In this episode, Katie speaks with Sas Petherick, a self-belief coach, writer, speaker, and podcast host whose work explores the connection between self-doubt, self-trust, and meaningful living.  

“Every small thing you do to create the world you want to live in has epic ripple effects that you may not see.” – Sas Petherick

Sas believes that healing our self-doubt is one of the most important contributions we can make to ourselves, our families, our work, and the world. She holds a Master's degree from Oxford, and their research on self-doubt was published in the International Journal of Coaching and Mentoring. She has developed an evidence-based, trauma-informed, ICF-accredited coaching methodology for cultivating self-belief.

Over the past decade, she’s supported hundreds of women navigating self-doubt in their personal and professional lives. Their top 1% rated podcast, Courage & Spice, has over half a million downloads, and she’s worked with high-profile organisations like BBC Worldwide and Pinterest. Now living by the beach in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with their partner Ash and pooch Bodhi, Sas spends their time imagining a post-capitalist world, exploring consciousness, and listening to obscure UFO podcasts. Sophie’s work spans theatre, film, and audio, and she is passionate about amplifying voices from both marginalised human and more-than-human communities. She is the founder of Teatro Vivo and SHH Productions, and currently serves as Creative Director at CHANGE Festival.

“You’re going to experience failure and rejection anyway, why not do it while doing something you actually care about?” - Sas Petherick

We cover:

- The personal and collective cost of self-doubt and how to recognise its disguises

- Sas’s own journey from City burnout to self-belief coaching and sobriety

- Why exquisite self-care is a radical act of defiance against capitalism

- Reframing success through the lens of meaning, joy, and compassion

- What it means to live a brave life and why discomfort is not the enemy

- The connection between midlife, the inner wild, and returning to nature

- The power of small actions and ripple effects in a world of despair

“Taking exquisite care of yourself is not indulgent. It’s an act of rebellion.” - Sas Petherick

This episode is an invitation to pause, to ask better questions of ourselves, and to cultivate self-trust as an anchor through uncertainty. Whether you’re in a season of burnout, transition, or craving more meaning in your work and life, Sas’s insights offer a grounded, hopeful compass for what’s next.

More from Sophie:

Website: https://www.saspetherick.com

Instagram: @saspetherick

Substack & Podcast: Courage & Spice

More from Katie:

Instagram: @katietreggiden.1

Website: https://katietreggiden.com/

Blue Health Coaching: https://makingdesigncircular.org/

Nature-inspired poetry: Brackish

Resources mentioned:

Books:

Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown (this is an affiliate link)

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit (this is an affiliate link)

If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie

All Fours by Miranda July (this is an affiliate link)

The Middle Passage by James Hollis (this is an affiliate link)

Falling Upward by Richar Rohr (this is an affiliate link)

Substack

Things to do when you feel s**t, To Reality With Love by Nora Popova

Joeli Caparco & The Crumb, Brackish with Katite Treggiden

What next?

If all this talk of defiant hope has got you wondering where you can find some, I have something for you. Cultivating Hope is my three-part mini-course and it’s the three steps I move through whenever I start to feel despair tugging at my edges.

You will move out of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode and into a calm and connected state, reconnect with nature, and find aligned actions that you can take now to keep you to remind you that you can make a difference.

In the current climate, hope is an act of defiance, and it’s one I hope you’ll take with me.

Click here to find out more here

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