Burnout, Hormones & Mental Health: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You (And What to Do About It) with Francesca Lyon #7

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍Today’s conversation is one I feel so deeply passionate about, because it speaks to something I see every single day in my clinical work… women feeling confused, overwhelmed, and often disconnected from what is actually happening in their bodies.I’m joined by the incredible Francesca Lyon, a degree-qualified and registered naturopath and Medical Herbalist specialising in women’s health, hormones, and fertility, and together we explore what it really means to understand your mental health through a hormonal and whole-body lens.This is a conversation about burnout, about the pressure to “push through,” about the invisible role hormones play in how we feel, and most importantly, how we can begin to support ourselves in a way that is evidenced based, compassionate and practical. In this episode, we explore:✨ Francesca’s journey from burnout in the corporate world to discovering the power of holistic, whole-body healing ✨ What hormones actually are ✨ The reality of modern life: overworking, under-eating, over-exercising, and how this creates a hormonal “perfect storm” ✨ The cortisol curve: from “wired and thriving” stress… to depleted, burnt-out, low cortisol states that can feel like depression ✨ Why chronic stress doesn’t always look like high cortisol ✨ The complex relationship between hormones and mental health and why testing (not guessing) matters ✨ Blood sugar as a foundational pillar of both hormone health and emotional stability, and how stress can destabilise it ✨ The bidirectional relationship between food, stress, and self-talk and how guilt and anxiety around food can impact your physiology ✨ Why “perfect eating” isn’t always the answer ✨ The role of progesterone as a deeply calming, protective hormone for mental health ✨ The nuanced (and often misunderstood) relationship between hormones and conditions like PMS and PMDD ✨ How hormonal shifts across the menstrual cycle can influence mood, focus, anxiety, and energy ✨ The importance of sleep for hormone regulation and overall wellbeing ✨ The power of a truly holistic approach: nutrition, lifestyle, psychology, and medical insight working together, not in isolationTo see more of the fabulous Francesca Lyon, follow her on Instagram @your_hormone_naturopath - there she shares so many wise, insightful posts! Want even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here’s where to find more support and resources:Website & Client EnquiriesLearn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.Join the NewsletterMy monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HEREBlogTake a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.