Wisdom For Working Mums

Have you ever wondered how you'd manage fertility treatment alongside the demands of your career? Or, as a manager, whether you'd know how to support someone going through it? One in six people experience infertility. Yet for many, navigating fertility challenges means juggling appointments, treatments, uncertainty and emotional exhaustion while continuing to show up at work as though everything i...

Have you ever walked away from a conversation at work wondering, "Was that okay? Am I overreacting, or is something genuinely wrong here?" Workplace bullying isn't always obvious. Sometimes it's subtle: being undermined, excluded, criticised or subjected to so-called 'banter' that slowly erodes your confidence. But where's the line between difficult workplace behaviour, bullying and sexual harassm...

Have you ever wondered why the parenting strategies that seem to work for everyone else just aren't working for your child? Perhaps you've noticed differences in how your child manages emotions, responds to change or navigates everyday situations. And even though you're capable and resourceful in so many areas of your life, parenting can leave you questioning yourself. Is my child neurodivergent,...

How much do you really know about surrogacy? And would you know how to support a friend, colleague or team member building their family this way? In this episode, I'm joined by Michael Johnson-Ellis, co-founder of My Surrogacy Journey and TwoDadsUK, to explore the realities of surrogacy, LGBTQ+ family building and the assumptions that can surround different paths to parenthood. We talk about Micha...

This month marks 20 years since Nicky started her business, and in this special anniversary episode, she shares the 20 biggest lessons those two decades have taught her about work, leadership and life. From betting on yourself and navigating burnout to evolving ambition, redefining success and learning not to postpone your life, these aren't simply lessons about business. They're about creating su...

Adoption doesn't end with a child joining a family; it's the beginning of a lifelong journey, one that deserves greater understanding and support. In this episode, I'm joined by Emily Frith, CEO of Adoption UK, for a thoughtful conversation that challenges many of the assumptions we hold about adoption and shines a light on the realities adoptive families often navigate behind the scenes. We explo...

Do you ever go on holiday promising yourself you'll switch off… only to find yourself checking emails, mentally planning September, or feeling guilty for doing nothing? If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you. In this episode, Nicky explores why rest feels so uncomfortable for ambitious women and why the struggle has far less to do with time than it does with identity. Drawing on psycholo...

We often hear that becoming a mother is supposed to be the happiest time of our lives. But what happens when your experience doesn't match the story you were expecting? In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Nikki Wilson, CEO of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, to talk about the realities of perinatal mental health, birth trauma, identity, and why so many women suffer in silence....

Have you ever found yourself wondering, "Where did my confidence go?" Whether you're returning from maternity leave, navigating a career setback, going through perimenopause, or simply feeling like you've lost a part of yourself, this episode is for you. In this evidence-based episode, Executive Coach Nicky Lowe explores why confidence isn't actually the problem, the hidden impact of identity tran...

Why do so many loving couples start arguing after they become parents? If you've ever wondered, "Why am I carrying all the mental load?" or "Why don't they just see what needs doing?", this conversation is for you. I'm joined by couples coach, speaker and founder of Be A Happier Parent, Alex Trippier, to explore why good people in good relationships often struggle after children... and how we can...

Pregnancy loss and baby loss affect far more families than many of us realise, yet these experiences are still often surrounded by silence, misunderstanding and stigma. In this episode, I'm joined by Sands, the UK's leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, to explore the realities of loss and the impact it can have on individuals, families and working lives. Together, we discuss why pregnancy and...

Why are women so exhausted? Professor Leah Ruppanner explains the invisible mental load women carry every day - from planning and organising to worrying and responsibility-holding. We explore the eight types of mental load, why women become the default managers of family life, the impact of social judgment and gender expectations, and practical ways to reclaim energy for what matters most. A valid...

I teach leadership for a living. So when I got a phone call from school telling me my son had been suspended, I should have been able to handle it, right? Within seconds, I was unravelling. Shame flooded in before logic had a chance, my people pleaser came online and every piece of leadership work I'd ever done on myself went quiet. In this episode, I'm sharing something deeply personal with my so...

Still not feeling like yourself even though your baby is months or years old? You're not imagining it. And you're not failing. In this episode, Nicky Lowe shares her own experience of burnout and exhaustion after her first child - the years it took to get answers, and the moment she finally found the language for what had happened to her. Drawing on the work of Dr. Oscar Serrallach (The Postnatal...

Confidence isn't something you're born with; it's something you build. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Kate Hayes, one of the leading experts in performance psychology. With a PhD focused on confidence in elite sport and experience supporting world-class athletes (including the Lionesses) Kate brings both cutting-edge research and real-world insight. We explore what confidence really is, whether...

If you've ever found yourself wondering, "What is happening to me?"… you are not alone. Perimenopause can feel like a slow and disorienting shift. In this honest and empowering episode, I'm joined by Dr Charlotte Gooding, GP and BMS-accredited menopause specialist, to explore perimenopause, HRT and breast cancer risk. We unpack the symptoms many women miss, the emotional impact of hormonal change,...

Have you ever been told you need more presence, more gravitas, or more confidence at work? In this episode, I'm joined by Louisa Preston and Luisa Baldini, co-founders of Composure Media and former BBC journalists, to explore how we can communicate with more confidence, composure and impact in high-stakes moments. They share practical tools for building executive presence, managing nerves, using b...

AI is everywhere right now, yet many women are still hesitant to use it. In this episode, we explore the growing gender gap in AI adoption with Andrew Wyatt-Sames and Lucy Pitt, co-founders of Uptake AI. Together, we unpack the "good girl mindset" and the fear of cheating, and share simple, confidence-building ways to start using AI tools with care. We also tackle the big questions around ethics,...

One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader and mother is build a team around you - because it really does take a village, both in work and in life. In this episode, I'm joined by the women behind the scenes of my business for an honest, practical conversation about how we work together as a high-performing remote team. We unpack the rhythms, communication habits, and supportive systems...

If you're working harder than ever but life still feels heavy, this episode is for you. Maker, Marker, Multiplier explores why doing more eventually stops working as your responsibility grows and life changes - particularly after becoming a parent. It offers a compassionate, relatable way to understand the leadership and identity shifts many working mums experience, and how to lead differently in...

Since becoming parents, many of us find we have to work harder on our relationship than ever - not because it's wrong, but because life is full-on. In this episode, I'm joined by relationship strategist and licensed therapist Katie Rössler to explore why couples slip into "roommate mode," how resentment and the mental load build, and what genuinely helps You'll leave with practical habits you can...

What if you could borrow the psychology behind elite sporting success and use it to lead, perform, and thrive as a working mum? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Kate Hays, Head of Women's Performance Psychology at the Football Association, working closely with Serena Wiegman and the England women's national football team. Kate pulls back the curtain on what performance psychology really looks lik...

In this end-of-year reflection, I share three life lessons from 2025 and invite you to mine for the gold in your own year as you step into what's next with clarity, courage, and ease. More details:  https://luminate-group.co.uk/podcast/176 Connect on LinkedIn Here   Follow on Instagram Here   Love the Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast? Let's take the conversation further.  Subscribe for exclusive in...

What if the hardest moments in your life were actually clues to your purpose? In this episode, Nicky explores how we can "decode" our purpose by looking back at the meaning markers in our story - the losses, turning points and everyday moments that quietly show us what really matters.  You'll learn a simple way to reflect on your own experiences, spot the patterns in what you care about, and take...

What if elite sports performance could help you thrive as a high-achieving woman? In this episode, I chat with Gemma Jefferson, a physiotherapist with over 14 years of experience working with Paralympic athletes and elite sportspeople. Now, Gemma is bringing the same principles of peak performance to help women like you balance career and motherhood without burning out. We dive into how to tap int...