From Personal Struggle to Professional Expertise
Sep 04, 2025Ten years ago, I was an employee struggling with unexplained symptoms. Today, I help organizations ensure no one else goes through what I did.
The transformation from struggling employee to workplace wellness expert wasn't planned, rather it was born from necessity, frustration, and ultimately, a desire to create the support system I wish had existed when I needed it most.
The Personal Journey: When Success Suddenly Felt Impossible
For almost a decade, I thrived in the energy sector. I was competent, reliable, and climbing the corporate ladder with confidence. Then, seemingly overnight, everything changed.
My focus scattered. Simple tasks felt overwhelming. I struggled to remember details that used to come effortlessly. My emotions were out of control. The confidence that had carried me through challenging projects began to crumble. Colleagues who once sought my input started questioning my capabilities, and honestly, so did I.
What I didn't know then was that I was experiencing the intersection of two conditions that are rarely discussed together in workplace contexts: ADHD and perimenopause. The hormonal changes of perimenopause were amplifying ADHD symptoms I'd successfully, yet unknowingly, managed for my whole life. The result was a perfect storm that left me feeling like I was failing at everything.
Eventually, like so many women facing similar challenges, I had to leave the sector and transition to entrepreneurial work. This allowed me the flexibility and control I needed to manage my often-crippling symptoms.
The Knowledge Gap: Why Traditional Wellness Programs Fall Short
Losing my job was devastating, but it also opened my eyes to a critical gap in workplace wellness programs. Most corporate wellness initiatives focus on surface-level solutions: gym memberships, stress management workshops, and basic health screenings. While these have value, they completely miss the complex interplay between hormonal changes, neurodivergence, and workplace performance.
Traditional programs operate on the assumption that health challenges are either temporary (like a cold) or obvious (like a broken leg). They're not equipped to address:
- Invisible symptoms that fluctuate day to day
- Conditions that emerge or worsen during major life transitions
- The intersection of multiple health factors
- The unique challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries
The result? Millions of capable, experienced employees are struggling in silence, often leaving the workforce at their career peak rather than receiving tailored support that would allow them to continue thriving and developing professionally.
Industry Insight: The Cultural Barriers to Seeking Help
My years in the energy sector taught me something that academic research often misses: workplace culture plays a massive role in whether employees feel safe seeking help for health challenges.
In industries built on toughness, reliability, and technical precision, admitting to brain fog, memory issues, or emotional volatility feels like career suicide. The unspoken message is clear: if you can't handle the job, someone else will.
This culture creates a vicious cycle. Employees hide their struggles, employers remain unaware of the issues, and support systems never develop. Meanwhile, organizations lose talented people and chalk it up to "natural turnover" or "poor performance," never recognizing the preventable nature of these losses.
The irony is striking: industries that invest millions in equipment maintenance and safety protocols often ignore the "maintenance needs" of their most valuable assets—their people.
The Research Phase: Turning Pain Into Purpose
After my exit from my sector, I could have simply moved on, perhaps to a different industry or role. Instead, I became determined to understand what had happened to me and why the support I needed didn't exist.
I spent five plus years diving deep into research on perimenopause, menopause, ADHD, and their impact on workplace performance. I studied the latest neuroscience, hormonal research, and workplace psychology. I connected with other women who'd had similar experiences, building a network of shared understanding that had been missing in my corporate environment.
This wasn't just academic research—it was deeply personal. Every study I read, every expert I consulted, every story I heard was viewed through the lens of my lived experience. This combination of personal insight and professional research created a unique perspective that purely academic or clinical approaches often lack.
The more I learned, the clearer it became that my story wasn't unique. Millions of women face similar challenges, and most workplaces are completely unprepared to support them effectively.
From Knowledge to Action: Building the Support I Wish I'd Had
My current work with organizations represents the culmination of this journey. When I walk into a corporate training session, I'm not just delivering research-based content—I'm sharing solutions I wish had been available when I needed them most.
I understand the fear employees feel when symptoms first appear because I've lived it. I know the frustration managers experience when a previously excellent employee's performance suddenly declines. Because I've been on both sides of that equation. I recognize the signs of someone struggling in silence because I was that person.
This lived experience informs every aspect of my approach:
When I train managers, I don't just explain symptoms. I help them recognize the subtle signs of someone struggling to maintain their professional facade while battling invisible challenges.
When I educate employees, I address not just the symptoms but also the shame, fear, and self-doubt that often accompany them.
When I consult with leadership, I speak their language about retention, productivity, and ROI, but I also help them understand the human cost of inaction.
The Ripple Effect of Understanding
The most rewarding part of this work is watching the ripple effects. When a manager learns to recognize and respond supportively to an employee's health challenges, that employee doesn't just perform better, they often become advocates for creating more supportive environments for others.
When organizations implement comprehensive wellness programs that address real challenges rather than surface symptoms, they don't just reduce turnover, they build cultures where people feel safe being human, complete with the health transitions and challenges that are part of life.
Every workshop that I offer is a step towards preventing someone from experiencing what I did. Every trained manager becomes capable of supporting employees through difficulties that might otherwise derail careers. Every policy change creates space for people to thrive rather than just survive.
Moving Forward: The Future of Workplace Wellness
The landscape of workplace wellness is evolving rapidly. Organizations are beginning to recognize that supporting employees through major life transitions, whether it's menopause, neurodivergence, mental health challenges, or chronic conditions, isn't just compassionate leadership, it's smart business.
But this evolution requires expertise that goes beyond traditional models. It requires professionals who understand not just the clinical aspects of health conditions, but their real-world impact on workplace performance, team dynamics, and organizational culture.
Most importantly, it requires the kind of deep, authentic understanding that can only come from having walked in the shoes of those we're trying to help.
Ten years ago, I was struggling with unexplained symptoms and feeling deeply isolated. Today, I have the privilege of ensuring that experience becomes increasingly rare. That transformation from personal struggle to professional mission is why lived experience matters so much in workplace wellness.
It's not just about understanding the research; it's about understanding the human experience behind the data. And that understanding makes all the difference in creating solutions that actually work.
