Have you ever said, “I don’t even recognize myself anymore” — but your labs come back “normal”?

That gap between how you feel and what you can explain isn’t weakness. It has a name: interoception — the body’s hidden sense that helps you feel safe, centered, and alive. When menopause, neurodivergence, or trauma mutes that internal signal, your nervous system loses its compass. The result? Alexithymia, shutdown, and emotional disconnection. 

In this conversation, Dr. Stacey Denise sits down with Dr. Kelly Mahler, award-winning occupational therapist and interoception researcher, to unpack the sensory and emotional truth behind why midlife can feel so flat — and what it takes to feel again. 

Primary keywords: autistic women, interoception, alexithymia, menopause, neurodivergence, trauma-informed care, sensory regulation, burnout, emotional numbness.

 What You’ll Learn: 

• What interoception is — and why it disappears in midlife
• How alexithymia shows up in high-functioning women
• Why trauma, stress, and ND masking blunt your body’s signals
• The difference between nourishing and numbing rituals
• Gentle ways to rebuild body trust and emotional access (no perfection required)

 This Is For You If:

• You feel emotionally numb, flat, or “not yourself”
• You shut down under stress or can’t explain how you feel
• You’ve been told “everything looks normal” — but it isn’t
• You’re navigating menopause and feeling disconnected from your body
• You’re ND, sensory-sensitive, or just deeply tired of powering through

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 —  What is Interoception
01:40 —  Grounding the Science
02:30 —  Dr. Kelly Mahler
03:39 — Defining Interoception
05:43 — Trauma Complex Post- Traumatic stress disorder
10:46 — How to better discuss emotions
12:21 — How to intercept interoception with mainstream
16:22 — Double Empathy Problem
21:24 — Basic scoresheet for body disconnection
25:06-    Translation into Healthy Living
29:40-    Can Interoception help women in menopause
32:23-    Nourishing or Numb
35:33-   Take a free quiz

LINKS & TOOLS 
Take the free quiz: What kind of menopause burnout are you? → https://drstaceydenise.com/take-the-quiz 
Join the newsletter (monthly micro-practices + sensory tools) → https://drstaceydenise.com/blog/ 
Join the waitlist for the upcoming masterclass → https://drstaceydenise.com/waitlist/
  
RESOURCES
Website : https://www.kelly-mahler.com/
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-mahler/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_mahler/

👩🏾‍⚕️ Hosted by:

Dr. Stacey Denise, The Neuroaesthetic MD
Founder of The Neuroaesthetic Reset Method™ and SDM Medical PLLC
Website: www.drstaceydenise.com
Instagram: @drstaceydenise

👤 Featured Guest:

Dr. Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L
🌍 www.kelly-mahler.com
📸 @kelly_mahler

📚 Resources:

💡 Take the free quiz: What’s Blocking Your Menopause Energy & Intimacy?
🎧 Listen to more episodes: The Neuroaesthetic MD™ Podcast
🧠 Join the email list: drstaceydenise.com/podcast