Hello
Hello, I’m Dr Ute Swanson, a lifestyle medicine doctor and transformational life coach.​
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I work with women in midlife who are juggling work, family and a long list of responsibilities, but no longer feel quite like themselves. Many of my clients are experienced professionals and mothers who are used to coping well, yet notice that their energy, patience or sense of direction has changed.
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In my work, I bring together medical knowledge about hormones, sleep, stress and the nervous system with practical, evidence-based coaching. Our conversations help you make sense of what is happening, decide what matters most now, and create changes that are realistic for your actual life, not a perfect version of it.
On the rest of this page, you can read a little about my own story, how my approach has developed over time, and the principles that guide my coaching.
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My Journey
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For the first part of my life, I was completely career-driven. I trained as a medical doctor, moved from Austria to the UK to complete a competitive PhD in immunology, and continued on to work as a histopathologist at world-class institutions in London. I was focused, ambitious, and confident.
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Motherhood changed everything.
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When my first child was born, my priorities shifted in ways I hadn’t expected. I found myself juggling exhaustion, responsibility, and the sense that the life I had built no longer aligned with what I truly wanted. When my second child arrived — highly sensitive and needing a lot from me — things became even more demanding. I slept very little, struggled at work, and felt increasingly overwhelmed. Eventually, I hit a point where I knew I couldn’t continue as I had.
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Looking for clarity, I turned to a life and career coach. Within a few sessions, it became obvious that something fundamental had shifted in me: my values. I realised I was living a life that no longer fit. I took a bold step, leaving my career to focus fully on my children. It wasn’t easy. My identity had always been linked to being a “brainy, high-achieving medic.” Becoming “just a stay-at-home mother” felt like the opposite of everything I once believed in.
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But coaching helped me reframe my perspective. What I thought I wanted and what I truly craved were two very different things. Those years at home with my children turned out to be an extraordinary gift, one I could fully embrace because of the transformational work I had done. My life-changing coaching experience happened almost a decade ago but I still benefit from the insights I gained then and it opened up a new life for me.
Where I am now
Today, my work brings together everything I’ve learned: from medicine, research and clinical practice to coaching, psychology, yoga and my own lived experience of midlife.
I support women who have spent years managing work, children, households and ageing parents, often without much space left for themselves. Most of my clients are intelligent, thoughtful, competent and capable, but want more clarity, steadiness and a sense of direction as their lives and priorities change.
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My approach is practical and evidence-based. I help you understand what is happening in your mind and body, make sense of what matters most now, and create changes that are realistic for your actual life, not an idealised version of it.
My coaching is based on the idea that clarity comes from slowing down, noticing what is actually happening, and understanding yourself without judgement. Many women in midlife come to me with a sense that things feel different, their energy, focus or priorities, but haven’t had the space to reflect on it properly. They are thoughtful and capable, but pulled in many directions, often without much room to think about themselves.
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Alongside coaching, I draw on my background as a lifestyle medicine physician. Midlife is also a stage where the things you used to manage without much consequence, such as irregular sleep, long workdays, constant stress or skipping meals and exercise, start to affect you more noticeably. Hormonal changes, shifts in metabolism and the way the nervous system responds to pressure mean that habits which were manageable in your thirties can feel far less forgiving now. Many women notice changes in mood, energy, sleep or resilience and assume it is simply the result of being busy, when in fact their physiology is changing.
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Understanding what is happening in the body, and how sleep, stress, movement and nutrition interact at this stage, makes a real difference. Small, realistic behaviour changes can improve symptoms more than most people expect, especially when combined with thoughtful coaching around values, expectations and everyday pressures.
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My approach is practical and evidence-based. We look at the patterns you are repeating, the pressures you are carrying and the expectations that may no longer fit. From there, we work out what genuinely matters to you now and how to make room for it step by step in a way that feels sustainable.
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Coaching with me is not about becoming a different person. It is about reconnecting with yourself, making sense of this stage of life and creating a way forward that feels honest and realistic.
My Coaching Philosophy
My Qualifications
Coaching and Lifestyle Medicine
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Transformational Life Coaching Diploma
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Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine, British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
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Health Coaching Course
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Plant-based Nutrition Course, University of Winchester
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300-hour Yoga Teacher Training, London
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40-hour Menopause Yoga Teacher Training, London
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Medical and Scientific Background
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Doctor of Medicine (MD), University of Vienna
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PhD in Dermato-Immunology, King’s College London
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Full GMC registration
