The Tamsen Show

Ever been told you're too much, too different, or too late? Misty Copeland heard it all and became a legend anyway. In this episode, she shares how to stop shrinking to fit, how to speak up for yourself even when the room isn't built for you, and what she's learned about perimenopause and a body that changes every day.

Sitting down with Tamsen Fadal on The Tamsen Show, Misty looks back on a career built on proving people wrong. She didn't take her first ballet class until 13, was told she was "too athletic," and still became the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. She tells Tamsen how she rehearsed hard conversations before walking into the director's office, danced Firebird at the Met on six stress fractures, and gave her farewell performance with ABT in October 2025. After a full hip replacement in December 2025, she was performing at the Oscars three months later. And when Tamsen asks about perimenopause, Misty admits she was skeptical "until it hit me."

In this episode, you'll learn:

- How to stop shrinking yourself to fit someone else's idea of "right"

- How to speak up when the room isn't built for you, and how to prepare for those hard conversations first

- Why a late start doesn't have to hold you back

- How to find a safe place, and the mentors, who help you grow

- What perimenopause can really feel like, and why not all symptoms look the same

- How to be patient with a body that changes every day

- How to take on something new after a setback, one step at a time: "Let's see what happens"

- How to use your seat at the table to open doors for the women coming after you

If you've ever been made to feel like you don't fit, this conversation will remind you that you get to decide what's next.

If you liked this episode, then you'll like: How This Woman Became a Trailblazing Airline Pilot at 50 After Waiting 15 Years and “It Can't Rain Forever”: Kandi Burruss on Reinvention and What Comes Next

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- The Misty Copeland Foundation

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

- American Ballet Theatre

- The Misty Copeland Foundation’s BE BOLD program

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Medical Disclaimer:

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 The Tamsen Show.
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Bethany Joy Lenz, star of One Tree Hill and author of the new novel The Betrayal of Cora Wexford, spent years on TV every week while secretly living inside a cult.

She opens up about why becoming a mother gave her the reason to leave, why the leaving was survival and the real healing came after, and how being on set kept her grounded through it all.

Tamsen and Joy talk about why so many capable women end up doubting themselves, why psychological abuse behind closed doors is so rarely taken seriously, and how her new novel, set in 1888, mirrors so much of her real life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- How a good thing can slowly turn into control

- Her rule now: "If you feel like something's weird, it's weird"

- The 1 question that reveals how someone really treats you, and the response to watch for

- How to trust your gut again after years of second-guessing yourself

- What her late ADHD diagnosis taught her about how hyperactivity shows up in women

If you liked this episode, listen to: The Narcissist Decoder: How Smart Women Get Trapped in Emotional Abuse

If you want a say on our upcoming guests, fill out ⁠this form

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Joy on Instagram

Visit Joy's website

Get Joy's debut novel, The Betrayal of Cora Wexford

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Medical Disclaimer:

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 The Tamsen Show.
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Most of us have been taught that when something is not working, the answer is more discipline, more willpower, and more effort. Angela Duckworth, the University of Pennsylvania psychologist and bestselling author of Grit, built her career studying that idea. Her new book, Situated, asks us to look at everything surrounding that effort.

In this conversation, she explains how the people, places, objects, and cultures around us shape our motivation, behavior, and even who we become.

Angela shares the terrifying moment she nearly lost her mother during a snorkeling trip—and why it taught her to stop fighting the current and ask for help. She also opens up about a difficult period in her marriage that showed her how easily we can mistake the effects of someone’s circumstances for flaws in their character.

Tamsen and Angela discuss why we attach moral value to doing things the hard way, how the people closest to us change what feels possible, and where to begin when we cannot simply leave the job, home, or situation shaping us.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why trying harder can keep us trapped in a losing situation

- The four parts of your environment to examine when you feel stuck

- How objects within three feet of you influence your behavior

- Why different people bring out different versions of who you are

- What you can change when your biggest circumstances are outside your control

If you liked this episode, then you’ll like: The Real Reason You Feel Stuck (and How to Fix It) with Anna Runkle and How Friendships Can Change Your Life with Minaa B.

If you want a say on our upcoming guests, fill out ⁠this form

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Angela on Instagram

Get Angela's book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best

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Medical Disclaimer:

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 The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is walking enough? Is Pilates enough? How heavy should you actually be lifting? If you’ve ever wondered which exercise really protects your brain as you age, especially through perimenopause and menopause, this conversation gives you the exact weekly plan.

In this episode, Tamsen sits down with clinical neurophysiologist and Alzheimer’s researcher Louisa Nicola, founder of Neuro Athletics and host of The Neuro Experience podcast, to talk about why she calls exercise medicine for the brain. Louisa explains that, outside of medication, exercise is the most powerful intervention we have to lower our risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, a disease that affects far more women than men.

Tamsen opens up about the short-term memory loss and brain fog that scared her during perimenopause, and Louisa breaks down what happens inside your brain when you walk, sprint and lift, from BDNF and lactate to the myokines your muscles release. Then she builds out a workout plan for your brain: two days a week of heavy compound lifting at around 80% of your one-rep max, one Norwegian 4x4 interval session, zone 2 cardio and 10,000 steps a day.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why exercise is the best non-drug intervention for lowering Alzheimer’s risk

- How heavy to lift for brain health, and why compound moves like squats and deadlifts matter most

- Why Pilates is a great add-on, but not enough on its own

- The surprising link between leg strength and brain aging: “the larger the legs, the larger the brain”

- What zone 2 training (about 65% of your max heart rate) does for the hippocampus and memory

- How to raise your VO2 max with the Norwegian 4x4, how to estimate it with the 12-minute Cooper test, and why she wouldn’t rely on your wearable

- What she says about creatine for the brain, omega-3s, and the p-tau217 blood test and APOE4 gene test you can ask your doctor about

If you’ve ever wondered whether your workouts are doing anything for your brain, this episode will help you build a plan that protects your memory now and decades from now.

If you liked this episode, then you’ll like: How Getting Stronger as You Age Can Change Everything with The Muscle Doctor, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and The #1 Pharmacist Phil Cowley: Creatine, Greens, Electrolytes, What’s Worth Buying and What Isn’t

For everything mentioned in this episode, click this link

If you want a say on our upcoming guests, fill out ⁠this form

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

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FOLLOW LOUISA NICOLA:

- Follow Louisa on Instagram

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- Connect with Louisa on LinkedIn

- Listen to Louisa’s podcast, The Neuro Experience

- Watch TNE with Louisa Nicola on YouTube

- Subscribe to Louisa’s Neuro Athletics newsletter

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

- Dr. Lisa Mosconi on The Tamsen Show

- Walking and hippocampus study (Erickson et al., PNAS, 2011)

- Leg power and cognitive aging in older female twins (Steves et al., Gerontology, 2016)

- The Norwegian 4x4 interval study (Helgerud et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007)

- The 12-minute Cooper test (Cooper, JAMA, 1968)

- Creatine monohydrate pilot study in Alzheimer’s (Smith et al., 2025)

- Creatine and sleep deprivation study (Gordji-Nejad et al., Scientific Reports, 2024)

- FDA clears the first blood test used in diagnosing Alzheimer’s (p-tau217)

- APOE4 and Alzheimer’s genetics (Alzheimer’s Association)

- The 14 modifiable dementia risk factors (2024 Lancet Commission)

- Sleep regularity and mortality study (Windred et al., Sleep, 2024)

Sponsors:

If you have an iPhone, head to ladder.fit/TAMSEN and take a quick quiz to find yourperfect Ladder plan. Use my link and get a free 7-day trial with NO credit card, and $10 off your first month if you join

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code TAMSEN at https://www.oneskin.co/TAMSEN #oneskinpod

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It’s time to get back to feeling like you again. Visit joinmidi.com right now to book your first visit today. Insurance coverage varies. Check with your plan for coverage.

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Medical Disclaimer:

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 The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Menopause and perimenopause can leave you with questions about belly fat, brain fog, sleep problems and whether hormone therapy could help. Your jeans fit differently. You’re losing your train of thought. You’re exhausted, but you can’t sleep. Where do you start when so much feels unfamiliar?

For World Menopause Month, Tamsen brings eight leading doctors and researchers together in one episode to help you understand what’s changing and what deserves attention. These are the conversations she wishes she’d heard before she was struggling to read the teleprompter at work, leaving herself notes and wondering why she didn’t feel like herself.

You’ll hear from Dr. Sharon Malone, Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Dr. Shelby Harris, Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, Dr. Vonda Wright, Dr. Kelly Casperson, Dr. Avrum Bluming and Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz. Eight experts, different perspectives and answers you can come back to—all in one place.

Inside the episode:

- Why you can still have periods and be in perimenopause—and why a single hormone blood test may be misleading

- Whether menopause brain fog can improve, and why women’s experiences vary

- Why more time in bed may not mean better sleep, and how cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) works

- The difference between visible belly fat and visceral fat around your organs

- Why bone health needs attention earlier than you might think

- How menopause can affect sexual anatomy, arousal and orgasm

- What to understand about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer risk

- How to evaluate menopause supplements and “hormone balance” claims before spending your money

You don’t have to remember everything or make eight changes tomorrow. Start with the moment that makes you think, “Wait, that’s happening to me.” Write down your question and bring it to your next appointment.

If a woman in your life keeps telling you she doesn’t feel like herself, share this episode with her. And if these conversations have helped you, follow The Tamsen Show and leave a rating and review.

This episode provides general education. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your symptoms and treatment decisions.

If you want a say on our upcoming guests, fill out ⁠this form

HELP US WIN A SIGNAL AWARD - VOTE FOR THE TAMSEN SHOW ⁠HERE

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Dr. Malone on Instagram

Follow Dr. Mosconi on Instagram

Follow Dr. Harris on Instagram

Follow Dr. Salas-Whalen on Instagram

Follow Dr. Wright on Instagram

Follow Dr. Casperson on Instagram

Follow Dr. Bluming on Instagram

Follow Dr. Gilberg-Lenz on Instagram

Sponsors:

This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Visit https://www.joinmidi.com/ today to book your personalized, insurance-covered virtual visit. Midi. The Care Women Deserve.

Unlock your best hair & skin with @iRestorelaser and HUGE savings on iRESTORE with code TAMSEN at https://www.irestorelaser.com/TAMSEN! #irestorepod

Medical Disclaimer:

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 The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices