The Appetite

julie@opalfoodandbody.com

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#150: Menopause + Mental Health : A Therapist's Perspective

July 30, 2026

Part 3 of a 3 part series:  "The Menopause Series" Episode 3:  Menopause + Mental Health  -- Opal's Nutrition Director and Co-Founder, Julie Church, RDN, speaks with therapist Katie McKenna, LMHC, about the connection between perimenopause, menopause, and mental health. Katie explores how hormonal changes can affect mood, anxiety, sleep, cognition, body image, and identity, while increasing vulnerability to eating disorder relapse or new onset. Building on our previous conversations about the...

#149: Menopause + Work: A Researcher's Perspective

July 16, 2026

Part 2 of a 3 part series: "The Menopause Series"  Episode 2: Menopause + Work — Opal's Nutrition Director and Co-Founder, Julie Church, RDN speaks with Janie Stuart, PhD, about the intersection of menopause and workplace experiences. Drawing from her research in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Janie describes how menopause often occurs during pivotal career years and how workplace norms—like "work-first" cultures, ageism, and gender expectations—can shape how symptoms and transitions a...

#146: A Teen Male's Perspective on Sport and Identity: An Interview with Nicholas Macha

July 16, 2026

When injury sidelines an athlete—or performance outcomes fall short—it has a way of revealing growth edges within us.  Tune in to The Appetite as Opal Co-Founder and Director of the Exercise + Sport Program, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with high school distance runner and podcaster Nicholas Macha. In this powerful conversation, Nicholas shares how his injuries and performance disappointments led him to a deeper exploration of identity, relationships, faith, and the constant balancing act betw...