GynoCurious

Welcome Gynocurious listeners, I am Dr. Amy Novatt, board certified ob-gyn, your host of GynoCurious. With each program we are going to explore the experience of being an ob-gyn, the science that guides our practices and the stories women- cis, trans and nonbinary, have shared as they seek health and wellness. From both sides of the speculum we will investigate what it means to be a healer and to be healed. I have been reflecting on 32 plus years of practice; thinking about all that I have learned, heard and thought about and wanted to bring it to a larger audience. This will not be a medical show that tells you how much estrogen you should take or the scientific method used to evaluate data but instead, a conversation about the larger canvas looking at what its like to be a medical professional working with women and how patients experience the world of ob-gyn. What is it like sitting in the exam room with a thin sheet of paper covering your naked body? What has been the impact of a cancer diagnosis? What it is like to go through the menopause?….These are just a few examples of conversations I hope to bring to you. My intention is not to expose my patients personal histories but rather use their stories as stepping stones to explore many aspects of our bodies, our psyches and the landscape of the medical world. In a time when most of us are frustrated by the American medical system; with the challenges of limited access, financial limitations, gender and racial discrepancies in care, the insurance morass and a host of other hurdles; my hope is that GynoCurious creates a community of guests and listeners that bring us all closer- to openly explore and understand the experience of illness and health and to break open decades of silence, misunderstanding and shame for having a vagina. We are going to talk about our fears, sexual explorations and aging adventures with respect, inquiry and science. For me, knowledge and awareness brings awe, authority and autonomy. This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Novatt and her guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. While we make every effort to ensure that the information shared is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or corrections. This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.  No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. Dr.Novatt does not receive any money from the pharmaceutical industry.

  1. 23 lug

    Qigong and Tai Chi?????

    In this episode of GynoCurious, Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Charlessa Thatcher and Theda Zawaiza — two practitioners who have dedicated their lives to bringing qigong, tai chi, and other integrative movement practices to diverse and underserved communities. Charlessa, a certified Tai Chi EZ Senior Trainer, Qigong instructor, and licensed social worker, and Theda, a Qigong and Tai Chi teacher, massage practitioner, and former federal education policy analyst with a PhD, share their personal journeys into energy medicine and explain the foundational principles of qigong and tai chi — including the concept of qi (life force energy), meridians, and how these practices cultivate healing from within. Charlessa shares her remarkable story of being diagnosed with multiple myeloma and undergoing two transplants — a stem cell transplant and a T-cell transplant — during which her daily qigong practice became a cornerstone of her recovery. Her joy and presence in the hospital were so palpable that nurses, doctors, and chaplains began asking to join her practice sessions. Theda also shares her own path to qigong through chronic back pain and the stress of decades working on Capitol Hill, and both guests explain the science behind their practices, including NIH-funded research showing benefits for stress reduction, cardiovascular health, immune function, chronic pain management, and fall prevention in older adults. Together, Charlessa and Theda have launched Wellness Essentials, a women-owned, African American-owned business offering free and donation-based qigong, yoga, meditation, and pain management programming to communities that have historically had little access to these healing modalities. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  2. 9 lug

    Beyond the Wine Mom: Redefining Health in Midlife

    In this episode of GynoCurious, Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Jen Butler — best-selling author, speaker, and life and fitness coach — whose debut memoir, Mom Rediscovered: My Midlife Breakup with Drinking and Diet Culture, hit number one on Amazon in 2025. Jen shares her evolving definition of health, moving from a purely physical focus in her younger years to a much more holistic view that encompasses mental, emotional, and relational wellbeing. The two discuss how motherhood can profoundly disconnect women from their own bodies and sense of self, and how the roles we inhabit — mother, partner, daughter, professional — can both define and confine us. At the heart of the conversation is Jen's personal journey with what she calls "gray area drinking" — the murky middle ground between a full-blown dependency and a completely uncomplicated relationship with alcohol. She describes how taking breaks from drinking became the first real boundary she set for herself, and how removing alcohol from her life cracked open a much larger excavation: confronting a lifetime of diet culture conditioning, a lost professional identity, and deep-seated body image struggles rooted in childhood. Jen also addresses the pressures unique to women around thinness, the dangers of normalizing weight-loss medications, and her own path to body neutrality — choosing strength and self-acceptance over the relentless pursuit of being smaller. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  3. 25 giu

    The 12-Year Diagnosis: Why Endometriosis Gets Missed

    In this episode of GynoCurious, host Dr. Amy Novatt speaks with Nicole Notar, a patient-turned-entrepreneur who spent over 15 years undiagnosed before finally receiving excision surgery that revealed 73 endometriosis lesions throughout her body. Nicole shares her deeply personal journey — from symptoms beginning at age 9, to repeated dismissals by doctors, to a seven-hour surgery that changed her life — and explains how that experience drove her to found both a patient surgery fund (EndoExcisionForAll) and a clinical decision support startup (Vindicara) aimed at helping electronic health record systems flag endometriosis earlier. Dr. Amy and Nicole dive deep into the complexities of endometriosis diagnosis, including the wide range of symptoms that extend far beyond painful periods — from gastrointestinal issues and chronic UTIs to thoracic involvement and infertility. They discuss why diagnosis can take up to 12 years, how endometriosis is routinely mistaken for IBS, vulvodynia, or interstitial cystitis, and why the mismatch between symptom severity and physical findings makes it so difficult to catch. Nicole also breaks down the critical difference between ablation (surface burning) and excision (root removal), explaining why excision is the gold standard — and why insurance reimbursement structures make it nearly inaccessible for most women. Nicole's message is one of persistence: the care exists, it's getting easier to find, and you cannot afford to stop advocating for yourself. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  4. 11 giu

    A Cervical Cancer Review

    In this episode of GynoCurious, host Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Dr. Miriam Cremer, board-certified OBGYN, master of public health, and founder of Basic Health International, for a deep dive into cervical cancer. Together they unpack the science of human papillomavirus (HPV), explaining how 13 high-risk HPV types cause 99% of all cervical cancers and why HPV is so ubiquitous that it's often compared to the common cold. They walk through the evolution of cervical cancer screening, from the classic Pap smear to co-testing with HPV, and discuss how primary HPV testing — already standard across Europe — is likely the future of care in the United States. Dr. Cremer shares the origin story of Basic Health International, which grew from a formative medical school rotation in rural El Salvador where she witnessed a young mother die from cervical cancer — a death that was entirely preventable. The conversation covers cutting-edge developments in screening and treatment, including HPV self-sampling kits, AI-assisted cervical imaging apps, and portable thermal ablation devices that can be carried in a backpack and used in remote communities. These innovations are enabling same-day "screen and treat" programs that are reaching women in underserved regions across Latin America and beyond, including a now-national HPV screening program in El Salvador. They also cover patient fears and misconceptions head-on — from the stigma of an HPV diagnosis to questions about condom protection, the HPV vaccine (including catch-up vaccination up to age 45), and when screening can safely stop. Dr. Cremer and Dr. Novatt emphasize that cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable, and that the women most at risk today are those who have fallen through the cracks of healthcare access — not those who are regularly screened. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  5. 16 mag

    Get Rooted with Robyn Moreno

    n this episode of GynoCurious, Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Robyn Moreno — Emmy-nominated TV host, storyteller, and author of "Get Rooted" — for a rich conversation about healing as a lifelong journey rather than a destination. Robyn shares the pivotal moment that set her on a 260-day healing path: a crescendo of life pressures that left her literally and metaphorically on the floor, prompting her to stop running from herself and start examining the wounds she had long been tripping over. Drawing on her Mexican American heritage and the ancient practice of curanderismo, Robyn introduces listeners to the Aztec concept of susto — a soul loss caused by trauma — and how recognizing it in herself became the first step toward reclaiming her wholeness. Central to Robyn's journey is the discovery of her ser — a deep inner knowing that lives beneath the noise of fear, trauma, and outside demands. She explores how the women in her lineage, including a great-grandmother who was a curandera, offered a map back to herself that was older and truer than the external markers of success she had been chasing. The conversation weaves together themes of ancestral wisdom, the end of old maps, the impact of patriarchy and colonization on women's sense of self, and the radical act of trusting one's own lived experience — especially in midlife, when hormones, mortality, and accumulated wisdom conspire to demand a reckoning. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  6. 30 apr

    Trauma and Cultural Context

    In this episode of GynoCurious, host Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Dr. Manisha Dayal, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Chicago with nearly three decades of experience specializing in trauma-informed care. Dr. Dayal shares her personal journey into psychology — rooted in a deep connection with her aunt in India who had Down Syndrome — and how that early experience shaped her commitment to understanding the inner worlds of others. Together, Amy and Manisha explore how Western psychology has historically failed to account for the diverse cultural backgrounds of patients, and why a decolonized, culturally humble approach to care is not just preferable but essential. The conversation dives into the nuances of cultural humility — acknowledging one's own biases and meeting clients within their own lived frameworks. Through vivid patient stories involving genital mutilation, Indigenous women fleeing domestic violence, and immigrant communities navigating systemic racism, the two discuss the complexity of separating harmful cultural practices from meaningful cultural identity. They also explore how trauma is increasingly part of the public lexicon, debating both the value of that visibility and the risk of the word being overused and diluted. Dr. Dayal also introduces listeners to somatic therapy and the mind-body connection, explaining how the body stores trauma and how body-centered techniques — from grounding exercises to breath awareness — help regulate the nervous system and facilitate healing. The episode closes with a deeply personal note: Manisha's own dramatic birth story in India informs her passion for supporting pregnant women, particularly women of color, in advocating for themselves within a medical system that has long silenced them. It's a rich, wide-ranging conversation about healing, identity, courage, and the radical act of showing up with curiosity and care. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

  7. 16 apr

    Ancient Medicine, Modern Healing with Debbie Kadagian

    In this episode of GynoCurious, Amy speaks with Debbie Kadagian, a licensed integrative psychotherapist who brings together an extraordinary range of healing modalities. Debbie's journey spans from Ashtanga yoga teacher to certified Ayurvedic practitioner, and eventually to becoming a psychedelic psychotherapist and social worker. She shares how each transition in her career was organically inspired by her curiosity and life experiences, including a transformative Panchakarma cleansing ritual that opened her emotionally and set her on the path to studying Ayurveda. Her work now focuses on helping clients integrate psychedelic experiences, running therapeutic groups, and bridging Western psychiatry with alternative healing approaches. A central theme of the conversation is Debbie's pioneering work with psychedelic medicines, particularly ibogaine and ayahuasca. She explains her role in pre- and post-integration therapy, helping clients prepare for and process their psychedelic journeys at vetted retreat centers like Root and Wisdom in Costa Rica. Debbie describes the remarkable outcomes she's witnessed — from addiction recovery to the resolution of PTSD in veterans—and discusses how these medicines create neurochemical resets that diminish cravings and compulsive behaviors. She also shares her passion for the SOLAS Foundation, which she created to make expensive ibogaine treatment accessible to those who cannot afford it, believing that transformative healing should not be a privilege reserved only for the wealthy. Questions of comments? Call 845-307-7446 or email comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org Produced by Jennifer Hammoud and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff

Trailer

Descrizione

Welcome Gynocurious listeners, I am Dr. Amy Novatt, board certified ob-gyn, your host of GynoCurious. With each program we are going to explore the experience of being an ob-gyn, the science that guides our practices and the stories women- cis, trans and nonbinary, have shared as they seek health and wellness. From both sides of the speculum we will investigate what it means to be a healer and to be healed. I have been reflecting on 32 plus years of practice; thinking about all that I have learned, heard and thought about and wanted to bring it to a larger audience. This will not be a medical show that tells you how much estrogen you should take or the scientific method used to evaluate data but instead, a conversation about the larger canvas looking at what its like to be a medical professional working with women and how patients experience the world of ob-gyn. What is it like sitting in the exam room with a thin sheet of paper covering your naked body? What has been the impact of a cancer diagnosis? What it is like to go through the menopause?….These are just a few examples of conversations I hope to bring to you. My intention is not to expose my patients personal histories but rather use their stories as stepping stones to explore many aspects of our bodies, our psyches and the landscape of the medical world. In a time when most of us are frustrated by the American medical system; with the challenges of limited access, financial limitations, gender and racial discrepancies in care, the insurance morass and a host of other hurdles; my hope is that GynoCurious creates a community of guests and listeners that bring us all closer- to openly explore and understand the experience of illness and health and to break open decades of silence, misunderstanding and shame for having a vagina. We are going to talk about our fears, sexual explorations and aging adventures with respect, inquiry and science. For me, knowledge and awareness brings awe, authority and autonomy. This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Novatt and her guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. While we make every effort to ensure that the information shared is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or corrections. This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony.  No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast. In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a doctor-patient relationship. Dr.Novatt does not receive any money from the pharmaceutical industry.

Altro da Radio Free Rhinecliff

Potrebbero piacerti anche…