As we close Season 8 of Midlife Reclaimed, I wanted to share a conversation that feels deeply relevant to the times we are living in.
My guest is Minky van der Walt, Registered Music Therapist, trauma therapist, clinical supervisor, and educator. While much of Minky's work focuses on supporting therapists, healthcare workers, educators, and other helping professionals, the themes we explore in this conversation extend far beyond any one profession.
Together, we reflect on what happens when we find ourselves operating in systems where demands are high and resources are low. Whether that system is healthcare, education, community services, a workplace, a family, or even our own household, many of us know what it feels like to carry more than seems sustainable.
We explore the emotional toll this can take, the impact of burnout and moral distress, and why simply telling people to practise more self-care often misses the bigger picture.
Minky introduces a different way of thinking about wellbeing through collective care and self-leadership, inviting us to consider the role of community, connection, accountability, and shared responsibility in helping us navigate difficult times.
We also discuss practical approaches that can help us reconnect with ourselves, including creative reflection, music, somatic practices, and ways of accessing wisdom beyond the thinking mind.
Whether you are supporting others professionally, caring for family members, navigating the demands of midlife, or simply feeling the weight of modern life, this conversation offers gentle wisdom, practical reflections, and a reminder that we were never meant to carry it all alone.
Thank you for sharing another season of Midlife Reclaimed with me. I look forward to reconnecting with you in Season 9.
Guest: Minky van der Walt is a Registered Music Therapist, trauma therapist, clinical supervisor, educator, and the founder of Tempo Therapy & Consulting.
With more than 25 years of experience across health, education, and community services, Minky is passionate about supporting therapists, healthcare workers, educators, and other helping professionals to navigate the impacts of caring work. Her work focuses on burnout prevention, vicarious trauma, sustainable practice, clinical supervision, collective care, and fostering resilience through creative, embodied, and relational approaches.
Drawing on music therapy, trauma-informed practice, somatic approaches, reflective supervision, and creative arts-based methods, Minky creates spaces where caregivers can reconnect with themselves, deepen their clinical presence, and sustain their capacity to continue doing meaningful work.
Based in Hobart, Tasmania, Minky works with individuals, groups, and organisations across Australia through supervision, professional development programs, consultation, and therapeutic support.
www.tempotherapy.com
www.instagram.com/tempo.therapy.supervision/
www.linkedin.com/in/tempotherapyandconsulting/
Host: Shannon Swales: Clinical Psychologist, award-winning author, and midlife woman who’s walked through burnout and come out the other side. Shannon combines clinical wisdom with lived experience to support others navigating chronic stress, burnout, and big life transitions. Through gentle conversations and evidence-based insights, she helps women reconnect with themselves, reclaim their energy, and grow through what once felt like breaking points.
• Midlife Reclaimed Online Community - https://midlife-reclaimed.mn.co/
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• 1:1 Therapy: www.shannonaswales.com/therapy
• Midlife Reclaimed Coaching for Women: www.shannonaswales.com/coaching
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Disclaimer: This podcast does not create a therapist-client relationship with Shannon A Swales. The views expressed are general & not a substitute for personalised therapy. If in distress, seek professional help. Remember—you don’t have to face your struggles alone.
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