Treated with Dr. Sara Szal

Latest Episodes:

Sisterhood as Medicine (with Dr. Sara’s Sister, Anna Reed) Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

Join Dr. Sara and her sister, Anna Reed, for an honest, funny, and sincere conversation around navigating the healthcare system in the United States as a woman and learning how to regulate your nervous system with age. Anna is a fourth grade teacher and was diagnosed with endometriosis earlier on in life–-a condition that runs in their family. Today, she’s had three surgeries to remove it and underwent a hysterectomy last year. Anna shares the advice she got from Dr. Sara while going through that period and the health protocols she now follows. Then, Anna opens up about the joys and struggles of being a teacher, the importance of cultivating female friendships, and how she found herself after divorce. They close with practical tips to optimize your health for any stage of life.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Loosening the Knot: Rob Fisher on the Power of Therapeutic Relationships Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Rob Fisher is a marriage and family therapist (MFT), Hakomi trainer, professor, and author. After working in the entertainment industry, he began studying for his master’s degree in psychology. About a decade later, he discovered Hakomi—a body- and mindfulness-centered approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes experiential healing and the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Today, Rob has taught many therapists this practice and is developing “The Compassion Companion,” an AI tool powered by ChatGPT, for patients to use.

Rob joins Dr. Sara on Treated to discuss what led him to switch careers, how he found Hakomi, why it’s such an important form of therapy, and what he’s learned about human nature through it. They also explore the power of writing and what inspired him to write both nonfiction and fiction books. Later, Rob shares his hopes and fears about AI and what the impact will be on human connection and in-person therapy. Dr. Sara tests out “The Compassion Companion,” Rob’s AI therapy tool, and they engage in a real-time Hakomi experience. To close, he shares a memory of one of his favorite clients and reflects on how he hopes to be remembered.

// LEARN MORE FROM ROB FISHER //

Visit his website robfishermft.com

Check out the Compassion Companion and use it here.

Purchase his book, The Weeping Buddha and Experiential Psychotherapy With Couples, A Guide for the Creative Pragmatist.

// OTHER REFERENCES //

Research studies on AI and psychotherapy: Kuhail, Mohammad Amin, Mohamed Bahja, Ons Al-shamaileh, Justin Thomas, Amina Alkazemi, and Joao Negreiros. "Assessing the Impact of Chatbot-Human Personality Congruence on User Behavior: A Chatbot-Based Advising System Case." IEEE Access PP (2024): 1-1. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3402977.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re Innately Worthy: Kate Northrup on Feeling Safe and Manifesting Abundance May 28, 2025

Show notes

What if the key to financial success and a fulfilling life is slowing down and feeling safe? Kate Northrup is an author, podcaster, and coach who helps people regulate their nervous systems to attract abundance. After the traumatic birth of her daughter in 2016, Kate was left with anxiety and hypervigilance. It was then that she realized she had been using stress and pressure as fuel—and began to strategically relax. When she did, abundance started to flow into her life.

In this episode, Kate guides us on how to move more slowly, engage our senses, and strengthen our intuition. Tune in to learn the simple, tangible advice that can lead to a life filled with more joy, peace, and abundance.

// LEARN MORE FROM KATE NORTHRUP //

Visit his website katenorthrup.com.

Follow her on Instagram @katenorthrup.

Listen to her podcast, Plenty, wherever you podcast.

Purchase her books, Do Less and Money: A Love Story.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can Microdosing Psychedelics Actually Improve Your Health? May 21, 2025

Show notes

Did you know that some people take a small dose of LSD in the morning instead of an SSRI to treat depression? Microdosing psychedelics has become more mainstream, and today, Dr. Sara explores the growing body of research on microdosing to improve overall health. Although limited, studies have shown that microdosing LSD and psilocybin can improve blood pressure, sleep, mood, social cognition, and—anecdotally—creativity, with no reported adverse side effects. Dr. Sara examines the intricacies of these studies and highlights some of their limitations—particularly the lack of research on microdosing in women, and why this needs to change as the field continues to grow. To finish, Dr. Sara shares her personal experience with microdosing and what she hopes to see in the future.

// BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON MICRODOSING //

‘Microdosing: The people taking LSD with their breakfast’

‘Silicon Valley Is Micro-Dosing ‘Magic Mushrooms’ To Boost Their Careers’

‘Mommies Who Mushroom’

‘Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms Improves Mood And Mental Health After One Month, New Study Finds’

Ayelet Waldman — A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life

James Fadiman — Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance

James Fadiman — The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys

// RESOURCES ON MICRODOSING LSD //

Study published in 2024 (examining doses of 5 to 20 micrograms of LSD): Murphy, Robin J., Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, and Harriet de Wit. 2024. "Microdosing Psychedelics: Current Evidence From Controlled Studies." Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging 9 (5): 500-511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.002.

Study published in 2024 by Allen et al. (examining 10 micrograms of LSD in men): Allen, Nathan, Aron Jeremiah, Robin Murphy, Rachael Sumner, Anna Forsyth, Nicholas Hoeh, David Menkes, William Evans, Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Frederick Sundram, and Partha Roop. 2024. "LSD Increases Sleep Duration the Night After Microdosing." Translational Psychiatry 14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02900-4.

Study of eight men given LSD for creativity: Murphy, R.J., R.L. Sumner, K. Godfrey, et al. 2025. "Multimodal Creativity Assessments Following Acute and Sustained Microdosing of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide." Psychopharmacology 242: 337–351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-024-06680-z.

Study in men on LSD and sleep (80 subjects): Allen, Nathan, Aron Jeremiah, Robin Murphy, Rachael Sumner, Anna Forsyth, Nicholas Hoeh, David B. Menkes, William Evans, Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Frederick Sundram, and Partha Roop. 1 2024. "LSD Increases Sleep Duration the Night After Microdosing." Translational Psychiatry 14 (1): 191.

// RESOURCES ON MICRODOSING MUSHROOMS //

Study of 34 people given 0.5 grams of dried mushroom: Cavanna, Federico, Stephanie Muller, Laura Alethia de la Fuente, Federico Zamberlan, Matías Palmucci, Lucie Janeckova, Martin Kuchar, Carla Pallavicini, and Enzo Tagliazucchi. 2021. "Microevidence for Microdosing with Psilocybin Mushrooms: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Subjective Effects, Behavior, Creativity, Perception, Cognition, and Brain Activity." bioRxiv 2021.11.30.470657. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.30.470657.

// RESOURCES ON MICRODOSING LSD AND MUSHROOMS //

Polito, Vince, and Priyanka Liknaitzky. 2022. "The Emerging Science of Microdosing: A Systematic Review of Research on Low Dose Psychedelics (1955-2021) and Recommendations for the Field." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 139 (August): 104706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104706.

Polito V, Liknaitzky P. Is microdosing a placebo? A rapid review of low-dose LSD and psilocybin research. J Psychopharmacol. 2024 Aug;38(8):701-711. doi: 10.1177/02698811241254831. Epub 2024 Jun 14. PMID: 38877715; PMCID: PMC11311906.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yin and Yang: Balancing our Polarities with Dr. Brad Jacobs May 14, 2025

Show notes

How do we balance our polarities—our feminine and masculine, our lightness and darkness? In this episode, Dr. Brad Jacobs and Dr. Sara discuss how to balance our lives to optimize our healthspan by focusing on what is common sense but not common practice. Dr. Brad Jacobs delves into the top health issues he sees in his patients: loneliness, sleep disturbances, and a complete denial of their health. He then explores the complexities of modern masculinity and the pitfalls of traditional masculine models. To conclude, Dr. Brad Jacobs provides practical strategies for men to achieve balance, improve their well-being, and foster healthier relationships.

// LEARN MORE FROM DR. BRAD JACOBS //

Visit his website drbradjacobs.com

Follow him on Instagram @bradjacobsmd.

Follow on

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Brad Jacobs on What Mainstream Medicine Gets Wrong About Health and How to Fix It May 07, 2025

Show notes

What drives a doctor to challenge the healthcare system? Dr. Brad Jacobs is a board-certified in Internal and Integrative Medicine and graduated from Stanford University— where he met Dr. Sara Szal over 30 years ago during their residency. It was then that he began to realize the deeper issues within the American healthcare system. Today, Dr. Brad Jacobs joins Treated to share his story—from growing up amid the excess of Beverly Hills to seeking truth and meaning through martial arts and travel. They also discuss why there is a lack of innovation in healthcare, his research on milk thistle, the importance of wearables, and how we can take care of ourselves outside of the broken medical system.

Before our next episode, find out your ACE score by taking this quiz.

// LEARN MORE FROM DR. BRAD JACOBS //

Visit his website drbradjacobs.com

Follow him on Instagram @bradjacobsmd.

Follow on

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kayla Barnes-Lentz Plans to Live to 150. Here’s How She’s Going to Do it. Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

Can you imagine a world where we all live to be 150 years old? Kayla Barnes-Lentz is trying to make that a reality. Kayla is the owner of a longevity medical clinic and joins Treated to discuss the future of women’s health. She shares her personal protocols, passion for pushing the boundaries of science, and belief that women can live longer, healthier, and more vibrant lives. In this conversation she shares the top two strategies for longevity: sleep and eating a whole food diet. Dr. Sara and Kayla also explain the importance of performing end-of-one experiments and the array of findings Kayla has discovered by doing them. From mitochondrial health and ovarian aging to the truth about toxins and the power of red light therapy, this episode is packed with insights on biohacking. Is 150 the new 100? Kayla Barnes is betting on it.

Find out your Total Tox Burden by taking this test.

// LEARN MORE FROM KAYLA BARNES-LENTZ //

Listen to her podcast, Longevity Optimization with Kayla Barnes-Lentz.

Visit her website kaylabarnes.com.

Watch her routine for longevity.

Follow her on Instagram @kaylabarnes.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How to Forgive Yourself with Sarah Ann Macklin Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Model-turned-nutritionist Sarah Ann Macklin joins Treated for an intimate, raw, and deeply insightful conversation about stress, burnout, and the missing piece in our health: self-compassion. After years in the high-pressure world of modeling, Sarah found herself in the ICU—her body shutting down from extreme stress, malnutrition, and disconnection from herself. What followed was a decade-long journey of healing, studying nutrition, and uncovering the role of cortisol, self-kindness, and emotional health in true well-being.

In this episode, we explore:

How stress impacts your body and why “clean eating” isn’t enough
The science of compassion and how it rewires your brain and metabolism
Why burnout happens long before we realize it—and how to reverse it
Blue Mind Theory: How water, nature & nervous system resets transform stress
A simple exercise to track self-critical thoughts and shift towards self-kindness
Sarah also shares her upcoming book, The Compassion Cure, and why tracking your negative thoughts is as important as tracking your macros. If you’ve ever struggled with stress, burnout, or feeling “not enough,” this episode will change the way you approach your health.

// LEARN MORE FROM SARAH ANN MACKLIN //

Listen to her podcast here.

Visit her website.

Follow her on Instagram @sarahannmacklin

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You Deserve Better Sex: How to Activate Your Pelvic Floor and Have Multiple Orgasms Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Emily Morse and Dr. Sara Szal continue their conversations about sex and health in this episode. They start the conversation with a demonstration of the legendary magic wand and how it can be used to stimulate the prostate. Then they dive into why gay men have more satisfying sex and what heterosexual people can learn from them. After, they discuss the female pelvis and how to activate the pelvic floor. Dr. Emily Morse goes into how activating the pelvic floor leads to multiple orgasms and why every woman should be having them. The episode finishes by giving a glimpse into male sexual energy practices and orgasm control.

// LEARN MORE FROM DR. EMILY MORSE //

Follow her on Instagram @sexwithemily.

Listen to her podcast, Sex With Emily, here or wherever you find your podcasts.

Check out her website here.

Purchase sex toys from her website.

Purchase her book, Smart Sex, here or anywhere you find books.

Join SmartSX here.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Emily Morse on Prioritizing Pleasure and Overcoming Sexual Shame Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Imagine if sex was something you actually looked forward to? Dr. Emily Morse and Dr. Sara explore this very question on this episode of Treated. Dr. Emily Morse is a pioneer in the field of sex and sexuality, starting her podcast, Sex with Emily, over twenty years ago. She’s helped millions of people navigate their sex lives – challenging cultural taboos and misinformation in the hopes to create a future where everyone can live pleasure-filled lives.

Today, Dr. Emily and Dr. Sara discuss the importance of sexual wellness, intelligence, and health. They dive into the impact that stress, trauma, and shame has on the body – and how women are not given all the information about how birth control affects them. They break down why we have the orgasm gap and the tendency for women to prioritize their partner’s pleasure. After, Dr. Emily dives into how her childhood affected her romantic relationships and how she sought out pleasure. She explains how EMDR therapy helped her heal and how she navigates sex with partners today.

// LEARN MORE FROM DR. EMILY MORSE //

Follow her on Instagram @sexwithemily.

Listen to her podcast, Sex With Emily, here or wherever you find your podcasts.

Check out her website here.

Purchase her book, Smart Sex, here or anywhere you find books.

// KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //

If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated

Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsara

Watch Treated on YouTube

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.