Mrs Mummy PhD®

Hosted by Host Dr Michelle Gibbs

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Episodes

147

Latest episode

Jul 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

This podcast is for ambitious mothers who refuse to choose between their careers and their families. Hosted by Dr Michelle Gibbs — a wife, Mama of 3, RD and Dr (the PhD kind) — the Mrs Mummy PhD® podcast is shaped by my own lived experience of navigating scholarly work, motherhood, identity, and seasons of change. And here's what I've learned: You don't have to sacrifice one for the other. You can design both. Through thoughtful conversations and reflections, this podcast invites you to get clear on what actually matters, make intentional decisions about your career, and build a life where impact doesn't require self-sacrifice. Rather than quick fixes or productivity promises, it offers perspective, permission, and a framework for designing a self-kind, family-friendly career you can actually thrive in. Because meaningful work exists alongside family life, not in opposition to it. If you're navigating intellectually demanding work (in academia or beyond) and want to advance your career without abandoning what matters most, this space is for you. Welcome to scholarly motherhood. One intentional milestone at a time. 🦋 So Mama, are you in? Fabulous! Let's begin... These are our journeys of becoming — and you’re welcome here.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 12, 2026Episode 14728 min

147: Welcome Back: The Art & Science of Doing Both!

After a season away, we're back with a revolutionary concept that changes everything: you are allowed to make room for doing both! You don’t have to choose between your scholarly career and your family — but you do have to understand the strategy (the science) and give yourself permission (the art) to actually make room for both. In this episode, I share my own story of quiet burnout post-PhD, the breakthrough that shifted everything, and the practical framework that helped me move from relentless striving to intentional design — and from guilt to peace. The Becoming Her Reset (BHR): 7 days to audit your values, get clear on what matters, and design a life that works for your whole life. Learn more & join the BHR Cohort 2 here (coming January 2027) . Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

July 27, 2026Episode 14614 min

146. You're Not Alone In This: The Becoming Her Reset (BHR), What I Learned + Summer Break

The first cohort of the Becoming Her Reset (BHR) is underway! And what I'm realising now is how powerful this mini-movement is... A small group of Scholarly Mamas® showed up. They were carrying it all, PhD (or post-PhD) journeys, motherhood, loss, ambition. They'd drifted so far from who they once were, and were ready to become her again (the version of themselves that existed before life got too busy). By the end of the call, they left with clarity of the work ahead of them this week, looking forward with hope, and realising that they were not alone in this... To be honest, something shifted in me as well. In this episode, I'm reflecting on what happened inside the BHR (cohort 1, call 1), what I learned about growth and community, and why I'm taking an intentional, seasonal pause from the podcast to practice what I preach. Listen now. Join the waitlist for BHR cohort 2 here. Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

July 20, 2026Episode 14552 min

145. Redesign Your Career, Reclaim Your Life with Dr Kristine Goins

Dr. Kristine Goins was working hard. Full clinical caseload. Board-certified. Specialised. Leadership positions. Doing everything "right." But, she was also burnt out. So she asked a different question: "What if I built my career around the life I actually want to live?" Today she practices medicine differently. Remotely. Internationally. And she's less burnt out, more present, and still deeply ambitious. This is what happens when you stop drifting and start designing the career and life you actually want. Listen to the full episode now. Dr Kristine Goins is the founder of The Nomad MD . You can also find her here on Instagram and here on Facebook. Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

July 6, 2026Episode 14419 min

144. Presence as Resistance: Reclaiming Yourself From the Drift

You're busy. Your schedule is full. You're meeting everyone's expectations. But here's what nobody talks about: You've disappeared. Not from your family. Not from your work. From yourself. In this episode, I'm exploring what's actually happening when you're too busy to know what you want anymore. And what it costs you. Listen now. Want to join us on the Becoming Her Reset? Register here. Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

June 29, 2026Episode 1431 hr 32 min

143. The Hidden Power of Failure: Reframing Success in Academia with Dr Katy Peplin

What if thriving in academia had less to do with doing more — and more to do with allowing yourself to be human, protecting your energy, and staying connected to your values? In this conversation, Dr Katy Peplin opens up about the realities of the PhD journey, the pressure to perform, and what it really takes to build a life that feels sustainable. She also shares how motherhood has shaped her own journey, adding another layer to the questions of identity, resilience, and what it means to thrive on your own terms. Tune in for an honest conversation about failure, self-trust, and the mindset shift that can help you protect your wellbeing while redefining success on your own terms. Connect with Dr Katy Peplin on Instagram here or her Thrive PhD website here. Tune in now! Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

June 22, 2026Episode 14216 min

142. Time or Experience: A Quick Reminder About the Journey

Sometimes the most important reminders come from the simplest moments—a conversation in the car, the everyday wisdom that's right in front of us if we slow down enough to see it. I was in the car with my boys. And asked my son to look up the best route home... I did too... Then, I noticed something about how we each looked at the GPS. He looked at the time. I looked at the experience. And it hit me: This is exactly what happens in scholarly motherhood. What if the way we're approaching one thing is exactly the way we're approaching everything? Tune in now for a quick reminder about the journey of scholarly motherhood. Interested in joining the Becoming Her Reset? Click here. Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

June 15, 2026Episode 14127 min

141. Stop Looking Left and Right: How to Run Your Own Race as a Scholarly Mama®

You're looking left and right while running your race. And it's holding you back. I realised this at my sons' sports day. Some children were constantly checking if they were winning. Checking their position against everyone else. And they were slower because of it. The ones who stayed focused on their own lane? They won with ease. In this episode, I'm exploring what that taught me about comparison, self-leadership, and why your race doesn't have to look like anyone else's—even if you've been quietly wondering whether any of this applies to you. Listen now. Join us for the BECOMING HER RESET! Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

June 8, 2026Episode 14028 min

140. When Less Becomes More

What would your Scholarly Mama® life look like if you gave yourself permission to want less? Not less ambition. Less striving at all costs. In this episode, I'm exploring the wisdom of wanting less—and why it's actually the path to more. I'm sharing what my forties are teaching me about ambition, burnout, and why the slower path is sometimes the wiser one. If you've been running on empty wondering if there's another way, start here. Tune in now. Join us for the BECOMING HER RESET ! Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

June 1, 2026Episode 13944 min

139. Tiny Decisions, Big Impact.

What would your Scholarly Mama® life look like if you made one tiny decision this week? Not a big overhaul or dramatic uproot. Just one small, intentional decision. In this episode, I'm breaking down how tiny decisions can create big impact—and why you don't need permission from anyone to start. If you've been paralysed waiting for the perfect time to change, this will land differently. Listen here, listen now. Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.

May 25, 2026Episode 13832 min

138. Reflective Replay of "Running on Empty? Do This First If You Want to Lead Well..."

REFLECTIVE REPLAY! Are you feeling stretched thin between your PhD, your family, and everything in between? In this episode, we’re diving into why filling your own cup first is essential—not just for your well-being, but for your success as a Scholarly Mama® leader. We’ll talk about: Why filling your cup first isn’t selfish—it’s leadership How imposter syndrome and guilt hold us back from stepping into our full potential The power of setting boundaries and reclaiming your identity A simple exercise to help you start prioritising you If you’re ready to stop running on empty and lead with confidence, tune in now and take the first step toward leading yourself well! Send me a text message. Support the show Want more? Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD ® website. Book your free SEED call. Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Threads , Pinterest or TikTok . Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series These are our journeys of becoming. Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.