The Good Girl Trap: Why So Many Working Mums Are Burnt Out, Overwhelmed and Doing Too Much

Have you ever returned to work after parental leave and found yourself saying: “I should just be grateful I have my job back” even when the role doesn’t fit your life anymore?

That feeling has a name. It’s good girl conditioning. And it’s one of the most quietly powerful forces shaping the lives of working mothers.

In this episode, Carina sits down with Caitlin Judd, a business consultant, coach, podcast host and author of Good Girl, for an honest, deeply relatable conversation about the inherited scripts that keep women small, silent and stuck. And what to do about it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What good girl conditioning really is - and why it starts long before you become a mother The scripts handed to us in childhood (“be nice,” “don’t rock the boat,” “do as you’re told”) and how they show up in your workplace, your relationships and your return to work Why self-silencing and imposter syndrome are not personal flaws they’re patterns of conditioning What micro-rebellions are, and how to use them at home and at work (starting with something as simple as a Friday email) The three good girl archetypes most common in working mums: the Saint, the Lollipop Lady and the Fortress How to do a life stock-take after becoming a parent and ask yourself whether your current role actually still works for you Why Caitlin deliberately didn’t tell women what to become beyond the good girl and why that matters

Connect with Caitlin Judd

Instagram: @itscaitlinjudd Book: Good Girl

Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 

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