Claiming Your Confidence

Hormones can create a confidence gap. Are workplaces solving the wrong problem?For many women, perimenopause and menopause don’t just change their bodies. They change the way they see themselves.At the very stage of life when women have decades of experience and wisdom to offer, many find themselves second-guessing their judgement, losing trust in their own minds and wondering what’s happened to their confidence.Yet most workplace menopause initiatives focus on the symptoms everyone can see.In this episode of Claiming Your Confidence Katrina asks whether we’re missing the real issue, and whether that blind spot is costing women their confidence and their careers.In this episode:* The unique confidence gap women face in midlife due to hormonal shifts* How physical and psychological symptoms differ and affect confidence* The story of Lauren, a woman who nearly lost her career to menopause misdiagnosis* Innovative workplace policies from the UK and Australia addressing menopause challenges* The shift from focusing on visible symptoms versus underlying psychological impacts* Evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and manager education to support women* Practical tips for women: paced breathing, catching catastrophic thoughts, and psychoeducation* The inspiring findings from Harvard on women emerging more assertive post-menopause* Clarification on hormone therapy (HRT) benefits and considerations* A call to women to understand the temporary nature of these changes and support each other betterTimestamps:00:06 - Introduction to menopause, confidence, and midlife challenges00:35 - The confidence gap and societal conversation gaps01:03 - Hormonal influence on brain systems and confidence01:52 - The importance of naming hormonal symptoms02:22 - The challenges women face in safe spaces for honesty at work03:20 - The flaw in current workplace menopause policies03:49 - The story of Lauren and career near-loss due to misdiagnosed menopause symptoms08:08 - Workplace initiatives that are making a difference worldwide10:15 - The gap between physical symptom management and underlying psychological impacts12:05 - Lack of evidence linking policies to career retention outcomes13:02 - The psychological symptoms most responsible for career damage14:21 - The limitations of visible symptom-focused solutions15:42 - Evidence-based supports: CBT and manager coaching16:42 - Practical self-help strategies: paced breathing, cognitive restructuring, psychoeducation19:00 - The positive transformation in women post-menopause, becoming more assertive20:24 - Brief notes on hormone therapy (HRT) considerations20:52 - Key takeaway: understanding and support are crucial for confidence recovery21:22 - Closing thoughts and encouragement for women to seize this transitional stage21:46 - Call to action: subscribe, review, and connect on social mediaResources & Links:* Women of a Certain Stage - Lauren’s consultancy on menopause in the workplace* Harvard Business Review Study on Women Leaders - The confidence boost after menopause transition* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Evidence-based support for managing menopause distress* Transitioning Well - Australian organization training managers on menopause supportConnect with Katrina Blowers:* Instagram* Claiming Your Confidence - Instagram Profile This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katrinablowers.substack.com

Have you ever had a moment at work where something felt off - and then spent the drive home telling yourself it probably wasn’t that bad? That nobody noticed? That you were just being too hard on yourself?This episode is going to gently - and then not so gently - challenge that.I recently found a brand new piece of peer-reviewed research about hormones, confidence and women in leadership. It’s so new it’s barely been cited anywhere. And what it found completely reframes the way I think about those moments when your body or your brain does something you can’t control in a professional setting.Here’s the uncomfortable part: some of what we’ve been telling ourselves to feel better. The 'nobody noticed, it’s probably in my head' story turns out not to be entirely true.Here’s the useful part: the same research tells us exactly what to do about it. Something specific. Something that works in real time. And it has nothing to do with faking it till you make it — which I’ve always believed is the wrong advice for women anyway.In this episode I also tell you about a woman in Denmark — one of the most senior labour market figures in the country — who figured out the solution before any research proved it. While sitting in high-stakes, male-dominated negotiations. With a fan on the table.And got promoted.This is part of my ongoing series on hormones and confidence in midlife — the conversation I think women leaders most urgently need to have. If you’re new here, go back and listen to Episodes 1 and 2 first. But if you’re jumping in here, you’ll be absolutely fine.In this episode:— Why the “maybe nobody noticed” story might be costing you more than you think— The brand new 2026 Penn State study — what they tested, how they tested it, and what it proved— What actually happens when a woman names what’s going on for her in the room— The story of Pernille Knudsen — the Danish labour leader who figured this out before the research caught up with her— Why this isn’t just a personal challenge — and what workplaces urgently need to do about it— Why both imposter syndrome and “nobody noticed” might be two sides of the same self-gaslighting coinResearch referenced in this episode:Grandey, A. et al. (2026). “Do Hot Flashes Get the Cold Shoulder? Menopausal Symptoms and Disclosure Influence Leader Ratings.” Journal of Business and Psychology. Open access. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10869-025-10039-2Pernille Knudsen / Nordic Labour Journal (October 2025). “Denmark: Menopause Should Not Cost Women Their Jobs.” https://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/denmark-menopause-should-not-cost-women-their-jobs/University of Copenhagen — Women in Healthy Transition (KISO) Survey (2025). First nationwide survey on menopause in Denmark. 153,800 women aged 45–59. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-women-denmark-symptoms-menopause.htmlAstellas Menopause Experience & Attitudes Study (2025). Global study of 13,800 people across six countries on menopause stigma and workplace disclosure. https://newsroom.astellas.com/2025-03-07-New-Research-Reveals-Impact-of-Menopause-StigmaCatalyst Global Survey (2024). 72% of women have hidden menopause symptoms at work at least once. https://www.catalyst.org/about/newsroom/2024/menopause-workplace-support-globalMetLife Australia (2024). 14% of Australian women have left the workforce due to menopause symptoms. https://www.metlife.com.auRead moreThis episode is also a full piece on my Substack — with all the research linked and a lot more context. It’s free to read. katrinablowers.substack.comWant to do me a huge favour?If this episode resonated — share it. Send it to a woman in your life who needs to hear this. Or a leader who manages one. This conversation only gets bigger if we have it together.Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. I publish every week and the series is building toward something I’m genuinely excited about.And if you have two seconds — leave a rating or a review. It sounds like a small thing but it makes a massive difference to how many women find this podcast. If this has been useful, that’s the single best thing you can do to help it reach more people.You’d be doing me — and a lot of women who haven’t found this yet — a huge favour.Find me here:Instagram: @katrinablowers Instagram: @claimingyourconfidence Substack: katrinablowers.substack.comNext week:I’m looking at the workplaces that are actually getting this right — and asking the honest question of whether it’s going far enough. Because naming it only works where naming it is safe. And making it safe isn’t just an HR policy. It’s the people sitting in the room.See you then. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katrinablowers.substack.com

SHOW NOTES:Lorraine Candy — What’s Wrong With Me?Available wherever books are sold.SWAN Study (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation)https://www.swanstudy.orgDr Louise Newson & Dr Rebecca Lewis — survey of nearly 4,000 womenhttps://www.newsonhealth.co.ukNext episode — the 2026 Penn State research on how perimenopause symptoms are perceived at work, and what women can specifically do about it:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10869-025-10039-2Full series on Substack:katrinablowers.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katrinablowers.substack.com

Welcome to my first attempt at podcasting over here. For those of you who love to grab their info through their ears while dogwalking, gymming, grocery shopping etc. Hope you enjoy :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katrinablowers.substack.com