into a whirlwind of conflicting opinions: one specialist chalks it up to a routin…

1
Jim Chalmers on uncertainty and ambition 26:48

18d ago26:48

26:48

Treasurer Jim Chalmers tells Guardian Australia chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy one of his key measures of success in the future is making Australia’s budget more sustainable. They discuss the challenge of meeting housing targets, how the morning news affects his plans and what he hopes can come out of his meeting with the G20 finance min…

1
Accountability, robodebt and regional housing: Helen Haines unpacks it all 24:10

22d ago24:10

24:10

Tom McIlroy speaks to independent MP Helen Haines to talk through her ambitious agenda for the new parliamentary term, her sharp disappointment with the robodebt royal commission fallout, and what the government’s response says about political accountabilityBy The Guardian

1
Anne Marie Allen on her lost years inside Opus Dei 1:10:12

22d ago1:10:12

1:10:12

Anne Marie Allen was just 15 years old when she first entered the world of Opus Dei. It was the late 1970s and the young woman from Cork had enrolled in a cookery course run by the religious order. The program promised culinary qualifications and a pathway to a professional career, but it didn’t take long for her dreams to shatter. As Allen spent m…

1
Rachel's Story: Not Just Anxiety 1:18:27

26d ago1:18:27

1:18:27

In this deeply moving episode of The Medical Detectives, Dr. Nance sits down with Linda, speaking on behalf of her daughter, Rachel Yaffe. When Rachel was a freshman in college she had unexplained aches that were labeled as psychosomatic by doctors. Years later she is given a diagnosis that changes her life. Linda recounts every heartbreaking misst…

1
O’Brien on Liberal ‘soul-searching’ amid nuclear and net-zero policy review 21:57

29d ago21:57

21:57

After a bruising election loss, the Coalition is at a crossroads. Can it reinvent itself as a credible alternative to Labor, or will internal divisions over nuclear energy, net zero and the Liberal party’s identity doom it to another term in opposition? Guardian Australia chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, speaks with the deputy opposition…

1
In Plain Sight: Noelle Brown and Camille O’Sullivan 43:28

1M ago43:28

43:28

This month, actor and mother and baby home survivor Noelle Brown and singer Camille O’Sullivan will take to the stage together for a new theatre performance called In Plain Sight. The project, written by Brown, focuses on Ireland’s history of mother and baby homes, paying particular attention to the large stately buildings dotted around the country…

1
Karen Salmansohn – Your to Die for Life: Maximizing Joy, Minimizing Regret 55:08

1M ago55:08

55:08

Episode Overview In this inspiring episode, Steve Stein sits down with acclaimed author and mindset expert Karen Salmansohn for an in-depth conversation about her upcoming book, “Year to Die for Life: How to Maximize Joy and Minimize Regret Before Your Time Runs Out.” Karen and Steve explore how mortality awareness can catalyze a life well-lived, w…

1
Kara's Story Part 2: Burning From the Inside Out 1:46:07

1M ago1:46:07

1:46:07

In this intense two-part episode of The Medical Detectives, what began as a routine backpacking trip among Arkansas oaks quickly spiraled into a baffling medical mystery. A misdiagnoses of UTI, strep and “pink eye,” a terrifying drop into sudden blindness, and delirium, and a desperate race against time in under-equipped rural hospitals. Kara’s raw…

1
Greens leader Larissa Waters on holding the Labor government to account — Australian Politics podcast 22:39

1M ago22:39

22:39

The new leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Larissa Waters from Queensland talks about her vision for the party, the challenges of a shifting political landscape, and why she believes this is a moment for bold reforms Labor must rewrite current environment laws which ‘facilitate development’, says Larissa Waters…

1
Deepfakes and AI Girlfriends: How artificial intelligence is putting women at risk 1:00:05

1M ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Concerns about the rise and rapid development of artificial intelligence often tend to focus on AI’s threat to jobs or its potential to influence politics and elections. But what about the very real threat that AI poses to women? In her new book, The New Age of Sexism, feminist writer Laura Bates explores how the ever-evolving world of technology h…

1
Kara's Story Part 1: Burning From the Inside Out 59:29

1M ago59:29

59:29

In this intense two-part episode of The Medical Detectives, what began as a routine backpacking trip among Arkansas oaks quickly spiraled into a baffling medical mystery. A misdiagnoses of UTI, strep and “pink eye,” a terrifying drop into sudden blindness, and delirium, and a desperate race against time in under-equipped rural hospitals. Kara’s raw…

1
Coalition frontbencher Julian Leeser on why a closer alliance with the US is necessary 22:36

1M ago22:36

22:36

In a year shaped by rising global tensions and growing concerns over social cohesion at home, the shadow attorney general, Julian Leeser, presents his views on Australia’s place in the worldBy The Guardian

1
The Book Club Live: Summer Reads with Marian Keyes 1:21:02

1M ago1:21:02

1:21:02

Last weekend our Book Club gathered for a live show at Kildare Village to discuss the best reading recommendations for summer 2025. Róisín Ingle, Bernice Harrison and Ann Ingle were joined at the event by special guest bestselling author Marian Keyes and a room full of Women’s Podcast listeners. There were recommendations to suit every style and ev…

1
Kerry's Story Part 2: The Invisible Scars 1:01:57

2M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

This episode is the finale of our very first two-part case. Kerry was a fearless hockey player who felt invincible when her cough started, but what began as a minor inconvenience spiraled into a terminal diagnosis. Tune in, stay hopeful, and get ready to come back next week for part two—you won’t believe where this rabbit hole goes. Interested in b…

1
Senator Maria Kovacic on what the Coalition needs to move forward 23:35

2M ago23:35

23:35

‘If we don’t listen it’s not going to get better for us – it will get worse,’ says the NSW Liberal moderate and newly appointed shadow assistant minister, joining Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy to discuss her party’s futureBy The Guardian

1
Why do some women still take their husband’s last name? 44:54

2M ago44:54

44:54

The tradition of women taking their husband’s surname stems from a time when marriage effectively erased a woman’s legal identity and she would become her husband’s property. While this is no longer the case and society has thankfully moved on, the practice of women changing their last name upon marriage still persists today. But why? In a recent f…

1
Kerry's Story Part 1: The Invisible Scars 1:02:21

2M ago1:02:21

1:02:21

This episode lays the groundwork for our very first two-part case. Kerry was a fearless hockey player who felt invincible when her cough started, but what began as a minor inconvenience spiraled into a terminal diagnosis. Tune in, stay hopeful, and get ready to come back next week for part two—you won’t believe where this rabbit hole goes. Have a m…

1
Angela Halliday, Sodexo 45:30

2M ago45:30

45:30

In this episode, Sarah speaks to Angela Halliday, Director of Social Impact at Sodexo, who plays a key role in guiding Sodexo’s approach to social value. Rather than delivering social impact directly, Angela acts as an internal consultant - educating, enabling, and empowering Sodexo’s workforce to drive change. Listen in to find out about why embed…

1
Nicolette Boele on climate, business and making a difference 23:28

2M ago23:28

23:28

Nicolette Boele was declared the winner in the Sydney seat of Bradfield this week, after a month of counting and recounting in her race against Liberal Gisele Kapterian. She is preparing to take her seat in parliament after a wafer-thin victory of just 26 votes. Boele speaks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about why Labor needs to stop…

1
Greta Thunberg sets sail for Gaza / Mary Ann Kenny on loss, psychosis and healing 1:03:43

2M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

It was a bright afternoon in April 2015 when Mary Ann Kenny, a university lecturer, received a call that changed her life in an instant. Her husband John, with whom she had two young sons, had collapsed while out jogging and died at the age of 60. Struggling to cope with the sudden loss and the loneliness that engulfed her life in the aftermath, Ke…

1
Robin's Story: From Dizzy to Dead in 27 Days 1:32:53

2M ago1:32:53

1:32:53

Robin always knew her mom as a vibrant, fiercely independent nurse who seemed invincible, until one spring day when a sudden bout of dizziness and confusion sent her spiraling into a whirlwind of tests, missteps, and sleepless nights. In this episode, Robin shares the harrowing two-week odyssey of watching her once-formidable mother slip from lucid…

1
The Macron 'wife shove' / Talking periods with Dr Hazel Wallace 1:00:15

2M ago1:00:15

1:00:15

What do you really know about the menstrual cycle? Can you tell your follicular from your luteal phase? Can masturbation ease period pains and why do so many women get the dreaded ‘period poo’? To answer all these questions and more we’re joined this week by Dr Hazel Wallace, medical doctor, nutritionist, and author of Not Just A Period, a groundbr…

1
Krystina's Story: 10% Chance of Survival 1:12:28

2M ago1:12:28

1:12:28

After a scheduled C-section, Krystina experienced escalating postoperative complications that ranged from losing her taste to fever and extreme pain. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to an emergency transfer, an induced coma, and a fight for her life. Krystina only had a 10% chance of survival, but as she was being put into an induced co…

1
Kit de Waal on identity and belonging / Starving children of Gaza 1:04:59

2M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Kit de Waal novelist, memoirist, and fierce advocate for working-class voices in literature. In conversation with Roisin Ingle, de Waal discusses her powerful new novel The Best of Everything, set in 1970s and 1980s England, which follows the interwoven lives of a single mother, her son, and their neighbours…

1
Jacqueline Connolly: ‘I didn’t know what coercive control was until my family were killed’ 1:14:22

3M ago1:14:22

1:14:22

In 2016, Clodagh Hawe and her three sons, Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6) were murdered in their Co Cavan home, by their husband and father Alan Hawe, who took his own life shortly after. It was and still is Ireland’s largest murder-suicide and the brutal killings sent shockwaves throughout the country. In her book, Deadly Silence, Clodagh’s you…

1
Hailey's Story: Choking Hazard 1:15:01

3M ago1:15:01

1:15:01

This week on The Medical Detectives, we share Hailey’s decades-long ordeal with sudden, terrifying “stuck throat” episodes—from rural Yukon ERs and improvised home remedies, to the social anxiety of hiding her symptoms, until a late-night trip, a can of Coca-Cola, and a specialist referral finally pointed her to the right diagnosis. Along the way, …

1
Guardian Essential report: can Labor live up to expectations? 25:18

3M ago25:18

25:18

Post-election Albanese has seen a surge in popularity but what is the electorate expecting from a second term Labor government and can they deliver during challenging times? Guardian Australia’s political reporter, Josh Butler sits down with chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy and Essential Media’s executive director, Peter Lewis.…

1
Down with that ‘skort’ of thing / Celebrating Tina Turner 45:28

3M ago45:28

45:28

Two years ago this month, Tina Turner died at the age of 83 at her home in Switzerland. The global superstar and rock icon had a career spanning more than five decades. Although she retired from performing in her late 60s, one of her final projects was to collaborate on Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which debuted in London’s West End in 2018. This…

1
Angela Benson & Sarah Hinchliffe , Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) 27:16

3M ago27:16

27:16

In this episode of Let's Talk Social Value, Sarah interviews Angela Benson and Sarah Hinchliffe from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). Sarah Hinchliffe, founder and Chair of the APMP UK Social Value Working Group, and Angela Benson, a board member and global head of bid management, share their insights into how bid profes…

1
Kalla & Ivy's Story: Fighting to Breathe 1:18:03

3M ago1:18:03

1:18:03

Trigger Warning: Discussion of infant medical crisis and loss. When baby Ivy couldn't breath doctors said it was normal, but Kalla’s instincts told her something was terribly wrong. Dismissed repeatedly, she fought through fear and isolation to uncover a rare genetic disorder that explained Ivy’s muscle spasms and respiratory failure. Discover how …

1
Irish woman detained by US immigration / The Steminists 43:06

3M ago43:06

43:06

In March, a group of secondary school students from Co Offaly made history when they became the first ever all-female team to win the VEX IQ All-Ireland Robotics Competition. ‘The Steminists’ will now represent Ireland at the World Championships in Texas this month. The team consists of five students aged between 12 and 14 years old, from the Sacre…

1
Tracy's Story: The Blistering Truth 1:07:15

3M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

This week Anna and Erin welcome Tracy, whose years long struggle with bone-deep exhaustion, persistent sore throats and sudden blood blisters led her on a winding odyssey from GPs to specialists, with inconclusive tests and tough treatments at every turn. In our “Diseases That Need a Rebrand” series, we’re asking you to help us rename this mysterio…

1
Guardian Essential report: is the real question now just how big Labor’s victory will be? 15:12

3M ago15:12

15:12

Just days out from the crucial vote, the latest Guardian Essential poll shows steady support for Labor. But with a significant number of undecided voters and a strong field of independents, questions remain about how convincing their victory will really be. Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, sits down with Essential Me…

1
Climate Changemakers: Three women on their fight against climate change 47:03

3M ago47:03

47:03

According to the latest European State of the Climate Report, 2024 was the hottest year on record for Europe and the fourth warmest year ever recorded in Ireland. As part of the global fight against climate change, Ireland has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 — but are we really on track to meet that goal? In today’s ep…

1
Trevor & Angela's Story: The Wife vs. The White Coat 1:16:53

3M ago1:16:53

1:16:53

This week on The Medical Detectives, Erin and Anna tackle their first-ever male patient story, delivered by the one person who never stopped believing him: his wife, Angela. From childhood Guillain-Barré and a hidden battle with addiction to a whirlwind romance and marriage, Trevor’s life derails when relentless vomiting and mysterious “unexplained…

1
Amanda Knox: My Search for Meaning 1:20:33

4M ago1:20:33

1:20:33

Seven years after Amanda Knox was definitively acquitted of the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, she flew to Italy to meet the man who had led the prosecution’s case against her, Giuliano Mignini. The now 37-year-old mother of two wanted to ask her former prosecutor why he had identified her as the chief suspect, pursued a murder conviction against…

1
Chelle's Story: The 35 Year Headache 1:01:46

4M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

For nearly 35 years Chelle lived with daily headaches, nausea, numbness, and overwhelming pressure in her head—symptoms repeatedly dismissed as anxiety or depression. But when her child’s medical crisis taught her to trust her instincts, she finally pushed for answers. In this episode, Chelle shares her decades-long journey of misdiagnosis, self-do…

1
Guardian Essential report: as Labor pulls further ahead, can Dutton outmanoeuvre Albanese? 19:28

4M ago19:28

19:28

As the election draws near, Labor has extended its lead against the Coalition in the latest Essential poll, raising new questions about what Peter Dutton needs to do to shift the momentum in his favour. Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy sits down with Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis to unpack the strategies and dynamics shaping t…

1
Victim blaming on the rise / How to be a good grandmother 1:00:41

4M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

Bookshops and libraries are bursting with books on parenting and what to expect when you’re expecting, but there aren't nearly as many guidebooks out there on how to be a good grandparent. That’s why family psychologist Terri Apter has written her latest book all about the topic. Grandparenting: On Love and Relationships Across Generations offers r…

1
Rita's Story: All in Her Head 1:51:05

4M ago1:51:05

1:51:05

In this deeply emotional and eye-opening episode of Medical Detectives, we sit down with Rita, whose medical mystery spanned nearly a decade of pain, misdiagnosis, and dismissal. From being a young mother and nurse with a sudden onset of terrifying symptoms to being told she just needed candy or mental health care, Rita’s story highlights the devas…

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Catherine O’Brien Podcasts

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