Beautiful Inside by Beauticate

In this episode of Beautiful Inside, Sigourney sits down with Dr. Fatima Khan, GP, women's health expert, and author, for a powerful conversation about the hidden mental health impacts of perimenopause and why so many women are being misdiagnosed, dismissed, or told it's "just stress."Together, they explore the biological, psychological, and societal forces shaping women's health during midlife, from anxiety, brain fog, poor sleep, burnout, ADHD symptoms, and hormonal changes to the invisible mental load women carry every day. Dr. Fatima Khan explains why perimenopause is far more than hot flushes and missed periods, and how fluctuating hormones can affect nearly every organ in the body, especially the brain.In this episode you'll learn:• Why anxiety, overwhelm, brain fog and fatigue can be early signs of perimenopause • How hormonal changes affect mental health and emotional resilience • The connection between perimenopause, ADHD and executive dysfunction • Why so many women are misdiagnosed with depression and anxiety during midlife • The role trauma and chronic stress play in hormone-related symptoms • How sleep, nutrition and resistance training can support hormonal health • The importance of nervous system regulation and meditation during perimenopause • Why social connection may be one of the most important health tools available to women • Practical strategies for advocating for yourself in the healthcare system • How to navigate burnout, changing priorities and the transition into the next phase of life.

What if the anxiety, brain fog, overwhelm, insomnia and loss of confidence you've been experiencing aren't "just stress" or burnout?In this powerful episode of Beautiful Inside, Sigourney sits down with Dr. Fatima Khan, one of Australia's leading voices in women's hormone health and author of Hormone Health Is Mental Health, to explore the hidden mental health impacts of perimenopause and why so many women are being misdiagnosed, dismissed, or struggling in silence. Dr. Khan explains why perimenopause often begins in the brain years before the first hot flush, how hormonal changes affect anxiety, sleep, ADHD symptoms, cognition, and emotional resilience, and why women in their 40s can suddenly feel like they've become a different person.Together, they unpack the biological, psychological, and societal pressures facing modern women, from invisible mental load and burnout to trauma, relationships, perfectionism, and the challenge of putting yourself first. This conversation is packed with practical advice on sleep, nutrition, nervous system regulation, resistance training, meditation, self-advocacy, and navigating one of the most transformative periods of a woman's life. If you've ever wondered whether your symptoms might be hormonal, or if you've felt unseen, unheard, or misunderstood, this episode is for you. In this episode we discuss:Perimenopause and mental healthAnxiety, brain fog and sleep disruptionADHD and hormonal changesBurnout and the invisible mental loadTrauma and nervous system regulationNutrition, exercise and hormone healthMeditation, breathwork and resilienceWhy women need better support during midlife🎙️ Beautiful Inside by Beauticate is a podcast exploring the intersection of beauty, wellness, mental health and personal transformation through honest conversations with leading experts and inspiring guests.

Over the past year, I've been quietly building a whole new chapter of Beauticate. It's been exciting, fulfilling, creative and, if I'm honest, incredibly stressful at times.In this solo Sacred Six episode, I'm sharing the six rituals, tools and practices that have helped me stay grounded, regulate my nervous system and protect my wellbeing during one of the busiest periods of my life.From infrared saunas and nervous system support to community walks, breath work and the surprising gadget that's become a daily non-negotiable, these are the habits helping me navigate long workdays, chronic pain, anxiety and overwhelm.If you've been feeling stretched too thin, struggling with stress, burnout, poor sleep or simply trying to hold everything together, I hope this conversation offers some practical inspiration and a reminder that small rituals can have a profound impact.In this episode, we discuss:Why nervous system regulation has become my number one wellbeing priorityThe surprising benefits of infrared sauna sessions for stress, sleep and chronic painHow community connection can dramatically improve mental healthThe meditation ritual I've relied on for years to manage anxiety and insomniaMy favourite tools for relieving neck and back tension during stressful periodsWhy vagus nerve stimulation has become part of my daily wellbeing practiceThe simple mobility exercise that helps me manage chronic pain and inflammationWhether you're navigating a demanding season of life, experiencing burnout, struggling with sleep or simply looking for ways to feel calmer and more resilient, this episode is packed with practical tools you can start using immediately.If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd be so grateful if you'd leave a review, rate the podcast and share it with a friend. Your support helps us continue having these important conversations and reach more women who need them.This episode is proudly supported by Pulsetto.Pulsetto is a wearable vagus nerve stimulation device designed to help regulate stress, anxiety, burnout and sleep. Beauticate listeners can use the code BEAUTICATE for 15% off.FEATURED RESOURCESJoin our Beauticate Walk & Talk What’s App Group Here (⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/GdEee0VDgPKDh2ld7KVr9f?s=cl&p=i&ilr=2⁠)Brooke Stephenson 9D Breathwork & Mindset: Luxe Wellness Collective (⁠https://www.luxewellness.com.au/⁠).Sanluer LED Mask Shop Here &c use code BEAUTICATE10 for 10% offhttps://sanlueur.com/products/advanced-led-light-therapy-facial-mask?ref=BEAUTICATE10Insight Timer Download Here (⁠https://insighttimer.com/⁠)Pulsetto Shop here  (⁠https://pulsetto-gb.myshopify.com/?sca_ref=7074273.5OdIohWvEy2&utm_source=uppromote&utm_medium=15-affiliate-commission-inf&utm_campaign=sigourney-cantelo⁠) for 15% off Nook Infrared Sauna Shop here  (⁠https://nooksaunas.com.au/BEAUTICATE%20BEAUTICATE⁠) and use the code BEAUTICATEKiicity Neck Massager Shop here (⁠https://kiicity.com/products/thermatouch-body-massager?ref=SIGOURNEY⁠) for 20% off00:00 Intro02:08 Why I Created This Stress Survival Kit03:14 The Six Tools That Kept Me Sane03:52 My Infrared Sauna Obsession05:37 The Power of Walks, Friendship & Community06:38 The Breathwork Session That Changed Everything07:42 Meditation, Sleep & Habit Stacking08:40 The Heated Neck Massager I Use Daily09:29 The Water Therapy Trick for Chronic Pain10:07 The Vagus Nerve Device I Swear By11:05 My Final Thoughts on Stress & Resilience11:35 Sharing What Works So We Don't Gatekeep11:54 Outro

This week, I’m joined by Dr Sarah Jane - Holistic chiropractor & Counsellor, founder of Spinal Energetics, and one of the most fascinating voices I’ve encountered at the intersection of science, somatics and the unseen.What struck me most about Sarah isn’t just the work she does - it’s the life she’s lived to arrive there.From a traumatic car accident and chronic pain… to an abusive relationship that left her body holding what her mind couldn’t process, to years of fibromyalgia, miscarriages, and navigating her mother’s sudden brain injury - her story is layered, complex, and deeply human.And it’s this lived experience that led her to a radical realisation:that healing isn’t just cognitive - it’s physical, emotional, and deeply embodied.In this conversation, we explore what happens when the body “keeps score”, why talk therapy alone isn’t always enough, and how creating safety in the nervous system can begin to shift even the deepest patterns.Sarah opens up about the concept of bracing - the unconscious tension so many of us carry - and why the goal isn’t to eliminate it, but to retrain it. As she beautifully explains, healing isn’t about never feeling pain again, it’s about changing your relationship to it.We also talk about grief that has no clear ending - miscarriages, identity loss, and what she calls “ambiguous grief” - and why our culture still struggles to hold space for it.Her book "Your Spine Holds the Answer" launches in July. A guide to holistic healing, the emotional roots of pain, and Spinal EnergeticsIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why your body can hold onto trauma long after your mind has processed it– The difference between understanding healing and actually embodying it– How “bracing” shows up in everyday life (and how to soften it)– Why emotional pain often lingers longer than physical pain– The rituals and practices that helped Sarah rebuild herself, piece by pieceThis is a conversation about resilience — but not the glossy kind.The real kind. The quiet kind. The kind that asks you to sit with yourself, and slowly, gently, come home.Find Sarah’s Sacred Six below:William Whitecloud's Secrets of Natural Success: Five Steps to Unlocking Your Genius: https://www.amazon.com.au/Secrets-Natural-Success-William-Whitecloud/dp/0987634313Funday’s Sour Lollies: https://www.fundaysweets.com/collections/sour-lollies?srsltid=AfmBOop8ed7g9mRYGa8TL972MHk9Vk8YKuJTr3MsuVwjczFB__xUBkjANatural Hand Sanitiser: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/306677LMNT Electrolytes: https://amzn.asia/d/0bUT24fm Metagenics Parex: https://www.metagenics.com.au/products/parex-50-tablets?srsltid=AfmBOop4BzJgQD-1bO5BNCU7uR3uP7dezaw5KrNhm69d3MbS9EC8GJBP LaptopIf this episode resonated, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review or share it with someone who might need it.👉 Head to beauticate.com/vodcast to watch or listen to the full episode🫶 A special thank you to Pulsetto, our season sponsor. Use BEAUTICATE for 15% off at pulsetto.tech00:00 Intro00:47 Meet Dr Sarah Jane & the philosophy behind Spinal Energetics03:20 How the body stores emotional trauma08:09 The car accident that changed everything10:19 Abuse, emotional pain & psychogenic seizures15:03 Why talk therapy wasn’t enough18:57 The body keeps score: releasing trauma somatically21:05 Childhood abandonment & meeting her father for the first time24:16 EMDR, psychotherapy & healing modalities26:11 Why healing doesn’t mean never feeling pain again27:50 Bracing, hyper vigilance & nervous system safety30:50 Miscarriage, fertility grief & surrogacy33:28 Her mother’s sudden brain illness & caregiving36:17 Living with ambiguous grief & loss40:11 Meditation, yoga & Vipassana42:14 Ancient healing wisdom & Buddhism46:32 Ritual, grief & what modern culture is missing48:13 Trauma, purpose & post-traumatic growth51:05 Healing work in India & helping children through trauma53:23 From chiropractic to creating Spinal Energetics

This week, I’m joined by Alexa Roetger, better known to many as Nurse Lex — founder of Aestheticá Byron Bay, registered nurse, skin expert, and one of those rare women whose work is deeply grounded in both science and soul. Publicly, she’s built a respected Byron Bay clinic known for its holistic, less-is-more approach to skin. Privately, her story is one of resilience, reinvention, grief, motherhood, and learning to trust her own philosophy in an industry obsessed with trends. (Aestheticá, Byron Bay)In this conversation, Lex shares how she went from working in high-pressure clinical nursing to creating a business that helps women feel more at home in themselves — not more “perfect”, just more aligned. We talk about the emotional side of aesthetics, the moment your reflection no longer feels like you, and why so many women aren’t really chasing youth at all, but recognition.We also go deeper into the realities of building a business while becoming a mother, the quiet power of word of mouth, and the grief that can reshape how you see women’s health, hormones, ageing and care. It’s a conversation about skin, yes — but also identity, intuition, and what it means to support women honestly.In this episode, we explore:Lex’s path from nursing into aesthetic medicineThe surprise motherhood story that unfolded while she was building her clinicWhy she believes skin health should come before trendsHer thoughts on barrier repair, regenerative treatments and respecting the skinThe emotional impact of perimenopause, menopause and not recognising yourself in the mirrorWhy the best practitioners aren’t always the loudest onlineWhat it takes to grow a trusted business through integrity and reputationYou’ll come away with a deeper understanding of skin, but also a deeper compassion for yourself — especially if you’ve ever felt like your outer self stopped matching the person you know you still are inside.If you loved this episode, I’d be so grateful if you left a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps us reach more women who need these conversations.A special thank you to @pulsetto.tech, our season sponsor. Use BEAUTICATE for 15% off at pulsetto.tech