{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Nervous System Eats First: Autism Spectrum, Menopause & Beyond","title":"Do You Feel Emotionally Numb or Disconnected in Midlife? You’re Not Alone","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/359a9619\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2237,"description":"Ever find yourself saying \"I don't even know what I feel anymore\"?\nFor autistic and midlife women navigating menopause, trauma, and burnout, emotional flatness may not just be hormones. It may be interoception — the hidden sensory system that shapes how you feel, regulate, and reconnect with yourself.\nIn this episode, Dr. Stacey Denise sits down with Dr. Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L — award-winning occupational therapist and world leader in interoception science — to uncover the missing link in midlife mental health. If you have ever felt numb, foggy, or disconnected from your own body, this conversation explains exactly why — and what to do about it.\nWhat You'll Discover:\nWhat interoception really is and why it matters in midlife\nHow alexithymia makes you feel numb, foggy, or emotionally flat\nWhy trauma, masking, and neurodivergent burnout disconnect you from body cues\nThe double empathy problem and what it means for your relationships\nGentle non-clinical rituals to rebuild body trust — no perfection required\nHow to tell if your habits are nourishing or numbing your nervous system\nTimestamps:\n00:00 What is interoception\n01:40 Grounding the science\n02:30 Dr. Kelly Mahler introduction\n03:39 Defining interoception\n05:43 Trauma and complex PTSD\n10:46 How to better discuss emotions\n12:21 Bringing interoception into mainstream care\n16:22 The double empathy problem\n21:24 Basic scoresheet for body disconnection\n25:06 Translation into healthy living\n29:40 Can interoception help women in menopause\n32:23 Nourishing or numb\n35:33 Take a free quiz\nThis Episode Is For You If:\nYou feel emotionally flat, numb, or disconnected in midlife\nYou're autistic, ADHD, or have alexithymia and struggle to name what you feel\nYou've experienced trauma, burnout, or chronic masking\nYou want to rebuild body trust without a rigid protocol\nGuest:\n\nDr. Kelly Mahler, OTD, OTR/L — occupational therapist and world leader in interoception science\nWebsite: kelly-mahler.com\nInstagram: @kelly_mahler...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/7WeayWOCbdn9Q4IBaHObHaUcPGy5zyY7EzvJyw6OJTE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zY2Qw/Y2I0NjA5ZTE4ZjA2/ODQ2NGE5YjZlYTI2/YTdlNC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}