Empowered By Claudia
Welcome to the Empowered by Claudia Podcast.I am Claudia, a registered nurse and certified coach with twenty years of experience supporting people through overwhelm, burnout, identity shifts and emotional fatigue. This podcast is a calm space for anyone who no longer feels like themselves and wants gentle guidance back to who they truly are.Each episode offers grounded emotional support, compassionate truth telling and practical tools that help you feel clearer, steadier and more at home in your own life. We explore self compassion, identity, nervous system care and life beyond survival, all through a warm and human lens...
69. Scared of Making the Wrong Decision
Are you scared of making the wrong decision? Maybe you overthink every choice, worry about regret, or feel stuck because you don't know which option is right.
In this episode, I explore fear of making decisions, overthinking and indecision, and why trusting yourself can be more helpful than trying to find the perfect answer.
We look at how fear, perfectionism and the need for certainty can influence your decisions, and why remembering that you can adapt, change direction and handle whatever happens next can make decision making feel much less daunting.<...
68. I Don’t Feel Like Myself Anymore
Finding yourself after life changes.
Have you ever looked at your life and wondered, "I just don't feel like myself anymore"?
Whether you've experienced a health diagnosis, become a parent, changed careers, lost a relationship, experienced burnout or simply found yourself wanting something different from life, it can feel as though you've lost a part of who you are.
In this episode, I explore why those feelings are so common and why they often have less to do with losing yourself and more to do with the roles and labels you've...
67. Why Does Everyone Else Seem to Have It Figured Out... Except Me?
Have you ever looked around and wondered why everyone else seems to know exactly where they're going while you're still trying to work it all out?
Whether it's your career, relationships, business or simply life itself, it's easy to believe everyone else has a perfect plan. But what if having everything figured out isn't actually the goal?
In this episode, Claudia explores why we put so much pressure on ourselves to have all the answers and how that pressure can stop us from embracing opportunities we never expected. Sharing stories from her travels around Australia...
66. I Know What I Need to Do... So What's Getting in the Way?
Ever found yourself thinking, "I know what I need to do... so why am I not doing it?"
Whether it's getting to bed earlier, spending less time scrolling, exercising more, eating differently or finally taking the first step towards something you've been putting off, knowing what to do and actually doing it are often two very different things.
In this episode, Claudia explores why change can feel so difficult, what often sits beneath procrastination and perfectionism, and why the real barrier usually isn't a lack of knowledge. Through personal stories, practical examples and coaching reflections...
65. INSIDE COACHING SPECIAL: From Doubt to Deserving: A Real Coaching Session on Giving Yourself Permission to Dream Bigger
What if the thing holding you back isn't your ability, but your belief that you deserve the life you truly want?
In this real coaching session, I work with Jade, a postnatal doula who dreams of leaving employed work to grow the business she loves. Although money and security seem like the biggest barriers, the conversation reveals something much deeper.
Together, we explore perfectionism, self worth, family beliefs and what really happens when you stop settling for "just paying the bills" and start giving yourself permission to dream bigger.
In this...
64. INSIDE COACHING SPECIAL: Holding Everything Together: A Real Coaching Session on Motivation, Pressure and Purpose
This episode takes you inside a real coaching conversation with Leanne, who has been trying to hold everything together while growing her business, caring for her children and managing the pressure to keep moving even when her motivation has dropped. It is an honest look at what happens when life feels full, capacity is stretched and you start believing you should be doing more than you actually can.
In this session, Leanne begins to see that her motivation is not the problem. She is carrying a lot. You will hear the moments where things soften, where she...
63: Reflecting on a coaching session: When space to think changes everything
Episode 63: Reflecting on a Coaching Session: When Space to Think Changes Everything
What if the problem you're trying to solve isn't actually the real problem?
In this episode, I'm reflecting on the first live coaching session I've shared on the podcast (episode 62). I'll be honest, it felt incredibly vulnerable to let listeners see the inner workings of my coaching. But it also reinforced something I believe deeply: real change doesn't usually come from more advice. It comes from having the space to slow down, reflect and see...
62. INSIDE COACHING SPECIAL: Behind The Breakthrough: A Real Coaching Session on Burnout, Guilt & Balance
This episode opens a new series of real coaching conversations, where you are invited into an unfiltered coaching session with Katie as she navigates burnout, identity, guilt, and the pressure of balancing work, motherhood and personal needs.
Rather than theory or advice, this is a live coaching conversation that explores what happens when someone is given space to slow down, reflect, and question the patterns that keep them stuck in over-functioning and self-criticism.
Together, we explore:
The invisible mental load carried alongside work and parenting Why rest often triggers guilt instead of r...61. Dropping the Labels: The Moment Everything Finally Made Sense
In this episode, I am sharing a realisation that has been building inside me for years. A moment where everything finally clicked into place and the weight I had been carrying made sense.
For so long, I tried to fit myself into labels and boxes that other people told me I needed. I was encouraged to narrow myself, define myself, choose one type of person to support. But every time I tried, it felt wrong. It felt restrictive. It felt like I was excluding people I knew I could help.
After 23 years in the NHS...
60. Why You Focus on What Went Wrong: Reclaiming Confidence Through Reflection
We often think reflection is something we only do when things go wrong. A difficult conversation. A mistake. A missed opportunity. Something we'd rather not repeat.
But what if reflection could also help you recognise what's going right?
In this episode, Claudia explores why our brains naturally focus on the negative, how that can quietly erode our confidence over time, and why intentionally reflecting on your successes is just as important as learning from your challenges.
Drawing on experiences from nursing, coaching, and everyday life, Claudia shares practical ways to build a healthier...
59. Why You Feel Guilty For Resting: The Link Between Worth and Productivity
Many people find it surprisingly difficult to rest, even when they are exhausted. Instead of feeling restored, slowing down can trigger guilt, discomfort, or a sense that something still needs to be done.
In this episode, we explore why rest can feel so uncomfortable and why the mind often pulls you back towards productivity the moment you try to stop. This is not about lack of discipline or poor time management. It is about deeper patterns that link your sense of worth to what you do, rather than who you are.
We look at how...
58: Why You Always Feel Behind: The Invisible Pressure of Carrying Everything
Do you end most days feeling exhausted but still like you are behind, no matter how much you have done?
In this episode, Claudia explores the mental load, conditioning and constant “shoulds” that leave so many women feeling like they are never quite catching up, even when they are doing more than enough.
Inside this episode:
Why productivity still feels like “not enough” The pressure of constant mental switching between roles Conditioning around rest, worth and busyness Why rest can feel difficult or unsafe Boundaries, delegation and redefining successIf this resonates, Clau...
57. Why Am I Still Single? Understanding the love blocking patterns keeping women stuck
In this episode, I’m joined once again by returning guest Rachel Teeling for a really honest and eye opening conversation about the subconscious relationship patterns that can keep us stuck in unhealthy dating cycles or struggling to find the healthy love we truly want.
Rachel shares the inspiration behind her new “Why Am I Still Single?” quiz and introduces the five love blocking archetypes that may be quietly shaping the way we show up in relationships:
• The Fixer
• The Ice Queen
• The Overachiever
• The Love Addict
• The Lone Wolf
Together, we explo...
56. Caring for Others Without Losing Yourself: International Nurses Day 2026
Caring for others is at the heart of nursing and healthcare, but over time it can quietly lead to self-neglect, emotional fatigue, and the habit of putting your own needs last.
In this episode, Claudia explores what it means to care for others without losing yourself in the process. She reflects on the emotional impact of healthcare work, the tendency to postpone self-care until life feels easier, and how easily rest and recovery get deprioritised in busy clinical environments.
Rather than focusing on doing more, this episode invites you to notice what has been delayed...
55. You Don't Have To Be Positive: Making Space for All Your Emotions
In this episode, I share a very real moment from my own life where I was not feeling “okay” and had no energy to force positivity. Instead of pushing through, I explore what it looks like to actually work with your emotions rather than against them.
We often feel pressure to “stay positive” or quickly shift out of uncomfortable feelings. But this episode challenges that idea and introduces a gentler, more realistic approach to emotional wellbeing.
In this episode, I cover:
Why forced positivity can be unhelpful and even counterproductive The emotional guidance scale and why emo...54. When Everything Feels Hard: Simple Things That Help
When life feels overwhelming, it can be easy to assume everything is going wrong or out of control. In this episode, I explore how to navigate those moments without forcing positivity or ignoring how you feel.
Instead of pushing through or shutting emotions down, this episode focuses on how to respond in a more grounded and constructive way when everything feels hard.
I share practical ways to help you move through overwhelm and regain perspective, especially when life feels full.
In this episode, we explore:
How to acknowledge what you a...53. Beyond the Tick-Box: Meaningful Wellbeing Support at Work
Introduction: In this episode, Claudia is joined by Lisa, a Band 7 leader and clinical research nurse, to discuss the findings of her Master’s research into the barriers to staff accessing wellbeing services. They explore the gap between organisational strategy and the practical realities of nursing, looking at why "resilience" is often the wrong word for a systemic problem.
What We Explore:
The "Access" Gap: Why having a service hidden on an intranet isn't the same as having meaningful support.Structural Barriers: Lisa reveals the real re...52. Ready or Not: Start Before You Feel Ready
In this episode, Claudia explores what it really means to take action when you do not feel ready.
We often wait for certainty, confidence, or the “right time” before we begin. But in reality, readiness is rarely something we feel in advance. More often, confidence is built through action, not before it.
Claudia reflects on how overthinking, fear of judgement, and perfectionism can keep us stuck, and why real life is rarely as polished as what we see on the outside. From everyday decisions to bigger life and career moves, the same pattern applies: waiting can...
51. Confidence in your clothes: Feeling good at any size and every stage of life
What if confidence in your clothes had nothing to do with your size… and everything to do with how you see yourself?
In this episode, I’m joined by personal stylist Sarah van Dort for a refreshing and honest conversation about style, body changes, and learning to feel good in what you wear right now. Because let’s be honest… most of us have stood in front of a full wardrobe thinking, “I’ve got nothing to wear.”
Together, we explore how to move away from waiting for a future version of yourself and start dres...
50. The Power of Choice: Leaving, Staying and Trusting Yourself Again
Episode 50: The Power of Choice: Leaving, Staying, and Trusting Yourself Again
In this deeply honest and reflective milestone episode, Claudia explores one of the most difficult and emotionally charged questions we face in life:
Should I stay, or should I go?
Whether you are feeling stuck in a relationship, questioning your career, or sensing that something in your life no longer feels right, this episode invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your inner voice.
Drawing from her own lived experience, Claudia shares how learning...
49. You Deserve to Rest: Release Guilt and Calm Your Nervous System
Why does rest feel so hard, even when you are exhausted?
If you have ever found yourself thinking, “Why can’t I just relax?” or lying in bed feeling wired but tired, this episode is for you.
In this episode I explore why rest can feel unsafe, guilt inducing, or even impossible, especially for high functioning women who look fine on the outside but feel overwhelmed underneath.
This episode follows on from last week’s conversation about burnout and invisible illness and goes deeper into the emotional and nervous system patterns that keep you stuc...
48. Looking Fine on the Outside: Navigating Invisible Illness and Burnout
Episode 48: Looking Fine on the Outside: Navigating Invisible Illness and Burnout
In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, we explore the reality behind invisible illness, hidden struggles, and the exhaustion that often goes unseen. Many of us look “fine” on the outside, but inside we may be navigating chronic pain, mental health challenges, fatigue, or burnout. Claudia shares her own experiences managing chronic pain, navigating healthcare, and balancing the demands of daily life while staying compassionate toward herself.
You’ll hear practical guidance on how to:
Recognise and validate your invisible strugg...47. The Retreat Within: How to Create Your Own Peace
In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, we explore how to create your own personal retreat... a space of calm and peace you can return to whenever life feels overwhelming. Claudia reflects on the constant stream of news, social media, and pressures we absorb daily, and shares practical strategies to protect your peace, even in small moments.
From simple routines to habit stacking and sensory reset techniques, this episode gives you tools to intentionally invite calm into your day, wherever you are. You’ll learn how to recognise signs of overwhelm, se...
46. Overwhelmed and Mind Full: How to Find Calm in the Chaos
Do you ever feel like your brain is full of half formed thoughts and endless to dos and no matter how hard you try you cannot switch off? In this episode Claudia explores what it really means to have a full mind and how you can find calm even when life feels chaotic.
Claudia shares personal stories and practical strategies for easing mental pressure supporting yourself with compassion and creating space for clarity. From gentle routines to mind mapping and sensory grounding this episode gives you ideas for meeting your mind and body where they are without...
45: When Fear Meets Hope: How to Escape Doubt
When Fear Meets Hope: Escaping Doubt Without Shrinking Your Goals
What do you do when the people closest to you cannot see your goals yet?
In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores how other people’s beliefs can quietly influence our confidence, especially when we are working towards goals that feel big, meaningful, and slightly uncomfortable. Inspired by a personal moment around money, belief, and generational conditioning, this episode is a reminder that you do not need external validation to stay committed to your dreams.
Claudia shares how fear an...
44. Your Why Is Everything: Staying motivated when life gets messy
Episode 44: Your Why Is Everything: Staying Motivated When Life Gets Messy
In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores why staying motivated is not about discipline or perfect routines, but about connecting deeply to your why.
When life feels chaotic, unpredictable, or overwhelming, surface level goals are often not enough to keep you going. Claudia shares why anchoring into the deeper reason behind your goals helps you stay consistent, compassionate, and committed, even when plans fall apart. Ironically this episode was recorded as an instagram live because life is messy and laptop's...
43: From Belief to Reality: Making Your Goals Feel Possible
In this episode of Empowered by Claudia, Claudia explores why some goals feel achievable while others feel out of reach. Building on the previous episode about rebuilding confidence, she dives into how belief, visualization, embodiment, and community help make your goals feel possible — and keep you motivated along the way.
Claudia explains how connecting emotionally to a goal and imagining what achieving it will feel like can transform abstract dreams into lived experience. She shares practical strategies for staying on track, overcoming setbacks, and enjoying the journey without hustle or burnout.
What You’ll L...
42: Why Not Me? Rebuilding Confidence in Your Ability to Achieve Your Goals
Why Not Me? Rebuilding Confidence in Your Ability to Achieve Your Goals
Many of us carry the weight of past goal attempts — abandoned plans, broken promises to ourselves, and quiet self-doubt. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at goal setting because it never worked before, this episode is for you.
We’ll explore:
By the end, you’ll see that set...
41. Pause For Progress: How I Achieved Work, Family and Health Goals In 2025
Episode 41: Pause for Progress: How I Achieved Work, Family, and Health Goals in 2025
After a 15-month break, Claudia is back! In this episode, she shares her journey of juggling health, family, and business goals while prioritising self-care. From surgeries and fibromyalgia flares to losing nearly two stone and leaving her NHS role, Claudia reflects on resilience, mindset, and defining success on your own terms.
If you’ve felt stretched, overwhelmed, or unsure how to balance your goals with family and work, this episode offers hope, practical tips, and encouragement that progress is possible... ev...
40. The key to flourish as a working mum: stop feeling overwhelmed, guilty and not good enough
In this episode of the Empowered By Claudia podcast, host Claudia is joined by Carly Hopwood of Sajer Group. Carly is a Work-Life Coach and has an unorthodox take on the concept of work-life balance... in that she doesn't believe it truly exists.
Join us as Carly shares her powerful insights on how we can release feelings of overwhelm, guilt and not feeling good enough because we are working part time and feel like we are failing both at home and at work.
There is another way, a way to feel valued, to be present...
38. Practical Guide 3: How Can I Overcome Fear of Change?
As part of the celebrations of the first birthday of this podcast, Claudia has collated a series of Practical Guide episodes, drawing on her own experiences as a coach and fear of success instructor but also from the knowledge shared by the guests on the podcast over the past year.
Today's episode is the third of this series with the aim that by the end of the practical guide series you will have created a personalised roadmap to wellness.
In Practical Guide #3, Claudia delves into the topic of overcoming fear of change and self-sabotage. She...
37. Practical Guide 2: What Is Stopping Me from Experiencing Wellness?
As part of the celebrations of the first birthday of this podcast, Claudia has collated a series of Practical Guide episodes, drawing on her own experiences as a coach and fear of success instructor but also from the knowledge shared by the guests on the podcast over the past year.
Today's episode is the second of this series with the aim that by the end of the practical guide series you will have created a personalised roadmap to wellness.
For further resources please visit the accompanying webpage
Focusing on what prevents us from...
36. Practical Guide 1: What Wellness Means To Me
As part of the celebrations of the first birthday of this podcast, Claudia has collated a series of Practical Guide episodes, drawing on her own experiences as a coach and fear of success instructor but also from the knowledge shared by the guests on the podcast over the past year.
Today's episode is the first of this series with the aim that by the end of the practical guide series you will have created a personalised roadmap to wellness.
For further resources please visit the accompanying webpage
Support the show
...
35. Emotional Eating Is Not Your Fault: How to Change your Relationship with Food for Good
Featuring Madeline Karlsson
In this episode of the Empowered by Claudia podcast, host Claudia delves into emotional eating and gut health with guest Madeline Karlsson, an integrative nutrition and health coach. Madeline shares her personal journey overcoming emotional eating, the pitfalls of dieting, and practical advice on achieving better mental and physical health through mindful eating. Key highlights include the impact of processed foods, understanding emotional triggers, and the importance of nutrient-dense diets. Tune in for a deep dive into the four pillars of emotional eating and discover how reclaiming your health can transform overall...
34. Cyclical wisdom: Embracing menstrual, lunar and seasonal cycles to prevent burnout and harness your inner power
Welcome to a slightly different episode of the Empowered By Claudia Podcast. Today's episode is actually me being interviewed by Rachel Teeling, host of the Healing with Teeling podcast. I wanted to share this episode with you as I know you will love listening to our real, unfiltered conversation all about cyclical living and how you can find your cyclical superpower!
And no, you do not have to have a menstrual cycle to benefit. We cover the Lunar, Seasonal and menstrual cycles so that every listener can benefit from this information.
And what's more, there i...
33. Celebrating One Year of Empowered By Claudia: Reflecting, Reframing and Moving Forward
Join Claudia as she reflects on the first year of the Empowered By Claudia Podcast. Reviewing past guest expert episodes and her solo episodes and also the process of setting up this podcast for you to enjoy.
We get a glimpse of all the amazing value that's been covered in the past year and also a teaser of what's to come in the second year of the podcast.
Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss the special episodes coming soon.
Support the show
Let's stay connected<...
32. Feng Shui Tips for Business Success: Workspace Strategies for Your Home or Office
Today we welcome back the wonderful Chrissie, Feng Shui Consultant and Interior Designer from Feng Shui Life Styled.
Our topic for today is about how to Feng Shui our workspace, whether that is a corner of the kitchen table, bedroom, dedicated home office or a corporate office.
We cover:
31. What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?
In today's episode of the Empowered By Claudia podcast, Claudia discussed a recent opportunity that she volunteered herself for that had a really positive result.
It prompted her to record this unplanned episode encouraging you to leave your comfort zone and ask yourself "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?".
She also takes listeners through a process to use if you are weighing up important decisions to help you make the right decision for you in that moment.
Remember to rate, review and subscribe if you are enjoying the...
30. Are you ready for love? Avoid dating disasters with Rachel's top tips
Join us for another episode of the Empowered By Claudia Podcast where we are joined by returning guest (from episode 3) Rachel Teeling.
Rachel is a dating and self-worth coach and she shares with us lots of tips on:
29. #WhatsYourGlimmer: Glimpses of joy during dark days
In this episode, Claudia discusses the PANDAS UK #Whatsyourglimmer campaign and gives practical suggestions on how you can find those daily Glimmers on days when everything feels too heavy.
With realistic suggestions, this episode will undoubtedly leave you feeling brighter and seeing glimmers of hope.
Claudia discusses the benefits of finding these glimmers - small moments of goodness & beauty - as part of our healing from trauma and depression.
If you want to find out more about the PANDAS UK campaign please visit their website and socials below:
