In this episode Jennifer talks with Liane Moccia, the author of The Herbal Fertility Handbook: Holistic Strategies to Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant, releasing in September, 2025. 

Liane is a registered herbalist specializing in fertility and preconception planning. She is the author of The Herbal Fertility Handbook: Holistic Strategies to Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant, releasing in September, 2025. In her clinical practice, Liane helps people prepare for pregnancy and optimize their fertility with herbs, nutrition, lifestyle changes and a clear plan. 

A former healthcare marketing professional, Liane shifted careers after her own experience with infertility. In addition to her private practice, she speaks regularly at health and herbal conferences and contributes to professional publications. 

Liane is a registered professional herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild, a professional member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and serves as a peer support leader for AllPaths Family Building. She is also a board member at AllPaths and an Education Advisor for Wintergreen Botanicals’ herbal training programs.

Liane lives in the Boston area with her husband and their twin daughters. She works with clients one-on-one from all over the country through her virtual services. 

Key topics discussed:

• What is an herbalist?
• Liane’s fertility journey: from fertility challenges, to getting “fired” by her fertility doctor, implementing holistic approaches, to a new fertility clinic, an IVF twin pregnancy to now a mom to 17-year-old daughters
• Liane’s career journey: from healthcare marketing to herbal medicine to support fertility
• Adaptogens to help you have a healthy response to the stress of infertility, including Ashwaganda and Holy Basil
• Nutritive herbs that provide antioxidants and phytonutrients for egg quality, including green tea, nettle and lemon balm
• Does Vitex live up to the hype?
• Is there a role for herbs in fertility treatment like IUI and IVF?
• Understanding the difference between herbal teas, tinctures, capsules and infusions
• Herbs to help improve sperm parameters

Resources Mentioned:

• The Herbal Fertility Handbook, Liane Moccia
• Mountain Rose Herbs
• Traditional Medicinals Teas

Connect with Liane:

• Website: https://lianemoccia.com/ 
• Instagram: @lianemoccia  
• Substack: https://lianemoccia.substack.com/

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Fertility Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

 Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Merle Bombardieri. Merle has been a private practice clinical social worker and psychotherapist for over 35 years and was the Clinical Director of Resolve: The National Infertility Association for 2 years. 

 Merle is the author of the bestselling book The Baby Decision originally published in 1981.

The revised 2016 second edition of The Baby Decision is based on 35 more years of her work guiding decision-makers in educational workshops; long-distance consulting for people around the world; and psychotherapy. 

 In 2023, Merle was joined in her practice by her daughter Vanessa who is a certified coach. Together, they focus their practice on coaching so they can assist as many people as possible in parenthood decision-making.
 
Merle is currently working on her second book, Baby or Childfree.  

Key topics discussed:

• Merle’s “baby decision”
• Finding support when facing fertility struggles
• Exploring options with less fear and more clarity
• Merle’s advice for people who are trying to decide whether continue or stop fertility treatment
• The importance of grieving, and a grieving exercise
• Decision making from a place of empowerment not defeat
• Reframing fears about not having children
• Fertility decisions for partners, who may not be in agreement about what’s next
• How to feel better, stronger, and reclaim power and control over your life again

Resources Mentioned:

• The Baby Decision, Merle Bombardieri
• Living the Life Unexpected: How to find hope, meaning and a fulfilling future without children, Jody Day
• The Next Happy: Let go of the life you planned and find a new way forward, Tracy Cleantis
• So Now What? Create a life you love without the children you always dreamed of, Lana Manikowski
• AllPaths Family Building
• The Childless Collective 
• RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association 

Connect with Merle: 

• Website: thebabydecision.com
• Instagram: @thebabydecision 
• Facebook: @thebabydecision 

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Fertility Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc
• Subscribe to her newsletter

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode Jennifer talks about why perimenopause often feels like a perfect storm of change. (Spoiler alert: because it is!), and strategies to help navigate hormonal shifts that affect you physically, emotionally and cognitively.

Key topics discussed:

• Physical, emotional and cognitive changes happening in perimenopause
• Nutrition tips to help you feel more balanced and energized
• A small but powerful change to start feeling more grounded and empowered today
•  My top piece of advice for embracing this season with confidence and clarity

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Perimenopause Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Nicole Lange, LicAc, MAOM, a thought leader and fierce advocate addressing what she sees as a PTSD epidemic in fertility care. As founder of Life Healing Life in Minneapolis, MN, Nicole has pioneered a harm-prevention approach that protects patients from the treatment-induced trauma affecting nearly 50% of people in fertility treatment.

Since 2006, Nicole has revolutionized fertility care through her evidence-based practice that integrates reproductive science with trauma-informed care, traditional Chinese medicine, and nervous system regulation. She maintains the critical 25/75 ratio: 25% addressing reproductive anatomy, 75% supporting whole-person wellness—the factors determining 80% of outcomes.

Key topics discussed:

• Nicole’s wellness journey: navigating trauma and PTSD with western medicine and ultimately finding whole body health and healing with traditional Chinese medicine and a patient-centered model.
• Is there a PTSD epidemic in fertility care? 
• Understanding trauma; how it presents and how people experience it
• Iatrogenic harm or trauma that occurs when treatment is not patient centered addressing the mind-body connection
• Salutogenesis and the creation of health
• Finding meaning in your journey and making it more manageable and tolerable, and tools to do so
• Components of a patient-centered fertility journey include listening and learning
• “Baby Blinders”: when you’re doing all the things to get pregnant, without thinking about you, holistically
• Nicole’s patient-centered fertility work, including addressing trauma

Connect with Nicole:

• Programs and resources at lifehealinglife.com
• Fertility freebies, online courses and content (blog, YouTube, etc.) at lifehealinglife.com/online-fertility-education

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Fertility Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Marina Kay, an Executive Coach and Breathwork Facilitator focusing on stress and burnout prevention in high achievers and entrepreneurs. Her passion is helping women affected by chronic stress feel calm, confident and resilient. She uses full spectrum breathwork protocols, from functional to somatic, helping her clients relax, restore and recharge the body.

Marina is the founder of Women Who Breathe, an online women’s community with live virtual breathwork sessions, courses on nervous system and hormonal health, and quarterly health challenges for women in high stress careers. 

 Key topics discussed:

• Marina's evolution from stress, burnout and hormone imbalance to embracing safety, health and wellness through breathwork and stress management.
• Understanding cortisol and how it functions in the body, and what happens when we have too little or too much. 
• Understanding your cortisol through self reflection and intuition and/or testing cortisol.
• Circadian rhythm, your sleep/wake cycle and hormone production. 
• How breathwork helps tame hormone chaos and promote calm.
• Practical breathwork techniques.

Connect with Marina:

• WomenWhoBreathe.com
• Instagram: WomenWhoBreathe
• YouTube
• InsightTimer

 Connect with Jennifer

• Schedule a free Fertility or Perimenopause Support Session
• Follow Jennifer on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc
• Join her email list for exclusive tips, free resources and honest conversations about what it really takes to feel good in your body—through perimenopause, fertility challenges, and everything in between. Plus, you’ll be the first to know about upcoming talks, programs and ways to connect.

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

Episode 19: Managing stress and building resilience in mid-life

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Rachel Posner, C-IAYT, E-RYT, a yoga therapist and mindfulness coach helping people reduce stress, build resilience and thrive. Her work is informed by the intersection of mindfulness, neuroscience and psychology and her teachings integrate best practices for the mind, body and brain. Rachel has been in the wellness field for 24 years and is driven by a deep desire to help people feel calm, connected and engaged in their lives. Rachel offers individual yoga therapy sessions, mindfulness courses, yoga memberships and retreats.

Key topics discussed:

• Nervous system 101 and getting to know your nervous system
• How we respond in fight, flight and freeze and how to adapt
• Are you really stressed out, or are you responding to stressors?
• Reframing resilience
• Mindfulness is the most effective tool for managing your nervous system
• Breathwork and movement 
• Perimenopause and stress
• The importance of self-compassion
• Deeping your connection with your body, including with yoga therapy

Connect with Rachel:

• Rachelposner.com
• Free nervous system regulation practice
• Free 7-day membership trial

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Perimenopause Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

Episode 18: Strength and Fitness in Perimenopause and Menopause

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Dr. Maria Luque, an energetic and accomplished fitness and menopause expert, former health science professor, and United States Air Force veteran. With a PhD and MS in Health Sciences and over two decades of fitness experience, she combines academic expertise with practical insights. 

Dr. Luque is certified as a Certified Health Education Specialist, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist. Passionate about helping women in midlife re-imagine exercise, body image, and well-being, she’s the founder of Fitness in Menopause, a company dedicated to helping women be healthier, stronger, saner, and more open to fun and adventure. 

 Key topics discussed:

• Body image and mindset
• You’re not doing things wrong – you need to do things differently
• Setting SMART, non-weight related goals
• Movement snacking and habit snacking
• Strength training
• Weighted vests
• Core strength and exercises
• Menopause is not a linear journey
• Reframing the narrative to a non-weight-centric approach

 Connect with Dr. Maria Luque:

• www.FitnessInMenopause.com
• www.DrMariaLuque.com
• Instagram: @drmarialuque
• LinkedIn: Maria Luque, PhD

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Perimenopause Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

 Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

 Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Alyssa Rose. Alyssa walks with those navigating life's  most profound transitions. As a Grief Tender and Death Doula in Portland Oregon, she bridges ancient ritual practices with modern somatic therapies to create sacred spaces for those facing loss, death and deep change.

Drawing from her extensive work with hundreds of families and communities, Alyssa’s unique approach to grief care honors the somatic, emotional and spiritual dimensions of the liminal and alchemical process of grieving.

Alyssa is passionate about creating a grief literate culture that is resilient and compassionate enough to hold us through life’s challenges and uncertainties.  It is here that we practice belonging and transform a culture sick with loneliness into one ripe with connection. 

Key topics discussed:

• The many ways that grief shows up in a fertility journey
• The 5 gates of grief
• When grief coincides with joy
• Making the invisible visible
• The power of rituals, practices or grief connection to help mark your grief
• Ask for what you want from others, such as, “Do you need to be helped, heard or hugged?”
• Grief is an ongoing expression of our love, and is not linear
• What to do when grief feels too hard
• Navigating grief as partners
• Practical tips for handling grief when it catches you off guard

Resources Mentioned:

• Frances Weller

Connect with Alyssa:

• www.alyssarosehealingarts.com 
• [email protected]
• Instagram: @alyssarosehealing
• Alyssa’s Retreats/Rituals 

Connect with Jennifer:

• Schedule a free Fertility Support Session
• Follow her on Instagram for more tips and insights: @jennredmondinhc

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with women in your life who can benefit from this information.

Disclaimer: The Cycles and Seasons podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Kendra Quincy Knauf. Kendra is a licensed mental health counselor with a specialization in perinatal mental health, particularly supporting people dealing with fertility challenges, pregnancy after loss, and postpartum identity.  She has worked in multiple settings, particularly in the community mental health space with a diverse group of clients over the past ten years.  Currently she has a telehealth private practice.  

Kendra spent years undergoing fertility treatments and is a NICU mom.  Kendra lives in the metro-Boston area with her family, and volunteers with her town government, undergraduate alumni organization, and is a dog foster parent.  Kendra is an avid reader, a fiber artist, dog mom, and enjoys spending time outdoors.  She is often spotted at the local library.  Kendra received her bachelor's degree in history from Dartmouth College and holds a Master of Education from University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Counseling from University of Massachusetts Boston.  

Kendra is also a beloved former client of Jennifer’s. 

Key points discussed: 

• 1 in 6 struggle with infertility, and rates of anxiety and depression are higher in those men and women 
• Everybody’s fertility journey is unique, and feeling isolated is a common thread in those journeys 
• Kendra’s fertility journey 
• Support is available and how to find reliable and trusted sources of information 
• The benefits of group support 
• The importance of self-advocating for your care, assembling a team and becoming a partner in your care 
• Practical ways to support your mental health day-to-day 
• How to find a therapist or mental health provider who is a good fit for you

  Resources Mentioned: 

• AllPaths Family Building
• Resolve: The National Infertility Association 
• Spirit Babies book 
• Postpartum Support International 
• Psychology Today therapist search 

Connect with Kendra: 

• Kendraknauf.com 
• [email protected] 
• Instagram: @kendra.knauf.lmhc 

Connect with Jennifer: 

• Schedule a free fertility Support Session

In this episode, Jennifer talks with Louise Neil, B.Sc, PCC, a Women’s Career Empowerment Strategist and founder of Menomentum, a movement dedicated to transforming how we experience and support menopause in the workplace. Louise helps midlife women navigate career pivots, reclaim confidence and align their work with who they are now, not who they were 10 years ago. 

Through Menomentum, she partners with organizations to break the silence around menopause and build inclusive, supportive environments where women can thrive professionally—even through hormonal upheaval. She also offers 1:1 menopause doula support for women who are struggling with perimenopause and menopause, providing compassionate guidance, education and space to be seen and heard. 

Louise is the founder of Pivoting Point Career Solutions, and co-host of The Empowered and Embodied Show podcast. Whether she’s speaking to corporate leaders or supporting a woman privately in transition, Louise brings empathy, honesty and a deep belief that midlife isn’t the end—it’s the power pivot. 

Key points discussed: 

• 1 in 10 women are leaving their jobs due to effects of perimenopause. 
• 78% of women feel that perimenopause symptoms impact their performance at work. 
• The intersection of perimenopause-related physical and emotional changes that impact women at work. 
• Oprah and other famous women are talking about perimenopause, but how do you take what they’re saying and make it actionable? 
• How can we empower and educate ourselves with information and ask for what we need in the workplace (and from our healthcare providers)? 
• How can we educate employers to become menopause-friendly (which helps their bottom line)? 
• Initiatives and accommodations that offer menopause support in the workplace. 
• Understanding and managing brain fog; helping your body recalibrate from hormone changes. 

Resources Mentioned: 

•  The Menopause Society 
• The Menopause Foundation of Canada 

Connect with Louise: 

• LinkedIn 
• Menomentum.org 
• Empowered and Embodied Show 

Connect with Jennifer: 

• Schedule a free Perimenopause Support Session