Show Notes
Dr. Maria Sophocles has been a leader in women's healthcare for nearly 30 years, specializing in menopause management and female sexual health. She founded Women's Healthcare of Princeton, a progressive gynecology practice, and has been a visiting professor and NIH researcher in Switzerland. A board-certified ob/gyn and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, she has pioneered innovative treatments, including CO2 laser therapy for vaginal atrophy. She serves as CMO of EMBR Labs, Director of Women's Health Services for Curia Health, and is an advocate for women's health policy. Dr. Sophocles' TED talk "What Happens to Sex in Midlife" has garnered over 1.2 million views in total and her forthcoming book, The Bedroom Gap, will be released February 10th. She is currently working on a documentary about Sex, Menopause, and Gender Equality called HOT! In this episode, Tara and Dr. Maria Sophocles unpack the bedroom gap by exploring how physiology, hormones, shame, religion, porn culture, relationship dynamics, and communication issues all interact to block women's libido and pleasure, while offering practical strategies like self-pleasure, better sex education, hormone support, and intentional intimacy to rebuild desire and connection at any age. RESOURCES: Learn more about Dr. Sophocles here: https://mariasophoclesmd.com Her viral TED talk with 1.2M+ views: https://www.ted.com/talks/maria_sophocles_what_happens_to_sex_in_midlife_a_look_at_the_bedroom_gap?language=en Instagram: @mariasophoclesmd Pre-order her book The Bedroom Gap on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/48X1XYk Watch her previous podcast episode on Inside Out Health Podcast: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/drsophocles Get 15% off Peluva minimalist shoe with coupon code COACHTARA here: http://peluva.com/coachtara CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 00:05:05 – An open, no‑holding‑back conversation about sex, libido, and midlife. 00:07:00 – How most young people get their "sex education" from porn because adults and schools avoid real conversations about sex and pleasure. 00:08:17 – Dr. Sophocles debunks the Hollywood myth that women typically orgasm easily from penetrative sex alone and explains how misleading this is. 00:09:11 – 70–90% of women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm and how shame and unrealistic expectations make many feel "broken." 00:11:02 – The concept of the "bedroom gap": Viagra and support for male performance versus lack of equivalent attention to women's sexual needs. 00:12:18 – Dr. Sophocles explains that orgasm releases endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin and argues that being sexually active can be part of a longevity plan. 00:20:00 – Practical advice to treat sex and intimacy like a non‑negotiable appointment, starting with G‑rated cuddling and rebuilding erotic connection gradually. 00:49:31 – Why comprehensive, pleasure‑based sex education (with the Dutch example) leads to healthier sexual patterns and fewer unwanted outcomes.
WORK WITH TARA: Are You Looking for Help on Your Wellness Journey? Here's how Tara can help you: TRY MY APP FOR FREE: http://taragarrison.com/app INDIVIDUAL ONLINE COACHING: https://www.taragarrison.com/work-with-me CHECK OUT HIGHER RETREATS: https://www.taragarrison.com/retreats
SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram @coachtaragarrison TikTok @coachtaragarrison Facebook @coachtaragarrison Pinterest @coachtaragarrison
INSIDE OUT HEALTH PODCAST SPECIAL OFFERS: ☑️ Upgraded Formulas Hair Test Kit Special Offer: https://bit.ly/3YdMn4Z ☑️ Upgraded Formulas - Get 15% OFF Everything with Coupon Code INSIDEOUT15: https://upgradedformulas.com/INSIDEOUT15 ☑️ Rep Provisions: Vote for the future of food with your dollar! And enjoy a 15% discount while you're at it with Coupon Code COACHTARA: https://bit.ly/3dD4ZSv
If you loved this episode, please leave a review! Here's how to do it on Apple Podcasts: Go to Inside Out Health Podcast page: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-out-health-with-coach-tara-garrison/id146836
More from Inside Out Health
In this episode, Tara announces the end of regularly scheduled Inside Out Health episodes after 350 shows and walks you through her decision-making process as a guide for letting go of, or restructuring, something in your own life that no longer serves what matters most. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Episode 350: The Final Regular Episode 02:01 What's No Longer Aligned in Your Life? 02:53 Why I'm Stopping: Divided Attention & HIGHER 04:53 Cleaning Out the Closet 05:52 Imagine It's Done: Question the Fear Stories 09:18 There's No Failure, Only Learning and Growth 12:03 The Keto Lesson: Don't Vilify What You Leave 16:06 Not All In or All Out: Adjust First 18:56 When Consistency Becomes a Trap 21:07 Redirecting Energy & Restructuring 23:51 Closing: Honor the Good, Watch Codependency 27:33 Thank You, Where to Find Me
In this episode, Tara talks with mold expert Ariana Thacker, indoor-living researcher Dr. John La Puma, and regenerative rancher Eric Perner about the hidden environmental exposures shaping modern health. Ariana Thacker is a chemical engineer, venture capitalist, and the founder and CEO of MoldCo, a health-tech platform addressing mold toxicity. After co-founding Conscience VC to invest in science-driven startups, Ariana launched MoldCo, inspired by her own health journey. Eric Perner spent most of his early life and career on horseback learning the craft and trade of equine athletic competitions at the highest level. Eric owns the Double P Ranch in Mounds, Oklahoma where they produce grass-fed beef, goat, lamb and pastured pork as part of the supply chain for REP Provisions. He operates his ranch as a Savory Global Business Hub to provide restoration grazing education and guidance for other local ranchers in the methods of holistic management to create the conditions that lead to the regeneration of our native grasslands. John La Puma, MD, ChefMD™ is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, board-certified internist, and professionally trained chef who pioneered Culinary Medicine. He now pioneers EcoMedicine from his small regenerative teaching farm. His upcoming book, Indoor Epidemic, reveals how spending 93% of life indoors steals sleep, focus, and years, and how reclaiming just 7% outdoors can restore them using the evidence-based Outdoor Rx framework.
In this episode, three guests — NFL veteran Robert Gallery, nervous system coach Kristin Weitzel, and psychedelic therapist Dori Lewis — share how Ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, and mushroom medicine helped them reach trauma that talk therapy, willpower, and every tool they already had couldn't touch on their own. Robert Gallery is a former professional football player and a 2023 College Football Hall of Fame inductee. Following his professional career, Gallery experienced mental health challenges associated with repeated head injuries and alcohol dependency. Ibogaine treatment was a significant part of his personal recovery. He co-founded Athletes for Care to support other athletes navigating similar post-career challenges and to advocate for research and awareness around athlete mental health. Kristin Weitzel is a force of nature: a master of both strategic brilliance and soulful transformation. With two decades of experience building Fortune 500 brands—she's helmed multi-million-dollar campaigns and orchestrated world-class consumer experiences. But her deepest work began when she turned her experiential mastery inward, applying the same curiosity, drive, and devotion to the human experience. Now, as an expert who speaks on global stages, the founder of SHERPA Breath & Cold, and host of the WELLPOWER Podcast, Kristin has become a trusted leader in health optimization, nervous system regulation, and biohacking. Dori Lewis is a licensed psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and co-founder of Elemental Psychedelics. She is also the owner of Reflective Healing Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, a psychotherapy group practice and licensed healing center specializing in psychedelic-assisted therapy, including ketamine and psilocybin, as well as integration therapy and transpersonal psychotherapy. Dori is a licensed Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator in Colorado and serves as a clinical consultant in mushroom medicine work.
Your blood sugar isn't just about sugar — it's tangled up with your gut, your immune system, and how your whole metabolism runs. This episode pulls together three conversations that build on each other, from one guy's simple fix to the bigger picture behind it all — meet your three experts below. Most people with type 2 diabetes are told it's a forever sentence. Chris Reade was one of them. In 2017, his A1C hit 9.1 with zero warning. He refused medication, did the research, and built a food system around the science of soluble fiber. Six months later, his A1C was 5.5. Seven years later, it has never gone back up. Danielle Hamilton is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner & Restorative Wellness Practitioner who specializes in blood sugar regulation & digestion. She became interested in blood sugar issues when she learned that Insulin Resistance was at the root of her PCOS. She was able to reverse her PCOS, cystic acne, PMS & weight loss resistance by reversing Insulin Resistance. Joel Greene is the very first gut-health protocol teacher, the original biohacker that utilizes the immune system and the family of insulin hormones to create lasting health. Joel has spoken on other top podcasts such as Ben Greenfield's Life and Cynthia Thurlow's Everyday Wellness. In this episode, you'll hear three experts connect the dots between blood sugar, gut health, and metabolism — starting with one guy's simple fix and ending with the bigger picture behind it all. RESOURCES: Learn more about Chris Reade here: https://www.beatingdiabetes.us/ Chris Reade's Instagram: @beatingdiabetesus Check out the full conversation with Chris here: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/chrisreade Learn more about Danielle here: http://daniellehamiltonhealth.com Danielle Hamilton's Instagram: @daniellehamiltonhealth Check out the full conversation with Danielle here: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/daniellehamilton Joel Greene's Instagram: @realjoelgreene Check out the full conversation with Joel here: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/joelgreene
In this episode, Tara Garrison breaks down why real fitness isn't just physical, walking through the mental, emotional, and spiritual skills that actually drive lasting health and personal transformation. RESOURCES: Learn more about Higher Coaching here: https://www.taragarrison.com/work-with-me Learn more about Tara's app: https://app.taragarrison.com/ Instagram: @coachtaragarrison Get 10% off Peluva minimalist shoe with coupon code COACHTARA here: http://peluva.com/coachtara