Middling Along

  In this episode I chat to Kelly Keating: executive coach, master's student, and founder of new festival kid on the block, Wild and Wiser, a festival for women redefining success in midlife. Kelly spent almost 30 years in corporate life before leaving at 47 to build a portfolio career around coaching, creativity, and connection. In this conversation, Kelly shares the story behind her reinvention,...

  If life keeps speeding up and the demands keep stacking up (kids, parents, work, your own busy brain) then this one's for you. In this episode I interview speaker, writer and self-development expert Lily Silverton about her book Prioritize This: A Practical Guide for Thriving in a World That Won't Slow Down. We dig into three chapters that land hardest for the midlife squeezed middle: stress, ov...

We say "I've got nothing to wear" standing in front of a full wardrobe. Samantha Harman's argument is that the sentence has nothing to do with clothes — it's about not knowing who we're supposed to be. In this episode I talk to best-selling author, stylist and former journalist Samantha Harman about her book Just Get Dressed: Why You Have Nothing to Wear and What to Do About It — a styling book wi...

Alex Perry is doing something unusual: he's a young man building a women's health-led underwear brand, and talking openly about menopause, mastectomy recovery and vulval health while he does it. In this conversation, Emma and Alex explore: How his company, Alexander Clementine pivoted from a sustainable fashion focus into women's health after customer reviews and his own mum's breast cancer journe...

Retirement was introduced in the UK in 1948, when life expectancy was 66. It was designed to support people for about a year. So why are we still treating 65 as the cliff edge — and accepting a model that funnels women out of the workforce just as their crystallised intelligence peaks? This week I'm joined by Lucy Standing, founder of Brave Starts, co-author of Age Against the Machine: New Rules f...

This time I’m joined by Joe Warner and Rob Kemp, authors of the new book Burning Up, Frozen Out: What Every Man Needs to Know About the Menopause (But No One Told You) – written specifically to help men understand and support their partners through perimenopause and menopause. Joe and Rob share why they wrote the book, the communication tools that can transform midlife relationships, why men don’t...

“For most of our lives, women have been told that if we look a certain way and behave a certain way, the world will unfold for us. Only to reach midlife and find that, for most of us, it isn’t true, and the booby prize is that apparently we now have to spend yet more time and money obsessing about how to claw our way back to a place of acceptance that never existed.”   In this episode I speak to P...

Ever asked yourself… Am I too sensitive? Too ambitious? Too angry? Too loud? Too quiet? Too complicated to be loved as I am? Too much? Not enough? In this episode, I sit down with Sophie Jane Lee, journalist, author of Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women, and founder of Electric Peach, to talk about what it really means to stop performing, start listening to yourself, and reclaim...

 “What we call a risk is often just hanging on to a reality that may no longer be true.” In this episode I chat with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, a global expert on 21st-century leadership, gender and generational balance, longevity, and the future of work. We explore the Four Quarter Lives framework (Q1 Grow, Q2 Achieving, Q3 Becoming, Q4 Harvesting), why lifespans are getting longer, and what that mea...

It's just over 5 years since I started strength training in the 'Twixmas' of 2020, so it feels very timely to be bringing you this interview with Kate Oakley at the start of a new year... Kate is the founder of Your Future Fit, has always loved fitness and training - but for years it was something she squeezed in around a demanding corporate career and family life. Then, during lockdown and shortl...

In this episode, I speak with Dr Anna Colton, a clinical psychologist who specialises in adolescence and eating disorders. We explore the rise of eating disorders, the impact of the pandemic, and how social media and diet culture shape young people’s relationship with food and their bodies. The conversation offers practical, compassionate guidance for parents and caregivers on talking with childre...

In this episode - which is on a topic very dear to my heart - I chat with Dr Sabina Brennan – health psychologist, neuroscientist, host of the Super Brain podcast, author of Still Me, Beating Brain Fog, and 100 Days to a Younger Brain – about shifting dementia care from a disease-centered approach to a person-centred partnership.   We discuss the idea of a ‘care partner’ rather than ‘carer’ and pr...

In this episode I chat with Hannah Miller about how a midlife pivot can become a powerful reorientation toward purpose. Hannah is the founder of Sidekick and creator of The Purpose Pursuit™ course and book. An award-winning speaker, author, podcast host, and accredited coach, she helps people and organisations uncover strengths, navigate change, and pursue purpose. With a background in teaching an...

In this episode I chat with Dr. Jackie Gray about Carents, a UK-based platform she created to give a voice and practical support to unpaid adult carers — the large, often invisible group caring for ageing parents. Jackie shares how the platform started as an information site in 2020 and has evolved into a free, comprehensive hub offering legal guidance, NHS navigation, peer support, and proactive...

In this episode I chat to Lou Furby, Specsavers’ UK D&I lead, who shares how Specsavers built a workplace menopause support program from the ground up. We cover the creation of MenoTalk, the importance of inclusive, cross-functional involvement, the role of top-down sponsorship and allyship, practical strategies for creating a supportive workplace culture around menopause, and how to sustain m...

My guest this time is Erin Gallagher - CEO of Ella and author of Hype Women: Breaking Free from Mean Girls, Patriarchy, and Systems Silencing You. Erin shares the inspiration behind the Hype Women movement and subsequent book. She explains how a single, intuitive post about celebrating other women sparked a global movement that reframed how women show up for one another. The conversation dives int...

My guest this time is Nicky Denson-Elliott – serial entrepreneur, founder of the Wilder Collective and host of the Women’s Business podcast. Nicky is focused on elevating female founders and redefining success beyond conventional hustle culture.   We explore the realities of building businesses as women plus the latest research behind internalized misogyny (the internal dialogue and conditioning t...

Welcome to this bonus episode with me, and fellow coach and burnout expert Lisa Tyler.  Do you sometimes feel like you’re Holding up the Sky? You’re exhausted from being all things to all people. Madly juggling parenting, elder care, job, health. Maybe you’re also supporting your young adults who aren’t quite ‘fully fledged’. If you feel like you’re constantly teetering on the brink of burnout and...

In this episode, Emma welcomes Jane Moffett, a coach and author who specializes in helping women navigate the transitions in their careers and lives. Jane is the founder and director of Kangaroo Coaching, a company that works with organisations who are committed to creating progressive workplace cultures. She runs coaching programmes for new parent employees and their line managers, offers 1:1 and...

In this enlightening episode I chat with Dr Rachael Crystal, a GP and accredited menopause specialist, about the complex relationship between burnout and perimenopause. We explore how hormonal changes, stress, and life pressures intertwine, impacting women's mental and physical well-being during midlife. Rachel shares her Masters research on the lived experiences of professional women navigating b...

In this episode I chat to personal trainer and author Jacqueline Hooton about the importance of strength and fitness for women in midlife and beyond. Jacqueline shares her insights on how to start exercising safely, debunks myths about strength training making women bulky, and discusses how fitness can support independence, health, and happiness as we age. Whether you're new to exercise or looking...

In this episode we chat to Julie Smith about the nuances of confidence and practical strategies to boost yours. Julie shares insights from her coaching experience and her award-winning book, Coach Yourself Confident, offering tips on overcoming self-doubt, managing setbacks, and cultivating humble confidence.   Key Topics Covered: Why confidence often hides behind other development themes The conc...

In this episode I’m joined by author, speaker, and researcher Dr Giselle Goodwin. With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience and a PhD exploring women, work, and well-being, Giselle shares her expert perspectives on the societal pressures women face, the evolution of gender roles, and practical strategies for reclaiming happiness and balance in midlife. From unpacking the cultural myths arou...

Get ready to bust through nutrition overwhelm with brilliant nutritionist Emma Bardwell as she returns to the podcast to share insights from her latest book, The 30g Plan. If you're feeling a bit ‘headless chicken’ reading all the endless diet advice and trying to juggle balanced eating, Emma’s here to cut through the noise and give you a straightforward plan to boost your fibre, protein, and plan...

Join us for a gorgeous conversation with writer and passionate cold water swimmer Sara Barnes.     Over the past decade, Sara’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From barely being able to walk in her fifties to reclaiming an active, outdoor life amidst the stunning landscapes of the Lake District, she’s navigated major surgeries, embarked on solo campervan adventures through Scotland,...