The Road Back Home
Episodes
47. Inner Landscapes: Poetry, Journaling & the Art of Witnessing
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda introduces her guest Maria Ortega, a transdisciplinary poetry therapy practitioner and educator. Together, they explore the profound intersecti...
We're Baaaaack! But what happened?
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the bravest thing is admitting the year kicked your ass, and you're still here. After months of silence, Amanda and Melanie reunite in J...
All I Want for Christmas is... Sanity! Our Silly Season Self-Care Guide - REPOST
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Silly season is upon us & for many, this also means enduring the increased stress & anxiety that often accompanies the holidays. We discuss th...
44. The Anatomy of Kindness with June Curtin
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
June Curtain joins Amanda for a conversation that will completely redefine how you think about kindness - and why you might have given up on it for al...
43. When Fear Makes Your Decisions For You
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"I know I should leave this WhatsApp group because it's draining me, but what if they think I'm a terrible person?"Sound familiar? A...
42. The Serenity Project: 16 Years In The Making
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After 16 years of iterations, false starts, and "almost there" moments, Amanda finally reveals what's been trying to be born through her...
41. What School Never Taught You About Success with Laura Canavan Hayes
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
School taught you that creativity, individuality and questioning authority were problems to be solved. But in today's world? Those are the exact s...
40. Why You're Still Exhausted (And What Recovering Addicts Know That You Don't)
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest didn't show up. So Amanda spills the tea on the ONE thing that's kept you stuck your entire life.You think the problem is your partner. ...
39. What If The Magic is in Simply Being Yourself?
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This one's for everyone who's tired of feeling like they have to keep pulling rabbits from a hat to deserve a seat at the table.In this unscri...
38. The Four Stages of Womanhood with Ashleigh Tobin
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ashleigh Tobin is a master storyteller who uses words as colours and her voice as a paintbrush. As a hormone health coach, registered nurse with 35+ y...
37. What It Means To Be Free with Tara Morris
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Photographer and yoga teacher Tara Morris sits down for one of the most honest conversations about what it actually means to be free; not when you'...
36. The Architecture of Belonging with Jean Evans
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This one's for everyone who's ever felt like they had to choose between being authentic and being professional. Jean Evans is a Networking Arc...
35. Together, We Are Magnificent: with Michelle Mills Porter
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda met Michelle at a professional speaking event, where she stood before a room & declared: "Every single person has something to offer. Every...
34. The Value Of A Curated Life with Stephanie O Sullivan
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you stop being a "square peg trying to fit in a round hole"?Interior architect Stephanie O'Sullivan spent over a decade in corporate...
33. I Can Do Anything Because I Did That - With Emer Halpenny
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a "big voice" changes the trajectory of your entire life?In 1988, Emer Halpenny was holding her eight-week-old son, about ...
32. Lies We Tell Ourselves
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the most life-changing revelations come from the most ordinary moments.In this deeply personal solo episode, Amanda shares how adopting her ...
31. Art for Self: Creativity as Recovery, Resource & Reclamation
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if 'me time' wasn’t a luxury, but a lifeline?This episode is an invitation to step out of productivity culture and into something deeper: the q...
30. Walk With Amanda: Healing, Grieving & Reclaiming Joy in Nature
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda brings listeners along for a real-time walk through the Irish countryside with her newly adopted dog, Molly. Recorded on a winding bóithrín i...
When Routine Falls Apart (you don't have to)
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda & Mel reunite after a break & unpack the emotional & practical realities of re-entering 'normal life' after time off. Wheth...
28. Answering the Call to Heal with Carmel Boyle
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, Amanda sits down with her beloved teacher, mentor, and spiritual guide, Carmel Boyle of An Chroí Wisdom Institute. Their con...
27. What If It Wasn’t About the Food? Eating Distress with Jacqueline Campion
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
[nb: The audio for the 1st 2 mins or so (Amanda's intro) isn't great - please bear with it, it gets better] If you’ve ever struggled with food, body...
26. Live, Raw & Real: Behind the Scenes of Our First Show
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What really happens behind the scenes of a live podcast launch? We spill it all.In this episode, we take you behind the curtain of our first-ever live...
25. LIVE Episode! Your Happiness Is a Gift.
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if your happiness isn’t selfish… but generous?In this very special live episode recorded at Nenagh Arts Centre, Amanda & Mel take the sta...
24. Our Mam Talks Life, Grief & Strength: Meet Eilo
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you say to your 18-year-old self after 45 years of marriage and four children? Eileen Grace, aka 'Eilo', joins Amanda and Mel for a deeply per...
23. If You Can’t Shake a Feeling, This Might Be Why
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🧩 What if your personality isn’t who you are, but just a habit you’ve developed over time?What if it was there was a key to understanding the h...
22. ADHD, AI & Productivity Shame
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🧠 Struggling to keep up, but not sure why?🚀 Feel like you’re always behind, even when you’re working twice as hard? ⚡ Ever wondered if pro...
21. Recovery, Resilience & Radical Reinvention With Bren P Grace
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you decide to hit reset on your life—completely? In this very special episode, Amanda and Mel sit down with their brother, Bren P ...
20. Stop Apologising & Start Speaking Up with Jessica Neighbor
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered what's really holding you back from speaking your truth? Amanda talks to Jessica Neighbor of ‘Love Your Voice’ about her conce...
19. Courage, Vulnerability, Discernment
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
❓What happens when telling the truth about your life feels like a betrayal of our loved ones? ❓Why is visibility hard, even when we crave it? ❓W...
18. Boundaries: Celebrity Edition
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Want to hear why Amanda once wished she had a voodoo doll for Liz Gilbert? Or get the tea on why Mel's husband, Frank, will 'never forgive'...
17: The Yellow Brick Road To Sobriety with Tammi Salas
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Struggle. Surrender. Solutions, Oh My!Meet our special guest Tammi Salas, creative ringleader, artist, teacher + founder of the ray of light online co...
16: Transforming Negative Self-Talk
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever feel trapped in a loop of negative self-talk? In this episode, Amanda and Mel break down how the language you use with yourself can either hold y...
15: Journaling Made Easy: Creative Solutions for Self-Connection
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever feel like journaling is just one more thing you don’t have time for? Or that it has to be perfect—pages of deep, introspective writing—or i...
14: How to Stop Letting Other People’s Opinions Run Your Life
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel like the weight of other people’s opinions is holding you back? In this episode, Amanda and Mel unpack the hidden power of whisper...
13: They’re Always Watching: Breaking Free from the Fear of Being Judged
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel like someone’s always got their eye on you, silently critiquing your every move? Maybe it’s a comment about your appearance, a s...
EP 12: Drained by Certain Friendships? Here’s What’s Really Going On
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel completely wiped out after spending time with a certain friend? Maybe you dread their calls or find yourself constantly walking on eg...
Ep 11: Gowls, Geebags & Gobshites, Oh My! A lighthearted look at Irish cursing and slang
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this New Year’s Day episode, Amanda and Mel take a break from heavier topics to explore the art of Irish cursing. They celebrate the cultural, h...
EP 10: How To Stand Up For Yourself - We Give You The Words
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda & Mel discuss the concept of boundaries through the lens of the Personal Bill of Rights. They explore how boundaries can be perceived nega...
Ep 9: All I Want for Christmas is... Sanity! Our Silly Season Self-Care Guide
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Silly season is upon us & for many, this also means enduring the increased stress & anxiety that often accompanies the holidays. We discuss t...
Ep 8: What To Do With Resentment: A Step-by-Step Guide
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever catch yourself wanting to numb out after a stressful interaction? Feeling weighed down by lingering resentment? In this episode, we dive into a ...
Ep 7: Why Change Feels Impossible (and what will actually help)
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Amanda and Mel explore "step zero"—the difficult space of pre-commitment and the early contemplation of change. This often-overlook...
Ep 6: The Shrink Next Door: A Lesson in Discomfort, Boundaries & Vulnerability
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss toxic relationship dynamics after watching Apple TV's "The Shrink Next Door".Join us as we dissect the show's portrayal of...
Ep 5: Be Careful What You Wish For: The Surprising Upside of Failure
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you recognize when a path no longer serves you? Or do you resist change because it feels like failure? In this episode, Amanda shares her journey o...
Ep 4: Fake It Til You Face It: The Cost of Pretending
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine life as a never-ending game of charades where you're constantly acting out a role that doesn't fit. You're pretending to be thrilled with a gi...
Ep 3: How to get what you want (without having to fight for it)
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is packed with eye-opening insights for anyone caught in cycles of people-pleasing or perfectionism. Together, Amanda and Mel explore how...
Ep 2: People-Pleasing & The 'C' word
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever felt like your worth is tied to how much you can do for others? Amanda and Mel share their journeys navigating the treacherous waters of people-p...
Ep 1: Let's Begin: The Who, The What & The Why.
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered how quitting alcohol might lead to an emotional awakening? Join us as we embark on our podcast journey with "The Road Back Home," where ...