Ambitious Mother: From Surviving to Thriving in Your Career and at Home

“Dr. Anne Welsh shows us how we can thrive as parents, partners, and professionals, while also being more than our roles, and without burning out. Having it all shouldn’t mean doing it all. It starts with unlearning narrow ideas about being a ‘good mom’ and redefining ambition for yourself. And it can’t just be on moms-partners, workplaces, and policies all shape what’s truly possible.” ―Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)

“I devoured this compassionate, wise, and reassuring work that reads like a love letter from a wise older sister, one working mom to another. I promise you will come away with practical tips and transformative mindset shifts. Dr. Welsh is redefining ambition to fit the many objectives of our lives, and help women find fulfillment, not just success. You will get the benefit of years of Dr. Welsh’s therapy and coaching practices, packed into a breezy and delightful bedtime read.” ―Corinne Low, associate professor of business economics and public policy, Wharton School, and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours

“In a world full of choices, women often crave guidance on how to truly know what they want. Dr. Welsh offers expert insights and real-life stories that empower women to answer that question for themselves-again and again-through the evolving journey of ambition and family.” ―Neha Ruch, bestselling author of The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids and Come Back Stronger Than Ever

“Ambitious Mother will be as life changing as Fair Play was. It is the book I’m giving to every overwhelmed, exhausted working mom I know. It offers relief, reassurance, and hope–plus practical steps to create a real shift from within. Dr. Anne Welsh reminds us that you can thrive in your career not in spite of being a mother, but because of it. As she writes, ‘Motherhood can be the career accelerator you never knew you needed.’ Through powerful stories of women who have accomplished their greatest work after having kids, Ambitious Mother proves that the best chapter of your career–and your life–is still yet to come.” ―Catherine Brown, product marketing leader at Databricks and founder of @TheCabro

“Ambitious Mother is an essential contribution to the conversation about leadership, identity, and the modern workplace. Dr. Welsh brings a rare blend of psychological depth, narrative insight, and systems-level analysis that reframes how we understand ambition in the context of caregiving. Her frameworks offer a vocabulary and structure leaders have been missing. This book will shape not only individual lives, but how organizations think about talent, equity, and the future of work.” ―Nicole Amoyal Pensak, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Rattled: How to Calm New Mom Anxiety with the Power of the Postpartum Brain

“Ambitious Mother is the book I needed to read right now, and I immediately thought of 20 friends who needed it, too. Dr. Welsh gives a framework and a vocabulary (e.g. ‘the Ambition Paradox,’ ‘the Motherhood Advantage’), backed up by research and case studies, to better understand what is going on in so many of our lives. Reading Ambitious Mother was like looking in a mirror; it made me want to write out my own story to show exactly where the model hits closest to home. With concise summaries, accessible starting points, and ample resources, Ambitious Mother is a book that begs to be annotated in the margins with exclamation points and enthusiastically passed around. It is vivid and digestible, positive and realistic, aspirational and inspirational.” ―Emily Richmond Pollock, associate professor of music and theater arts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Motherhood reshapes ambition-it doesn’t diminish it. Ambitious Mother is the first book I’ve read that truly articulates this shift. Dr. Welsh offers a powerful, research-backed reframing that will help mothers feel seen, supported, and deeply capable.” ―Anke Becker, PhD, assistant professor, Harvard Business School

“A great book should read like a conversation with a trusted friend. Dr. Welsh is that friend, and this is the conversation we want to be having. An informative and inspiring read for all the mothers (and caregivers) who want to do it all without losing themselves in the process.” ―Alison Fragale, author of Likeable Badass and professor of organizational behavior, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“I hold myself to high standards. I want to be extraordinary in all my roles: as a mom, professional, friend, daughter, wife, and beyond. Sometimes, doing it all feels impossible. If you can relate, Ambitious Mother is going to be your new favorite book-one that you dog-ear, highlight, and recommend to your friends. Dr. Welsh gives you permission to be as ambitious as you want to be, and shows you how to strive for your goals without burning out.” ―Alexandra Franzen, bestselling author, award-winning editor, co-founder of One Idea Books & Gifts

“What I love most about Ambitious Mother is that it doesn’t skip over the most fundamental question about ambition: What am I truly ambitious for? And by asking this simple question, the book invites you to move away from perfectionism, people-pleasing, and pretending to become something even more powerful-yourself.” ―Jessica Galica, professional coach and bestselling author of Leap: Why It’s Time to Let Go to Get Ahead in Your Career

Dr. Anne Welsh is a licensed clinical psychologist, executive coach, and consultant. She began her career at Harvard before opening her own practice with a focus on supporting working parents in growing their careers and families. Having obtained certifications in maternal mental health, executive coaching, Parental Leave Coach, and Fair Play Facilitation, she continues to hone her skill set and deepen her knowledge. In addition to her therapy practice, she runs Working Mother’s Lifeline, an online program for working mothers, and Navigating Success, a leadership program for women scientists and physicians, sponsored by two major biotechnology firms. She is a mother of four and draws on her own experience as a mother, her research career in the transition to motherhood, and her over 15 years in practice to help parents feel less alone, more connected to themselves and their values, and more empowered to make their own choices.