The Neuroaesthetic MD
The Neuroaesthetic MD
Podcast Description
The Neuroaesthetic MD Podcast explores how the nervous system—not just the body—sets the foundation for healing. Hosted by Dr. Stacey Denise, this show blends lifestyle medicine, neuroaesthetics, and tech ethics to unpack emotional wellness, sensory regulation, and identity for neurodivergent minds. From color and sleep to AI and trauma, discover why before you digest food or habits…
The Nervous System Eats First.
Art is the medicine. Design is the therapy. Healing is the evolution.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various content themes including emotional wellness, sensory regulation, and the intersection of technology with identity. Notable episodes delve into topics such as the impact of stress on digestion in 'The Nervous System Eats First,' the ethical implications of AI in beauty standards in 'Building the Screen: How AI Learns to See Us,' and the intersection of race, technology, and visibility in 'Who’s Behind the Screen? AI, Beauty, and the Battle for Representation.' Each episode engages with the foundational role of the nervous system in shaping our emotional experiences and interactions.
The Nervous System Eats First is a podcast about the midlife body—when masking stops working, menopause hits hard, and your nervous system demands more than just supplements and willpower.
Hosted by Dr. Stacey Denise, a board-certified physician and founder of the Neuroaesthetic MD™ method, this show invites listeners into a new kind of recovery: one where healing begins through the senses.
Each episode blends science, sensory ritual, and somatic insight to help women reclaim regulation—not as a reward, but as a requirement.
This is not “self-care.” This is nervous system nutrition for:
Autistic and ADHD women unmasking in midlife
Black women and women of color navigating medical gaslighting
Women in menopause who feel invisible, exhausted, and emotionally unmoored
Highly sensitive women trying to feel something without getting overwhelmed
If you’ve ever asked, “What is happening to my body?”—this podcast is your permission slip to find out, slowly and with grace.
🎧 The Nervous System Eats First
Where your body is the expert, and your senses are the medicine.
Episode 14: Hot Flashes at Night? Breath As Medicine
Guest: Angelia Abouhassan — founder of The Breath Lady Project, trauma-informed breathwork facilitator, stroke survivor, and Hatha yoga teacher
Release Date: November 4, 2025
Length: ~40 minutes
Episode Summary
You’ve been told to “just breathe”—but what if that makes things worse? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Stacey sits down with Angelia Abouhassan, a trauma-informed breathwork guide who rebuilt her body and emotional safety after a stroke.
Together, they unpack breathwork that won’t trigger your nervous system, including the double-exhale pattern that can support hot flash recovery and sensory regulation. This episode is especially for women navigating perimenopause, masking fatigue, and neurodivergence, who need somatic healing that’s safe, slow, and mapped to your lived experience.
What You’ll Learn
- Why “just breathe” often backfires—and how trauma-informed cues really work
- The double-exhale breath to interrupt hot flash cascades (short inhale, longer exhale)
- The power of low-dose, consistent breathwork over high-intensity interventions
- How to recognize high-activation methods (like Wim Hof) that may overwhelm the system
- Safer options for alexithymia, masking, and sensory burnout (mirror work, Yoga Nidra, guided breath scans)
Chapter Markers
00:00 – From Stroke Survivor to Breath Work Practitioner
06:54 – The Role of Breath in Healing and Safety
08:42 – Reframing Trauma and Healing
10:41 – Understanding Interoception and Proprioception
12:36 – Neuroplasticity and Breath Work
16:29 – Breath Work for Women in Perimenopause
18:46 – Trauma-Informed Breath Work Explained
20:53 – Designing Practices for Overloaded Clients
22:23 – Breath Work for Hot Flashes
24:49 – Breath Work for Neurodivergent Women
26:02 – Nourishing vs. Numbing the Nervous System
27:58 – Adapting Breath Work for Different Needs
30:52 – Choosing a Breath Work Practitioner
33:27 – Nourish or Numb: Everyday Patterns
40:04 – Practical Techniques for Managing Hot Flashes
Resources Mentioned
- The Breath Lady Project – Angelia Abouhassan
- Free Quiz – What kind of menopause burnout are you?
→ drstaceydenise.com/menopause-burnout-quiz
💌 Connect with Dr. Stacey Denise
Disclaimer
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