Hello to our beautiful listeners! We are so sorry but we have a slight change of plan and will now be going on a break for the rest of this year. We just wanted to update you on what has been going on behind the scenes. And, not to be too mysterious, but we do have some exciting news in here! x  We can't wait to get back to sharing 'What Matters Most' with you next year - We have so much planned and promise it will be worth the wait! 

It’s been an incredibly challenging year for many Kiwis, and to those who are rebuilding their lives after the impacts of a natural disaster, Jacqui and Antonia send you their love and support. It’s an unfortunate sign of the times that this week, close friends Jacqui Maguire, a clinical psychologist, and Antonia Prebble, actor and presenter, tackle the subject that has been most requested this year: dealing with the effects of a natural disaster. In this episode, Jacqui breaks down the three stages we typically go through and how we can best look after ourselves – and one another – during these different periods. The pair discuss what PTSD can look like, plus how to find a new routine, hope and gratitude in the wake of a major event. And, importantly the delve into exactly what we can do to care for and support children who are caught up in natural disasters.  “Kia kaha,” says Jacqui. “Stand together – remember that social capital is what will support our communities to survive from a health, mental health and economic perspective. We get through it, together.” “And please remember, there is no right way to feel. As a country we owe it to anybody struggling after a natural disaster to remember and stand alongside you – that is our duty, to be a team of five million.” If you’re looking for more resources after today’s episode, for a start, please head to: Get Ready: Brought to you by Civil Defence, this resource talks you through how to get prepared, what to do in an emergency and how to get involved in the aftermath Anxiety NZ: How to cope with anxiety during disasters and emergencies Headspace: How to cope with the stress of natural disasters The Student Volunteer Army: As Jacqui mentioned, the SVA (formed after the Christchurch Earthquake) responds to the acute needs of local communities. New Zealand Red Cross: Donate to the New Zealand Disaster Fund, plus read about updates and the best ways to get support, or to support those affected by the recent severe weather events. We’d also like to say a big warm thank you to our wonderful sponsors of this episode: The fantastic folks at Woop, who keep our bellies deliciously full and warm, and the lovely team at Emma who ensure we get a good night’s sleep! Sponsor Codes: Woop are offering our listeners 30% off their first box. Just use the code PODCAST at the checkout.

If you’ve ever found yourself pulling multiple all-nighters to meet a long-known deadline, or are constantly putting off things on your to-do list, you might be one of the estimated 20% of the population who procrastinate. In the final episode of the first season of What Matters Most, good friends and co-hosts Jacqui Maguire, a clinical psychologist, and Antonia Prebble, actor and presenter, have left the procrastination episode until (***joke alert***) the very end .  In Volume V of What Matters Most, the pair delve into the different neuroscience theories around why we procrastinate and Jacqui says that it’s not a time management issue, it’s an emotional regulation one. They also look at why we even put off things that we enjoy or we know are good for us, and why self-compassion, rather than self-judgment, is the key to helping us bring a better workflow into our lives.  Hosted by: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Produced by: Roar Collective Co-Produced By: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Music: Goodboy Music

It’s no wonder so many women aged in their late twenties to early forties are feeling paralysed by overwhelm. We have SO many decisions to make, all while we wade through SO many expectations – whether they’re ones we’ve put on ourselves, or ones that exist from our families, social media, or society as a whole. These dilemma-filled few years (eek, should I have a baby? Is it already too late? Am I with the right person? Should I be focusing on my job?!) are referred to as ‘The Panic Years’ – a term coined by author Nell Frizzell and in Volume V of What Matters Most, Antonia and Jacqui do a deep dive into what brings them about and how to navigate your way through them. Jacqui outlines three steps to calming some of that overwhelm, figuring out what you actually truly want (not just what you feel pressured to do) and how to put steps in place to try to get there. Along the way Jacqui and Antonia share their own struggles with The Panic Years, what to do if your panic isn’t that you don’t know what you want – it’s that you know it, but it goes against societal norms or, it’s out of reach. Plus, Antonia shares why that advice to treat people how you’d like to be treated, perhaps isn’t the best approach after all. Jacqui finishes this volume with a wonderful exercise to define what is important to you – The Holistic Wheel of Life! Link Here Hosted by: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Produced by: Roar Collective Co-Produced By: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Music: Goodboy Music

In Volume IV of What Matters Most, the pair are delving into all things friendship – why we need them, why they are so hard to find – or maintain – as adult life gets busier and the roadblocks we can put up, without knowing, when it comes to seeking connection with new people. Far from being a luxury, good quality friendships are our biggest indicator of a healthy and long life, Jacqui says. The pair share their own friendship origin story, cover off some of the grey areas that come with friends and share practical tips and situations on how to make new friends as an adult. Hosted by: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Produced by: Roar Collective Co-Produced By: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Music: Goodboy Music

Whether it’s how you respond to a relationship tiff, or your reaction to authority, your inner child is potentially a lot closer to the surface than you might imagine. In Volume IV of What Matters Most, good friends and co-hosts Jacqui Maguire, clinical psychologist, and actor and presenter Antonia Prebble are taking a trip to our most vulnerable, joyful self – our inner child.  In this episode, the pair talk about the importance of our inner child and how tapping into what brings them joy – or makes them angry or scared – can help us make greater sense of the triggers we face as adults. From specific examples that demonstrate the connection between scared inner child and activated adult, they also look at practical ways we can work out what our inner child needs and how we can parent them.    Hosted by: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Produced by: Roar Collective Co-Produced By: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Music: Goodboy Music

 Is there anything more likely to induce a stomach drop than knowing you have to have a difficult conversation with someone? Fun fact: even Jacqui, a clinical psychologist, says her common reaction is still likely to burst into tears when faced with a difficult conversation – so you’re in good company if that’s also you – plus Antonia says she’s far more likely to get dragged into conflict if she’s tired or hungry, and who amongst us hasn’t been there? In Volume II of What Matters Most, the pair delve into the three different types of conflict – and where you’re likely to stumble across each one; practical strategies for keeping calm when faced with conflict and Jacqui’s golden rule to remember when preparing for a difficult conversation. Plus they look at why you can still have a good relationship with someone you fundamentally disagree with, why a handwritten letter is better than an angry email, and discuss the recent cause of conflict that Jacqui says ‘has caused more rifts in families than I have ever seen before.’   Hosted by: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Produced by: Roar Collective Co-Produced By: Antonia Prebble & Jacqui Maguire Music: Goodboy Music 

Conversations between two friends that support, provide practical tools, are light hearted at times, joyful, soulful and offer that little bit of ‘friendship mixed with therapy’ on the days that you might need it.