Jinty Sheerin and Lou Hockings-Thompson – The Womenkind collective; spilling the tea on taboos

Jinty Sheerin and Lou Hockings-Thompson are best friends and hosts of the WomenKind Collective Podcast, delivering a weekly mix of real talk, education, and humor centered on women’s health, menopause, relationships, and smashing the patriarchy.  

They are active campaigners, founding Exmouth's first Menopause Café and launching the #WheresMyClinic campaign for better Devon-based NHS menopause care. 

Breeda shares how her own menopause journey led her to question the silence, shame and negativity surrounding this life stage, and why education is so important in helping women understand what is happening to their bodies and minds. Together, Joyce and Breeda discuss the need to challenge outdated narratives around ageing, the empty nest, retirement and invisibility, and instead encourage women to see midlife as a time to rediscover themselves, explore new passions and embrace freedom, purpose and growth.

They also explore the practical side of thriving in midlife, including the importance of movement, strength, rest, social connection and self-care, as well as the reality that women’s experiences of perimenopause and menopause are not all the same. Breeda speaks honestly about HRT, why it can be life-changing for some women but is not the right choice for everyone, and the need to move beyond one-size-fits-all messaging. This is an uplifting and thoughtful conversation about courage, curiosity and finding joy in the years beyond fifty, with inspiring reflections on nature, adventure, health, happiness and what it really means to rock midlife.