#34: The Holistic Approach to Perimenopause That Helps You Stop Guessing with Dr. Danica Woods

You’re exhausted. Your sleep is weird. Your period is changing. You’re more anxious, more overstimulated, and your body suddenly seems to have a mind of its own.So you finally make the doctor’s appointment.You wait 30 minutes, get 15 minutes to explain everything, and leave hearing some version of: “Your labs look normal.”So... now what?Welcome back to Season 2 of The Next Phase Podcast. We’re kicking off our Back to Basics season with something I desperately needed in my own perimenopause journey: a different way to understand what was actually happening in my body.In this episode, I’m sitting down with my own naturopathic doctor, Dr. Danica Woods, to demystify naturopathic medicine — what it is, what it costs, what happens during that first (nearly two-hour!) appointment, and why looking at the whole person can sometimes uncover pieces of the puzzle that have been missed.And we get personal. I share what finally drove me to seek another kind of care after years of recurring health issues, urgent-care visits, antibiotics, and buying supplements based on whatever Instagram told me I needed. We also talk about the testing Dr. Woods did with me, what surprised us about my hormones, and why perimenopausal women may need more individualized information than a generic list of symptoms and supplements. In this episode, we talk about: What a naturopathic doctor actually does — and how their training differs from conventional medicine  Why a naturopathic intake can take nearly two hours  What naturopathic care and lab testing actually cost  The problem with guessing which supplements your body needs  Why “normal” labs don't always end the conversation  Hormone testing during perimenopause and why timing matters  My own experience with hormone testing — and what I was surprised to learn  When it's time to stop Googling your symptoms and get professional help  How to find a naturopath who actually feels like the right fit for you If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office thinking, “But I still don’t feel right…”, this conversation is for you.This isn’t about rejecting conventional medicine. It’s about understanding that you can ask more questions, get curious about your body, and find care that makes sense for the woman you’re becoming.About Dr. Danica WoodsDr. Danica Woods is a naturopathic doctor with a whole-person approach to health and a particular interest in women’s hormone health, physical medicine, and mind-body care. Her work focuses on looking beyond individual symptoms to understand the larger patterns affecting a patient’s health — from hormones and nutrition to sleep, stress, movement, health history, and lifestyle. Dr. Woods earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University and holds a BA in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. She is also a certified Integrative Holistic Life Coach and an active member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, where she serves on the board as Legislative Chair.Her philosophy is grounded in helping patients understand their bodies, uncover underlying contributors to their symptoms, and create individualized paths toward better health — rather than simply chasing one symptom at a time.Stay ConnectedThis season of The Next Phase is all about getting back to basics — with our bodies, our homes, our money, and our ADHD brains.And I’ve been working all summer on resources to help you put some of what we’re talking about into practice.Want to know what I’m working on? Join my email list here and get your free Cycle Syncing Map:Stacey's Email List Find Dr. Woods:Her websiteHer instagram