In this episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar Singh sits down with Dr. Sameena Rahman—OB/GYN, sexual medicine specialist, and menopause expert—for a candid, compassionate conversation about women’s sexual health in midlife.

They explore common yet often unspoken changes like decreasing libido, hormonal shifts, painful sex, recurrent UTIs, and the mental load that can silently chip away at sexual desire. Dr. Rahman explains how hormones, mental health, and social factors intersect during midlife—and why understanding these changes is essential for reclaiming your pleasure, comfort, and agency.

From menopause and pelvic floor dysfunction to treatment options that actually work, this episode is about removing the stigma, replacing shame with science, and equipping women with the knowledge they deserve.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (10:28) Why “our brain is our biggest sexual organ” and how mindset affects desire
• (11:53) The biopsychosocial factors that contribute to sexual dysfunction in midlife
• (12:48) How the mental load of the “sandwich years” impacts libido, especially in heteronormative relationships
• (18:41) The ripple effects of estrogen changes on mood, skin, heart health, and cognitive function
• (20:53) What Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause is, and why it matters
• (23:54) How shifts in estrogen and testosterone contribute to vaginal dryness, discomfort, and more UTIs after menopause
• (26:34) How local estrogen therapy and vaginal DHEA can improve vaginal health and even be life-saving
• (33:05) The difference between precision medicine and patriarchal medicine
• (34:09) Pelvic floor dysfunction: symptoms, treatment, and why therapy matters
• (34:53) Why your jaw and pelvis are more connected than you think
• (41:31) How hormonal birth control can affect libido and sexual function
• (47:17) The gut health-sexual health connection
• (50:54) Why knowing your anatomy is a radical act of empowerment

This episode is your guide to understanding the complex, interconnected reasons why libido often changes during midlife, and what you can do about it. From hormonal shifts and pelvic floor dysfunction to the invisible weight of emotional labor, Dr. Rahman breaks down the science, the stigma, and the solutions. Whether you’re navigating menopause, exploring treatment options, or simply ready to feel more connected to your body, this conversation offers clarity, empowerment, and hope.

About Dr. Sameena Rahman

Dr. Sameena Rahman is a board-certified OB/GYN, menopause specialist, and fellowship-trained expert in sexual medicine. She is the founder of the Center for Gynecology and Cosmetics in Chicago, where she provides compassionate, trauma-informed, evidence-based care for women at every stage of life. An ISSWSH Fellow and Certified Menopause Practitioner through the North American Menopause Society, she also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of OB/GYN at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

Previously, she served on the faculty at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, worked on international medical missions, and collaborated with the World Health Organization in Switzerland. Dr. Rahman is a member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board and the Advisory Board for Flo Health, and her expertise has been featured in Forbes Health, Cosmopolitan, USA Today, Women’s Health, Yahoo! Life, Parents.com, PopSugar, VeryWell Health, and WGN TV. She hosts the podcast Gyno Girl Presents: Sex, Drugs & Hormones, where she tackles taboo topics in women’s health with clarity and candor.

Connect with Dr. Sameena Rahman:

• Instagram:

In this powerful episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar Singh welcomes Andréa (Dre) Bendewald, to explain the profound impact of women's circles on healing and connection, drawn from her two decades of facilitating these communal story-sharing experiences. Dre shares how this ancient practice is making a modern-day comeback, and why it's more essential than ever.

The conversation explores the science behind communal experiences, such as the role of mirror neurons and the release of oxytocin, often called the “bonding hormone,” which is released during emotionally safe, connected interactions. They describe how simply being in a circle can reduce stress and support emotional regulation, just through listening. Dre describes participating in her first women's circle as a "chemical shift," that ultimately inspired her to share the practice with others.

Dre also explains how Circling differs from therapy, the guidelines and structure that make a circle feel safe and sacred, and how this kind of presence can function as a powerful form of re-parenting, offering the emotional attunement and validation many of us missed growing up.

If you're curious about joining a circle, this episode is a powerful reminder that healing happens in community, and that listening itself can be medicine.

• (11:54) The difference between Circling and traditional therapy
• (12:20) How guidelines and structure create emotional safety in a circle
• (17:43) The neuroscience of mirror neurons, oxytocin, and the stress-reducing power of shared empathy
• (20:41) How Circling can serve as a form of re-parenting, helping us rewrite old emotional patterns
• (21:55) The importance of allowing women to receive support, not just give it
• (25:24) Why simply listening—without fixing—can be healing
• (30:20) The medicine of storytelling as a path to connection, validation, and transformation

This episode is your guide to understanding why presence, community, and shared storytelling are powerful tools for emotional healing—and how Circling offers a space to feel less alone and more connected to your true self.

About Andréa Bendewald:

Andréa Bendewald is the founder of The Art Of Circling, and host of the Circle This podcast. She spent the first half of her career as a professional actress appearing in numerous hit television shows and films such as Ellen, Seinfeld, Friends, Suddenly Susan, Two and a Half Men, Entourage, CSI Miami, Without a Trace, Good Luck Charlie, Employee of the Month, Last Man Standing, Brand New Cherry Flavor and The Morning Show.

Today, Dre facilitates The Art of Circling: A group mindfulness practice that uses ancient ritual in a modern setting to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and enhance group productivity. Through sharing stories, deep listening and interconnected meditation, The Art of Circling empowers, heals and has transformed the lives of countless women from all over the world via in-person circles, retreats, private sessions, workshops and virtual offerings.

Resources Mentioned:

• Circle of Stones: Woman's Journey to Herself by Judith Duerk
• Christopher Sexton (poet)
•  Sacred Sisters Collective
• Sacred...

In this essential episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar Singh is joined by OB-GYN and menopause expert Dr. Jila Senemar to break down the myths, science, and emotional realities of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.

Together, they discuss why so many women feel unprepared—and often misdiagnosed—during this time of life, and why hormonal changes are frequently mistaken for mental health issues or stress. Dr. Jila provides clear, clinical definitions of perimenopause and menopause, walks us through what’s happening with hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and shares why symptoms such as anxiety, memory lapses, weight gain, and even autoimmune flare-ups are part of a much bigger picture.

The conversation dives into the myths around hot flashes, the surprising symptoms no one talks about, and why menopause is a health milestone that affects your heart, bones, brain, and long-term vitality. Dr. Jila also shares actionable tips around movement, nutrition, mindset, and hormone therapy, making this a compassionate and science-informed guide to thriving in midlife.

Whether you're just starting to notice changes, feeling overwhelmed by symptoms, or want to better support someone you love, this episode is the clear, grounded starting point we all need.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (06:15) Why hormone therapy (HRT) was misunderstood for years—and what we now know
• (10:54) Clear definitions of perimenopause, menopause, and the timeline in between
• (27:20) How subtle symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and brain fog are hormonal—and often missed
• (29:30) Understanding the hormonal shifts of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
• (32:32) The surprising link between postpartum depression and menopause
• (33:11) How menopause affects mental health—and what you can do about it
• (35:17) Ayurvedic insights into the hormonal transition of menopause
• (37:20) Why weight gain in midlife is tied to insulin resistance and hormonal fluctuation
• (42:56) The role of HRT and GLP-1s in managing metabolic changes during menopause
• (45:57) Longevity and menopause: how this transition impacts heart, brain, bone, and metabolic health
• (48:46) How menopause can trigger or worsen autoimmune symptoms
• (50:41) Sleep disruption: what causes it and how to improve it during perimenopause

This episode is your guide to understanding the stages of menopause, recognizing overlooked symptoms, and making informed choices about hormones, mood, weight, and long-term health.

About Dr. Jila Senemar:

Dr. Jila Senemar, M.D., FACOG is the founder of JilaMD, a concierge women’s health practice focusing on perimenopause, menopause, hormone therapy, metabolic optimization, and longevity science. She is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with over 20 years of clinical experience dedicated to advancing women's health. She earned her M.D. at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her residency and chief residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Dr. Jila has held academic roles at the University of Miami and Florida International University, and served as Associate Medical Director of OB-GYN Triage at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She is also the founder of The Miami Menopause Collective and EmpowHer Miami, two initiatives focused on education and empowerment during midlife.

An active member of the North American Menopause Society, the Florida Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Jila blends clinical excellence with a deeply compassionate, patient-centered approach. Her work is grounded in the latest research, personalized care, and a mission to help women embrace vitality through all phases of...