By: Andi Stark

For many women, the onset of their 40s marks the beginning of a range of physiological changes. Symptoms like insomnia, memory issues, mood swings, and joint pain often arrive years before the commonly recognized signs of menopause. 

Jeanette Fritsch, a well-aging expert, believes these issues stem from complex hormonal shifts and lifestyle factors rather than simply aging. Her SRB&B® (Stop, Reset, Build & Balance) method aims to provide solutions by addressing these hormonal interactions holistically. Through years of research, Fritsch has identified a pattern that reshapes common perceptions about midlife health. “The hormonal journey for women is not a disease or a phase to endure; it’s a complex biological transition that requires education and support,” she explains. 

Her SRB&B® method is designed to help women understand and manage this transition by balancing hormones naturally rather than solely relying on medication or conventional therapies.

Expanding Competence in Midlife Health

Despite the growth of the wellness industry, many health professionals report feeling unprepared to support clients over 40, especially when it comes to hormonal health. The Global Wellness Institute reports that wellness coaching is expanding by 7.7% annually, but fewer than 10% of coaches feel they have adequate training in hormone-related health. This gap leaves many individuals underserved and often forces them to rely on general advice that may not fully address their needs.

Fritsch’s program fills this void by providing a structured, science-backed curriculum for health professionals, from coaches to medical practitioners. Her certification program equips professionals to understand and work with the hormonal dynamics that influence stress, metabolism, and emotional well-being. It challenges the traditional wellness model, which often assumes all clients can follow the same fitness and nutrition advice regardless of age and hormonal state.

“Many fitness and wellness programs simply don’t consider that women over 40 have different needs,” Fritsch notes. “Ignoring these differences can lead to programs that do more harm than good.”

The Science Behind SRB&B®: How Hormones Influence Health

The SRB&B® method is not a conventional wellness program but a targeted approach Fritsch developed after years of research and personal experience. Her four-step model—Stop, Reset, Build, and Balance—focuses on the HPAT hormonal axis, a network of glands that includes the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals, and thyroid. This system is important in maintaining hormonal balance, impacting everything from metabolism and sleep to mood and cognition.

The SRB&B® method aims to “repair” and restore the body’s natural balance by targeting this axis. The process goes beyond addressing individual symptoms; it seeks to improve the hormonal interactions contributing to midlife health challenges. According to journal studies like The Lancet, integrating lifestyle adjustments with hormonal health knowledge can reduce the severity of age-related symptoms. Fritsch’s clients, for instance, report improvements ranging from weight loss and clearer mental function to better sleep.

Fritsch’s certification program for coaches and practitioners provides in-depth education on these biochemical processes, with the goal of creating a network of certified SRB&B® practitioners. “There’s so much to understand about how hormones affect the body,” says Fritsch. “We can’t treat them in isolation without looking at how everything interacts.”

A New Model for Corporate Wellness

Fritsch has also adapted her program for corporate wellness, focusing on the aging workforce and the challenges associated with midlife health issues in high-stress environments. Research from the Harvard Business Review reveals that companies investing in wellness programs see improvements in productivity and employee retention. However, most wellness programs focus on mental resilience, neglecting the physical and hormonal aspects that can impact performance.

Fritsch created a corporate offering that provides companies with resources to support their employees as they navigate these changes. Her program includes targeted support for senior staff, who often experience stress and burnout related to hormonal changes that could be managed with the right knowledge and tools.

“Many executives are under the impression that exhaustion and burnout are just a part of getting older,” Fritsch says. “The truth is, there are underlying hormonal factors that, if addressed, can improve not just quality of life but also work performance.”

Expanding Access to Midlife Wellness

One of Fritsch’s long-term goals is to establish a global network of SRB&B® certified practitioners to provide more accessible, specialized support. Her program is open to many professionals, including fitness trainers, nutritionists, therapists, and even medical doctors. Practitioners who complete the certification gain an understanding of midlife health challenges that they can integrate into their practice.

This approach has already gained traction in Europe, where Fritsch’s certification program has begun to address the rising demand for midlife wellness support. Her next step is to expand to the U.S. and U.K., two markets with increasing awareness of midlife health issues but limited specialized services. A 2023 study indicated a shortage of nearly 170,000 certified health coaches in the U.S., with demand growing as more individuals seek support for age-related health concerns.

“There’s incredible untapped potential here,” Fritsch says. “When women—and men—learn how to work with their bodies instead of against them, the results are transformative.”