Self-Compassion for Women

Sometimes it’s not the big things that exhaust me. It’s remembering everything. The appointment that needs booking. The form I still haven’t filled in. The email I need to chase. The school thing that needs sorting. The prescription. The childcare. The thing I need to remember to tell somebody when they eventually ring me back. The thing I was supposed to ring somebody else about. And somewhere in the middle of all that, somebody inevitably asks: “Mum, what’s for dinner?” Mat

We tell overwhelmed parents to rest, exercise, talk to someone, join a support group and make time for themselves. All good advice. But sometimes we're missing a very practical question: what actually needs to be in place to make any of that possible? I believe in self-care. I believe in rest. I believe in counselling. I believe in moving our bodies, spending time with people who make us feel good, setting boundaries and creating moments where we aren't constantly giving to e

My energy levels were low, but I wanted to do something nice with my kids over the weekend. Nothing extravagant. Just a film, a few treats and a couple of hours together. The sort of family outing that seems simple in your mind. But I actually know what it takes to go on a "simple trip to the the cinema". This isn't my first rodeo. The planning, the checking, the packing and the mental list running in the background takes energy. Have we got the drinks? Have we got everythin

You spent six weeks thinking, “Just get me to September.” September arrived. The children went back. So why don't you feel better yet? I'm writing this from my bed on a Sunday. It's late in the afternoon and, quite frankly, I'm shattered. The kids are back at school. We've made it through the first week. There's a little more routine in our lives again and, theoretically, I should be feeling a bit more like myself. Except... I'm tired. I’m weary like a medieval peasant who ha

If you’ve been feeling “off” lately but can’t quite explain why, you’re not alone. Burnout doesn’t always arrive loudly. It doesn’t always look like stopping completely or breaking down in obvious ways. More often, it looks like continuing. Still showing up. Still doing what needs to be done. Still being the person others rely on. But something within you feels different. A little heavier than usual. A little more tired. A little less present. A little more stretched than you