Mind Your Self - Four Swans

In this powerful and grounding episode with a focus on men's mental health, we sit down with Niall McHugo of The Breathwork Project to explore the life-changing impact of Conscious Connected Breathwork. 
 
From the intense pressures of school leadership to experiencing deep burnout, Niall shares his personal journey back to balance and how breathwork became a tool that didn’t just help him cope, but helped him truly reset
 
We dive into the simplicity behind breathwork, why something so basic is often overlooked, and how just a few minutes a day can calm your nervous system, improve sleep, and reduce stress.. anytime, anywhere.
 
Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, constantly switched on, or simply curious about breathwork, this episode will leave you with practical tools and a new perspective on how to find calm in a chaotic world.
 

We sit down with psychotherapist Ciara Conlon, founder of Clear the Clouds Counselling, to explore what it really means to lose, and rebuild, your sense of self.
Ciara shares her personal journey through identity loss, weight gain, and the emotional challenges that followed becoming a mother of three. 
From reaching her heaviest point to making the life-changing decision to undergo bariatric surgery in Latvia, she opens up about the mindset shifts, resilience, and inner work that led her to take back control of her body, mind, and life.
Together, we unpack the often misunderstood reality of bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery (most common procedures being gastric sleeve or gastric by-pass) challenging the idea that it’s an easy way out and reframing it as a long-term tool that requires commitment, courage, and self-compassion.
This episode is for anyone who has ever struggled with self-worth, body image, or feeling disconnected from themselves. It’s a reminder that change is possible and that choosing yourself is one of the most powerful decisions you can make.
 

Friend of Four Swans Therapy Dr. James O’Shea shares both his professional insights on grief and deeply personal experience of losing his wife Anne Marie to cancer aged just 56.
We explore how grief doesn’t ever disappear, but instead gradually shifts and softens over time.
This episode gently challenges the idea that we should move on when a partner dies and offers a more compassionate perspective, one where grief can coexist with growth, meaning and hope.
 
For anyone working through loss, or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers reassurance, honesty, and hope that life can be lived fully again, even after heartbreak.
 

Psychotherapist Alan Dignam opens up about his personal journey of growing up feeling different, and how that path led him into psychotherapy and teaching. 
 
He speaks candidly about identity, resilience, and the importance of creating safe, informed spaces for LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse clients. 
 
This episode is a powerful reminder that what once made us feel isolated can become our greatest strength.
 
 

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, we are joined by Aine Whelan, Movement and Healing Facilitator and founder of Heart & Soul studio.
 
Aine shares her journey of navigating mental health and spiritual awakening from a young age, challenging the idea that we are our diagnoses rather than experiencing them.
 
Through honest reflection, she explores the importance of soul-searching, movement, and the power of plant medicines as pathways to healing.
 
Expect a heartfelt conversation that is grounding, empowering, and soulful, reminding you of your own limitless potential.
 
 

A powerful, honest conversation offering hope to anyone struggling with addiction, or supporting someone who is.  Alan O’Brien shares his raw and transformative journey from early addiction and inner turmoil to over 20 years in recovery.
An alcoholic by the time he reached his teens, he speaks openly about the emotional and psychological root causes of his addiction, the courage it takes to ask for help, and the painful experiences that lie beneath the surface.With clarity and compassion, he speaks about the turning points that led him to seek help, and the ongoing commitment required to stay on a path of healing. Alan challenges the idea of a one-size-fits-all solution and instead highlights the deeply personal nature of recovery. This conversation goes beyond addiction. It explores resilience, self-awareness, and what it truly means to rebuild a life and offers reassurance that change is possible.

In this deeply powerful and inspiring episode, we are joined by Joanne O’Dwyer, psychotherapist, author, and manager of Meath Community Drug and Alcohol Response as she shares her extraordinary journey from addiction to recovery, and from survival to leadership. 
 
Joanne speaks with raw honesty about her early life, experiences of trauma, and a long battle with addiction that began in her teens and spanned over a decade. From homelessness, mental health struggles, and criminal convictions to becoming a respected professional working on the frontline of addiction services, her story is a testament to the power of change.
 
Together, we explore the deep connection between trauma and addiction, the stigma faced by women in addiction and recovery and why recovery is not just about treatment but about community, connection, and support.
 
We learn about the importance of shifting from shame to self-worth and growth and why no one is beyond recovery, no matter how far they feel they’ve fallen.
 
Joanne also challenges common misconceptions around addiction, advocating for a more compassionate, health-led approach rather than punishment, and reminding us that healing is possible for everyone.
 
This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, defined by their past, or unsure if change is possible.

In this deeply grounding and heart-led conversation, we are joined by Enda Greene, Kundalini yoga teacher and energy healer, who shares her journey of finding peace, purpose, and connection later in life.
Enda speaks openly about the challenges she has faced from difficult early life experiences to navigating fear, disconnection, and uncertainty, and how discovering practices like Kundalini yoga, Reiki, and energy healing transformed the way she experiences herself and the world around her.
Together, we explore what it means to move out of the mind and into the heart, how energy practices can support grounding, connection, and inner peace, and the power of the present moment in a fast-paced, overwhelming world.
We learn how to let go of self-criticism and accept yourself as you are and how it is never too late to change direction and follow what brings you joy.
Enda also gently challenges misconceptions around spirituality and invites listeners to see these practices not as something “out there,” but as simple, accessible tools to feel more connected, safe, and at ease.
This episode is for anyone feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or searching for a different way of living - one that feels more aligned, peaceful, and true.

In this deeply honest and powerful episode, we sit down with Aileen White, who shares her lived experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer at just 38.
 
Aileen brings us through the shock of diagnosis, the reality of treatment, and the emotional and physical toll that cancer can take. Her story challenges common misconceptions, including the belief that breast cancer only affects older women, and highlights how unpredictable and life-altering a diagnosis can be.
 
Together, we explore the impact of treatment both physically and psychologically and its lasting effects, and the vital role of support systems and cancer support centres.
 
Aileen speaks with courage, warmth, and honesty about her emotional journey of navigating fear, uncertainty, and resilience.
 
This episode is for every woman, every family member, and anyone supporting a loved one through cancer.

In this powerful conversation, we are joined by Andrea O’Grady, Wellness and Mindset Coach and founder of The Wellness Edge, to explore the truth behind what it really means to be “well.” 
 
From the outside, someone can look like they have it all together, but beneath the surface, many are carrying stress, burnout, anxiety, and overwhelming pressure. 
 
Andrea shares her own lived experience of burnout, parenting an autistic child, and navigating life’s demands, alongside the insight she’s gained through her work supporting others.
 
Together, we unpack the dangerous misconception that looking well means being well, how and why we “mask” our struggles in everyday life, the rising impact of stress and burnout in modern life and the importance of reaching in, rather than waiting for others to reach out.
 
We also explore practical ways to build resilience through nervous system support.
This episode is for anyone who feels the weight of doing it all and struggles to ask for help.