In this episode, Athene Parker is joined by broadcast journalist Jennifer Bartram for a powerful and honest conversation about resilience, confidence and navigating the impact of early personal loss, growing up onscreen and navigating online abuse.
With more than twenty years on screen at the BBC, Jen reflects on a career shaped by storytelling and public connection. She also speaks candidly about the emotional toll of being targeted online, the knock to confidence that followed, and the intentional determination it took to rebuild a sense of safety and self.
Together, Athene and Jen explore how we hold space for ourselves in challenging moments, how confidence can be reclaimed after adversity, and why clear communication remains such a vital tool in every setting, from the studio to everyday life. Jen also shares practical strategies for reducing digital overwhelm, grounding in real-life connection and supporting our own wellbeing in an always-on world.
The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy!
Track 1 – Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark
Track 2 – Smokey Robinson - Tears of A Clown
Track 3 – Radiohead - No Surprises
Track 4 – Katy Perry - Raw
Track 5 – Primal Scream - Moving On Up
The emPOWER Breakfast - Jennifer Bartram Spotify Playlist
Jen talked about a wonderful supportive Facebook community called Adults Bereaved As Children. A place where she has found empathy and support around her feelings of grief losing her father aged 16.
For people with teens interested to read how social media is affecting young people Jen recommended The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.
Jen also offered practical ideas for creating healthier boundaries with technology, from grounding ourselves offline to removing the visual prompts that drive habitual scrolling.
Jen’s Digital Wellbeing Tip: Turning on Greyscale (iPhone):
Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Colour Filters → switch ON → select Greyscale
To add a quick shortcut:
Settings → Accessibility → Accessibility Shortcut → select Colour Filters
Triple-click the side button to toggle greyscale instantly.
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