Ep 18 | Cortisol and the Crisis of Constant Stress: A Path to Nervous System Regulation with Dr. Beth Westie
What if your exhaustion or overwhelm isn’t just “mom life”, but a biological alarm your body’s been ringing for years?
In this powerful and grounding episode, Dr. Beth Westie joins us to talk about a silent epidemic affecting millions of women (especially moms): chronic stress and cortisol dysregulation.
Dr. Beth shares her unique perspective as a functional medicine practitioner and hormone specialist who’s helped thousands of women understand the root cause of their fatigue, weight struggles, anxiety, and sleep issues... all symptoms too often brushed off as “just being a mom” or “it's just your period”.
Together, we dive deep into:
What cortisol really does to your body when stress is constant
Why traditional lab work often misses hormone imbalance
How the nervous system responds to medical gaslighting
The role of adrenal health in mood, energy, and metabolism
Signs your body is stuck in survival mode (and how to shift out)
The first steps to regulating your nervous system and reclaiming calm
If you’ve been dismissed by providers, told your symptoms are “normal,” or feel like you’ve tried everything and still don’t feel like yourself, this episode offers both validation and a new path forward. You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of what your body is trying to tell you, and why it’s not all in your head.
Resources:
Dry Brush Kit
DUTCH Test
Free Training Course
Follow on Instagram & X: @JustTheInserts
Subscribe & Leave a Review (It helps more moms find this information!) If this episode resonates with you, share it with a friend... you never know who needs to hear that they’re not alone.
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Ep 17 | The Injury No One Warned You About: What to Do With Guilt, Grief, and Growth with Dr. Abigail Powell
What happens when the system you trusted harms you (or the people you love most) and you're left questioning what it means to be a “good mom,” a “good wife,” or a “good patient”?
Dr. Abigail Powell, a licensed clinical psychologist in Texas and a listed provider in the Pro-Informed Consent Provider Directory, shares her family's story of medical coercion, injury, and identity upheaval in this gripping, grace-filled episode. From her husband’s mandated military COVID-19 vaccine and subsequent diagnosis of IgA nephropathy, to her own journey of maternal regret and clinical transformation, this conversation peels back the emotional layers of what it means to rebuild after regret.
We talk about:
How coercive “good mom” messages shaped her early medical decisions
The moment her husband was denied life insurance after vaccination
The long road to forgiveness (and the role of research along the way)
The difference between fear-based decisions and informed ones
Why she founded Village Psychology to support other moms like her
If you’ve ever carried silent guilt after a medical decision you regret, this episode will help you feel seen and remind you that healing is possible.
Resources:
Are you a Texas Resident? Book your 15 minute free consult at Grapevine Psychology or contact Dr. Powell for more support.
Read the first chapter of our book, “Well Considered: A Handbook for Making Informed Medical Decisions” today!
Follow on Instagram & X: @JustTheInserts
Subscribe & Leave a Review (It helps more people find this information!) If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and let’s empower more families to make informed choices.
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Ep 16 | Inside the System: Medical Professionals Who Support Informed Choice with Rita Rogers
What does it look like when a nurse chooses to honor patient autonomy even when the system makes it difficult?
In this honest and deeply thoughtful conversation, we’re joined by Rita Rogers, a former Cardiovascular ICU nurse who spent 15 years working at a Level 1 trauma center. Rita shares her personal journey from pursuing emergency medicine out of a desire to help others, to navigating the challenges that came when her commitment to informed consent didn’t align with institutional policies.
Together, we explore:
How protocols and policies sometimes limit personalized care
Why informed consent matters for every medical decision, not just vaccines
What happened when Rita asked questions about COVID-era hospital policies
How reimbursement systems impact provider decision-making
Why supporting ethical, curious providers matters more than ever
Rita also opens up about her decision to decline the COVID vaccine during pregnancy, the difficult consequences she faced, and the hope she still holds for a more respectful, patient-centered future in healthcare.
Whether you’re a patient looking for a provider you can trust, or a healthcare professional trying to honor your values in a complex system, this episode is here to remind you: change doesn’t only come from the outside. It’s already happening from within.
Learn more from Rita Rogers
Resources:
Free Training Course
NVIC State Law Mandate and Exemptions
Crowd Health Podcast Episode
Pro-Informed Consent Provider Directory
Follow on Instagram & X: @JustTheInserts
Subscribe & Leave a Review (It helps more people find this information!) If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and let’s empower more families to make informed choices!
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Ep 15 | The Invisible Nudge: How Consent Gets Engineered in the Exam Room
Have you ever walked out of a medical appointment wondering, “What just happened?” In this powerful solo episode, we explore the subtle psychological tactics, often invisible and unintentional, that shape medical decisions in the exam room. From time pressure and authority bias to fear appeals and social shaming, Alexandra unpacks how informed consent often gets engineered rather than earned.
This episode dives into:
The original purpose of informed consent (and how it’s been lost)
How behavioral psychology shapes patient compliance
Real stories from mothers and patients who’ve been nudged into decisions
Emotional reasons we say “yes” when we mean “maybe”
Practical tools to pause, reflect, and reclaim your voice
A vision for healthcare rooted in transparency, patience, and true autonomy
Whether you're a parent, patient, provider, or someone who's ever felt rushed or dismissed in a medical setting, this episode is your roadmap back to clarity and consent.
Resources:
Well Considered Book: Read the First Chapter Here
Download The Vaccine Perspective Spectrum Here
Search Pro-Informed Consent Provider Directory
Follow on Instagram & X: @JustTheInserts
Subscribe & Leave a Review (It helps more people find this information!) If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and let’s empower more families to make informed choices!
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Ep 14 | Parents Are Walking Away from Traditional Pediatric Care — and What It’ll Take to Rebuild Trust with Dr. Joel Gator
Why are so many parents leaving conventional pediatric care behind and what would it take to restore their trust?
In this candid and deeply honest episode, integrative pediatrician Dr. Joel Gator joins us to explore the rising mistrust between parents and providers. Together, they unpack the root causes: from industry constraints and pharmaceutical pressure to the medical community's resistance to open dialogue. Drawing from his bestselling book “Between a Shot and a Hard Place”, Dr. Gator shares how censorship, institutional blind spots, and one-size-fits-all care are driving families toward alternative models and why he believes the future of medicine must center on humility, transparency, and truly informed consent.
Whether you’re a parent who’s felt dismissed or a provider seeking to understand this cultural shift, this episode offers both insight and hope.
Topics include:
The growing exodus from traditional pediatric care
Why many providers are afraid to question vaccine safety and what Dr. Gator found when he did
How the definition of “safe and effective” has lost meaning for many parents
What it really means to be a board-certified pediatrician and why it’s not as rigid as people think
The urgent need for new research, honest dialogue, and post-marketing surveillance
Tune in if you’re navigating pediatric decisions, questioning the system, or simply craving a more respectful path forward in healthcare.
Follow Dr. Joel Gator and grab his book, “Between a Shot and a Hard Place”
Want to go deeper? Check out the free training course or find a provider who cares at JustTheInserts.com
Follow on Instagram & X: @JustTheInserts
Subscribe & Leave a Review (It helps more people find this information!) If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend and let’s empower more families to make informed choices!
Medical decisions can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re faced with conflicting advice, rushed conversations, and the weight of making the best choice for your family. It’s easy to feel pressured, unsure, or even second-guess yourself—but making informed choices doesn’t have to be confusing or stressful.
Welcome to Well Considered—the podcast that brings clarity and confidence to the medical decision-making process.
I’m Alexandra, and in each episode, we’ll explore credible and transparent resources to help you move forward with knowledge and confidence—because you deserve to make well-considered medical decisions.
Subscribe now for thoughtful conversations, expert insights, and the clarity you need to make the best choices for you and your family.
Listen to Well Considered, Decoded | Unlock The Secrets of Human Behavior, Emotion and Motivation and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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