StrongHER Voices

If you've ever felt shame around your weight, struggled to lose it despite doing everything right, or wondered whether GLP-1 medications might be right for you — this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Sarah Klein, nurse practitioner with Main Line Health's Comprehensive Weight and Wellness Center, for one of the most honest conversations about GLP-1 medications you'll find anywhere. Sarah has been prescribing these medications since Wegovy first came on the scene, has personal experience navigating weight changes in midlife herself, and brings both clinical expertise and genuine compassion to a topic that deserves both.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women's wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Why obesity is a disease — and why willpower has nothing to do with it

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👥 Featured Guest

Sarah Klein, CRNP — Nurse practitioner with Main Line Health Comprehensive Weight and Wellness Center, specializing in GLP-1 therapy and obesity medicine. Sarah sees her patients as whole people — not numbers on a scale — and meets them exactly where they are.

Connect with Sarah:

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If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

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📲 Follow Along on Social Media

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⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you've ever felt like your focus is slipping, your motivation is inconsistent, your emotions are harder to regulate, or you're questioning your competence in ways you never have before — and you're wondering if it's perimenopause, ADHD, or both — this episode is going to bring you so much clarity.

Today, Ashley sits down with Mandi Dixon — licensed professional counselor specializing in late-diagnosed ADHD and perimenopause and menopause. Mandi helps women understand why the systems, structure, and discipline that once carried them through careers, motherhood, and life transitions suddenly feel ineffective — and more importantly, what to do about it. Her work focuses on hormones, executive function, and dismantling shame with evidence-based insight and real talk. And if you've ever stumbled across her Instagram and thought, who IS this woman and why does she get me so completely — you're in for a treat.

This conversation is honest, science-backed, and deeply validating. We talk about the estrogen-dopamine connection, why midlife hits differently for women with ADHD, what "ugly perimenopause" actually means, and how to rebuild without shame when the old way no longer works.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women's wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Welcome + how Ashley discovered Mandi's work through Instagram 

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👥 Featured Guest

Mandi Dixon — licensed professional counselor specializing in late-diagnosed ADHD and perimenopause and menopause. Mandi helps high-achieving women understand why the coping strategies that carried them through life have suddenly stopped working — and how to rebuild with clarity, compassion, and without shame. Known for her refreshingly honest and relatable approach on Instagram, Mandi brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every conversation.

Connect with Mandi: 

🔗 Focused Space — body doubling community for ADHD & focus support: 20% off forever + a free 14-day trial: https://get.focused.space/adhdmenopausetherapist

Resources mentioned: 

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If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together Get ongoing support, accountability, education, and the tools you need to feel stronger — inside and out:

💌 Stay Connected Sign up for my email list to get blogs, classes, coaching updates, podcast drops, free workouts, and upcoming events delivered right to your inbox: 👉 https://getfitwithashley.com/signup/

💪 Move With Me Enjoy free, beginner-friendly to advanced workouts any time on my YouTube channel: 👉 https://youtube.com/getfitwithashley/

📲 Follow Along on Social Media Daily tips, real talk, behind-the-scenes, and encouragement for your StrongHER Era: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getfitwithashley2012/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfitwithashley2012/

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⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not replace consultation with your healthcare provider. Always talk with a qualified professional about your individual health needs before making changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re suddenly more anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, or foggy — and you can’t figure out why — this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Brianna Dawson, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder of Behavioral Wellness for Women, to unpack the real connection between hormones and mental health in midlife. They talk about the most common “out of nowhere” symptoms women experience in perimenopause, why so many women are dismissed or misdiagnosed, and what hormone-informed psychiatric care can look like when you’re ready for answers (and relief).

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Why perimenopause can trigger anxiety, sleep disruption, brain fog, and low mood — even for women with no mental health history

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👥 Featured Guest

Brianna Dawson, MSN, PMHNP-BC — Board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder of Behavioral Wellness for Women, a boutique practice specializing in reproductive psychiatry. Brianna supports women across the reproductive lifespan — pregnancy and postpartum mental health, PMDD, and perimenopause — using an integrative, hormone-informed approach that combines evidence-based medication management with lifestyle and lab-guided care to help women feel stable, clear, and empowered during hormonal transitions.

Connect with Brianna:

Resources mentioned:

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

💪 Move With Me

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

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⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “all the right things” — eating less, working out more, trying to be good — and yet midlife weight loss still feels impossible… this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Sara Borgstede, founder of The Holy Mess and creator of the wildly popular Reset 3 meal plan, to unpack one of the most overlooked reasons women get stuck: undereating earlier in the day and then white-knuckling their way through cravings, “kitchen detours,” and nighttime overeating.

Together, they talk about the restrict–binge roller coaster, the “rolling river” approach to eating, the famous Minnesota Starvation Study, and why this isn’t a willpower problem — it’s often a biological response to not being adequately fueled.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

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 In this episode, we cover:

✅ Sara’s 100-pound weight loss story — and how she’s maintained her goal weight for 20 years

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👥 Featured Guest

Sara Borgstede — Founder of The Holy Mess, 100-pound weight loss success story, and creator of the Reset 3 meal plan featured in Woman’s World magazine. Sara helps women break free from the restrict–binge cycle and build a peaceful, sustainable relationship with food through practical tools, compassion, and real-life strategies that work.

Connect with Sara:

Free resource mentioned:

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

💪 Move With Me

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

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⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you've ever felt like you're holding it all together — but you're running on empty, silently stretched thin, and quietly wondering how much longer you can keep going — this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Michelle Govan — speaker, coach, and founder of Restore Your Roar — a movement dedicated to helping women reclaim their voice, confidence, and God-given purpose. She's also the co-owner of the Govan Group, where she works with leaders and organizations on training and transformation. She's a trusted voice in Ashley's community and has even led a vision-setting masterclass inside StrongHER Together. In this honest, faith-grounded conversation, Michelle shares her own story of breakdown and restoration, why chronic stress is the pandemic of our time, and what it actually looks like for strong women to stop enduring and start thriving.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women's wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Welcome + how Ashley and Michelle first connected through the Chamber of Commerce 

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👥 Featured Guest

Michelle Govan — speaker, certified coach, and founder of Restore Your Roar Ministries, a faith-based movement helping women reclaim their voice, confidence, and purpose. She is also the co-owner of the Govan Group, where she delivers stress management and leadership transformation through her "Calm is My Corporate Strategy" program. With a heart for women who've been carrying too much for too long, Michelle brings honesty, faith, and practical tools to help women move from striving to thriving.

Connect with Michelle: 

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If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together Get ongoing support, accountability, education, and the tools you need to feel stronger — inside and out:

💌 Stay Connected Sign up for my email list to get blogs, classes, coaching updates, podcast drops, free workouts, and upcoming events delivered right to your inbox: 

💪 Move With Me Enjoy free, beginner-friendly to advanced workouts any time on my YouTube channel: 

📲 Follow Along on Social Media Daily tips, real talk, behind-the-scenes, and encouragement for your StrongHER Era: 

If you’ve ever been told “but you seem fine” — while inside you’re overthinking everything, carrying everyone’s needs, and running on fumes — this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Jaclyn Burwell, LCSW, founder of JHB Therapy, to unpack the often-invisible experience of high-functioning anxiety in midlife. They talk about why midlife can feel like a pressure cooker, how the invisible mental load quietly drains women, and why minimizing your struggles (“others have it worse”) actually keeps anxiety stuck. You’ll leave feeling seen, validated, and equipped with practical tools to create relief — without waiting until you “fall apart.”

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ What high-functioning anxiety really is — “anxiety that hides behind capability”

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👥 Featured Guest

Jaclyn Burwell, LCSW — Founder of JHB Therapy LLC. Jaclyn supports women in midlife who are navigating anxiety, burnout, identity shifts, and the emotional changes of perimenopause and menopause. Her approach is warm, direct, and practical — focused on helping women move from overwhelm and self-doubt to clarity, balance, and self-trust.

Connect with Jaclyn:

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

💪 Move With Me

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

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⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you’ve ever felt blindsided by menopause — especially when it comes early, suddenly, or after surgery — and you’re left thinking, “Why didn’t anyone warn me?” this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Julie Parana (The Menopause OT) — occupational therapist, certified menopause coach, and women’s health educator — to talk about what really happens when menopause doesn’t follow the “normal” timeline. Julie shares her own experience of entering menopause after a hysterectomy (even with her ovaries intact), the confusing symptoms that came first, and the life-changing support and education that helped her feel like herself again. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply validating — with clear steps you can take to advocate for your health and build a plan that supports both symptoms and long-term wellbeing.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert-backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

In this episode, we cover:

✅ How Ashley met Julie at the Philadelphia Conference for Women — and why “The Menopause OT” instantly stood out

👥 Featured Guest

Julie Parana — occupational therapist, certified menopause coach, and founder of The Menopause OT. With over 20 years of experience helping adults navigate complex health challenges, Julie now supports women through the physical, emotional, and cognitive shifts of midlife — with a special focus on early, surgical, and treatment-induced menopause. Her approach is grounded, practical, and empowering, helping women feel informed and supported when their menopause journey doesn’t follow the “expected” path.

Connect with Julie:

Resources mentioned:

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

💪 Move With Me

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you’ve been feeling more reactive, more forgetful, or like your “stress buffer” has disappeared — you’re not failing. In this episode of Real Parenting for Sensitive Moms, Ashley Basilio joins Leah Andreoni and Adrienne Bishop to break down what perimenopause really is, why it can hit highly sensitive moms especially hard, and what can actually help (without turning self-care into another full-time job).

Ashley shares both the science and the real-life experience — from brain fog and sensory overload to the surprising upsides of this transition, like stronger boundaries and clearer priorities.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert‑backed support. 

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate. 

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ What perimenopause actually is (and why menopause is technically just one day)

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💗 Meet Leah Andreoni and Adrienne Bishop:

📌 Connect with Leah Andreoni and Adrienne Bishop: 

Resources mentioned: 

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

💌 Stay Connected

💪 Move With Me

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

⚠️ Disclaimer:

If you’ve ever felt like your hormones are mysteriously sabotaging your life — leaving you tired, achy, irritable, or just “not yourself” — this episode is for you.

Today, Ashley sits down with Marla Osner, NP, co‑owner of Eclipse Total Health, to break down hormone health in a way that finally feels clear, human, and hopeful. They talk about everything from hormone therapy myths and recent FDA updates to the foundational role of cortisol and thyroid health — and how women can walk away from this episode feeling informed, empowered, and equipped to take control of their wellbeing.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and practical, expert‑backed support.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Marla’s personal hormone journey — and why she’s passionate about helping women feel seen in their symptoms

✅ What bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) really is — and how it differs from synthetic hormones

✅ Why old hormone research created confusion — and what has changed with modern evidence and the removal of the FDA black box warning

✅ Why “normal” lab ranges don’t always equal optimal health

✅ The “hormone trio” — adrenals (cortisol), thyroid, and sex hormones — and why they must be viewed together

✅ Practical ways to support cortisol rhythms and your nervous system every day

✅ How to advocate for yourself when your provider says “your labs are normal”

✅ How hormone care can improve sleep, mood, weight, libido, and even relationships

✅ A reassuring message for women who feel like they’ve lost themselves

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👥 Featured Guest

Marla Osner, NP, DPT, CFNIP — Nurse Practitioner and co‑owner of Eclipse Total Health. Marla helps women ditch fatigue, fix hormone chaos, and finally feel human again by focusing on root‑cause medicine and honest, no‑nonsense conversations about hormone health. She blends clinical expertise with warmth and humor to help women step into midlife feeling strong, sexy, and unstoppable.

Connect with Marla:

Website: https://www.eclipsetotalhealth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eclipsetotalhealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eclipsetotalhealthML

Resources mentioned:

The Menopause Society: https://menopause.org/

Podcast‑Exclusive Offer:

Marla is offering $150 off first hormone package for StrongHER Voices listeners — ask about the StrongHER Voices podcast special when you contact Eclipse Total Health.

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

Get ongoing support, accountability, education, and the tools you need to feel stronger—inside and out:

👉 https://getfitwithashley.com/strongher/

--

💌 Stay Connected

Sign up for my email list to get blogs, classes, coaching updates, podcast drops, free workouts, and upcoming events delivered right to your inbox:

👉 https://getfitwithashley.com/signup/

--

💪 Move With Me

Enjoy free, beginner-friendly to advanced workouts any time on my YouTube channel:

👉 https://youtube.com/getfitwithashley/

--

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

Daily tips, real talk, behind-the-scenes, and encouragement for your StrongHER Era:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getfitwithashley2012/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfitwithashley2012/

⚠️ Disclaimer:

The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not replace consultation with your healthcare provider. Always talk with a qualified professional about your individual health needs before making changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan.

00:00 Welcome & Marla’s Introduction

02:22 Marla’s Hormone Journey & Why She Started Eclipse Total Health

04:09 BHRT Explained: What Bioidentical Hormones Are & Why They Matter

09:45 HRT Study History & the Black Box Warning Update

13:14 How Hormones Affect Health Beyond Symptoms

15:59 The Hormone Trio: Adrenals, Thyroid, & Cortisol

18:55 Practical Ways to Support Your Cortisol & Circadian Rhythm

23:01 How to Advocate for Yourself with Healthcare Providers

31:06 Final Message: You Don’t Have to Feel ‘Off’ — There’s Hope

33:35 How to Connect with Marla & Special Offer

If you’ve spent years being the one who shows up, supports everyone else, and keeps the peace — but lately, it’s all starting to feel too much — this episode is your reminder that you are not alone, and it’s okay to start putting yourself first.

In this conversation, Ashley sits down with licensed perinatal therapist Leah Andreoni, founder of Rising Sun Therapy, to explore why people-pleasing patterns hit a breaking point in midlife — and how women can reclaim their time, energy, and sense of self with clarity and compassion.

🎙️ StrongHER Voices is the empowering podcast helping women navigate their StrongHER Era with clarity, confidence, and the honest, expert-backed support they deserve.

Hosted by Ashley Basilio — certified menopause health coach, fitness professional, and women’s wellness advocate.

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In this episode, we cover:

✅ Why people-pleasing patterns often intensify during perimenopause

✅ What happens when estrogen drops — and suddenly you start asking, “Why am I still doing this?”

✅ Signs you might be stuck in over-giving mode — and how it affects your relationships, energy, and identity

✅ Practical scripts and mindset shifts to start saying no with less guilt

✅ How understanding your personal values helps set better boundaries

✅ What to do with the guilt that creeps in when you finally prioritize yourself

✅ Why midlife is a powerful window to break old habits and choose a new way forward

✅ Leah’s personal and professional insights on supporting women through this transition

✅ One reframe that can help you feel more peace and less pressure in this next chapter

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👥 Featured Guest

Leah Andreoni has worked with families and mothers in various therapeutic capacities for over 20 years.  She now owns Rising Sun Therapy, a group wellness practice that serves teens and women with all transitions of life with a specialty in women's health.  Through personal and professional experience, Leah offers compassion, understanding, and expertise to support her clients through all of life's journeys.  This is where she uses community and connection to heal by providing a space clients feel seen, heard, and valued.

Connect with Leah:

Website: https://www.risingsuntherapy.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/leahandreoni/

Facebook (personal): https://facebook.com/leahandreoni/

Facebook (business): https://facebook.com/risingsuntherapy/

Podcast: https://realparentingforsensitivemoms.buzzsprout.com/

Book referenced:

12 Steps to Overcome People‑Pleasing by Trina Stutzman: https://amzn.to/3N4lNbc

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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to keep supporting you on your StrongHER journey. 💛

🩷 Join StrongHER Together

Get ongoing support, accountability, education, and the tools you need to feel stronger—inside and out:

👉 https://getfitwithashley.com/strongher/

--

💌 Stay Connected

Sign up for my email list to get blogs, classes, coaching updates, podcast drops, free workouts, and upcoming events delivered right to your inbox:

👉 https://getfitwithashley.com/signup/

--

💪 Move With Me

Enjoy free, beginner-friendly to advanced workouts any time on my YouTube channel:

👉 https://youtube.com/getfitwithashley/

--

📲 Follow Along on Social Media

Daily tips, real talk, behind-the-scenes, and encouragement for your StrongHER Era:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getfitwithashley2012/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfitwithashley2012/

⚠️ Disclaimer:

The information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not replace consultation with your healthcare provider. Always talk with a qualified professional about your individual health needs before making changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan.

00:00 - Start

00:52 - Introduction and Leah’s Background

07:00 - Why People-Pleasing Peaks in Midlife

13:32 - Recognizing and Rewiring People-Pleasing Patterns

19:37 - Practical Tools for Boundaries and Communication

23:03 - Navigating Guilt and Shifting Identity

39:07 - Final Advice and How to Connect with Leah