Unlock the power of taking a break with Sabbatical Stories, a podcast hosted by Rebecca Thomas from Feel Good Getaways. Through insightful and engaging discussions, Rebecca explores the motivations behind career breaks and sabbaticals, debunks myths, and highlights their invaluable benefits.
With a mission to inspire courage and normalise taking time off for personal growth, Sabbatical Stories is a beacon for those seeking inspiration, encouragement, and guidance on their journey to self-discovery. Tune in to learn how taking a break can transform your life and career.
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The King of Sabbaticals DJ DiDonna on The Transformative Power of a Career Break
Thursday, May 21, 2026 • Duration 42:57
In this powerful episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex sits down with DJ DiDonna, to get an exclusive preview on his upcoming book "The Big Time Off".
DJ is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and founder of The Sabbatical Project. After founding and successfully exiting a fintech company, DJ experienced burnout. He chose to take an intentional sabbatical, a decision that fundamentally reshaped how he viewed work, ambition and identity.
That experience sparked a deeper inquiry into the role of extended breaks in modern careers. Through The Sabbatical Project, DJ now leads the first research of its kind exploring the impact of sabbaticals on non-academics.
In this conversation, DJ shares his personal journey, the myths and misconceptions surrounding sabbaticals, and why he believes time off is not a luxury but an ancient and essential human ritual.
We dive into:
The concept of intentional time off in sustainable, meaningful careers
Why sabbaticals can trigger powerful identity transformation
The difference between passive rest and active rest
How to identify your unique sabbatical style, take the quiz here
The role of journaling and reflection during a career break
Common myths about sabbaticals and what the research actually shows
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: DJ DiDonna is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and the founder of The Sabbatical Project, a pioneering research initiative exploring the impact of extended time away from work on modern professionals. Known as the “King of Sabbaticals,” DJ is passionate about bringing about positive change by commercialising social science research and translating academic insight into practical action.
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Taking a Career Break and Travelling with Pets: Sean’s 15-Month Sabbatical Story
Season 4 · Episode 9
Thursday, May 14, 2026 • Duration 43:54
In today's episode of Sabbatical Stories, Sean McIntosh shares the story of his transformative 15-month career break and how stepping away from work led to a complete re-evaluation of identity, priorities, and the kind of life he truly wanted to create.
From navigating the logistics (and fears!) of relocating to Mexico with his two cats, to immersing himself in a new culture and language, Sean opens up about the realities of taking a purposeful pause and how the experience shifted his perspective on success, work, and freedom.
This conversation is full of honest reflections, practical insights, and reassurance for anyone quietly questioning whether there might be another way to live and work.
We dive into:
Overcoming fear and uncertainty before leaving
The difference between a fake and real career break
Immersing yourself in a new culture and language
The realities of travelling internationally with pets
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - or reach out on LinkedIn -
Taking a Career Break to Reclaim Yourself: Sabbatical, Identity & Personal Awakening with Danielle Zellman
Season 4 · Episode 8
Thursday, May 7, 2026 • Duration 41:10
In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, Danielle Zellman shares the deeply personal journey behind her career break and sabbatical.
Danielle spent two decades operating at pace in startups and scaling organisations. But beneath the success was exhaustion and emotional avoidance. Her sabbatical wasn’t about a polished pivot, it was about surrender.
From New York City to Vermont, Turkey and Bolivia, Danielle used her career break to explore new environments, identities and ways of being. A pivotal retreat experience including an ayahuasca ceremony challenged her to confront what she had long avoided and to sit in the uncomfortable “messy middle” of personal growth.
In this conversation, we explore what happens when high performers step away from achievement and into self-discovery.
We dive into:
Why high achievers often avoid their emotions
Making the decision to take a career break without a fixed plan
The lessons learned from an ayahuasca experience in Bolivia
Redefining “home” during a sabbatical
Reconnecting with family during personal transition
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - or reach out on LinkedIn -
Returning to Work After a Career Break or Sabbatical: Navigating Ambivalence, Purpose and Career Clarity with Mark Hughes
Season 4 · Episode 7
Thursday, April 30, 2026 • Duration 39:24
In this thoughtful episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex sits down with Mark Hughes, leadership coach, facilitator and former CEO to explore the often-overlooked emotional landscape of going back to work after time away.
His reflections reveal the complexity of returning to a role that is both purposeful and familiar and how ambivalence can be a healthy, insightful response rather than a problem to fix.
For high-achieving professionals who assume a sabbatical must result in a bold reinvention, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective. Sometimes the value of a break lies not in radical change, but in deeper self-awareness and renewed appreciation for work that already fits.
We dive into:
The emotional reality of returning to work after a career break
Why you don’t need a dramatic epiphany for a sabbatical to be valuable
The role of curiosity in navigating career transitions
How to interpret feelings of ambivalence towards work
The difference between dissatisfaction and healthy reflection
Why wanting more time away doesn’t necessarily mean you need a new career
The complexity of work-related emotions during life transitions
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - or reach out on LinkedIn -
How to Stay Healthy, Fit and Confident on a Sabbatical or Career Break, Fitness, Identity & Wellbeing with Shantelle Ekermans
Season 4 · Episode 6
Thursday, April 23, 2026 • Duration 45:09
In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex sits down with Shantelle to explore how to stay grounded, energised and confident during a sabbatical or career break without turning it into another pressure-filled performance.
For many professionals, stepping away from work can feel freeing and destabilising at the same time. Your identity shifts. Your routine disappears. Travel disrupts habits. And suddenly, the structure that once held your health and fitness in place is gone.
This conversation is packed with insight for anyone trying to stay fit on a career break or sabbatical.
We dive into:
Why giving yourself permission to take a break without guilt is foundational to real rest
Practical ways to stay active and healthy while travelling or living more flexibly
The power of maintaining small anchor routines to support motivation
How online fitness platforms can provide structure without rigidity
Why self-love and confidence are key drivers of sustainable health
How wearables and technology can support wellbeing without becoming obsessive
Strategies for staying motivated when routines change or travel disrupts habits
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn -
When Your Sabbatical Meets a Global Crisis: Navigating a Career Break During COVID with Gaëlle Deschamps
Season 4 · Episode 5
Thursday, April 16, 2026 • Duration 40:55
In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, we speak with executive leadership trainer, TEDx speaker and confidence coach Gaëlle Deschamps about taking a sabbatical at the exact moment the world shut down.
After a 27-year global corporate career spanning L’Oréal, SABMiller and The Coca-Cola Company, Gaëlle made the intentional decision to pause. Her career break was meant to be a period of rest, reflection and renewal, a chance to step back before her next chapter.
She began her sabbatical on March 1st, 2020.
By March 18th, her birthday, the world went into lockdown.
What was meant to be travel, celebration and spaciousness became uncertainty, disruption and confinement. In this conversation, Gaëlle shares how she navigated the emotional shift from control to surrender, how the pandemic reshaped her sabbatical experience, and what it taught her about identity, resilience and leadership.
We dive into:
The decision to take a sabbatical after decades in corporate leadership
Planning a career break with intention and structure
Starting a sabbatical just weeks before global lockdown
Using a Career Break to Redefine Success: Cultural Expectations, Sabbaticals & Life Chapters with Namrata Singh
Season 4 · Episode 4
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 39:55
In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex speaks with Namrata, founder of Sing & Tea, about navigating personal transitions, cultural expectations and the power of a career break to redefine success on your own terms.
Namrata and her husband chose not to over-optimise her sabbatical. Instead, they embraced what she calls thematic living, allowing a guiding focus, such as health or exploration, to shape their decisions rather than rigid goals.
Namrata shares openly about cultural norms and expectations and how carving her own path alongside her husband was not the most common or encouraged route within their cultural context. Taking a career break, stepping away from conventional timelines and choosing exploration over certainty required courage. It meant redefining stability, success and identity outside traditional expectations.
We dive into:
Why you shouldn’t over-optimise your sabbatical
The power of living thematically during a career break
Cultural expectations around stability, marriage and career
Carving your own path when it’s not the cultural norm
How time away creates clarity for your career and life in general
Openness, identity and redefining success
How their break led to launching Sing & Tea, a soft rebellion against small talk
Why Community Matters on a Sabbatical or Career Break and how Breakspace Supports You Through Time Off
Season 4
Monday, April 6, 2026 • Duration 30:38
In this very special bonus episode of Sabbatical Stories we welcome back Katrina McGee and Lyndall Farley. Joining Bex, three of the most respected minds and coaches in the sabbatical and career break space explore why community, accountability and shared experience are often the missing ingredients in a truly transformative career break.
Listeners get instant access to join BreakSpace here:
You’ll also receive 30% off your first month when you use the code:
BEX30
Be sure to enter BEX30 at checkout, this not only gives you the discount but also allows the BreakSpace team to track your membership back to Sabbatical Stories.
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
How to Stay Healthy on a Sabbatical: Using a Career Break to Heal & Navigate a Life Time Goal with Amy Savage
Season 4 · Episode 3
Thursday, April 2, 2026 • Duration 38:46
In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex speaks with nutritionist Amy Savage about her journey through multiple sabbaticals and how prioritising health became the foundation for both personal recovery and career reinvention.
After experiencing a serious accident, Amy was forced to reassess everything: her pace, her priorities and her wellbeing. What followed were intentional career breaks that allowed her to heal, reflect and ultimately pursue studies in nutrition.
This conversation explores the powerful connection between health, career break decisions and long-term career change. Amy shares how stepping away from full time work gave her the space to rebuild physically and mentally.
We also dive into the practical side of maintaining your wellbeing during a sabbatical especially when travel, disrupted routines and uncertainty can easily derail healthy habits.
We dive into:
The concept of taking multiple sabbaticals for different life seasons
How a serious accident reshaped Amy’s relationship with health
Why self-care isn’t indulgent, it’s foundational
Transitioning back to work after a career break
How a sabbatical can create clarity for a personal goal and building a purpose-led business
How to maintain energy and gut health while travelling
Supplements and simple nutrition strategies during a sabbatical
How to create small, sustainable health habits that last beyond your break
Career Change after a Career Break: From the UN to animal welfare, A Humanitarian Sabbatical Story with Ana Izvorska
Season 4 · Episode 2
Thursday, March 26, 2026 • Duration 48:57
In this Season 4 episode of Sabbatical Stories, Ana Izvorska shares her powerful career break and sabbatical journey after nearly two decades working in humanitarian crisis response with the UN and Red Cross.
After years in high-intensity humanitarian environments, Ana chose to step back and take a sabbatical because she needed space to re-evaluate what impact meant for her next chapter.
We explore what motivates someone to pause a mission-driven career, how to plan a meaningful sabbatical, and what happens when returning to work doesn’t unfold as expected. Ana shares how volunteering in animal welfare became a way to prototype future career possibilities, how she mapped out different professional pathways during her break, and why stepping away ultimately reshaped her understanding of freedom, identity and long-term impact.
We dive into:
What sparked her decision to take a career break after years in humanitarian work
How she created a visual “career map” during her sabbatical
Using volunteering as a low-risk way to test a potential career change
Navigating the uncertainty of returning to work post-sabbatical
What happens when a career transition doesn’t go to plan
Redefining professional identity beyond titles and organisations
Why her sabbatical reshaped her view of freedom, exploration and impact
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Sean McIntosh is a strategic eCommerce and digital growth leader with more than 15 years of experience driving revenue growth across marketplaces, DTC platforms, and omnichannel retail environments. His career spans global marketplace analytics, digital merchandising, and brand leadership roles with organisations.
Outside of work, Sean is also a proud cat dad, having successfully travelled internationally with his two cats during his sabbatical adventure.
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Danielle Zellman is a People Experience & Culture Leader turned fractional consultant, partnering with mission-driven companies to translate employee signals into durable strategy and measurable follow-through. As employee 20 at Cedar, she built the People Experience function from the ground up, helping scale the company to 450+ employees and $100M in revenue while sustaining engagement above 88% and eNPS above 50 through hypergrowth, restructuring, and acquisition.
Get in touch with Danielle directly on LinkedIn or using the links below:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Mark Hughes is an experienced trainer, mentor, coach and facilitator with a strong track record of developing leaders across sectors and continents. Mark works one-to-one with individuals from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds, both in the UK and internationally, and facilitates board away days, multi-day residential programmes and complex team conversations. As Director of mch, he also speaks at regional and national conferences, delivers high-impact workshops, and provides consultancy, team development and non-executive support to organisations seeking to strengthen their leadership capability and positive impact.
Get in touch with Mark via LinkedIn or directly through his website mch
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Shantelle Ekermans is the founder of The SET Life, a high-support online coaching practice designed specifically for executive women 40+ navigating shifts in energy, sleep, strength and body composition. With over 18 years in the fitness industry and a foundation in sports science, she delivers a private, fully managed 12-week transformation built around biology, workload and nervous system regulation, not willpower.
Her work supports high-performing women whose bodies have changed but whose standards have not, restoring strength, metabolic health and composure without extremes.
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break" 👉 Grab your free copy here
Guest bio: Gaelle is a TEDx speaker, certified executive coach, leadership trainer and Founder of G Force, a company dedicated to shaping the next generation of confident, values-led leaders. With executive education from Harvard and London Business School, she brings over 27 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience, having held senior leadership roles at L’Oréal, SABMiller and The Coca-Cola Company.
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Namrata is a Lead Product Manager with over 11 years of experience building and scaling subscription, payments and monetisation platforms across both consumer and B2B products. During her sabbatical, Namrata channelled her product expertise into entrepreneurship, founding Sing & Tea, a pop-up series that brings 6 strangers together in cozy corners of Bengaluru for unfiltered heart-to-heart conversations over Chia.
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: If you’re thinking of taking a sabbatical, you don’t have to do it alone. BreakSpace is the community for Career Breakers and Sabbatical Takers that gives you a complete support system to make the most of your sabbatical. It gives you access to supportive coaches, step-by-step courses and resources, expert-led masterclasses and a community of people who ‘get it’. It’s everything you need to plan your break, recharge, design what’s next and return to a career and life you love.
We have a special deal for Listeners as well
We can give you INSTANT access (skip the waitlist!) and get a 30% discount on your first month.
And use this code at checkout for your 30% discount - BEX30
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Amy is a qualified nutritionist and the founder of The Signature Program, a 4-week self-guided course supporting weight management, sleep, stress and gut health. Her work focuses on helping busy, high-achieving individuals build small, sustainable habits that improve energy, resilience and long-term wellbeing. Amy’s expertise has been featured in Marie Claire and Women’s Health Australia, where she has contributed recipes and practical nutrition insights.
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Bex Thomas.
Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:
As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self.
Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.
Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more here
💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.
Guest bio: Ana is a humanitarian professional with nearly two decades of international experience across the Red Cross, United Nations and now FOUR PAWS. Working in complex environments including Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Armenia and Mozambique her career has focused on migration, displacement, crisis response and protecting vulnerable communities, often operating at the frontline of global emergencies. Driven by purpose and impact, Ana has dedicated her professional life to serving those affected by conflict and instability.
With special thanks to:
Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine.
Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.
Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:
