Politics is hitting leaders hard with “political depression” surging amid Trump-era turmoil. The Guardian reports therapists overwhelmed and UK stress costing 22.1 million lost working days last year alone. Many of the challenges we face from pandemics to global instability and cyber threats are forms of collective trauma.

Our new partnership with crisis management specialist Emma Streets has been designed to support companies through any crisis. Our training blends trauma-informed coaching with crisis strategy, equipping Yorkshire businesses to spot workplace trauma, communicate with compassion, and build unbreakable cultures.

This blog is about directive dreaming during a week full of highs and lows. I’ve made a commitment to chase daily enchantment - to let myself actively pursue what feels good, magical and of course dreamy.

A blog about guilt, dreams and stepping into my 50s… As I look ahead to this next decade, I’ve hit a few emotional and practical obstacles. Prioritising my own desires and needs feels selfish and almost impossible.

I’ve made myself a promise that I will allow myself to dream.

I can see myself now, sitting alone at a little table in Italy, wearing a floaty “fufu” dress - likely to be Dolce & Gabana, twirling pasta on my fork. Not because I want to escape my life (I don’t), but because I want to reconnect with who I am - beyond roles and responsibilities.

Stay tuned…

For some reason, I felt called to write this today. I think many of us are sensing that now is the time for more love. Maybe it’s a reminder for you, too - to stop searching outward, and instead, to journey home. Because this; this is the heroine’s journey.

Taking time out over Christmas brought real clarity. When you do the leadership maths, being a working woman under most existing frameworks simply doesn’t add up.

Leadership systems were built within patriarchal structures designed for men; assuming a consistent baseline of energy, availability, and life-stage stability. Women’s bodies don’t work that way.

Leading through perimenopause has quietly changed how I relate to leadership, certainty, and meaning. As my body has shifted, I’ve found myself reconnecting with the cosmos; with astrology, symbolism, and the wisdom of the stars.

Not as prediction, but as perspective. And I’m noticing I’m not alone. Many women I work with are reaching for something bigger, higher, and steadier than the daily noise of the world. When earthly systems feel chaotic and change feels relentless, we instinctively look to deeper wisdom and longer cycles for reassurance. Our ancestors understood this instinct well. I’m sharing the reflections below in the hope that they offer comfort, context, and a sense of readiness for what comes next.

We are we not talking positive aging, why are we still hooked on anti-aging, I don't get it?

For too long, women have been written off after a certain age - both in Hollywood and in the everyday life we know.

But today’s female leaders are rewriting the narrative and showing the world what’s possible.

Still think recovery is a “nice-to-have”? In reality, it’s one of the most underrated leadership-life skills out there.

Learn more here.

So often, when we face a new challenge, an old, nervous voice shows up. But sometimes, our younger selves also carry the boldest lessons: the moments when we were fearless, determined, and unapologetic about asking for what we wanted.

👉 Read on if you’ve ever hesitated to ask for what you want, or if fear has tried to silence your voice.

Every woman I’ve worked with over the last 13 years experiences it, a tightness in the throat when the truth starts to rise.

Women are told how to act, what to believe, and how to speak. Breaking that “good girl” conditioning isn’t about being anti-establishment, it’s about showing up authentically.

Read more here…

There’s a powerful connection between taboos and negative thinking.

Taboos shape our behaviour long before we’re even aware of it. Especially as women, we’re taught to conform, not challenge. To smile, not speak up. To please, not take up space.

Here, I’ve written about how taboos operate in our thinking, our workplaces, and our bodies - and how we start to shake them off.

Sharing about my evening with Marianne Williamson - one of the greatest teachers of our time.

She called women into leadership - not just in titles and roles, but in presence, purpose, and power.

I’m Karen and I’m a reformed people pleaser.

I’ve finally dropped the forced smile.

These days, I only smile when something genuinely makes me happy or tickles me. After years of “good girl” conditioning, I’ve grown into my face, my body, and my truth - and I’m no longer smiling for anyone else’s comfort.

Where does your wisdom live?

Is it in your gut - that deep, instinctive knowing?

In your heart - where truth hits hard and moves you to act?

In your third eye - through intuition, dreams, and vision?

Or your creative mind - where ideas, emotions, and insight flow?

Maybe… it’s in the space around you. The field. The vibe. The energy.

Start with your heart. Yes. But don’t forget your mind.

One of the most powerful pieces of personal development work is taking your inner critic to bootcamp. Until we become aware of our saboteur’s voice, we can’t truly lead from wisdom.

Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in professional spaces - perimenopause and the way it silently disrupts leadership confidence.

For many women in midlife, perimenopause arrives with an unexpected side effect: a powerful wave of self-doubt. Read my blog that will help you find your voice again.

Isolation and separation aren’t just experiences - they’re tactics. Sometimes survival mechanisms. Especially for women.

We’ve been conditioned to see competition as toxic, as something to avoid. We’ve been told to “be kind.” To not make waves. To play small. But that’s only one side of the story.

Read my blog to learn more…

I recently returned from a leadership retreat where our mission was simple yet profound: to reconnect with ourselves, each other, and nature. We invested in ‘simply being’ - a practice that, paradoxically, leads to ‘rightful action’ and clearer next steps.

This blog addresses that wisdom is both waiting and action, and talks about feminine leadership, collaboration & deep recovery.

Menopause is no longer a silent struggle confined to private lives. It’s a workplace issue, an economic issue, and a leadership issue.

Gaining all the material objects I desired, the title, the lifestyle, the penthouse wasn’t it. It was in that moment that I started to cultivate what it was.

I discovered it was to feel - more connection, love that is expressive and joy so great words defy me. I also wanted to release the emotions I’d previously locked away. These goals remain today.