“At 17, I had no-one to guide me.”

Let that sink in for a moment.

I’d already spent four years without my mum after losing her at 13 to breast cancer. Then at 17, I lost my dad too, in a horrific car accident.

Having no mum to call when my heart was first broken. No mum to help me navigate becoming a woman. No mum to warn me about the men who would later try to control every aspect of my life.

But I wasn’t always alone.

Fierce women stepped in and showed me the way.

[Table of Content]

The Hidden Power of Female Mentorship (That Nobody Talks About)

Why does society loves to pit women against each other? The media portrays us as competitors, rivals for limited resources and attention.
What absolute rubbish.
What they don’t show enough is how women can save each other. How we can become lifelines to each other when the world seems determined to drown us.
For me, these lifelines appeared when I needed them most:

Janet Whittingham, my high school music teacher—the same one who once taught Sporty Spice (yes, Melanie C!)—made sure I had access to a trumpet and 1:1 lessons. She saw potential in me as a grieving teenager when I couldn’t see it in myself.

Janet didn’t just teach me music—she taught me that my voice mattered. That I deserved to be heard. With her kind voice, she always spoke to me one-on-one, away from the gaze and sniggers of my peers. She never put me on the spot, which at that time in my life, I hated. Her kindness created a safe space when so little felt safe.

When Mentors See What You Can’t See Yet

My first boss at a health food shop ‘Fit As A Fiddle’ didn’t just give me a job. She gave me permission to explore a new world of possibilities. She fuelled my journey into herbal health, proving that sometimes, all it takes is one person to say, “I see your potential.”

In those early days, I was still learning who I was. Still vulnerable to the external voices that would later tell me I wasn’t enough.
This woman—without even knowing it—was building antibodies in my system against the control I would later face in my relationships.
Then came Mikae, my first female boss in finance here in Luxembourg. Mikae didn’t just manage—she mentored. She used her own lunchtimes to teach us the intricacies of their middle office operations, proving that true leadership means lifting as you climb.
Mikae, with her soft voice, gathered people together and taught with no sense of superiority. She kept everyone on the same page and always had time for people. In a high-pressure environment, she demonstrated how genuine leadership creates community rather than competition.

The Truth About Finding Your Power After Loss

Here’s what nobody tells you:
Sometimes, the most defining relationships in your life are the ones that form in the absence of others.
When my mother died of breast cancer when I was 13, and then my father in a car crash when I was 17, I could have been defined by that loss forever.
Instead, I was redefined by the women who refused to let me fall.
The absence of one type of love created space for countless others to flow in.
This truth became my foundation years later when I found myself trapped in controlling relationships—first in Kent, then in Luxembourg. The lessons from these women echoed within me:
  • You are more than this.
  • You deserve better than this.
  • You have the strength to walk away.
And when I finally did? I built my own lifeline.

Building Confidence From Kindness: What These Women Really Taught Me

 That’s what fierce women do:
  • They create space for vulnerability when the world demands you be strong.
  • They champion your dreams before you dare to.
  • They show you what resilience looks like in action.
  • They light the path and hold the door open.
These lessons became my roadmap through two controlling relationships, through cancer, through rebuilding my life as a single mother of four daughters, through redundancies, and ultimately to founding my coaching practice.

The Uncomfortable Question You Need to Ask Yourself

Who is holding space for YOUR growth right now?
If the answer is “no one,” that’s the first thing we need to change.
If you’re recovering from a high-conflict relationship, you might believe you need to do it all alone. That vulnerability is a weakness. That asking for help means you are failing.
These are the biggest lie you’re telling yourself.
The strongest women I know—myself included—didn’t get there alone. They got there because other women refused to let them fall.
And that’s why I created the POWER SHIFT SYSTEM—a 12-week programme that doesn’t just help you recover from controlling relationships but connects you with a community of women who understand.
Women who will see your potential when you can’t.
Women who will champion your dreams before you dare to.
Women who will show you what resilience looks like in action.

Ready to Find Your Fierce?

If you’re standing where I once stood—feeling lost, unsure, or still healing from relationships that dimmed your light—I’d love to chat.

Book a free POWER SHIFT CHAT with me and let’s explore how the right support can help you reclaim your confidence and build the life you deserve.

Because every woman deserves fierce women in her corner.
 Who are the women who helped light your path? Share their names or a short story in the comments. Let’s celebrate them today.

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-Amanda

-High Conflict Separation & Recovery Expert