Dr Sula Windgassen is a leading health psychologist and psychotherapist using psychology to improve chronic illness, chronic stress and trauma.

Regularly, featured in the media (Women’s Health, Psychologies Magazine, iNews & Guardian) Dr Sula explains complex mind-body science in a way that can be implemented into daily life for those with women’s health issues, gut disorders and other chronic conditions like endometriosis, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain. After completing five degrees with two doctoral qualifications including a PhD in Psychological Medicine, Dr Sula has gone on to publish in leading academic journals including the BMJ and Lancet Gastroenterology, direct a specialised clinical health psychology practice and get a book deal. Dr Sula is now focussed on making mind-body science and practice accessible to as many as possible through her online membership platform with live weekly calls, Body Mind Connect (bodymindconnect.club). What you'll learn in this episode:

• The beauty of mindfulness and how it helps those grappling with chronic pain and stress
• Understanding the intricate connection between our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations
• How revealing the stigma around mental health prompts us to confront the polarisation and advocate for comprehensive support systems
• Systemic challenges in acquiring funding for women's health
• Understanding that psychology is biology
• How gut physiology and behaviour are linked together
• Recognising that mental health impacts everything including work and finances
• Trusting your body rather than being at war with it

Learn more about Dr Sula Windgassen and Body Mind Connect:

• https://www.instagram.com/the_health_psychologist_/
• https://bodymindconnect.club/

More from This Independent Life!

• Follow TIL on Instagram @thisindependentlife
• Follow Rebekah Lloyd on LinkedIn
• Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and learn more at www.thisindependentlife.co

Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife!

-------------------------------

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health consultant, careers advisor, podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help advance the future of women’s health and careers. She provides consulting and advisory for healthcare startups, industry, universities and research, as well as charities and workplaces. She is a UN Women UK delegate and is dedicated to using business as a force for good, her clients including global organisations such as Omnicom, Astra Zeneca, Barclays, UNiDAYS, National Trust, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been featured internationally, including The Guardian, Nasdaq and Stylist, and in 2023 was invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of her work that was broadcast globally via the BBC.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advise on your specific circumstances.

Julie Cornish is a consultant colorectal surgeon and senior lecturer in Cardiff, with a subspecialty interest in pelvic health.

She is the founder of the Everywoman Festival, a women's health festival aiming to educate and empower women and girls (everywomanfest.com). Julie trained in Wales and London, with an MD from Imperial College and a pelvic floor fellowship in Oxford. She is the Secretary for the Pelvic Floor Society and a Trustee of the MASIC Foundation. She is the lead for Pelvic Health for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and established the Pelvic Health Hub as part of this.

Her research interests focus on outcomes after surgery, in particular bowel dysfunction after surgery and outcomes after childbirth injury and she regularly presents both internationally and nationally. She is the chief investigator for the NIHR POLARiS study and has published more than 60 papers.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How Everywoman Festival came to be and the driving force behind this significant effort for women's health
• Recognising that women's health intersects with various aspects of life, including socioeconomic factors like education, diet, and lifestyle
• Benefits of physiotherapy and the role it plays in improving the quality of life for individuals grappling with pelvic floor and uro-gynecological issues
• How women can expedite and simplify the process of accessing medical care
• Moving away from the stigma that pelvic health issues only affects women who have had children but that it also impact those women trying to conceive or facing challenges in conception due to various reasons
• Leading more inclusive and effective support systems for individuals facing a range of reproductive and gynaecological challenges
• Why it's important to know what's really going on in the women's health space before making a career into the field

Learn more about Julie and Everywoman Festival:

• https://www.instagram.com/theeverywomanfestival/

• https://www.instagram.com/jules_cornish9/

• https://twitter.com/jules_cornish/

More from This Independent Life!

• Follow TIL on Instagram @thisindependentlife

• Follow Rebekah Lloyd on LinkedIn

• Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and www.thisindependentlife.co

Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife!

-------------------------------

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health consultant, careers advisor, podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help advance the future of women’s health and careers. She provides consulting and advisory for healthcare startups, industry, universities and research, as well as charities and workplaces. She is a UN Women UK delegate and is dedicated to using business as a force for good, her clients including global organisations such as Omnicom, Astra Zeneca, Barclays, UNiDAYS, National Trust, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been featured internationally, including The Guardian, Nasdaq and Stylist, and in 2023 was invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of her work that was broadcast globally via the BBC.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advise on your specific circumstances.

Ambra is Italian born Chinese and moved to the UK to pursue a Bachelor in International Management at Warwick.

She started her career in London as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and later became a tech and financial services investor at Eurazeo. Given her struggles with polycystic ovary syndrome throughout her career and the healthcare coverage gap in the space, she took the leap to build Juniper, the first end-to-end reproductive health insurance. Ambra is Italian born Chinese and moved to the UK to pursue a Bachelor in International Management at Warwick. She started her career in London as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and later became a tech and financial services investor at Eurazeo. Given her struggles with polycystic ovary syndrome throughout her career and the healthcare coverage gap in the space, she took the leap to build Juniper, the first end-to-end reproductive health insurance.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why defining your "why" as a first step in making significant career leaps is a great way in pursuing your goals and purpose
• Leveraging personal experiences to inspire a business that fills gaps in healthcare
• How initiatives like Juniper is changing the game in healthcare insurance field
• Understanding and addressing reproductive health as a universal issue that impacts individuals across all genders
• Involving men in the discussion of women's health and reproductive health is crucial
• How setting boundaries is essential for personal well-being and professional fulfilment
• How to use passion for impact and addressing societal issues

Learn more about Ambra and Juniper:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambrazhang/

• https://getjuniper.co.uk/

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-juniper/

More from This Independent Life!

• Follow TIL on Instagram @thisindependentlife

• Follow Rebekah Lloyd on LinkedIn

• Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and www.thisindependentlife.co

Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife!

-------------------------------

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health consultant, careers advisor, podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help advance the future of women’s health and careers. She provides consulting and advisory for healthcare startups, industry, universities and research, as well as charities and workplaces. She is a UN Women UK delegate and is dedicated to using business as a force for good, her clients including global organisations such as Omnicom, Astra Zeneca, Barclays, UNiDAYS, National Trust, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been featured internationally, including The Guardian, Nasdaq and Stylist, and in 2023 was invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of her work that was broadcast globally via the BBC.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advise on your specific circumstances.

With a career spanning over 25 years, Helen is the co-founder of Peli Health, a digital health platform specializing in women's pelvic health. Her extensive expertise encompasses digital advertising, search/AI software, and marketing across various tech sectors, including adtech, legaltech, search AI, and now healthtech. Helen brings valuable experience in driving the successful launch of digital products in global markets.

Kerstin Recker is a femtech founder and a passionate advocate for equitable technology. With a track record of scaling successful ventures. Having navigated the world of Fortune 500 companies and startups, Kerstin brings a wealth of experience to her role as the co-founder of Peli Health, a groundbreaking centralized pelvic health platform. Her expertise spans diverse sectors, including media and entertainment, search, AI, ed tech and health tech.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Transitioning between different career fields is possible and knowing that your skills are transferrable across sectors
• How expanded understanding about pelvic health can empower individuals to make informed decisions and explore a wider range of resources and support options
• Why affordability and accessibility are the biggest challenge in accessing pelvic health care and treatment
• Creating a more supportive and inclusive environment for those suffering pelvic health issues
• Ongoing initiatives and destigmatisation efforts surrounding pelvic health issues
• Why we need to encourage women to educate themselves and advocate for their overall well-being
• The beauty of embracing freedom and making an empowered choice for yourself

Learn more about Kerstin and Helen and Peli Health:

• https://pelihealth.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/pelihealth

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/pelihealth

More from This Independent Life!

• Follow TIL on Instagram @thisindependentlife

• Follow Rebekah Lloyd on LinkedIn

• Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and www.thisindependentlife.co

Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife!

-------------------------------

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health consultant, careers advisor, podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help advance the future of women’s health and careers. She provides consulting and advisory for healthcare startups, industry, universities and research, as well as charities and workplaces. She is a UN Women UK delegate and is dedicated to using business as a force for good, her clients including global organisations such as Omnicom, Astra Zeneca, Barclays, UNiDAYS, National Trust, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. She has been featured internationally, including The Guardian, Nasdaq and Stylist, and in 2023 was invited to advise the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee on women’s health as a result of her work that was broadcast globally via the BBC.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advise on your specific circumstances.

2 years ago, This Independent Life didn't exist, and I could have never dreamed that I and TIL would be where we are today. 2023 has been a truly life-changing year and there are so many things I wish to share and speak about with you, but above all, I want to say thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you again to each and everyone of you for being part of the TIL community and for supporting me on this journey.

If there's ever anything I can do to help and support you, or your organisation, please know that my door is always open. This is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see what 2024 brings!

What you'll learn in this episode

• TIL highlights of 2023
• 5 key learnings and takeaways from 2023
• What's coming up in 2024
• How to collaborate and get involved with TIL in 2024 and beyond!

More from This Independent Life

• Follow TIL on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thisindependentlife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Follow Rebekah Lloyd on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Apply to collaborate with TIL via application form
• Sign up our newsletter and check out our upcoming events and ways to work with TIL via our website
• Get in touch or refer at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co if you or your organisation are looking to support and grow women employees and leaders in the workplace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, we deliver women's health education and events for workplaces, startups and communities!

Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoyed and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community, and tag us using @thisindependentlife!

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health advocate, advisor, speaker, event and podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to help all women achieve health, wealth and fulfilment in life. She delivers education and events for workplaces, universities and communities, is a UN Women UK delegate, and a healthcare leader, consultant and facilitator across workplace wellbeing, investment and funding, and research and start-up innovation initiatives. Her clients include global thought leading organisations such as Schroders, Barclays, UNiDAYS, Whistles, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, and she is dedicated to using business as a force for good. In 2023 she independently hosted a first-of-its-kind conference on the Future of Endometriosis and Women’s Health and was invited to give evidence to the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee for the Women’s Reproductive Health Inquiry as a result of her work.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advice on your specific circumstances.

Alexandra Lunn is the founder of Alexandra Lunn Studio. She runs a team of strategists, copywriters and designers and has built her business from the ground up so she speaks the language of the business owners she supports. She now supports startups who have series A or B rounds of investment, as well as businesses who operate for and within the financial, legal and property industries. All her projects are bespoke and tailored to her client's needs.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The power of storytelling and creativity through generations
• The benefits of exploring different careers and jobs throughout your life
• How growing up with a business owner as a parent informs life as an entrepreneur
• The importance of being friendly and approachable in business
• The value of networking, relationships and supportive communities in entrepreneurship
• How to support men and allies from the hangovers of previous generations and societal expectations
• The importance of being able to voice your opinion without being cancelled in business and life

Learn more about Alexandra and Alexandra Lunn Studio:

• ⁠https://www.bloomful.io/⁠
• ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bloomful.io/⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dupe-burgess-b75b21110/⁠⁠

More from This Independent Life

Follow TIL on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thisindependentlife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Rebekah Lloyd on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch at rebekah@thisindependentlife.co and ⁠⁠www.thisindependentlife.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or refer us if your organisation are looking to support, retain and grow women employees and leaders in the workplace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We deliver women's health education and events for workplaces and the women's health community to help people navigate and overcome women's health related issues whilst flourishing in their career. And if you want to support our community and events through collaborations, partnerships and sponsorships we'd love to hear from you too!

Thank you for listening to this episode of This Independent Life. If you liked this episode and want to help spread the word, please rate, review, and share with your community. We love seeing you share the love so feel free to tag us using @thisindependentlife!

Rebekah Lloyd is a women’s health advocate, advisor, speaker, event and podcast host, and founder of This Independent Life. After experiencing burnout and chronic pain, a 10-year delayed endometriosis diagnosis, and the resulting career and financial challenges, she started This Independent Life to positively change the trajectories of women’s lives. She delivers education and events for workplaces, universities, and communities, is a UN Women UK delegate, and a healthcare leader, consultant and facilitator across workplace wellbeing, investment and funding, and research and start-up innovation initiatives. Her clients including global thought leading organisations such as UNiDAYS, Whistles, Schroders, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London and she is dedicated to using business as a force for good. In 2023 she independently hosted a first-of-its-kind conference on the Future of Endometriosis and Women’s Health and was invited to give evidence to the UK Parliament Women and Equalities Committee for the Women’s Reproductive Health Inquiry as a result of her work.

Disclaimer: This Independent Life is not a certified health, career, or financial adviser. The content made available on This Independent Life is provided for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute advice. You are advised to consult with independent advisors for advice on your specific circumstances.