Media & Appearences

Through her PhD research in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, Ann Marie listened to women in interviews and focus groups.

What she heard went far beyond data.

Identity loss. Grief. Isolation. A quiet slide in confidence that so few of us talk about.

And something else too. Real joy when women were finally asked to tell the story of who they'd been and what they'd achieved

Ann Marie explains that caregiving, parenting, community involvement, volunteering, and managing a household can develop significant skills—time management, negotiation, budgeting, mediation, leadership, delegation, event planning, fundraising, and more. One of the most important parts of returning is learning how to recognize those experiences and translate them into language that employers understand.

This powerful conversation explores how Women can reframe career pauses, rediscover their professional identity, rebuild confidence, and step boldly into their next chapter—whether that next chapter is a new career, leadership opportunity, business venture, or season of personal transformation.

"One of the most powerful parts of the conversation is the idea of the "hidden skill sets" women develop while they're outside traditional paid employment—from time management and research to advocacy, project management, community leadership, and more.

We also discuss the financial realities of career pauses, changing priorities at mid-career, pay equity, and what employers miss when they overlook experienced women who are ready to return."

Returning to the workforce after a career pause is somewhat common in midlife but we tend to doubt ourselves. We often carry insecurities around our employment gaps and falsely believe our past experiences and accomplishments no longer matter.

Dr. Ann Marie Peters shares a powerful perspective on navigating the pause, encouraging women to see career breaks not as setbacks but as valuable chapters of personal and professional growth. Whether the pause was for caregiving, motherhood, health, or other life transitions, she explains that the leadership, problem-solving, communication, and resilience developed during that time are highly transferable skills. Rather than apologizing for employment gaps, women should recognize the strengths they have built and confidently reframe their experiences as assets that prepare them for future opportunities.

Join Divya Parekh for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Ann Marie Peters, executive coach, leadership strategist, and author of the forthcoming We’ll Be Right Back. Drawing on her research in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and decades of leadership experience, Ann Marie reveals what career pauses really do to confidence and professional identity, and how to rebuild both.

In this episode of Powerful on Purpose, Ann Marie shares her own journey from a Fortune 500 career through part-time work, full-time caregiving, entrepreneurship, and eventually earning her PhD. Her doctoral research became the foundation for We’ll Be Right Back, a book for women finding their way back to meaningful work after a career pause.