*Trigger Warning:

This episode includes discussion of restrictive dieting, specifically the keto diet, and its impact on mental and physical health. The guest shares personal experiences of health challenges that led to a significant period of reflection and life reassessment. These topics may be sensitive for listeners with experiences related to disordered eating or mental health struggles. Listener discretion is advised.

In this open and honest conversation, Claire shares her journey through self-doubt and significant health challenges, including the impact of restrictive dieting, which ultimately led her to pause and re-evaluate what truly matters. By embracing a less conventional path, she began to rediscover her own worth and creative identity.

We discuss the importance of mental health, the power of community among childminders and how AI, when used thoughtfully, can support educators without replacing the personal magic that makes their work so meaningful.

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About the Host:

Lucy Colgan is a seasoned creative leader, educator and podcast host with nearly two decades of experience in the arts and education. She holds a PGCE in Drama & Performing Arts and a Professional Diploma in Dance from Trinity Laban, and has worked as a freelance artist, project manager, and director across the creative sector.

She launched The Wilderness of Creativity in 2024 and invites listeners to explore what it really means to 'take the road less travelled' in creative life, combining vulnerability, practical insight and inspirational storytelling.

Want to learn more about today’s guest? Check out their full bio and links below!

Claire Hassall is an Ofsted-registered childminder and the founder of Not Just a Childminder. Drawing on over a decade in early years and her own experience of burnout, she supports childminders to prioritise wellbeing, work more sustainably, and explore gentle tools — including AI that can reduce overwhelm and free up energy for what really matters.

Claire's Facebook page

@notjustachildminder on Instagram

Claire's Website

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