The Nervous System Eats First: Autism Spectrum, Menopause & Beyond

If "just take a deep breath" makes you dizzy, anxious, or shut down — this episode offers something different.

Dr. Stacey Denise is joined by Angelia Abouhassan — founder of The Breath Lady Project, stroke survivor, yoga teacher, and breathwork facilitator who rebuilt her life, vision, and emotional safety through breath. Together they explore body-safe breath patterns designed specifically for sensory-sensitive, neurodivergent, and midlife women — and how breath can become nervous system nourishment instead of another stressor.

This is not "just breathe." This is breathwork that actually works for the body you have right now.

What You'll Discover:

Why traditional breathwork can trigger trauma or sensory shutdown

  • A simple double-exhale pattern to interrupt hot flash overwhelm tonight
  • Breath practices designed for alexithymia, autism, masking, and hormonal chaos
  • How to avoid high-activation styles that backfire on exhausted women
  • What neuroplasticity has to do with menopause recovery
  • How to choose a trauma-informed breathwork practitioner

Timestamps:
00:00 From stroke survivor to breathwork practitioner
06:54 The role of breath in healing and safety
08:42 Reframing trauma and healing
10:41 Understanding interoception and proprioception
12:36 Neuroplasticity and breathwork
16:29 Breathwork for women in perimenopause
18:46 Trauma-informed breathwork explained
20:53 Designing practices for overloaded clients
22:23 Breathwork for hot flashes
24:49 Breathwork for neurodivergent women
26:02 Nourishing vs numbing the nervous system
27:58 Adapting breathwork for different needs
30:52 Choosing a breathwork practitioner
33:27 Nourish or numb — everyday patterns
40:04 Practical techniques for managing hot flashes

This Episode Is For You If:

  • You experience hot flashes, night sweats, or hormonal surges that feel out of control
  • Traditional breathwork has felt overwhelming, triggering, or just wrong for your body
  • You're neurodivergent, sensory-sensitive, or have a trauma history
  • You want practical body-safe tools you can use tonight

Guest:

Angelia Abouhassan — founder of The Breath Lady Project, stroke survivor, breathwork facilitator
Website: https://www.breathladyproject.com/
Instagram: @breathladyproject

Your Next Step:

Take the free Sleep Saboteur Quiz if hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your sleep →
quiz.drstaceydenise.com/sleep-saboteur-start-here

Take the free Color Archetype Quiz to map your full nervous system reset →
quiz.drstaceydenise.com/color-archetype-start-here

Ready to work with Dr. Stacey directly? Book a Reset Foundations Consultation →
drstaceydenise.com/reset-foundations-consult


MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only. The information shared does not constitute medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Dr. Stacey Denise is a licensed physician but is not YOUR physician unless you are an active patient of SDM Medical PLLC. Individual results vary. The practices discussed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

What is The Nervous System Eats First: Autism Spectrum, Menopause & Beyond?

The Nervous System Eats First is a podcast about the midlife body—when masking stops working, menopause hits hard, and your nervous system demands more than just supplements and willpower.

Hosted by Dr. Stacey Denise, a board-certified physician and founder of the Neuroaesthetic MD™ method, this show invites listeners into a new kind of recovery: one where healing begins through the senses.

Each episode blends science, sensory ritual, and somatic insight to help women reclaim regulation—not as a reward, but as a requirement.

This is not “self-care.” This is nervous system nutrition for:

Autistic and ADHD women unmasking in midlife

Black women and women of color navigating medical gaslighting

Women in menopause who feel invisible, exhausted, and emotionally unmoored

Highly sensitive women trying to feel something without getting overwhelmed

If you’ve ever asked, “What is happening to my body?”—this podcast is your permission slip to find out, slowly and with grace.

🎧 The Nervous System Eats First
Where your body is the expert, and your senses are the medicine.