About Dr Sonia
I am passionate about helping my clients to reduce both personal and workplace stress
My name is Dr Sonia Russell EdD. I am an accredited Lifestyle Medicine Stress Coach dedicated to helping high-achieving midlife women – including corporate leaders, academics, postgraduates – manage chronic stress, prevent burnout and optimise long-term emotional wellbeing.
As a professional registered with the UK International Health Coaches Association (UKIHCA), I bridge the gap between evidence-based lifestyle medicine and the unique pressures faced by midlife women. Drawing on a Doctorate in Education and UK government- regulated (Ofqual) qualifications – including the Certificate in Lifestyle Medicine – I apply behaviour change science to help midlife women navigate acute stress and build lasting resilience.
Having learnt key strategies to improve my own self-care, and develop a resilient mindset, I would like to help you to do the same.
A Shared Journey
I understand the immense pressure of juggling a demanding professional and personal life because I have lived it. Midlife is often a time of intense crossroads. It is a time where physical shifts meet growing family responsibilities, aging parents, and evolving professional demands. Consequently, my core mission at Leap to Health, based in Inverness, Scotland, is to support your transition to lower stress levels and increased vitality with absolute confidence.
Before founding my practice, I spent years pushing through chronic stress in secondary, tertiary education while trying to manage my health, home and family life. I know exactly what it feels like to face poor health, overwhelming fatigue, insomnia, and the threat of burnout. Reclaiming my own health taught me the exact evidence-based strategies needed to build a resilient mindset—and today, I use that knowledge to support, help and empower you.
The Burnout Solution for Midlife Women: Academia and Industry
Chronic stress looks the same whether you are sitting at a boardroom table or standing in a lecture theatre, my work extends to mature professionals across multiple high-pressure sectors.
I specialise in reversing the two silent performance killers plaguing modern workplaces and universities:
Absenteeism: Taking sick leave due to chronic stress.
Presenteeism: Showing up to work physically while running on empty mentally.
Holding a Doctor of Education (EdD) gives me a highly analytical perspective. I use this to design my signature programme, Calm Beyond Stress™. Through this framework I focus on creating coaching packages and corporate workshops tailored for high-achieving midlife women:
- Lecturers & Academic Staff: Who are caught in an unsustainable cycle of marking, administration compliance, applying for research grants and teaching.
- Mature Postgraduate Students: Who are managing intensive research and study loops on top of existing family commitments and home responsibilities.
- Corporate Managers and Leaders: Who desire training to help both themselves and their teams reduce stress, reclaim focus, and eliminate the costly cycle of presenteeism and absenteeism.
Prioritise your wellbeing
Whether you are stepping into a corporate office, a university lecture theatre, or managing a busy household, looking after your wellbeing isn’t a luxury—it is essential for long-term professional and personal success.
You don’t have to carry the weight of your responsibilities alone. Together, we will create sustainable boundaries, protect your energy, and restore your peace of mind.
If you are ready to find a sustainable rhythm and make your health a priority—or if you want to bring these vital stress management tools to your organisation—let’s talk.
