What if the reason you struggle to speak up in medical spaces is not weakness, but your body recognizing it is not safe?
In this episode, Ailey Jolie is joined by Dr. Tracy Shevell, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and women’s health advocate, to explore what happens when women enter rushed healthcare systems and leave unheard. Drawing from her experience as both a physician and a patient, Tracy shares how easily voices get lost, even when the stakes are high.
We talk about self advocacy, why women often freeze or fawn with authority figures, and simple ways to prepare for appointments so you can be heard. We also explore physician burnout and how broken systems impact care on both sides of the room.
From there, we expand into a more holistic view of health, one that includes emotional support, community, and nervous system awareness. Tracy connects the dots between trauma, chronic illness, and autoimmune conditions, and shares what trauma informed care can look like when dignity and choice are centered.
If you have ever left an appointment feeling dismissed or unsure how to advocate for yourself, this conversation offers both language and practical support.
In this episode:
2:27 Meet Dr. Tracy Shevell
4:40 Feeling At Home In Your Body
10:34 Self-Worth As Core Healthcare
14:26 How To Get More From Visits
19:20 Moral Injury Inside Modern Medicine
25:54 Spirituality, Ritual, And Miracles
36:12 How Birth Shaped Tracy’s Faith
42:19 Birth Fear, Extremes, And Isolation
47:58 Why Long-Term OBGYN Care Matters
51:51 Trauma-Informed Gynaecology That Respects You
1:02:22 Integration, Resources, And Closing
You can read the full transcript here.
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[email protected]To follow along with the In This Body podcast:
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Email:
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