Wellness Expert Leah Simmons on How to Transform Your Mind and Body

Over the past year, I've been quietly building a whole new chapter of Beauticate. It's been exciting, fulfilling, creative and, if I'm honest, incredibly stressful at times. In this solo Sacred Six episode, I'm sharing the six rituals, tools and practices that have helped me stay grounded, regulate my nervous system and protect my wellbeing during one of the busiest periods of my life. From infrared saunas and nervous system support to community walks, breath work and the surprising gadget that's become a daily non-negotiable, these are the habits helping me navigate long workdays, chronic pain, anxiety and overwhelm. If you've been feeling stretched too thin, struggling with stress, burnout, poor sleep or simply trying to hold everything together, I hope this conversation offers some practical inspiration and a reminder that small rituals can have a profound impact. In this episode, we discuss: Why nervous system regulation has become my number one wellbeing priority The surprising benefits of infrared sauna sessions for stress, sleep and chronic pain How community connection can dramatically improve mental health The meditation ritual I've relied on for years to manage anxiety and insomnia My favourite tools for relieving neck and back tension during stressful periods Why vagus nerve stimulation has become part of my daily wellbeing practice The simple mobility exercise that helps me manage chronic pain and inflammation Whether you're navigating a demanding season of life, experiencing burnout, struggling with sleep or simply looking for ways to feel calmer and more resilient, this episode is packed with practical tools you can start using immediately. If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd be so grateful if you'd leave a review, rate the podcast and share it with a friend. Your support helps us continue having these important conversations and reach more women who need them. This episode is proudly supported by Pulsetto. Pulsetto is a wearable vagus nerve stimulation device designed to help regulate stress, anxiety, burnout and sleep. Beauticate listeners can use the code BEAUTICATE for 15% off.

This week, I’m joined by Dr Sarah Jane - Holistic chiropractor & Counsellor, founder of Spinal Energetics, and one of the most fascinating voices I’ve encountered at the intersection of science, somatics and the unseen. What struck me most about Sarah isn’t just the work she does - it’s the life she’s lived to arrive there. From a traumatic car accident and chronic pain… to an abusive relationship that left her body holding what her mind couldn’t process, to years of fibromyalgia, miscarriages, and navigating her mother’s sudden brain injury - her story is layered, complex, and deeply human. And it’s this lived experience that led her to a radical realisation:that healing isn’t just cognitive - it’s physical, emotional, and deeply embodied. In this conversation, we explore what happens when the body “keeps score”, why talk therapy alone isn’t always enough, and how creating safety in the nervous system can begin to shift even the deepest patterns. Sarah opens up about the concept of bracing - the unconscious tension so many of us carry - and why the goal isn’t to eliminate it, but to retrain it. As she beautifully explains, healing isn’t about never feeling pain again, it’s about changing your relationship to it. We also talk about grief that has no clear ending - miscarriages, identity loss, and what she calls “ambiguous grief” - and why our culture still struggles to hold space for it. Her book "Your Spine Holds the Answer" launches in July. A guide to holistic healing, the emotional roots of pain, and Spinal Energetics In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your body can hold onto trauma long after your mind has processed it– The difference between understanding healing and actually embodying it– How “bracing” shows up in everyday life (and how to soften it)– Why emotional pain often lingers longer than physical pain– The rituals and practices that helped Sarah rebuild herself, piece by piece This is a conversation about resilience — but not the glossy kind.The real kind. The quiet kind. The kind that asks you to sit with yourself, and slowly, gently, come home.

This week, I’m joined by Alexa Roetger, better known to many as Nurse Lex — founder of Aestheticá Byron Bay, registered nurse, skin expert, and one of those rare women whose work is deeply grounded in both science and soul. Publicly, she’s built a respected Byron Bay clinic known for its holistic, less-is-more approach to skin. Privately, her story is one of resilience, reinvention, grief, motherhood, and learning to trust her own philosophy in an industry obsessed with trends. (Aestheticá, Byron Bay) In this conversation, Lex shares how she went from working in high-pressure clinical nursing to creating a business that helps women feel more at home in themselves — not more “perfect”, just more aligned. We talk about the emotional side of aesthetics, the moment your reflection no longer feels like you, and why so many women aren’t really chasing youth at all, but recognition. We also go deeper into the realities of building a business while becoming a mother, the quiet power of word of mouth, and the grief that can reshape how you see women’s health, hormones, ageing and care. It’s a conversation about skin, yes — but also identity, intuition, and what it means to support women honestly. In this episode, we explore: Lex’s path from nursing into aesthetic medicine The surprise motherhood story that unfolded while she was building her clinic Why she believes skin health should come before trends Her thoughts on barrier repair, regenerative treatments and respecting the skin The emotional impact of perimenopause, menopause and not recognising yourself in the mirror Why the best practitioners aren’t always the loudest online What it takes to grow a trusted business through integrity and reputation You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of skin, but also a deeper compassion for yourself — especially if you’ve ever felt like your outer self stopped matching the person you know you still are inside. If you loved this episode, I’d be so grateful if you left a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps us reach more women who need these conversations. A special thank you to @pulsetto.tech, our season sponsor. Use BEAUTICATE for 15% off at pulsetto.tech

Susan Yara, beauty pioneer, entrepreneur and wellness advocate, joins me for a deeply honest conversation about reinvention, resilience and what it really means to be beautiful inside.

This week on Beautiful Inside, I’m joined by Dr Shefali Tsabary — clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and the voice behind the Conscious Parenting movement. But what makes her story matter isn’t just her expertise. It’s the way she names the patterns so many of us are living inside: perfectionism dressed up as “good parenting”, approval-seeking disguised as “being a nice person”, and the silent burnout of holding everything together. This episode is brought to you by ⁠Pulsetto⁠, a wearable vagus nerve stimulation device designed to support calm, stress relief and better sleep through short app-guided sessions. For more information, and to receive 15% off, use the code https://pulsetto.tech/. In this conversation, you’ll feel both seen and steadied. Dr Shefali doesn’t offer fluffy fixes — she offers a mirror. One that helps you understand why you react the way you do, how to repair without drowning in shame, and what it actually looks like to come home to yourself in midlife. We talk about the emotional moments that make parenting (and womanhood) so charged: the outbursts that leave you rattled, the guilt that follows, and the fear that you’re “doing damage”. Dr Shefali shares a powerful reframe — that parenting isn’t a performance to perfect, but a relationship to grow through — and the relief in that lands in your body. We also go deep on something many families are navigating daily: screens and tech dependence. Dr Shefali is clear-eyed about how dopamine, swiping, and constant stimulation are shaping our children (and us), and what it takes to set boundaries that don’t come from control, but from protection and leadership. And then, the conversation widens beautifully. Dr Shefali opens up about her own reinvention — leaving India at 21, building a life in the US, and later shedding the identity of the “good wife” and the woman who performs stability. It’s raw, brave, and deeply liberating, especially for anyone standing at the edge of a life shift and wondering who they’ll be without the roles. How to pause, reflect, and repair after you lose your temper — without spiralling into self-hatred