About Dr. Cari
“My own journey through health challenges taught me invaluable lessons. If I can use my experiences to help you stop suffering, feel better, and fully express who you are, then every challenge I’ve faced served an important purpose.”
Dr. Cari Schaefer, DACM
Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nationally Certified Herbalist, Certified Yoga Instructor, Creator of the Body Stress Analysis System, and Your Menopause Body Balance System, Author, Speaker, Teacher, Member of The Association of Transformational Leaders.
Dr. Cari Schaefer, DACM is the founder the Body Stress Analysis System and Your Menopause Midwife platform. Her vision is to restore women and their families with the health, empowerment, and self acceptance so they can lead a life they love.
At age 32, Cari had to overcome her own health crisis. Challenged to walk three blocks due to extreme fatigue, constant pain, and depression, she learned firsthand the limitations that poor health creates. Cari has combined all that she has learned through her training and her personal health journey and created Body Stress Analysis, the system she uses to help others obtain a solid foundation of high quality health.
Cari shares what she has learned with others through one-on-one clinical care, group programs, the Menopause Body Balance Support system, public speaking, radio appearances, and by teaching and mentoring other healthcare practitioners. She is the author of the #1 bestselling book, The Food Solution, demonstrating how the choices we make every day can make the difference between a vibrant, success-filled life and a life fraught with ill health and other challenges.
Cari is a healthcare expert, provider, author, lecturer, and teacher on health and nutrition. With a Doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine and over 25 years of experience as a nationally certified herbalist and health practitioner, Cari has helped thousands of people identify and remove the barriers preventing them from feeling their best.
She has guided thousands of people to identify and remove the barriers blocking them from feeling good, so they can claim the life of their dreams.
My Story
From Surviving to Thriving
When I was just 17, my health journey began with a diagnosis that didn’t provide answers. Struggling with severe digestive issues, I was told I had IBS and that it was caused by stress—I just had to live with it. So, I managed as best I could. I ate as little as possible to avoid symptoms, often surviving on one meal a day. I was a model at the time, so no one questioned my low weight. But I didn’t realize I was laying the foundation for a lifetime of health challenges.
Despite my ambition—running my own production company and later working in film—I was constantly battling fatigue, stress, and health issues. At 28, I hit a breaking point. I quit my job, knowing this wasn’t the life I wanted. Searching for answers, I turned to the library. Surrounded by books on health, it clicked: this was my calling.
Even though I had quit my job to reduce my stress, years of poor digestion, inadequate nutrition, and unresolved internal stress left my body vulnerable. When I encountered mold exposure while in college studying to become a practitioner, my body couldn't recover. By my mid-30s, I could barely walk three blocks.
The Turning Point
As I pursued my passion, studying Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine, and using the tools I was learning to attempt to "fix" my health, I continued to decline. I tried everything—micromanaging what I ate, taking supplements, resting for months—these all helped keep me out of bed and prevent further deterioration, but nothing provided lasting results.
Then one day I realized I was approaching healing from the wrong point of view. I was trying to “fix what was wrong with me.” I did some work to meet and heal the part of myself that felt like something was wrong with her. This freed me to approach my health from a new perspective: instead of focusing on what was wrong, I began building on what was working. I shifted my relationship with myself, replacing fear and self-criticism with care and curiosity. This was a profound shift—not just in my health but in my entire life.
Healing and Helping Others
Today, I can say I am no longer a sick person. I’ve created a life I love—with a beautiful family, a fulfilling career, and a body I trust. My experiences and 25 years of clinical practice inspired me to develop the Body Stress Analysis System, a personalized approach to healing that integrates science, ancient wisdom, and subconscious reprogramming.
The Body Knows How to Heal
Your body holds the innate intelligence to heal—it simply needs the right tools and support. In this system, we use our tools to listen to your body, to listen to you. Together, we’ll identify what’s blocking your healing, clear those barriers, and create an environment where your body, mind, and heart can thrive. This isn’t about temporary fixes—it’s about lasting transformation.
If you’re ready to move from surviving to thriving, I’d be honored to guide you.