This week, we sit down with Ottawa clinical psychologist Dr. Mel Arias-Valenzuela, founder and clinical director of Uprise Psychology & Wellness, whose work focuses extensively on eating disorders, body image, and helping people heal their relationship with their bodies and food.

Together, we explore how body image develops, why so many people struggle with shame and self-criticism, and how our relationship with our bodies is shaped by culture, expectations, and lived experience. Dr. Mel shares how these patterns show up clinically—and more importantly, how they can change.

We talk about perfectionism, control, and the quiet ways body image can affect mental health, relationships, and daily life. This conversation offers a compassionate, evidence-based perspective on how to move toward greater self-acceptance without toxic positivity or oversimplification.

This episode is not about loving your body all the time. It’s about understanding it—and learning to treat yourself with the same kindness you offer others.

This week, we sit down with Ottawa physician Dr. Sam Hetz to talk about one of the most requested topics: skincare and aging.

In a world filled with endless products, conflicting advice, and powerful marketing, Dr. Hetz breaks down what actually makes a difference—and what doesn’t. We discuss how skin ages over time, the role of sunscreen, retinoids, and medical-grade skincare, and when treatments like neuromodulators, lasers, and other procedures can be helpful.

Most importantly, we talk about how to approach aging in a way that feels intentional and empowering—not reactive or fear-driven.

This episode is about cutting through the noise and understanding how to care for your skin with clarity, confidence, and evidence.

In honour of Endometriosis Awareness Month, we’re joined by Jess Packman—Ottawa-based hairstylist and funny-girl —who shares her deeply personal journey with this often-misunderstood disease.

From her very first painful period to years of unanswered questions, delayed diagnosis, fertility struggles, and ultimately the difficult(ish) decision to undergo a hysterectomy, Jess speaks candidly about what it’s really like to live with endometriosis. This is the side of medicine you won’t find in textbooks—the uncertainty, the grief, the resilience, and the strength it takes to keep advocating for yourself when your pain is dismissed.

Raw, honest, and—true to Jess—often funny, this conversation is a powerful reminder that endometriosis is not “just bad cramps,” but a life-altering condition that deserves recognition, research, and better care.

Listen in to Jess’s story—and to the reality so many women live every day.