Tired but can't switch off? 

Wired but exhausted? 

Feel like you don't have time to relax and when you do, it leaves you foggy instead of restored?

You're not alone. And the answer might not be what you think.

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore why relaxation isn't always the goal and why coherence might be the missing piece for busy midlife women.

Host Carly Killen breaks down the neuroscience behind three different states: relaxation, coherence, and alignment. You'll discover why they're not the same thing, and why coherence, a state where your heart, brain, and nervous system sync up, might be what you've been looking for all along.

You'll learn:

• The difference between relaxation (slowing down) and coherence (syncing up)
• What's happening in your brain and heart during each state
• Why deep relaxation can sometimes tip into collapse or brain fog
• How coherence breathing creates calm AND clarity (not just one or the other)
• The science of heart-brain communication and brainwave patterns
• Why 5-6 breaths per minute is your body's natural resonant frequency
• How to feel regulated without feeling sleepy
• Practical ways to create coherence in daily life (yes, even in the supermarket)
• Why Carly's Unwind breathwork sessions focus on coherence

This episode includes the neuroscience, real-life examples, and a guided coherence breathing practice you can try right now.

Perfect for anyone navigating midlife, dealing with brain fog, or exhausted from the "tired AND wired" paradox. If you've ever wondered why meditation makes you drowsy or why you can't seem to truly rest, this conversation will shift how you think about nervous system regulation.

Topics: coherence breathing, heart rate variability, nervous system regulation, brainwave states, relaxation vs coherence, midlife burnout, brain fog solutions, breathwork for busy women, heart-brain coherence, tired and wired

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

Are you still looking for self love?

You've done the affirmations. You've tried to "love yourself more." Maybe you've even achieved the body, the goals, the external validation you thought would make you feel enough.

But you're still holding your breath. Still monitoring yourself. Still performing acceptability even when you're alone.

In this Valentine's Day episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore why self-love isn't enough and what self-belonging actually means.

Host Carly Killen shares her journey of holding her stomach in even when no one was watching, the exhausting work of constant self-monitoring, and why achieving "the body" didn't create the internal peace she expected. Through a nervous system lens, she reveals why self-love rhetoric often misses the deeper pattern: we're trying to think our way into belonging when belonging is actually a felt, embodied experience.

You'll discover:

• Why self-love affirmations don't address nervous system patterns
• How holding your breath signals danger to your body (even when you're safe)
• The gap between external validation and internal belonging
• Why self-monitoring is protection, not vanity
• How conditioning teaches women that belonging is conditional
• The difference between self-love and self-belonging
• Practical nervous system tools to soften chronic self-criticism
• Breathwork practices for coming home to your body

This episode is for anyone exhausted from people-pleasing, recovering from chronic achievement culture, or sensing that positive thinking alone won't create the shift you're seeking. If you've tried self-love and it hasn't landed, this conversation offers a different path.

Topics: self-love myth, self-belonging, nervous system regulation, people pleasing recovery, body image midlife, breath and anxiety, internal validation, embodied self-acceptance, chronic self-monitoring, conditional belonging

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

Forgetfulness, difficulty finding words, reduced focus, and that unsettling sense of mental “fuzziness” are common in midlife but they’re not a personal failing.

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, Carly Killen explores menopause brain fog through a nervous system lens, helping you understand what’s actually happening in the brain and body as hormones begin to shift.

You’ll learn:

• Why brain fog is common in perimenopause and menopause
• How oestrogen, cortisol, and the stress response affect cognition
• The role of the nervous system in memory, focus, and confidence
• Why pressure and self-criticism often make symptoms worse
• Practical, evidence-informed ways to support clarity and steadiness

This is not about “fixing” yourself or pushing harder, it’s about understanding your physiology, meeting yourself with compassion, and working with your nervous system rather than against it.

A grounding, reassuring listen for anyone navigating midlife cognitive changes and wanting calm, credible insight.

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

What if many of your "menopause symptoms" are actually nervous system signals?

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore why anxiety, sleep issues, emotional sensitivity, and overwhelm intensify during menopause—and how your nervous system plays a bigger role than you might realize.

Host Carly Killen breaks down the science in plain language: how oestrogen supports your stress response, why your HPA axis becomes more sensitive in midlife, and what it means when your nervous system loses its natural buffers.

You'll discover:

• Why "pushing through" stops working in midlife
• Common menopause experiences through a nervous system lens
• The difference between capacity and demand
• Practical regulation tools you can use today
• Why understanding comes before symptom management

Plus, Carly introduces her new Rooted Menopause program—a 4-session group offering starting February 10th at Still Space Hull, designed to support understanding, regulation, strength, and direction through the menopause transition. Find out more here >>> Rooted Menopause

This episode is for anyone navigating perimenopause or menopause, feeling more anxious or reactive than usual, or wondering why nothing they used to do seems to help anymore.

Topics: menopause and nervous system, perimenopause anxiety, HPA axis menopause, nervous system regulation midlife, menopause sleep issues, emotional sensitivity menopause, stress response hormones, rooted menopause

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

We're often told to "take up space" to be bold, visible, and unapologetic. But what if the real work isn't about being louder... but about learning to hold space?

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore the difference between taking up space (which can trigger your nervous system) and holding space (which requires deep presence and vulnerability).

Host Carly Killen shares her own journey of learning that shining her light came more from her inward journey into quiet presence than from traditional visibility ever did. She breaks down what holding space actually looks like, not just in business, but in your family, friendships, body, and daily life.

You'll discover:

• Why "take up space" messaging can feel overwhelming
• The difference between expanding vs. overriding your nervous system
• How to recognize your body's yes and no
• Practical ways to build capacity through pendulation and titration
• Why self-doubt doesn't mean stop and how to move forward with it

This episode is for anyone navigating midlife transitions, learning to trust their own pace, or wondering why visibility feels so vulnerable. If you've ever felt like you're "playing small" but pushing harder doesn't feel right either, this conversation is for you.

Topics: holding space, nervous system capacity, midlife visibility, self-doubt, breathwork, trauma-informed growth, pendulation, titration, sustainable expansion, embodied confidence

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

What if the thing stopping your midlife growth isn't lack of effort, but a pattern you haven't noticed yet?

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore the hidden trap that keeps high-achieving midlife women stuck in cycles of burnout: growing faster than your nervous system can handle.

Host Carly Killen shares her own pattern of constant forward motion, always reaching for the next thing, never quite landing in the space she'd created and how that drive for growth eventually caught up with her. Twice.

Using the mountain climbing metaphor of "base camps," this episode reveals what sustainable growth actually looks like: not constant forward motion, but cycles of reaching, resting, and integrating.

You'll discover:

• The pattern that turns personal development into burnout
• Why growth without safety becomes survival
• The four types of base camps you need (place, practice, person, internal knowing)
• How to ground yourself when the mental chatter gets loud
• Questions that help you build infrastructure for sustainable growth
• What Still Space Hull is and the vision behind creating a physical base camp

This episode is for you if you love personal development but suspect there's a more sustainable way. If you're navigating midlife transitions, recovering from burnout, or learning to trust your own pace instead of someone else's timeline.

Plus, Carly shares the vulnerable reality of opening Still Space Hull, her breath work studio in Hull, and extends an invitation to the February opening ceremony.

Topics: midlife burnout, sustainable personal growth, nervous system regulation, perimenopause transitions, breathwork, building resilience, growth patterns, rest and integration, base camp philosophy, midlife women's health

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

January often arrives with loud messages about fixing, pushing, and starting over.
 This episode offers something quieter.

In this episode of Rooted in Presence, we explore what it means to recommit to yourself in midlife without pressure, urgency, or all-or-nothing thinking.

Rather than setting rigid resolutions, this is an invitation to reflect on:

• how you want to relate to your life
• what no longer wants to be carried forward
• and how intentions can guide your daily choices with compassion and clarity
  
  

We’ll gently unpack the difference between intentions, goals, habits, and presence, and why so many of the changes women struggle to “stick to” are actually skills that need time, attention, and support.

You’ll be guided through reflective questions, a simple integration practice, and a grounded way to hold your intentions without needing to perfect them.

This episode is for you if you’re longing to begin the year feeling anchored rather than driven, and ready to move forward in a way that truly fits your life.

 If you’re ready for personal guidance or would like to book your Embodied Strength Profile, you can reach me at carlykillen.com

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

January often comes with pressure to start fresh, set goals, and transform overnight. But what if this moment isn’t about pushing forward… it’s about pausing first?

In this New Year’s Day episode of Rooted in Presence, Carly invites you into a gentler, more honest way of beginning the year. One that recognises we’re still in winter, still integrating, and still allowed time.

You’ll explore why many New Year’s resolutions fail not because of lack of willpower, but because they skip the vital stage of assessment and support. Carly shares how laying strong foundations, understanding your real life rhythms, and rooting into values can make change feel safer, more sustainable, and more aligned.

This episode is for you if you’re feeling the pull to change… but not the urge to rush.
 A grounded invitation to reflect, clarify, and begin again with presence.

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

Take a quiet moment for yourself with this gentle, 10-minute breath meditation designed to help you soften into stillness, whether today feels joyful, overwhelming, lonely, or simply full.

With two gentle Breathwork styles, this guided practice helps calm your nervous system, ease tension, and bring you back home to yourself.

Perfect for Christmas Day, the festive season, or any moment when life feels loud and your body needs support.
 If you’re ready for personal guidance or one-to-one Breathwork sessions, you can reach me at carlykillen.com

 May this practice offer you steadiness, comfort, and a soft place to land; wherever and however today finds you.

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨

As the Winter Solstice arrives, the turning point of deepest darkness and the slow return of light; this episode offers a gentle reframe on why habits feel hard, why change takes time, and why there’s nothing “wrong” with you if December isn’t the month you magically transform your life.

Carly explores the truth most midlife women were never told:
 you don’t struggle with habits because you lack willpower…
 you struggle because you’re trying to turn skills into habits.

Boundary-setting, emotional regulation, reducing people-pleasing, changing food patterns, building strength, choosing rest — these are skills, not automatic behaviours.
And like the earth after solstice, they take time, repetition, light, and compassionate awareness to take root.

This episode weaves together:
 ✨ Solstice wisdom and the return of the light
 ✨ Why habits fail (especially in midlife)
 ✨ Neuroplasticity + why new experiences help you feel younger
 ✨ How to pause before “fixing” everything
 ✨ Gentle end-of-year reflections + rituals
 ✨ What to do instead of perfection-driven resolutions
 ✨ How to create supportive routines, rituals, and inner skills that last

A soothing, grounding invitation to slow down, reflect, and choose the gentlest next step, not from pressure, but from presence.

Perfect if you're feeling the pull to change their life, but not the energy to overhaul it.

If this season is inviting you to make a shift but you’re not sure where to begin, let’s explore it together in a clarity call. Book here >> carlykillen.com

Thanks for listening to Rooted In Presence

If you’d like to get in touch with a question about today’s episode or find out how I can support you with coaching, here’s how to reach me:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Instagram: @thestrongbonescoach

Do you crave unshakable confidence in your strength from midlife and beyond? Would you love to achieve your goals without sacrificing family time or self-care?

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Start building a stronger body and healthier bones with my Strong Bones Starter Kit; your step-by-step guide to safe and effective strength training at home.
👉 Click here to learn more and access today

🌟 Stay connected and inspired with daily wellness tips on Instagram @thestrongbonescoach.
🌟 For tailored advice or personal queries, email me at [email protected]

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to strength, health, and confidence! 💪🦴✨