Female Health Hypnotherapy

Naga Munchetty, Dr Nighat Arif & Dr Christine Ekechi – Radio5 Live Interview: That Time of the Month: Vulvodynia

"Naga and the team are joined by campaigner Philly Baines to talk about vulvodynia. It’s a condition which impacts around 1 in 7 women causing burning, throbbing and soreness around the vulva. It can be constant or come and go and it can impact your sleep, your concentration, your sexual relationships, and your everyday activities."

Breaking the Silence on Vulvodynia

On 13 May 2025, I joined BBC 5 Live’s Naga Munchetty & team on "That Time of the Month" to talk about Vulvodynia, a much neglected, yet challenging condition, which affects at least 17% of women, causing persistent pain that can severely impact life, work, sex and relationships. 

You can listen to the full episode from this article or you can use this link from the BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lb1hd2  

My chat with Naga starts at 37:45 (12 mins 30 remaining). 

Naga Munchetty is well known for her fantastic work in raising awareness about women's health issues and tackling sensitive topics. It was great to hear vulvodynia being discussed, as female intimate pain and female sexual dysfunction are rarely talked about, leaving women unsure where to turn for support or treatment. Too often, women report that they have not been listened to, have had their pain dismissed or treated as though it is all in their heads. 

Several women including myself shared our experiences of living with vulvodynia and the challenges we have faced in accesssing knowledgable and empathetic care. I also had the opportunity to talk about my book and recovery. Dr Nighat Arif said that she learned so much from the book and Dr Ekechi suggested the book should be in all clinic.

Let's keep talking, raising awareness, and improving care for women with vulvodynia. 

Penny Dee & Heather Coppard Interview -

I recently had the fantastic opportunity to speak with the amazing Penny Dee on Mix56 Radio about a topic that affects so many lives yet is rarely spoken about; vulval and vaginal pain.  In this interview, I share the story behind my book, Optimising Recovery from Vulval and Vaginal Pain, and why I felt compelled to write it.

Many women face the physical and emotional toll of chronic intimate pain, yet struggle to access effective help and support.  The interview explores the challenges I experienced of living with vulvodynia.

Whether you're living with pain yourself or supporting someone who is, I hope this conversation brings insight, comfort, and a sense of solidarity.

You can listen to the full interview (see link above). Please feel free to share it this as its such an important topic. 

My sincere thanks to Penny Dee and Mix56 https://mix56.co.uk/shows/the-penny-dee-show/

The more we talk about these issues, the less alone we feel.

Heather

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05ksp9m