*** Before listening, please note that this episode may be sensitive for some, so if you feel at any point that it is difficult for you, we encourage you to step away and be gentle with yourself.

In this episode, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Laura Casey, Director of Services at Lois Bridges, Ireland’s only dedicated eating disorder treatment centre. Laura is an enhanced psychiatric nurse with extensive experience supporting individuals through eating disorders and complex mental health challenges. In this conversation, she shares what they are seeing on the ground in Ireland today. They explore how eating disorders are rarely just about food, but are often deeply connected to emotional wellbeing, coping mechanisms, control, identity and self-worth. Laura speaks about the signs that are often missed, the quieter behaviours that can go unnoticed, and why many women may not recognise their own experiences as disordered eating. Importantly, this episode opens up a conversation around how eating disorders can evolve across a woman’s life.

This is not a conversation just about extremes; it is about understanding the nuance, recognising the signs, and creating space for more open, compassionate conversations around eating disorders.

Pelvic health is something many women only hear about when something goes wrong. Leaking when you laugh, run, or workout. Or a feeling of heaviness or painful sex. These experiences are incredibly common, yet they are rarely spoken about openly.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe sits down with Aoife Harvey, specialist physiotherapist at the Women’s Health Clinic Dublin, for a refreshingly honest and no-holds-barred conversation about women’s pelvic health.

Together, they unpack the pelvic floor and why it plays such an important role in our wellbeing. They also discuss something many women are hesitant to raise: painful sex. Aoife explains the different reasons this can happen, how pelvic health physiotherapy can help, and why women should never feel they simply have to live with discomfort.

The conversation also touches on the life stages that impact pelvic health, from pregnancy and post-partum recovery through to the changes that happen during menopause.

This was a light-hearted, open and deeply informative conversation that shines a light on an area of women’s health that deserves far more attention.

Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women? Yet many of us still associate it more strongly with men.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Róisín Colleran, Consultant Cardiologist at the Mater Private Network, to explore the reality of heart disease in women and what we can do to better protect our hearts. In this episode, we discuss why heart attacks can present differently in women, how risk develops across our lives, and what numbers and tests we should actually know.

This is a thoughtful and informative conversation that aims to give women the knowledge we need to understand and protect our hearts.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Claire O’Brien, a functional medicine nutritional therapist, for an insightful and grounded conversation about women’s gut health, nutrition and the deep interconnectivity of our body’s systems.

Claire shares what she sees most often in her clinic, including fatigue, digestive issues, hormonal symptoms and the pressure many women feel to ‘get it right’ with food. She explains why striving for perfection can actually work against our health, and why balance, consistency and self-awareness matter more.

This is a reassuring, informative listen for any woman who wants to understand her body better, support her health with confidence, and move away from overwhelm around nutritional choices.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Dr Aisling Loy, Consultant in Sexual Health and Genitourinary Medicine at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

This is an interesting, informative and vital conversation about sexual and genitourinary health, an area of health that affects all of us, yet is still too often surrounded by shame, silence and misunderstanding. Together, they talk about what sexual health really means across a lifetime, why STI rates are rising, and how modern sexual health care has evolved.

Dr Loy also explains why removing stigma is so important for both physical and emotional wellbeing, and how open, judgement-free care leads to earlier diagnosis, better outcomes and greater peace of mind.

This episode is about knowledge, reassurance and empowerment. It is an invitation to see sexual and genitourinary health as a normal, essential part of looking after yourself.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie is joined by Dr Harriet Treacy from Beyond BMI for a thoughtful and compassionate conversation about weight, health and longevity.

** A gentle note for listeners that conversations about weight can be emotionally tender. Healthy weight looks different for everybody, and this episode is grounded in health, wellbeing and longevity rather than appearance. If you are living with or recovering from disordered eating, please take care while listening and feel free to step away if needed. **

This is not a discussion about aesthetics or chasing a number on the scales. Instead, it explores what healthy weight management actually means from a medical perspective. 

This episode is for anyone who wants a clearer, kinder and more medically grounded understanding of metabolic health, and reassurance that wellbeing is about far more than what we see on the outside.

Do you know the menopause symptom that distresses women the most?

Guest host Leonie Corcoran is joined by GP and women’s health expert Dr Caoimhe Hartley to decode the hormonal shifts that define every stage of a woman’s life. From the confusion of “brain fog” and the “loss of self” in perimenopause to the truth about HRT and pelvic health, this conversation shares the info and the insight to help women advocate for themselves when they are struggling to find the right words.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Cognitive shifts: Why your brain feels different and how to manage it.
• HRT & bone health: Navigating treatment options with confidence.
• Incontinence: Why bladder issues are common but not normal.
• Self-advocacy: How to get the medical support you actually deserve.

Alongside this, Caoimhe provides the clinical evidence and practical advice you need to stop tolerating symptoms and start thriving . . . and we have an extra little guest who demonstrates the multi-tasking reality of so many women.

Is your body speaking a language you don’t understand?

To open Season Two of IMAGE The Check-in, guest host Leonie Corcoran talks to nutritional therapists and founders of Gigi Supplements Jennie Haire and Lisa Hughes about cycle syncing, sleep foundations, post-partum nourishment and breaking the hustle culture stress cycle.

Key highlights:

• The Stress Trap: Why your brain treats an inbox like a predator.

• Cycle Syncing: Making hormones your greatest strength.

• Red Flags: Decoding pain and post-partum nutrition.

Don’t just survive the year, unlock some small changes that will lead to big benefits for 2026 with this conversation.

In this episode, Ellie Balfe is joined by neuroscientist and psychologist, Dr Sabina Brennan, to explore what really happens to the female brain throughout our lives, from hormonal changes in menopause to the impact of stress, loneliness, and lifestyle on long-term cognitive health.

They discuss why women are more at risk of dementia, how oestrogen loss affects memory and focus, and the small, powerful daily habits that can protect your brain as you age. Sabina also shares why daydreaming is not a waste of timebut one of the best things you can do for your mental clarity and creativity.

It’s a conversation that will leave you more informed, inspired, and ready to care for your most powerful organ – your brain.

This week on IMAGE The Check-in, preventive cardiologist Dr Paddy Barrett joins Ellie Balfe to explore what every woman needs to know about heart health.

Dr Barrett explains his work in risk evaluation and why understanding your personal numbers is the most powerful step in prevention. Together, they unpack why heart disease remains the leading killer of women, how symptoms differ from men, and what women can do to protect their hearts at every age to live well, longer.

They cover the impact of hormones, inflammation, and cholesterol, as well as practical insights on blood pressure, exercise, and nutrition. Dr Barrett also introduces his three pillars for a meaningful life: Lifespan, Health-span, and Soul-span – and how each connects to the way we live and find purpose.

A conversation that blends science and soul, this episode will leave you feeling informed, hopeful, and motivated to look after the most important muscle in your body – your heart.

In this important episode, Ellie Balfe sits down with Dr Shona Tormey to talk about the full spectrum of breast cancer. Together, they explore everything from detection and screening through to diagnosis, treatment options, survivorship, lifestyle and prevention. Whether you are in your twenties, forties, or post-menopausal, this conversation will give you knowledge, reassurance, and practical guidance.

We discuss when and how to check your breasts, what happens if you find a lump, the emotions around a diagnosis, innovations in treatment, and the simple steps women can take now to advocate for their own breast health.

This is a compassionate and expert-led conversation that speaks directly to women of all ages. The goal is to empower listeners with information, practical advice and confidence when it comes to understanding their breast health.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe sits down with GP Dr Sonja Bobart of D4 Medical in Dublin to take listeners on a journey through women’s health from head to toe.

Together they explore the body as a connected system – from mood and hormones to heart health, gut balance, pelvic care, sleep, and stress. The conversation is full of warmth, wisdom, and practical expertise, offering simple signposts for what to look out for and how to care for yourself at every stage.

Dr Bobart shares her insights on the tests that matter, how to read your results, simple supplements and how to work in partnership with your GP to feel seen as a whole person.

What really happens when our hormones are in (or out of) balance, and how much control do we actually have? In this empowering episode, host Ellie Balfe sits down with renowned Professor and Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr Mary Ryan, to talk about Hormone Harmony: how our hormones influence every part of our health and wellbeing, and how we can learn to work with them, not against them.

Dr Ryan, author of It’s Probably Your Hormones and one of Ireland’s leading voices in women’s health, shares powerful insights on the phases of female hormone health, from puberty to perimenopause and beyond. She explains why so many women today feel exhausted and burnt out, and how prioritising rest is not indulgent but essential for hormonal balance and long-term energy.

In the very first episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Caoimhe McAuley, Director of Pharmacy at Boots Ireland, to explore the vital role pharmacy plays in women’s health.

From being the first point of contact for everyday health concerns to offering trusted support throughout life’s bigger moments, Caoimhe explains why a simple conversation with your pharmacist might be one of the most supportive steps you ever take.

Together, they unpack the complete checklist of health screenings women should be aware of, what really matters when it comes to supplements, and the facts around GLP-1 medications. This episode is all about demystifying, guiding, and empowering women to take control of their own health story with clarity and care.