Living Inspired - A Functional Approach to Women’s Health, Energy, and Resilience

You've done the labs. Everything looks normal. But you still don't feel like yourself and nobody has been able to tell you why.

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Ellen Albertson, psychologist, self-compassion researcher, and the Midlife Whisperer, to talk about what is actually happening in your body and mind during perimenopause and why feeling lost in this season doesn't mean something is wrong. It means you're becoming.

Dr. Ellen introduces the dragonfly as a metaphor for midlife — the nymph stage, the murky water, the slow and often uncomfortable process of transforming into something with 360-degree vision and the freedom to fly. This conversation is for any woman who has felt dismissed, confused, or quietly exhausted by a season of life nobody prepared her for.

In this episode:

• Why your operating system is updating and what that actually means in your brain and body
• The estrogen veil: what happens when it lifts and why so many women finally say "enough"
• Why we cannot put everything in the perimenopause bucket and what else to look at
• The three elements of self-compassion and why the research says it changes your health, not just your mindset
• Destination vibration: how to access the felt sense of feeling well even when you're not there yet
• Why self-care is not a spa day and what it actually looks like when your nervous system needs support
• Human design, the dragonfly framework, and understanding your unique wiring in midlife

Key Takeaways:

• Your symptoms are not a malfunction. They are a recalibration.
• Self-compassion is a muscle. The more you practice treating yourself like a good friend, the more your relationship with yourself changes.
• Small hinges swing big doors. You don't need an overhaul. You need to find the one or two things creating the most drag and start there.

Resources:

Dr. Ellen Albertson: themidlifewhisper.comInstagram: @the_midlife_whisper

Rachel Carta: RachelCartaRN.comInstagram: @peaceandperimenopause

Rachel's Free Resources:

Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos

Do you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off.

If you’ve been feeling more overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, mentally exhausted, or disconnected from yourself lately, this episode is for you.

And no, I don’t think it’s “just hormones.”

In this conversation, I’m talking about something I see constantly with women in midlife: the hidden cost of living in a constant state of internal urgency.

Everything feels important.Everything feels immediate.Everyone needs something.

Over time, the nervous system starts treating life like one ongoing emergency, and eventually that pressure impacts far more than stress levels. It affects sleep, digestion, hormones, focus, emotional regulation, energy, and your ability to actually feel present in your own life.

Inside this episode, I share a powerful framework from one of my Root & Rise coaching calls that helps explain why so many women feel emotionally overloaded all the time, even when they’re “doing all the right things.”

We talk about:

• Why many women are not just tired, but stuck in chronic reaction mode

• The connection between nervous system overload and midlife symptoms

• How urgency quietly steals peace, fulfillment, and emotional capacity

• The difference between what feels urgent and what actually moves your life forward

• Why many healing practices get abandoned first when life gets busy

• The four zones that shape how you feel every day

• Simple ways to reduce mental overload and create more nervous system safety

  
  

This episode is not about becoming less responsible or getting everything perfectly balanced. It’s about recognizing that many women have spent years operating from pressure and reaction, and that healing often begins by slowing down enough to become more intentional again.

Because peace does not come from getting everything done.

Peace comes from learning what really matters.

If this episode resonated with you, send it to a woman who feels like she’s carrying the weight of everything right now.

And if you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love for you to leave a review or share the episode on Instagram and tag me at @peaceinperimenopause.

Learn more about working with me:⁠ RachelCartaRN.com⁠

If you’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, emotionally reactive, wired but tired, or like your body suddenly isn’t responding the way it used to, this episode is for you.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and HTMA expert Dori Martin to talk about what burnout really is, why so many women in midlife feel stuck in survival mode, and how chronic stress impacts everything from hormones and sleep to energy, mood, and healing capacity.

We talk about the hidden emotional and physiological load many women are carrying, especially in midlife, and why symptoms are often connected instead of random.

This episode is not about doing more. It’s about understanding what your body has been trying to tell you.

Inside this conversation, we discuss:

• why midlife often feels like “everything stopped working”

• the connection between burnout, nervous system stress, and hormone symptoms

• how your body prioritizes survival over repair

• why so many women feel exhausted even when they’re trying everything

• the role of mitochondria and energy production

• why women in midlife often feel stuck in fight or flight

• the emotional load of caregiving, perfectionism, and over-functioning

• simple shifts that can help your body feel safer and more supported

• why sunlight, hydration, breathing, and slowing down matter more than people realize

Dori also shares her personal story of caregiving, chronic stress, and burnout, and we talk honestly about the shame many women feel when their bodies can no longer keep up with the pace they’ve been forcing themselves to maintain.

Resources:

• Learn more about Dori Martin: https://dorimartin.com

• Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause

• Learn more about working with Rachel: https://RachelCartaRN.com

• Living Inspired Podcast Episode 7: Meditation for Stress Relief

• Living Inspired Podcast Episode 12: Medication to Just Be

• Living Inspired Podcast Episode 37: Feel Stress Release Now

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs this conversation right now, and if you haven’t yet, I’d be so grateful if you left a review for the podcast.

If you’ve been feeling more anxious, more reactive, or just not like yourself lately… this episode is for you.

You’re trying to do the right things. You’re taking care of yourself, paying attention to your health, maybe even running labs… and still, something feels off.

In this episode, Rachel sits down with a client, Amanda, who shares what it felt like to be in that exact place. After having her baby, Amanda experienced anxiety, exhaustion, mood swings, and a sense that she had lost herself. Even though she knew something wasn’t right, she wasn’t getting the answers she needed.

What you’ll hear in this conversation is what changed when she stopped trying to fix the symptoms and started addressing what was actually driving them.

Rachel breaks down:

• why mood swings, anxiety, and irritability are signals, not personality changes

• why hormones are part of the story, but not the whole story

• how stress, blood sugar, inflammation, and the nervous system all play a role

• what it actually looks like to make small shifts that create meaningful change

Amanda shares how, within a matter of weeks, she went from feeling like a shell of herself to feeling safe in her body again and genuinely happy, without overhauling her life.

If you’ve been feeling off and can’t quite explain why, this episode will help you start to see what your body might be trying to tell you.

If you’re ready to go deeper, here are a few ways to get support:

Book a call with Rachel: https://rachelcarterrn.com/schedule A simple conversation to talk through what’s going on and what your next step could look like.

Mood Swings SOS (free 5-minute reset): https://rachelcarterrn.com/SOS A quick, practical tool to help you calm your system in the moment when everything feels heightened.

Free Guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off https://rachelcarterrn.com/LastingHealth A deeper look at what’s actually driving your symptoms and how to start addressing them at the root.

Partner Communication Guide https://rachelcarterrn.com/communication Because this season of life affects your relationships too. This will help you communicate what’s going on in a way that brings more understanding and support.

In this conversation with Dr. Ann Hester, we talk about what’s missing in traditional healthcare, and why lifestyle is not just a side note, but a major driver of how you feel day to day.

This isn’t about doing everything perfectly or overhauling your life overnight. It’s about understanding how your daily habits are shaping your energy, your hormones, your inflammation, and your long-term health in ways most people have never been taught to look at.

We also talk about why change feels hard, even when you know what to do, and how small, consistent shifts can create meaningful results without overwhelm.

What We Cover

• The gap in medical training around nutrition and lifestyle

• How daily habits impact hormones, energy, and inflammation

• The role of lifestyle medicine in long-term health

• Why change feels hard (and what actually works instead)

• How to start making small, sustainable shifts

Your body is responding to what you do every single day. When you understand that, you stop chasing fixes and start seeing patterns.

Resources Mentioned

Dr. Ann Hester’s website: https://ptrreset.com

Take the Survey: Click Here.

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear what stood out.

You can send me a message on Instagram:👉 https://instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause

Or explore more resources here:👉 https://rachelcartaRN.com

This is not our usual conversation. We’re not talking about hormones, gut health, or trying to figure out what’s causing your symptoms.

This is a pause.

A moment to step out of the constant doing… and come back to what it actually means to be living.

In this episode, I sit down with Billy Duke, a 55-year-old living with ALS, a progressive neurological disease that slowly takes away the body’s ability to move, while the mind remains fully aware.

What he shares is simple, but powerful. A reminder that most of us are moving through life too quickly… waiting for the right time… putting things off… assuming we have more time than we do.

This conversation isn’t about fear. It’s about clarity. About what actually matters when everything else is stripped away.

As you listen, notice what comes up for you.

What have you been putting off?
Where have you been moving too fast?
What matters most right now?

This episode is an invitation to slow down, look up, and come back to your life.

What we talk about:

• What ALS is and how it impacts the body over time

• Why we spend so much of our lives working and rushing
• The quiet regrets that come from waiting too long
• The importance of people, connection, and shared time
• How to slow down and actually experience your life
• Simple reminders to stop, notice, and be present

🎧 Listen to more episodes like this: 100 Years of Wisdom

🤍 Connect with me on Instagram
@peaceinperimenopause

I’d love to hear from you.

What stood out to you the most? What are you changing in your life?

Email: [email protected]

Send me a message and share this episode with someone you love. These are the conversations that stay with us… and sometimes, they’re the ones that gently change how we live.

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are everywhere right now, but most people aren’t being told what actually matters if they choose to take them.

In this episode, I sit down with pharmacist and health coach Mike Thomas to break down how GLP-1s really work, why they’re so effective for weight loss, and the part that often gets missed. We talk about muscle loss, metabolism, food noise, and what can happen when the medication is stopped.

If you’ve been considering a GLP-1, are currently taking one, or just want to understand your options, this conversation will help you make a more informed decision about your health.

We also talk about how to support your body alongside these medications so you’re not just losing weight, but actually building long-term health.

What we cover in this episode:

• What GLP-1 medications are and how they work in the body
• Why “food noise” decreases and what that actually means
• The biggest mistake people make when taking GLP-1s
• Muscle loss during weight loss and why it matters for metabolism
• What happens when you stop the medication
• Why strength training and protein are essential
• The emotional side of weight loss that no one talks about
• How to support your body whether you take a GLP-1 or not

Connect with Mike Thomas:
https://glp1coachmike.com

Follow Rachel:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause

Free resource:
The Real Reason You Still Feel Off
https://rachelcarterrn.com/lastinghealth

Need a mood swings rescue:

https://rachelcartarn.com/sos

If you’ve ever gotten to the end of the day and thought… I did so much, so why does it feel like nothing actually moved forward? this episode is for you.

In this conversation, we’re unpacking why you can feel busy all day and still feel behind. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because the way you’ve been taught to work doesn’t always support how your brain and energy actually function, especially in this season of life.

I’m joined by Steven Puri, founder of The Sukha Company and studio executive at 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Pictures. After years working in high-performance environments, he now teaches how to access deeper focus, reduce distraction, and create meaningful progress without constantly pushing harder.

We talk about what’s really keeping you stuck in that cycle of doing more but feeling behind, how distractions are draining your energy, and the one simple shift that can change how your entire day feels.

This is not about doing more. It’s about doing what actually matters.

• Why you can feel busy all day but still feel behind

• What’s actually happening when your focus feels scattered

• How constant interruptions impact your energy and progress

• What “flow state” really means (in a practical, real-life way)

• The simple shift that helps you move your day forward

• How to start working with your energy instead of against it

Learn more about Steven and his work: https://www.thesukha.co/

Rachel's Free Resources:

Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos

Do you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off.

Why You Feel Stuck (Even When You’re Doing Everything Right)

If you’ve been wondering why you feel stuck even when you’re doing everything right, this episode will help you see things differently.

In this short, personal episode, I walk you through a simple but powerful shift that can change how you experience your health, your emotions, and your life. Because often, it’s not just what’s happening that keeps us stuck. It’s what we’re thinking about what’s happening.

We talk about how your thoughts shape your feelings, your actions, and ultimately your results, and how small shifts in awareness can open the door to real change.

This is not about forcing positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about creating space so you can move forward in a way that feels calm, grounded, and sustainable.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why you feel stuck even when you’re trying and doing everything “right”

• How your thoughts influence your health, mood, and daily actions

• The common thought patterns that keep you in the same place

• A simple way to shift your thinking without forcing it

• Why noticing small wins can change your nervous system and momentum

  
  

If you’ve been feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or like nothing is really working, this episode will meet you right where you are.

Free Resources to Support You

If you’re ready to go deeper, here are a few simple starting points:

The Real Reason You Still Feel Off

If your labs say you’re fine but you don’t feel fine, this will help you start connecting the dots.

👉 https://rachelcarterrn.com/lastinghealth

Mood Swings SOS (5-minute audio)

A quick, grounding reset to help shift your mood in the moment.👉 https://rachelcarterrn.com/sos

Partner Communication GuideLearn how to talk about what you’re experiencing in a way that builds understanding and support.

👉 https://rachelcarterrn.com/communication

If your relationship has been feeling harder lately… this episode is for you. There are real changes happening in your body, your stress levels, your capacity… and most people have never been taught how much this can affect connection, communication, and intimacy.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Jesse Robertson, the voice behind Husbands4Menopause, who is helping men better understand what women are going through in this season.

We talk about:

• Why relationships can start to feel tense, distant, or disconnected

• What’s actually happening underneath mood swings, overwhelm, and irritability

• Why intimacy often changes (and what most couples misunderstand about it)

• How men can better support their partners without feeling confused or shut out

• Simple shifts that can completely change the tone of your relationship

This isn’t about blame. It’s about understanding what’s really going on… so you can feel more connected, supported, and on the same team again.

If you’ve been thinking, “Why does everything feel harder right now?” — you’re not alone. And there’s a reason for it.

🎧 Share this episode with your partner or listen together. It can open up a completely different kind of conversation.

Find Jesse on all your social media platforms: @husbands4menopause

📄 Download my Partner Communication Guide: rachelcartarn.com/communication