WHO IS IT FOR?
Where are you in your return to work?
Return to Work™ is designed for mothers who are weighing the decision to return to work after childbirth, preparing to return or adjusting to working life again.
If you’re weighing whether to return to work
To look at your own needs, priorities, circumstances and career goals together and arrive at the right decision for you.
If your return date is approaching
To prepare your new daily routine, expectations, support needs and return plan ahead of time.
If you’ve just returned to work
To adapt to your changing priorities, set your boundaries and rebuild your work–life balance.
If you want to return after a career break
To make your experience and strengths visible again, renew your professional confidence and build your roadmap back into working life.
NOT READJUSTING, BUT REDEFINING
Why is returning to work a career transition?
When you return to work after childbirth, even if it’s to the same role and the same organization, you, your needs and your daily life may have changed.
This period isn’t only about readjusting to a schedule. It calls for redefining your professional identity, priorities, relationships and idea of success alongside your new life.
Professional identity
Rethinking your place in working life, your goals and your relationship with your career after becoming a mother.
Priorities and boundaries
Restructuring your time, energy and responsibilities around your new daily life.
Relationships and expectations
Talking openly with your manager, your team and those close to you about your needs and your mutual expectations.
Confidence and belonging
Trusting your abilities as you rejoin working life, strengthening your visibility and reconnecting with your work environment.
There is no single right way to return to work. The aim is not to conform to other people’s expectations, but to create a way back that is sustainable for you.
MOTHERHOOD AND LEADERSHIP
How does motherhood transform leadership identity?
When the roles of motherhood and leadership come together, how do identity, priorities, expectations and leadership approach take new shape? Explore a case study based on a real experience.
RETURN TO WORK™ APPROACH
Navigate your return-to-work journey with the 3C Model.
Return to Work™ treats returning to work not merely as a start date on the calendar, but as a holistic career transition in which you rethink your changing identity, needs and goals.
01 — CONFRONT
Confront
Confront your current reality.
Look at your feelings, worries, expectations, changing circumstances and the pressures you feel about returning to work, without judgment.
02 — CONNECT
Connect
Reconnect with yourself and your resources.
Rediscover your professional identity, strengths, values, support systems and what is meaningful to you in working life.
03 — COMMIT
Commit
Commit to building a return plan that suits you.
Define your boundaries, your priorities, the conversations you need to have and the concrete steps you will take, and build a sustainable return-to-work roadmap.
As you return to work, the 3C Model makes room not only for the question “How will I catch up?” but also for “What kind of employee, leader and person do I want to return as?”
PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS
What do we work on in the Return to Work™ program?
The program is shaped around the stage you are at in your return, your needs and your personal circumstances.
Clarifying the decision to return
Weighing your return timing, work options, career goals and current circumstances together.
Redefining professional identity
Rethinking your relationship with your career, your strengths and how you want to show up at work after becoming a mother.
Managing anxiety, guilt and expectations
Recognizing the anxieties that can come with returning to work, such as feeling inadequate, falling behind, being apart from your child or having to keep up with everything, and building more realistic expectations.
Boundaries and a new work routine
Planning your time, energy, caregiving responsibilities and working style so they are sustainable.
Communicating with your manager and team
Preparing to express your needs, expectations, working conditions and requests for support openly and constructively.
Return-to-work roadmap
Creating a personalized return plan that covers your support systems, priorities, critical conversations and the steps you will take.
RETURN TO WORK JOURNEY
How does the individual Return to Work™ process unfold?
The program is planned around your return date, your current circumstances and the areas where you need support. If you haven’t returned to work yet, we start with the preparation phase; if you have, we start from wherever you are now.
01
Introduction and current situation
Together, we look at your decision about returning, your current circumstances, your worries, your expectations and the support you need from the program.
02
Clarifying needs and priorities
We work on your professional identity, career goals, boundaries, support systems and new work routine.
03
Building the return plan
We plan your conversations with your manager, your work and caregiving arrangements, your requests for support and the concrete steps you will take.
04
Adjustment and progress tracking
We review your experiences after you return, update your plan as your needs change and strengthen a sustainable work routine.
Format: One-on-one · Online · Turkish or English · Personalized process planned around your return date
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
What will you gain by the end of the program?
Return to Work™ doesn’t offer a single return formula that works for everyone. It helps you build your own path back, grounded in your needs and circumstances.
Greater clarity in your decision
You weigh your return timing, work options and career goals more thoughtfully.
A redefined professional identity
You consider your career goals alongside the priorities that changed when you became a mother, rather than setting one against the other.
A fresh look at your strengths
You recognize the skills you have developed through motherhood and the strengths you bring from your past work experience, and discover how to use them in your professional life.
Clearer boundaries and expectations
You clarify the boundaries and mutual expectations you need at work, at home and in your support systems.
Preparing for critical conversations
You prepare more clearly and confidently for the conversations you need to have with your manager, your team or your family.
A personalized return-to-work plan
You build a sustainable roadmap that covers your priorities, support needs, working arrangements and concrete next steps.
The goal is not to keep up with everything the way you used to, but to build a new rhythm you can sustain in your changed life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about returning to work after childbirth
Still have questions?
How do I know I’m ready to return to work after having a baby?
There is no single right time for everyone. Your physical and emotional needs, your baby’s care arrangements, your support system, your working conditions, your financial requirements and your career goals should all be considered together. Return to Work™ helps you make this decision based on your own circumstances and priorities, not on other people’s expectations.
How can I cope with anxiety about returning to work after maternity leave?
Anxiety can come from different sources, such as being apart from your baby, feeling you’ve fallen behind at work, performance expectations or the pressure to keep up with everything. In the program, you recognize what triggers your anxiety, identify the areas you can control and build a more realistic plan for your return.
Is it normal to feel guilty about going back to work?
Many mothers feel guilt, inadequacy or a sense of being caught between two roles as they return to work. Rather than ignoring these feelings, it helps to understand the expectations and needs behind them. The coaching process makes room for you to define motherhood and career on your own terms and to reassess expectations that aren’t really yours.
What should I discuss with my manager before I return?
You can talk about your return date, changes to your role and responsibilities, priorities for the first weeks, your working arrangement, flexibility options, nursing breaks, support needs and expectations for success. In the program, you can prepare for this conversation and work on how to express your needs clearly and constructively.
Can people who have taken a long career break join the program too?
Yes. The program is not only for mothers returning to the same organization after maternity leave. Women who have taken a career break and plan to return to the workforce can also join, to rebuild their professional identity, strengths, goals and return plans.
How long does the Return to Work™ program last?
The length of the process depends on your return date, your current situation and the topics you want to work on. The program can begin before you return and extend into the adjustment period afterward. The number and frequency of sessions are planned around you after the introductory call.
Is Return to Work™ therapy?
No. Return to Work™ is a structured coaching program focused on career transition and returning to work; it does not replace psychotherapy or medical support. If it becomes clear that you need professional support beyond the scope of coaching, we recommend consulting an appropriate specialist.
Are sessions confidential?
Yes. Information shared in sessions is confidential and is not disclosed to third parties without your explicit consent. The process follows the ICF Ethical Standards, and the scope of confidentiality and each party’s responsibilities are explained before the program begins.
A RETURN-TO-WORK PATH THAT FITS YOU
Let’s plan your return to work together.
Let’s talk about where you are now, what you need for your return and what a sustainable working rhythm could look like for you. Let’s explore the right Return to Work™ process for you together.
Free 20-minute online call
