Episode 14: Hot Flashes at Night? Breath As Medicine

Guest: Angelia Abouhassan — founder of The Breath Lady Project, trauma-informed breathwork facilitator, stroke survivor, and Hatha yoga teacher
Release Date: November 4, 2025
Length: ~40 minutes

Episode Summary

You’ve been told to “just breathe”—but what if that makes things worse? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Stacey sits down with Angelia Abouhassan, a trauma-informed breathwork guide who rebuilt her body and emotional safety after a stroke.

Together, they unpack breathwork that won’t trigger your nervous system, including the double-exhale pattern that can support hot flash recovery and sensory regulation. This episode is especially for women navigating perimenopause, masking fatigue, and neurodivergence, who need somatic healing that’s safe, slow, and mapped to your lived experience.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “just breathe” often backfires—and how trauma-informed cues really work
• The double-exhale breath to interrupt hot flash cascades (short inhale, longer exhale)
• The power of low-dose, consistent breathwork over high-intensity interventions
• How to recognize high-activation methods (like Wim Hof) that may overwhelm the system
• Safer options for alexithymia, masking, and sensory burnout (mirror work, Yoga Nidra, guided breath scans)

Chapter Markers

00:00 – From Stroke Survivor to Breath Work Practitioner
 06:54 – The Role of Breath in Healing and Safety
 08:42 – Reframing Trauma and Healing
 10:41 – Understanding Interoception and Proprioception
 12:36 – Neuroplasticity and Breath Work
 16:29 – Breath Work for Women in Perimenopause
 18:46 – Trauma-Informed Breath Work Explained
 20:53 – Designing Practices for Overloaded Clients
 22:23 – Breath Work for Hot Flashes
 24:49 – Breath Work for Neurodivergent Women
 26:02 – Nourishing vs. Numbing the Nervous System
 27:58 – Adapting Breath Work for Different Needs
 30:52 – Choosing a Breath Work Practitioner
 33:27 – Nourish or Numb: Everyday Patterns
 40:04 – Practical Techniques for Managing Hot Flashes

Resources Mentioned

• The Breath Lady Project – Angelia Abouhassan
  • Website

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  • Facebook Community

  • LinkedIn

• Free Quiz – What kind of menopause burnout are you?
  → drstaceydenise.com/menopause-burnout-quiz

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