Kari Scinski - Nurse Practitioner

  If you've been feeling off lately — not sleeping well, snapping at people you love, skipping periods or having them more often than you'd like — you might be wondering if this is just stress, or something more. For a lot of women in their late 30s and 40s, the answer is perimenopause. And the frustrating part? Most of us were never told it was coming. Let's change that. What Is Perimenopause, Exactly? Per imenopause is the transition phase before menopause — and it can last anywhere from 2 to 10 years. It starts when your ovaries begin producing less estrogen, and it ends 12 months after your last period (that's when you officially reach menopause). The average age it starts is around 47, but it's not uncommon to see signs in your late 30s. And because the symptoms can look like so many other things — burnout, thyroid issues, anxiety, depression — it often goes unrecognized for years. The Most Common Perimenopause Symptoms Every woman experiences this transition...

Seeing the Barriers Up Close Beginning work with an underserved population can be shocking — not because the challenges are unknown, but because of how constant and layered they are. It quickly becomes clear that illness is often only one part of the story. Many patients are not just managing depression, anxiety, chronic pain, diabetes, addiction, disability, or trauma. They are also trying to survive unstable housing, poverty, food insecurity, limited transportation, gaps in medication coverage, and systems that are difficult to understand even for those of us working within health care. As a health care provider, it can be jarring to realize how much of the work extends beyond diagnosis and treatment. A patient may need a prescription, but first they need coverage. They may need counselling, but first they need transportation. They may need rest and stability, but first they need housing. They may qualify for AISH, Income Support, OAS, or other supports, but the process of applying c...