justASK!

Menopause deserves care and attention! Just because it is a normal process of aging doesn’t mean that women should be forced to grin and bear the multitude of symptoms that are associated with menopause not to mention the significant health consequences that are associated with the hormone decline of aging. We are in total agreement that we need to have a balance conversation around menopause and that we should very much reframe the conversation but this does not mean taking us back in time and pulling all the progress that we’ve made over the last 20 years since the WHI (Women's Health Initiative) trial was released, this means pressing forward with a conversation that empowers women to take full control of their menopause journey regardless of their treatment decisions. 

Here is the Link to the article in the Lancet to make your own informed decisions around care:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00462-8/fulltext

To Follow US check out: 
Heather- www.theshowcenter.com
Jackie- https://www.mymonarchhealthco.com
The podcast- @justaskhive
Heather- @showcenterdrq
Jackie- @jackiep_gynnp
Tara @thesexualhealthpharmacist

Your Queen Bees are doing a deep dive today to discuss what is like to navigate as patient and trying to advocate for yourself to get your hormones or at least have an evidence based, shared decision discussion with your provider.  Today we interviewed Heather Maurer, the CEO of NPWH (The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health), a leading organization for providers who care for women and gender related health concerns.  She shares her experience as patient and being denied her hormones at her last visit even after sharing the evidence with her provider. 

Heather L. Maurer, MA, CAE is the Chief Executive Officer for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), the national professional association for certified women’s health nurse practitioners (WHNP-BCs) and other certified APRNs who provide women’s and gender-related healthcare. Heather has over 25 years working in healthcare including nonprofit, association, and accreditation organization management. She is one of the co-founding board of directors for Mother Health International, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, who collaborates with traditional midwives and certified midwives in supporting a midwifery model of care, free-standing birth center in Northern Uganda. Heather is passionate about addressing the barriers that prevent people from gaining access to evidence based holistic healthcare. She is a fierce advocate in support of healthcare policies that address health disparities and access to healthcare. At the heart of Heather’s work “is always the patient, the patient, the patient.”

Heather Maurer- @heatherlmaurer 
NPWH -@npwh_official

To Follow US check out: 
Heather- www.theshowcenter.com
Jackie- https://www.mymonarchhealthco.com
The podcast- @justaskhive
Heather- @showcenterdrq
Jackie- @jackiep_gynnp
Tara @thesexualhealthpharmacist

The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) Annual Meeting was this past weekend (February 2024) in Long Beach California.  It is one of the absolute best conferences of the year.  ISSWSH provides sexual healthcare providers, basic scientists and other sexual health professionals a forum for the communication of current knowledge regarding women’s sexual function and the diagnosis and treatment of women’s sexual dysfunction, as well as education courses before and during the plenary session. The Annual Meeting provides unrivaled scientific content with state-of-the-art lectures and faculty specializing in a variety of areas related to women’s sexual health, incorporating concepts such as:

• Identification of evidence-based, multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment strategies to ensure appropriate management of women’s sexual health problems including desire, arousal, orgasm and sexual pain disorders.
• Description of current management for women with sexual dysfunction, including sex therapy, medical and surgical therapies, and physical therapy.
• Providing up-to-date information on the impact of cancer and chronic disease on sexual function.
• Review of novel therapies not yet government approved and their stages of development.

The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) 
https://www.isswsh.org/

To Follow US check out: 
Heather- www.theshowcenter.com
Jackie- https://www.mymonarchhealthco.com
The podcast- @justaskhive
Heather- @showcenterdrq
Jackie- @jackiep_gynnp
Tara @thesexualhealthpharmacist

Welcome back to our amazing listeners we have taken a little hiatus and are so excited to be back with you in 2024 for Season 4.  We have done some rebranding and have moved the just ask podcast into The HIVE collective which is a digital health platform built to empower women to make educated and informed decisions about their health.  I’m your co-host Dr. Heather Quaile a leading Women’s and Gender-related Nurse Practitioner. We started in 2020 with myself and colleague doctor Tara Thompson, pharmacist and now welcome my new cohost and leading women’s health expert and nurse practitioner, Jackie Piasta.  She is a huge women’s health advocate on Instagram.  So without further ado I want you to meet Jackie- who you all might have remember from our Season 3 episode 7.  We wanted to discuss this rebrand and how much thought and advocacy has gone into this collective. We are a space that seeks to equip you to better navigate your health journey. We created everything in this collective with women in mind.  The logo has changed to include 4 small hexagons which is the estradiol molecule- we also included 2 Queen Bees 

We have also updated and rebranded our mission, vision, and initiatives. 

 We have continued to hear in our practices that women are still not being seen or heard in regards to their healthcare and in particular their menopause and midlife journey. We knew it was time to advocate for more women and make a larger impact than we can in our own private practices.  As we navigated through the healthcare landscape we needed something that could empower more women that see their healthcare provider than we can care for…hence The HIVE (Health in a Virtual environment) was born!  

To Follow US check out: 
Heather- www.theshowcenter.com
Jackie- https://www.mymonarchhealthco.com
The podcast- @justaskhive
Heather- @showcenterdrq
Jackie- @jackiep_gynnp
Tara @thesexualhealthpharmacist

www.drmenn.com
https://linktr.ee/drmenobgyn
@drmennobgyn

Dr. Corinne Menn is a board-certified OBGYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner.   Dr. Menn is also a 23-year survivor of breast cancer and premature menopause, is a BRCA carrier, and uses her experience to help women navigate their own health challenges. She has dedicated her medical practice to menopause management, the unique healthcare needs of female cancer survivors, and those at high risk for breast cancer. Now practicing exclusively through telehealth, Dr. Menn provides women’s health consultations throughout the country. She is also a Medical Advisor and prescribing doctor on Alloy, a menopause telehealth platform. Dr. Menn is an active member of the Menopause Society and a fellow of The American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology. She is a dedicated advocate and volunteer for the Young Survival Coalition, serving on their Council of Advisors  leading the Provider-Survivor support group, and serves on the Breast Cancer Alliance Research Grant Committee.

Join Heather and Tara on the JustASK Podcast as we talk all things Thyroid and Sexual Health with NP Jackie Piasta!

Website: www.mymonarchhealthco.com

Instagram: @JACKIEP_GYNNP

Jackie Piasta is a Vanderbilt University-trained Women's and Gender Health-related Nurse Practitioner who has been serving women for over 15 years. She currently owns Monarch Health, a holistic telehealth company focused on helping women thrive through midlife and menopause so they can feel confident and empowered as they navigate their wellness journey. Through her time in the medical field, Jackie has seen gaps in the healthcare system, particularly when it comes to women’s health. She believes that women deserve to be seen and heard when voicing their health concerns, and she is on a mission to not only hold that space but also to leave the healthcare system better than she found it. One of the biggests concerns she faced with her patients over the years was their complaints regarding their thyroid. Whether it be a concern of a possible thyroid issue contributing to their symptoms or feeling that their current care was suboptimal, Jackie has met thousands of women struggling with traditional thyroid concerns and feeling like something was missing in their care. This combined with an overall desire to improve people's overall health led Jackie to take a deeper dive into hormones and expand her knowledge through the Academy for Innovative and Preventative Medicine and their Bioidentical Hormone certification. Here, she learned evidence-based strategies for address a wide-range of hormonal concerns, thyroid included and she is here to share her knowledge with us today. 

Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She has special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

For the past 20 years, she’s served 10,000+ women in her private practice— and millions more through her books, online videos and articles. 

When her own health took a troubling turn during menopause, she sought out the wisdom of healers around the world. She learned that modern medicine and time-tested natural remedies are not at odds. Working together, they create indisputable results and true well being. Using delicious, healing foods and simple lifestyle changes, Dr. Anna reclaimed her health and life.

Fueled by her belief that every woman deserves to be empowered and in control of their health and life, she developed the Keto-Green lifestyle, which has helped thousands of women opt out of menopause misery and experience a joyful transition to the next stage of their lives. With her methods, you, too, can breeze through menopause into your “second spring”, feeling the best you ever have.

Listen in as Patient Advocate Aimee Cloutier give a real-life encounter of her sexual health diagnoses through the eyes of a patient. This podcast episode mixes personal experience with clinical evidence as she walks us through her story and a day in the life of a sexual health patient advocate and journey to healing! 

Follow Aimee on Instagram : @healthyhooha

Dr. Heather Johnson is an award winning, actively practicing gynecologist who, after delivering more than 3,500 babies over 40 years, recently retired as an obstetrician. She is senior partner at Reiter, Hill & Johnson, an Advantia practice, located in the Washington, DC area. 

Dr. Johnson received her M.D. at Yale University School of Medicine and completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, then located in Washington, DC. Dr. Johnson is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She served in the U.S. Army for eight years prior to going into private practice. 

Dr. Johnson is the author of two books: “What They Don’t Tell You About Having A Baby: An Obstetrician’s Unofficial Guide to Preconception, Pregnancy and Postpartum Life,” and “What They Don’t Tell You About Menopause: A Gynecologist’s Unofficial Guide to Premenopausal, Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Life.” In her books she shares what she has learned through her career, fact-filled and up-to-date medical insights humorous anecdotes, and “Dr. J’s Pearls” of bite-sized advice and information. 

·       To learn more about Dr. Johnson, her books and Dr. J’s Pearls of bite-sized advice, please visit her website https://AskDrHeatherJohnson.com, AND follow her on Instagram (@askdrheatherjohnson), Facebook (@askdrheatherjohnson) and Twitter (@askdrjohnson)!

·       Her books are available in both Paperback and eBook on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.comandGoodreads.com. 

We are so excited to announce Dr. James Simon as our guest speaker on the Just Ask! Podcast this month! Dr. Simon brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into hormone replacement therapy, menopause, and myths and taboos surrounding these topics.

Dr. Simon is an OBGYN, thoughtleader in the area of sexual medicine, and owns his own medical practice - IntimMedicine Specialists. He believes in the art of blending exceptional skills of listening and the science of medicine to make the proper diagnosis and to develop a corrective plan for healing. Dr. Simon calls this the “You talk…I’ll Listen. We’ll Plan Together,” philosophy.

Let's listen as Dr. Simon enlightens us on these topics and encourages patients to "Just ASK!" providers about their sexual health!

Link In Bio to full Episode!

#podcast #justask #justaskATL #sexualmedicine #hormones #menopause #HRT #hormonereplacementtherapy

Your Hosts: @showcenterdrQ and @thesexualhealthpharmacist

In this podcast, hear from psychologist Courtney Raspin and her experience with Body Image, and its effects on Sexuality!

Courtney’s PhD work focused on families of women with eating disorders, and over the last 20 years, she has continued to develop her expertise in the area. She has had the advantage of working in an NHS multidisciplinary team specialising in eating disorders, allowing her the opportunity to work closely with allied health professionals to help create comprehensive and unified treatment plans. In addition to working individually, she has run numerous groups for women struggling with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, & Binge Eating Disorders

Sexual function and fertility are vital components of a man's overall health; however, many in the LGBTQ community can find it challenging to connect with healthcare providers who understand their needs and experiences.

In this episode, we're talking with Dr. Joshua Gonzalez about his work in becoming one of the nations leading experts in urology and his efforts to expand access to quality care for all patient populations.

About the Speaker
Throughout his career, Joshua Gonzalez, MD has focused on advocating for sexual health and providing improved healthcare to the LGBTQ community.

As a board-certified urologist who is fellowship-trained in Sexual Medicine, Dr. Gonzalez specializes in the management of male and female sexual dysfunctions and treats a variety of common urological conditions including benign prostatic disease, voiding dysfunction, and male infertility.

Visit his website
Follow him on Instagram ,  Facebook and Tik Tok

Additional Resources
POPSTAR Labs Men's Supplements

About the Podcast
#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.


By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this conversation as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Consult a medical professional for any health issues you may be having.

The Institute For Pelvic Health was founded by Melissa Hines, DPT, and Kathy Kates, FNP, as a way to bring a holistic approach to pelvic health in their collaboration and mentoring of clinicians/ PTs and NPs. Today, it is revolutionizing the field of pelvic health by bringing together a community of healthcare providers who are passionate about pelvic health.

Listen as Melissa and Kathy share their vision for wellness and how this unique approach to pelvic health education works so beautifully among a digital network of providers.

Guest Speaker Bios
Melissa is a pelvic floor physical therapist with 8 years of experience and the owner of Wellest Integrative Health. Wellest is the leading interdisciplinary pelvic health clinic in Boston. On her journey to motherhood (she is a new mom!), Melissa saw first hand the disconnect between pelvic health and OBGYN care.

Kathy is a family nurse practitioner and pelvic floor therapist. Kathy’s firsthand knowledge about pelvic health comes from her experience being a mom and as a former cancer patient. Her work is enhanced by over 10  years as a nurse practitioner with a wealth of women’s health experience.

www.instituteforpelvichealth.com
Instagram @instituteforpelvichealth
Institute for Pelvic Health (Linktree)


#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

In celebration of MOVEMBER, an annual campaign is celebrated to raise awareness of men's health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

This podcast will focus on the work that Family Nurse Practitioner, Nicole Owens, is doing to help male patients navigate their life and sexual health while managing chronic conditions or physical disabilities.

Guest Speaker Bio
Nichole Owens specializes in Urology as a Nurse Practitioner at University of Mississippi Medical Center. In her practice, she focuses on the care of chronic neuro urological conditions such as congenital disorders like spinal bifida and cerebral palsy, as well as patients with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke. She also treats bladder and pelvic floor dysfunction in both men and women. She is passionate about using a holistic approach to treat these chronic health conditions while striving for the highest quality of life.

#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

In this episode, we're talking directly with a patient who was born with Congenital Neuroprolifertive Vestibulodynia. Listen as she talks with co-host Dr. Heather Quaile about her personal journey as she experimented with numerous medications and treatments before finding the proper support and therapeutic options to overcome her pain.

Heather Quaile DNP, WHNP-BC, CSC, IF
Dr. Heather Quaile (She/Her/Hers) is a board certified, women’s health nurse practitioner with specialty training in female sexual medicine and vulvoscopy. Trained as a sexual assault nurse examiner and an AASECT certified sex counselor, Dr. Quaile provides sexual health education, information, and personalized counseling to patients of all ages.

View her profile on LinkedIn
Website  www.theshowcenter.com
Instagram  @showcenterdrq
Facebook @theshowcenter


#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

Ohnut is changing the conversation about pain and discomfort during sex with its unique wearable device that customizes penetration depth during intimacy.

Listen along as we talk with CEO and founder, Emily Sauer about how to use Ohnut products; her personal experience with painful intercourse; and the wonderful wellness resources she has for our listeners!

Guest Speaker Bio
Emily Sauer is a spritely entrepreneur who has always been passionate about creating catalysts that spark human connection. While developing Ohnut (an intimate wearable designed to help women and couples who experience deep dyspareunia) she co- founded the Lady Bits League, founded the Pain Perception Project, and is now launching Pelvic Gym to connect people and professionals f rom all over the sexual and pelvic health world, through education and story.

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn

About Ohnut Co
Ohnut is the revolutionary wearable that allows couples to explore comfortable penetration depths. Available in the United States and 195 countries abroad, the product can be purchased online through the website at Ohnut Co.

Follow @OhnutCo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter


Additional Resources
Lady Bits League
Pelvic Gym
Pain Perception Project
Just the Tip (blog)


#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

In this episode, we're joined by Christine Garvin, host of the Hormonally Speaking podcast, for a compelling conversation about gut health and how it can affect your hormones.

The gut is the key to healing hormonal imbalances, yet most of us go through our lives in a constant state of inflammation and dis-ease. Hitting her pain point with a fibroid surgery that nearly killed her, Christine has gone from being in chronic pain to working as a Functional Health Coach that helps connect the dots between gut health and long-term hormone balance.

Listen along for an inside look at what it takes to finally heal your gut from all the causes that might be throwing you off balance.

Guest Speaker Bio
Christine Garvin, MA, NE, RWP is a Functional Health Coach based in Asheville, NC. She weaves together her personal health journey – including a fibroid surgery that nearly killed her – with her training in functional health, nutrition, and hormones to help women heal their gut and achieve hormonal balance. She is the host of the podcast, Hormonally Speaking, works with clients all over the world via Zoom, and offers group programs for gut healing and hormone health.

Website: http://christinegarvin.com
Instagram: @christinegarvin
Podcast: iTunes , Google


#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

• What is provoked vesibulodynia?
• What treatments are available for this condition?
• Is it possible to heal and enjoy normal activities without pain or discomfort, including sexual gratification?

The answer is YES and board-certified OB/GYN and vulvar pain specialist Dr. Jill Krapf is here to tell us how!

Listen as she gives us the inside scoop for all four general categories of vulvar pain (hormone related, inflammatory, muscular, and neurogenic) and offers valuable information about treatment, managing symptoms, and how to reframe your thinking so you can heal!


Jill M. Krapf MD MEd FACOG IF
Dr. Jill Krapf is a board-certified Obstetrician Gynecologist specializing in female sexual pain disorders at The Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders in Washington, D.C.   She is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The George Washington University. Dr. Krapf is active in research and has published chapters and peer-reviewed articles on vulvodynia and vulvar lichen sclerosus.  She is Associate Editor for the medical journal Sexual Medicine, as well as for the textbook Female Sexual Pain Disorders, 2nd Edition.  She is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), serving on the Education Committee and the Social Media Committee.

For more from Dr. Krapf, please follow her online at @jillkrapfmd

Treatment & Information
The Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders - Locations in WashingtonDC and NYC

Additional Reading
When Sex Hurts: A Woman's Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain by Andrew Goldstein, Caroline F. Pukall, and Irwin Goldstein

Mentioned in the Podcast
Vulvovaginal Pathway - can be found at www.vulvodynia.com


#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

In honor of #PrideMonth, this podcast interview features an in-depth discussion about expanding access and equality in healthcare for transgender patients. Listen as Dr. Andrea L. Braden, MD talks about her work in providing medical services to the transgender community and what she believes is most important to understand when caring for this population.

Guest Speaker Bio

Dr. Andrea Braden is an Ob/Gyn and board-certified lactation specialist who has dedicated her career to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the medical profession. She currently serves as a co-investigator with researchers from the Grady Trauma Project on a 2 NIH-funded studies that seek to understand the ties between trauma exposure and pregnancy outcomes in African-American patients who receive care at Grady Memorial Hospital. Furthermore, Dr. Braden is one of the founding physicians for Grady Memorial Hospital’s Gender Center, a multi-disciplinary clinic that addresses the specific health care needs of the trans population. 

Dr. Braden also acts as a physician mentor and works to help change the way healthcare providers interact with their patients by centering them in care decisions. Her passion comes from first-hand experiences of how difficult it can be for people from underrepresented communities to access quality health care. Dedicated to addressing the problem head-on, she strives to empower individuals and healthcare providers through education, community building, and leadership.

Learn more about the Emory Transgender Clinic in Atlanta, GA.

LinkedIn @andreabradenmd
Also on the web: The Wholehearted Doctor
Facebook  @wholehearteddoctor
Instagram @wholehearteddoctor

#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.

It's time to talk about birth control and STIs.

There are so many misconceptions out there, but we've got the inside scoop from women's health expert, and founder of the Between Tuplips social media community, Emily McNeal, WHNP.

Condoms, pills, IUDs, spermicides, diaphragms, lubrication, dental dams, initiating conversations with partners, getting tested, and slapping the stigma off of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). She's dishing out the latest information that women need to know—and answering the questions that some are too afraid to ask.

Guest Speaker Bio

Emily McNeal, WHNP, is a board-certified nurse practitioner with a specialty in women's health. She obtained her BSN from Belmont University, MS from Georgetown University. In addition to her work as a WHNP, Emily is the curator of Between Tulips (@betweentulips). This fun, educational-only social media community provides its members the scoop on everything they want to know about women's intimate care. 

Emily also serves as a Medical Advisor to The Organic Project (TOP), a women's wellness brand that offers 100% organic, eco-loving tampons and menstrual pads. 

Instagram @betweentulips
LinkedIn Emily McNeal

Also on the web: The Organic Project (TOP)
Facebook  @TOPorganicproject 
Instagram  @toporganicproject

#justASK is a healthcare platform that is dedicated to providing evidence-based information by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts in order for individuals to make informed and optimal sexual health decisions.