PATCHlife - A Military Spouse Perspective

Welcome to Winnie

This special episode talks to an 8 year old I know very well!!!
This interview was fully by her own choice and she chose the picture on the title. She has listened to me interview spouses previously and she asked to be on the podcast so she could help other children. Please get in touch if your child would like to talk to her and share experiences.
She loved talking about her experiences, especially as you’ll hear, with the ponies on camp! I saw such a change in her confidence (whether or not she acknowledges it!).
Let’s open up discussions with our children…I’ve now learnt not to push her into building relationships - and let it happen organically by supporting them in being themselves!!!
Enjoy!

Welcome to Helen

Today we speak with Helen, the lovely Royal Navy wife of 19years! From deployments to weekending, we talk which is easier/less disruptive…how to cope with separation, coping mechanisms and how to explain the ‘in-out’ life to kids. From not knowing anything about the Military before meeting her husband, the steep learning curve has kept her on her toes.
We also discuss her current role in the Royal Navy Association - Youth crew project, a fantastic initiative to get children of Royal Navy, RFA and Royal Marines on the water and meeting other children living a familiar life!
She tells her story and offers lived through advice, including but not limited to:
“If it’s a god day - bank it, if not, move on!”
Enjoy!!

Welcome to Sophie

This week we speak to Sophie, having lived the military life for 18 years with her husband spending time both at sea and on shore. We talk about medical emergencies including breast cancer and miscarriages and advice for when your partner is not around! We also discuss how she copes with long deployments at sea and strategies for decompression when her husband returns home.
And much much more…
She learnt early on about this life after being ‘thrown in the deep end’ . She now has daughter and a successful business helping and supporting other military spouses further their careers.
Enjoy!

Welcome to Ingrid

Today we welcome Ingrid, a Charted Psychologist who has worked bringing Military spouses from all over the world together for the past 5 years.
We discuss how you make friends as an adult, how not being missed is one of the common causes of loneliness, the danger of comparison in looking at others, looking after your wellbeing and how practicing gratitude can help you get through difficult situations.
We also discuss the great things about a cup of tea…a habit, a time to stop, pause and reassess!
Finally, we fit in a little about the great points of technology in terms of maintaining long distance relationships but ask does inhibit face to face interaction and friendship building?
Enjoy!

Welcome to Lucy

This week we welcome Lucy, 15 years with her military man with many moves under her belt, deployments and weekly commuting.
From Marketing Director to creating a business from scratch when the need arose to find something that fitted her military lifestyle and fitting around children!
Listen to hear how ‘Family Rule’ came about and how the military community came together to help her in the early days…
We talk about whether the forces life changed her, how she deals with juggling children and a business when her husband is away, including having two young children and a newborn just as he deployed to Afghanistan.
Lots of advice and tips, Enjoy!

Welcome to Jill

Jill is a GP who had an insight into the military life with her brief stint in the Air Force as a doctor. She then had a ticket booked to New Zealand when she met her now husband at a wedding…!
We cover many many things, including whether her service prepared her for living the spouse life long distance relationships, moving, taking chances, kids and career breaks for both Jill and her husband. She also discusses whilst posted abroad her mother became poorly and how the military was able to get her by her mothers side from America quicker than her sister from Scotland! She is forever grateful. Enjoy!

Welcome to Megan

Today we welcome explorer, survivalist and leader Meg! A recent addition to the military spouse family we discuss how her life travelling, planning and overseeing ‘survival’ programmes has prepared her for military life!
We talk, amongst many things, goal setting, the ability to adapt habits, insecurities of identity and my personal favourite - staying curious!
She also explains the evolution of the stress response and how we can find methods to trick our brain’s initial fight or flight response to bring in logic and reasoning, key when dealing with emotional responses within the military life!
Have a listen to hear all this and much more, including what she considers her superpower!
Enjoy!

Welcome to Nicola

We welcome Nicola this week. We talk how she used to travel a lot, thought she had settled until she met her Canadian Soldier! We talk work (and perseverance), long distance relationships, asking for help, emergency contacts and how she became a poet…listen to hear her beautiful words for military children…and much more…
Enjoy!

Welcome to Anna

An Army wife of 26 years, Anna has spent many of her military years abroad and loves learning about new cultures. After spending time in Nepal with the Gurkhas, she decided to set up a charity called ‘Women without Roofs’ and has written 2 books. She is passionate about people - an introvert who, despite this, has found ways to meet people and form relationships. We talk all things moving and meeting, similarities between international military spouses…and giggled through some quirks of electricity!
Enjoy!

Welcome to Katherine

We welcome Katherine this week, from 11 houses in 19 years and 3 children - we talk what makes a location special, tips to making friends, kids in new places and a renewing of vows in vegas(!!!)…and so much more!!! Buckle up for an enjoyable listen…including my dogs making it known when the chap comes home…this is real life!