• 20 - Really Useful Conversations with Michelle Minnikin and Andrea Newton
    Jan 25 2025

    Episode 20 - Really Useful Conversations with Michelle Minnikin and Andrea Newton

    In this week’s episode, Andrea Newton welcomes back Michelle Minnikin, to the Really Useful Conversations Podcast.

    They explore the roots of societal conditioning, how it impacts women in the workplace and beyond, and how Michelle’s work is helping women unleash their inner rebels. Michelle also gives a sneak peek into her sessions at the upcoming Actually She Can event.

    What we talk about:

    1:33 - What Is Good Girl Conditioning?

    3:50 - Michelle’s Sessions at Actually She Can

    5:19 - Recognising the Impact of Good Girl Conditioning

    7:39 - Societal Progress – How Far We’ve Come and How Far We Have to Go

    10:40 - Gender Roles in Family Caregiving

    12:01- Unleashing Your Inner Rebel

    13:30 - The Magic of Women Empowering Women

    17:23 - Stereotypes and Gender Bias in STEM and Beyond

    20:30 - Allyship in the Workplace

    22:59 - Safety and Societal Conditioning

    25:21 - The Power of Women Gathering Together

    Follow Andrea on social media:

    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-newton-cc/

    Ticket’s for Actually, She Can - https://www.actuallyshecan.co.uk/

    Podcast - https://podfollow.com/ruc/view

    Follow Michelle on social media:

    Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/

    Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming

    TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin

    Buy Good Girl Deprogramming

    Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf)

    Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk

    Take the Good Girl Quiz

    Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/

    If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!

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    29 mins
  • 19 - Guilt, Boundaries, and Asking for What You Need with Michaela Thomas
    Jan 19 2025

    Episode 19 - Guilt, Boundaries, and Asking for What You Need with Michaela Thomas

    Michaela Thomas is a Clinical Psychologist, coach, speaker, founder of the psychology practice The Thomas Connection and author of The Lasting Connection – develop love and compassion for yourself and your partner.


    Michaela specialises in the intersection between perfectionism and ADHD, with its ties with stress, anxiety, depression, productivity, procrastination, burnout, and overall wellbeing. Michaela helps ambitious female leaders with ADHD burn bright without burning out, finding sustainable success using her Pause Purpose Play framework in group coaching, therapy and speaking.


    What we talk about:

    • 1:28 - Michaela’s Journey with Good Girl Conditioning

    • 2:55 - The Impact of Janteloven

    • 5:13 - Keeping Women Small

    • 9:11 - The Balance Between Modesty and Assertiveness

    • 12:55 - The Tea Experiment

    • 16:54 - The Role of Guilt and Backdraft in Good Girl Deprogramming

    • 20:38 - Receiving Compassion from Others

    • 23:52 - Burning Bright Without Burning Out

    • 30:07 - Final Reflections and a Powerful Question



    Follow Micheala on social media:

    Website - https://thethomasconnection.co.uk/

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection

    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaela-thomas/

    Follow Michelle on social media:

    Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/

    Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming

    TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin

    Buy Good Girl Deprogramming

    Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf)

    Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk

    Take the Good Girl Quiz

    Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/

    If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!


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    32 mins
  • 18 - Harnessing Rage for Good with Hira Ali
    Jan 12 2025
    Episode 18 - Harnessing Rage for Good with Hira Ali Hira Ali is a leadership development and allyship specialist, executive career coach, and acclaimed writer and speaker. Her award-winning career is dedicated to helping others realise their potential. Her work has been featured in outlets such as The Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The Telegraph, B.B.C., HuffPost, and Entrepreneur. She is a Senior Advisory Team member for Benedictine University Illinois L.E.A.D.S., an IDEA Practitioner at NASA, and an advisor for the Women in Transport Intersectionality Advisory Group. Recognised as one of the top 50 influential Muslims in Europe in 2022, Hira is also highlighted by Diverse In as a global D&I voice to follow on LinkedIn. As the founder of Advancing Your Potential, Hira champions allyship and inclusive talent initiatives. She is the award-winning author of Her Way To The Top: A Guide to Smashing the Glass Ceiling and Her Allies: A Practical Toolkit to Help Men Lead Through Advocacy. What we talk about: 1:44 – Pressures of Good Girl Conditioning: Hira discusses the societal and cultural expectations that shaped her life growing up, including anecdotes about being told not to laugh loudly and the pressure to marry the “right person.” 2:50 – Good Girl Conditioning as a Global Issue: Hira explains how these challenges are universal, spanning borders and cultures, with professional and personal implications. 5:29 – Choosing Battles: They discuss the importance of picking battles for one’s sanity and recognising when to conform versus resist. 6:40 – Dealing with Pushback: Hira shares her strategies for handling backlash, including unashamedly owning her space, finding allies, and building a supportive network. 8:45 – Raising the Next Generation Differently: Hira emphasises the importance of teaching girls and boys to break free from outdated gender norms. 9:38 – Harnessing Rage for Good: Michelle and Hira explore how to transform frustration and anger into collaborative, positive action. 11:27 – The Power of Advocacy: Hira highlights the importance of balancing public advocacy with private efforts and the role of social media in influencing change. 13:17 – Leadership and Intersectionality: Hira talks about the additional pressures of being a Muslim, immigrant, female leader, and how intersectional identities amplify challenges. 16:05 – Navigating High Standards for Women: Discussing the disproportionate expectations women face, particularly in leadership roles. 19:46 – Processing Grief and Finding Strength: Hira shares the importance of grieving injustices but moving forward to create meaningful impact. 20:51 – Advocacy in Many Forms: Advocacy doesn’t always have to be public; small, private actions can be equally impactful. 24:04 – The Role of Male Allies: Hira discusses her book Her Allies and the importance of compassionate, informed male allyship. 27:21 – Global Policy for Workplace Equity: If Hira could implement one global policy, it would be an accountability framework to ensure equity across all levels of organisations. Follow Hira on social media: Website - https://www.advancingyourpotential.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancingyou/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hira-ali-careercoach/ Follow Michelle on social media: Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin Take the Good Girl Quiz Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!
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    32 mins
  • 17 - Noticing the Water We Swim In with Katy Lumsden
    Jan 5 2025
    Episode 17 - Noticing the Water We Swim In with Katy Lumsden Katy is a seasoned practitioner in organisational behaviour, organisational development, and human resources, with extensive leadership experience across the public sector in Ireland, as well as in church and trade union environments. Her work is driven by a passion for learning and empowerment through self-inquiry, underpinned by a values-led approach. Holding an MBS in Organisational Development, Organisational Behaviour, and Leadership, Katy has designed and delivered programmes for children and young people, focusing on leadership, followership, and culture. A regular speaker, podcast guest, and co-author of Soul Excellence Publishing’s best-selling leadership book, The X-Factor: Spiritual Secrets Behind Successful Executives and Entrepreneurs, Katy frequently shares her insights on leadership, systems, and culture through social media. Before transitioning into organisational development, Katy trained and practised in Visual Communications. In 2004, she was awarded Craft Membership of the Society of Heraldic Arts, joining an exclusive group of fewer than 50 artists worldwide to have earned this distinction. Katy’s career path has been far from linear, but it has always been guided by her personal values of excellence, professionalism, fairness, courage, and growth. She continually seeks opportunities to align her work with these principles, carving out a distinctive and impactful professional journey. But first and foremost, Katy is a mum to an inspiring and astonishing young woman, who is her breath after breath. Her daughter’s hope, joie de vivre, and bold assumptions cast a searchlight across generations of systemic injustice - forces vested in keeping her small, quiet, and unconfronting simply because she is female. What we talk about: 1:28 – How Michelle and Katy Connected - Katy shares how a LinkedIn post about Good Girl Deprogramming led to her starting a reading group for the book. 5:01 – The Impact of Good Girl Deprogramming - Katy discusses her eye-opening experience with the book, particularly Biderman’s Chart of Coercion and its application to systemic patriarchy. 7:33 – The Noticing Effect - How the book changed Katy’s perspective on societal norms, influencing her own behaviour and those around her. 8:46 – Changing the World - They discuss how small, collective changes can lead to systemic shifts. 9:18 – Navigating Difficult News and Conversations - Katy shares a personal story of processing difficult news stories and finding solace in her Good Girl Gang. 13:26 – Decoupling Patriarchy from Men - Exploring the idea that patriarchy is a system harming everyone and the importance of engaging men in allyship. 15:16 – The Workplace and Systemic Change - Practical examples of workplace barriers for women, from ill-fitting chairs to inaccessible spaces, and how these reflect deeper systemic issues. 20:28 – The Problem with “Quick Fix” Solutions - Critiquing the oversimplified solutions often marketed to women and the need for systemic change instead of individual fixes. 26:05 – Internalised Misogyny and Self-Policing - Katy reflects on how women are conditioned to self-police and judge one another under systemic patriarchy. 28:44 – Katy’s Provocation for Listeners 32:47 – Building a Good Girl Gang - Katy shares her advice for forming supportive groups to navigate and discuss Good Girl Deprogramming. Follow Katy on social media: Website - https://www.knownoboundsleadership.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-lumsden-noisy-introvert/ Follow Michelle on social media: Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!
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    38 mins
  • 16 - Redefining Ambition & Rethinking Christmas with Tiffany Scott & Alex Morgan
    Dec 22 2024
    Episode 16 - Redefining Ambition & Rethinking Christmas with Tiffany Scott & Alex Morgan In this festive episode of the Good Girl Deprogramming Podcast, Michelle sits down with the dynamic duo Tiffany Scott and Alex Morgan, co-hosts of the Mambition podcast. This episode is a refreshing, honest, and often hilarious conversation about the realities of ambition, motherhood, and the invisible mental load that comes with Christmas. Tiffany, Alex, and Michelle unpack the societal “shoulds” that weigh down women during the holiday season and share how they’ve redefined Christmas for themselves and their families. From rejecting perfectionism to letting go of people-pleasing, this conversation will inspire you to do Christmas your way. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the things during Christmas while others just “show up,” this episode will remind you that you don’t have to carry it all. Give yourself permission to delegate, do less, and prioritise your joy this December. What we talk about: 02:30 - Building the My Ambition Podcast - How Tiffany and Alex combined their talents to create a podcast for ambitious mothers. 05:13 - Motherhood, Ambition & Juggling It All - The reality of juggling kids, work, and ambition as a mother. Why you have to accept that some balls will drop — and that’s OK. 07:45 - The Power of Imperfection - Tiffany and Alex share why they don’t edit their podcast — embracing imperfection as a value. 08:51 - The Pressure to Be “Good” at Motherhood - The trio discuss the endless criticism mothers face, regardless of their chois. 09:49 - The Birth of “Free Jill” - Michelle shares a story from her book about a man loudly announcing in a restaurant, “Jill does all the Christmas stuff, I just buy her a present.” 12:00 - Rethinking Christmas Traditions - Alex and Tiffany discuss why the traditions of Christmas often feel forced and how they’re letting go of “what Christmas should look like.” 14:39 - The Mental Load of Christmas - Tiffany shares how her experience of Christmas changed after becoming a mum. 18:19 - The Magic of Simplicity - The trio discuss how simplicity can be more magical than expensive gifts. 20:57 - Materialism, Social Media & the “Perfect Christmas” - They discuss the rise of unboxing videos and how they shape children’s (and parents’) expectations. 22:08 - Single Parenthood & Christmas Burnout - Michelle reflects on her time as a single parent and how she burned herself out trying to create “magic” for her son. 24:22 - Permission to Do Christmas Your Way - Tiffany shares her reflections on “frugal but fulfilling” Christmases. 26:11- Delegating Christmas Tasks - How to delegate the Christmas workload — and why saying “I need help” isn’t enough. 27:45 - Listener Challenges Follow Mambition on social media: Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/4II2QSrD8NCU8m6btOgTI5?si=UE6MifgjSIinq89XwBVcFA Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mambitionpod/profilecard/?igsh=eWhzaTB5a2N0MGFj Alex on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-morgan/ Tiffany on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-sanya/ Follow Michelle on social media: Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin Buy Good Girl Deprogramming Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf) Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk Take the Good Girl Quiz Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!
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    32 mins
  • 15 - The Hidden Costs of Workplace Politeness with Harriet Waley-Cohen
    Dec 15 2024
    Episode 15 - The Hidden Costs of Workplace Politeness with Harriet Waley-Cohen With a background in psychology, a decade of experience in investments, and a further decade coaching senior women on confidence and leadership, Harriet Waley-Cohen is a speaker, facilitator, trainer, and coach specialising in supporting companies within traditionally male-dominated industries, including financial services, property, and tech. She works with organisations to attract, recruit, and retain top female talent at all levels, fostering a culture of exceptional allyship and driving a measurable return on investment (ROI) from gender-focused DEI initiatives. Her services range from one-off workshops designed to spark fresh, impactful conversations about DEI to comprehensive series of workshops, programmes, and consultancy aimed at breaking through the diversity glass ceiling. Additionally, she delivers in-house confidence and leadership programmes for senior and “rising star” women, alongside allyship initiatives. Each year, she also offers bespoke 1:1 coaching to a select number of clients, providing tailored support to meet their unique development needs. What we talk about: 2:56 – “Too Polite” DEI Conversations: Harriet reveals the gap between organisational policies and lived experiences, highlighting NDAs, sexual harassment, and the protection of “high-performing predators.” 9:07 – Impact of NDAs: NDAs silence women, preventing them from speaking to friends, family, or therapists, causing emotional and psychological harm. 10:33 – Gossip as a Survival Tool: Harriet reclaims “gossip” as a vital tool for women’s safety and information-sharing. 12:31 – The Complicity Problem: Reflecting on the Jimmy Savile case, they discuss how complicity and silence enable abusive behaviour. 16:05 – Legislation vs. Lip Service: Harriet argues that legislative change, like Iceland’s gender laws, is essential for true cultural change. 17:16 – “Stop Fixing Women”: Confidence programmes aren’t enough. Companies must shift the systems that hold women back. 20:23 – Why Girls Struggle at Work: Traits that help girls excel in school work against them in the workplace. 23:39 – The “Game” Backfires: Playing into hyper-femininity often leads to a lack of respect in the workplace. 27:43 – DEI’s Blind Spots: Harriet calls out DEI’s failure to address antisemitism and reflects on online backlash. 30:05 – Final Question: Harriet invites listeners to ask, “Is it her, or is it the system around her?” Follow Harriet on social media: Website - https://www.harrietwaleycohen.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-waley-cohen-speaker/ Follow Michelle on social media: Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin Buy Good Girl Deprogramming Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf) Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk Take the Good Girl Quiz Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!
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    33 mins
  • 14 - Deprogramming from Trust with Michelle Minnikin
    Dec 8 2024

    Episode 14 - Deprogramming from Trust with Michelle Minnikin

    In this episode of the Good Girl Deprogramming podcast, Michelle Minnikin takes us on a deep dive into Chapter 3 of her book, Good Girl Deprogramming, titled “Establishing Trust: We’ve Got Your Best Interests at Heart.”

    With a powerful quote from Stephen King — “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool” — Michelle sets the stage for a critical exploration of trust. While trust is essential for human connection, it can be weaponised to control and manipulate, particularly for women taught to “trust the grown-ups” in their lives. This conditioning leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, self-doubt, and a silenced inner voice.

    In this episode, Michelle unpacks the five key steps to deprogram from this “blind trust” and embrace critical thinking — a vital skill for reclaiming our power and agency.

    What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    • Why Trust Can Be Dangerous: How society conditions women to trust blindly — and how this conditioning keeps us small, compliant, and easy to control.

    • The Role of Critical Thinking: Why critical thinking is essential for deprogramming from Good Girl Conditioning and how it helps us resist manipulation.

    • The Five Steps to Deprogramming Trust:

      • Don’t believe everything you’re told — Learn to question authority and the motives behind the information you consume.

      • Don’t believe everything you think — Discover how biases, societal narratives, and your own brain can mislead you.

      • Ask better questions — Embrace your inner 5-year-old and use curiosity to challenge assumptions and dig deeper.

      • Listen to perspectives you disagree with — Why staying in an echo chamber is dangerous and how to gain valuable new perspectives.

      • Question your own thinking — Reflect on your beliefs, challenge them, and be open to change.

    We Want to Hear From You!

    What’s one area of your life where you’re ready to question the status quo? Send Michelle a message or tag her on social media with your thoughts!

    Follow Michelle on social media:

    Website - https://www.michelleminnikin.com/

    Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mminnikin/

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodgirldeprogramming

    TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleminnikin

    Buy Good Girl Deprogramming

    Ebook and Paperback available at all good bookshops (and Amazon - https://amzn.to/3AQHuFf)

    Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D9MKBDBW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-406719&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_406719_rh_uk

    Take the Good Girl Quiz

    Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/

    If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!

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    18 mins
  • 13 - The Burden of Being ‘Good’ with Rose Covenant
    Dec 1 2024
    Episode 13 - The Burden of Being ‘Good’ with Rose Covenant Rose Covenant is a globally recognised somatic healer and trauma expert, dedicated to helping conscious people who've already "done the inner work" go deeper to heal past trauma and dissolve destructive patterns. She supports clients to break free from societal conditioning and step into their fullest, unapologetic expression. With a background in international humanitarian work spanning over a decade in West Africa, Rose brings a unique perspective to her practice, combining science-backed methodologies with deep intuitive understanding.As the creator of The Recalibration Effect™, Rose specialises in helping conscious people heal deep emotional wounds, recalibrate their nervous systems, and dissolve the internalised emotional suppression and beliefs that hold them back. Her flagship program has transformed the lives of countless people worldwide, guiding them to shed their masks and embrace lives aligned with their true purpose.Drawing from her experience in neuroscience, somatic healing, and personal transformation, Rose offers an approach that goes beyond surface-level fixes. Her work empowers clients to navigate the complexities of healing, providing tools, mentorship, and a supportive community to facilitate profound and lasting change.Currently based in Cusco, Peru, Rose’s practice extends across the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. When she’s not mentoring clients or developing transformational programs, Rose can often be found exploring new corners of the globe, embodying the freedom and authenticity she inspires in others. What we talk about: 2:00 – Have You Ever Thought of Yourself as a Good Girl? - Rose reflects on her journey through “good girl” conditioning and the pressure to be the best at everything, even at the expense of her own needs. 3:28 – The Exhaustion of “Having It All” - Michelle and Rose discuss the societal myth that women can and should do it all—and how this belief leads to burnout. 5:34 – Breaking Free from Chronic Pain and Societal Expectations - Rose shares how her body manifested years of emotional pain as physical pain and the healing process that helped her let go of external validation. 9:12 – The Cycle of Programming in Relationships - Rose discusses how societal conditioning re-emerges in relationships and how she approaches it now with love and curiosity rather than judgment. 11:28 – The Constant Alertness of Living as a Woman - Michelle and Rose compare women’s hypervigilance to the instincts of prey animals, illustrating the mental and physical toll of living in a patriarchal society. 18:00 – Processing Rage and Intergenerational Trauma - Rose discusses the importance of addressing the rage and trauma inherited from centuries of patriarchal oppression, including the witch trials. 22:43 – The Patriarchy Hurts Everyone - Michelle and Rose explore how patriarchal systems harm men and women alike, exacerbating issues like environmental degradation and extractive leadership. 24:53 – Healing Through Love - Rose shares the power of choosing love and compassion over hate and division, even when faced with societal challenges. 30:24 – The Burden of Beauty Standards - Rose unpacks the conditioning around beauty and self-presentation, contrasting it with the kindness our bodies deserve. 34:26 – Healing as a Path to True Connection - Rose explains how healing ourselves enables us to connect authentically with others and live mask-free. Follow Rose on social media: Website - https://iamrosecovenant.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosecovenant/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/i.am.rose.covenant/ Take the Good Girl Quiz Find out if you’re a Good Girl at https://goodgirlquiz.co.uk/ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends!
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    39 mins