This week, Nikki sits down with Anne Matthews, fertility and women's hormone expert, founder of Energy Tree Studios, and one of Canada's few qualified traditional Chinese medicine practitioners (ABORM). After their joint participation in a menopause panel left them speechless, Anne and Nikki knew they had to have this conversation.

Together, they unpack the pendulum swing around hormone replacement therapy (HRT)—from being considered "dangerous" 10 years ago to now being prescribed via AI platforms without proper testing. They're not anti-HRT. They're anti-blanket prescriptions for symptoms that might not be perimenopause at all.

Anne shares real stories from her practice, the critical tests women should demand before accepting an HRT prescription, and why advocating for yourself isn't "being difficult"—it's being smart.

Anne shares:

• Why a physician said "my 10-year-old could prescribe HRT" using AI platforms
• An ovarian cancer story: a woman diagnosed with "perimenopause" who actually had stage 3 ovarian cancer
• Why women in their 30s are being told they're perimenopausal when they're not
• "At what point between 12 and 44 are we considered whole and healthy and not pathologized?"
• The parallel to birth control in high school: same blanket-prescription energy
• Why exercise works better than SSRIs for depression (and why nobody wants to hear it)
• Critical tests to request: thyroid panel, ferritin, B12, vitamin D, insulin, A1c, autoimmune markers, pelvic ultrasound
• Day 3 hormone panels vs. irregular cycle testing—when to test and what to ask for
• Why healthcare for women is broken at every life stage—and how to advocate anyway
• Click here to download the PDF mentioned in this episode: Testing to Consider for Women 40+

Ways to Connect with Anne: Instagram: @energytreestudios Website: energytreestudios.com

This week, Nikki sits down with Amy Silva, a birth doula of seven years, founder of the Collaborative Doula Collective, and a fierce advocate for collaboration over competition in the doula community. After losing her mom to suicide just six months before her first pregnancy, Amy knew she wanted to support women who didn't have that mother figure—or any support system—through one of life's most transformative experiences.

Together, they unpack what it really means to hire a doula, why asking about bias is crucial, and how to prepare for birth scenarios you hope never happen (but need to plan for anyway). Amy shares her journey from the ER trauma room to the birth room, why informed consent isn't practiced enough, and how hard birth experiences shouldn't be worn as badges of honor. This conversation is vulnerable, empowering, and a masterclass in holding space.

Amy shares:

• Why she became a doula after losing her mom to suicide 6 months before getting pregnant
• "Birth and death are two sides of the same coin"—doulas need to support both
• The most important question: What is your doula's bias?
• Birth preferences vs. birth plans—run through scenarios so you're not blindsided
• Emergency C-section: who goes in the OR with you—partner or doula?
• Why doulas sometimes undervalue themselves
• "Get comfortable being uncomfortable"—it's okay not to have all the answers
• The doula scam: a woman faked pregnancies/losses and traumatized 50+ doulas
• C-sections aren't "the easy way out"—major surgery doesn't make you less than
• Hard birth experiences as badges of honor = unprocessed trauma seeking validation
• The Collaborative Doula Collective: 52+ doulas ending competition and supporting each other

Ways to Connect with Amy:

Amy's Insta | Collaborative Doula Conference Insta | Collaborative Doula Collective Insta | Web

This week, Nikki sits down with Lauren Fleming, founder of Hem Support and a fierce advocate for pelvic health and patient autonomy. After being blindsided by a cystocele diagnosis at 6 weeks postpartum—and dismissed by her provider—Lauren couldn't stop thinking: why aren't we educating women about this, and why don't better support options exist? So she built them herself.

Together, they unpack the reality of prolapse (50% of women will experience it), the psychological weight of feeling "broken" postpartum, and why the lack of pelvic health education is unacceptable. Lauren shares her journey from corporate project manager to garment founder, navigating a second pregnancy with prolapse, and why support garments shouldn't make you feel worse. This conversation is vulnerable, validating, and empowering.

Lauren shares:

• Being dismissed at her 6-week appointment despite bringing photos—"it's just your tissues"
• The mental load: "Every single movement, you have that feeling—it's so front of mind"
• 50% of women will develop prolapse (we're bipeds—gravity isn't our friend)
• "Can I even have kids again?"—the fear that comes with zero information
• Why existing garments had thick elastic, butt straps, and Velcro that tore her clothes
• Her planned home birth with baby #2 and what she did differently
• 50% of women doing "Kegels" are actually bearing down
• Generational silence: "My aunt had that, but we never talked about it"
• Why hard births shouldn't be badges of honor—trauma needs validation, not repetition

Ways to Connect with Lauren: Instagram: @laurensavagefleming Website: hemsupportwear.com