Mrs Mummy PhD®
This podcast is a reflective space for high-achieving mothers navigating scholarly work, home, and identity.
Hosted by Dr Michelle Gibbs — a wife, boy Mama of 3 and doctor/scholar (of the PhD kind) — the Mrs Mummy PhD® podcast is shaped by lived experience of holding ambition alongside family life, responsibility, and seasons of change. It speaks to the reality that meaningful work does not exist in isolation from the rest of our lives.
Scholarly motherhood is complex and deeply human. It is marked by transitions, pressure, and continual becoming — and without intention, it can quietly pull us away from ourselves.
Through thoughtful conversations and reflections, this podcast invites you to slow down, lead yourself first, and reconsider what sustainable impact looks like in this season of life. Rather than offering quick fixes or productivity promises, it offers insight, perspective, and permission to build a life that includes your work, your family, and yourself.
If you are a mother navigating intellectually demanding work — in academia or beyond — and are seeking steadiness, clarity, and a way forward that does not require self-sacrifice, this space is for you.
So Mama, are you in?
Fabulous!
Let's begin...
These are our journeys of becoming — and you’re welcome here.
Mrs Mummy PhD®
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?
- Check out the Mrs Mummy PhD website.
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- Join the newsletter family at Scholarly Mamas® - The Letter
- Check out my Doodle Dozen® children's book series
These are our journeys of becoming.
Disclaimer: All views are my own. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered a substitute for medical/clinical advice or mental health support. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional who can help you if you are struggling or in need of advice/intervention.
