Épisodes

  • The Candyland Board Career: Comedy, Courage and How To Get Paid | Lynn Harris

    The Candyland Board Career: Comedy, Courage and How To Get Paid | Lynn Harris
    Mar 5 2026
    Comedy as a midlife career move — and why humour is one of the most powerful tools for change.What if the thing that makes you funny is the same thing that makes you powerful? Journalist, author and activist, Lynn Harris, has spent three decades using comedy to drive cultural change. From co-creating the cult 1990s superhero Breakup Girl, Lynn has now founded Gold Comedy, an online comedy school where women in their 40s and 50s are bringing the most fire.In this conversation, Lynn and Patsy talk about the gender gap in comedy; who gets to talk and who has to listen; why "exposure" doesn't pay the bills, and how your transferable skills are the Candyland board that will take you places.Lynn's message: if you're curious about developing your sense of humor, you don't have to change who you are in order to be funny… Don't wait for yourself to turn into someone else, which you won't. You already have everything it takes.SummaryLynn Harris is a comedian, journalist, author, and activist who has spent her career proving that humour is a serious force for change. From co-creating the cult superhero Breakup Girl in the 1990s to founding Gold Comedy — a fully online comedy school and professional network for women and non-binary creators — Lynn has built a patchwork career that she describes as a "Candyland board": different-coloured squares, all on the same path. In this episode, she and Patsy explore why comedy is such a powerful vehicle for midlife reinvention, why women deserve to get paid properly for creative work, and why the gender gap in comedy has never been about talent.About Lynn HarrisLynn Harris is a comedian, journalist, author, activist, and founder of Gold Comedy, an online comedy school, professional network, and content studio for women and non-binary creators. She co-created the cult character Breakup Girl with illustrator Chris Kalb, which first appeared in her 1996 book He Loved Me, He Loves Me Not and became one of the first multiplatform internet success stories. Lynn has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, and Salon, and served as VP of Communications at Breakthrough, a global human rights organisation using pop culture and media to address gender-based violence. She is based in New York — and Gold Comedy is fully online, so her community spans continents.Key TopicsComedy as a vehicle for cultural change — humour as a "delivery system" for shifting norms and assumptionsThe Candyland board career — transferring skills across a patchwork freelance life, where writing, comedy, activism, and campaigning are all different-coloured squares on the same pathThe gender gap in comedy — not about talent, but about who gets the stage, the mic, the writers' room, and the power to decide what's funnyWomen getting paid for creative work — the Cindy Gallop advice: "Say the largest amount you can without actually bursting into laughter"Gold Comedy's Build and Pitch programme — taught by Ryan Cunningham, where women in their 40s and 50s consistently bring the biggest fire"You don't have to change who you are to succeed" — or to be funny. Your unique perspective is all the raw material you need.LinksGold Comedy: https://goldcomedy.comBreakup Girl: https://www.breakupgirl.netLynn Harris: https://www.lynnharris.netThe Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIvSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisFind out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisWhere to Follow LynnInstagram: @goldcomedyTwitter/X: @GOLDcomedyLynn on Instagram: @lynnharrisLynn on Twitter/X: @harrislynnLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnharris1---If You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also love Episode 24: From Teacher's Desk to Therapist's Couch with Carri Simmons. Where Lynn describes the "Candyland board" of a patchwork career — transferring skills in unexpected directions — Carri tells the deeply personal story of leaving teaching and retraining as a psychologist in midlife.---Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, here are two ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Want more from Patsy between episodes? Subscribe to the newsletter — it's where the conversation continues: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep25-lynn-harrisNew to The Wobbly Middle? Find out what we're all about: https://...
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    27 min
  • From Teacher's Desk to Therapist's Couch: A Midlife Career Change | Carri Simmons

    From Teacher's Desk to Therapist's Couch: A Midlife Career Change | Carri Simmons
    Feb 17 2026
    A career pivot story about retraining as a psychologist after a career break — for women starting over in midlife.What happens when you realise the career you built isn't the life you want? Carri Simmons spent years as a drama teacher until the toll of staying in the wrong role became impossible to ignore. "I had to leave because I wasn't able to be open to the world because I was in fight or flight. I was in a trauma mode."In this episode, Patsy talks to her long-distance bestie about walking away from teaching, going back to university as a mother of three, and retraining as a psychologist in South Africa. It's about believing that there IS something more for you.If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start again, this one's for you.SummaryCarri Simmons was a drama teacher who loved her subject but found herself stuck in fight-or-flight mode, unable to grow in a role that no longer fitted. In her wobbly middle, she made the bold decision to return to university as a mature student and mother of three, retraining as a psychologist. Now practising in South Africa, Carri's story is proof that the most uncertain-feeling decisions can lead to the most rewarding outcomes.About CarriCarri Simmons is a practising psychologist based in South Africa. A former drama teacher and mother of three, she returned to university in midlife to retrain — earning her psychology qualification and building a new career from scratch. She and Patsy are long-distance friends who share a belief that it's never too late to change direction.Key TopicsThe emotional and physical toll of staying in the wrong careerRecognising fight-or-flight mode as a signal that something needs to changeGoing back to university as a mature student with childrenThe power of incremental steps - trying things out before you leapBeing open to possibilities even when the path isn't clearBuilding a new professional identity in midlifeLinksSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep24-carri-simmonsFind out more about The Wobbly Middle: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep24-carri-simmonsThe Wobbly Middle on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wobbly-middle/id1767850643The Wobbly Middle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YhwsBch8Q9vAOUBBfusIvWhere to Follow Carrihttps://www.instagram.com/carri_simmons_psychologist/---If You Enjoyed This EpisodeYou might also love Season 3 Episode 3 with Julianne Miles. Where Carri tells the deeply personal story of going back to university and retraining from scratch, Julianne explores the science behind career returns — including neuroplasticity, transferable skills and lighting up the pathways. Together, they're two sides of the same coin: the courage to start again, and the evidence that we are still learning and growing.---Help Us GrowIf this episode resonated with you, there are two simple ways you can make a real difference:Leave a review here — it only takes a moment, and it's one of the best ways to help new listeners find the show. Every review counts.Share this episode with a friend — if you know someone who might be in their own wobbly middle, send them this one. Sometimes knowing you're not alone is all it takes.Want more from Patsy between episodes? Subscribe to the newsletter — it's where the conversation continues: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep24-carri-simmonsNew to The Wobbly Middle? Find out what we're all about: https://thewobblymiddle.substack.com/about?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep24-carri-simmonsThank you for listening and for supporting independent podcasters.---
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    Indisponible
  • Returner's Luck - And how to make it

    Returner's Luck - And how to make it
    Feb 3 2026

    Psychologist and founder Julianne Miles lets us in on what makes people lucky, gives me hope about neuroplasticity (my personal favourite!), and shares the research on how work and family can be allies rather than competing demands.

    Julianne knows firsthand what it takes to return to work after a break: she went back to university to retrain as a psychologist, and from there co-founded Career Returners, a social impact enterprise and community dedicated to making career breaks a valued part of a lifetime career. Along the way, she’s also shaped how employers and policymakers think about return-to-work practices.

    Whether you’re just considering a return or already taking steps, this conversation will make you think differently about luck, opportunity, and starting again.

    Thank you for listening to The Wobbly Middle, a podcast for women rethinking their careers.

    IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR please follow, share and leave a review.

    RETURN JOURNEY: You can find Julianne’s book Return Journey How to get back to work and thrive after a career break here https://careerreturners.com/return-journey-book/

    And here is more information on the free or pay-if-you-can Career Returners Professional Community:

    https://community.careerreturners.com/

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Tuesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to Patsy at patsy@thewobblymiddle.com — your story might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    READ MORE SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOST: Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam alongside The Wobbly Middle.

    This episode was produced by Patsy Day. Studio recording by The Pod Collective.
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    22 min
  • Pin It To Win It: The Neuroscience of Vision Boards

    Pin It To Win It: The Neuroscience of Vision Boards
    Jan 28 2026
    Pin It To Win It: The Neuroscience of Vision Boards

    Bonus Episode: Investigative wellness journalist Rebecca Newman (Financial Times, The Guardian, GQ) draws on the work of neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, author of The Source, to explain what’s going on in our brains when we make an action board and how they sharpen our sight line through the wobbly middle.

    Then we head to the craft room, where theory meets practice - or rather, where scissors and glue meet cork board - as we make our own boards.

    They are a way of keeping our goals front and centre, something we live with. A daily point of orientation, keeping us facing forward.

    If you enjoyed this episode

    If you enjoyed this bonus episode, check out our [] we opened the mailbag to respond our subscribers (occasionally panic-tinged) everywoman questions about navigating the midlife career odyssey.

    And if you like what you hear, please follow, share and leave a review.

    THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast for women rethinking their careers.

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Tuesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to Patsy at patsy@thewobblymiddle.com — your story might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    READ MORE SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOST: Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam alongside The Wobbly Middle.

    THANK YOU: This episode was produced by Patsy Day and Rebecca Newman. Studio recording by The Pod Collective. Thank you also to St Bernard’s Road Craft Room and to Luke Rogers. .
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    18 min
  • All Rise! Court Is Now In Session.

    All Rise! Court Is Now In Session.
    Jan 19 2026
    Magistrate Pip Symington hands down her rulings on romantic break-ups (seek adventure), work break-ups (consult friends and therapy), and how to rebuild when the ground falls away beneath you.When a long-term relationship ended in her twenties, Pip landed a job in Asia and set off to practise her Japanese. She loved her work as a risk consultant, but over time the lines between work, family and social life blurred, until her job became her whole identity - right up to the day she was made redundant.That rupture forced a rethink. Turning to friends and a bit of therapy, Pip began redesigning the shape of her working life. She no longer wanted one all-consuming thing, opting instead for a combination that could sustain her. Today, that means family, study and service — sitting as a magistrate alongside raising her children and researching a PhD. And as for what the future holds? Well, that way lies adventure.Interested in volunteering as a magistrate? You can find out more here: https://magistrates.judiciary.uk/how-to-volunteer/
    If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll love our Season One episode From Lab to Lifeline with another Oxford-based guest, Dr Emily Connally. Emily is a an experimental psychologist who founded a food bank at the school gate that’s now reshaping how local networks respond to food waste.

    And if you like what you hear, please follow, share and leave a review.

    THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast for women rethinking their careers.

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Tuesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to Patsy at patsy@thewobblymiddle.com — your story might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    READ MORE SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOST:

    Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam alongside The Wobbly Middle.

    RECORDING STUDIO: Thank you to Jack and Hugo from The PodCollective.

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    29 min
  • Trailer Season 3: Reigniting Possibility In the Year Ahead

    Trailer Season 3: Reigniting Possibility In the Year Ahead
    Jan 5 2026

    Our new season launches on 19 January — Blue Monday — that mid-January moment when morale plummets, resolutions flatline and job searches spike.

    So we’re sending in The Wobbly Middle to refuel your sense of possibility in the year ahead.

    This season is hosted by Patsy Day, a lawyer navigating the wobbly middle of her own career. Patsy will be speaking to women who have forged bold new paths in their 40s and beyond — pivoting careers, returning after a break, building businesses, and finally taking their long-neglected dreams seriously.

    Season 3 features:
    1. Lynn Harris — award-winning journalist (The Washington Post, Salon, The New York Times, Glamour) and founder of comedy school GOLD Comedy
    2. Julianne Miles MBE — marketer-turned-psychologist and founder of Career Returners, one of the world’s largest return-to-work platforms and author of Return Journey.
    3. Pip Symington — risk consultant-turned-magistrate and PhD researcher.
    4. Carri Simmons — drama teacher who returned to university at 38 to retrain as a psychologist
    5. Jacquie Duckworth — advertiser and founder of Visible Start and whose mission to change the social narrative of midlife women and their role in society and the workplace.

    Until then, if you’re new to The Wobbly Middle, get stuck into Season 1, Episode 1 with The Super Docs Navigating The Hormonal Highway, two brilliant doctors who founded their own hormone clinic after realising there was nowhere to refer patients who needed better support.

    And if you like what you hear, please follow, share and leave a review.

    THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast for women rethinking their careers.

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Tuesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to Patsy at patsy@thewobblymiddle.com — your story might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    LEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOST:

    Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam alongside The Wobbly Middle.
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    1 min
  • Salima Saxton: From Losing Herself in Motherhood to Rebuilding Her Multi-Hyphenate Career

    Salima Saxton: From Losing Herself in Motherhood to Rebuilding Her Multi-Hyphenate Career
    Jul 16 2025

    Actress, writer, podcaster, and mother of three, Salima Saxton joins The Wobbly Middle Season 2 finale to talk about reclaiming yourself. From centre stage to the school gate and back again, Salima shares what it took to reawaken her creative life after years on mute.

    In this warm, frank conversation, she reflects on the disconnection so many women feel after stepping back from their careers - and how she wrote her way back into her multi-hyphenate roles. Together with hosts Susannah de Jager and Patsy Day, Salima dives into the messy middle of rediscovery, thrills at the power of women’s anger, and throws the idea of “balance” straight overboard.


    If you’ve ever felt like you left parts of yourself behind, this one’s for you.

    • (00:00) - Welcome to The Wobbly Middle
    • (00:46) - Reflections on Fitting In and Being True to Yourself
    • (02:33) - Introducing Salima Saxton
    • (03:47) - Salima's Early Career and Family Life
    • (07:49) - The Challenges of Motherhood
    • (13:29) - Rediscovering Identity Through Writing
    • (16:25) - The Reality of Success and Failure
    • (20:27) - The Inception of 'Women are Mad' Podcast
    • (27:58) - Estrangement and Family Reflections
    • (31:45) - Final Thoughts

    THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com—your pivot might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    LEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOSTS:


    Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.

    Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle, a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.
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    33 min
  • Joy Ride: Taking your confidence out for a spin

    Joy Ride: Taking your confidence out for a spin
    Jul 2 2025

    From olympic dreams to a digital sisterhood, Joy Foster traded a career in the City for a quiver of arrows, followed love across borders and then and then, somewhat accidentally, became a digital entrepreneur.

    Her creation, TechPixies, now serves as both launchpad and lifeline for women looking to pivot, re-enter the workforce, or start from scratch.

    In this episode, Joy talks about what it means to bloom wherever you’re planted even when the soil is foreign or the sun unreliable. She shares her belief that confidence is a decision, reinforced daily through small acts of doing. From five-minute power moves to three-year plans, Joy’s practical, no-nonsense guidance is both energising and refreshingly doable.

    If you’re stalled, stuck, or quietly simmering with ideas, this conversation will propel you from inertia to momentum.

    • (00:00) - Welcome to The Wobbly Middle
    • (01:48) - Introducing Joy Foster
    • (03:28) - Joy's Philosophy on Confidence
    • (04:51) - Crafting a Vision for Your Life
    • (09:18) - Joy's Personal Bravery
    • (12:37) - Challenges in Switzerland
    • (15:20) - Resilience and Support Systems
    • (17:14) - Empowering Women Through Tech Pixies
    • (20:14) - Navigating Grants and Funding
    • (24:57) - Reflections and Advice

    THE WOBBLY MIDDLE is a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.

    JOIN THE CONVERSATION: NEW EPISODES drop every second Wednesday. Follow now so you never miss an episode.

    SHARE YOUR STORY: Made a left turn in your career? We’d love to hear about it. Write to us at stories@thewobblymiddle.com—your pivot might just be the nudge someone else needs.

    SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    LEARN MORE ON SUBSTACK: thewobblymiddle.substack.com

    FOLLOW US on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook @thewobblymiddle

    ABOUT THE HOSTS:


    Susannah de Jager has just relocated to Abu Dhabi, where she’s podcasting, consulting with start-ups, and occasionally advising on scale-up capital. After leaving her role as CEO of a boutique asset manager, she asked the all-important question: what next? Five years later, she’s following her curiosity —The Wobbly Middle is for her and every woman doing the same.

    Patsy Day is a lawyer on a break. As an intellectual property specialist, she has worked on everything from anti-counterfeiting to publishing and from London to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Patsy lives in Oxford and is currently immersed in podcasts producing SafeHouse Amsterdam (out 2025) and co-hosting, The Wobbly Middle, a podcast about women reinventing their careers in midlife.
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    31 min