The Next Phase

Stacey Hutson

I used to be fun. I used to be driven. I used to be sexy. I used to be...young. What happened?  Dear Millennial moms in your late 30s or 40s -- former forces of nature, Are you burned out, overwhelmed, and wondering where your energy (and your old self) went? You’re not alone. The Next Phase is the podcast for overachieving moms navigating perimenopause who are dying to take back their energy, their bodies, and their magic. Here, we will not pummel you with hormone treatment plans or talk about perimenopause as if it's a diagnosis. Instead, we're going to celebrate it. We're going to use it as an excuse to really start taking care of ourselves. As a matter of fact, we're going to find ourselves in our perimenopause era.  Hosted by Stacey Hutson—certified health coach, wellness chef, former co-host of the Mother Plus Podcast, and mom of two—you’ll learn how to: Understand what’s really happening in perimenopause and how to work with your changing body, use nutrition, supplements, and sleep as medicine to restore your energy, get in tune with your cycle and learn practical ways to sync your life with your hormones, and create rituals (with a little woo) that help you slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with yourself. Each episode blends personal stories, expert insights, and actual doable steps you can take right away.  ✨ Subscribe now to The Next Phase and join a community of millennial moms redefining wellness in their 40s. Let’s make perimenopause your most magnetic chapter yet.

  1. 3D AGO

    #24: Tarot 101: A Simple Way to Reconnect With Your Intuition in Midlife

    If you’ve ever been curious about tarot… but also a little skeptical… this episode is for you. Today, I’m joined by tarot reader and teacher Rosetta Magdalene for a grounded, beginner-friendly conversation on what tarot actually is — and how you can use it as a tool for clarity, intuition, and even nervous system regulation. We’re not here to prove whether tarot is “real.” We’re here to explore what happens when you open yourself up to something a little more magical in your everyday life. In this episode, we cover: What tarot cards actually are (and where they came from)How to choose your first tarot deckSimple ways to use tarot in your daily or weekly routineHow tarot can help with anxiety, overwhelm, and decision-makingWhy midlife can open the door to deeper intuition🔮 Where to Find Rosetta Website: https://tarotrosetta.com Free Guide: Read Tarot for Yourself the Easy Way (11-page beginner guide) https://bit.ly/tarotgo Free Manifestation Newsletter: Dispatch from the Magnetic Field https://bit.ly/sparkle365 Work With Rosetta: Book a tarot reading or tutorial session directly on her website 🛒 Want to Start Your Own Tarot Practice? Search this phrase to find beginner-friendly decks Rosetta recommends:  “Rider Waite Smith tarot deck all 78 cards” ✨ Ready to Reconnect With Your Own Rhythm? Download my free Cycle Syncing Guide — a simple way to support your energy, mood, and metabolism through each phase of your cycle: If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend or leave a quick review — it helps more women find the show.

    34 min
  2. MAR 13

    #23: Astrology 101: How Your Birth Chart Can Help You Understand Yourself in Midlife

    Somewhere in our late thirties and forties, a lot of women start to feel like something isn’t working anymore. The way we’ve been living. The expectations we’ve been carrying. The constant pressure to improve ourselves. But what if this phase of life isn’t a crisis? What if it’s a wake-up call? In this episode, I’m joined by intuitive astrologer, yoga teacher, and shadow work practitioner Jamie DeLuccio for a conversation about self-help, self-acceptance, and what it actually means to understand yourself on a deeper level. Jamie explains how astrology can offer something many women are quietly craving in midlife: a sense of being seen, understood, and validated for who they already are. We talk about: • Why self-help can sometimes make us feel more broken  • The basics of astrology (sun, moon, rising & houses)  • Why so many women start questioning their lives in midlife  • What shadow work actually is  • How astrology can help you understand your patterns and purpose  • The connection between lunar cycles, ritual, and nervous system regulation If you’ve been feeling that quiet sense that something in your life needs to shift, this conversation may help you understand why. And more importantly, it might remind you that nothing is wrong with you. If you’re curious about your own birth chart or want to work with Jamie, you can find her here: Website: jamiedeluccio.com Instagram: @jamiedeluccio Jamie offers intuitive astrology readings, shadow work sessions, women’s circles, and transformational retreats designed to help people reconnect with who they truly are beneath conditioning and expectations. Resources Mentioned Pull your birth chart: astro.com Learn the basics of your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs, which are the three core placements Jamie recommends starting with when exploring your astrology chart. We also discuss shadow work (Carl Jung), lunar cycles, and using ritual and quiet reflection as tools for self-understanding.

    43 min
  3. MAR 5

    #22: The Millennial Perimenopause Masterclass: Hormones, Stress, Metabolism, and the Nervous System

    If your body suddenly feels harder to live in — you’re not imagining it. In your late 30s and early 40s, hormones start shifting. Sleep changes. Stress hits harder. The workouts and diets that used to work suddenly… don’t. But hormones are only part of the story. In this episode of The Next Phase Podcast, Stacey breaks down what is actually happening in a woman’s body during early perimenopause — and why so many millennial moms feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and confused by the changes happening to them. Think of this episode as a masterclass on what’s really going on beneath the surface. You’ll learn about the four major shifts happening in your body during this phase of life: • The Calm Dial – why declining progesterone affects sleep and anxiety • The Metabolism Dial – how fluctuating estrogen changes appetite and fat storage • The Stress Dial – why your nervous system becomes more reactive • The Muscle Dial – why strength training suddenly becomes metabolic medicine But Stacey also explores something deeper: how decades of high achievement, people-pleasing, and constant self-optimization may have left many millennial women living in a chronically dysregulated nervous system — and why perimenopause often exposes it. If you’ve been trying to “fix” your hormones through food, supplements, or self-help and still don’t feel like yourself, this episode will help you understand why. Stacey also shares four simple shifts you can try over the next 30 days to begin supporting your hormones, metabolism, and nervous system. Topics in this episode • Early perimenopause symptoms  • Hormones and nervous system regulation  • Why stress tolerance changes in your late 30s and 40s  • Strength training and hormone health  • Blood sugar and cortisol regulation  • Breaking the millennial self-improvement cycle  • Simple nervous system resets for busy moms Interested in working with Stacey? Stacey is opening a limited number of 1:1 coaching spots for women navigating perimenopause, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle shifts in this next phase of life. Email Stacey at stacey @ stacey-hutson.com with the subject line “INTERESTED” to learn more. Or find a time in my schedule for a call.  Follow & Connect Instagram: @stacehutson Website: stacey-hutson.com

    21 min
  4. FEB 26

    #21: Why Millennial Workouts Are Backfiring in Perimenopause (With Dr. JJ Thomas, DPT)

    Millennial moms were raised on one fitness message: More cardio. Eat less. Push harder. Sleep when you’re dead. And now? We’re herniating discs. Developing “meno belly.” Feeling exhausted. And wondering why the workouts that used to work… don’t anymore. In this episode of The Next Phase Podcast, I sit down with Dr. JJ Thomas, Doctor of Physical Therapy, to talk about what is actually happening inside our bodies in our late 30s and 40s — and why our old fitness mentality may be working against us. Dr. JJ has been a physical therapist for 26 years and specializes in helping women build strength for longevity, not just aesthetics. We talk about: What anabolic resistance is — and why it starts in our 30sWhy more cardio + less food can backfire in perimenopauseThe real reason protein matters (and how much you likely need)How muscle mass regulates hormonesWhy strength training is more powerful than you thinkWhy training patterns, not just muscles, changes everythingHow to think about sleep vs. workouts in midlifeThe difference between looking “in shape” and being structurally in shapeWhy taking care of your fitness is not selfish — it’s capacity-buildingIf you’ve ever felt like your body is betraying you… this episode will reframe that entirely. This isn’t about getting skinny. It’s about building a resilient, functional, hormonally-supported body that can carry you through the second half of your life. And because “just try harder” is no longer a strategy… I made you something. My free Cycle Syncing Map walks you through how to eat, train, and plan your energy around your hormones. Especially in perimenopause. It’s free. It’s practical. And it’ll change how you think about your body. Get it here: Cycle Syncing Map Want to learn more from Dr. JJ? Follow Dr. JJ on Instagram for exercise demos and education:  👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjjphysicaltherapist (And if you sit at a desk all day long, learn how to do “Twisty Bear.” You’ll thank me.) Listen to the Dr. JJ Thomas Podcast: 👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-jj-thomas-podcast/id1554499031 Check out the fitness app I do every morning here: 👉 https://playbookapp.io/creators/dr-jj-thomas-primal-physical-therapy

    46 min
  5. FEB 20

    #20: Intermittent Fasting vs. Cycle Syncing in Perimenopause (Why I Stopped Fasting)

    I’m sharing my full experience with intermittent fasting for women in perimenopause — why I started it after struggling with postpartum weight gain, how I followed Fast Like a Girl closely, and why it felt empowering… until it didn’t. If you’ve been exploring time-restricted eating, fasting for weight loss, or fasting in perimenopause, this conversation is for you. We’re diving into: The potential benefits of fasting (autophagy, insulin sensitivity, metabolic flexibility)Why intermittent fasting can increase cortisol and stress loadHow fasting may affect women’s hormones differently than men’sThe connection between stress, caffeine, blood sugar, and chronic UTIsWhy perimenopause changes the way your body responds to restrictionAnd how cycle syncing became a more sustainable, hormone-supportive approach for meThis is not an anti-fasting episode. There is research behind intermittent fasting, and it may work well for some women. But fasting during perimenopause — especially when sleep is disrupted and stress is already high — can come with trade-offs that aren’t always discussed. If you’re new to cycle syncing and want a foundation, go back and listen to: Episode 2: Explain Cycle Syncing to MeEpisode 4: How to Eat With Your Cycle to Balance Hormones in PerimenopauseAnd be sure to download my Cycle Syncing Guide to start aligning your nutrition, exercise, and energy with your menstrual cycle instead of fighting your body. Next week, I’m joined by Dr. JJ Thomas to talk about exercise in perimenopause — why pushing harder isn’t the solution, and how focusing on muscle building, recovery, and nervous system regulation can support metabolism and long-term hormone health. If you’re navigating perimenopause weight gain, hormonal shifts, or wondering whether fasting is helping or hurting — this episode will give you a new lens.

    28 min
  6. FEB 13

    #19: Minimalism in Midlife: Less Stuff, More White Space

    Lately, everything has felt like… too much. Too many activities.  Too many Amazon boxes.  Too many decisions.  Too many tabs open in our brains. In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Seferian, host of the Sustainable Minimalists and author of Sustainable Minimalism, to talk about what minimalism actually looks like in midlife. Not the white-wall, aesthetic version. The nervous system version. We explore: • Why our generation struggles with overconsumption  • The pressure to over-gift and over-schedule our kids  • How social media quietly fuels “more”  • What white space does to your energy  • Why your tolerance for chaos drops in your forties  • And how protecting your capacity might be the most radical shift of this phase Because minimalism in midlife isn’t about decluttering. It’s about asking: Why am I carrying so much in the first place? If you’ve been craving more space — in your home, your calendar, or your brain — this conversation will feel like an exhale. About Stephanie Stephanie Seferian is the host of the top-ranked Sustainable Minimalists> podcast and author of Sustainable Minimalism. For over eight years, she has helped families embrace incremental minimalism as a practical way to reduce stress, live intentionally, and lessen their environmental impact. Her work focuses on ethical decluttering, conscious consumerism, and sustainable living with kids — proving that living with less can be both realistic and life-giving. Connect with Stephanie Sustainable Minimalist Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/hn/podcast/sustainable-minimalists/id1329830361?l=en-GB Sustainable Minimalism Book: https://www.amazon.com/Sustainable-Minimalism-Sustainability-Sacrificing-Housecleaning-ebook/dp/B08RZD6X2J?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainableminimalists/?hl=en Resources Mentioned Download my Cycle-Syncing Guide: https://stacey-noelle-llc.kit.com/cyclemap Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@staceyhutson?r=191989&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile&shareImageVariant=light

    32 min
  7. JAN 29

    #16: Perimenopause? What—Like It’s Hard? Herbal Wisdom with Jane Barlow

    Perimenopause can feel like a confusing full-body mystery… but today’s conversation is a deep exhale. I’m sitting down with Jane Barlow, an herbalist and founder of Barlow Herbal, who literally grew up in plant medicine—her dad was a college-educated medicinal botanist, and herbal healing was just normal in her house. And while Jane’s own menopause experience was basically a “nothing burger” (yes, we unpack that), she’s helped thousands of women navigate the real stuff: irregular/heavy periods, mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep that suddenly falls apart. In this episode, we talk about: Why perimenopause doesn’t have to be miserableThe simple starter herb she recommends for almost everyone: red raspberry leaf teaSleep support that can calm a “monkey mind”: valerian root + blue vervainAdaptogens for mood + resilience (and why modern stress makes us think we’re “broken”)Post-menopause vitality: energy, libido, hormones, and the herbs Jane personally usesThe deeper message beneath all of it: learning to trust your body againAnd then… Jane unexpectedly challenges me to something I did not see coming: One hour a week with zero technology. No doom scrolling. No dopamine drip. Just you, quiet, and your nervous system finally getting a signal that you’re safe. If you’re an overachieving millennial mom trying to stop fixing yourself and start listening to yourself—this one is for you. And beyond the episode, I made something for you to listen to yourself more. It's a Cycle Syncing guide. A way for you to get in touch with your cycle through your food, your exercise, and your social interactions. Download it here. Find Jane: BarlowHerbal.com + @barlowherbal on Instagram + Barlow Herbal on YouTube (And yes… she actually does sell the products we talk about 😉) Jane's tea recommendation:  www.starwestbotanicals.com (pssst. She was spot on about the red raspberry leaf tea. It's been a month of me drinking it regularly and the difference is obvious in my cramps and my period) About Jane:  Jane Barlow is a master herbalist, health advocate, and founder of Barlow Herbal Specialties, carrying forward the legacy of her father, medicinal botanist Dr. Max G. Barlow. With decades of experience in herbal medicine, fitness, and holistic wellness, Jane teaches people how to use medicinal plants to support the body’s natural ability to heal. Before fully immersing herself in herbal medicine, Jane spent over 20 years in the fitness industry, including co-owning a gym with her sister. Her work bridges physical health, nervous system balance, and spiritual awareness, helping people reconnect with their intuition and take ownership of their well-being. Jane is also the author of Be Your Own Shaman, a modern expansion of her father’s classic work From the Shepherd’s Purse, and shares herbal wisdom through her YouTube channel and podcast appearances.

    48 min
5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

I used to be fun. I used to be driven. I used to be sexy. I used to be...young. What happened?  Dear Millennial moms in your late 30s or 40s -- former forces of nature, Are you burned out, overwhelmed, and wondering where your energy (and your old self) went? You’re not alone. The Next Phase is the podcast for overachieving moms navigating perimenopause who are dying to take back their energy, their bodies, and their magic. Here, we will not pummel you with hormone treatment plans or talk about perimenopause as if it's a diagnosis. Instead, we're going to celebrate it. We're going to use it as an excuse to really start taking care of ourselves. As a matter of fact, we're going to find ourselves in our perimenopause era.  Hosted by Stacey Hutson—certified health coach, wellness chef, former co-host of the Mother Plus Podcast, and mom of two—you’ll learn how to: Understand what’s really happening in perimenopause and how to work with your changing body, use nutrition, supplements, and sleep as medicine to restore your energy, get in tune with your cycle and learn practical ways to sync your life with your hormones, and create rituals (with a little woo) that help you slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with yourself. Each episode blends personal stories, expert insights, and actual doable steps you can take right away.  ✨ Subscribe now to The Next Phase and join a community of millennial moms redefining wellness in their 40s. Let’s make perimenopause your most magnetic chapter yet.

You Might Also Like