LIVING Inspired with Rachel Carta, RN

About LIVING Inspired with Rachel Carta, RN

Living Inspired is a podcast for women who feel overwhelmed by their health, frustrated by normal lab results, and are looking for a calmer, more grounded way to feel better. Hosted by Rachel Carta, RN, Functional Nutrition Counselor, and Life Coach, this podcast explores women’s health through a functional, root-cause approach. We talk about fatigue, stress, hormonal changes, sleep issues, metabolism, and chronic symptoms, and how small, sustainable changes can restore energy and build resilience—without quick fixes or rigid protocols. Learn More: RachelCartaRN.com IG: @peaceinperimenopause

Publisher

Rachel Carta, RN

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Feb 2023

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

119 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   118. Finding Joy in Midlife When Life Feels Like Work

   What happens when you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, but you aren’t enjoying it? In this episode of Living Inspired, I’m joined by Sass Schaeffer, a registered dietitian, personal trainer, former Philadelphia Golden Gloves boxing champion, comedian, and coach. We talk about rebuilding after difficult seasons, listening to your own preferences, and finding more enjoyment in everyday life. Sass shares her perspective that positivity is “a muscle, not a mood,” along with practical ways she brings that idea into her day. Our conversation explores how small actions, moments of connection, and a little playfulness can offer a different approach to things we’ve been trying so hard to change. I also share my experience of questioning an old belief about being athletic, taking a walk without my phone, and practicing gratitude in a way that asks me to keep looking for something new. In this episode How staying busy can keep us from asking what we actually want. Reconnecting with yourself through small, everyday decisions. Making room for quiet when there’s always something to listen to or scroll through. What Sas means by practicing positivity. Bringing fun into habits and tasks that have started to feel like work. A gratitude practice with one condition: choose something different each day. Looking more closely at beliefs you’ve carried about yourself. Resources and Mentioned: Connect with Sass: IG: https://www.instagram.com/sass_schaeffer (https://www.instagram.com/sass_schaeffer/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sassschaeffer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sassschaeffer) Site: www.jointeampositive.com (http://www.jointeampositive.com) Ted Talk Mentioned: "Good" and "bad" are incomplete stories we tell ourselves | Heather Lanier (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZiNVGA78kA) Rachel's Resources: Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos (https://rachelcartarn.com/sos) Do you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off. (https://rachelcartarn.com/lastinghealth) Ready to Talk: Book a Clarity & Relief Session here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/schedule) Want a lab review: Book it here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/labs) Eat Well Made Easy Course (https://rachelcartarn.com/easy)

2. 

   17 Oct 2026

   117. Understanding Trauma in Midlife: How Past Experiences Shape Our Responses Today

   Have you noticed that things you used to be able to handle don’t feel quite so manageable anymore? Maybe you’re more easily overwhelmed, more emotional, or finding yourself reacting to things in ways you don’t really understand. We talk a lot about hormones during perimenopause, but hormones aren’t the whole story. In this episode, I sit down with Susan Decker, a licensed professional counselor, to explore trauma, the experiences we carry into midlife, and how those experiences can shape our beliefs and responses today. I originally recorded this conversation for my functional nutrition counseling program, and I wanted to share it here because I think it’s something more women need to understand. We talk about what trauma means, how past experiences can affect the body and nervous system, and why patterns that once helped us get through difficult times may no longer be helping us now. We also explore the connection between our early experiences and beliefs about rest, worth, productivity, and having to be strong all the time. From there, we talk about what support can look like. Susan shares how curiosity and self-compassion fit into understanding our reactions, why the relationship with a therapist matters, and when deeper work needs professional support. You don’t have to have experienced something you’d consider a major trauma for this conversation to be helpful. Sometimes understanding why we respond the way we do is the beginning of being able to respond differently. In this episode: What trauma means and why the lasting impact of an experience matters How past experiences can influence present-day reactions Trauma, the body, and the nervous system Perimenopause, hormonal changes, and our experience of stress How early experiences can shape beliefs about ourselves Recognizing coping patterns that may no longer serve us Curiosity, awareness, and self-compassion The difference between practices you can explore on your own and work that needs a therapist Finding a therapist you can connect with What becomes possible with appropriate support About Susan Decker Susan Decker is a licensed professional counselor working as an outpatient therapist in a medical facility. Her experience includes crisis intervention, community mental health, and work with incarcerated populations. Much of her postgraduate training has focused on trauma. This episode is for education only and isn’t medical advice, mental health treatment, or a diagnosis. I’m an RN, functional nutrition counselor, and life coach, not a therapist. Please speak with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional about your individual needs. Rachel’s Free Resources Mood swings? Get the 5-minute audio to calm them now. (https://rachelcartarn.com/sos) Do you want to understand more of what’s changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off. (https://rachelcartarn.com/lastinghealth) Ready to Talk? Book a Clarity & Relief Session here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/schedule) More Resources Want a lab review? Book it here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/labs) Eat Well Made Easy Course (https://rachelcartarn.com/easy) Connect With Rachel Instagram: @peaceinperimenopause (https://www.instagram.com/peaceinperimenopause/) Website: RachelCartaRN.com (https://rachelcartarn.com/)

3. 

   10 Oct 2026

   116. You Can’t Out-Supplement Your Daily Habits: Where To Start in Perimenopause and Beyond

   There’s more conversation about menopause than ever, but knowing what to do with all that information can be difficult. More protein, another supplement, hormone therapy, gut health: what actually deserves your attention first? In this solo episode, I walk through four areas I consider when working with women in midlife: sleep, blood sugar, digestion, and the nervous system. Supplements and hormone therapy can have a useful role. But we also need to understand what your body is experiencing and what daily life is asking of you. We also talk about insulin as part of the hormone conversation, a food-first starting point, digestive symptoms you may have learned to tolerate, and why feeling overwhelmed deserves more attention than simply being told to manage stress. The goal isn’t to leave you with four things to fix. It’s to help you choose one place to begin: a step that fits your circumstances and could make other changes easier. In this episode The shift from silence about menopause to information overload. Why supplements are a tool, not the whole strategy. The difference between not making time for sleep and wanting to sleep but being unable to. Asking what nighttime scrolling gives you before trying to change the habit. How sleep and insulin sensitivity connect. Why I consider insulin alongside glucose when looking at metabolic health. Practical food-first ideas, including breakfast and movement after meals. Why persistent digestive symptoms deserve attention. Looking at overwhelm in the context of food, sleep, responsibilities, and support. Mentioned in this episode Episode 114: Exploring Hormone Therapy in Midlife With Lauren Caldwell, FNP. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/114-exploring-hormone-therapy-in-midlife-with-lauren/id1670170369?i=1000791757872) The Energize Summit, October 16–18 - Sign up for the free event here. (https://theenergizedsummit.com/?ref=rachelcarta) Rachel's Resources: Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos (https://rachelcartarn.com/sos) Do you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off. (https://rachelcartarn.com/lastinghealth) Ready to Talk: Book a Clarity & Relief Session here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/schedule) Want a lab review: Book it here. (https://rachelcartarn.com/labs) Eat Well Made Easy Course (https://rachelcartarn.com/easy) This episode is for education only and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about persistent symptoms, appropriate testing, and treatment decisions.

Who has been a guest on LIVING Inspired with Rachel Carta, RN

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

• Mandy Harvey
• Fern
• Kate Zuraw
• Tracy Hoth

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100

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

Quality

85

Social presence

91

YouTube

0

Engagement

71

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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