Emily’s Group September 2025 Prescription

Hi everyone,

I hope you had a great summer and have some lovely memories to reflect upon when hot days feel like a distant memory. A friend from Brazil who has lived in the UK for many years told me that he looks forward to the grey, cold weather and embraces it.

I thought his approach was a good way to reframe this time of year as many of us feel a sense of dread as British Summer Time comes to an end. In countries like Sweden, people use light therapy lamps that mimic natural sunlight to help combat seasonal affective disorder. They throw themselves into outdoor activities and spend time outside during daylight hours. When the clocks change, I find that getting out really early helps and then staying outside as long as possible. When the sun sets mid-afternoon, I am happier to go home and more accepting of the blanket of darkness that descends so quickly each day.

Emily

Mind & Body

Infrared Saunas

I’ve switched my allegiance from Steam Rooms to Saunas, but, as I mentioned in the February prescription, it’s taken me a long time to get used to the heat. Saunas are meant to help reduce our cortisol levels, which we all need. I hope one day to have the space to have a little sauna in my large (fictional) garden with my three (fictional) dogs. This summer, while I was away in Austria, I discovered infrared saunas, which, if you haven’t tried one before, is like being warmed up under a grill. It’s a less intense experience and worth trying if you like the idea of the benefits of a sauna but find the heat too intense. Infrared saunas are popping up all over the place. I am trying one out next week. I will add my recommendations for Austria into the Holidays group on the website.

If you prefer the intense heat of a sauna, then try a rooftop sauna. I was invited by a friend whose children had bought her a session as a birthday gift. We dunked in the cold bathtubs and then roasted in the sauna while looking out over the London skyline. 

To Read

James
Percival Everett

I discovered the writer Percival Everett when I was taken by a friend to see the Oscar-winning film American Fiction, adapted from Everett’s book
Erasure. It’s a clever, funny film if you haven’t seen it yet. James, Everett’s
most recent book, was shortlisted for the Booker prize. I’ve  just started reading it, in a nutshell, it’s a re-imagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It’s now being adapted into a Hollywood movie directed by Taika Waititi and executive produced by Stephen Spielberg. 

Percival Everette. Image: Dylan Coulter

Here’s an interview with Percival, what a wonderful and healthy perspective he has on his work.

To Listen

How generational stereotypes hold us back at work

It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing generations, and we read a lot in the media about the characteristics we have according to the decade in which we were born. Social Psychologist Leah Georges states, in her TEDx talk on the multigenerational workplace, that she thinks these stereotypes don’t exist. She and her fellow researchers believe the focus on generational cohorts has meant we’ve forgotten that people are just people.

In place of this, Georges suggests an individualised approach. After all, eighty-year-olds send text messages and twenty-three-year-olds crochet blankets, all actions that aren’t stereotypical of their generation. She says we are much more similar than we are different. Meet people where they are. One of her examples really resonated when she described a scenario where a millennial asks for a pay rise after two months. Though this request may read as ‘entitled’, maybe Georges says it’s because this generation have more debt coming out of education than any generation before them. 

George also talks about a book that has inspired much of her thinking, written by Nilofer Merchant called The Power of Onlyness. (Onlyness -The spot where that individual stands)

talk’90s to me

This is an entertaining series hosted by writer and journalist Miranda Sawyer. Miranda invites guests onto the series who know their stuff, which makes the series more engaging. This is my favourite episode, what a story behind the creation of The Prodigy. Other episodes include Oasis, George Michael, and Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting).

How Do I Cope With Anxiety About My Adult Children?

I am a big fan of Julia Samuel, she hosts these podcast shorts with her two daughters, who are also therapists. Listeners pose a question then Julia, Sophie and Emily discuss the different therapeutic ways to tackle the emotions the listener is experiencing. If you have just waved goodbye to a child heading off to university or going travelling then this episode may resonate.

To Investigate

The Open University Courses

When we decide to focus on our personal development, we may have the money to commit to a course, but we don’t have the time, or we have the time but not the money. I was doing some research into what is available for free for my coaching clients and mentees.  I thought you or someone you know may benefit from The Open University who offer 915 free online courses, take a look. Sometimes, doing a course can reinvigorate you or help you take a small step forward. Let me know how you get on.

To Entertain

Jane Austen

 I read a piece a few weeks ago celebrating the 30th (!) anniversary of Pride and Prejudice starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.  The article made me think about my favourite Jane Austen books, which have been adapted for TV and film. Escapist, comfort TV.

Pride & Prejudice

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility has a special place in my heart as the house that Elinor Dashwood and Marianne Dashwood (Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet ) lived in was my family home for a short time.

Emma

EG Member: Kim Duke

Q&A

Tell me about your career? I’m a documentary director, producer, and series editor making films and series for streamers,  Netflix, Apple TV+ and Sky Documentaries. I also work with terrestrial broadcasters including the BBC and ITV. I started out as a journalist. It was a love of uncovering authentic stories, combined with an addiction to film, that led me first via current affairs television into documentaries. I have just finished series editing Victoria Beckham, a documentary series about the global pop icon turned fashion powerhouse. What do you enjoy most about your job? I love the creativity involved and the access it gives you to different worlds. People are endlessly fascinating, and it’s a privilege to be trusted to tell their stories. Filmmaking is also very collaborative, which I really value. It relies on the combined efforts of a team of people, with each bringing their particular skillset and something special to make the project better than the sum of its parts.  When you are not working, what do you like doing? Anything that doesn’t involve making loads of decisions and dealing with deadlines! Spending time with family and friends, watching films, going to the theatre, going to gigs, hiking, running, and swimming. On the to-do list: pick up tennis again and do a drawing course. What does your dream day involve? If I could be cheeky and extend that to a dream two days, a city break like the one we had earlier this year in Copenhagen. On the coast, super easy to get around, loads of stylish Danish design, cosy cafes for coffee and cinnamon buns, galleries and exhibitions, great restaurants in the meatpacking district. Anything like that on repeat! What do you love about being an Emily’s Group member? It’s great to be part of a community where you’re able to tap into tried and tested advice or pick up tips from a trusted community of smart, experienced women. Also, it is really useful to be able to post openly or to filter more sensitive requests via Emily, who can canvass the group anonymously on your behalf.

Get in touch with Kim Kim is always interested in hearing about new projects. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or get in touch at: kimduke01@me.com. Kim’s latest project, Victoria Beckham, a documentary series about the global pop icon turned fashion powerhouse, drops on Netflix on October 9th.

  Drop me a line with any comments or feedback on what you have read. I really appreciate hearing from you.

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