Inside the Wellspace: Women, Wellbeing, Wisdom with Cathy O'Brien

About Inside the Wellspace: Women, Wellbeing, Wisdom with Cathy O'Brien

Inside the Wellspace is a podcast redefining women’s wellness through a female lens. For too long, women’s health has been treated from a male perspective. Hosted by wellness advocate Cathy O’Brien—who brings 25+ years in global beauty, a master’s in social work, and her own health journey—the show offers real conversations about often-overlooked aspects of women’s health. From hormones and mental resilience to sleep and bone health, Cathy talks with top experts to break down the science and share practical, evidence-based tools. The goal: to help you feel informed, empowered, and in control.

Publisher

Cathy O'Brien

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 May 2025

Latest episode

19 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 37 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   19 Mar 2026

   Why Wellness Is Wrong (And Your Body Knows Better) | Live Episode with Nidhi Bhanshali Pandya & Natasha Poniatowski

   What if wellness isn’t about optimizing your body, but finally learning how to hear it? In this live episode of Inside the Well Space, Cathy O’Brien sits down with Ayurvedic expert Nidhi Bhanshali Pandya and Laroot World founder Natasha Poniatowski for a deeply grounding conversation on what it means to return to balance—through wisdom that’s been here all along. Nidhi reframes Ayurveda not as a rigid set of rules, but as a practical lens for understanding how the body—and life itself—actually works. From the rhythms of how we eat and sleep to the subtle cues of intuition and emotional regulation, she offers a refreshing, accessible approach to living in alignment rather than constant correction. Natasha brings a complementary perspective rooted in nourishment, culture, and the sensory experience of food—reminding us that wellness isn’t just functional, it’s felt. Together, they explore the idea of cultivating a supportive “inner climate,” why warmth (in food, routine, and lifestyle) matters more than we think, and how small, consistent shifts can profoundly impact women’s health. This episode is filled with tangible, grounding takeaways—from meal timing and digestion to nervous system support, oiling rituals, and reconnecting to your body’s natural intelligence. Learn more about Nidhi's work: https://www.nidhi.me/ Follow @my_ayruvdeic_life: https://www.instagram.com/my_ayurvedic_life Learn more about Natasha and Laroot World: https://larootworld.com/ Follow @larootworld: https://www.instagram.com/larootworld/ In this conversation, they explore: - What Ayurveda actually is—beyond trends and wellness buzzwords - The concept of your body’s “inner climate” and why “warm and moist” is foundational - How circadian rhythms shape digestion, energy, and mood - Why how and when you eat matters just as much as what you eat - The disconnect many women feel from their bodies—and how to rebuild intuition - The link between food, hormones, sleep, and emotional wellbeing - Simple daily rituals that regulate the nervous system and support longevity - A fresh perspective on modern wellness trends like fasting, protein, and cold exposure Subscribe to Inside the Well Space: YouTube: / @insidethewellspacepodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TQtov8... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Visit The Well Space for Women: https://www.thewellspaceforwomen.com Follow along on Instagram: @thewellspaceforwomen

2. 

   4 Mar 2026

   Hormones, Metabolism & the Truth About GLP-1s | Dr. Caroline Messer

   What if the symptoms you’ve been brushing off—fatigue, weight changes, night sweats, anxiety, bone loss—aren’t random… but hormonal? Dr. Caroline Messer, double board-certified endocrinologist, demystifies the endocrine system and explain how hormones quietly regulate nearly everything: metabolism, mood, reproduction, cholesterol, bone density, and more. Dr. Messer is the co-founder of Fifth Avenue Endocrinology and founder of Well by Messer, a multi-specialty practice with offices across New York and Connecticut. From thyroid disorders to cortisol myths, from perimenopause confusion to the truth about GLP-1 medications, this conversation cuts through misinformation and replaces fear with understanding. Timestamps: 01:12 What endocrinology actually is and why it impacts nearly every system in the body 05:30 Dr. Messer’s family history in medicine and how she chose endocrinology 10:15 Why she wanted continuity with patients and long-term relationships 12:00 What hormones are and how they function as chemical messengers 15:18 The thyroid explained: symptoms of too much vs. too little 20:05 Cortisol myths vs. medical reality 23:45 How doctors diagnose complex hormone imbalances 31:40 Perimenopause vs. other causes of fatigue and night sweats 34:10 Mood shifts and hormonal transitions 35:05 GLP-1 medications: separating fear from fact 38:20 Pancreatitis, cancer risk, and the latest research 40:45 Food noise, guilt, and weight loss stigma 43:10 Muscle loss, metabolism, and what actually happens with weight loss 45:00 Why hormone health is empowerment, not vanity Learn more about Dr. Caroline Messer and Well by Messer: https://www.wellbymesser.com Follow Dr. Messer on Instagram: @wellbymesser Subscribe to Inside the Well Space: YouTube: / @insidethewellspacepodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TQtov8... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Visit The Well Space for Women: https://www.thewellspaceforwomen.com Follow along on Instagram: @thewellspaceforwomen

3. 

   18 Feb 2026

   Building, Pivoting & Thriving in Entrepreneurship | Kristen Sgarlato

   Some people have one business idea in their lifetime. Kristen Scarlato had five before she even turned 31—and each one taught her something new about what it truly takes to start, adapt, and persevere in business. Kristen is an award-winning product developer and founder of KES Innovation, a New York-based product development agency, and has worked with major beauty brands like Estee Lauder, Tom Ford Beauty, Shiseido, and Beauty by PopSugar. In this conversation, she shares the behind-the-scenes realities of entrepreneurship: the messy middle, the pivots, the failures, and the relentless resilience needed to succeed. From building her first career-development website in college to creating apps, consulting, and ultimately founding KES Innovation, Kristen explains how to trust yourself, build a “toolkit” of skills, leverage mentorship, and surround yourself with the right people to make your vision happen. This episode is a roadmap for aspiring founders and anyone curious about what real entrepreneurship looks like—beyond the highlight reels. Timestamps: 01:51 Kristen’s entrepreneurial journey: Five business ideas before 31 05:21 Growing up in a business-minded family: How parents influenced Kristen’s path 10:19 College experiences that shaped Kristen’s first business idea 11:16 Launching a career-development website: Lessons learned the hard way 13:31 Early insights into payments, web development, and entrepreneurship tools 15:10 First steps in the beauty industry: Internships at Tom Ford Beauty 17:22 Discovering a passion for product development at Shiseido 20:04 Building graphic design and web skills on the side: The start of a second business 22:19 Pivoting roles to gain a full toolkit: PopSugar and international marketing experience 28:09 Mesa: Learning to launch brands from scratch into retail 30:31 COVID-era ventures: Exploring a drop-shipping clothing brand 34:37 The spark for an app idea: Seeing a problem and solving it creatively 38:44 Transitioning to consulting: Building KES Innovation while supporting the app 42:32 Building a team: Hiring strategically and knowing your strengths Learn more about KES Innovation and Kristen Sgarlato: https://www.kesinnovation.com Follow Kristen on Instagram: Subscribe to Inside the Well Space: YouTube: / @insidethewellspacepodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TQtov8... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Visit The Well Space for Women: https://www.thewellspaceforwomen.com Follow along on Instagram: @thewellspaceforwomen If this inspired you, don’t forget to Like, Comment & Share. For insights on entrepreneurship, product development, and women-led businesses, Subscribe now! #entrepreneurship #productdevelopment #startups #womeninbusiness #founderstory #businessgrowth #KESInnovation #pivot #mentorship #consulting #wellness #InsideTheWellSpace

Inside a recent episode

Financial Wellness for Women: How to Take Control of Your Money | Emily Green, Ellevest

Published 26 Nov 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So think about how do my parents deal with money? Yeah. How do you deal with money stress? Not well. I bet like 99 % of people would say not well. Like how do they deal with money stress? Not well. How do they talk about it? What were the words they used around that? Cause like that matters in your life. Like that was what really put the, the, the building blocks of what that is. It does. And it's fear. Yes. Like a lot isn't, you have some stat. And I know I have it in here about fear base that 70 something percent of women are think about money and are afraid or anxious. Or 43 % of women worry about money at least once a day. […]

Who has been a guest on Inside the Wellspace: Women, Wellbeing, Wisdom with Cathy O'Brien

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kate Fishman
• Jennifer Cooper Ashton
• Cathy O’Brien
• Jessica Chapel
• Dr Rache Simmons

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

9 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

70

Social presence

97

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Questions about Inside the Wellspace: Women, Wellbeing, Wisdom with Cathy O'Brien