Surviving Postpartum Depression & Anxiety: One Mum's Story of Overdose, Recovery & Fighting for Better Perinatal Care l EP38

Functioning Is Not Thriving: Late ADHD & Autism Diagnosis, Burnout & Finding Freedom in Midlife l EP40

Have you ever felt like you were working twice as hard as everyone else — just to cope? If you've ever been told you're "too sensitive," struggled with overwhelm, burnout, or that nagging sense of being different without knowing why — this episode is for you.   In this episode of The Midlife Awakening, Odilia sits down with Isobel Lepist — ADHD coach, neuro-inclusion consultant, and founder of At the Millpond — who built an extraordinary international career across the UK, Angola, Berlin, and The Hague, while privately exhausted and masked.   At 52, Isobel received a dual diagnosis of ADHD and Autism — a moment she describes as equal parts relief and grief. Relief, because her life finally made sense. Grief, for the decades spent blaming herself for neurological differences.   In this episode: •        Why high-achieving women are so frequently missed in ADHD and autism diagnosis •        What masking really is — and what it costs you over decades •        How burnout is an access issue, not a character flaw •        The link between ADHD, dopamine, impulsivity, and relationship vulnerability •        Why "functioning" does not mean thriving •        Practical strategies for nervous system regulation, executive function, and building a life that works with your brain   Whether you suspect you may be neurodivergent, are in burnout recovery, or simply feel like you've never quite been able to keep up the way others seem to — this conversation will leave you feeling deeply seen.   🌐 Connect with Isobel Lepist: Website: www.atthemillpond.co.uk [https://www.atthemillpond.co.uk/] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/isobel-lepist-a0b72a43 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isobel-lepist-a0b72a43/] Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583383604976 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583383604976] Novel (The Event by I.G. Lepist): Available on Amazon Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/support] Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/ [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942556504%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J4wNEQGaRTNwTjZ5ALWL8YBQ6lDcIRuxo1h5mRwdQWM%3D&reserved=0]midlife [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942570637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qs1oZK3kQjuoRgD9hmeEhmPPL2aaidrewQol3wnuJiE%3D&reserved=0] Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/] Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/ [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/] The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : heal.ourlives@outlook.com

Perimenopause Symptoms, Stress & Root Cause Healing | Naturopath Kate Driver l EP39

Are your symptoms trying to tell you something? If you've been dealing with anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog, or digestive issues in your 40s — this episode is for you.   In this episode of The Midlife Awakening, host Odilia sits down with Kate Driver — naturopath with over 25 years of clinical experience and founder of The PeriMenopause Practitioner. Kate has personally navigated perimenopause twice, overcoming nervous system dysregulation, histamine intolerance, thyroid dysfunction, and burnout. She now helps women around the world understand the root causes of their midlife symptoms — and heal naturally.  🌐 Connect with Kate Driver: Website: https://theperimenopausepractitioner.com/ [https://theperimenopausepractitioner.com/] Free Masterclass: https://kate-driver-naturopath.newzenler.com/f/the-midlife-fatigue-fix-5-day-workshop-may [https://kate-driver-naturopath.newzenler.com/f/the-midlife-fatigue-fix-5-day-workshop-may] Facebook Community (Perimenopause & Menopause Holistic Support): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659127120790375 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659127120790375] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katedriver8874 [https://www.youtube.com/@katedriver8874] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-driver-65a062bb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-driver-65a062bb/] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/support] Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/ [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942556504%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J4wNEQGaRTNwTjZ5ALWL8YBQ6lDcIRuxo1h5mRwdQWM%3D&reserved=0]midlife [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942570637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qs1oZK3kQjuoRgD9hmeEhmPPL2aaidrewQol3wnuJiE%3D&reserved=0] Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/] Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/ [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/] The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : heal.ourlives@outlook.com

Surviving Postpartum Depression & Anxiety: One Mum's Story of Overdose, Recovery & Fighting for Better Perinatal Care l EP38

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and a suicide attempt. Please take care of yourself. Support resources are listed below. What if the darkest moment of your life became the thing that saved another mother? In this deeply honest episode of The Midlife Awakening, host Odilia sits down with Stef — mum of two, survivor of severe postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, and co-founder of perinatal wellbeing campaign Brighter Skies — for one of the most important conversations this podcast has ever had. Stef's story begins with the traumatic induction birth of her son Harlan. Within weeks she was battling an unrelenting mental health crisis that would lead to a suicide attempt, an inpatient stay at a mother and baby unit she didn't know existed, and ultimately a mission to ensure no other family faces what hers did — alone and uninformed. She has since navigated postnatal depression a second time, and she is here to make sure no mother has to find her way through the dark on her own. Support Resources: * PANDAS Foundation (postnatal mental health): pandasfoundation.org.uk [https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/] | Free helpline: 0808 1961 776 * Samaritans: samaritans.org [https://www.samaritans.org/] | 116 123 (free, 24/7) * MIND: mind.org.uk [https://www.mind.org.uk/] * NHS Perinatal Mental Health: nhs.uk [https://www.nhs.uk/] * In immediate crisis: call 999 or go to your nearest A&E * Brighter Skies - https://www.brighterskies.org.uk/ [https://www.brighterskies.org.uk/] * Justgiving page -  Disclaimer: The Midlife Awakening Podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only. Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical, psychological, or clinical advice. We are not qualified healthcare professionals. Please seek support from your GP, midwife, or a qualified mental health professional if you are struggling. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/support] Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/ [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942556504%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J4wNEQGaRTNwTjZ5ALWL8YBQ6lDcIRuxo1h5mRwdQWM%3D&reserved=0]midlife [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942570637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qs1oZK3kQjuoRgD9hmeEhmPPL2aaidrewQol3wnuJiE%3D&reserved=0] Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/] Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/ [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/] The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : heal.ourlives@outlook.com

Colette Baron-Reid: The Real Science Behind Manifesting & Why You're Not Doing It Wrong l EP37

What if everything you’ve been taught about manifesting is only half the story? In this episode of The Midlife Awakening Podcast with Odilia, I sit down with the legendary Colette Baron-Reid — intuitive, bestselling author, oracle card creator, and one of the most respected voices in the manifestation space — to talk about her brand new book, The Art of Manifesting. Colette has been practising and teaching manifestation for nearly 40 years, and what she brings to this conversation goes far beyond vision boards and positive thinking. We explore the neuroscience of why these practices actually work, what’s really blocking most women from manifesting the life they want, and why midlife might be the most powerful time to start. In this episode we cover: * Why “Uber Eats manifesting” doesn’t work — and what to do instead * The difference between manifesting what you want vs. what you are * How the nervous system is the missing piece in most manifestation practices * The role of surrender, divine timing, and non-attachment * Why creative practices like drawing and doodling are scientifically linked to rewiring your brain * Colette’s extraordinary personal story — from addiction recovery and a failed music career to becoming a global spiritual teacher * Real-life manifestation stories (including one of my own that happened 24 hours after doing an exercise from the book!) * What women in midlife need to know about reclaiming their power and taking up space About Colette Baron-Reid: Colette Baron-Reid is an internationally acclaimed oracle card creator, intuitive counsellor, and author of 19 oracle card decks and 8 books, including The Art of Manifesting. She has spent four decades at the intersection of spirituality, neuroscience, and personal transformation, and her work has reached millions of people worldwide. Links & Resources: * 🌐 Colette’s website: colettebaronreid.com [http://colettebaronreid.com] * 📲 Follow Colette on Instagram: @colettebaronreid [https://www.instagram.com/colettebaron_reid/?hl=en] * 💌 Join the Midlife Awakening community on Substack: [link] [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/support] Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/ [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942556504%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J4wNEQGaRTNwTjZ5ALWL8YBQ6lDcIRuxo1h5mRwdQWM%3D&reserved=0]midlife [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942570637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qs1oZK3kQjuoRgD9hmeEhmPPL2aaidrewQol3wnuJiE%3D&reserved=0] Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/] Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/ [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/] The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : heal.ourlives@outlook.com

What Your Dreams Are Telling You in Midlife — with Dream Expert Bonnie Buckner l EP36

Dream expert and imagery therapist Bonnie Buckner — author of The Secret Mind — reveals why our nightly dreams are one of the most powerful, freely available tools for navigating midlife change. Drawing on neuroscience and ancient wisdom traditions, she shows how the brain's imagination network is more active during dreaming than during everyday tasks, and how reading your dreams can illuminate what your waking mind is too busy to hear. If you're navigating a career pivot, questioning old patterns, or craving a deeper connection to your inner knowing, the answers you're searching for may already be speaking to you every night. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS * Your creativity crisis started in childhood. Researchers call it the "fourth grade slump" — when social norms kick in and imagination contracts. A dream practice rebuilds that creative muscle nightly. * Dreaming is a workout for your brain. The imagination network is more cognitively active than the task-focused executive network. Bonnie calls it "going to the gym for our brains." * Technology is stealing your dreams. Scrolling before bed floods your nervous system — and shows up as nightmares. Create a tech-free buffer ritual before sleep to protect your dream life. * Dreams are an early warning system. One client dreamed of a car speeding toward a gaping hole — a perfect mirror of her unsustainable workload. The dream gave her the clarity to stop. * The feeling is the message. Don't Google it. Stay with the emotional residue a dream leaves behind — you can talk yourself out of anything logically, but not out of something you've genuinely felt. Links & Resources > •Bonnie Buckner’s website: bonniebuckner.com [https://bonniebuckner.com/],  > > Classes: Institute for Dreaming and Imagery [https://bonniebuckner.com/dreamwork/], > Instagram: Bonnie Buckner [https://www.instagram.com/bonniebucknerdotcom/?hl=en] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2343819/support] Rate the Show : RateThisPodcast.com/ [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942556504%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J4wNEQGaRTNwTjZ5ALWL8YBQ6lDcIRuxo1h5mRwdQWM%3D&reserved=0]midlife [https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fratethispodcast.com%2Fmidlife&data=05%7C02%7C%7C0c664f3c9453444edf6408de5e81d892%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639052108942570637%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qs1oZK3kQjuoRgD9hmeEhmPPL2aaidrewQol3wnuJiE%3D&reserved=0] Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/ [https://www.instagram.com/the.midlife.awakening/] Substack : https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/ [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/] The Awakened Community - https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe [https://themidlifeawakening.substack.com/subscribe] To submit your story to be featured on the next Monday Motivations segement, email your story to : heal.ourlives@outlook.com