The Actualizing Woman

Sep 17 2024 16 ep. 16 mins

The Actualizing Woman Podcast artwork

Hi, I'm Clare and I’m a post-menopausal empty-nester and counsellor, recently diagnosed with autism (ASD) trying to process what the heck it all means! I look back over my life and try to understand why I had been feeling like a 'misfit' and SO different from everyone else.
I wade through it all, trying to learn how I can break free from the weight of the 'mask', and prepare to explore who I truly am and decipher all those "weird" bits about myself, that have never made sense to me. Armed with more information about adult autism, perhaps now I can start to be who I REALLY am and work on self-acceptance without fear of judgement. No masking. No pretending. No acting.
I chew over all my thoughts and experiences as I work through this process of discovering what is ME and what is FAKE, by looking back AND looking at my future plans.
I am planning my escape to France next year, (planned before my diagnosis) seeking to design a peaceful and free lifestyle that can now truly fit with my ASD needs and desires; my utopia in this world.

I'd like to hear from you if you are on a path towards your reinvention, self-acceptance, self-discovery and are creating your own healthier actualizing conditions, where you are able to thrive authentically, feel more fulfilled, and realize your true potential in life.
Let me know YOUR story by emailing: [email protected]

Hosted by Clare Bailey, counselling psychotherapist, author, transformational life coach and hypnotherapist (BA Hons) MBACP MNCPS Acc. DHP Acc.Hyp.

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Sanity Vs Money Quandary Pt 2 - My Gasts are Flabbered!

Sep 17 2024 24 mins

I'm flabbergasted! While working on this episode I decided to read a chapter on 'Employment & Career' from Aspergirls ( https://amzn.to/4clW19i ) JUST to see if there was any connection between ASD and how I feel (and what I strongly believe) about working for someone else. And THERE IT WAS - in black and white! Have you been in this situation before? What did you do? How did i

Sanity Vs Money Quandary Pt 1 - What do you Choose?

Sep 09 2024 17 mins

Sanity Vs Money Quandary - What do you Choose? This episode is about my relationship with money - actually, it's more about how I earn it! I feel like my soul is dying when I work for someone else, but... its consistent and a reliable income. My soul screams at me, telling me that for the sake of my sanity, I should be self-employed.. I am stuck in that blimmin' awful place and whi

Family Loss, Pleurisy and a Ridiculous Job - Ramble

Sep 05 2024 16 mins

Hey! I'm glad to be back after a bit of a break. This episode is a bit ramble-y. I talk about some family loss over the last few months and also about how I'm managing to keep working in a 'ridiculous' but necessary job that I'm desperate to leave and pursue my dream job. The dream job as a full-time podcaster will eventually become my means of financial survival and fulfillment fo

Surround Yourself with the Best People - Being Accepted Just As You Are!

Aug 23 2024 16 mins

Hey! In this episode, I talk about how I've had differing responses from friends about my 'diagnosis' of ASD and how this has sent me into a bit of a spiral of negative thinking about how 'acceptable' I am to one person in particular. Recommended Reading (These links will redirect you to Amazon. We use affiliate links and may earn a commission) https://amzn.to/3WJC1r7 Odd Girl Out

Processing ASD - What Does It All Mean For Me Now?

Aug 15 2024 17 mins

Hey! In this episode, I talk about how I am processing the news about having ASD as an older adult. I also talk about how my FOMO nature leads me to wonder whether other people noticed my traits, before I did, and how I'm a bit embarrassed about that, considering I'm a mental health professional.. and didn't pick up on it myself! Recommended Reading (These links will redirect you t

WHO'DA THUNK IT! AUTISM at 55 years old! So WHAT NEXT for me?

Aug 09 2024 21 mins

Hey! Well it happened! and it wasn't what I thought it would be.. In this episode, I talk about the fall-out after my ADHD assessment. Turns out its ASD! Having a (pre) diagnosis of autism at 55 years old has hit me hard. What does this mean for me now? Why am I feeling a sense of grief and overwhelming sadness at this news? BUT, on the other hand ... how empowering this is too! To

A Looming Appointment - Am I ready to Understand Myself More?

Aug 05 2024 11 mins

With an ADHD assessment appointment coming up, I'm forced to think about what that could mean for me. As an older woman, how could my life have been different if this potential diagnosis had been given years before. Whatever happens, it's going to be an opportunity for me to learn more about who I am.. Recommended Reading (These links will redirect you to Amazon. We use affiliate l

Will I Be Lonely and Lost in France? Thinking Out Loud

Jul 26 2024 7 mins

Just thinking out loud about loneliness and my fear of being stuck in a country with no-one I know, despite wanting to live in a country where no-one knows me! What could my reality be? Should I have a plan B? The Actualizing Woman is a place where, as a community, listeners are invited to contribute their own experiences of growth, healing and self-development. We'd like to hear f

You're Missing the NOW, Mum! The Teaching of Eckhart Tolle

May 15 2024 25 mins

You're Missing the NOW, Mum! The Teaching of Eckhart Tolle. I recently started to read Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now and learned that I had forgotten to notice my 'Life', because I had been concentrating so much on my 'Life Situation'. Powerful and highly valuable teaching, for me, a person who is so hyper-fixated on the future. Recommended Reading (These links will redirect you

But Why France, Clare? Why Not Bulgaria?

May 07 2024 18 mins

I talk about all those little reasons why I've chosen to move to France, as opposed to any other country in the world. I reminisce about experiences in France as a teen and other connections to my potential future home country. (If they let me in!) The Actualizing Woman is a place where, as a community, listeners are invited to contribute their own experiences of growth, healing an