Good Girl Deprogramming

In 2023's Barbie Movie, America Ferrera's iconic speech magically deprogrammed the Barbies from patriarchy. And now Michelle Minnikin is here to do the same for women of the real world. From our first days on Earth, we're taught what it means to be a Good Girl. Look good, be nice, stay quiet, and take care of everyone else... The list goes on, and at the heart of it all, one message shines through: Do as you're told or pay the price. In Good Girl Deprogramming, Michelle shines a light on the sinister nature, tactics and tricks of coercive control that not only program us to be Good Girls but keep us in that mindset for the years, decades, and generations that follow. With ferocity, empathy, and just enough humour to prevent the idea of being brainwashed by patriarchy too depressing, Michelle shares stories, facts and actionable advice that empowers women to break free from our own programming and rediscover who we truly are. Good Girl Deprogramming isn't just a book, it's a movement. One that takes each of us by the hand and invites us to step into the life that is powerfully, beautifully and unapologetically yours. Are you in?
"Reading this book feels like having a conversation with a hilarious and impossibly wise friend. This could be the most important book you and the women in your life read. It stops here, with us."- Kate Hargreaves, CEO and Management Consultant, Mosaic Partners
"I love this relatable and hilarious book by Michelle. It's a thought-provoking read that prompts self-reflection and change through its engaging exercises. I want to share it with all my friends to help them break free."- Dr Hannah Bryan, Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Consultant
"Wow. What a read... I feel seen. I feel heard... I'm ready to shake off the shackles of a good girl and be a rebel! Not your normal book. It's a must for your bookshelf!"- Nat Hunt, OD and Systems Lead

"F*ck me, I wish I'd written this book. You'll never be the same again after reading it. Big statement? That's because this isn't a book, it's a new world order."- Fiona Kearns, Business Psychologist
"I learnt so much about myself through the questions and concepts in this book, it's been very eye opening. Michelle is tackling such an important subject, with her characteristic good humour and pirate tactics."- Alex Barker, Be More Pirate
"I wish I'd had access to Good Girl Deprogramming thirty years ago. In the nineties we were assured women had equal opportunity. They didn't, and they still don't. The true potential of women is consistently withheld by societal norms and Michelle Minnikin helps readers see both the water they swim in and the myriad ways in which they've constrained themselves to appease and comply. Awareness is empowerment. Together we rise."- Cathryn Barnard, Managing Director, Working the Future
Michelle Minnikin is a Chartered Psychologist, Coach and author with over 20 years of experience in leadership and organisational development, employee selection and assessment, coaching, and personal development. Michelle has a passion for transformative change. She is dedicated to helping women design their own ideal lives, guiding them towards greater clarity, purpose, and fulfilment. Michelle's own journey towards her Good Girl Deprogramming started with her ADHD diagnosis in December 2020, a revelation that brought clarity and understanding to her life. As she embraced this newfound self-awareness, she embarked on a deep exploration of her own conditioning and the ways in which societal norms had shaped her identity. As a mum in a wonderfully neurodiverse family, Michelle lives in Newcastle upon Tyne in the glorious North East of England with her partner in life, business and adventure, James Eves, her hilariously funny and smart teenage son Oliver and their animals.