The Positive Pause

Perimenopause isn't just a physical transition. It can have a profound impact on a woman's mental health, relationships, work, and overall quality of life. In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill welcomes Ashanda Saint Jean, MD, FACOG, to explore the connection between hormonal changes and mental well-being, the disparities women face in accessing menopause care, and why treating the whole woman is essential to navigating midlife. Dr. Saint Jean shares how her extensive work in maternal health has shaped her approach to menopause, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive care throughout every stage of a woman's life.  

Dr. Saint Jean is a board-certified obstetrician gynecologist (OBGYN), educator, and nationally recognized maternal health advocate. She serves as an Associate Professor at New York Medical College and is Co-Chair of the New York City Maternal Mortality Review Committee. In addition, she is member of NMF’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) as well as a clinician and advisory board member at the Seleni Institute. Throughout her career, Dr. Saint Jean has championed health equity, maternal mental health, reproductive justice, and menopause education, working to improve outcomes for women and families through compassionate, patient-centered care, education, and community engagement. Over the past two decades, she has dedicated her career to providing quality healthcare to underrepresented minority women in urban New York City and rural upstate New York. Her commitment to excellence in healthcare delivery is rooted in a patient-centered approach that encompasses comprehensive care, mental health, and addressing social determinants of health. 

Key Points 

• The connection between perimenopause and mental health: Hormonal fluctuations, sleep disturbances, mood changes, anxiety, and brain fog can significantly affect emotional well-being. These symptoms shouldn't be dismissed as simply part of aging. 
• Recognizing disparities in menopause care: Research shows that Black women often experience longer-lasting menopausal symptoms; cultural awareness, representation in research, and individualized care are essential to addressing these differences. 
• Making mental health screenings part of menopause care: Just as mental health screenings are incorporated into prenatal and postpartum visits, midlife women deserve routine emotional and psychological check-ins. 
• Breaking the silence around symptoms: Many women suffer for years without discussing their experiences with a healthcare provider. Simple questions about hot flashes, sleep, mood, and menstrual changes can open the door to meaningful conversations and earlier support. 
• Empowering women through personalized care: There's no single approach to managing menopause. Women need to advocate for themselves, explore evidence-based treatment options, and work with providers who listen, respect their preferences, and address both physical and mental health.  

Perimenopause is a unique journey, but no woman should have to navigate it alone. By normalizing conversations about menopause, integrating mental health into routine care, and ensuring women feel heard and supported, healthcare providers can help make this transition a healthier and more empowering experience. As Dr. Saint Jean emphasizes, caring for women means looking beyond individual symptoms and treating the whole person. 

Connect with Dr. Saint Jean:   

• Website: https://seleni.org/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashandastjeanmd/  
• Instagram: 
  • https://www.instagram.com/DrAshandaMD 
  • https://www.instagram.com/selenidotorg 

Resources: 

• In celebration of Seleni Institute’s new Perimenopause and Menopause Mental Health curriculum, explore Seleni’s full library of professional mental health courses and use code MIND30 to receive 30% off any Seleni Institute course. 

Menopause is often discussed in terms of hot flashes, sleep problems, and other physical symptoms, but the mental and emotional impact can be just as significant. In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill talks with Seema Bajaj, Executive Director of the Seleni Institute, and Dr. Mary Riddle, reproductive psychologist and lead instructor for Seleni’s new peri/menopause mental health course, about why mental health needs to become a bigger part of perimenopause and menopause care and how better education can help both women and the professionals who support them.  

Seema Bajaj is a healthcare operations executive with nearly 20 years of experience in clinical operations, financial management, and strategic planning across academic medicine, research, and nonprofit healthcare. As Executive Director of the Seleni Institute, a global nonprofit dedicated to transforming mental healthcare by addressing the unique needs of women, mothers, and families, she leads the organization’s operations and strategic growth, advancing its mission to expand access to maternal and reproductive mental health care and professional training worldwide.  

Dr. Mary Riddle is a licensed clinical health psychologist and reproductive mental health expert with over 20 years of experience specializing in infertility, third-party reproduction, pregnancy loss, and perinatal mental health. She is an Associate Teaching Professor of Psychology at Penn State University and has served in leadership roles within the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Mental Health Professional Group.   

Key Concepts Covered 

• Mental health symptoms during perimenopause and menopause deserve the same attention as physical symptoms. Anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, feeling overwhelmed, and simply "not feeling like yourself" can all be part of the menopause experience. Women need to understand that these concerns are worth discussing with their healthcare providers. 
• Identity can shift throughout the reproductive lifespan. Infertility, parenthood, perimenopause, and menopause can all challenge a woman's sense of identity. At midlife, women may be balancing roles as parents, partners, caregivers, and professionals while simultaneously experiencing significant changes in their bodies and minds. 
• Workplaces need to make menopause speakable. Sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, brain fog, migraines, and other symptoms can affect attendance, productivity, confidence, and women's willingness to pursue new opportunities.  Employers should be encouraged to begin by creating space for conversations, offering educational programs such as webinars or lunch-and-learns, and helping managers better understand what employees may be experiencing. 
• There's a need for menopause-trained mental health professionals. Seleni Institute is developing peri/menopause mental health education designed to help expand the number of professionals with specialized knowledge in this area. Building on the model established in perinatal mental health, the goal is to help clinicians recognize concerns, screen appropriately, and connect patients with additional care when needed. 
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be one tool in the menopause toolbox. There is research supporting CBT for certain menopausal symptoms, including anxiety and depression as well as some vasomotor symptoms. It can be particularly relevant when considering non-hormonal treatment options, although it isn't the only form of therapy that may benefit women. 
• Starting the conversation can be an important first step. When something doesn't feel right, make an appointment with a primary care provider or OB-GYN and speak up, even when having difficulty describing exactly what they're experiencing. Self-advocacy can be an important first step toward finding appropriate care.  

Improving perimenopause and menopause care means recognizing that physical and mental health are interconnected. Women need healthcare professionals who understand that connection, employers who make it possible to talk openly about menopause, and mental health professionals with the training to support the unique challenges that can arise during this transition. 

For women who are thinking, "I just don't feel like myself," the message from this conversation is simple: start talking about it. Make the appointment, raise the issue, and advocate for the support you need. For clinicians and employers, the responsibility is just as important. Make space for those conversations and help ensure women know where to turn for meaningful support. 

Connect with Seema: 

• Website: https://seleni.org  
• LinkedIn: 
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/seema-bajaj-73a52622b 
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/seleni-institute 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeleniDotOrg  
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SeleniDotOrg  

 Connect with Mary: 

• Website: https://www.maryriddle.com/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-riddle-ph-d-222619a  

Resources: 

• In anticipation of Seleni Institute’s upcoming Perimenopause and Menopause Mental Health curriculum, explore Seleni’s full library of professional mental health courses and use code MIND30 to receive 30% off any Seleni Institute course.  

Women's health has come a long way, but significant funding gaps continue to slow the development of new treatments and therapies. In this episode of The Positive Pause, Claire Gill welcomes back Sabrina Martucci Johnson, President & CEO of Daré Bioscience, to continue their conversation about why investing in women's health matters, how consumers can influence change, and why supporting evidence-based innovation is essential to improving healthcare for women.  

This conversation focuses on how and why women should get involved in investing in women’s health products and businesses bringing solutions to market. 

In 2015, Sabrina Martucci Johnson founded Daré Bioscience, a purpose-driven health biotech company built on a single, uncompromising premise: women deserve better. Not incrementally better. Categorically better. From contraception and menopause to vaginal health, sexual health, fertility, and infectious disease. Ms. Johnson is a life sciences executive committed to advancing improvements in women’s healthcare.  

Key Points 

• Women's health remains dramatically underfunded, with less than 1% of private healthcare investment going toward conditions that exclusively affect women. 
• Decades of underrepresentation of women in clinical research have contributed to major gaps in available therapies for menopause, maternal health, sexual health, fertility, and other conditions. 
• Real medical innovation requires years of scientific research, clinical trials, FDA review, and significant financial investment before products ever reach patients. 
• Consumers can help drive change by supporting companies that invest in rigorous research and clinically validated products instead of relying solely on marketing claims. 
• AI tools can help identify companies working in women's health, but consumers should still do their own research before investing. 
• Healthcare providers don't always receive extensive training on how medicines are developed, making it even more important for patients to ask informed questions about the products they're prescribed. 
• Patients should feel empowered to ask whether a therapy is FDA-approved, supported by published clinical research, and backed by scientific evidence. 
• Advancing women's health will require advocacy, consumer education, strategic investment, and continued support for companies committed to bringing new therapies to market. 

Claire and Sabrina make a compelling case that improving women's healthcare isn't just the responsibility of researchers, policymakers, or pharmaceutical companies. Consumers have tremendous influence through the products they purchase, the questions they ask, and the investments they choose to make. By supporting evidence-based innovation and companies committed to rigorous science, individuals can help accelerate the development of better treatments and create lasting change for women's health. 

Connect with Sabrina:  

• Websites:  
• https://www.darebioscience.com 
• https://www.daretoplaybio.com 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darebioscience 
• LinkedIn:  
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-johnson-27799829/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/dare-bioscience/ 

Women's health has historically been overlooked in research and investment, but that landscape is beginning to change. In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill talks with Sabrina Martucci Johnson, President & CEO of Daré Bioscience, about what it really takes to develop safe, effective therapies for women and why informed patients play such an important role in advancing better healthcare. 

Their discussion focuses on the ongoing funding disparity in women’s health research and innovation and why greater investment is essential to improving care; the process and challenges of bring clinically validated therapies to market for women; how can women be more informed consumers and spot junk science, especially in the menopause space right now where marketing often outpaces the clinical evidence; and, more. 

In 2015, Sabrina Martucci Johnson founded Daré Bioscience, a purpose-driven health biotech company built on a single, uncompromising premise: women deserve better. Not incrementally better. Categorically better. From contraception and menopause to vaginal health, sexual health, fertility, and infectious disease. Ms. Johnson is a life sciences executive committed to advancing improvements in women’s healthcare. 

Key topics covered 

• What "clinically validated" actually means and why extensive testing is required before therapies reach patients 
• How existing FDA-approved medicines can be thoughtfully adapted to address unmet needs in women's health 
• The differences between FDA-approved medications, compounded prescriptions, and products manufactured under pharmaceutical quality standards 
• Why women should ask more questions about the medications they're prescribed, including whether a treatment has been clinically studied and published in peer-reviewed research 
• How telehealth and social media have expanded access to information while also making it more important than ever to evaluate healthcare claims carefully 
• The importance of helping women become informed healthcare consumers who can confidently advocate for themselves 
• Why raising expectations for women's healthcare is one of the most important steps toward lasting change  

This episode delivers an informative conversation about the science, investment, and persistence required to bring innovative women's health therapies to market. Claire and Sabrina encourage women to ask thoughtful questions, seek evidence-based information, and expect the same level of scientific rigor and innovation that has long been standard in other areas of medicine. The discussion offers both practical guidance and optimism for the future of women's healthcare. 

Connect with Sabrina:  

Websites:  

• https://www.darebioscience.com 
• https://www.daretoplaybio.com 

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

LinkedIn:  

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-johnson-27799829/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/dare-bioscience/ 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, yet awareness is still surprisingly low. In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill sits down with two of NMF’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) members, Dr. Emily Lau, a cardiologist specializing in women’s cardiovascular health, and Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian, to unpack why midlife is a critical window for prevention and what women can do to take control of their heart health.

They explore how menopause changes cardiovascular risk, why heart disease often goes unnoticed, and how small, sustainable lifestyle changes can have a major impact.

Emily Lau, MD, MPH a women’s cardiovascular health specialist and investigator at Mass General Brigham. Dr. Lau co-directs the Women’s Heart Health Program. Dr. Lau’s laboratory focuses on understanding how biologic sex differences and female-specific cardiovascular risk factors contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease uniquely in women. 

Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is the owner and president of Entirely Nourished LLC, a specialized private practice in nutrition counseling and consulting focused on the prevention and management of heart disease. Employing a science-based, holistic approach, she is dedicated to enhancing women's heart health by addressing cardiometabolic risk factors and mitigating the likelihood of cardiovascular issues as individuals age.

Key Concepts Covered

• Midlife is a turning point for heart health
  Cardiovascular risk accelerates during and after menopause, making this stage of life a critical opportunity for prevention.
• Heart disease is often silent and under-recognized
  Many women don’t realize there’s an issue because symptoms aren’t obvious. At the same time, awareness has actually declined in recent years, which makes education even more important.
• Health goes beyond weight and appearance
  You can look healthy and still have underlying cardiovascular risk. That’s why personalized testing and understanding your numbers matters.
• Sustainable habits matter more than extreme changes
  Instead of restrictive diets or drastic routines, small consistent improvements in nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management lead to better long-term outcomes.
• Prevention is the real opportunity
  Midlife isn’t just a time of change; it’s a chance to take control. With the right approach, most cardiovascular risk factors can be improved or prevented.

This conversation makes one thing clear: heart health isn’t something women can afford to ignore, especially at midlife. The good news is that most risk factors are preventable and manageable with the right information and consistent action. By focusing on sustainable habits and understanding your personal risk, you can take control of your cardiovascular health and build a stronger future.

Connect with Dr. Lau:

• Website: Mass General Brigham Women’s Heart Health
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-lau-11601152/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/‌massgeneral 

Connect with Michelle:

• Website: https://www.entirelynourished.com
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/michellerouthenstein/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heart.Health.Nutritionist/

In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill speaks with Leslie Kenny, co-founder of the Oxford Longevity Project and founder of Oxford Healthspan. Leslie shares her powerful personal story of overcoming a life-threatening diagnosis and how that journey led her to focus on helping women improve their healthspan, especially during midlife. Together, they explore the science and practical strategies behind aging well, emphasizing empowerment, prevention, and daily action. 

Key Concepts Covered 

• The importance of patient advocacy and taking ownership of health decisions 
• The difference between chronological age and biological age, and why healthspan matters more than lifespan 
• Why women often live longer than men but experience more chronic illness in later years 
• The role of inflammation in aging and disease 
• How functional movement, not gym workouts, plays a key role in long-term health 
• The impact of diet including plant-based nutrition, fiber, and nutrient-dense foods on aging and menopause symptoms 
• The role of muscle mass in reducing inflammation and improving metabolic health 
• The benefits and misconceptions around hormone replacement therapy and the need for better education 
• Why movement should be joyful and social rather than rigid or intimidating 
• The importance of daily habits in shaping long-term health outcomes 

 This episode reinforces a powerful message: aging is not just about how long we live, but how well we live. By focusing on small, consistent changes in movement, nutrition, community, and self-advocacy, women can significantly improve their healthspan. Leslie Kenny’s story is a reminder that taking control of your health today can dramatically change your future. 

Connect with Leslie: 

• Leslie Kenny, Smart Aging & Longevity Expert 
  • LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/leslie-kenny-oxford  
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliesnewprime/   
• Oxford Longevity Project 
  • Website: https://oxfordlongevityproject.org/  
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oxford-longevity-project/  
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oxfordlongevityproject  
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oxfordlongevityproject/  
• Oxford Healthspan: @oxfordhealthspan 
  • Website: https://oxfordhealthspan.com/pages/our-story   
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oxford-healthspan  
  • Instagram: https://instagram.com/oxfordhealthspan  

In this episode of The Positive Pause®, Claire Gill sits down with Dr. Soma Mandal, a leading board-certified Internist and midlife women’s health expert, to talk about her personal path into women’s health, the evolution of menopause care, her podcast “Soma Says”, and her major new role developing a comprehensive Women’s Health Center. The conversation highlights advocacy, education, prevention, and the importance of empowering women to put themselves first.

Dr. Mandal never planned to specialize in women’s health, but her patients naturally gravitated toward her—first younger women facing infertility, then midlife women navigating menopause and aging. Her own health challenges reinforced her passion for this work. Training during the Women’s Health Initiative fallout shaped her early medical approach. With hormone therapy suddenly deemed dangerous, an entire generation of clinicians avoided it. Today’s improved understanding requires re-educating both clinicians and patients

Beginning in January 2026, she will be joining Hackensack Meridian Health as the Medical Director of Women’s Health at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she’ll be building a comprehensive, multidisciplinary women’s health center. The goal is integrated care coordinated across cardiology, endocrinology, gynecology, behavioral health, and primary care

Key Points Covered

• Why Advocacy Matters — Even for Doctors - Through her own infertility and medical challenges, Dr. Mandal learned how essential self-advocacy is. She encourages women to speak up, ask questions, and push for what they need—even when clinicians are dismissive or overburdened.
• The Origin of Her Podcast, Soma Says is a return to her lifelong passion for educating and uplifting women. Guests discuss menopause, Alzheimer’s, incontinence, prevention, emotional well-being, and more—reaching listeners worldwide.
• The Challenge of Navigating a Fragmented Healthcare System - Women often get lost between specialists, especially when dealing with complex diagnoses. A coordinated center reduces confusion, prevents delays in treatment, and eases the burden on women who already juggle caregiving and work responsibilities.
• The #1 Thing Women Don’t Know: Heart Disease Is Their Greatest Risk - Many women still don’t realize that heart disease—not breast cancer—is the leading cause of death for women. Dr. Mandal stresses early screening, understanding family history, and taking preventive measures long before symptoms appear.
• The Power of Education & Community Advocacy - Podcasts, social media, and patient advocacy groups help fill major gaps in clinical education. Giving women accurate information—especially about menopause, heart health, and bone health—empowers them to take control of their wellbeing.
• Her #1 Action Step for Women: Put yourself first - Whether it’s scheduling a physical, taking a walk, asking a partner to cover a chore, or carving out 15 minutes to breathe—women must prioritize their own health. Most women aren’t even on their own to-do lists.

This episode highlights the gaps in women’s health—and the passionate experts committed to closing them. Dr. Soma Mandal offers women a roadmap: learn, advocate, ask questions, and prioritize your own wellbeing.

Connect with Dr. Mandal 

• Website: https://www.somamandalmd.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Soma-Mandal-MD-437643206820996/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsomamandalmd
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somamandal/ 
• YouTube Channel:

In this episode of The Positive Pause, host Claire Gill sits down with EJ Kim and Marina Pen, co-founders of NNABI, the first company built specifically to support women in perimenopause, for a discussion around the massive awareness gap surrounding this life stage, their groundbreaking “Peri Power Report 2025”, and why women deserve better education, community, and tools as they navigate perimenopause.

EJ Kim’s personal struggles with PCOS and later perimenopause led her to seek natural, evidence-based solutions. When Marina began experiencing anxiety, sleepless nights, and mood swings, she discovered it wasn’t stress; it was perimenopause. Surprised by how little conversation and guidance existed, she turned frustration into purpose. Together they created NNABI, which means butterfly in Korean and represents love, hope, beauty and transformation, a brand created to educate and empower women through one of the most transformative stages of their lives through credible information, supportive community and doctor-formulated solutions designed specifically for Perimenopause. EJ is passionate about redefining the conversation around perimenopause as a power era, and ensuring that women are understood, seen, and recognized for the power they hold and reflected accurately in media and narratives.

This episode sheds light on a stage of life that affects millions of women yet remains widely misunderstood -- many women begin experiencing perimenopause years before they expect to, often in their 30s or early 40s, without recognizing the signs.

Key Points Covered

• There is a significant awareness gap - women often experience multiple symptoms (fatigue, anxiety, sleep disruption, joint pain, irritability, brain fog, and weight changes) yet do not associate them with perimenopause and are frequently misattributed to stress or aging instead of hormonal shifts. 
• Education is critical - Understanding the term “perimenopause” and being able to name what’s happening helps counter feelings of confusion or self-blame. 
• Community support—at home, in the workplace, and among peers—plays a major role in helping women navigate this stage. We all need to learn and talk about how to share the loads! 
• Perimenopause is not strictly a negative phase - Many women experience newfound clarity, confidence, boundary-setting, and personal power during this time, which becomes sources of their power. 
• There is no single solution or a quick fix - Instead, women benefit from a toolkit approach that may include medical guidance, lifestyle changes, sleep support, movement, supplements, and stress management.

This episode sheds light on a stage of life that affects millions of women yet remains widely misunderstood. Claire, EJ, and Marina explore the symptoms most women overlook, the emotional impact of not knowing what’s happening, and the importance of education, community, and supportive tools. Through NNABI’s “Peri Power Report” and their mission, they highlight both the challenges and the strengths that define this transitional chapter and underscore why women deserve clarity, compassion, and resources that truly reflect their experience.

Connect with EJ & Marina

• NNABI website: https://nnabilife.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nnabi.life 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nnabi/
• NNABI’s “The Peri Power Report 2025”: https://nnabilife.com/pages/get-the-peri-power-report 

On this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill welcomes Maryon Stewart, BEM, a pioneer in natural menopause care, the Founder & CEO at Femmar, and Creator of N-HRP™, the Natural Hormone Rebalancing Protocol, to discuss how nutrition, phytoestrogens, and lifestyle protocols can transform the menopausal journey. With over three decades of research, Maryon shares practical insights on how women can move from simply coping with symptoms to truly thriving in midlife and beyond.

Over the years, Maryon has helped tens of thousands of women firsthand through a clinic she ran for over a decade in the U.K.— an experience that shaped her whole-person approach to hormonal wellbeing. Now, she is building a modern legacy by expanding access to her evidence-based protocol—prioritizing the U.S. market, where demand for credible, natural solutions is growing rapidly. A Forbes-recognized menopause leader, Maryon is the author of 28 books published on topics to manage menopause naturally with over one million copies sold internationally. She has served as a long-time columnist for major outlets and is a regular voice in webinars and conferences. In 2018 she was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). In 2024, Maryon hosted a 4-part education broadcast series that can be found on PBS -- Maryon Stewart’s Menopause Solutions.

Key Concepts Covered

• Nutritional Deficiency & Hormonal Imbalance
• Phytoestrogens & Natural Hormone Rebalancing
• A Rules-Based Protocol for Thriving
• Symptom Relief Meets Long-Term Prevention
• Community and Accessibility

Maryon champions a powerful message: menopause is not an ending—it’s an opportunity to reclaim well-being. Through nutrition, education, and evidence-based practices, women can reduce symptoms, protect long-term health, and rediscover vitality. Investing in oneself for just a few months can yield a lifetime of strength, energy, and self-worth.

Connect with Maryon and Femmar:

Websites:

• https://www.femmar.com 
• https://www.naturalmenopause.tv 
• PBS TV series: https://www.pbs.org/show/maryon-stewarts-menopause-solutions

Instagram:

• https://www.instagram.com/maryonstewartmenopause 
• https://www.instagram.com/femmar.hormonal.health 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryon-stewart-bem-b806634

In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill sits down with integrative and hormonal medicine expert Shivani Doctor, PA-C, BHMS, MPAS, founder of Integrative Health and Aesthetics in Springfield, VA, for a discussion to help demystify midlife women’s health by covering what integrative/functional medicine actually is, how to spot hormone-driven symptoms (beyond hot flashes), when and why bioidentical hormone therapy can help, and the everyday nutrition/movement habits that support thriving, not just “getting through” menopause.

With advanced training in bioidentical hormone therapy and a background in integrative medicine and counseling psychology, Shivani specializes in midlife women’s health, hormonal balance, and lifestyle-based treatment strategies. Her practice helps women navigate perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause with personalized care rooted in both science and compassion. She blends her background in integrative medicine and counseling with advanced training in Western medicine to deliver personalized, functional and integrative care. Her unique approach combines evidence-based medicine, lifestyle therapies, and a deep commitment to whole-person wellness.

Key Concepts Covered:

• What “integrative/functional medicine” means
• Midlife focus & hormones
• Upstream & downstream matters
• Commonly missed symptoms
• Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones
• Guidelines & the evidence gap
• Advocacy with clinicians
• Nutrition foundations that support hormones
• Vitamin D3 + K2 & bones
• Movement priorities in midlife

Menopause care should be proactive, personalized, and whole-person. If your symptoms are dismissed, seek a menopause-savvy clinician, review reputable resources (e.g., NAMS), and advocate for a plan that matches science and your body. Bioidentical HRT can be life-changing, often restoring sleep, cognition, mood, sexual health, and comfort. Pair therapy with lifestyle pillars for best results.

Connect with Shivani Doctor, PA-C:

• Website: https://i-haa.com/functional-health/hormonal-health/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Integrative-Health-Aesthetics/61556914877652 
• Instagram: @integrativehanda