🧠💬 Ever feel like your gut and mind are out of sync? If you're a woman over 40 navigating perimenopause or menopause, this episode is a must-listen. We’re diving into the powerful connection between your gut and brain—and how your gut health can influence your thoughts, mood, and even how you advocate for yourself in medical care.

In this enlightening conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Cecily Havert, a compassionate family medicine physician and Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgetown University. She’s a Minneapolis native, a University of Wisconsin-Madison grad, and now practicing in Virginia. (Psst—her name is pronounced Ses-a-lee Have-ERT!)

We explore how the healthcare system often pushes both patients and doctors into burnout—and how new approaches like contemplative medicine, concierge care, and self-advocacy are shifting the landscape.

✨ You’ll hear:

• How your gut-brain axis can affect anxiety, memory, and decision-making

• Why menopausal weight gain might actually be your body protecting you

• What self-advocacy looks like in a broken system—and how to get the care you deserve

• The truth about doctor burnout and how it impacts YOU as a patient

• How contemplative medicine is healing both doctors and the people they serve

• The power of building primary care offices that address both physical and mental health

Dr. Havert recently completed a fellowship in Contemplative Medicine at the New York Zen Center, deepening her ability to connect spiritually and compassionately with her patients. She’s also a writer, mentor, and co-host of the Living Breathing Medicine podcast.

This conversation is heartfelt, grounded, and full of tools for women who want to feel heard and heal better—inside and out.

👉 Listen now and take the first step toward becoming your own health advocate. ✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes that empower women over 40 to thrive.

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

• Dr. Cecily Havert: https://www.nvafamilypractice.com/our-team/cecily-havert-md/

• Awakened Medicine on Psychology Today: Read Here

• The New York Zen Center – Contemplative Medicine Fellowship: https://zencare.org

• Living Breathing Medicine Podcast: Listen Here