Here at Happy Magazine we are very proud of our amazing contributors. They contribute articles on a regular basis and give their time, advice and expertise free of charge and for this we are very grateful. We are very pleased to have contributors in five areas; Health & Wellbeing, Food & Nutrition, Life Coaches, Beauty and Books and we feel their articles are an integral part of Happy Magazine.
If you would like to write for Happy Magazine, we would love to hear from you. Please drop me an email at holly@happymagazine.ie
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Clare Reed
CBT Cancer Therapist, Breast Cancer Survivor
Clare Reed is a qualified CBT therapist specialising in cancer. She was born in the UK but is Irish and lived in Dublin for 15 years. She has worked as a CBT Therapist for a decade. At CBT for Cancer she works with clients who are experiencing anxiety, self-esteem issues and a lack of confidence, by applying CBT techniques and tools for those who are newly diagnosed with cancer, those working their way through treatment and for those who are struggling after cancer. She also helps supporters and carers cope with the anxiety and stress of looking after a loved one with cancer.
She provides a 360 approach ensuring both Cognitive and Behavioural approaches are used and with additional qualifications in nutrition and exercise she uses an integrative lifestyle approach with the behavioural therapy programme. Clare had Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2017 and went through two operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and understands the challenges her clients with cancer face. Her mother also had breast cancer and she appreciates how difficult it is for her carer clients to support someone through this time.
Clare walks the walk and upped the ante during her own cancer treatment, she switched to a whole new lifestyle and is an advocate for adopting the best lifestyle and mind management possible during treatment and after.
You can contact Clare here.
Ruth Delahunty
Yoga Instructor
Ruth is a 200hr Yoga Alliance Certification yoga teacher and teaches in The Yoga Room, Dublin. She teaches Vinyasa Flow with a focus on a well-rounded, energetic class which works on many levels, both internally and externally, through attention to the breath, anatomy, alignment and conscious transitioning.
She has also created a yoga lifestyle website – Yogaru.ie – promoting a yoga way of living on and off the mat. She is passionate about helping students to explore their own personal journey, and to develop their home practice using her uniquely designed 108 Asana sequencing cards.
She believes that with the hectic lives we live, it is important to take time to pause, settle onto the mat and slow down, cultivating a sense of balance and enjoying the tranquility the practice brings to your day.
For more on Ruth, follow her on Facebook.
Fit with Sylvia
Personal Trainer, Fitness & Dance Instructor and Blogger
Sylvia is a Health and Fitness Professional specialising in the areas of Nutrition, Fitness, Wellbeing and Dance. Sylvia will be contributing articles on exercise and wellness here at Happy Magazine and we are delighted to have her.
Sylvia runs her own fitness and nutrition coaching service called Fit with Sylvia and occasionally holds events where she promotes a healthy lifestyle, especially for busy professionals.
Sylvia has had her own personal struggles with illness – an eating disorder from her early career as an international fashion model – and knows the importance of maintaining a healthy body as well as a healthy mind. For more on Sylvia, visit her website www.fitwithsylvia.com, Instagram @fit.with.sylvia and Facebook Fit with Sylvia.
Aideen Schweppe
Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist
Aideen at Beautiful Life is an experienced Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist. It was after a close family member was treated for cancer that Aideen qualified as an MLD Therapist in the Dr. Vodder method.
With 10 years’ experience treating women who have developed lymphoedema as a result of cancer treatment, Aideen has the skills, clinical experience, and the personal understanding to draw upon in her work.
For more on Aideen, visit her website, www.mld.ie.
SUPPORT
Natasha Whelehan
Breast Cancer Survivor
Natasha Whelehan is a mom, wife and breast cancer survivor who lives in County Laois. Natasha is a regular contributor to Happy Magazine with posts charting her recovery back to health after cancer, mindfulness, meditation, self care and more.
Cathy McCarthy
Breast Cancer Survivor, Author, Speaker
Cathy McCarthy is originally from Athlone. She is married to Billy and they have three grown up children, David, Emma and Jack. They live in Dublin.
Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2007. During her treatment when she encountered a problem, she always looked to find a solution. As she recovered, people would ask her for help and advice and she was delighted to pass on her knowledge. She also has a keen interest in spirituality, the meaning of life and why things happen the way they do.
Her first book, “Not the Year You Had Planned” was published in 2011. She felt there was a huge gap in the area of practical information for people going through cancer and this book helps to fill that void. While giving talks, she discovered from her own experience and talking to many people that the weeks and months post treatment left many searching for the answer to one central question – how do I now rebuild my life? She then published “Stronger Than Yesterday” as a guide to help people find hope in adversity. Read more about both Cathy’s books in this post.
The proceeds from both books go to various charities.
FOOD & NUTRITION
Sadia Badiei
Dietetics Graduate, YouTube Content Creator
Sadia is a Canadian foodie and Dietetics graduate currently living in The Netherlands. She now works as a YouTube content creator for her channel Pick Up Limes – an online community of over 1 million people. She also regularly adds new plant-based recipes to her blog, along with uncomplicated and informative nutrition articles. The Pick Up Limes food philosophy is to take things back to the basics. Sadia believes in eating as much whole-food, plant-based ingredients as is reasonable to each individual, using food as a way to nourish ourselves. She also believes each person is unique and individual, and it’s important that we all honour where we are at. To learn more about Sadia, visit www.pickuplimes.com
LIFE COACHES
Niamh Gaffney
Breast Cancer Survivor and Professional Life Coach
Niamh Gaffney runs coaching consulting company Directionality. She was 35 and a new mum to a gorgeous 6-month old baby girl when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the year that followed, she dealt with surgery, fertility preservation treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and then faced redundancy from her executive level role. The fall-out of that crazy whirlwind of a year was a shock; she seriously struggled with the aftermath, with trying to get back to normal until coaching helped her realise that there was no going back – she needed to find her New Normal. When the dust settled she understood how much coaching could help others in similar situations and so Directionality opened its doors in early 2016.
Niamh is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and her coaching is strictly governed by them.
She is a graduate member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and was hugely honoured to be invited to present her thesis “The Extent to which Personal, Occupational and Biographical Factors predict Psychological Wellbeing in Irish Teachers” to the Annual PSI Conference in 2010.
She is fully insured to practice coaching at all levels. She holds an Accredited Diploma in Executive and Life Coaching from PSG, a QQI Certificate in Professional Coaching Practice and Ethics, a First Class BA in Psychology from Dublin Business School and is currently in her Advanced Medical Coaching internship with MCI.
She has over 15 years of international executive and management corporate experience in the insurance, retail and technological industries and has coached and mentored extensively during that time. She has provided mentoring and coaching as an alumna to Heriot-Watt students and through the CDVEC as an Adult Learning Volunteer.
BEAUTY
Elfreda McGowan
Breast Cancer Survivor, Make-up Artist, Beauty Therapist
In June of 2017, Elfreda found out she had breast cancer, it was a terrible shock but she faced it head on! She has completed chemo and radiation and is still receiving the drug Herceptin until October 2018. Elfreda is a professionally trained make-up artist and beauty therapist, she has vast experience in makeup and beauty and broadened and refined her skills working in salons in Dublin and London. She has worked as a makeup artist for well known brands, most recently, Georgio Armani, and also works freelance, taking part in shoots, weddings and other special occasions. Her passion for all things make-up and beauty-related, and love of helping people feel good about themselves, has her very excited to be able to share her knowledge with the readers of Happy Magazine.
Anne Roche
Melanoma Cancer Survivor, Owner of Roches, Wig Stylist
For over 60 years the Roche family have been involved in the hair and beauty industry, with a particular specialisation in wigs and hair pieces. Fergus and Maura Roche, recognising the lack of services for people concerned with hair loss, opened their dedicated Wig Centre in 1986. Their daughter Anne Roche, who, along with her team of expert wig and hair replacement specialists, took over the business in 2006. Anne further expanded the premises in 2010 to incorporate a speciality breast prosthesis, mastectomy lingerie and swimwear boutique. Roches help their clients deal with all the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment, from losing their hair right through to re-colouring their hair after treatment and everything in between.
Anne shares the best of her knowledge on how to look and feel better during cancer here on Happy Magazine.
FICTION
Victoria Lawlor
Mum, Life Coach, Writer, Crafter
Victoria is a busy working Mum to high-energy primary school kids. A qualified life coach, with more than ten years experience juggling the work/life balance seesaw and managing to squeeze in time to watch Game of Thrones inbetween with a hot cup of tea.
Victoria is a creative Mum who loves knitting, crafting and baking. Always learning and open to new ideas, she hopes to inspire others through her love of writing.
She currently contributes to Natural Parenting Magazine and is a featured blogger on MummyPages in the UK and Ireland.
