What if hair was never really about hair?
In this episode, I sit down with hair specialist, educator, researcher, and founder of Hair Garden, Linda Hollaz, for a fascinating conversation about identity, self-worth, Aging, authenticity, and the deeper emotional connections we have with our hair. What begins as a conversation about thinning hair and hair loss quickly expands into a discussion about confidence, vulnerability, Trauma, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and what it means to embrace ourselves as we move through different seasons of life.
Linda shares her own experience with hair loss, her groundbreaking research on hair-pulling disorder, and why she believes hair care should be approached with greater awareness, intention, and compassion. We also discuss the pressures women face to appear younger, the relationship between Stress and our bodies, and the freedom that comes from embracing who we truly are rather than who we think we’re supposed to be.
This conversation is for anyone who has ever struggled with changing hair, changing bodies, changing identities, or the feeling that they need to keep performing for the world.
Connect with Linda:
Hair Garden: Home
Hair Balancing: https://hairbalancing.com
I am the host of Unmute with Priya, a podcast where women in midlife rediscover the freedom to speak honestly, set boundaries, and create lives that feel authentic. With more than 20 years as a speech-language pathologist, I bring a unique perspective to conversations about communication, confidence, and the hidden ways women lose their voices over time. Through honest conversations with experts, authors, and everyday women, I explore topics including relationships, health, reinvention, purpose, and personal growth. My mission is simple: to help women stop pretending and start living as themselves.
I am a proud doggy mama of Azuki a 6 year old Doberman--who ironically lost her voice at 2 years old due to an auto immune condition that attacks the muscles of the jaw and head. She was unable to open her mouth for a few years but I never gave up on her and tried every remedy out there. She is now in remission and uses her voice all the time now!
My passion for speech and communication started when I was working in Japan after college (I speak Japanese, Tamil, and Spanish). I was working with students who were selectively mute and I was fascinated but also heartbroken at the fact that they didn't have a voice or that it was supressed. So helping others to find their voice has always been my passion and my gift.
In my spare time, I LOVE weightlifting--it has gotten me through perimenopause and is my saving grace as I move into postmenopause. I love watching Korean dramas on netflix as well as spanish telenovelas! I am always learning and love meeting people. I also am a sound healing practitioner. I hold weekly classes with all different sound healing instruments.
