What if the problem isn’t that you’re failing, but that your body is finally asking you to stop pushing through?

In this episode of She Owns It!, Kristen McAlister sits down with Dr. Shannon Burke of Curis Functional Health for a real and honest conversation about women’s health, stress, hormones, nervous systems, menopause, recovery, and the silent pressure so many women carry in midlife.

Dr. Burke shares why so many high-performing women feel anxious, exhausted, wired but tired, disconnected from themselves, or frustrated that they no longer feel like they used to. Together, Kristen and Shannon unpack what is really happening beneath the surface, from estrogen and progesterone changes to cortisol timing, sleep disruption, vagus nerve regulation, emotional recovery, and the role of hormone therapy.

This conversation is not about surviving midlife. It is about understanding your body, advocating for yourself, building recovery into your life, and learning how to lead with more clarity, capacity, and self-trust.

For any woman who has been quietly wondering, “Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?” This episode is the conversation you may have needed years ago.

Key moments:

00:00 — The conversations women should have been having years ago
01:00 — Dr. Shannon Burke’s 26-year journey in women’s health
03:00 — Why so many women say, “I want to feel like me again”
04:00 — The vulnerability of admitting, “I may look like I’m succeeding, but I’m failing”
05:00 — Why midlife changes the way your nervous system handles stress
06:00 — How estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol affect energy, mood, anxiety, and sleep
09:00 — Why hormones are not always the first or only answer
11:00 — The role of the vagus nerve and the brain-gut connection
13:00 — Simple tools for vagal toning and calming the nervous system
14:00 — Morning sunlight, breathing techniques, and grounding
17:00 — Why hydration, electrolytes, protein, and muscle matter in midlife
19:00 — Why women can’t keep processing stress the way they did at 35
20:00 — Self-care as necessary infrastructure, not indulgence
21:00 — The difference between physical recovery and emotional recovery
23:00 — Why sleep should be treated like one of your biggest assets
24:00 — Brain dumps, bedtime routines, and fixing cortisol timing
26:00 — Why that relaxing glass of wine may be disrupting your sleep
27:00 — Why recovery becomes your new superpower
29:00 — Hormone therapy, the Women’s Health Initiative, and why women are still afraid
34:00 — Finding a certified menopause specialist and advocating for better care
36:00 — Trusted resources and why women need doctors who truly see them
38:00 — Why midlife can be a powerful season, not just something to survive
40:00 — Advice for women entering or already navigating midlife
43:00 — What brings Dr. Burke joy and purpose
44:00 — What Dr. Burke is owning today: not abandoning herself
47:00 — Leading with confidence, clarity, and ourselves first

Notable quotes:

“We’re all suffering, but we’re suffering in silence.”

“Midlife is a time where our nervous system says, ‘That doesn’t fly anymore.’”

“Your body is changing through the normal course that it’s supposed to change.”

“Very often it’s not a hormone deficiency running the show. Very often it’s stress.”

“Recovery is your superpower.”

“Self-care is not selfish. It is necessary infrastructure.”

“Sleep should be treated like the biggest asset you have.”

“No, I don’t. I can actually thrive in this.”

“Be your own champion.”

“I am owning not abandoning myself.”

“Drop the guilt, drop the apologies, and just be true to yourself.”

What does it take to raise daughters who believe they can figure anything out, aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, and have the confidence to build a life on their own terms?

In this special Father's Day episode of She Owns It, host Kristen sits down with her father Brian, a retired electrical engineer, and her sister Sommer, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to delve into the lessons, values, and experiences that shaped their family and continue to influence how they show up in the world today.

Brian reflects on the four strong women in his life: his mother, his wife, and his two daughters, and what made each of them remarkable in their own way. He shares how he and Louise approached parenting with one simple goal: don't mess them up. Sommer brings her therapist's perspective to the conversation, unpacking how independence can sometimes become stubbornness, why community is more important than ever, and why meaningful relationships, not advice, are what truly help people grow. Kristen ties it all together with warmth, humor, and the occasional confession about cleaning out expired food from her dad's fridge.

Together, the three explore the concept of "peacocking" your way to confidence even when you don't feel it, why asking for help is its own kind of courage, what it means to live in service to others, and how the quiet, everyday choices parents make can shape their children for decades to come.

This episode is a must listen for anyone who grew up with a parent who showed them they could do anything, or who is still learning that strength doesn't mean doing everything alone.

What does entrepreneurship actually look like behind the highlight reel?In this episode of She Owns It!, we explore the early journey into entrepreneurship through hard work, earned equity, and lessons learned from a young age. In my conversation with owner/COO of Complete Concrete, Olivia Jenkin, we discuss the emotional and practical realities of running a business while still trying to learn along the way. If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, questioned yourself as a leader, or wondered if other women business owners feel the same way you do — this episode is for you. Lesson learned - stop questioning and start doing. You'll figure it out.Subscribe for more honest conversations with women redefining success, leadership, and entrepreneurship on their own terms.Host: Kristen McAlisterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmcalister/Contact: kristen@kristenmcalister.comGuest: www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-jenkin-0a036a5a , www.complete-concrete.com Guest Personal Instagram - @oliviajenkinGuest Company Instagram - @completeconcreteatlantaBunny (Albus) Instagram (Yes, Albus has his own IG) - @albusthehollandlop