Behind every standing ovation is a body quietly keeping score. From Broadway stages to rehearsal studios, performing artists push physical limits in ways that blur the line between discipline and injury. This episode explores the often-hidden world of performing arts medicine—where physiatrists care for musicians, dancers, and artists navigating overuse injuries, recovery, and longevity in their craft. How do you treat a body that can’t simply “take time off”? And what does it mean to heal when performance itself is part of identity?

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. François DeAsis, DO, a physiatrist, performing arts medicine specialist, violinist and pianist (since the age of 4-years-old), and the founder of Medicine for Musicians, which that seeks to empower and support performing artists at every stage of their career, from education and outreach to personalized medical care.

Dr. DeAsis received his DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) from Midwestern University, completed his Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency at Nova Southeastern University, and is currently completing his Performing Arts Medicine Fellowship at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Dr. DeAsis has worked with artists from all over the world, including those at The Juilliard School, Minnesota Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and many other ensembles and universities.

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Toxicology lives at the intersection of chemistry, medicine, and survival—where everyday exposures and rare threats alike can shape human health in profound ways. From the silent danger of carbon monoxide to the rapid lethality of cyanide, and the complex line between poison and remedy, this conversation unpacks how toxins move through and impact the body. We explore the ongoing opioid crisis, the life-saving role of naloxone, and how clinicians respond in moments where minutes matter most. Along the way, the lens widens to include venom, environmental exposures, and even the realities of bioterrorism—revealing just how much of our world is defined by what we can’t see.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Andaleeb Hamid Raja, MD, a double board-certified emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist and assistant professor of medicine based in New York City.

Dr. Raja received her MD from Saba University School of Medicine and completed her Emergency Medicine Residency at Lincoln Medical Center and Medical Toxicology Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Currently, Dr. Raja is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and is the Assistant Program Director of Emergency Medicine Residency at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln.

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Deep within the body lies a group of muscles we rarely think about, yet they hold so much of our daily lives—our continence, our stability, our pleasure, and sometimes our pain. The pelvic floor is both an anatomical and emotional terrain, where physiology meets intimacy and where silence has long replaced education. Yet despite its importance, pelvic health remains surrounded by silence and stigma, even though pelvic floor disorders affect nearly one in three women and millions of men worldwide. Why do so many people live with pelvic pain, incontinence, or painful intimacy without ever seeking help? How much of sexual pleasure and dysfunction is rooted in the body—and how much in the mind? And what might change if we finally started talking openly about pelvic health, intimacy, and the muscles that quietly support them both?

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Willy Quach, DPT, PT (known online as Dr. Q / Pelvic Floor Galore), a California-based Doctor of Physical Therapy and a pelvic health specialist, particularly in rehabilitation for men and the queer and underserved communities. Dr. Quach received his BS in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and DPT from California State University, Northridge.

We are also joined by Kimmy Wu, MHC, MA (known online as the Asian Sex Therapist), a New York-based relational and sex psychotherapist, seeking to tear down the taboos surrounding the topics of sex and pleasure. Kimmy received her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University. Currently, she is the founder of Thirdspace, a startup that helps create authentic connections in a disconnected world, and the mental health writer behind 'Between Living & Dreaming,' a Substack that explores the tensions of being human & cultural critiques of modern society. Previously, Kimmy was the Director of the WAVES program of Asian Mental Health Collective, a community-driven initiative focused on reducing stigma and promoting mental wellness within the Asian diaspora.

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