Inside the Wellspace: Women, Wellbeing, Wisdom with Cathy O'Brien

What if wellness isn’t about optimizing your body, but finally learning how to hear it? In this live episode of Inside the Well Space, Cathy O’Brien sits down with Ayurvedic expert Nidhi Bhanshali Pandya and Laroot World founder Natasha Poniatowski for a deeply grounding conversation on what it means to return to balance—through wisdom that’s been here all along. Nidhi reframes Ayurveda not as a r...

What if the symptoms you’ve been brushing off—fatigue, weight changes, night sweats, anxiety, bone loss—aren’t random… but hormonal? Dr. Caroline Messer, double board-certified endocrinologist, demystifies the endocrine system and explain how hormones quietly regulate nearly everything: metabolism, mood, reproduction, cholesterol, bone density, and more. Dr. Messer is the co-founder of Fifth Avenu...

Some people have one business idea in their lifetime. Kristen Sgarlato had five before she even turned 31—and each one taught her something new about what it truly takes to start, adapt, and persevere in business. As an award-winning product developer and founder of KES Innovation, a New York-based product development agency, Kristen worked with major beauty brands like Estee Lauder, Tom Ford Beau...

Your skin is not just cosmetic. It is one of the most powerful indicators of what is happening inside your body. Dr. Angela Lamb, MD, board certified dermatologist, Mount Sinai Associate Professor, and leader in oncodermatology, unpacks how skin reflects health, stress, trauma, cancer treatment, and healing. From chemotherapy rashes and hair loss to delayed diagnoses and dismissed symptoms, this c...

Mental health care should be accessible, human, and empowering — not clinical, intimidating, or out of reach. Melinda Gong, founder of Sol Health, shares how her virtual therapy platform is creating safe, supportive spaces for young adults and emerging clinicians alike. She reveals the challenges facing Gen Z and Millennials today, the importance of emotional resonance over clinical jargon, and ho...

If you’re bloated, exhausted, anxious, breaking out, or craving sugar nonstop… your gut may be running the show more than you realize.  In this special LIVE episode, Cathy O’Brien sits down with nationally recognized gut health dietician Ella Davar to break down what’s actually happening inside your body — and how to reset your gut, hormones, metabolism, and mood for good. Ella shares her powerful...

What if everything you were taught about sex, desire, and women’s bodies was incomplete — or flat-out wrong? In this powerful live podcast event, Inside the Well Space host Cathy O’Brien sits down with Dr. Chris Creatura, MD, one of the nation’s leading experts in female sexual medicine, for a candid, science-backed conversation about women’s sexual health, pleasure, pain, and the cultural scripts...

When your child is struggling with substance use or mental health challenges—and you have no idea how to help—it can feel like the ground is disappearing beneath you. It’s one of the most devastating and isolating experiences a parent can face, and far too many mothers carry that pain in silence. Brenda Zane knows that silence intimately. A family advocate, TEDx speaker, and founder of Hopestream...

What if that nightly glass of wine you feel you’ve “earned” has never really been about the wine at all, but about exhaustion, overwhelm, and the quiet autopilot patterns that build themselves into your life without your consent? Jenn Kautsch, founder of Sober Sis—a global community of more than 40,000 women reframing their relationship with alcohol without shame or labels—shares her deeply person...

If the word money makes your shoulders tense, you’re not alone. For so many women—smart, capable, accomplished women—finances still feel confusing, stressful, or like something we “should” have figured out by now. Meanwhile, we’re juggling households, careers, kids, and responsibilities… but rarely stopping long enough to ask: “Am I actually financially well?” Emily Green, Head of Wealth Managemen...

Ever feel like meditation “isn’t for you”? But what if the problem isn’t you, it’s the approach?  Lauren Schuivens, certified meditation teacher and founder of Samavira, explores how meditation can be personalized for your mind, body, and lifestyle. She joins Cathy O’Brien on Inside the Wellspace to share her powerful journey from trauma and depression to discovering meditation as a lifeline, trai...

Your eyes reveal more about your health than you might realize—and women face unique challenges that often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Dr. Nancy Coles, a leading ophthalmologist and surgeon at Mount Sinai’s New York Eye & Ear Infirmary, sheds light on the silent epidemic affecting women’s vision. Did you know that two-thirds of the world’s blindness occurs in women—much of it preventable...

What happens when your fairy tale turns into a survival story? At just 22, Nadine Macaluso thought she had met her prince charming when she married Jordan Belfort — The Wolf of Wall Street. But behind the luxury yachts and glittering parties hid infidelity, narcissistic abuse, and emotional chaos. When she finally broke free, she began the long, courageous journey to heal herself — and later, to h...

Imagine receiving a cancer diagnosis and feeling completely alone—unsure where to turn or how to cope. That’s the reality for so many patients and families. Christina Merrill, founder and CEO of the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation and creator of the Cancer Buddy App, shares her remarkable journey building a lifeline of hope and support for people facing cancer. From launching free programs tha...

Have you ever caught yourself saying yes when every part of you wanted to scream no? That’s not weakness — it’s survival. Dr. Ingrid Clayton, clinical psychologist, trauma expert, and author of “Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves and How to Find Our Way Back,” unpacks the fawn response — the trauma survival pattern we’ve been taught to applaud as “being nice,” “helpful,” or “e...

You might not see it. You might not hear it. But coercive control is happening all around us—often in the relationships we least suspect. It’s the invisible thread that weaves through all forms of abuse, and when children are involved, its impact can last generations. Dr. Christine Cocchiola—clinician, coach, professor, survivor, and leading expert on coercive control—uncovers the truth about this...

Some stories grab you—and don’t let go. Katie Thurston, the fan-favorite from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, joins Inside the Wellspace with Cathy O’Brien to share a story no one expected. Just after moving to New York with her husband, comedian Jeff Arcuri, Katie was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer—a life-altering moment that tested her fear, resilience, and hope. She opens up about n...

When was the last time you felt truly seen, heard, and supported in a doctor’s office? For millions of women, the answer isn’t simple.  Reproductive rights advocate and OB-GYN PA-C Nikki Vinckier explores the gaps, biases, and systemic challenges in women’s healthcare. She joins host Cathy O'Brien to share her journey from clinician to national advocate, the inspiration behind her upcoming book We...

What if something as simple as your breath could transform your health, calm your mind, and reconnect you to your intuition? In this episode of Inside the Well Space , host Cathy O’Brien sits down with breathwork guide, yoga teacher, and soul reader Céline Antoine. With over 20 years of experience in yoga, meditation, and energy work, Céline has helped thousands of students release stress, let go...

Sexism isn’t just in politics or culture—it’s in our bodies, our health, and the way we move through the world every single day.  On this episode of Inside the Wellspace , Cathy O’Brien sits down with globally renowned activist, author, and journalist Laura Bates—the force behind the viral Everyday Sexism Project . What started as a simple website sharing women’s daily experiences of harassment be...

What if the aches, leaks, or discomfort you’ve been ignoring are actually your body asking for help? Kate Fishman, PT, DPT, OCS, Cert. MDT, PRPC, CYT, is a Senior Physical Therapist at NYPH - Weill Cornell who specializes in pelvic floor health. She joins Cathy O’Brien on Inside the Wellspace to explore the often-overlooked world of pelvic floor health. They dive into the prevalence of pelvic floo...

Can something as simple as touch change — even save — a life?  Jennifer Cooper Ashton, Clinical Manager for Massage Therapy Services at the Mount Sinai Health System, explores the remarkable physiological and emotional benefits of therapeutic touch. From her early career in dance to becoming a leader in palliative care and wellness, Jennifer shares how massage can calm the nervous system, ease pai...

What if the secret to your physical health and emotional balance wasn’t hidden in the latest wellness trend, but in the energy flowing through you right now?  Mare Rubin, a certified yoga and meditation teacher, joins Inside the Wellspace with Cathy O’Brien to explore the timeless link between ancient wisdom and modern wellbeing. Together, they unravel the mysteries of chakras, the science and spi...

What does it really mean to live as a woman in 2025—and how fragile are the rights we take for granted? In this solo episode of Inside the Wellspace, host Cathy O’Brien breaks down the historical context, current data, and legislative shifts that shape the experience of being a woman today. From microfeminism to credit access, political representation to bodily autonomy, Cathy connects the dots be...

What does it take to break free from your past and rebuild a life on your own terms? At just 26, Jes Chapel is a rising voice at Condé Nast Traveler , covering fashion, travel, and luxury—but her real story runs much deeper. In this raw and revealing conversation, Jes sits down with Cathy O’Brien to share her journey through childhood trauma, the loss of her father, and growing up in unstable, uns...