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This podcast originally ran on December 12th, 2025

In this episode, Ann Marie speaks with Dr Gary Elkins, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, in Waco, Texas. Dr. Elkins is the leading researcher in the field of clinical hypnosis for menopause, with more than 25 years of experience and more 100 peer-reviewed publications.

He joins Hotflash inc to explore the groundbreaking science behind hypnosis for hot flashes, its surprising effectiveness (up to 70% reduction!), how it works in the brain, why it matters for breast cancer survivors, and how hypnosis may also support sleep, stress, and other midlife symptoms. They also discuss Evia, the self-hypnosis app built on Dr. Elkins’ research, and the critical importance of hjaving non-pharmaceutical options for symptom relief.

Highlights

• How hypnosis became part of NAMS (now The Menopause Society) guidelines
• Research showing hypnosis reduces hot flashes by 70%
• What hypnosis is and what it definitely isn’t
• What happens in the brain during hypnosis
• The “triple fallacy” and misunderstanding physical symptoms
• Comparing hypnosis to hormone therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• How hypnosis helps improve sleep and calm anxiety
• Why hot flashes are a physiological issue, not a psychological one
• What to expect: when and how hypnosis starts to work
• The power of daily practice and support from others
• Addressing misconceptions about hypnotizability and intelligence
• What the research says about empathy, creativity and hypnosis
• The mind-body connection and the experiential system
• How hypnosis taps into the subconscious (without the woo)
• Dr. Elkins on consulting for the Evia app and why it matters
• Future research: hypnosis for sleep and psychedelic states without drugs

Guest Info – Dr. Gary Elkins

• Website: www.garyelkins.org
• Book: Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: What You Need to Know
• Handbook: Handbook of Medical and Psychological Hypnosis

•• Evia App: https://www.eviamenopause.com

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Web: hotflashinc.com
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In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr Sarah McKay, Oxford-educated neuroscientist, author of The Female Brain Book, and founder of the Neuroscience Academy.

This is a powerful, nuanced conversation about what we know, what we don’t, and what’s being exaggerated online. Grounding, clarifying and deeply reassuring.

If you’ve been worried about your brain in midlife, this episode is for you.

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our sponsor:
Phosis – Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off
https://phosis.com

Founded by Susan Campbell, Phosis is clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare created specifically for dry, perimenopausal skin.

What we explored this episode:

07:15 – Cognitive load, smartphones & the myth of “midlife decline”
18:40 – Brain restructuring during menopause: adaptation vs degeneration
27:30 – “The brain eats itself” – what the mouse study actually showed
39:10 – Dementia risk: incidence vs prevalence explained clearly
44:30 – Absolute vs relative risk
58:20 – Hormone sensitivity, the pill & depression research

Memorable quote:
“We absolutely must report absolute risk.”

Fact check:

1. Dr. Pauline M. Maki leads NIH-funded research on women’s cognitive/mental health and how sex hormones and reproductive transitions affect well-being.
2. Dr Susan R. Davis is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow (since 2007) and Director of the Women’s Health Research Program at Monash University (School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine).
3. TGA = Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, the government regulator for medicines, medical devices, and biologicals.

Connect with our guest:

Website: https://drsarahmckay.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahmckay

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Send a text

In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr. Kirsten Smith, ND, a naturopathic doctor and certified menopause practitioner practicing between Ontario and Costa Rica. Together, they grapple with the exploding conversation around menopause hormone therapy – what’s grounded in evidence, what’s being overstated, and what gets lost when urgency turns into dogma.

This is a candid, nuanced look at the current “meno-rush” – where hormone therapy is hailed as life-saving by some, dismissed by others, and increasingly positioned all around as the only solution. Dr. Smith brings 17 years of clinical experience blending conventional diagnostics with holistic medicine, offering what she calls a third path: thoughtful, individualized care rooted in both science and lived reality.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the polarization – this conversation is for you.

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy (get on the list!)
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our gold sponsor from the Hotflash inc Summit, Phosis and its founder Susan Campbell. Phosis creates clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare formulated specifically for dry, sensitive hormonal skin. Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off Phosis.com

What we explored this episode:

00:00 – Why menopause hormone therapy has become so polarized
07:45 – The “meno-rush”: how Instagram accelerated the hormone conversation
12:10 – Pharmaceutical influence and the pendulum swing from neglect to hype
18:45 – Who hormone therapy doesn’t work for (and why that matters)
23:20 – The pathology problem: when everything gets blamed on perimenopause
28:10 – Speed culture, nervous systems, and why true healing takes time

Memorable quote:
“We’ve gone from ignoring menopause to hyper-medicalizing it – and neither extreme serves women.”

Where to follow Dr. Kirsten Smith

IG @drkirstensmithnd
Facebook drkirstensmithnd
Linked In drkirstensmithnd

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information