Some conversations feel like sitting down with an old friend who sees you — all of you. This is one of those.
In this episode, I’m joined by Nicola Laye, a breathwork practitioner, mentor and spaceholder with over 25 years of experience guiding women through the defining rites of passage in life — from conception and birth to rediscovering themselves beyond motherhood. Her work is woven from deep empathy, lived experience, and an unshakable belief that we can meet every transition with calm, clarity, and confidence.
We talk about the quiet power of breath, the unspoken realities of postpartum, and the courage it takes to take off the “practitioner’s coat” and stand in our full expression as women. Nicola shares how her time in both palliative care and birth rooms taught her the same truth: every threshold of life is a chance to let go of fear, be fully seen, and remember who we really are.
Key Takeaways:
- Rites of passage — from menarche to menopause — carry the same emotional threads through our lives
- Why birth preparation is about more than breathing techniques — it’s about meeting fear with love
- The unseen cost of not asking for help in postpartum (and how to change it)
- How breathwork can reconnect you to yourself and soften the edges of self-judgment
- Why being your fullest self is the greatest gift you can give the women around you
Reflection:
Whether you’re preparing for a birth, navigating postpartum, or feeling the call to stand more fully in your own life, this conversation is a reminder that the wisdom you’re looking for is already within you — in your breath, in your body, and in your story.
Links:
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