Have you ever caught yourself saying “I’ll just do it,” or “I don’t want to upset anyone,” or you’re simply tired of trying to do it all perfectly?

This episode is your permission slip to stop being the good girl, and start being YOU.

Dr Michelle McQuaid joins Carina to unpack Good Girl Conditioning, the pressure women feel to perform perfectly, please everyone, and protect others at their own expense. Drawing on her new research across 1,000 Australian women, Michelle reveals the hidden costs of this conditioning - exhaustion, resentment, and loss of self - and offers science-backed strategies to break free.

Together, we explore how this shows up for working mums juggling careers, home, and identity, and discuss practical ways to replace “being good” with being uniquely you.

We chat about:

• What “Good Girl Conditioning” is and why it’s it's showing up more than ever

• The 3 behaviours that keep women stuck: perfection, pleasing, and protection

• How these patterns show up for working mums at home and work

• The powerful antidote: self-compassion, secure attachment, and self-leadership

• Simple nervous system tools to calm your body and respond differently

• Why “you’re not there yet” might be the most powerful mindset shift of all

Links and resources

Take Michelle’s Good Girl Mindset Survey: thegoodgirlgamechangers.com Follow Michelle on Substack or LinkedIn

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or @workingmummapodcast or on LinkedIn

Are you tired of feeling tired? You get through your workday, juggle drop-offs, dinner, and the endless to-do list - yet your mind never switches off.

You’re not broken, lazy, or failing. You’re just overloaded.

In this powerful conversation, clinical psychologist Dr. Kaitlin Harkess explains what’s really happening in your body when you feel burnt out, anxious, and stretched too thin. She shares the neuroscience behind why so many mums feel “wired but tired” with practical, evidence-based tools to help calm your nervous system and find balance again.

If you’ve been running on empty, this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and equipped with simple strategies you can start using today.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why modern motherhood has mums constantly stuck in “fight-or-flight” mode
• How social media fuels perfectionism and guilt
• What burnout does to your body (and how to reverse it)
• How to recognise the signs your nervous system is overloaded
• The role of self-compassion and why mums struggle with it
• Easy somatic tools to calm anxiety and restore energy
• Small daily rituals to reset your body and mind

Connect with Dr. Kaitlin via Instagram @@drkaitlin and website wisdomforwellbeing.au and check out her upcoming book "The Somatic Workbook for Nervous System Regulation and Anxiety Relief"

Connect with Working Mumma via Instagram @workingmummacommunity and the podcast @workingmummapodast or LinkedIn

Transitions are part of every parenting journey, but they can often feel overwhelming—for both parents and kids! In this episode, I sit down with parenting expert Gen Muir to discuss navigating these pivotal moments with confidence and connection for both your child and you.

From starting daycare or school to navigating new situations, we dive into the common challenges children face during these transitions. Gen shares her expert tips on managing big emotions, building resilience, and creating a safe space for your little ones during times of change. We also explore how you can stay emotionally grounded as a parent amidst all the chaos (we know this can be challenging!).

This episode is packed with practical advice and heartfelt insights that every working mum needs in her toolkit. If you’re navigating or preparing for a big change such as starting daycare or school this conversation will leave you feeling equipped, inspired, and ready to tackle those transitions with a smile.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The emotional impact of transitions on kids and how to support them
• Why connection is key and how to strengthen your bond with your child during big changes
• Simple strategies to help your kids—and yourself—manage those tricky emotions
• How to create "pregame chats" and post-event moments that ease the adjustment process
• Hacks for balancing your own emotions while juggling the mental load with your children

Resources and Links

Connect with Gen Muir on Instagram: @ConnectedParentingAU

Visit Gen’s website: connectedparenting.com.au

Check out Gen’s book: Little People, Big Feelings

Connect with Carina on LinkedIn

Let's connect on Instagram @workingmummacommunity

Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/

Subscribe & Review

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Returning to work after maternity leave can feel like stepping into a whole new world - one where your values, identity, and confidence may feel completely different from before you left. You may look the same on the outside, but on the inside, you feel like a new person.

I chat with Sarah Gibbins, a leadership coach, HR expert, and mum of four, to explore the unspoken truths of navigating career, identity shift, mum guilt, and motherhood.

We dive into:

• The identity shift women experience after becoming mothers
• Why guilt and “shoulds” weigh so heavily on working mums, and how to let them go
• The truth about confidence after kids and how to rebuild it step by step
• Why “balance” is a myth and what to focus on instead
• How to navigate the return-to-work transition with more confidence and self-belief

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not the same person anymore… and I don’t know who I am now” — this conversation is for you.

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn or her website neonpeople.co

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma via Instagram: @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien and you can sign sign up to the Working Mumma newsletter

Why are there no senior part-time roles?

What started as a reel with recent guest Emma McLean exploded online with hundreds of comments from working parents sharing frustrations, missed opportunities, and moments of hope about part time roles.

What really struck me was how much emotion and old-school thinking remains towards part time work. For so many working mums, the lack of senior part-time roles isn’t just about jobs. It’s about identity, family, equality, and opportunity.

The main barrier to part time and flexible work isn’t logistics or the law. It’s cultural. Too many workplaces still equate hours with commitment, and presenteeism with performance.

But the stories, the data, and the law all show it can work.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• The barriers and cultural beliefs holding back part-time senior roles
• Real stories of mums (and dads) facing career penalties for choosing part-time work
• Where flexible and part-time work is working well, from job shares to international examples
• What Australian law (Fair Work Act) actually says about part-time work and flexible arrangements
• The broader impact: missed talent, superannuation gaps, the mental load, and systemic inequality
• How businesses can rethink leadership, flexibility, and the future of work to support all working parents

This episode is a must-listen for working mums who want both a career and family life, and for leaders who want to unlock talent, improve retention, and create more inclusive workplaces.

Resources & Related Episodes:

• Prof. Leah Ruppanner on the mental load
• Deline Jacovides on childcare affordability & superannuation
• Natasha Janssens on money & confidence
• Elise Slavin & Laura Stewart on redefining career success after kids
• Episode with Emma McLean

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma

• Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
• LinkedIn: Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien
• Sign up to the Working Mumma newsletter

Returning to work after maternity leave isn’t just a date on the calendar, it’s a transition that unfolds over many months. In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I share my tips and experiences of navigating the messy, emotional, and transformative season of going back to work after parental leave.

You’ll hear about:

• Why treating your return as a transition, not a snap back, changes everything
• How to set clear boundaries at work and at home (and stick to them)
• Why “good enough” parenting and working is more than enough
• The importance of letting go of guilt and perfectionism
• Practical strategies to make help work possible again, from email signatures to blocking your calendar
• Why identity shifts are normal, and how to hold onto your identity in the juggle as working mum

If you’re a mum preparing to return to work after maternity leave or already in the first year back, this episode is filled with practical tips and encouragement to help you navigate the challenges and embrace this new season with confidence.

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma

• Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
• LinkedIn: Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien
• Sign up to the Working Mumma newsletter

What happens when you’re caring for small children and aging parents at the same time? This is the reality for millions of women, now called the “sandwich generation.”

In this heartfelt episode of the Working Mumma podcast, Carina O’Brien speaks with author, health journalist, and carer Casey Beros about the emotional, physical, and financial toll of caregiving, and the unexpected personal growth that can come with it.

Casey opens up about her journey caring for her dad while raising two young children, the lessons she learned about navigating the healthcare system, and how to advocate for those you love. She shares the honest truth about burnout, guilt, grief, and why self-care often feels impossible, but is vital.

Whether you’re already in the thick of caregiving or want to prepare for the road ahead, this episode will leave you with practical strategies and heartfelt wisdom.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What it really means to be part of the “sandwich generation”
• The two essential skills for caregiving: advocacy & system navigation
• How to juggle emotional, physical, and financial pressures of care
• Ways to look after yourself when you feel there’s nothing left to give
• How to support friends and family going through the caring role
• Why preparation before a crisis is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself

Connect with Casey

• Instagram @caseyberos
• Check out her new book 'Next of Kind' nextofkinbook

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma

• Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
• LinkedIn: Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien
• Sign up to the Working Mumma newsletter

Motherhood changes everything - our identity, our priorities, our bodies, and our careers. But for too many women, it also brings a cost they never signed up for: the motherhood penalty.

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Emma McLean, executive coach, speaker, and founder of Works for Everyone to talk about the Motherhood Penalty, the price women pay and actions we can take today to change it.

We dive into:

• What the motherhood penalty really is – and why it costs women up to 55% of their earnings
• Why flexible work is sometimes a trap rather than a solution
• How school holidays reveal the hidden gender divide in caregiving
• The confidence and overwhelm crisis so many working mums silently battle
• Why dads need to step up at home if women are to step up at work
• The simple strategies you can use to reclaim your inner compass and shift the load

Whether you’re returning to work, managing the juggle, or just tired of the system keeping mothers stuck, this conversation will inspire you to think differently and take action.

Connect with Emma:

• Instagram: @worksforeveryone

• LinkedIn: Emma McLean

• Podcast: How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma

• Instagram: @workingmummacommunity
• LinkedIn: Working Mumma or Carina O'Brien
• Sign up to the Working Mumma newsletter