&BEYOND Introduces a New Approach to Maternity Transitions, Supporting Women and Organizations
Porto, Portugal – September 2026 – Maternity leave is often treated as a temporary interruption to a woman's career. While organizations commonly focus on preparing for an employee's absence, the support and structure surrounding her return to work can be less consistent.
&BEYOND – The Maternity Transition Consultancy, founded by Isabel Theissen, aims to change this by helping individuals and organizations create more structured, consistent, and sustainable maternity transitions.
"Returning to work isn't a return to the old normal," says Isabel Theissen. "Motherhood can fundamentally change a woman's identity, priorities, and perspective, while the workplace may have evolved during her absence. We need to move beyond the expectation that women simply bounce back and instead create the conditions for a more realistic and sustainable transition."
Addressing the gap in return-to-work support
Drawing on her background in senior digital marketing roles at global brands, experience as a motherhood and leadership coach, and qualitative research with working mothers, Isabel Theissen developed &BEYOND to address the challenges women face throughout the maternity transition.
Her research explores experiences ranging from navigating matrescence and changing priorities to managing workplace expectations, reintegrating after leave, and reconsidering future career directions.
A key focus is the assumption that women should return to work as the same professionals they were before maternity leave. This expectation can overlook the personal transformation that comes with motherhood and the support needed to navigate the return sustainably.
&BEYOND takes a broader approach, recognizing maternity as a transition that extends beyond the leave period itself.
The Motherhood & Leadership Framework™
At the center of &BEYOND is the Motherhood & Leadership Framework™, a research-informed approach that considers four interconnected phases where motherhood and career overlap:
Pre-leave: Preparing the foundation through clarity around expectations, responsibilities, and the transition ahead.
On leave: Recognizing matrescence and creating space to navigate personal and identity changes.
Re-entry: Supporting a realistic and sustainable return through clear priorities, appropriate expectations, and reintegration support.
&Beyond: Recognizing personal growth through motherhood as an opportunity for continued leadership and career development.
The fourth phase is central to the framework. Motherhood can bring new perspectives, values, strengths, and ways of leading. Rather than treating these developments as separate from professional growth, &BEYOND considers how they can inform a woman's ongoing leadership and career journey.
"The return to work should not be viewed solely as a process of restoring previous performance," Isabel Theissen explains. "It can also be an opportunity to recognize what has changed, reconnect with what matters, and consider how personal growth can shape the next stage of a woman's professional life."
Supporting women and organizations
&BEYOND works with both individuals and organizations to bridge the gap between maternity leave policies and their practical implementation.
For individuals, the consultancy provides coaching, practical tools, and guidance to help women navigate maternity leave, their return to work, and the professional decisions that follow.
For organizations, &BEYOND supports more structured maternity transition processes, manager guidance, and sustainable reintegration practices. The approach aims to help organizations create more consistent, realistic support throughout the maternity journey, ensuring performance continuity and leadership development beyond.
Isabel Theissen emphasizes that responsibility for a successful maternity transition should not rest solely on the individual woman.
"Organizations and managers have an important role in creating the conditions in which women can reintegrate sustainably and continue to develop. Supporting maternity transitions should extend beyond ensuring that an employee has a position to return to."
Free Maternity Leave & Beyond Guide
To support women and managers navigating maternity transitions, &BEYOND offers a free Maternity Leave & Beyond Guide, with resources tailored to both audiences:
For individuals: Guidance to prepare for maternity leave, navigate the return to work, and approach the transition with greater clarity. Download here.
For managers: Practical guidance to better understand maternity transitions and support employees before, during, and beyond their return. Download here.
About &BEYOND
&BEYOND – The Maternity Transition Consultancy supports women and organizations in creating more structured, consistent, and sustainable maternity transitions.
Founded by ICF-accredited Motherhood & Leadership Coach Isabel Theissen, &BEYOND combines qualitative research, coaching expertise, and the Motherhood & Leadership Framework™ to support women and organizations before, during, and beyond maternity leave.
As a result, &BEYOND helps organizations strengthen engagement, ensure business continuity, and support the long-term development of their leadership talent.
Book an introductory consultation to explore what &BEYOND’s support could look like for you.
