In this gentle, grounding episode of In Her Element, Swati sits down with Dr. Nayeema Tazeen, a practicing gynecologist, mother, and women’s health educator, for a conversation that feels like chai with an old friend.

From growing up as the first doctor in a family of engineers to practicing medicine in India, Nayeema shares how kindness, empathy, and lived experience shape the way she cares for women at their most vulnerable. Together, they talk openly about periods, PCOS, postpartum recovery, menopause, and the quiet ways women are taught to normalize pain instead of questioning it.

Nayeema reflects on how her own postpartum journey, grief, and motherhood changed the doctor she became, why women deserve individualized care instead of one-size-fits-all advice, and how social media can be both a tool for education and a source of misinformation.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen to your body, and remember that your questions are valid, your experiences matter, and asking for help is a form of strength.

Whether you’re navigating womanhood, motherhood, medicine, or simply learning to be gentler with yourself, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, steadied, and deeply understood.

Season 2 begins with a conversation that feels like sitting in a sunlit room with a cup of chai — gentle, grounding, and unexpectedly healing.

In this episode, Swati speaks with the radiant Shruti Mohanty, whose journey spans quiet girlhood in Odisha, the whirlwind of immigrant life in the U.S., the hidden storms of postpartum depression, and the bold courage of stepping into the world of pageantry — a world she never imagined she belonged to.

Together, they talk about:

• the emotional inheritance of growing up in strict Indian households • the invisible labor women carry through motherhood • the quiet ache of postpartum depression • why friendships in adulthood look different • choosing peace over people-pleasing • the power of sisterhood and empathy • and the transformative moment Shruti was crowned Mrs. Universe Texas Petite

Shruti reminds us that beauty isn’t a measurement — it’s a presence. And reinvention doesn’t begin with a milestone… it begins with permission.

This episode is for every woman rediscovering herself in the middle of life, motherhood, responsibility, or healing. A reminder that you are allowed to evolve. You are allowed to shine. And you deserve spaces where you feel seen.

Welcome to Season 2. Let the blooming continue. 💛

In this episode, Swati talks with Abhipsa Nanda — a multi-hyphenate woman balancing a career in tech, motherhood, creativity, and community with remarkable honesty and intention.

Together, they discuss:

• Growing up in an Indian household and finding autonomy later in life
• Building a support system while living away from family
• The importance of women's friendships and non-judgmental spaces
• Why creativity and dance help her stay grounded
• The realities of motherhood — far beyond Instagram’s highlight reels
• A life transition that reshaped how she sees herself and her choices

Abhipsa shares openly about the highs and lows of her journey, the lessons she learned through lived experience, and the joy she chooses to make space for every day. It’s a conversation that feels real, reassuring, and deeply relatable.

If you’ve ever navigated identity, loneliness, motherhood, friendships, or starting over, this episode is for you.