Integrative Women's Health Podcast

“Many women don't have the information they need to understand what's going on with their hormones.” - Kate WellsWhile the conversation around menopause and hormone therapy has progressed significantly in recent years, many women remain unaware of their options and lack access to practitioners who can guide them through these transitions. When you add the fact that many of the symptoms associated with these hormone changes are still highly stigmatized, it’s no wonder women are left feeling isolated and uncertain.The good news is that more practitioners and companies are changing the way they approach women's health. Expanding their focus beyond efficacy, they’re building a more engaging and empowering experience for their customers.Today, I’m excited to introduce you to someone who’s doing just that - menopause advocate and self-proclaimed biochem nerd, Kate Wells. Recognizing the need for more education on and access to hormone therapies, Kate and Kirsti Hegg founded Parlor Games. Being a clinician and a businesswoman can be hard, and Kate has been able to successfully meld the two and pursue a new purpose, starting in midlife.In this conversation, Kate and I discuss why so many women are finding themselves on a new path after 50, her journey in creating accessible hormone products, the challenges of educating women about hormonal health, the significance of community support, what to think about when choosing over-the-counter hormone therapies, why practitioner guidance is important, common misconceptions about estrogen, why Kate is passionate about the educational aspect of Parlor Games, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/what-are-bioidentical-hormones-with-kate-wells/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (a...

“It takes more than hormones to fix our hormones.” - Dr. Anna CabecaWhen it comes to vaginal health, pelvic floor health, and incontinence issues, hormones play a critial role. From the type of hormones to oral formulations, injections, and topicals, there are a lot of options for hormone therapy, from the delivery vehicle to the forms of hormones used.At the same time, you can’t optimize hormone health through hormone replacement only. We have to take a holistic picture, starting with the gut, lifestyle, and stress management. This approach enables the body to resuscitate, repair, and rejuvenate itself, allowing it to function at its peak. At this point, hormone therapy can offer a complementary supporting role, increasing the opportunity for optimal health and wellness.Today’s guest, triple board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Anna Cabeca, has been working with women in midlife for decades, and she’s an advocate for a holistic approach to hormone support, which she calls hormone replenishment.In this episode, Dr. Anna and I discuss when to start thinking about supporting your hormones, the connection between gut health and hormone balance, the need for personalized treatment appraoches, detoxification pathways, and the use of topical hormones, Dr. Cabeca’s products for women in midlife, how her patients have improved their vaginal health and reversed incontinence in post-menopause, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/getting-nerdy-about-hormones-topical-transdermal-oral-oh-my-with-dr-anna-cabeca-do/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“A business needs to sell. If someone is annoyed by that, that's on them.” - Kirsten RoldanIn a time where AI can generate endless words in seconds, it’s tempting to believe that writing no longer matters. But for those of us trying to build sustainable, ethical, burnout-resistant businesses, the opposite is proving true. The ability to clearly articulate what you do, who you help, and why it matters has never been more critical. Algorithms change, platforms rise and fall, but trust is still built through authentic human communication.For many clinicians, marketing doesn’t feel aligned with the way we work with clients. Social media moves fast and rewards flashiness, but the care most practitioners value is built slowly, through consistency and trust. Long-form writing, like email, offers a different path that allows you to slow down, connect directly with your community, and build a business that doesn’t depend on constant visibility or output at the expense of your nervous system.Today, I’m joined by Kirsten Roldan, Nuyorican Business Coach and Burnout Expert, to talk about why email marketing remains one of the most effective and practitioner-friendly business foundations available. We talk about the difference between permission-based and performance-based marketing, how small lists can generate meaningful revenue, why selling clearly is an act of service, common mistakes practitioners make when building email lists, how to write emails that actually get read, why developing your writing voice is essential, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/why-email-marketing-is-key-to-having-a-peaceful-burnout-free-womens-health-business/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“We've learned so much. Now, as PTs, we not only look at musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems but also at pain science.” - Amy SteinPelvic pain is never just one system. It sits at the intersection of musculoskeletal function, nervous system regulation, hormonal shifts, immune activation, and lived experience. And for practitioners working with complex pelvic pain, endometriosis, bladder conditions, or postpartum and perimenopausal clients, progress often comes not from a single intervention, but from curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to keep learning.Clinicians need to evolve alongside their patients. As our understanding of pain science, movement, nervous system regulation, and supporting therapies continues to expand, so does our ability to help people who have been dismissed or misdiagnosed. Staying innovative isn’t about chasing every new tool. It means knowing when to turn the dial up, when to pull back, and how to individualize care in a way that truly supports healing.Today, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Stein, physical therapist and founder of Beyond Basics Physical Therapy (https://beyondbasicsphysicaltherapy.com/). Amy and I discuss her journey into pelvic pain care, how the field has evolved over the last two decades, the role of physical therapy within multidisciplinary care, how pain science has reshaped movement and rehab strategies, innovative tools like shockwave therapy, red light therapy, and neuromodulation, what to look for when referring to pelvic physical therapy, how to avoid common pitfalls in complex cases, why personalization is essential, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/innovations-in-pelvic-physical-therapy-with-amy-stein-of-beyond-basics-physical-therapy/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Specialization isn't about narrowing your options. It's about amplifying your impact.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondIt’s December, which means every practitioner, every coach, every clinician I know is mapping their goals for the year ahead. They want to grow their practices, specialize in perimenopause, earn more, create more time freedom, or finally heal their burnout. Those goals matter, but most people neglect the foundational question that makes any of them possible: Who are you actually serving? Not women in perimenopause, but the specific subset of women whose problems you are uniquely trained, equipped, and energized to solve.The reality is that perimenopause is a hot topic right now. It’s on morning shows, in major publications, and at the center of countless books, supplements, and brands. That visibility is a win for women, but it also means practitioners can no longer stand out by simply saying they specialize in perimenopause. To build a thriving, sustainable practice, you need a clear, deeply aligned niche and a business model that supports the level of presence, bandwidth, and clinical excellence your clients deserve.Today, I’m sharing a four-part framework to help you choose a niche within perimenopause that you’re uniquely positioned to own and the structure you need to move into the new year with confidence and sustainability. We’ll explore how to align your clinical skill set with a business model that protects your energy, how to identify underserved sub-niches, why your pricing must reflect your depth of expertise, revenue model strategies, capacity planning, the importance of choosing a focus that energizes you rather than burns you out, and more. Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-2026-business-planning-framework-how-to-pick-your-perimenopause-niche-build-a-revenue-model-that-actually-works/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“What a GLP-1 agonist does is teach us about our weight health hormones.” - Ashley KoffGLP-1 medications are everywhere right now, and for many women in perimenopause, they feel like the only thing that can finally move the needle. But for practitioners, this landscape is far more nuanced. In midlife, women’s weight is tied to shifting sex hormones, gut peptide function, nutrient status, nervous system load, inflammation, and life experiences. When GLP-1s enter the picture, they can help, they can harm, and they can reveal underlying issues we might otherwise miss.Understanding how these medications work inside the full weight ecosystem is an essential part of responsible, trauma-informed care. GLP-1s impact digestion, vagal tone, appetite signaling, bowel motility, and cardiometabolic markers, and they interact with stress physiology and immune activation in ways that can either support or destabilize clients already navigating complex chronic conditions. When practitioners rely on GLP-1s as a standalone tool, we risk overlooking the deeper patterns driving weight changes in perimenopause.Today, I’m joined by registered dietitian Ashley Koff, author of Your Best Shot, for an evidence-informed conversation about GLP-1s in midlife. Together, we explore when these medications can support whole-body health, when they create new problems, how to evaluate your clients’ readiness, red flags that practitioners often miss, assessments to determine whether your clients’ weight health hormones are functioning as intended, low and microdosing strategies, how GLP-1s influence pain and immune activation, why a multidisciplinary approach is essential for sustainable outcomes, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/ashley-koff-on-glp-1s-and-weight-in-perimenopause-when-they-help-when-they-harm-and-the-red-flags-youre-missing/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

Many people live with depression for years and never feel fully better, even after medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, or countless specialist visits. What we rarely talk about is why these approaches often fall short and what it actually takes to create real change.Today, I’m joined by Silvia Covelli, founder of the Healing Depression Project, and Dr. Achina Stein, a functional medicine psychiatrist, about their groundbreaking 30-day program for chronic and treatment-resistant depression.They share what participants experienced inside their previous program, including meaningful shifts in mood, energy, and overall functioning.We discuss functional psychiatry, therapeutic ketogenic diets, intensive trauma work, psychodrama, nature-based recovery, and habit formation, and the power of combining these elements into one cohesive model that can create change when nothing else has worked.This conversation offers a new way of understanding depression and a glimpse into what recovery can look like when the whole person is supported.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---To see what others have achieved through this approach, you can watch transformation stories, read testimonials, and review validated clinical outcomes at https://www.healingdepressionproject.com/stories-results.html---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/a-new-model-for-healing-depression-what-womens-health-clinicians-can-learn-with-silvia-covelli-and-dr-achina-stein-from-the-healing-depression-project/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Focus on the skill of listening to your specific body, your specific symptoms, and figuring out what your system is responding to.” - Cait Van DammIf you work with women navigating chronic illness, you’ve probably seen the “Doctor Roadshow” up close. These women have seen multiple practitioners without resolution and arrive at your practice exhausted and overwhelmed, with a list of protocols, supplements, and instructions that could fill a binder. They’ve done everything they were told, but still don’t feel better. Instead of clarity, they’re drowning in noise.This is the moment we have to recognize that what they need from us is to help them step back. What looks like resistance or burnout is often a dysregulated nervous system trying to protect you. Clients who have lived with chronic conditions for years tend to lose connection to pleasure, internal cues, and trust in their bodies. They stop listening inward and start chasing external solutions, which only deepens the overwhelm. Rebuilding safety, awareness, and sustainable self-regulation is the foundation they need to optimize their health.Today, I’m joined by Functional Nutritionist Robin Randisi and Pelvic Floor Therapist and Nervous System Coach Cait Van Damm to explore how we can help our clients to overcome the long haul of chronic illness. We talk about stripping back complex protocols, rebuilding interoceptive awareness, creating spaciousness for the nervous system, helping clients experiment with what works for their specific bodies, how they help clients to reconnect with pleasure, shifting away from checklist-style protocols, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/what-gets-missed-for-chronic-illness-healing-how-simple-unsexy-tools-create-sustainable-recovery-with-robin-randisi-cait-van-damm/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“My limiting belief told me I was limited in the outpatient world. But the truth is, I was already several steps ahead of most people, and that’s enough.” - Dr. Amanda ThompsonBurnout is everywhere in healthcare right now. Productivity standards are climbing, providers are stretched to their limits, and rural areas in particular are left patching together care with minimal resources. For many practitioners, the dream of doing integrative, patient-centered work is in their grasp, but imposter syndrome keeps them small. This is your call to action because your help is desperately needed.Physical therapists, OTs, dietitians, nurses, and other allied health professionals are uniquely positioned to transform care in rural and underserved areas. By stepping outside the narrow definitions of rehab and embracing coaching, nutrition, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle medicine, we can become the cornerstones of our clients’ health teams. When we lead with active listening and root-cause thinking, we’re not just treating symptoms, we’re empowering whole people.Today, I’m joined by Dr. Amanda Thompson, a physical therapist and women’s health coach who went from rural hospital burnout to founding Rooted Physical Therapy, her thriving ortho-pelvic PT clinic in North Texas. Along her journey, Amanda has overcome her limiting beliefs to build a functional and integrative practice in a rural setting.In this conversation, Amanda and I discuss how her own experiences with fertility struggles, perimenopause, and parenting shaped her clinical approach, how rural practitioners can leverage their “jack of all trades” skills to create lasting impact, the role of active listening in patient care, why pelvic health can’t be siloed from nutrition or mental health, how to reframe imposter syndrome into confidence, and more.If you feel held back by burnout or the fear that you don’t know enough, Amanda’s story is an inspiring blueprint of how to break through. Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/overcoming-impostor-syndrome-to-founding-a-highly-successful-rural-womens-practice-with-dr-amanda-thompson-pt-whc/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“When your client says their body changed overnight, she’s not exaggerating.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondSo many women arrive in perimenopause or menopause feeling blindsided by the changes in their bodies. They’re exercising, eating well, and they might even be using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but no matter what they do, they’re noticing weight gain around the middle, higher cholesterol, or shifts in their blood sugar. It can be discouraging for both the client and for us as practitioners when all the usual tools stop working. But these changes are not about willpower or doubling down. They’re about physiology.During the menopause transition, the body goes through a true metabolic shift. Even women who seem to be perfectly healthy can experience significant changes in body composition, energy, and cardiovascular health. Research shows that each year of the menopause transition brings about a 1.7% increase in visceral fat and that LDL cholesterol can rise by up to 12%. Understanding how and why these physiological changes happen is the key to better supporting our midlife clients with compassion, structure, and confidence.Today, I’m breaking down everything about metabolism in midlife. I’m sharing the key findings from the SWAN study, how hormones, insulin resistance, and SHBG work together to influence weight, blood sugar, and energy, practical strategies for assessing and supporting clients through these changes, integrating the Confidence in Complexity framework for long-term results, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-metabolic-shift-helping-women-clients-with-weight-gain-blood-sugar-and-cholesterol-in-midlife/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Perimenopause isn’t just about hot flashes and night sweats. It’s about the brain.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondBrain fog, anxiety, and mood swings are among the most common and frustrating symptoms for women in perimenopause and menopause. At the same time, they’re also the most misunderstood. For too many of us, these symptoms are brushed off as stress or just part of getting older when in reality, they reveal the deep connection between hormonal changes, neuroinflammation, and the brain’s resilience during midlife.For practitioners, we have to embrace this critical shift in perspective. When your clients describe cognitive fog, forgetfulness, irritability, or rage that feels new to them, it’s about their hormones, nervous systems, and lived experience. The midlife brain is sensitive to fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, as well as to chronic stress, past head injuries, viral inflammation, and gut health imbalances. Recognizing how these systems interact is key to building care plans that work in the real world.Today, I’m walking you through a case study of a 46-year-old client navigating brain fog, migraines, anxiety, and mood changes layered on top of long COVID, a concussion history, and chronic stress. Using the IWHI MAPS Framework and our Seven-Step System, I’ll show you how we connect the dots between hormones, inflammation, and nervous system regulation — and how you can best support cognitive healing in women who feel like they’ve lost their edge. You’ll also learn why low progesterone can amplify anxiety and insomnia, how estrogen fluctuations affect cerebral blood flow and migraines, and how to use structured, trauma-informed systems to guide women like this from overwhelm to clarity.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/helping-clients-with-brain-fog-anxiety-and-mood-changes-in-perimenopause-menopause/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Most programs train you for the simple cases. Confidence in Complexity trains you for the real ones.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondWhen women reach midlife, they rarely show up with one neat, easy-to-solve issue. More often, they’re managing layers like autoimmunity, trauma, long COVID, endometriosis, migraines, chronic pain, all of which are now intersecting with shifting hormones. These are the clients who need us most, but they’re also the ones most practitioners feel least prepared to help. The truth is, most programs focus on textbook cases of hot flashes and HRT but the real world is a lot messier.That’s why I created the Confidence in ComplexityTM framework. Instead of memorizing protocols, it helps you to think in systems so you can see patterns, prioritize where to start, and actually feel calm when a client’s case feels overwhelming. Once you learn to organize complexity, you can confidently support even your most challenging clients while protecting your own energy and time.Today, I’m walking you through our MAPS System which is a practical tool that helps you assess across systems, identify root causes, and move step-by-step through nervous system, mitochondrial, immune, and hormone health. I’m also teaching you our 7-Step Women’s Health System, which brings together functional assessment, client goals, and trauma-informed implementation in a way that’s structured but flexible. This episode will show you exactly how to organize complex cases, support your clients with confidence, and feel grounded in your expertise.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/confidence-in-complexity-how-practitioners-can-master-perimenopause-menopause-care/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Women’s health is never textbook. Complexity is the rule, not the exception.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondRight now, most health professionals are still being trained to treat simple, textbook cases of perimenopause and menopause, leaving millions of women without the comprehensive, evidence-based care they deserve. At the same time, there’s a growing wave of public awareness, policy changes, and cultural conversation that’s putting menopause squarely in the spotlight. Women in perimenopause and menopause are tired of being dismissed, and they are actively seeking something different.​For women’s health practitioners, this growing need is a significant opportunity. In the United States alone, 1.3 million women enter menopause each year, and most of them want more support than they can get from social media and generic hormone protocols. Women in midlife are looking for practitioners who can combine nutrition, lifestyle changes, nervous system support, and coaching that fits their unique needs.​In this episode, I’m kicking off our Confidence in Complexity series by exploring why perimenopause and menopause care are the next frontier in women’s health, and why this is the perfect time to specialize. We’ll look at the numbers driving this global shift, the new policies and employer benefits emerging, why this field is growing faster than almost any other area in women’s health, and how a lack of training in traditional programs has left a massive gap that you are uniquely equipped to fill.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/why-perimenopause-menopause-care-is-the-future-of-womens-health/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“We all deserve good 85-year-old brain health, and that starts today.” - Dr. Mariza SnyderBetween long workdays, parenting, and never-ending to-do lists, most midlife women feel like there’s no time left for their own health. Sleep gets pushed aside, movement is de-prioritized, and self-care is shuffled off the calendar in favor of more “pressing” tasks. But the habits we build now aren’t just about getting through today. They’re about protecting our brain, bones, and energy for decades to come.The science of hormones is only half the story; the rest is about building practical systems that fit into the chaos of our clients’ lives. From rethinking bedtime routines to shifting small daily habits, this is how we help our clients stop burning out and start thriving through perimenopause and beyond.Today, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Dr. Mariza Snyder, author, speaker, podcast host, and advocate for midlife women. Dr. Mariza has helped women around the world move from survival mode to intentional living, and for us as health and wellness practitioners, her approach is a masterclass in helping women implement real change.In this episode, Dr. Mariza and I discuss the importance of quality sleep, habit stacking, how to incorporate small, consistent movements into daily routines, why it’s essential to manage digital distractions carefully, how we can support brain health in midlife, strategies for prioritizing self-care in our busy lives, actionable tools for symptom management and long-term well-being, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-heal-your-perimenopause-brain-with-dr-mariza-snyder/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Most programs teach you the textbook cases. We teach you the real ones.” – Dr. Jessica DrummondThere’s no such thing as a routine menopause client. Every woman brings her own history, from autoimmune disease to migraines, chronic pain, medical gaslighting, and more. That makes midlife care complex. And yet most training programs only cover basic scenarios, which don’t help us in the real world, where things are complex and interconnected.This is exactly where the opportunity lies. By becoming a practitioner who can confidently navigate complexity, you set yourself apart in one of the fastest-growing areas of women’s health. With 6,000 women entering menopause every single day in the U.S. alone, demand is exploding. Midlife women want and deserve providers who can integrate nervous system regulation, functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and evidence-based coaching into personalized care plans.In this episode, I’m breaking down the three pillars every practitioner needs to thrive in the realm of perimenopause and menopause: in-depth education grounded in the Confidence in Complexity framework, practical business training and career optimization, and weekly expert coaching to keep you supported and accountable. You’ll learn why these skills are essential for both client outcomes and practitioner sustainability, and how to create a practice model that offers flexibility, financial stability, and deep professional fulfillment.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-practitioners-become-experts-in-perimenopause-and-menopause-care/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“By addressing my nervous system, which also helped me heal my long COVID, I really healed my sleep.” - Chantal TraubSleep isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation of brain health, nervous system regulation, and the resilience we need to thrive in midlife.So many practitioners arrive in perimenopause already burned out and sleep-deprived from years of on-call shifts, raising kids, caregiving, or simply pushing through exhaustion. By the time we reach midlife, even the most dedicated providers might feel like they’re running on fumes. Restoring your sleep isn’t just about getting more rest. It can completely transform your health and the way you show up for your family, clients, and yourself.Today, I’m joined by Chantal Traub, doula turned perimenopause and menopause coach, and a graduate of our Integrative Women’s Health Institute programs. Chantal shares her journey from decades of burnout and insomnia to finally sleeping 7–10 hours a night and building a career that supports both her health and her family.For health and wellness professionals, Chantal’s story is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to sacrifice our well-being to support our clients and patients. Setting boundaries, prioritizing nervous system regulation, and redesigning your career for flexibility are essential skills for building a sustainable practice that’s flexible, fulfilling, and deeply impactful.In this episode, Chantal and I discuss her path from birth work to menopause coaching, the role of nervous system regulation in overcoming long COVID and chronic insomnia, how she helps clients navigate frozen shoulder, brain fog, and weight gain in midlife, and why curiosity, empathy, and accountability are the most underrated tools in coaching, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-transform-your-womens-health-practice-to-have-the-flexibility-you-desire-and-get-great-sleep-with-chantal-traub/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“These women aren’t just dealing with an injury. They’re living in a low-estrogen environment that changes everything about healing.”Musculoskeletal pain in midlife is often misdiagnosed. A woman presents with widespread joint pain, poor sleep, and fatigue, and she’s given a stack of prescriptions that never get to the root cause. But in perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen and progesterone fundamentally change how muscles, tendons, and bones repair and recover, and without that context, practitioners can unintentionally overlook one of the most important drivers of their clients’ pain.For us as women’s health practitioners, this is a call to rethink the way we approach musculoskeletal pain in women over 40. Recognizing the hormonal-musculoskeletal connection allows us to shift from chasing symptoms to addressing root causes with confidence.In today’s episode, I’m sharing a case study of a 51-year-old client navigating widespread musculoskeletal pain, poor sleep, osteopenia, and perimenopause. Using our updated MAPS framework and seven-step system from the Perimenopause and Menopause Certificate Program, I break down how to integrate hormone health, nervous system regulation, nutrition, mitochondrial support, and strength training into a comprehensive care plan.I’m sharing why estrogen and progesterone matter for joint and bone health, how to avoid the downward spiral of polypharmacy, practical strategies to help clients recover at a sustainable pace, and how to use integrative tools to help your clients thrive.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/new-approach-to-musculoskeletal-pain-in-menopause-with-dr-jessica-drummond/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Perimenopause can amplify and unmask complex chronic illnesses that were hiding in the background.” – Dr. Jessica DrummondWhen we skip the chronic illness conversation with our midlife clients and patients and go straight to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), we miss helping women feel fully well and stay well into their later years. While HRT can be an important tool, it’s not the whole story.For the majority of women, the perimenopause transition overlaps with complex chronic illnesses like endometriosis, autoimmune disease, or long COVID, that can flare or appear for the first time in midlife. If we only address hormones, we miss the root causes of symptoms. These women need more than quick fixes and generic protocols. They need skilled providers who can integrate functional nutrition, nervous system regulation, personalized coaching, and chronic illness management into a holistic care plan.In this episode, we’re doing things a little differently. I’m being interviewed by my friend, Marnie Glavin of Pelvic Health Support, to discuss why midlife is such an important time for us as women's health and wellness practitioners, the intersection between perimenopause and chronic illness, how we can help clients to develop their longevity plan, the tools and skills required to support this underserved population, and how we can empower women going through the transition.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/navigating-perimenopause-and-complex-chronic-illness-with-dr-jessica-drummond-interviewed-by-marnie-glavin/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Being a holistic practitioner is about focusing on the individual, not protocols.” – Carly NadineSo many of our clients come to us carrying complex histories, whether it’s years of period pain, medical gaslighting, trauma, chronic infections, or a sense of not being heard. By the time they reach midlife, we have to adopt a different approach. True healing requires slowing down, holding space, and co-creating solutions that meet each woman where she is.For practitioners, this is a powerful reminder that we can’t lean solely on labs, supplements, or even functional medicine protocols. We must develop the skills of listening deeply, integrating nervous system regulation, and empowering our clients to take ownership of their healing journey.Today, I’m joined by Carly Nadine McConkey, certified holistic nutritionist, clinical herbalist, and graduate of our Perimenopause and Menopause Certificate Program. Carly shares her journey from being placed on birth control before her first period to becoming a trauma-informed practitioner who blends functional nutrition, herbal medicine, and coaching.In this episode, Carly and I discuss her growth mindset, how she overcame imposter syndrome, the value of group coaching support, why integrative practitioners must be comfortable with both evidence and the unknowns, why we must develop our coaching skills for our clients in perimenopause, our role in educating clients on their treatment options, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let’s innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-importance-of-developing-your-coaching-skills-in-functional-nutrition-and-perimenopause-with-carley-nadine/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“My limiting belief told me I was limited in the outpatient world. But the truth is, I was already several steps ahead of most people, and that’s enough.” - Dr. Amanda ThompsonBurnout is everywhere in healthcare right now. Productivity standards are climbing, providers are stretched to their limits, and rural areas in particular are left patching together care with minimal resources. For many practitioners, the dream of doing integrative, patient-centered work is in their grasp, but imposter syndrome keeps them small. This is your call to action because your help is desperately needed.Physical therapists, OTs, dietitians, nurses, and other allied health professionals are uniquely positioned to transform care in rural and underserved areas. By stepping outside the narrow definitions of rehab and embracing coaching, nutrition, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle medicine, we can become the cornerstones of our clients’ health teams. When we lead with active listening and root-cause thinking, we’re not just treating symptoms, we’re empowering whole people.Today, I’m joined by Dr. Amanda Thompson, a physical therapist and women’s health coach who went from rural hospital burnout to founding Rooted Physical Therapy, her thriving ortho-pelvic PT clinic in North Texas. Along her journey, Amanda has overcome her limiting beliefs to build a functional and integrative practice in a rural setting.In this conversation, Amanda and I discuss how her own experiences with fertility struggles, perimenopause, and parenting shaped her clinical approach, how rural practitioners can leverage their “jack of all trades” skills to create lasting impact, the role of active listening in patient care, why pelvic health can’t be siloed from nutrition or mental health, how to reframe imposter syndrome into confidence, and more.If you feel held back by burnout or the fear that you don’t know enough, Amanda’s story is an inspiring blueprint of how to break through. Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/overcoming-impostor-syndrome-to-founding-a-highly-successful-rural-womens-practice-with-dr-amanda-thompson-pt-whc/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/). Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).