Peptides, nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and GLP-1 support are all explored in this deeply vulnerable episode of the Loop Podcast.

Stephanie sits down with longtime friend and fitness instructor Michele Barnowski for one of the most emotional conversations yet. Michele shares her journey after unexpectedly losing her husband at 45, navigating grief while raising two children, and learning how chronic stress impacts the body, brain, hormones, and overall health.

Together, they dive into the realities of widowhood, perfectionism in healing, nervous system dysregulation, therapy, somatic healing, and the role peptides played in helping Michele regain her energy, clarity, and resilience. Michele also opens up about the importance of community, why she joined the Loop coaching world, and how she’s now helping others through their own wellness journeys.

This episode is raw, inspiring, heartbreaking, hopeful, and ultimately about rebuilding yourself after life completely changes.

Topics discussed:

Grief and trauma healing
Nervous system regulation
Chronic stress and inflammation
GLP-1 microdosing
BPC-157 and mitochondrial support
Widowhood and identity loss
Somatic healing and therapy
Community and wellness
Fitness, hormones, and aging
Healing through connection

Peptides discussed in this episode:

NAD+ (energy + cognitive support research)
GLP-1 / Loop Lean (metabolic health + inflammation support)
BPC-157 (recovery + gut health research)
SS-31 (mitochondrial support research)

••MOTS-c (metabolic + mitochondrial optimization research)