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We’re calling out the outdated, fear-based, and sometimes downright harmful approaches that still dominate the fitness and rehab industries.

I’m joined by Autumn Halazon, a personal trainer, Pilates instructor, and founder of Halazon Fitness with over 27 years of experience. From her early days in a full-contact boxing gym to her evolution into fascia-based, intuitive movement coaching, Autumn brings a no-nonsense, whole-body perspective to fitness for women over 40.

We explore how the “textbook form” obsession, aesthetic pressure, and shame-based coaching create pain—not progress. We also unpack how overtraining, instructor ego, and nervous system dysregulation sabotage long-term results for clients…and what to do instead.

Whether you’re a clinician, fitness pro, or just sick of toxic wellness culture, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why many fitness certifications don’t prepare you for real bodies
• How form obsession and body shaming sneak into even “wellness”-based spaces
• The harmful legacy of ‘knees over toes,’ posterior tilts, and ‘don’t arch your back’
• How exercise intolerance, chronic pain, and burnout are often signs of nervous system dysregulation
• What happens when movement is used as a trauma response
• Why interoception—body awareness—is the real foundation of strength
• How to coach clients who say “I don’t like strength training” (without forcing it)
• Why overcorrecting or over-cueing is harmful

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to TMI Talk with Dr. Mary

00:35 Meet Autumn Halazon: A Fitness Journey

01:19 Challenging Traditional Fitness Norms

03:37 Real-Life Client Experiences

05:02 The Importance of Individualized Training

06:27 Addressing Body Image and Trauma

08:54 Ego and Exercise: A Personal Reflection

11:06 Bridging the Gap Between PT and Fitness

13:23 Empowering Clients Through Education

14:37 Understanding and Teaching Body Awareness

22:47 Healing Relationships with Exercise

27:33 Unlearning Old Fitness Myths

28:31 The Importance of Strength Training

29:49 Motivating Reluctant Clients

31:57 Balancing Self-Love and Discipline

34:03 The Influence of Social Media on Fitness

42:58 The Role of Certifications and Intuition

48:30 The Value of Referrals and Holistic Approaches

50:20 Conclusion and Contact Information

You can learn more about Autumn below:

https://www.halazonfitness.com

Want support for perimenopause that goes beyond hormones?

Whether you (or your clients) are taking HRT but still having symptoms, not ready for it, or can’t tolerate it...there’s more we can do.

I’ll be sharing practical tools from a movement and rehab perspective, focusing on the nervous system, fascia, lymph, viscera, and musculoskeletal system.

If you want updates on workshops, resources, and strategies to support this phase of life more fully, would love you to join my email list.

Subscribe to my email list here

I’ll see you in 2 weeks!

PS:

If you are interested in being a guest on the show, please fill out the form here.