The Myth of the Midlife Crisis | How to Turn Your Racing Thoughts into Intentional Influence with Dr. Natalie

Ever feel like your emotional depth is too much for a world that wants you to “stay strong”? 
This week, Dr. Natalie Dattilo-Ryan joins Tori to explore how mental health challenges and emotional changes in midlife—especially during perimenopause—can become a catalyst for personal power and reinvention. Whether you're navigating a newfound level of empathy and changes to your self concept, or just ready to turn your life experience into influence, this conversation is for you. 
As a seasoned psychologist and advocate for mental wellness, Dr. Natalie shares evidence-based strategies from her experiences as a PhD of clinical psychology, Harvard med instructor, founder of Priority Wellness Group, and specialist in mental health for the midlife woman to help you reframe your narrative and continue to integrate all stages of your identity. You’ll learn how empathy, an optimistic mindset, and ‘curious observer mode’ can help you hold space for your life's greatest goals. 
  
This episode is your reminder that you’re not leaving your younger self behind—you’re becoming what she always dreamed she could be. 
 
00:00 – Welcome In: Creating Space for Growth, Grace & Real Talk 
00:02 – Is It Just Me? Understanding Mental Health Shifts in Midlife 
00:03 – Tools That Actually Help: How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Supports Women Over 35 
02:29 – Hormones & Headspace: How Changes in Estrogen Impact Mood & Mental Clarity 
05:27 – Mindset Makeover: Why What You Expect Shapes How You Feel 
08:11 – You’re Not “Too Emotional”: Making Peace with Negative Thoughts & Big Feelings 
11:05 – Gratitude as a Game-Changer: How to Be More Intentional Without Toxic Positivity 
24:36 – Less Chaos, More Calm: The Power of Simplicity in Easing Anxiety 
27:26 – What Is This Feeling? Decoding Anxiety in the Midlife Transition 
30:33 – From Self-Doubt to Self-Belief: How Anxiety & Confidence Are Linked 
31:36 – Feeling Everything, All the Time: When Empathy Becomes Overwhelm 
37:47 – Goodbye, Old Me: Honoring and Grieving the Selves We've Outgrown 
41:26 – Change Isn’t the Enemy: Finding Wisdom and Power in Midlife Transitions 
46:04 – Whole, Not Perfect: Redefining Completeness as a Woman at This Stage of Life 
 
Dr. Natalie Dattillo-Ryan|          @drnataliechristine 
                                                                https://www.drnataliechristine.com/priority-wellness 
 
Tori Poulter |              IG: @shala_hormonehealth            
           FB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Shala-Hormone-Health/61564605156249/?_rdr 
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