Transforming 45

“It’s not a problem that you can’t keep it together enough. It’s a problem that you have too much to keep together.” — Dr. Michelle Jacobson What happens when a leading menopause specialist and a seasoned business builder decide that “this is just how it is” is no longer an acceptable answer? In this episode, Lisa sits down with Dr. Michelle Jacobson and Jenn Patterson, co-founders of Coven Health, to explore why women’s healthcare so often feels fragmented—and what becomes possible when care is evidence-informed, collaborative and built around the whole woman. They talk honestly about perimenopause, migraine, iron deficiency, anxiety, rage, libido, medical dismissal and the impossible pressure to keep everything together. They also unpack why individualized care matters, why a patient must have agency in every treatment plan, and how better education now could change the experience of the next generation. In this epsiode: How a two-and-a-half-year specialist wait list helped inspire a new model of care Why publicly funded physician care is only one piece of comprehensive health support How migraines, mood changes, fatigue and rage can intersect with the menopause transition Why not every midlife symptom is “just hormones” The value of prioritizing one meaningful health change at a time What true patient-centred care and informed choice look like How Gen X women were trained to keep it together—and what that has cost us Why teaching the full life cycle of women’s health could change everything The deeper meaning behind the name Coven Chapters: 00:00 Meet Dr. Michelle Jacobson and Jenn Patterson 01:37 Building a Better Model for Women’s Healthcare 04:12 Jenn’s Journey from Patient to Co-Founder 07:10 Why Women Struggle to Find the Right Care 08:56 Public Healthcare, Private Clinics and the Missing Nuance 12:17 Closing the Gaps in Women’s Healthcare 14:29 What’s Missing from the Menopause Conversation 19:20 Migraines, Anxiety and Early Perimenopause 20:14 Menopause Rage—and the Power Inside It 25:25 Why Women Feel They Must Keep It All Together 28:44 What We’re Teaching the Next Generation 30:13 Supporting Women Earlier in Their Lives 31:59 The Menopause Education Gap 37:39 What Patient-Centred Care Actually Looks Like 43:33 Why the Name Coven? 47:14 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Coven About the guests: Dr. Michelle Jacobson is an OB-GYN and menopause specialist whose work focuses on evidence-informed, individualized women’s healthcare. Jenn Patterson is an entrepreneur, business leader and CEO of Coven Health. Together, they are building a collaborative model designed to help women feel heard, informed and supported across midlife and beyond. Connect with Coven Health: Website: https://www.covenhealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covenhealth/ Connect with Lisa: Website: https://liberatedmenopause.ca Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lboate/ And come connect with Coven in person at The National Menopause Show! 📍 International Centre, Hall 5 📅 October 17 & 18, 2026 🎟️ Use code TRANSFORM45 for 15% off your tickets. Gather your own coven and come join us. This episode is for education and conversation only. It does not replace individualized medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your own symptoms and care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join me at this year’s National Menopause Show, October 17 and 18 at the International Centre in Mississauga. Go to https://nationalmenopauseshow.com/ and use code TRANSFORM45. For years, Jessica Holmes built a career playing other people. Now, in midlife, she is discovering the freedom of becoming more fully herself. In this episode of Transforming 45, Lisa and Jessica talk about the pressure Gen X women inherited to do everything, the fear of having a professional “best-before date,” and the identity shift that arrives when children leave home. Jessica shares the phrase guiding her life now: “I travel at the pace of my own well-being.” Together, they explore why boundaries are not the same as abandoning community, how self-kindness changes with age, and why workplace well-being cannot be used as a bandage for unsafe systems. There is also a giant sun hat, a rebellious braless dog walk and a reminder that midlife liberation can be both meaningful and gloriously ridiculous. In this conversation Identity after years of performing for other people Menopause, ageism and the myth of a professional expiration date Empty-nest transitions and changing caregiving roles Moving at the pace of your own well-being Saying no without an apology essay Self-care, community and the difference between boundaries and disconnection Psychological safety and why resilience cannot fix harmful systems Modelling a different relationship with achievement for young adults If this episode connected with you, share it with the woman who needs permission to stop racing a clock she never chose. Guest bio Jessica Holmes is a celebrated Canadian comedian, speaker, author and mental health advocate. She has opened for Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey; performed with Just for Laughs and The Second City; and starred in The Holmes Show and Royal Canadian Air Farce. Her book, Depression The Comedy: A Tale of Perseverance, uses humour and honesty to explore resilience, mental health and joy. Website: https://jessicaholmes.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyfunholmes/ Chapters 00:45 – Meet Jessica Holmes: comedy, mental health and finding funny when life goes off-book 03:30 – From playing other people to learning to play yourself 04:23 – Empty-nest identity and having something hopeful to move toward 06:49 – The invisible backpack of work, motherhood and pressure 09:51 – Ageism and the myth of a professional best-before date 13:30 – “I travel at the pace of my own well-being” 18:08 – Comparison, rejection and running your own race 20:17 – The self-kindness that can arrive with age 21:20 – Practising no without over-explaining 24:18 – Self-care, service and community are not opposites 27:58 – UV clothing and the everyday rebellion of dressing for yourself 31:44 – What midlife parents can model for young adults 34:48 – Achievement, money and what actually supports well-being 38:13 – Psychological safety must come from leadership 42:55 – Why workplace well-being cannot be a bandage 44:05 – What makes Jessica feel most alive Learn more about Lisa and Liberated Menopause: https://liberatedmenopause.ca Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Transforming 45, we're joined by Liz Holland, who shares her inspiring story of overcoming challenges and finding success as an entrepreneur. Liz opens up about her childhood struggles with sensory processing disorder and how she turned those experiences into a thriving business that helps others like her. She talks about the impact of sensory issues and menopause on her nervous system, emphasizing the importance of self-care and understanding. From designing tennis rackets to creating products for sensory support, Liz discusses her transition to a career that truly fulfills her. She shares the challenges of working for male CEOs and the importance of seeking help and finding diagnosis for self-understanding. Key takeaways from our conversation with Liz: Sensory processing disorder brings challenges but also strengths. Menopause can intensify sensory issues, highlighting the need for self-care. Understanding the nervous system helps regulate emotions and well-being. Midlife calls for prioritizing self-care and supportive relationships. Transitioning to a fulfilling career requires courage and resilience. Working with male CEOs demands adaptability and perseverance. Seeking help leads to clarity and self-understanding. Childhood experiences shape passions and interests. Entrepreneurship involves learning from failures and leveraging past skills. Building a team is crucial for achieving goals and dreams. Don't miss Liz's story of resilience and triumph. Tune in to Transforming 45 now! Where you can find Liz: Sensoryproductdesign.com Cozyzzz.com LEANIN25 (25% off entire order) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Transforming 45 Podcast, Lisa sits down with Karen Armes, founder of ZuZu Unleashed, holistic health educator, retreat leader, entrepreneur, and passionate disruptor in the wellness space. Together, they unpack the modern midlife experience through the lens of nervous system health, depletion, minerals, emotional overwhelm, identity shifts, connection, and what happens when women stop abandoning themselves. This conversation moves beyond surface-level wellness trends and into the deeper questions so many women are asking right now: Why am I exhausted? Why doesn’t my body feel like mine anymore? Why do I still feel depleted even after “doing all the things”? Expect a spicy, thought-provoking conversation about modern health culture, human connection, nervous systems, emotional load, and how we move from survival mode into possibility. Episodes of Transforming 45 drop every Thursday on all listening platforms and YouTube. Why modern women are feeling so depleted Nervous system overload and emotional exhaustion The role of minerals and nourishment Human connection and energetic health Midlife identity shifts Returning to yourself after years of survival mode Chapters: 00:00 Meet Karen “ZuZu” Armes 02:30 Why Aging Looks Different for Women Today 07:21 Menopause, Minerals & the Nervous System 11:47 What Does It Mean to Be “Electric”? 18:21 Why “Vibration” Isn’t Just Woo-Woo 19:50 Human Connection, Energy & the Nervous System 23:07 How Collective Experiences Change Us 26:10 What’s Actually in Your Supplements? 30:09 The Overwhelming Wellness Landscape 31:06 Where Do Midlife Women Even Start? 35:02 Why We Long to Reconnect With Our Roots 37:36 Grief, Spiritual Connection & Those We’ve Lost 40:00 “I’ve Done Everything and Still Don’t Feel Like Myself” 41:03 Are You Stuck in Fight-or-Flight? 43:11 Moving From Fear Into Possibility 44:39 One Tiny Morning Practice That Can Shift Your Day 45:29 Why Social Media Keeps Us Stuck in the List 47:36 Smile, Mineralize & Ask Questions Connect with Lisa: Website: Liberated Menopause Consulting & Coaching Instagram: @lboate Facebook: Lisa Boate Facebook Group: Transforming 45 Community YouTube: Transforming 45 Email: [email protected] Website: ZuZu UnleashedHolistic Health Education: Holistic Health EducatorsRetreat Centre: Lily Fields Retreat CenterInstagram: @zuzu_unleashedFacebook: ZuZu Unleashed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if aging isn't something that simply happens to us? This week's conversation completely shifted how I think about longevity. Not because it promised magic supplements or miracle cures. Because it reminded me that the goal isn't living longer. It's protecting the years we're living. If you've ever wondered… ✨ Should I take supplements? ✨ Does intermittent fasting really work? ✨ What happens to our bodies during menopause? ✨ How do I know what's real? ...this conversation is for you. Chapters: 00:00 Can We Actually Slow Aging? 02:39 Why Do We Age? 08:25 Why Aging Sneaks Up on Gen X 10:00 What Menopause Has to Do With Aging 12:06 When Should You Seek Menopause Treatment? 13:19 The 7 Biological Causes of Aging 18:58 Mitochondria, Energy & Aging 20:01 Why Sleep Changes As We Age 21:07 Estrogen's Effect Throughout the Body 23:40 Inflammation and the Aging Immune System 27:07 Glucose, Insulin Resistance & Aging 29:25 Lifespan vs Healthspan 33:50 Which Supplements Actually Have Evidence? 40:03 Where Do You Start? 42:15 Exercise, Bones & Women's Longevity 52:58 What Quality of Life Do You Want? Aging begins long before menopause. Healthspan matters more than lifespan. Hormones are only one piece of healthy aging. Strength training becomes increasingly important after 40. Good science embraces uncertainty. Longevity isn't about perfection—it's about reducing disease risk over time. Fact Check: Rosalind Franklin Connect with Dr. Kaufmann: Website: https://kaufmannprotocol.com Clinical website: https://kaufmannlongevity.com Instagram: @kaufmannlongevity Connect with Lisa: Website: https://www.liberatedmenopause.ca Podcast: https://www.liberatedmenopause.ca/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lboate Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/leaninfindyourwayhome Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245092311417467 Email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices