Such is Life.
Tayla Williams and Emily Paterson
Such Is Life is a podcast exploring the full spectrum of the human experience. Through honest conversation and alternative perspectives, we look at life as it unfolds - the messy, meaningful, uncomfortable, and beautiful parts. Thoughtful conversations, lived insights, and curiosity about what else might be true. Life, through every lens.
Episodes
Such Is...Fathers: The Dads, Bonus Dads & Men Who Show Up
Fatherhood isn’t always simple, and it doesn’t always look the way we imagined it would.In this episode of Such Is Life, we’re talking about fathers in all their forms — the incredible dads who show up, the bonus dads who choose to love children as their own, the father figures who step into spaces they never had to fill, and the complicated reality of absent or imperfect fathers too.We unpack what children really remember, why presence often matters more than perfection, the unique role men can play in creating safety, confidence and belonging, and what it means to be a bonus dad without trying to replace anyone.We also share some of our own experiences of fatherhood, loss, love and the men who have shaped our lives and our families.A conversation about the dads we had, the dads we wished for, and the men choosing every day to show up.
Such Is...Raising Sons & Daughters
What’s the difference between raising boys and raising girls — and how much of it actually comes down to biology, temperament, culture and the way we parent them?In this episode of Such Is Life, Tay and Em dive into the things they’ve noticed, questioned and learned about raising boys and girls in today’s world.From emotions, confidence and communication to risk-taking, friendships, boundaries, femininity, masculinity and relationships with the opposite sex, we unpack where boys and girls may need something different from us — and where they need exactly the same thing.We also chat about the influence we have as mothers, the behaviours our kids absorb simply by watching us, and the kind of men and women we hope we’re helping them become.As always, there are plenty of personal stories, differing opinions and the reminder that there’s no perfect formula for raising a human.Such is parenting. 🤍
Such Is...IVF, Big Decisions & New Chapters.
In this episode, Tay and Em sit down for a deeply personal life update and share what has been unfolding behind the scenes.Em opens up about her fertility journey, the realities of IVF, the emotional impact of navigating unexpected changes, and the decisions she is now facing as she continues to explore the path toward growing her family.Tay shares some big changes of her own, including evolving family goals, new possibilities, and the conversations shaping what the next chapter may look like for her and her family.This is an honest conversation about plans changing, allowing yourself to want something different, holding hope alongside uncertainty, and finding your way through the seasons of life that do not always unfold as expected.A vulnerable, real and heartfelt catch-up between two friends navigating some very big life moments.
Such Is...Healing After Birth
Birth has the power to transform us, but for many women, it can also leave behind experiences that are difficult to make sense of, process, or move beyond.In this episode, we are joined by Amy Hooke to explore birth trauma, postpartum recovery, and the journey of healing after a difficult birth experience. Together, we discuss what birth trauma really is, how it can impact a woman's nervous system, confidence, identity, and future pregnancies, and why so many women carry these experiences silently for years.Amy shares her own birth stories, and how they led to the work she does supporting women to process their birth experiences, reconnect with their bodies, and prepare for future births from a place of greater safety, understanding, and trust.Whether you've experienced birth trauma yourself, support women in the perinatal space, or are preparing for birth in the future, this conversation offers insight, validation, and hope.What birth trauma actually is and how it can presentThe lasting impact a difficult birth can have on mothersWhy trauma is about perception, not just the events themselvesCommon signs that a birth experience has not been fully processedHealing the nervous system after birthRebuilding trust in your body and yourselfNavigating future pregnancies after a traumatic birthThe support women need but often don't receive postpartumFinding meaning, healing, and empowerment after a difficult experienceA compassionate and important conversation about healing, recovery, and remembering that your birth story does not have to define your future. ❤️
Such Is.. A School Counsellor's Guide for Parents
In this episode of Such Is Life, we sit down with child and school counsellor Laura Beaumont for a heartfelt conversation about parenting, emotional wellbeing, and what children really need from the adults around them.Together, we explore the challenges of raising children in today's world, why perfection isn't the goal, and how moments of rupture can become opportunities for deeper connection through repair.Laura shares her insights from years of working with children and families, offering practical wisdom on emotional regulation, behaviour, resilience, and creating safe, supportive relationships with our kids.Whether you're navigating tantrums, big emotions, parental guilt, or simply wanting to better understand the children in your life, this conversation is filled with compassionate, practical takeaways that every parent and caregiver can benefit from.In this episode we explore:• Why repair matters more than getting it right every time• Understanding behaviour through a child's perspective• Helping children navigate big emotions• Building resilience and emotional safety• Common parenting challenges and how to approach them with confidenceA conversation that reminds us that parenting isn't about perfection — it's about connection.
Such is… The Inner Voice We Give Our Children - Pt 2.
The way we speak to our children becomes the way they eventually speak to themselves. Not just the words themselves, but the tone, the energy, the nervous system underneath them.In this episode (Part 2 of a 2 part series) we unpack some of the language many of us inherited growing up, the subtle phrases that create shame, fear, pressure or disconnection, and what it looks like to parent from regulation, repair and relationship instead.Over these two episodes we talk about:why “good kids” often become hyper-vigilant adultsthe difference between boundaries and controlpraise, punishment and performance-based lovethe impact of tone, stress and nervous system states on childrenthe language that creates safety, resilience and emotional intelligencerepairing after rupture instead of striving for perfect parentinghow our own childhood conditioning unconsciously speaks through usThis isn’t about getting parenting “right”. It’s about becoming more conscious of the emotional world our words create inside our children.
Such is… The Inner Voice We Give Our Children - Pt 1.
The way we speak to our children becomes the way they eventually speak to themselves.Not just the words themselves, but the tone, the energy, the nervous system underneath them.In this episode (Part 1 of a 2 part series) we unpack some of the language many of us inherited growing up, the subtle phrases that create shame, fear, pressure or disconnection, and what it looks like to parent from regulation, repair and relationship instead.Over these two episodes we talk about:why “good kids” often become hyper-vigilant adultsthe difference between boundaries and controlpraise, punishment and performance-based lovethe impact of tone, stress and nervous system states on childrenthe language that creates safety, resilience and emotional intelligencerepairing after rupture instead of striving for perfect parentinghow our own childhood conditioning unconsciously speaks through usThis isn’t about getting parenting “right”.It’s about becoming more conscious of the emotional world our words create inside our children.
Such is… Business, Burnout & Being Human with Ash Kay
This week we sit down with Ash Kay (Meals for Mumma's) for a raw, honest conversation about the realities of business, bankruptcy, motherhood, pressure, identity, burnout, success, and what happens behind the scenes of the “dream life.”No polished answers. No pretending to have it all figured out.Just a real conversation between women navigating ambition, responsibility, growth, exhaustion, reinvention, and the constant pull between holding everyone else and trying not to lose yourself in the process.We speak about:the emotional weight of running a businessmotherhood and the mental load no one talks aboutchanging identities and evolving seasonswhat it actually means to rebuild your life in a way that feels sustainableA deeply human episode for anyone who has ever felt stretched between who they are, who they’ve had to become, and who they’re still trying to find underneath it all.
Such is… C-Sections, the Female Nervous System & Deep Healing
In this episode of Such Is Life, we sit down with Madelaine Longrigg from Body Lane for a conversation that goes far beyond “women’s health.”We explore the connection between the womb, the nervous system, stress, survival mode, birth trauma, C-sections, body disconnection, chronic tension, and the ways women learn to override themselves from a young age.This episode opens up honest conversation around:why so many women feel disconnected from their bodieshow the nervous system shapes pain, healing, intimacy, and identitythe emotional imprint of birth and C-sectionsGrounded, honest, science-backed and deeply human - this is a conversation about women's health that will have you reflecting on your own journey and how you can more deeply support the women around you.
Such is…Bringing Creativity Back.
In a world where most of us are constantly consuming - scrolling, watching, listening, buying, absorbing - we’ve quietly lost touch with what it means to actually create.This episode is a conversation about motherhood, creativity, nervous systems, and the forgotten power of doing things with your hands again.We talk about why so many women feel disconnected from themselves after becoming mothers, how creativity often gets replaced with productivity or endless consumption, and why making things - cooking, gardening, painting, sewing, writing, building, baking, crafting, even slowing down enough to daydream - can become a pathway back to self.This isn’t about becoming an artist.It’s about becoming human again.
Such is…Opting Out of School.
An ex-assistant principal doesn’t just “decide” to homeschool for no reason.Ally saw the system from the inside – the structure, the pressure, the limitations – and made a call most people wouldn’t.In this episode, we unpack why.Not from a reactive place, but from lived experience.We get into the truth about socialisation, what kids might actually be missing (or gaining), and the reality of stepping outside what society expects.It’s honest. It’s nuanced. And it might challenge what you’ve always assumed about education.
Such Is..The World of GNM (German New Medicine)
In this episode, we sit down with Annalea Jayne to explore the world of German New Medicine (GNM) - a perspective that challenges everything you think you know about illness, healing, and the body.We unpack the core principles behind GNM, including the idea that symptoms aren’t random or “wrong,” but part of a biological response to unresolved shock or conflict. Annalea breaks down how specific emotional experiences can impact different organs, why the body follows predictable patterns, and what it means to truly understand the language of your body.This conversation goes beyond surface-level wellness. We speak about responsibility, perception, and the deeper layers of healing - where biology, psychology, and lived experience intersect.If you’ve ever questioned why certain patterns keep showing up in your health or your life, or you’re ready to look at symptoms through a completely different lens, this episode will open a new way of thinking.Raw, thought-provoking, and expansive - Such is…seeing the body differently.You can connect with @annalea.jayne on instagram via her handle or if you want to find out more about her GNM course jump on the link below to purchase with a very special discount for our Such Is Life listeners using the code SUCHISLIFE.https://annaleajayne.systeme.io/ground-floor-mini?sa=sa02457477714ced108d1da637817f7b0a37717b70
Such is… The Shifting Seasons of Motherhood.
Motherhood doesn’t stand still. Just as you find your rhythm… it changes again.In this episode, we’re right in it. Tay is in the thick of night weaning, navigating broken sleep, attachment and the slow reclaiming of her body. I’m on the other side of those early years, watching my kids grow into their own lives, needing me differently, less physically, but sometimes more emotionally than ever.We talk about the push and pull of it all. The grief that comes with every new stage. The identity shifts that no one really names. The constant recalibration between holding on and letting go.This is motherhood in motion.Different seasons, same depth.Such is Life.
Such Is..The Hot Seat ft Em.
No prep. No softening. No time to think your way out of it.In these episode's, we put each other in the hot seat.Three questions each. Asked blindly. Answered in real time.The kind of questions you don’t usually say out loud.The kind that land in your body before your brain can clean them up.You’ll hear what comes up when there’s no script to hide behind.No perfectly packaged answers. Just honesty, discomfort, perspective shifts… and a few moments that surprised even us.There’s something different that happens when you can’t prepare.The nervous system tells the truth faster than the mind can shape it.This one goes there.
Such Is...The Hot Seat ft Tay.
No prep. No softening. No time to think our way out of it.In these two episodes, we put each other in the hot seat.Three questions each. Asked blindly. Answered in real time.The kind of questions you don’t usually say out loud.The kind that land in your body before your brain can clean them up.You’ll hear what comes up when there’s no script to hide behind.No perfectly packaged answers. Just honesty, discomfort, perspective shifts… and a few moments that surprised even us.There’s something different that happens when you can’t prepare.The nervous system tells the truth faster than the mind can shape it.This one goes there.
Such Is… Life After Birth.
Birth is only the beginning.In this episode of Such Is Life, we sit down with postpartum doula Rhiannon James to talk about the part of motherhood that almost no one truly prepares women for — the fourth trimester.The weeks and months after birth are a profound physiological, emotional, and relational transition. Your body is healing, your nervous system is recalibrating, your identity is shifting, and a brand new human depends on you for everything.Yet most mothers are expected to simply “bounce back.”We explore what postpartum actually looks like and why understanding this window can change the entire experience of early motherhood.In this conversation we discuss:What the term matrescence really means and why it mattersWhy the postpartum period deserves as much planning as the birthThe importance of protecting the golden hours and newborn bubbleHow couples can prepare for sleep deprivation, feeding, and household pressuresThe difference between cultural myths about postpartum and what mothers truly needIf you’re pregnant, supporting someone who is, or reflecting on your own journey into motherhood, this episode is an honest and deeply important conversation about what happens after the baby arrives.Because birth is a moment.Motherhood is a transformation.
Such Is… Finding Your Aligned Partner
Finding the right partner isn’t about luck, chemistry, or some mythical “soulmate.”It’s about alignment.In this episode we unpack what it actually means to find a partner who fits your life, your values, and the direction you’re moving in.We talk about our own experiences and the current state and pitfalls of relationship advice these days. We also explore something relationship researchers call the “Michelangelo effect” - the idea that the right partner doesn’t shrink you or hold you back, but actually helps shape you toward your highest self. Because the truth is, the right relationship doesn’t just feel good.It helps you grow.So if you’ve ever wondered:• How do I know if someone is truly aligned with me?• Why do some relationships drain us while others expand us?• And what role do we play in choosing the partners we end up with?This conversation explores the deeper dynamics behind love, compatibility, and choosing someone who can walk beside you for the long road.Because sometimes the biggest question in life isn’t who loves you.It’s who evolves with you.
Such Is..Reducing the toxic load in your home.
We clean our homes. But we rarely question what we’re cleaning them with.In this episode of Such Is Life, we unpack the concept of “toxic load” and what that actually means in everyday life. Not in a fear-based, throw-everything-out way. In a calm, informed, practical way.We talk about:• Endocrine disruptors and why they matter more than we think• The cumulative effect of small exposures over time• Cleaning products, fragrances, plastics and air quality• How to reduce exposure without becoming obsessive• Where to start if you feel overwhelmedThis is not about perfection.It’s about awareness.Small shifts.And understanding that your home is part of your biology.If you’ve ever felt intuitively that your environment affects your energy, your hormones, your sleep or your kids’ behaviour, this episode will connect the dots.Such is life.
Such Is...Nutrition, Diet and Exercise
Such Is Nutrition, Diet & ExerciseWe talk about food, training and health all the time.But most of us are still confused, overwhelmed or quietly at war with our bodies.In this episode of Such Is Life, we unpack nutrition, diet culture, exercise, and what it actually means to take care of yourself in a sustainable way.This isn’t about macros vs keto vs fasting.It’s about identity.Regulation.Self-respect.And learning to work with your body instead of constantly trying to fix it.Whether you’re someone who has tried every plan, or someone who avoids the whole conversation altogether, this one will land.Such is life.
Such is...Conscious Parenting
What does conscious parenting actually mean?Is it being calm all the time? Never raising your voice? Explaining every emotion perfectly?Or is it something far less polished… and far more honest?In this episode of Such Is Life, we unpack what conscious parenting means to us in real life. Not the Instagram version. Not the performative gentle scripts. But the raw, biological, psychological and relational work of raising humans while still raising yourself.We share real examples from our own lives. The moments we nailed it. The moments we absolutely did not. And what we learnt from both.Conscious parenting, to us, is not about creating perfectly regulated children.It’s about becoming adults who are willing to see themselves clearly.It’s about pattern interruption.It’s about ownership. It’s about repair.It’s about helping support our children to grow into humans who feel safe, seen and guided.And it starts with you.Such is conscious parenting.
Such Is...The Masculine and Feminine
Masculine and feminine aren’t identities we perform. They are biological forces we embody.In this episode, we explore the real differences between men and women. Not through ideology, but through biology, nervous system design, and lived experience.Why men are wired toward direction, mission and single-point focus.Why women are wired toward connection, sensing, and relational awareness.Why both are necessary. And what happens when either is suppressed, rejected, or misunderstood.This is a conversation about polarity, relationships, attraction, and the roles we naturally fall into when we stop trying to override our design.Not to limit. But to understand.Not to divide. But to see clearly.Such is masculine and feminine.
Such Is..The Art of Getting Started.
Starting is rarely about motivation.It’s about identity, nervous system safety, and the stories we repeat without realising it.In this episode, we explore what it actually takes to be someone who does the thing.Why we stall, overthink, or wait for the “right time”.The mind loops that keep us stuck.And the science behind why starting can feel so uncomfortable, even when we want something deeply.If there’s something you’ve been wanting to start, this conversation is for you.
Such Is..Us.
This is where we begin...Who we are.How we found each other.And why Such Is Life exists.An introduction to the conversations ahead - and the many lenses we’ll explore life through.