Is it perimenopause… or are you finally done?

Have you suddenly started questioning your relationship, your career, your friendships—or even who you are?

You’re not alone.

In this episode of Smile Sessions, Cristina Perri explores one of the most confusing parts of perimenopause: the feeling that your entire life is suddenly up for review.

Hormonal changes can affect mood, sleep, stress tolerance and emotional regulation—but what if they’re also making it harder to ignore things that haven’t felt right for a long time?

We’re talking about:

✨ Why perimenopause can make you question everything

✨ The connection between hormones, stress and emotional capacity

✨ Why your career may suddenly feel unfulfilling

✨ Why relationship dynamics can look different in midlife

✨ Losing—and rediscovering—your sense of identity

✨ How to distinguish hormonal changes from genuine life dissatisfaction

✨ Why you don't have to blow up your life to start listening to yourself

✨ The difference between a midlife crisis and a midlife awakening

Sometimes your hormones don't create the problem.

They just make it harder to ignore.

If you've ever wondered, “Is this just perimenopause… or am I finally realizing what I actually want?”—this conversation is for you.

💬 Question for you:

What is something you've started questioning in your 40s that you never questioned before?

🎙️ Smile Sessions with Cristina Perri

Healthier. Happier. Fulfilling.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “I don’t even recognize myself anymore?”

For so many women, turning 40 can bring changes that go far beyond hormones. Brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, digestive issues, inflammation, overwhelm, and a feeling of being disconnected from who you once were can leave you wondering: What is happening to me?

In this special episode of Smile Sessions, I’m joined by Blake Myers, a naturopathic physician and graduate professor of integrative and functional nutrition with more than 15 years of clinical and teaching experience.

Blake created Phyto-Adapt and The Bridge System to address what he saw as a major gap in natural menopause care.

We dive into the connection between gut health, inflammation, mental health, stress, the nervous system, menopause, and the loss of identity so many women experience in midlife.

But this conversation isn't just about what's going wrong.

It's about understanding what's happening beneath the surface—and what we can do to begin feeling like ourselves again.

In this episode, we explore:

✨ Why gut health and mental health are so closely connected

✨ The relationship between chronic stress, the nervous system, and

inflammation

✨ How hormonal changes during midlife can affect how we feel physically and

emotionally

✨ Why women over 40 may experience brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, and

overwhelm

✨ How years of putting everyone else first can contribute to losing our sense of

self

✨ The difference between surviving and actually feeling well

✨ Why healing may require looking at the whole person—not just individual

symptoms

✨ How women can begin reconnecting with themselves in midlife

If you've ever thought “Where did I go?”, this conversation is for you.

You aren't broken.

You aren't imagining it.

And getting older doesn't mean you have to disappear.

It's time to find your way back to you. ❤️

👤 About Blake Myers

Blake Myers is a naturopathic physician and graduate professor of integrative and functional nutrition with over 15 years of clinical work and teaching. He is the creator of Phyto-Adapt and The Bridge System, developed to help address gaps in natural menopause care.

🔗 Learn more about Blake and his work:

www.thebridgesystemmethod.com

◎ Instagram @thebridgesystem

♪ TikTok @bridgesystem

💬 Let's Connect

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to Smile Sessions and share this episode with a woman who needs to hear that she isn't alone.

What part of this conversation resonated with you most? Leave a comment below—I would love to hear from you.

Smile Sessions is a podcast about living healthier, happier, and more fulfilling lives.

Youtube Lisence Codes:

L7ZHPZO2UOCVXEXR

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What if becoming a mother doesn't just change the way you see your child…

but changes the way you see yourself?

In this episode of Smile Sessions, I’m sharing something deeply personal: how motherhood brought me face-to-face with parts of myself I thought I had already healed.

The short fuse.

The hyper-vigilance.

The need to keep everything under control.

The feeling that if I wasn't paying attention to everything, something might go wrong.

And then came the question so many of us have asked ourselves:

"How did I become the thing I was most afraid of?”

But what if the better question is:

What happened to me?”

Through therapy, hypnosis, inner-child work, prayer, grounding, and learning to regulate my nervous system, I began to understand that I wasn't broken.

I was carrying patterns that had once helped me survive.

And motherhood became the mirror that helped me see them.

In this episode, we talk about:

✨ Why becoming a parent can awaken childhood wounds

✨ How our children's behavior can sometimes trigger unresolved

emotions in us

✨ The difference between shame and self-understanding

✨ Why your nervous system can still feel unsafe even when your life

is safe

✨ Meeting your inner child with compassion instead of trying to “fix”

her

✨ How pausing, grounding, tapping, and prayer can help us respond

instead of react

✨ Breaking generational patterns through awareness and repair

✨ What it means to find the person you were before you learned to

survive

And perhaps most importantly…

What if the little girl or little boy you used to be isn't gone?

What if they're simply waiting for you to come home?

If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you in the comments:

Who were you before you learned you had to be someone else to be loved?

And if you're enjoying Smile Sessions, subscribe to the channel and join me for more conversations about healing, mental health, relationships, hormones, nervous-system regulation, and creating a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life.

📖 My book: a.co/d/06dRMbrb

🌐 Visit: www.cristinaperri.com

If this episode touched something in you, share it with someone who might need to hear it. Sometimes one conversation can help us understand ourselves a little differently.

About Smile Sessions

Smile Sessions with Cristina Perri is a space for honest conversations about healing, self-discovery, mental health, relationships, hormones, nervous-system regulation, and all the messy, beautiful things that make us human.

Because living a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life isn't about becoming perfect.

It's about becoming more you.

#SmileSessions #Motherhood #InnerChildHealing #ChildhoodTrauma #HealingJourney #NervousSystemRegulation #InnerChildWork #GenerationalTrauma #ConsciousParenting #MentalHealth #SelfHealing #PersonalGrowth

Do you find yourself explaining your decisions, feelings, boundaries, or choices long after you’ve already made yourself clear?

You might not be “too much.” You might be over-explaining.

In this episode of Smile Sessions, Cristina Perri explores why we explain ourselves so much, what can be behind the need to justify every decision, and how over-explaining can be connected to people-pleasing, fear of rejection, conflict avoidance, and experiences where you learned that simply saying “no” wasn’t enough.

Sometimes we explain because we want to be understood.

Sometimes we explain because we’re afraid of being misunderstood.

And sometimes, we explain because somewhere along the way, we learned that our decisions needed to be defended in order to be accepted.

But you don't need to build a courtroom case for every boundary you set.

This episode explores how to recognize the difference between healthy communication and over-explaining, why it can feel uncomfortable to stop explaining yourself, and how you can begin trusting yourself enough to say what you mean—and let that be enough.

✨ In this episode, we talk about:

Why you may feel compelled to explain

yourself

The psychology behind over-explaining

People-pleasing and the need for

approval

How fear of conflict can fuel

over-explaining

Why setting boundaries can trigger guilt

The connection between over-explaining

and past experiences

How to communicate without constantly

justifying yourself

Learning to trust your own decisions

Why “No” can be a complete sentence

How to stop explaining yourself and start

standing in your truth

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Why am I explaining all of this?”—this conversation is for you.

💬 Question for you:

What is something you’ve realized you no longer need to explain or justify to other people?

📖 Want to go deeper? Grab my book for more conversations about healing, self-awareness, boundaries, and breaking patterns that no longer serve you.

❤️ If this episode resonates with you, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear this.

How often do you say “sorry” when you haven’t actually done anything wrong?

Sorry for asking.

Sorry for speaking up.

Sorry for needing something.

Sorry for being emotional.

Sorry for taking up space.

At some point, apologizing can become more than good manners—it can become a habit of making ourselves smaller so everyone else feels comfortable.

In this episode of Smile Sessions, we’re talking about why so many of us have learned to apologize for simply existing, having needs, expressing an opinion, setting boundaries, or expecting to be treated with respect.

And here’s the reminder you may need today:

You don't need to apologize for taking up space.

Your voice matters.

Your needs matter.

Your boundaries matter.

And you are allowed to be seen, heard, and fully present without constantly making yourself smaller.

✨ In this episode, we explore:

Why we apologize when we haven't done anything wrong

The connection between people-pleasing and making ourselves smaller

How “sorry” can become an automatic response

Why taking up space can feel uncomfortable

The difference between being considerate and diminishing yourself

How to start replacing unnecessary apologies with confidence

If you've spent years trying to be “easy,” “low-maintenance,” or agreeable so you don't inconvenience anyone, this episode is your permission slip to stop shrinking.

You don't have to earn your right to take up space.

You already belong here.

🎧 Subscribe to Smile Sessions for conversations about living a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life.

💬 Question for you:

What is one thing you've been apologizing for that you actually don't need to apologize for?

#SmileSessions #StopApologizing #PeoplePleasing #SelfWorth #Boundaries #Confidence #PersonalGrowth #TakingUpSpace #Healing #MentalHealth

Have you ever walked away from a conversation wondering...

"Did that really happen the way I remember it?"

Maybe you replayed it over and over in your mind.

Maybe you questioned whether you were being too sensitive.

Maybe you even apologized—not because you knew you were wrong, but because you weren't sure anymore.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Smile Sessions, we're continuing the Stop Disappearing series by exploring one of the most confusing and emotionally draining experiences in a relationship: gaslighting.

Gaslighting isn't always loud, dramatic, or obvious.

More often, it begins quietly.

It's the subtle shift from questioning someone else's behavior... to questioning your own reality.

Together, we'll unpack what gaslighting really feels like, why it slowly erodes your confidence, and how to begin rebuilding trust in yourself again.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

✨ What gaslighting actually is—and what it isn't

✨ Why you begin questioning your own memory and perception

✨ How confusion can become a form of emotional manipulation

✨ The warning signs that are easy to miss

✨ Why your body often recognizes something is wrong before your mind does

✨ How to rebuild trust in your intuition and your own reality

One of the biggest takeaways from today's conversation:

"Gaslighting doesn't begin when someone calls you crazy. It begins the moment you stop trusting yourself."

And another reminder I hope you'll carry with you:

"Healthy relationships don't make you question your reality. They make you feel safe enough to tell the truth about it."

If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

💙 Have you ever found yourself doubting your own memory after a conversation?

💙 What helped you begin trusting yourself again?

Your story may encourage someone else who feels confused and alone.

📖 Get my book:

Stop Disappearing: How to Start Choosing Yourself Without Guilt or Fear

https://a.co/d/0fDvyeh7

🎙️ Subscribe to Smile Sessions for weekly conversations on emotional healing, self-worth, healthy relationships, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and learning how to choose yourself without guilt or fear.

If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who needs this reminder today.

#SmileSessions #Gaslighting #StopDisappearing #EmotionalHealing #HealthyRelationships #MentalHealth #SelfWorth #ChooseYourself #Boundaries #TraumaHealing #PersonalGrowth #NarcissisticAbuse #EmotionalAbuse #HealingJourney #TrustYourself

Have you ever looked back on a relationship and wondered...

"How did I miss all the red flags?"

What if you didn't?

In this episode of Smile Sessions, we're continuing the Stop Disappearing series by exploring a concept I call Pink Flags—those moments when attraction, hope, and chemistry soften the warning signs your intuition has been trying to show you all along.

Sometimes we don't ignore red flags.

We explain them away.

We tell ourselves they're temporary.

We convince ourselves that potential is enough.

But what if your body knew the truth long before your mind was ready to accept it?

In this deeply personal episode, I share my own story of ignoring the quiet voice inside me—including the moments leading up to my wedding that I now recognize as clarity, not "cold feet." Together, we'll explore why even smart, self-aware people can override their intuition and how learning to trust yourself again can change every relationship you have.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

✨ What "Pink Flags" really are—and why we create them

✨ The difference between chemistry and compatibility

✨ How dopamine and oxytocin influence attraction and attachment

✨ Why your body often recognizes misalignment before your mind does

✨ How hope can keep us stuck in unhealthy relationships

✨ Why trusting your intuition is one of the greatest acts of self-love

One of the biggest takeaways from today's conversation:

"Attraction is not a character reference. Oxytocin is not a love story."

And another reminder I hope stays with you:

"If you have to explain it away... your body already knows."

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear from you in the comments.

💗 Have you ever experienced a "pink flag"?

💗 Was there a moment when your intuition

was trying to protect you—but you talked

yourself out of listening?

Your story might encourage someone else who needs to hear they're not alone.

📖 Get my book:

Stop Disappearing: How to Start Choosing Yourself Without Guilt or Fear

https://a.co/d/005Own3f

🎙️ Subscribe to Smile Sessions for weekly conversations on emotional healing, healthy relationships, nervous system health, boundaries, self-worth, and creating a life where you no longer disappear to keep the peace.

If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who needs this reminder today.

Chapters

00:00 – How Did I Miss the Red Flags?

01:18 – Welcome to Smile Sessions

02:35 – What Are Pink Flags?

05:10 – Why We Explain Away Warning Signs

08:20 – The Science of Attraction: Dopamine & Oxytocin

11:10 – My Story: The Pink Flags I Ignored

18:30 – It Wasn't Nerves. It Was Misalignment.

22:10 – Why We Override Our Intuition

25:15 – Reflection Questions

27:00 – Trust Yourself Again

#SmileSessions #StopDisappearing #PinkFlags #RedFlags #HealthyRelationships #EmotionalHealing #SelfWorth #ChooseYourself #Boundaries #PeoplePleasing #DatingAdvice #MentalHealth #TraumaHealing #PersonalGrowth #Women'sWellness

If peace makes you anxious. If you find yourself picking fights when things are going well. If calm literally feels wrong — your nervous system might be wired for chaos. And it is not your fault.

In this episode of the Rewire Series, we're talking about one of the most underrated nervous system patterns there is: the chaos pull. Why stillness feels threatening, where it comes from, and how to start building a tolerance for the peace you actually deserve.

This one might be the most important episode of the series. Come ready to be honest with yourself.

What we cover:

⏱️ 00:00 — Why some of us sabotage peace without realizing it

⏱️ 03:30 — How your nervous system learns what's "normal"

⏱️ 08:00 — Why familiar feels safe — even when it's destroying you

⏱️ 12:00 — What chaos addiction actually looks like in real life

⏱️ 16:30 — 4 practices to build a tolerance for calm

⏱️ 21:00 — The honest truth about what the chaos is protecting you from

⏱️ 24:00 — Your homework this week

Resources mentioned:

🎙️ EP 01 — The 5-Minute Reset That Actually Works

🎙️ EP 02 — Why Your Relationships Are Regulated or Dysregulated

🎙️ EP 03 — Food, Sleep & Your Nervous System

🎙️ Full Rewire Series playlist → Nervous System Healing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhAzXyRK6-Byf_5LOWcBoghzCUzbXi6BK

Let's connect:

Instagram → @SmileSesssionswithCristinaPerri

TikTok → @smilesesssionspodcast

If this landed for you — share it with someone who needs to hear it. And leave a review. It helps more people find this content. That's the whole point. 💜

#ChaosAddiction #NervousSystemHealing #WhyCalmFeelsWrong #SelfSabotage #AnxietyRelief #NervousSystemRegulation #EmotionalRegulation #FightOrFlight #TraumaHealing #AttachmentStyles #PeoplePleasing #Fawning #HealingJourney #MentalHealthPodcast #SelfHelpPodcast #SmileSessions #RewireSeries #CristinaPeri #WomensWellness #PersonalGrowth #InnerChild #NervousSystemReset #WindowOfTolerance #SomaticHealing #ChooseYourself #StopDisappearing #ToxicPatterns #BreakTheCycle #YouAreNotBroken #HealingIsPossible

In today’s Smile Sessions, we’re talking about what emotional regulation actually looks like in real life. Not in therapy language. Not in a textbook. In relationships, conflict, overthinking, people pleasing, decision-making, and the stories we create in our heads when our nervous system feels unsafe.

This episode explores 5 things regulated people don’t do — not from a place of judgment, but from a place of awareness and healing.

We discuss:

✨ Why regulated people don’t need to win every argument

✨ How to stop taking everything personally

✨ The difference between urgency and anxiety

✨ Why people pleasing is a nervous system response

✨ How to stop catastrophizing in silence

Healing isn’t becoming perfectly calm all the time.

It’s learning to pause long enough to notice the pattern before it completely takes over.

If you’re working on emotional regulation, nervous system healing, boundaries, self-awareness, or breaking old survival patterns, I hope this episode helps you feel a little less alone.

#NervousSystem #EmotionalRegulation #HealingJourney #SelfAwareness #MentalHealth #PeoplePleasing #Overthinking #AnxietyHealing #SmileSessions #PersonalGrowth

What does healing actually look like day to day?

Not the aesthetic version. Not the perfectly curated “I’m healed” version. The real version.

In this episode, I’m talking about the messy, honest, human side of healing — the emotional triggers, the setbacks, the exhaustion, the growth you don’t always notice right away, and the tiny moments that prove you’re changing even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Healing isn’t always meditation and green juice.

Sometimes it looks like:

• setting boundaries you feel guilty about

• crying in your car before work

• resting without earning it

• regulating your nervous system in real time

• choosing not to react the way you used to

• grieving old versions of yourself

• laughing again after a hard season

If you’ve ever felt frustrated because your healing journey doesn’t look “perfect,” this episode is for you.

I’m Cristina Perri, and this is the podcast where we discuss ways to live healthier, happier, more fulfilling lives.

✨ If this episode resonates with you, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. Your support helps this message reach more people who need it.

#healingjourney #mentalhealth #selfhealing #nervoussystemhealing #emotionalhealing #healingpodcast #selfgrowth #innerhealing #wellnessjourney #mindsetshift #traumahealing #healingisnotlinear #podcast #selfcare #personaldevelopment