Mum vs Life: How I teach my son not to be afraid

Welcome to the latest installment of our brand new series Mum vs Life. Each week we’ll feature a prominent Aussie mum and take you through her day but this week we’re featuring England’s most famous medium, Lisa Williams who is currently touring Australia.

Lisa is a psychic healer who starred in two shows on lIfetime – Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead (2006–2007) and Lisa Williams: Voices From the Other Side (2008). She is mother to 13-year-old son Charlie.

Lisa Williams with son Charlie

Lisa Williams

WAKE UP

If it’s a weekday I wake up at around 6.30 so I can get up and get Charlie ready for school. He’s really into bacon and eggs for breakfast at the moment so I cook for him while he feeds the dogs and packs up his books. On a weekend or during his school vacation it’s much later – my bed is my sanctuary so if I don’t have to get up I’ll stay there for hours with my laptop, working or catching up on emails with friends.

BREAKFAST

I always try to have something healthy in the morning and at the moment – because I’m working out either in the gym or going for a run on the beach – I’ll have a protein shake or make myself a juice concoction with my new juicer. The exercise really wakes me up and so once I’ve got Charlie off to school I’ll hit the treadmill, then shower, change, grab my breakfast and head for the office. At weekends things start later and are more relaxed. Charlie and I will often meet friends for brunch at one of our favorite restaurants.

EXERCISE

I used to be a fitness instructor so it has always been part of my life, I have recently got back into it and I’m loving it! I have a friend who’s a trainer who has been working with me and relentlessly pushing me – it’s just what I needed.

BATH vs SHOWER

I’m a shower girl in the morning and a bath girl at night. There’s nothing like a soak in bubbles to really relax. Charlie is 13 now so he’s always busy doing things in his room, so I’m left to have some great ‘me’ time with wine, candles and some relaxing music.

GETTING DRESSED

For daily dressing, like the office, I like to be relaxed – jeans, leggings, something casual. If I have a meeting I will definitely choose something smarter, maybe a skirt and boots or some well cut pants. I’m very organized and all my outfits are easy to find when I’m in a hurry. When it comes to nights out though, it’s a different story – I’ll try on several outfits, leave everything spread out on the bed and then maybe dash out and buy something new. Shoes are my passion, I love my heels!

WORK

I’m very lucky that my office is just a few minutes from the house, though I do sometimes work from home. Usually I’ll get into the office at around 8.30 with the dogs who come into the work every day with me, after I’ve dropped Charlie at school, then I might have one or two readings. I’ll then meet with my team and we’ll go through what’s in the diary for the day, we might look at what’s going on with new courses or other projects that are in the pipeline.

AFTER SCHOOL

When Charlie finishes school he sometimes comes back to the office and we sit together while he does some homework and I finish off what I’m doing, then we’ll head home and walk the dogs together, I’ll go through his homework and we might sit and read together or talk about our day, or do jigsaw puzzles which we both love doing.

WORK SPACE

I love my office, I am always careful to choose somewhere that feels right and has good energy. We are just about to move offices and it has taken a while to find the right place. When I walked into the new space I knew instantly it was right for me. My office is all white, with white desk and furniture. I have a large window looking out over the canyon and pictures of people who are special to me – family, friends and my students. It’s calm, organized and generally pretty tidy.

FOOD AT WORK

Lunch is always a salad and eaten at my desk, and I’ll often concentrate on writing or preparing for my courses in the afternoon. I have a fantastic canyon view from my office window and it’s such an inspiration.We take it in turns to go out to grab lunch and it’s almost always a salad. I try to snack on healthy things, like fruit, carrots and protein bars. I never drink tea or coffee.

CHILDREN AND WORK

My son Charlie completely understands what I do and accepts it. I’ve been doing it all of his life. He also sees spirits and I have taught him not to be afraid. He isn’t interested in becoming a medium – his passion is history and he wants to be a history teacher.

EVENINGS

We eat in quite a lot but I also love to eat out. There are some great restaurants round here – I love Asian food and there is a really good selection within a few miles of home. I try to eat healthily and not go too heavy on the carbs, but I do have a sweet tooth and I love English chocolate!

Once we’ve had dinner and Charlie has gone to bed, I’ll sometimes do a little work, catch up on emails and I always go through the diary for the next day so I’m prepared. Then it’s bed – and I have to be disciplined, as I’ve been known to carry on working into the small hours!

As for switching off, I try to be strict with myself but inevitably I find my mind returning to something that is going on in the office, or about new projects. Sometimes that’s a good thing though, as thinking things through from home allows me to work through any new ideas while I’m making dinner or walking the dogs.

HELP

I have a great support network – friends who love Charlie and who he loves to spend time with, and a great sitter who is part of the family now. My parents will also come over and stay with him when I’m away on tour so I know when I’m working that he’s in good hands.

BEDTIME

I don’t watch TV, though I do enjoy a good movie. I love to read, meditate, go for a long walk and specially spend time with friends and family. I rarely nap, I’d rather be reading or running on the beach. That’s always a great way to unwind. I love a glass of red wine or a cocktail too!

TIME MANAGEMENT

I’m pretty organised and make sure that Charlie has his lunch made the night before and his school bag packed, with violin and books ready by the time he goes to bed. It’s the only way to ensure we leave home on time in the morning.

I’m the label queen so all my shoes, bags and clothes are stored by color and that makes it easy to get dressed. When I’m packing for a tour, I have everything labelled and ready to go, all my stage clothes are stored separately and I can be packed and ready to head for the airport in an hour or so.

Lisa Williams is currently touring Australia with her acclaimed show “Messages From Beyond”. Lisa comes from a long line of mediums and was discovered by Merv Griffin who helped her find a career in TV. She has appeared on Anderson Cooper, Oprah and Jimmy Kimmel Live. She is the granddaughter of Frances Glazebrook, a famous British medium.

As well as touring Lisa offers courses and readings through her website lisawilliams.com. She says, “My personal ‘spiritual’ journey has been an exciting and rewarding one. I had to go through many life-changing experiences to understand what my calling was in life. However my journey is far from over and I look forward to sharing my journey at my appearances on stage in Australia.” You can purchase tickets to her shows through her website or at abpressents.com.au.

Keep reading our Mum vs Life series here:

Sally Obermeder: “It’s a tough balancing act as a parent”

Meshel Laurie “My children are just starting to resent my work

Jackie O “My daughter loves to pretend that she works too”

Amanda Kellar “I have help and I choose not to feel guilty”

Mrs Woog: “I live my life in chaos

Lindy Klim “Two of my kids are fantastic eaters but my son is shocking”

Rebecca Judd “Gone are the days when I wear heels”

Miki Field “When Anthony is home, it is a little more chaotic”

Angali Rao “Dinner time with my son drives me to my wit’s end”