In this episode of Unapologetic Edge, Philippa breaks down one of the most misunderstood distinctions women face in perimenopause: the difference between an activated emotion and a nervous system trigger.

When everything gets labelled a “trigger,” women start policing their feelings, mistrusting their instincts, and trying to manage the wrong thing. This confusion becomes even more costly during perimenopause, when the nervous system is already more reactive, capacity is reduced, and the margin for error is thinner.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What emotions actually are when you’re inside your window of tolerance
• What triggers really are from a nervous system and survival perspective
• Why insight, therapy, and self-awareness don’t resolve triggers
• How confusing activation with trauma keeps you stuck and exhausted
• What true nervous system resolution looks like — and why completion matters more than control

This conversation is especially for women who have “done the work,” understand themselves deeply, and still find the same patterns repeating. Nothing is wrong with you. Your nervous system is asking for something different.

www.unapologeticedge.com

Perimenopause, motherhood, and burnout aren’t separate struggles. They’re converging realities for many high-performing women in midlife. In this opening episode of Unapologetic Edge, Philippa explains what’s actually happening when capacity changes, coping stops working, and self-blame creeps in.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why perimenopause, motherhood, and burnout amplify each other
• How midlife changes stress tolerance, emotional capacity, and recovery
• Why does insight and “coping better” stop working at this stage of life
• The hidden cost of pushing through exhaustion and emotional labour
• Why nothing has gone wrong, even if everything feels harder

This episode sets the foundation for the entire podcast. It’s an orientation, not a fix. A place to exhale and finally make sense of what you’re experiencing.

Who this episode is for

• Professional women navigating perimenopause
• Mothers in midlife feeling stretched, reactive, or depleted
• Women experiencing burnout despite insight, success, or therapy
• Anyone sensing that their old ways of functioning no longer fit

Key themes

Perimenopause, Midlife motherhood, Burnout, Capacity and stress tolerance, Emotional labour, Identity shifts, High-performing women

What’s next

In Episode 2, we’ll look at the difference between activated emotions and triggers, and why confusing the two keeps many women exhausted and self-doubting.

About the host

Philippa is the founder of Unapologetic Edge. She works with high-performing women navigating perimenopause, motherhood, burnout, and repeating emotional patterns. Her work focuses on helping women understand what’s happening beneath the surface and why willpower and insight alone aren’t enough in this phase of life.

www.unapologeticedge.com