Therapy Rocks‪!‬ Therapy Rocks!

We’re back in the studio with renowned psychologist, and best selling author, Dr. Brenda Shaeffer. This time Dr. Brenda walks us through the most common themes she sees in long term relationships, the importance of “finishing the grief” when faced with losing a  relationship, and considerations for being single in midlife and beyond.

Dr. Schaeffer is the best-selling author of Is It Love or Is It Addiction? with over 600,000 publications sold, in twelve languages. She is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Addictions Specialist, and holds a doctorate in spiritual psychology. Dr. Schaeffer is a national and international lecturer and workshop presenter. 

To learn more about Dr. Schaeffer visit her website https://www.brendaschaeffer.com/my-story

Do you want to better understand what it means to be transgender, and how you might provide gender-affirming care? Today we’re talking with someone who knows a lot about it, annnd just happens to be transgender! Nik is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT), co-owner of group therapy practice and crisis intervention service in California.

In this episode, Nik talks about the differences between gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, as well as their own transgender identity and transition. 

We debunked the fear of “social contagion,” using the framework of historic stigma and discrimination of “left-handedness" to explain that “when we allow human beings to be their authentic selves, greater numbers of diverse expression naturally emerge.” 

We also talked about body image “after” transitioning, and the answer might surprise you!

Signe is joined by her co-author, Wendy Sterling, to talk about her latest book, give some insights into how she makes her writing routine work while raising a family, and working full time, the benefits of writing with co-authors, and more!

Wendy is a registered dietitian with a Masters of Science in Nutrition Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and Approved Supervisor through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. Wendy is also a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, she has consulted for the Oakland Athletics, Golden State Warriors, NY Jets, and NY Islanders, and she is the co-author of two eating disorder books: How to Nourish Your Child Through an Eating Disorder, and How to Nourish Yourself Through an Eating Disorder, as well as two preventative books: No Weigh! and Raising Body Positive Teens. Wendy maintains a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and is also seeing patients virtually throughout the country. 

To learn more about Wendy, visit  www.sterlingnutrition.com.

Welcome to Part Three of the Therapy Rocks! “Three Part” menopause series (Episodes 38, 39 & 40). 

In this episode Signe interviews Val Schonberg about nutrition in midlife and beyond, weight, bone health, and more. Val is dietitian and certified menopause practitioner with The Menopause Society. She is a registered dietitian with a Master of Science degree in nutrition from the University of Minnesota. She is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics, she specializes in eating disorders, sports nutrition, and midlife health. She owns a private practice in Atlanta, Georgia, where she also serves as a consulting dietitian for Emory Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Atlanta Dream Women’s NBA team. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and received the Excellence in Women’s Health Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group.

To learn more about Val visit https://valschonberg.com/

In this episode Signe interviews Dr. Amy Voedisch for Part Two of the Three Part menopause series navigating the physical aspects of menopause, such as hormone therapy considerations, body changes, sex in midlife, and more.

Dr. Voedisch attended Mayo Medical School and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara and a Fellowship in Family Planning at Stanford School of Medicine. She has a Masters in Epidemiology and Clinical Science Research from Stanford as well. Dr. Voedisch is passionate about providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare to all women at any stage in their lives. She specializes in contraception, family planning, and menopause and is a certified practitioner of The Menopause Society. She has a particular interest in international healthcare and serves as a consultant through the Stanford Program for International Reproductive Education and Services (SPIRES). She’s also a member of the Bay Area Leadership Council for the International Women's Health Coalition. 

To learn more about Dr. Amy Voedisch, see her biography here.

Join Signe for Part One of a Three Part Series on menopause. To start off in Part One, Signe Talks to a doctor who specializes in the brain, and who is always on the cutting edge of scientific research into the female experience, Dr. Louann Brizendine. Dr. Brizedine navigates the stages of menopause, cuts through the controversy around Hormone Therapy, and give us steps for preserving brain health for the second half of our lives.

Dr. Brizendine completed her degree in Neurobiology at UC Berkeley, graduated from Yale School of Medicine, and did her internship and residency at Harvard Medical School. She also served on both the faculties of Harvard University and University of California at San Francisco. She founded the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic at UCSF, and her New York Times bestseller, The Female Brain, and its follow-up, The Male Brain, continue to be read around the world. She recently released her new book, The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond.

To learn more about Dr. Brizendine visit https://www.louannbrizendine.com