Why 'It's Just Stress' Is Destroying Women's Work-Life Balance

Jan 6, 2026

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Your brain is not broken and your mind is not a mess. You're not failing as a mom. You're not falling behind as an executive. We need to restore your hormones.

I'm Dr. Betty Murray, and in this powerful episode, I sit down with Dr. Romie Mushtaq, neurologist, Chief Wellness Officer for a company of 14,000 people, and bestselling author of The Busy Brain Cure, to expose the workplace crisis that's destroying women's careers and health.

Dr. Romie shares her own story of burnout: 120-hour work weeks as one of less than 5% of female brain doctors in academic medicine, researching women's hormones while her own brain cells felt "on fire," chest pain dismissed as "just stress," and life-saving surgery in 2010 that woke her up to what medical school never taught her.

But this conversation goes far deeper than one woman's story. We unpack the shocking data showing women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are being forced out of the workforce at a rate 15 times higher than men, not because they're failing, but because their perimenopause and menopause symptoms are being dismissed, misdiagnosed, and weaponized against them.

You'll Discover:

● Why women ages 40-60 are being laid off or taking involuntary leave at rates 15 times higher than men

● Dr. Romie's burnout journey in academic medicine

● The "hormones are a symphony" framework

● Why 70-80% of women with mental health symptoms due to stress actually have thyroid as the root cause, with difficulty focusing being the only presenting symptom (mistaken for ADHD or anxiety), while weight fluctuations, dry skin, and irregular cycles come later

● The truth about perimenopause symptoms

● Why "authentic leadership" is BS in corporate America

● The functional medicine gatekeeping crisis: complex gut health diet protocols for busy traveling executives who spend $3,000-$10,000 without getting help, told to "earn your hormones," when brain fog/anxiety sufferers need low-hanging fruit first (progesterone, thyroid) to feel better THEN add lifestyle changes

● Why no supplement will replace thyroid hormone: if a doctor is selling you supplements instead of prescription medication, run.

● Stress eating vs comfort food distinction

● Business dinner survival tactics

PLUS, Dr. Romie's "glow up" secret: lost weight, skin glowing, looks younger than 50, wasn't Botox (though she covers gray hair every 3 weeks), was thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone restoration, started thyroid at 38-39 years old and had regular menstrual cycle for first time in her life

This episode is for women in their 40s-60s experiencing brain fog at work, executives who can't focus in meetings, anyone told their symptoms are "just stress," or women considering quitting their jobs because they think they're failing.

Watch now and discover why you don't need to quit, you need your hormones restored.

Connect with Dr. Romie Mushtaq

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drromie/

The Busy Brain Cure by Dr. Romie Mushtaq (bestselling book with 8-week protocol) https://drromie.com/book/

Connect with Dr. Betty Murray:

Betty Murray Website: https://www.bettymurray.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbettymurray/

Links:

● The Fierce Female Method for Longevity (Dr. Betty's book): https://fierce.hormoneshelp.com/

● Menrva Telemedicine: https://gethormonesnow.com/

● FREE Hormone Quiz: https://bit.ly/3wNJOec

● Living Well Dallas: https://www.livingwelldallas.com/

● Hormone Reset: https://hormonereset.net/