Mrs Mummy PhD®

Host Dr Michelle Gibbs
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This podcast is for ambitious, high-achieving Scholarly Mamas® who are juggling all the things… As a Mama of three boys who juggled scholarly life (i.e. grad school, PhD life), a healthcare professional career, all while holding it down at home, host Dr Michelle Gibbs fully understands how challenging this journey can be. But as driven and ambitious as we may think we are, we know full well that our scholarly pursuits don’t happen in a vacuum. Scholarly Motherhood a difficult, complex journey full of 'ups, downs and all arounds' in which we can easily lose ourselves under the pressure of it all. So on this podcast, Michelle shares valuable tips and insights from lived experience to help you achieve your lofty goals without sacrificing what matters. If you are a Mama on an academic journey who is wearing many hats and trying to blend your marriage/relationship, family, career, and scholarly worlds, then this space is for you! Michelle is on a mission to help Mamas, like you, to blend your family life and scholarly pursuits/research career without losing yourself in the process. She wants to help you reach your life and career goals without sacrificing what matters, with strategies and insights to help you turn your juggle-struggle into purposeful success! So Mama, are you in? Fabulous! Let's begin... These are our journeys of becoming!

  1. JUL 28

    123. Be Right Back!

    ANNOUNCEMENT: We're on break! Tune into the episode to find out why! While I'm on break, be sure to tune into the archives - I'm sure there's an episode there with your name on it!  Make sure you also subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss when my next new episode drops! You can also sign up here to receive periodical check-ins from me by email as I will be touching base there in between... See you soon! Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    6 min

  2. JUL 21

    122. Before You Quit...

    Thinking about quitting your PhD? You’re not alone—I've been there.  But before you make that call, this episode walks you through 7 powerful questions and mindset shifts that could change everything... What if there’s still a way forward that honours both your ambition and your motherhood? In this episode, I’m sharing what I wish someone had told me when I was ready to give it all up. Whether you decide to stay or go, let’s make sure it’s your choice—not one made in exhaustion or isolation. Tune in and let’s talk about the real stuff behind the decision. Plus, if you'd like support from someone who’s lived this journey, I'd love to help you finish well—join me inside Scholarly Mamas® to find out how. Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    33 min

  3. JUL 14

    121. "I Met Myself": How PhD Motherhood Became a Path to Self-Discovery with Dr Nonhlanhla Dube a.k.a. Dr Noni

    This week on the podcast, I’m joined by an incredible guest: a Zimbabwean-born academic, content creator, and mother - Dr Nonhlanhla Dube (a.k.a. Dr Noni) - whose path to a PhD took her across continents, through two undergrad degrees, a prestigious scholarship, and finally, a research post in the Netherlands. We talk about: How rejection redirected her toward purposeWhat it was really like finishing a PhD as a new MamaWhy she’s now showing up on TikTok to help others find joy in academic writingAnd what she wishes more people actually said out loud about being a Mama in academiaWhether you're deep in your PhD or just figuring out how to hold it all together as a parent in academia—this one is for you. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode about the real, raw, and beautiful mess of PhD Motherhood. And if you love what you hear, leave a kind review—it helps more Scholarly Mamas® find us! Follow Dr Noni on Tik Tok or YouTube for more :-). Find her co-founded SWAN community here. Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    1h 42m

  4. JUL 7

    120. 10 Powerful Affirmations for Scholarly Mamas®

    In this episode, I’m sharing (and discussing) 10 powerful affirmations specifically for Scholarly Mamas®—words to ground you when the workload is heavy, the juggle-struggle gets tricky, the guilt creeps in, or the doubt gets loud.  Whether you’re deep in PhD mode while juggling little ones, or just trying to hold it all together, these affirmations are here to remind you: you are not alone, and you are more capable than you think! Tune in now—and don’t forget to grab your FREE printable copy of all 10 affirmations so you can keep them close when you need them most: get them here. Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    30 min

  5. JUN 30

    119. Is PhD Motherhood An Art or A Science?

    Ever wondered if there was a perfect formula or set of steps for navigating your PhD journey well as a Mama?  If you’ve tried all the time management hacks and productivity tools but still feel like something’s missing… you are not alone. In this episode, we’re unpacking a big question: Is scholarly motherhood an art or a science? Spoiler — it’s not what most productivity advice would have you believe. Join me as I share real stories from my own PhD journey — the messy days, the surprising wins, and the mindset shift that changed everything. You’ll walk away with permission to ditch the impossible pursuit of perfect balance and embrace a more sustainable, creative approach to navigating both academia and motherhood. Tune in to discover why embracing the art of scholarly motherhood might be the key to finishing well — without sacrificing yourself or your family. Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    25 min

  6. JUN 23

    118. Secrets to Running Your Own PhD Race (Even As A Mama) with Dr Blessing Adeniyi

    What happens when a sustainability policy analyst decides to pursue a PhD (while juggling family life)? Most people would call it impossible. Dr Blessing Adeniyi called it her PhD Race. Fresh off completing her PhD in Sustainability Management, Dr Blessing joins us for an honest conversation about doing her PhD as a Mama. Through The PhD Race, she's been documenting the unfiltered reality of navigating a PhD journey and in her case, juggling that with research, full-time work, and motherhood. You can follow her on Instagram here.  You'll want to listen if: You're tired of choosing between academic dreams and being present for your childrenYou've wondering if you can even keep up with the pace of PhD life as a Mama and vice versaYou need to hear from someone who's done it, not just theorised about itThis isn't typical work-life balance advice. This is just two Mamas, who have walked the PhD road, getting real about how you can make your PhD dreams come true and build the life you actually want along the way. Ready to run your own PhD Race? No problem, just press play to tune in! Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    53 min

  7. JUN 16

    117. Does Success Require An 'Unhealthy Obsession'?

    What does it really take to achieve success— and is it worth the cost? In this episode, I reflect on a recent video I saw on YouTube, by a former doctor turned entrepreneur who suggested that financial success requires an “unhealthy obsession” and intense personal sacrifice.  Join me as I unpack his perspective and why it may not apply to other types of success pursuits, why this mindset won't work for Scholarly Mamas® and why there are several unhelpful assumptions unpinning this thinking. I offer a slightly different viewpoint grounded in my lived experience of PhD Motherhood, that challenges grind culture and explores a more sustainable, fulfilling path to success.  If you've ever wondered whether you have to sacrifice what matters most to finish your PhD well as a Scholarly Mama®, this episode is for you! Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    34 min

  8. JUN 9

    116. The Resilient Rise: From Juggling a PhD, Parenthood and a Pandemic To Landing a Leadership Role in Academia with Dr Milensu Shanyinde

    What does it really take to pursue a PhD while raising two children, juggling work life, and living through a global pandemic?  In this special guest episode, I sit down with Dr Milensu Shanyinde from the Work Academic Mum blog, a Zambian-born, now UK-based Lead Medical Statistician whose journey through academia has been anything but conventional. From unexpected detours to quiet triumphs, Milensu shares how she navigated life, learning, and identity in spaces where she often stood out—and stood strong.  Whether you're a Scholarly Mama® or simply someone chasing big goals, this episode will challenge your perspective on success, resilience, and what’s possible when you refuse to quit. Tune in for a conversation that’s honest, inspiring, and full of moments that just might surprise you! Visit Dr Shanyinde's Work Academic Mum blog or follow her on Instagram. Want more? 1. Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD® blog. 2. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik Tok or Threads 3. Join us inside Scholarly Mamas®! 4. Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series! These are our journeys of becoming! Send me a text message. Support the show

    47 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

This podcast is for ambitious, high-achieving Scholarly Mamas® who are juggling all the things… As a Mama of three boys who juggled scholarly life (i.e. grad school, PhD life), a healthcare professional career, all while holding it down at home, host Dr Michelle Gibbs fully understands how challenging this journey can be. But as driven and ambitious as we may think we are, we know full well that our scholarly pursuits don’t happen in a vacuum. Scholarly Motherhood a difficult, complex journey full of 'ups, downs and all arounds' in which we can easily lose ourselves under the pressure of it all. So on this podcast, Michelle shares valuable tips and insights from lived experience to help you achieve your lofty goals without sacrificing what matters. If you are a Mama on an academic journey who is wearing many hats and trying to blend your marriage/relationship, family, career, and scholarly worlds, then this space is for you! Michelle is on a mission to help Mamas, like you, to blend your family life and scholarly pursuits/research career without losing yourself in the process. She wants to help you reach your life and career goals without sacrificing what matters, with strategies and insights to help you turn your juggle-struggle into purposeful success! So Mama, are you in? Fabulous! Let's begin... These are our journeys of becoming!

Information

  • Creator
    Host Dr Michelle Gibbs
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    124
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Mrs Mummy PhD®
  • Show Website
    Mrs Mummy PhD®