The first time Christiane Northrup saw a birth as a medical student, she was so moved that she decided to dedicate her life to women’s health, first as an OB/GYN and later as a teacher and writer. When she first began practicing, Northrup found that many women lacked access to comprehensive care, and their bodies were often stigmatized rather than effectively treated. “I created a language of women’s health, instead of women’s pathology,” Northrup says. She believes that women’s bodies are sources of wisdom, and that the process of birth is a blueprint for the shape our lives and creative projects take: “All the stages of labor are physical metaphors for the way creation comes into matter.” Her vision for women’s bodies and mental health contributed to her recognition by Oprah Winfrey, who named Northrup one of 2016’s Super Soul 100. She has authored eight books, including several New York Times bestsellers, such as Goddesses Never Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality, and Well-Being and The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health During the Change; hosts a weekly internet radio show called Flourish!; and created and hosted eight PBS specials. Based in Yarmouth, Northrup says that “Maine is a hotbed of holistic healing,” due in part to its residents’ inherent respect tfor others and commitment to the defense of natural resources. “Whathappens in Maine can transform other parts of the country.”