In this episode of the Martina Tierney Podcast, Martina is joined by Sharon McNulty, founder of Joyful Spaces, for a deeply honest and insightful conversation about the connection between our homes, our habits, and our mental health.

Sharon’s journey began in healthcare, working closely with families in their own homes. Over time, she noticed a common thread - overwhelm.

Busy lives, constant demands, and environments that no longer supported the people living in them. What started as an observation has grown into a powerful mission: helping people create spaces that don’t just look better, but feel better.

This episode goes far beyond decluttering.

Together, Martina and Sharon explore how our surroundings can directly impact our stress levels, our ability to cope, and even our overall wellbeing.

Through real-life client stories, Sharon shares how simple, intentional changes can reduce anxiety, lift emotional weight, and bring a sense of calm back into everyday life.💬

“That last day we were together was the last bad head day I had.” From overwhelmed households to life-changing transformations, this conversation highlights just how powerful the right support - and the right system - can be.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly trying to keep on top of everything, or that your environment is adding to your stress rather than easing it, this episode will resonate.It’s not about perfection.

It’s about creating space - physically and mentally - for a better way of living.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, Martina speaks with Norma Findlay, Head of Clinical Operations at Tierco Healthcare, to explore the true importance of 24-hour postural care.

Norma shares her clinical experience and insights into why posture cannot be considered in isolation, but must be supported across the full 24-hour period, from lying and sitting to transfers and personal care.

The conversation highlights the risks of poor positioning over time, including the development of avoidable complications such as pressure injuries, reduced mobility and loss of independence.

Together, Martina and Norma discuss how a more holistic approach to care can improve outcomes, support rehabilitation and enhance quality of life for those who require assistance with daily living.

This episode offers practical guidance and thought-provoking insight for clinicians, caregivers and healthcare professionals who want to better understand how consistent, clinically led positioning can make a lasting difference.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, Martina speaks with Claire Bowes for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation about resilience, trauma, and rebuilding a life with purpose.

Claire shares her experience of losing her sight at just 15 years old following the Omagh bombing - and how, in an instant, everything changed.

She reflects on the emotional and physical challenges that followed, from navigating sudden sight loss to adjusting to a completely new way of living.

Through honesty and strength, Claire offers powerful insight into what it means to move forward after trauma - not without difficulty, but with determination, perspective, and resilience.

The conversation also explores Claire’s journey into music, entrepreneurship, and education, as well as the role purpose and mindset have played in shaping the life she has built today.

Together, this episode is a moving and thought-provoking discussion about overcoming adversity, finding strength in the hardest moments, and creating meaning beyond life’s challenges.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, Martina speaks with Occupational Therapist Ciara Duffy and country music star Lisa McHugh for an open and deeply personal conversation about Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), burnout, and recovery.

Lisa shares her experience of how quickly life can change. At the height of a demanding career, the pressure and exhaustion of constant work began to take their toll, eventually leading to symptoms that would later be diagnosed as FND. Her storyoffers a powerful insight into the realities of living with a condition that is still widely misunderstood.

Ciara brings the clinical perspective, explaining what FND is and how Occupational Therapy can play a vital role in helping people rebuild confidence, regain independence, and return to the activities that matter most in their lives.

Together, the conversation explores the impact of burnout, the importance of understanding FND, and the transformative role healthcare professionals can play in supporting recovery.

This episode is a thoughtful and hopeful discussion about resilience, compassionate care, and the difference the right support can make.

World Obesity Day Special – Equity, Language and Dignity in Bariatric Care with Tracey CarrReleased on World Obesity Day, this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast explores what equitable healthcare truly looks like for people living with obesity.Martina speaks with Tracey Carr, advocate, educator and founder of Fat Lot She Knows. Through her consultancy, Tracey works internationally with healthcare professionals to improve dignity, communication and equity in bariatric care, always bringing lived experience to the conversation.Together, they discuss:

• Why conversations about weight are often mishandled
• The impact of language in clinical settings
• Why “morbid obesity” can feel deeply harmful
• Why bariatric seating is not simply about weight limits
• The importance of width, depth, posture and gluteal shelf accommodation
• Moving and handling considerations for larger patients
• How proactive, respectful communication transforms patient experience

This episode is not about promoting obesity. It is about promoting responsibility, dignity and clinically sound, evidence-based care.On World Obesity Day, we are reminded that obesity is complex and multifactorial. As clinicians and manufacturers, we must lead with compassion and practical solutions.Because there should never be a limit to care.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, I sit down with Dr Melanie Stephens, Tissue Viability Nurse and Associate Professor, to explore a topic that belongs to all of us in healthcare.Tissue viability is not just about mattresses or dressings. It is about posture, pressure, advocacy and the responsibility we carry every single day to protect dignity.This is a powerful and honest conversation about interprofessional working, 24-hour care, prevention over blame and the courage it takes to speak up for a patient.Melanie shares the story of a 19-year-old young man whose final wish was simply to go home and die in his mother’s arms. It is a moment that reminds us why we must sometimes ask the difficult question, and have the courage to act on the answer.🔍 In this episode, we explore:* Why tissue viability is a shared clinical responsibility* The link between posture, seating and pressure injury prevention* The importance of understanding a patient’s journey, not just their diagnosis* Interprofessional learning and breaking down silos in care* The courage required to advocate for what a patient truly wantsThis episode is about dignity, responsibility and doing the right thing, even when it is hard.🎧 Thank you for listening.If this conversation resonated with you, please follow, rate and share. It helps these important discussions reach the people who need to hear them.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, I sit down with Martin Tierney, Managing Director of the Tierco Group, and my son.

This is a deeply personal conversation about leadership, values and responsibility, and what it means to grow a business without losing sight of the people at the heart of it. We reflect on the journey from a family idea rooted in clinical need to a global healthcare group, and the lessons learned along the way.

Martin shares his perspective on stepping into leadership, carrying responsibility for others and making decisions that affect not just a business, but people’s lives, livelihoods and dignity.

🔍 In this episode, we explore:

* What leadership really looks like behind the scenes

* Growing a family business while staying true to your values

* The responsibility that comes with employing people and serving patients

* Why purpose must come before profit

* Remembering the human being behind every decision

This episode is about people, purpose and legacy, and why values matter most when decisions are hardest.

🎧 Thank you for listening.

If this conversation stayed with you, please rate, review and share. It helps spread these stories and the thinking behind them.

In this episode of The Martina Tierney Podcast, I’m joined by Shane Elliott, Housing and Health Lead for Northern Ireland and occupational therapist by background, alongside Dean Cooke, Global Product Manager at Seating Matters.

This conversation goes deep into the intersection of health, housing and responsibility, and what happens when systems either support or fail the people they are meant to serve. Shane brings decades of experience from clinical practice, service leadership and policy, while Dean offers insight from years of working closely with clinicians and health services on the ground.

Together, we explore how good ideas can transform care when they are allowed to spread, and why courage, accountability and collaboration matter more than ever in today’s healthcare systems.

🔍 In this episode, we discuss:

* Why joined-up thinking between housing and health is critical

* How responsibility often gets passed instead of owned, and the impact this has on patients

* The power of simple, practical innovations when systems allow them to scale

* Risk aversion in healthcare, and what it’s costing patients and professionals

* Why leadership is about persistence, influence and staying the course

This is an honest and thought-provoking conversation about systems, people and the courage required to keep pushing for better outcomes, even when change feels slow.

🎧 Thank you for listening. I’d love to hear your reflections.

If this episode resonated with you, please rate, review and share, it helps these conversations reach the people who need them most.