EMpowered

In this episode, I sit down with former Assistant Principal, Primary Teacher and homeschool advocate, Ally Blanch, for a really honest conversation about homeschooling, self trust and what happens when you stop outsourcing your parenting decisions. Rather than interviewing each other, we simply explore the questions both of us have been sitting with as former educators who have chosen very differe...

Why would a former Assistant Principal and Primary Teacher choose to homeschool? It’s a question I’ve been asked a lot lately, and in this episode, I’m sharing my honest thoughts about why our family is seriously considering homeschooling. After spending 14 years in the education system as a teacher, leader, consultant and behaviour specialist, I never imagined this would be something I’d consider...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Anthea Todd, chiropractor, women’s health practitioner, bestselling author and founder of Female Fundamentals. We talk about the gap so many women find themselves in when they know something doesn’t feel right, but keep being told their tests are normal and there’s nothing wrong. Anthea shares how years of working with women led her to question why so many symptom...

In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist and mum, Jacquie Ward, for a really honest conversation about attachment, motherhood and the pressure modern mums are carrying right now. There’s so much noise online about what “good” parenting should look like. And for a lot of mothers, it’s creating anxiety, guilt and the feeling that no matter what they do, they’re getting it wrong. So in this episod...

In this episode, I'm getting into belief systems, because we don't realise how much they're running the show. They shape how we turn up in our business, how we parent our kids, how we see our partners, how we see ourselves. In this episode, I talk about: Why your beliefs shape everything from your income to how you parent How core beliefs form in childhood and why so many of them aren&...

In this episode, I’m talking about performative healing on Instagram and why so many women are feeling more overwhelmed, disconnected and not “good enough” in the online healing space. Somewhere along the way, healing became another thing women feel pressure to do perfectly. Between journalling every day, waking up at 5am, cold plunging, meditating, healing your inner child… the list goes on. And...

In this episode, I’m chatting with the beautiful Belinda Bailey from Pinnacle Kinesiology about motherhood, burnout, mental health, healing, and what happens when your body finally says “enough”. If you’ve ever felt exhausted, numb, disconnected from yourself, or like you’re constantly pushing through, I think this episode will really resonate. One of the biggest things I took away from this conve...

In this episode, I’m joined by Gab, founder of Sis The Label, after watching her business absolutely explode online overnight. This conversation is about what people don’t see before the “big moment”. It’s about the blend of motherhood, ambition, business and everything that comes with it. Gab shares the real story behind building Sis The Label while raising two girls, working behind the scenes, w...

In this episode, I’m joined by my incredible mentor and friend, Lael Stone for a conversation about the stories we carry, where they come from, and how they can shape the way we parent, teach, work, love and show up in the world. We talk about “imprints”. The beliefs and patterns we absorb in childhood become our normal. The stories around success, emotions, money, relationships, achievement, belo...

Hey, I’m baaaaaack!! My second babe is now 12 months old, we’ve launched our company Hooked Up and now that is in full swing, and I finally feel like I have the space and time to give my business again. In this episode, I’m sharing my vision moving forward in my business and the deeper direction I’m heading in. This season is centred around The Modern Day Mum Movement! Right now, I feel so aligned...

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it really looks like to burn down a business and rebuild it from the inside out. After three years of working with teachers and leaders, running workshops, consulting, memberships, and courses, I realised something big — the life and business I had built no longer aligned with who I was becoming as a woman, a mother, and a leader. This epis...

Are you an educator feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or like you're surviving from one school holiday to the next? Wondering how to stay in this profession you love without sacrificing your wellbeing? In this powerful and deeply personal episode, I share from the heart, recording with my newborn snuggled up on my chest, about why emotional intelligence and nervous system regulation are not &quo...

In this episode, I'm breaking down how behaviour is actually a nervous system response, not a discipline issue. You'll learn how to recognise what's going on underneath the behaviour so you can respond in a way that actually helps your students come back to a calm, connected, ready to learn state. I'll also share the three nervous system states (based on polyvagal theory), what the...

In this episode, Olivia from Mindful Hearts Wellbeing shares how you can bring mindfulness into your classroom in simple, realistic ways without it feeling like "one more thing" on your to-do list. She'll walk you through what mindfulness actually is (in teacher language), how it helps both students and teachers, and a four-step method you can use to set the tone for a calm and conne...

In this episode, I'm talking about how to support neurodivergent learners in your classroom without having to create a hundred individual plans. Most classrooms aren't built with neurodivergence in mind. And when kids can't meet the expectations, we often fall back on the same old behaviour labels of "lazy," "disruptive," "off task." But what if it's n...

Today, we're joined by Dr. Amie Fabry , an early childhood educator, academic, researcher, policy consultant, and Director of Early Childhood at The Learning Future . Amie's work focuses on building the confidence, knowledge, and skills of early childhood educators and leaders to create responsive and trusting cultures where both educators and children can thrive. She is also the author of...

Some student behaviours feel harder to handle than others. Some classroom management strategies don't sit right with you, even though they're supposed to "work." Ever wondered why? Your mindset shapes everything about how you teach, how you see behaviour, how you respond to challenges, and even how you feel at the end of the day. But most of us have never stopped to think about w...

On the EMpowered Podcast Takeover Series, psychologist Jacquie Ward joins us to talk about something every teacher needs to know. How to support highly sensitive children in the classroom. Some children feel things more deeply, notice the smallest details, and get overwhelmed more easily. These students aren't being "too sensitive" or "overdramatic". They're wired this...

If you've ever felt like something is missing in your school community, whether it's student engagement, teacher retention, or just a general sense of belonging, this episode is for you. Guest host Matt Pittman is talking about one of the most overlooked solutions in education. Instead of sticking with bandaid fixes for disengagement, behaviour, or burnout, Matt shares how prioritising con...

Behaviour is communication and children act out when their needs aren't met. But what does that actually mean? And how do we meet their needs in the classroom in a way that helps them feel safe, connected, and engaged? In this episode, I'm talking about what it really means to meet children's needs (beyond the buzzwords) so you can shift from reacting to behaviour to understanding what...

Boundaries are often misunderstood, but when done right, they create safety, structure, and predictability. The key ingredients for a classroom where children feel secure and engaged. If you've ever struggled with feeling like kids are walking all over you or wondered how to hold firm boundaries without resorting to control or punishment, this episode is for you. This episode is part of the EM...

Trauma affects how children learn in the classroom. When children don't feel safe, they cannot access the part of the brain required for learning. If you've ever wondered why some students seem constantly dysregulated, reactive, or withdrawn, this episode will give you the missing piece. What you'll learn in this episode: → Why trauma leaves a lasting impact on a child's behaviour,...

Rewards and punishments might seem like an easy way to manage behaviour, but do they actually work? In this episode of the Beyond Behaviours series, I'm talking about why extrinsic rewards and punitive consequences don't create long term behaviour change, and what to do instead. If you've ever relied on sticker charts, prize boxes, or detentions but found they don't really shift be...

In this episode, I'm focusing on how you can set up your classroom and learning environment for 2025. It's not about Pinterest-perfect displays but creating a purposeful, functional space where children feel emotionally, physically, and mentally safe. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to balance aesthetics with practicality or you're unsure how your classroom setup impacts beh...

Welcome to the first episode of the Beyond Behaviours series, where I'm sharing quick and actionable steps to help you create a conscious classroom that feels safe, structured, and supportive from day one. This episode is all about routines and expectations—the essential building blocks for a classroom where children feel secure and ready to learn. If you've ever struggled with behaviours...