Kristin Gauthier, BSN, RN

Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing an Editorial Mini Session with Kristin Gauthier, BSN, RN! Kristin is a nurse, a women's integrative health practitioner, and the founder of Nourish Women's Health. Read on for an interview with Kristin, and to see some of the portraits from our Mini Session!

Q: Please introduce yourself!

A: Hi! I’m Kristin Gauthier, the founder of Nourish Women’s Health, where I help midlife women ditch the exhaustion, advocate for their hormone balance, and actually feel good in their bodies again-without the guesswork or the gaslighting. I’m a nurse of 25 years, a women’s health integrative practitioner, and a total nerd when it comes to root cause healing. My work is deeply personal—I shifted my business to what it is now after a near-death health crisis in 2020 that left even the top specialists in Boston scratching their heads. I had to figure it out myself, and now, I help other women do the same-so they don’t have to suffer like I did.

Find me at www.nourishwomenshealth.com, on Instagram @kristingauthier_rn , and hanging out with tired but determined women inside my FREE Midlife Hive Online Community.

Q: What were you like as a child? Did any of your interests align with your current work?

A: Oh, I was the classic overachieving, question-asking, let-me-fix-you kid. If someone had a scraped knee, I was there with a Band-Aid and probably a lecture on wound care. I was obsessed with science, health, and figuring things out—which, in hindsight, makes perfect sense. My poor family had to deal with my "experiments" (some of which may or may not have involved questionable homemade potions). I always knew I wanted to help people feel better and I am a serial multi-passionate entrepreneur-starting with running a neighborhood arts+crafts camp and a Babysitters Club business when I was 10 in 1988, I just didn’t know that one day, I’d be helping exhausted women fight for their health like a detective with a stethoscope.

Q: Can you tell me about how you started your business?

A: Honestly? Because I had no choice. In 2020, I went through a terrifying health crisis that almost killed me. I saw all the “right” doctors, but no one could give me answers. I was dismissed, misdiagnosed, and told it was stress (because, of course, everything is stress when you’re a woman). So, I took matters into my own hands, dug deep into root cause medicine, and slowly healed myself. That experience lit a fire in me—I realized how many women are suffering, ignored, and told to just “deal with it”. And I knew I couldn’t let that happen to others.

So, I took my 25 years of nursing, my deep-dive research, and my personal journey—and Nourish Women’s Health was born. I started with weight loss coaching in 2018, but now, my focus is so much bigger—helping women truly heal, not just shrink.

Q: What is your favorite part of running your business?

Oh, definitely when a woman finally gets an answer to something she’s been struggling with for years and realizes it’s not all in her head. The relief, the empowerment, the “Oh my god, why did no one tell me this before?!” moment-I live for that. Also, I get to talk about hormones and food and health without my family rolling their eyes at me, so that’s a win. I also absolutely LOVE working in a vibey coffee shop with a hot latte and my laptop-I seriously get so much done and meet the coolest people. So if you ever want to meet up for a latte and to chat-hit me up!

Q: Can you share a favorite story from running your business?

A: There are so many, but one that stands out is a client who came to me feeling completely broken—exhausted, gaining weight no matter what she ate, and convinced she was failing at life. After some digging, we figured out she had severe adrenal fatigue and a thyroid issue that had been overlooked for years (and not visible on traditional thyroid blood work). We ran an HTMA test,  made some key changes, and a few months later, she was sleeping through the night, feeling like herself again, and rocking a confidence she hadn’t felt in years. And the best part? She fired her doctor who told her it was just aging. That’s the kind of power shift I love.

Q: What is a typical day in your life like?

A: It’s a beautiful mix of chaos and purpose. I wake up early, drink decaf with a little bit of caffeine (because menopause and I can’t do caffeine all day or I will never stop talking!) and have my quiet time with my pups, get in my weight workout and then attempt to get my youngest teenager to school on time…pretty much every day she is late…but we are working on it LOL! and then dive into my client work and my work as a public health nurse. I wear a lot of hats for different people and I love it because no day is the same. My days are filled with consults, lab reviews, and deep dives into my clients’ health mysteries, offering acudetox ear acupuncture, reiki, lymphatic yoga private sessions and planning workshops and retreats! Somewhere in there, I squeeze in real food, and sometimes a cold plunge (which I still curse every time). By evening, I’m back in full mom mode, feeding the humans and dogs, and trying to keep everyone alive and then sometimes it is back out to do a pop-up or client visit because I love what I do. It’s busy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything…and on the weekends I watch a lot of Bravo and chill out or get outside to walk, hike or read.

Q: What are your hopes and dreams for your business?

A: I want to change the conversation around midlife women’s health. No more gaslighting, no more Band-Aid solutions, no more suffering in silence. I want women to feel heard, empowered, and supported, and I want Nourish Women’s Health to be THE go-to place for real answers, not just quick fixes. Also, if Oprah wants to call me, I’m available.

Q: Are there any other businesses or people who inspire you with your work?

A: Oh, absolutely. I’m inspired by functional medicine trailblazers who are changing the game—people like Dr. Casey Means and all the badass women who refuse to accept the status quo in healthcare. And honestly? My clients inspire me the most. Seeing women advocate for themselves, trust their bodies again, and finally get the care they deserve—that’s what keeps me going."

Q: Are there any words of wisdom that you live by in your work?

A: Yes: "If you don’t advocate for yourself, no one else will." Women are taught to put themselves last, to trust the system over their own intuition, and to push through no matter what. I call BS on that. Your body is always talking to you—it’s time to listen and fight for yourself.

Also, "You can’t heal in the same environment that made you sick." Sometimes, that means changing your habits, your doctor, or even your relationships. Hard truth, but necessary.

Q: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Just that I’m beyond grateful to do this work and to connect with women who are ready to take back their health. And if you’re out there feeling lost, exhausted, and dismissed—you are not crazy, and you are not alone. There’s hope, and I’m here to help you find it.

Also, if anyone has tips on getting teenagers to answer texts within a reasonable timeframe or not leave my kitchen a mess in the wee hours of the night, let me know.

About Editorial Mini Sessions

If you’re interested in signing up for an Editorial Mini Session, please email dianalevinephotographer@gmail.com to sign up! At Editorial Mini Sessions, Diana uses the same backdrops and studio lighting she uses when photographing magazine covers. You can book 15 or 30 minute photo sessions—so that anyone can join for beautiful, creative, magazine-style portraits! You can learn more at dianalevine.com/editorialminisessions