Breaking Cycles and Building Wisdom in Midlife

Breaking Cycles and Building Wisdom in Midlife

Welcome to ChangeHER. I am excited you are here for this conversation.  Today's guest works at the intersection of healing and real life, where burnout, trauma, grief, and chronic stress live in the body, and where ritual, rhythm, and deep care can actually begin to shift things. Patience Ulstadt breaks down what Ayurveda actually has to do with perimenopause and why the answer might surprise you. She reframes the symptoms so many professional women are pushing through...the fatigue, the brain fog, the sleepless nights not as problems to fix, but as messages worth listening to. Patience challenges the "add more, do more" approach to wellness and invites women to ask a different question: are you living in alignment with your own nature? She also shares why true body literacy isn't a solo journey, and how community and consistency are what make healing sustainable. If you're ready to stop overriding your body and start understanding it, this one's for you. Patience Ulstadt came to this work the way many do.  Because she needed it. After serving in the 82nd Airborne Division, she returned home carrying injuries both visible and invisible, and when the systems meant to help her heal fell short, she went looking for another way. That search led her through massage therapy, Reiki, yoga, Ayurveda, and deeper trauma-informed practices and what began as a personal path to wholeness became her life's work. Today, Patience is a Board-Certified Massage Therapist with over 25 years of experience in integrative health. She blends Ayurvedic therapies, energy work, and nervous system repair to offer something her clients describe as sanctuary…a space to come back to yourself, to be witnessed, and to soften. She also created Breaking Cycles, Building Wisdom, a yearlong trauma-informed self-care journey for women ready to slow down, reclaim their rhythm, and rewrite the patterns keeping them stuck. Patience is a gardener, a traveler, a dog mom, and a mother to adult children living in Northern Virginia and she's here today to remind us: if you're tired of pushing through, there is another way. Welcome to the Changeher Podcast, Patience. If you want to explore whether it's the right fit, book a Threshold Session at UndergroundSanctuary.com.  Thanks to our sponsors of the ChangeHER Podcast Better Outside Together https://www.betteroutsidetogether.com/ Alleva Acupuncture https://allevaacu.com/ Dr. Susan Trachman, Author, It’s Not Just In Your Head https://susanbtrachmanmd.com/ Dr. Jennifer Gorrelick https://www.jennifergorrelick.com/ Welcome to Change-HER, a podcast designed for women embracing the transformative journey through midlife. As women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, we encounter so many changes. Menopause, careers, becoming an empty nester, retirement, or a big move are just a few major shifts we experience.  ChangeHER is here to offer support, insight, and real-life stories to help you be resilient, stay healthy, and feel energized.  From understanding hormonal shifts to reclaiming your vitality, we provide a space for connection, empowerment, and inspiration. Let’s embrace change together! ChangeHER is brought to you by Varsity Sound Productions and the ChangeHER Community.  Website: ⁠www.changehercommunity.com [https://changehercommunity.com/] Instagram: @changehercommunity LinkedIn: Stephanie Mitchell Varsity Sound Production ⁠www.varsitysoundpro.com⁠ [http://www.varsitysoundpro.com]

When Relationships Change

Linda Rose Cooper is a midlife transition guide and life coach dedicated to helping women navigate life's challenges through to successful transformation. Through her Rise Wise Philosophy, she offers holistic support, guiding women to reclaim their power, rewrite their stories, and create a purposeful, empowered new beginning. That philosophy came vividly to life when Linda penned her powerful essay, "Midlife: a Woman's Soul Reckoning." The piece reframes midlife not as a mood swing, but as a profound spiritual awakening. One where a woman's lived experiences deepen into embodied wisdom. Drawing on the intersection of psychology, biology, and the soul, Linda dives into the intensity of midlife changes including perimenopause, shifting hormones, and long-suppressed emotions rising to the surface. Rather than treating this season as something to endure, she frames the rage and deep questioning of midlife as a powerful period of transformation and release. The essay gained significant traction, resonating with women who finally felt seen and validated in their experiences. Among its readers was Stephanie, who was so moved by Linda's words that she reached out, eager to sit down and explore its themes in deeper conversation. What followed was an exchange that brought to life the very essence of what Linda writes and teaches — that midlife is not a falling apart, but a breaking open. For Stephanie, the essay was not just enlightening; it was a reckoning that called her into conversation. It is precisely the kind of impact Linda Rose Cooper was inspired to create.  Meeting women where they are, holding space for their truth, and guiding them boldly into the most liberating chapter of their lives. Thank you to our sponsors: Better Outside Together, www.betteroutsidetogether.com [http://www.betteroutsidetogether.com] Alleva Acupuncture, www.allevaacu.com [https://allevaacu.com/] Dr. Jennifer Gorelick, www.jennifergorrelick.com [https://www.jennifergorrelick.com/] Dr. Susan Trachman, author of It’s Not Just In Your Head susanbtrachmanmd.com [https://susanbtrachmanmd.com/] Welcome to Change-HER, a podcast designed for women embracing the transformative journey through midlife. As women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, we encounter so many changes. Menopause, careers, becoming an empty nester, retirement, or a big move are just a few major shifts we experience.  ChangeHER is here to offer support, insight, and real-life stories to help you be resilient, stay healthy, and feel energized.  From understanding hormonal shifts to reclaiming your vitality, we provide a space for connection, empowerment, and inspiration. Let’s embrace change together! ChangeHER is brought to you by Varsity Sound Productions and the ChangeHER Community.  Website: ⁠www.changehercommunity.com [https://changehercommunity.com/] Instagram: @changehercommunity LinkedIn: Stephanie Mitchell Varsity Sound Production ⁠www.varsitysoundpro.com⁠ [http://www.varsitysoundpro.com]

Better Outside Together

Welcome back to ChangeHER, where we practice navigating midlife with health, energy and resilience.  I am thrilled you are here. In this episode, my conversation is with Nechumah Getz, founder of Better Outside Together, an outdoor community built for women navigating midlife. She spent more than 25 years in leadership roles, including serving as a COO, and then experienced two layoffs in two years. That pushed her to step back and ask what she wanted the next chapter of her life to look like. At the same time, she was going through many of the things midlife brings: an empty nest, menopause, and the realization that existing relationships change at this stage of life. She had built a real walking community during the pandemic, and when she moved, she felt the loss of it immediately. She has always loved hiking, and midlife gave her the confidence to build something around it. She built Better Outside Together so women can move their bodies, build strength, and find real connection outdoors. During this conversation, we talk about the importance of community and being outside, especially during midlife. Nechumah leads weekday and weekend hikes for midlife women. She will be offering retreats this fall and also host corporate retreats.  In our conversation, we dig into why community and time outside matter so much during this season of life. Nechumah leads weekday and weekend hikes for midlife women, and she'll be offering retreats this fall, including corporate retreats as well. A personal note: since recording this episode, I have been on a hike with her myself, and it was wonderful. If you're in the DMV, I highly recommend it. Better Outside Together is a partner and sponsor of the ChangeHER Community and podcast! You can find Nechumah and Better Outside Together at https://www.betteroutsidetogether.com/ [https://www.betteroutsidetogether.com/] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betteroutsidetogether Welcome to Change-HER, a podcast designed for women embracing the transformative journey through midlife. As women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, we encounter so many changes. Menopause, careers, becoming an empty nester, retirement, or a big move are just a few major shifts we experience.  ChangeHER is here to offer support, insight, and real-life stories to help you be resilient, stay healthy, and feel energized.  From understanding hormonal shifts to reclaiming your vitality, we provide a space for connection, empowerment, and inspiration. Let’s embrace change together! ChangeHER is brought to you by Varsity Sound Productions and the ChangeHER Community.  Website: ⁠www.changehercommunity.com [https://changehercommunity.com/] Instagram: @changehercommunity LinkedIn: Stephanie Mitchell Varsity Sound Production ⁠www.varsitysoundpro.com⁠ [http://www.varsitysoundpro.com]

Toxic Beauty–What's Really In Your Skincare

Welcome to ChangeHER, where we navigate midlife with health, energy and resilience. I am so happy to bring this conversation to you.  Lindsey Walsh is Founder & CEO of Juventude Skincare. After spending 20+ years working for CEB and Gartner, Lindsey opted to shift gears after being diagnosed with breast cancer at 37 years old. As a mother of two wonderful daughters, she wanted to do something more meaningful with her skills for women in general. During recovery from her extensive cancer treatment (including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and clinical trials) Lindsey had learned a lot about integrative oncology and endocrine disruptors in everyday life. Now, she is looking to address the problem by creating a skincare line that is optimized for the needs of cancer survivors and women conscious of their evolving hormones.  Lindsey is a mother of two daughters, Georgia and Clara, and wife to Luis who is an 8th grade science teacher in FCPS. She is a certified economic forecaster, has a masters in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins and undergraduate degrees in International Relations and Economics from The University of Virginia.  You can check out products of Juventude Skincare at https://www.juventudeskincare.com/ [https://www.juventudeskincare.com/] Check them out on Instagram @juventudeskincare This episode of ChangeHER was brought to you by Better Outside Together. You can find them at betteroutsidetogether.com [http://betteroutsidetogether.com] and on Instagram @betteroutsidetogether New Website! www.changehercommunity.com Welcome to Change-HER, a podcast designed for women embracing the transformative journey through midlife. As women in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, we encounter so many changes. Menopause, careers, becoming an empty nester, retirement, or a big move are just a few major shifts we experience.  ChangeHER is here to offer support, insight, and real-life stories to help you be resilient, stay healthy, and feel energized.  From understanding hormonal shifts to reclaiming your vitality, we provide a space for connection, empowerment, and inspiration. Let’s embrace change together! ChangeHER is brought to you by Varsity Sound Productions and the ChangeHER Community.  Website: ⁠www.changehercommunity.com [https://changehercommunity.com/] Instagram: @changehercommunity LinkedIn: Stephanie Mitchell Varsity Sound Production ⁠www.varsitysoundpro.com⁠ [http://www.varsitysoundpro.com]

Sit Down and Stop Pushing Through with Dr Joy'El Ballard

Welcome to the conversation. Thank you for listening. I am so grateful you are here to listen to an episode that I think many of us will relate to.  Here is a little about our guest today.  Dr. Joy'El Ballard, known as The Menopause Mogul, is a trailblazing figure in menopause health and entrepreneurship. As a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Menopause & Midlife Wellness Strategist and Coach, she empowers women, especially Black women, over 40 to navigate through their menopausal journey with grace and resilience. As the visionary behind the Menopause Moguls™ online coaching program, Dr. Ballard is dedicated to helping midlife women of color reclaim their power and joy during this transformative phase of life. Her mission is to equip women with the tools they need to launch their own businesses with renewed energy, clarity, and focus, enabling them to create lives that align with their deepest desires. A distinguished Certified Menopause Practitioner and bestselling author of "Loving Me, Myself and Her: Through Perimenopause & Beyond," Dr. Ballard brings a wealth of expertise and insight to her work. She is also the host of the Menopause Moguls™ Podcast, where she shares invaluable wisdom and guidance on navigating the menopausal journey with grace and confidence. Dr. Ballard's contributions extend beyond the realm of healthcare, as she is also a respected writer and media personality. Her work has been featured in prominent publications such as Business Men and Women of Color Magazine, Vision & Purpose Magazine, and His Favor Magazine. She has graced the screens of "Our Voices" TV show on Voice of America, Dana Being Dana TV show, and has been a guest on WHUR 96.3 radio for Medical Monday and Women's Wednesday. Dr. Ballard's academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Syracuse University, followed by a medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, where she was recognized for her exceptional leadership as Administrative Chief Resident and honored with the prestigious "Attending Award." Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology and a proud member of The Menopause Society, Dr. Ballard's commitment to excellence is unwavering. With over 13 years of experience in private practice, Dr. Ballard has transitioned seamlessly into her role as the Founder of Menopause Moguls™, where she continues to inspire and empower women through coaching and speaking engagements. Her integrative approach to women's health emphasizes the importance of mindset transformation for healthy aging and living, empowering women to embrace every stage of womanhood with confidence and vitality. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Ballard finds joy in her roles as a devoted wife and mother of three children. She cherishes moments spent traveling with her family, savoring the beauty of living in the moment. Dr. Joy'El Ballard is not merely a distinguished physician; she is a beacon of hope and empowerment for women everywhere, illuminating the path to a vibrant and fulfilling life beyond menopause. You can reach her at  Joy'El Ballard, MD, FACOG, NCMP, THE MENOPAUSE MOGUL Dr. Joy'El Women's Wellness Consulting, LLC https://www.drjoyel.com/ [https://www.drjoyel.com/] Instagram @drjoyel This episode of ChangeHER was brought to you by Better Outside Together. You can find them at betteroutsidetogether.com [http://betteroutsidetogether.com] and on Instagram @betteroutsidetogether New Website! www.changehercommunity.com