Your First Week Back

Returning to work after extended leave — on your terms

Coming back is harder than people think

You’ve been away. Maybe for weeks, maybe for months. Maternity leave, long-term sickness, bereavement, surgery, mental health, or redundancy — whatever the reason, you’ve been out of the rhythm of work for long enough that going back feels daunting.

And here’s what nobody really prepares you for: the return is often harder than the absence. The role may have changed. The team may have moved on. Your confidence may have quietly eroded while you weren’t looking. You might be dreading the first conversation, the first meeting, the first moment someone asks you a question and you’re not sure you remember the answer.

On top of that, you may be returning to the very environment that contributed to your absence in the first place — the same pressures, the same culture, the same expectations. Without the right preparation and support, there’s a real risk of going back too fast, too hard, and ending up right back where you started.

It doesn’t have to be that way. With the right support before, during, and after your return, you can go back with confidence, clarity, and a plan that protects your wellbeing as well as your career.

Who this is for

For individuals

If you’re preparing to return to work and want professional support to make it a success, this coaching is for you. You might be:

Coming back after maternity or paternity leave and feeling disconnected from your professional identity
Returning after long-term sickness and worried about whether you can cope
Going back after bereavement and unsure how to manage your grief alongside your workload
Re-entering the workplace after redundancy and starting a new role
Feeling anxious, under-confident, or overwhelmed at the thought of being “back”

For organisations

If you’re an HR professional, line manager, or organisational leader responsible for supporting returning staff, this programme helps you do it properly. A poorly managed return costs you more than the absence did — in re-absence, presenteeism, disengagement, and sometimes the permanent loss of a valued employee. Investing in structured return-to-work coaching protects both the individual and the organisation.

What many professionals experience when returning to work

Loss of confidence — even in skills and knowledge they had for years before the absence
Anxiety about being judged, watched, or expected to perform immediately
Identity confusion — particularly after maternity leave or a significant health episode
Resentment or sadness about returning to an environment that hasn’t changed
Pressure to prove themselves all over again
Fear of relapse, burnout, or breakdown if they go back without proper boundaries
Guilt — about being away, about coming back, about not being fully present either way

These are not signs of weakness. They are entirely normal responses to a significant transition — and they respond extremely well to structured coaching.

What’s included

The First Week Back coaching programme is delivered across three phases:

Phase 1 — Before you go back

We work together to prepare you emotionally, practically, and strategically for your return. This includes exploring your concerns, rebuilding your confidence, clarifying your boundaries, and creating a detailed return plan that you feel in control of.

2 x 60-minute 1:1 coaching sessions — focused on emotional readiness, confidence, and practical planning
Online course for before and during your first week back – includes 6 videos, mindfulness and other resources.
Return-to-work workbook — structured exercises covering identity, strengths, boundaries, and your personal return plan
Email support in the lead-up to your return date

Phase 2 — Your first week and beyond

The first days back are when the plan meets reality. This phase gives you a safety net — someone to debrief with, troubleshoot with, and draw strength from when things feel wobbly.

1 x 60-minute 1:1 coaching session — within your first week back, to review how it’s going, address what’s come up, and adjust the plan
WhatsApp support for 2 weeks — for the moments when you need a steady voice between sessions (48-hour weekday replies)

Phase 3 — Settling in and sustaining

Once the initial return is behind you, we make sure the progress sticks. This phase is about embedding new habits, protecting your boundaries, and ensuring you’re building a sustainable working life — not just surviving the first month.

1 x 60-minute follow-up session — four weeks after your return, to review progress, celebrate wins, and plan ahead
A personalised Sustainable Return Plan — your written plan for the next 90 days, covering workload, boundaries, wellbeing habits, and ongoing development

What you’ll gain

Confidence and emotional readiness before you walk back through the door
A return plan you’ve had a genuine hand in shaping — not one imposed on you
Clear boundaries that protect your wellbeing from day one
Support during the most vulnerable phase — the first days and weeks back
A 90-day plan for sustaining your return and building momentum
Reduced risk of re-absence, burnout, or early exit

Investment

£597 (VAT inclusive) for individuals

This covers all four coaching sessions, your return-to-work workbook, the online course (worth £197), WhatsApp support, and your personalised Sustainable Return Plan.

If you need additional sessions, these are available at £125 per 60-minute session.

For organisations: this programme can be commissioned for individual employees or adapted for groups. Please book a corporate enquiry call to discuss your needs.

https://calendly.com/victoriaaruss/corporate-training-enquiry

Flexible payment

Pay in full, or split into 2 monthly payments of £315.

Support guarantee: if you don’t feel ready and supported by the end of the programme, you’ll receive extended coaching at no extra cost.

Go deeper with the book

Your First Week Back — Returning to Work After Extended Leave, on Your Terms

If you want to start preparing before your coaching begins — or if you’re not quite ready for 1:1 support — this book is a practical, coaching-led guide to returning to work with confidence after maternity leave, sickness, bereavement, or redundancy. It covers everything from managing anxiety to setting boundaries to having difficult conversations with your manager.

The book works beautifully as a standalone resource or as a companion to the coaching programme. Many clients read it first and then come to coaching ready to go deeper.

Available now on Amazon.

https://amzn.eu/d/00S8nSD6

An online course based on the book is also available — ideal for organisations who want to offer return-to-work support at scale and at low cost.

Ready to plan your return?

For individuals: Book a free discovery call. We’ll talk through your situation and work out whether this programme is the right support for your return.

https://calendly.com/victoriaaruss/30min

For organisations: Book a corporate enquiry call to discuss how return-to-work coaching can support your staff and reduce re-absence.

https://calendly.com/victoriaaruss/corporate-training-enquiry

A personal note from Vicky

I wrote Your First Week Back because I couldn’t find anything like it when I needed it. After my own experiences of returning to work — after illness, after redundancy, after life simply knocking me sideways — I knew how much difference the right preparation and support could make. And I knew how little of it was available.

Going back to work after an extended absence is one of those transitions that looks straightforward from the outside but feels enormous from the inside. You’re expected to slot back in, perform, and be grateful for the opportunity. Nobody asks whether you’re ready. Nobody helps you plan. Nobody checks in after the first week.

This programme changes that. And I’m proud of every client who’s used it to go back on their own terms.

For Individuals who are: