Episode 113: Listen Before Your Body Shouts: Reconnecting with Yourself with Melissa Lever
What is your body trying to tell you — and how often do you pause long enough to listen?
A little tension. A feeling of restlessness. Tiredness you keep promising yourself you’ll deal with later.
When life is full, it’s easy to brush those feelings aside and keep going. But becoming more aware of them can open up a different conversation with yourself.
In this episode of It’s a Mindset, I’m joined by Melissa Lever, a physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and founder of Body Intuition Collective, to explore interoception: our ability to notice signals from within the body.
Drawing on 20 years of clinical experience, Melissa shares how seeing people return to her practice with recurring discomfort prompted her to explore the relationship between physical sensations, stress and the demands of daily life.
She introduces her four-step approach — notice, interpret, regulate and align — and explains how we can begin asking what we’re feeling, what it might mean in context, and what support or adjustment we might need.
We explore the habit of pushing through, the importance of boundaries, and the added complexity of interpreting how we feel during perimenopause. Melissa also shares how movement, time outdoors and connection fit into her own life, alongside seeking appropriate professional support.
Melissa and I first connected on Instagram, and as I learnt more about her work, I was intrigued. With many of us navigating menopause, perimenopause and busy lives, I wanted to understand how we could become more attentive to ourselves. Our conversation also reminded me that loving what you do doesn’t mean you can do everything.
Beyond her professional work, Melissa reflects on seven months travelling around Australia with her husband, three children and their dog. The experience challenged her love of planning and helped her clarify what she wanted to make more room for at home.
We also talk about the courage involved in building something new after an established career, and how success can evolve from professional achievement to a life with greater connection, wellbeing and presence.
This conversation is an invitation to become curious about how you feel, rather than automatically carrying on.
Key Episode Takeaways:
Interoception is awareness of signals from within your body. Melissa explains how noticing those sensations can become a skill we practise in everyday life.
Pause before you push through. Her four-step approach — notice, interpret, regulate and align — offers a way to consider what you’re feeling and what you might need.
Context matters, particularly during perimenopause. Hormonal changes, sleep, stress and workload can overlap, making curiosity and appropriate professional support valuable.
Boundaries help create room for wellbeing. Saying yes to something can also mean giving up time for rest, connection or another personal priority.
Success can change as your life changes. Melissa shares why good health, time and presence have become central to her definition of wealth.
About the Guest:
Melissa Lever is a physiotherapist with 20 years of clinical experience, a Pilates instructor, clinic co-owner and mum of three based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Her clinical work includes physiotherapy and Pilates, with a focus on helping people move in ways suited to their individual needs.
She founded Body Intuition Collective to help people develop greater awareness of their body’s internal signals. Through education, retreats and online programs, Melissa brings together her physiotherapy experience and interest in interoception, supporting women to explore their wellbeing and make choices that reflect what matters to them.
Show Resources:
Explore Melissa’s work: https://bodyintuitioncollective.com.au
Follow Melissa on Instagram: @bodyintuitioncollective
Recalibrate Retreat, Sunday 18 October: https://www.bodyintuitioncollective.com.au/store/p/recalibrate-retreat
Habits Program — Perimenopause Edition: https://www.bodyintuitioncollective.com.au/store/p/recalibrate-program
Follow Emma, the Podcast Host, on Instagram: @emmalagerlow
Explore Emma’s book: https://www.emmalagerlow.com/worthy-and-wealthy
Continue listening with Episode 109: When Wellness Becomes Overwhelming: Rethinking Midlife Health with Susan Hunter.
If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share it on your Instagram Stories and tag us @emmalagerlow and @bodyintuitioncollective. We’d love to hear what resonated with you.
Yours in listening to yourself, Emma. X.
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