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Have you ever met a relaxed woman? Would you like to become one?

Drawing on years of therapeutic experience and pioneering research, psychologist Nicola Jane Hobbs dispels the cultural myth that relaxing is lazy and shows us how it is, in truth, a path to healing, freedom and joy.

We have become a society of rushing women, overburdened women, exhausted women. Stress, guilt and burnout ripple through our lives. We try so hard to do it all–to be the perfect partners, mothers, daughters, colleagues, friends – only to end up feeling not good enough, unappreciated, lonely and exhausted.

In The Relaxed Woman, Nicola Jane Hobbs explores how the stress of societal pressures, unrealistic expectations and traumatic experiences impact our minds, bodies and relationships and illuminates a path towards healing. Weaving together neuroscience and psychology with inspirational stories from women who are discovering the transformational power of relaxation for themselves, Nicola guides us on a journey to becoming relaxed women–women who have untangled their sense of worth from their productivity, who can rest without guilt and anxiety, who trust their intuitions, honour their needs and live by their deepest values.

Filled with simple rest rituals we can weave into our busy lives, healing practices to help regulate our nervous systems and practical strategies to support us in navigating the unavoidable stressors of life, this book is for all of us who long to live more restful, joyful and authentic lives.

Soft, scientific and soulful, The Relaxed Woman offers a powerful new vision for how relaxed women can change the world–and provides us with the tools and practices so that each of us can become one.

© Nicola Jane Hobbs 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025