Cover story: Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe shares her life journey from surviving through chaos to thriving with clarity.
Her debut book has reached top #2 Best Selling psychology books on Amazon Books!
When Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe walks into a room, there’s an undeniable presence. Not just because she is the 6th Black British women to release a feature film in UK cinemas (No Shade), or because she is decorated with an British Empire Medal for her groundbreaking work in dermatology, or even because she has created history across beauty, film and wellness. It is because she carries the weight of survival, resilience and vision and has transformed them into a philosophy for living.
Now, with her debut book Clarity, Dr Clare is ready to share not only her extraordinary story, but also the blueprint that helped her rise above burnout, pain and trauma to create a balanced, purposeful and joyful life.
1. You’ve achieved remarkable success across beauty, film and now authorship. What has been the cost of being a high achiever?
Dr Clare: “I can see that I have achieved greatness at the expense of my health, my home-life and the relationships with those I love deeply.” (p.3)
Behind the spotlight, the cost has been exhaustion. I’ve often pushed myself past healthy limits in the name of success. The reality is that working at a relentless pace, without proper rest, caused strain in my body, my home, and my relationships. I had to learn the hard way that achievement means very little if your health and loved ones suffer.
2. In Clarity, you write about being raised in the British care system. How did those years shape the woman you are now?
Dr Clare: “My childhood was fairly miserable and hopeless. Racism, sexism and being lower class was a tough gaze to see through. That fight or flight mode kicked in mega early for me. I became an adult at the age of 10.” (p.17)
Growing up in care taught me independence very early. I had to become my own advocate at just 10 years old. It was survival training that made me resilient, outspoken, and determined to create a better life. Those experiences gave me grit but also a deep empathy for others who feel overlooked or unworthy.
3. You coined the concept of the ‘life quadrant’. Can you explain how readers can apply it daily?
Dr Clare: “By breaking down our lives into four key areas : mental and spiritual, physical, career and financial, and environmental, each area must be balanced and given the same amount of time and energy for someone to truly ‘have it all’.” (p.5–6)
Growing up in care taught me independence very early. I had to become my own advocate at just 10 years old. It was survival training that made me resilient, outspoken, and determined to create a better life. Those experiences gave me grit but also a deep empathy for others who feel overlooked or unworthy.
4. You often use film as a metaphor for life. Why does that analogy resonate so strongly with you?
Dr Clare: “Life is a movie and you can be the star. With or without popular opinion or outward recognition.” (p.8)
She expands: “By keeping it reel (designing an ideal mental picture of the world you want) instead of keeping it real (accepting limits), you can write the movie you want to live.” (p.11)
Film has always been my language. Just like a director, we all have the ability to write a script, cast characters, and choose a tone for our lives. Too often we replay old “movies”: past pain or limiting beliefs, instead of creating new ones. Seeing life as a film helps me remind others: you are the star, not just an extra.
5. You were once paralysed by Bell’s Palsy. What did that experience teach you about healing?
Dr Clare: “Me? Face paralysed forever? I don’t think so. I made an agreement with myself that I would be rid of this disorder within 30 days… By day 29, my face had fully healed.” (p.30–32)
It showed me that healing is not just physical but mental and emotional. I set a strong intention to heal quickly and supported it with daily practices like meditation, alternative therapies, and self-discipline. It reminded me that the mind and body are deeply connected. Most importantly, it taught me not to ignore my body’s signals ever again.
6. You’ve worn many titles: skincare innovator, doctor, filmmaker, wife, mother. Which role do you feel most defines you today?
Dr Clare: “When the Queen of the castle is tired, broken and burnt out everything truly falls apart… When I got ill that winter, Emmanuel suffered and so did my daughter, Lavender.” (p.3)
She adds: “Legacy, for me, is raising daughters who see their mother thriving, not just surviving.” (p.11)
Motherhood is the role that grounds me. It’s the one that forces me to slow down, to be present, and to live by the values I want to pass on. While I’m proud of my professional achievements, being a mother redefines legacy for me, my daughters should inherit a model of balance, not burnout.
7. What role did your Nigerian heritage play in shaping your identity?
Dr Clare: “Even so, I found a way to make friends by selling my mum’s hand-cooked chips… I learnt from young that I needed to be an exceptional or extraordinary black person to be treated with dignity and respect.” (p.13–17)
Being Igbo gave me a strong sense of resilience, pride, and community. At the same time, growing up in Britain as a child of immigrants meant I always felt I had to prove myself twice over. That duality : pride in my roots, and pressure to excel, shaped my work ethic and my desire to represent Nigerian excellence globally.
8. Who has inspired you most along this journey?
Dr Clare: “Another silver lining was living next door to Sade whilst in care… She hugged me years later and remembered exactly who I was. What a legend.” (p.18)
She also acknowledges: “To Dr Joe Dispenza. Thank you for coming into my cipher at exactly the right time. Your divine works encouraged me to heal, re-wire and renew my mind, body and emotions which has resulted in me writing this book.” (p.12)
I’ve been inspired by people who showed me that greatness was possible, even when my circumstances said otherwise. As a teenager in care, seeing Sade as my neighbour gave me hope. Later, learning from thinkers like Dr Joe Dispenza helped me understand how to reprogram my mind. Inspiration has come from role models, mentors, and even strangers whose lives reflected possibility.
9. What do you say to women — especially African women — who are struggling with burnout, shame or unworthiness?
Dr Clare: “There is a pressure for women to be ‘Superwomen’… And the truth is, when the Queen of the castle is tired, broken and burnt out everything truly falls apart.” (p.3)
She adds: “The other 75% (mental and spiritual, physical and environment) requires just as much energy, attention and love as your income and career journey.” (p.6)
I would tell them that they are enough as they are. Our culture often pushes women to do it all, care for family, excel in work, hold it all together — but at what cost? It’s not a weakness to rest, delegate, or prioritise your wellbeing. True strength is building a sustainable life where you flourish, not one where you barely survive.
10. Finally, Clare, what is your vision for the next decade of your life?
Dr Clare: “Now I know to factor in health, support and a disciplined maintenance of my balanced quadrant. I will not sacrifice my time with Christ, my health, important relationships or environmental serenity ever again for any reason.” (p.8)
The next decade is about integration, not expansion. I don’t need to prove myself anymore. My focus is on harmony: nurturing my health, deepening my family life, and creating meaningful projects in film and wellness. Success will come, but it will be on my terms : with balance, clarity, and joy at the centre.
Clarity is out now globally via BUFF Books: http://www.buffbooks.shop
Pull Quotes
“Life is a movie and you can be the star.” (p.8)
“What you neglect, you eject from your life.” (p.62)
“Me? Face paralysed forever? I don’t think so.” (p.30)
“I learnt from young that I needed to be an exceptional or extraordinary Black person to be treated with dignity and respect.” (p.17)
“Now, I will not sacrifice my time with Christ, my health, or my family ever again — for any reason.” (p.8)
Sidebar 1: Clare’s Timeline of Milestones
1985 – Born in Islington, London to Nigerian parents from Imo State (p.13)
1994 – Father passes away; Clare enters the UK care system at 9 years old (p.13–17)
2004 – Becomes vegan at 19, sparking her lifelong passion for health (p.19)
2011 – Founds Premae Skincare, the world’s first allergen-friendly vegan skincare brand (p.20)
2014 – Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Science for her work in dermatology (p.20)
2017 – Receives the Queen’s honour for services to dermatology (MBE) (p.22)
2018 – Writes and directs No Shade, becoming the 6th Black British woman to have a feature in UK cinemas (p.28)
2019 – Gives birth to her first daughter, Lavender (p.29)
2020 – Experiences burnout and Bell’s Palsy; begins writing Clarity (p.30–34)
2023 – Releases Clarity, merging her journey of film, health, and wellness.
Sidebar 2: Clare’s Top 5 Lessons from Clarity
Balance the Quadrant – Your career is only 25% of your life. Don’t neglect the other 75% (p.5–6).
Keep it Reel – Rewrite the script of your life. Don’t replay the old traumas like scratched DVDs (p.11, 33).
Self-Care is Non-Negotiable – “When the Queen of the castle is tired, broken and burnt out, everything falls apart.” (p.3).
Healing is Possible – She reversed Bell’s Palsy in 29 days through discipline, love and mindset (p.30–32).
Neglect Invites Ejection – Anything you ignore — health, love, or joy — will eventually leave your life (p.63).
Sidebar 3: Quick Fire with Dr Clare
Favourite film? Love Jones — “It taught me about the simple complexity of love.” (p.39)
Most treasured daily ritual? Meditation and balcony reading with her daughters.
A mantra? “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem (quoted p.43).
Dream legacy? “Thriving daughters who see their mother whole, not burnt out.” (p.11).
One word to define the next decade? Clarity.
From care home survivor to decorated doctor, from burnt-out entrepreneur to filmmaker, and now author — Dr Clare’s story is a reel of resilience, reinvention and radical clarity.
“We can be mentally well, physically strong, spiritually aligned and financially free without sacrifice — if we design, script, produce and direct our lives on a daily basis.” (p.9)