Tamsen Fadal is back on the podcast! A lot has changed since she first came on in September of 2024. The Emmy-winning journalist followed up that episode taping with the release of the documentary The M Factor: Shedding the Silence on Menopause, publishing her now New York Times-bestselling book How to Menopause and even launching a podcast of her own: The Tamsen Show. Now, Tamsen has another doc out: The M Factor: Before the Pause. This one spotlights and demystifies perimenopause, which literally means "around menopause." Only 34 percent of women even know about this time, which begins four to 10 years prior to menopause. Women can start experiencing symptoms as early as their mid- to late thirties. At the heart of all of this work is Tamsen's mission to tell stories that inspire women to unlock their full potential and to equip women with information to navigate what’s next–even and especially when they simply don’t know. Lindsey and Tamsen also talked about leaps of faith in this conversation and looked back on Tamsen's pivot from anchoring the nightly news to creating a robust and empowered community of women over two years later.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, the spotlight is on Carson Rammelt, known professionally as SIXFOOT 5. He’s a record producer, composer and songwriter whose work in music spans from electric pop to film score. This conversation is about SIXFOOT 5’s journey to sobriety. In addition, Lindsey and Carson dig into his height–yes, he’s literally SIXFOOT 5–being at the root of a lot of his insecurity. The pair also talked at length about the aesthetic and party pressures within the queer community. Plus, SIXFOOT 5 shares how he stays creative these days with so many irons in the fire.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

It's the first episode of 2026! This feels like a timely one as we’re all fresh off of posting photos of our 2025 roundups and envisioning the new us this year will inevitably bring. This week's guest is Caitlin McNaney, an incredible photographer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, The Cut and more. For seven years, she was the photo director at Broadway.com, where she and Lindsey's paths crossed. While Cait typically works in Nashville where she lives with her dog Josie–a bonus guest on this episode–and in New York City, the best friends actually recorded this episode in Rochester where she grew up. Cait started taking photos when she participated in local community theatre–famously, a production of Les Miz, in which she ALSO played Madame Thernardier. As art enthusiasts, former theatre kids, friends and colleagues, Cait and Lindsey have always spoken at length about body image. Cait has always championed capturing subjects in unique ways, which makes her a great photographer and an even better friend. The ladies discussed what interested Cait in photography initially and how being behind the lens has informed how she views beauty now. Photos can be beautiful moment preservers or master manipulators; Cait and Lindsey also addressed the fact that pretty much everyone has a camera and editing tools on their person at all times now–for better or for worse.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, Lindsey speaks with Sarvesh Rajasekaran. He was diagnosed with alopecia at the formative age of 23. Sarvesh offers so much insight into the male alopecia experience, speaking vulnerably about not being able to share his grief and struggles with hair loss for a long time. As a man, he felt there needed to be "an acceptable level of pain in order to share." He speaks about how his wife became one of his safe spaces to open up about his alopecia. Also, Lindsey and Sarvesh finally get into it: jokes about male pattern baldness simply aren’t funny!

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, Lindsey speaks with Tyrone Folliard-Olson. Tyrone is a husband, father and Vice Chair of the board for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. He has had alopecia since age 13. Tyrone shares openly about not only coming to terms with his alopecia but about simultaneously coming out of the closet as gay. He details meeting his now husband in college and adopting their son Declan. Plus, Tyrone talks about getting to a place where he felt strong enough to want to help others struggling with alopecia AND like Lindsey, making the complicated decision to go on a JAK inhibitor.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, Lindsey speaks with alopecia therapist and coach Alison Mann. Alison has had alopecia since she was very young and is thus a great help to those with alopecia as well as to parents supporting children with alopecia. In addition to discussing her hair loss journey as well as therapy, the ladies also discussed Alison's pursuit of gymnastics from an early age. She opened up about leaving the gymnastics world and how she had to meet her alopecia head on when she finally shed that identity. Alison lost so many friends when she made the brave decision to leave the gymnastics world behind, but what she gained? You’re going to have to listen to find out more.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, Lindsey talks alopecia and parenthood with Ashley Kaplan. Like Lindsey, Ashley was diagnosed with alopecia at age 2. She takes us through her own childhood journey that ultimately brought her to wearing wigs. For awhile, they had to be the same cut and color every single year when she’d get them prepped for school. Falling in love with her now husband and giving birth to her daughter really informed how she views her alopecia these days. Ashley has great insights and fun stories about meeting her husband in college and being a bald badass mom of two. She addressed what it’s really like to be a parent with alopecia and shared some great tips for dating and wearing wigs.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.

In this episode, Lindsey sits down with Kalayna Walker. Kalayna is a former NBA dancer, a published author and a senior at LSU. At age 7, she lost all of her hair. Her mom started making her customized wigs–wigs she agonized over keeping secure at sleepovers with her dance team, while she slept, dancing on the court at an NBA game, in the shower. She kept her baldness a secret for 13 years–all the way up until last year. Lindsey and Kalayna talk about what changed, the unexpected reaction she got when she went to class bald for the first time in her life, telling her friends about her alopecia and of course, how it all led to her now speaking publicly about her journey and even starting her own youth mentorship program.

Follow Lindsey on Instagram at @verynearlyalmost and @lindssully. Visit lindseysullivan.net and vrynrlyalmost.com for more.

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Very Nearly Almost.