The Positive Pause

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 ...

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, emp...

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 t...

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 pe...

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 copin...

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 thera...

In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill speaks with Dr. Adrienne Bitar, PhD and Dr. Jennifer Han, PharmD, BCACP, co-founders of Seen Nutrition about their personal experiences with bone health issues, including pre-menopausal osteoporosis, the important role of calcium in bone health & bone density, how to protect bone health at midlife, and the creation of their brand & its new calcium chew. Drawing from t...

Resources:

• American Migraine Foundation
  • American Migraine Foundation: Why Don't We Use the Terms "migraines," "migraine headaches" and "migraineur"?
• Canadian Headache Society

In this episode of The Positive Pause®, host Claire Gill speaks with Claire Sandoe, MD, MSc, neurologist, educator, and American Migraine Foundation board member, for a discussion about migraine’s impact on women, especially during key horm...

In this episode, Jenna Perkins, RN, WHNP-BC, a board-certified women’s health and gender-related nurse practitioner and founder of DiscovHER Health joins us for a discussion about the importance understanding of pelvic health, which includes both urinary, bladder and gynecological issues, especially during perimenopause and menopause, the growing role and responsibilities of that nurse practitioners (NP) and physician assista...

In this episode, Joe Hoye, Owner/Operator of Hoye Fit, joins us for a discussion about how he helps women, especially those over the age of 40, in creating lasting change through fitness, nutrition, health and mindset.

Most coaches tell women to eat less and move more—Joe Hoye does the opposite. Through Diet Detox, he simplifies nutrition and fitness, helping women eat more, exercise less, and focus on what truly matters: brea...

In this episode, Dawn Van Berkel, LPC, CCTP, CST, a mental health counselor and founder of H.E.R. Therapy, joins us for a discussion to explore the emotional challenges and opportunities women face during midlife and menopause. 

Dawn shares her inspiring story of going back to school in her mid-40s to earn a master’s degree in counseling, proving that reinvention is possible at any age. She wants women to know it’s ...

In this episode, Colleen McIntosh, author of Menopause: The Horror, Humility, and Humor of It All joins us to discuss her candid and humorous approach to navigating menopause. She shares insights on how humor, support, and self-care can help women thrive during this challenging life transition.

Colleen’s story is one of humor, resilience, and self-discovery. Having spent years in acting and advertising, Colleen turned to writi...

In this episode, Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, WCS, a seasoned physical therapist, author, and speaker with over 40 years of experience, including almost three decades specializing in women’s health, joins us for a discussion into the often overlooked but crucial topic of pelvic health, its critical role in everyday functions like bowel and bladder control, sexual health, & maintaining stability, and treatment options and res...

In this episode, Deborah Maragopoulos, FNP an intuitive integrative family nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience in neuroimmune endocrinology, joins us for a discussion around the crucial role of the hypothalamus in managing menopause symptoms, overall health, and hormonal harmony. 

Specializing in hypothalamic health, Deborah has helped thousands of patients restore hormonal balance through her integrative approa...

In this episode, Stephanie Mitchell, a certified personal trainer (CPT) and the inspiring wellness coach behind Stephanie Mitchell Fitness, joins us for a discussion around how women can prioritize wellness through the complex journey of perimenopause and menopause. In our conversation, Stephanie shares insights on staying connected to our "why" in our wellness routines, staying resilient as our bodies change, and building communit...

In this episode Jack Tuckner, Esq. and Catherine Crider, Esq. of Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser, LLP, a NY-based law firm dedicated to workplace gender rights, join us to discuss the significant challenges faced by women at midlife, particularly around menopause, and how the workplace can better support them. The conversation is a deep dive into the legal landscape of workplace accommodations, how to navigate discussions a...

In this episode, Laura Okafor, founder and CEO of perry, joins us for a conversation about why perimenopause needs its own awareness month, how to help women understand & support them during the menopause transition, and misconceptions around perimenopause.

This September, the National Menopause Foundation, in partnership with perry, launched the inaugural National Perimenopause Awareness Month. With 5-7 online events each week,...

In this episode, Cara-Michele Nether, a distinguished licensed health practitioner, author, and founder of Strength & Vitality Wellness, joins us for a conversation about the self-care crisis and the four urgent steps women aged 45 and older can't afford to ignore. 

Making friends with self-care consistency is more straightforward than you might think, and feeling good is the easiest way to do good. Self-care isn't just a l...

In this episode, Dr. Evan M. Rabinowitz, the founder of the Yao Shan Center for Chinese Medicine in Washington, DC, joins us for a conversation about acupuncture for menopause symptom treatment relief, the importance of treatment for the individual, how the body is an ecosystem and how holistic & Eastern medicine focus on addressing and balancing the entire system rather than just a single problematic issue.

Acupuncture as a med...