Libsyn Directory

Your Own ‘Menopause Bootcamp' | #24

Release Date: 11/19/2024

Holiday Special: Aging, Family Triggers, & Finding Gratitude in the Chaos | Harder to Breathe

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

Feeling like the magic of the holidays is slipping away? Or maybe you’re just growing up? In our Season 2 finale, Ryan Dusick and co-host Brian “Duck” Maillard sit down for a candid, heartfelt reflection on another year gone by. From the bittersweet reality of aging parents to navigating family triggers during the holidays, this episode is all about finding grace in life’s imperfections. 🎙️ In this episode, we dive into: The "Grinch" Factor: Why the holidays can be triggering and how to navigate family expectations without losing your mind. Aging with Perspective: How growing...

Shinedown's Brent Smith: Fighting Monsters, Sobriety, & Rock's Responsibility | Harder to Breathe

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

"I'm no good to him if I'm dead." That was the realization Shinedown frontman Brent Smith had when his son was born—a moment that sparked a journey from the depths of addiction to becoming one of rock's most powerful voices for mental health. In this raw and inspiring episode, Ryan Dusick and Co-host Brian “Duck” Maillard sit down with Brent Smith to discuss the evolution of Shinedown, from their grunge roots to their massive crossover hit, "A Symptom of Being Human." Brent opens up about his battle with alcoholism and drug addiction, his physical transformation (losing 70 pounds and...

Sara Bareilles on Fear, Broadway, & Why She’s "The Opposite of Fearless" | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

From "Love Song" to Waitress on Broadway, Sara Bareilles has built a career on vulnerability and taking creative risks. But is she fearless? "I'm the opposite of fearless," she confesses in this intimate interview. Host Ryan Dusick sits down with his old friend Sara Bareilles for a deeply personal conversation about navigating the music industry, overcoming anxiety, and finding your authentic voice. Sara opens up about her mental health journey, the "game-changing" impact of therapy, and why leaning into fear has been the key to her artistic growth. This episode is packed...

Sadness vs. Depression: Understanding Anhedonia and Finding Political Hope | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

Is it just a "bad week," or is it something deeper? In this episode of Harder To Breathe, we explore the often-confusing line between sadness and clinical depression, and how to recognize the signs of anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure). Ryan shares a profound experience seeing Alanis Morissette live, sparking a conversation about trauma, the #MeToo movement, and shifting from "writing hits" to authentic expression. Co-host Brian “Duck” Maillard opens up about his personal battle with anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure) and...

School Shooting Survivor: Trauma, EMDR & Redemption feat. Ellie Wyse | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

On May 7, 2019, Ellie Wyse was a high school freshman with an hour left in her day when a routine drill turned into an active shooter situation. In this powerful and essential conversation, Ellie bravely recounts her experience surviving the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting and the complex realization that one of the perpetrators was a peer. She shares the aftermath of the trauma, the unexpected loneliness of the subsequent COVID-19 lockdown (which she says was harder to process than the shooting itself), and her path to healing through EMDR therapy. Now a psychology major, Ellie is...

AI & Loneliness: How to Find REAL Connection in the Algorithm Age | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This is not a conspiracy theory; it’s a mental health crisis. Returning guest Hillary Spiritos joins the hosts for a crucial discussion on the challenges facing young people in the age of AI and pervasive social media. We explore the profound effects of the algorithm—a system so isolating it mirrors the environment of a cult or a totalitarian state—and how it’s fueling a loneliness epidemic and widespread cynicism. Hillary offers guidance on how parents and peers can foster critical thinking and authentic connection to help young people push back against the constant...

Musician Davis Rowan: Rehab, Ultra-Marathons, & Finding Purpose | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This is an unvarnished look at the path to recovery. Ryan reconnects with his old friend, musician Davis Rowan, whom he met at the Betty Ford Center. Davis shares his powerful story of how alcohol, which once felt like a "solution" to social anxiety, became a destructive force, culminating in a terrifying diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during a severe bender. This conversation goes beyond mere sobriety to explore the deeper rewards of recovery: finding genuine community, cultivating new passions (like ultra-marathoning), and using lived experience to fuel a new purpose as a music...

Porn Addiction: Sobriety vs. Recovery, Shame, Suicide Prev. w/ C. Morley | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

This episode goes beyond the surface to the heart of addiction. We sit down with former tech entrepreneur Curtis Morley, whose life's purpose shifted after the tragic loss of his best friend to suicide. Curtis believes his friend didn't understand the difference between sobriety and recovery, a lesson Curtis now uses to help men combat the epidemic of pornography addiction. Curtis bravely shares his own experience and the core principles of his "Counterfeit Emotions" program, arguing that most men aren't addicted to porn—they're addicted to shame. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: ...

Toxic Masculinity & Stillness: Finding Balance with Steve Braun | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

In this vital episode, we sit down with Steve Braun, a master mental performance coach and communication consultant (and co-founder of BGB Studios). Drawing on his martial arts discipleship, Steve explains that the core of our modern mental health and societal conflict is a deep imbalance between masculine (Yang) and feminine (Yin) energies. This conversation offers a profound perspective on how to achieve peak performance and inner peace not through action, but through stillness and radical self-acceptance. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: The Power of Stillness (Yin):...

The Fear, the Freedom, and the Mid-Life Career Change | Harder to Breathe Podcast

The Harder to Breathe Podcast

"How do you make a total left turn from the music industry to the mental health field?" Ryan Dusick often fields this question, but the reality is that starting over is rarely a clean break—it’s usually a long, messy process of grief and self-discovery. In this one-on-one episode, Ryan and Duck dive into the core challenges of major life transitions, from leaving a band at the peak of success to finding new purpose in your 40s. Ryan shares his journey from losing his identity as a musician to embracing his calling as a therapist, explaining that his change was driven by a commitment to...

More Episodes

For today’s episode of “Harder to Breathe'', host and founding drummer of “Maroon 5” Ryan Dusick is joined by co-host and actor Brian “Duck” Maillard for a conversation on Menopause and Women’s Health with author, speaker, and advocate Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenzz.

Our mental health and our physical health are much more connected than many of us realize, and as such there are huge connections between our changing bodies and how those changes affect our minds and our emotions.

Dr. Suzanne is a world-class expert on all things womens’ health, and her appearances on shows like the Drew Barrymore Show and others have brought her an enormous following, a huge market for her book “Menopause Bootcamp”, as well as a long waitlist to gain access to her as a personal physician.

Through their fascinating and illuminating conversation, Dr. Suzanne gives Ryan and Duck a great deal of information regarding womens’ health that is all too often kept private. The bodies of both men and women frequently change as we age and go through our lives, and regardless of gender, people are much better equipped to handle it when they have the required information. It’s an entertaining as well as informative episode of the “Harder to Breathe” Podcast, and one that is sure to offer many people a better understanding of what menopause is like for women to experience, as well as the benefits and struggles that come along with it.

0:00:00 Introduction & Duck Working Through His Anxiety

0:04:01 Embracing the Benefits of Anxiety

0:07:27 Finding the “Pot of Gold” Living in the Moment

0:15:20 Today’s Guest: Dr. Suzanne

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0:17:58 Dr. Suzanne Joins the Podcast

0:19:51 What Led Dr. Suzanne to the Work

0:25:19 Why Menopause Is Underserved

0:28:10 The Basics About a Holistic Approach to Women’s Health

0:36:12 Men Gaining an Understanding of Women’s Health

0:38:00 Ryan’s Partner’s Decision

0:43:59 Rewriting the Narrative of Feminine Identity

0:45:35 How Men Can Better Approach Menopause

0:51:00 Choosing to take a Holistic Approach

0:55:09 Separating the Micro vs. the Macro

0:56:31 The Political Implications toward Womens’ Health

1:03:42 Ryan Growing Up Without Grandparents

1:07:15 How Dr. Suzanne Address Unique Psychological Issues

1:11:25 Womens’ Sexuality During Menopause

1:21:21 Navigating Transitions of Life

1:22:55 Wrap Up & Conclusion

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