Hello Menopause!

Author Ruthie Ackerman joins Stacy for an honest conversation about the messy overlap between postpartum, perimenopause, and pandemic-era mental health. They unpack how COVID blurred the lines between hormonal and emotional change—and why self-advocacy is essential for women’s healthcare today. Together, Stacy and Ruthie discuss how the isolation and emotional toll of lockdown amplified symptoms that were already difficult to parse, the importance of self-advocacy in women’s health, and the ongoing “COVID hangover” still affecting collective well-being. Ruthie Ackerman is the author of The Mother Code and the founder of the Ignite Writers Collective. Her writing has been published in Vogue, Glamour, TIME, and Oprah Daily, not to mention her Modern Love essay in the NYT. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. This episode is sponsored by Always Discreet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OBGYN & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jessica Shepherd joins Stacy London to connect the dots between postpartum and perimenopause, weight redistribution, GLP-1s, hormone therapy (MHT), and the mind-body habits—sleep, strength training, nutrition—that actually move the needle. Stacy talks with OBGYN and author Dr. Jessica Shepherd about what really changes in midlife and why care must be holistic—not siloed. They unpack how estrogen’s decline affects everything from brain fog to body composition, why symptom-led care matters, when to consider MHT during perimenopause, the promise (and limits) of GLP-1s, and the five lifestyle pillars Dr. Shepherd prescribes alongside any medical toolkit. The conversation also tackles access and why flexible, 24/7 telehealth models can close critical gaps for women. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. This episode is sponsored by Always Discreet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hello Menopause, Stacy talks with entrepreneur, author, and Modern Elder Academy founder Chip Conley about what it really means to navigate midlife. Drawing from his own experience with prostate cancer and hormone therapy, Chip shares what it felt like to go through “male menopause” and how that informed his vision for the Modern Elder Academy—a first-of-its-kind midlife wisdom school. Chip and Stacy explore the emotional, physical, and social upheavals of this life stage—why the “midlife crisis” is a myth, how we can embrace the chrysalis of transition, and why menopause and midlife deserve community, conversation, and support. With humor, vulnerability, and deep insight, Chip reframes aging as a time of curiosity, connection, and potential. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. This episode is sponsored by Versalie and Always Discreet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie Flakstad, host of The Midlife Truth Project, joins Stacy for an honest, expansive conversation about midlife's emotional, physical, and cultural realities. Julie opens up about the wave of personal and professional changes that led her to create the Midlife Truth Project—a series of candid interviews with over 100 women exploring the unspoken truths of midlife. From grief and friendship to sex, shame, and reinvention, this conversation unpacks what it means to be a woman coming into her own—again. Julie’s latest essay will be featured in the highly anticipated anthology Midlife Private Parts, set to release June 24, 2025. From menopause and identity shifts to reinvention, loss and grief, this book captures the complex but liberating experience of being a woman over 40. You can check it out here. Julie Flakstad is the founder and host of The Midlife Truth Project, a research-based platform and Ambie-nominated podcast aimed at amplifying the explosive shifts that women experience as they approach and settle into their 40s and 50s. As a pro-aging advocate and passionate about female storytelling, Julie is also the Executive Producer of Her Second Act, a groundbreaking new documentary about midlife. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. This episode is sponsored by Versalie and Always Discreet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this inspiring and deeply personal episode, Stacy welcomes Gaby Natale—three-time Emmy-winning journalist, entrepreneur, breast cancer survivor, and author of The Virtuous Circle. Gaby shares her journey from starting her career in a carpet warehouse in West Texas to becoming a media powerhouse and outspoken advocate for women navigating midlife and menopause. After experiencing medically induced menopause at age 46 following cancer treatment, Gaby launched Menopausia.com, a bilingual digital platform for menopause education and community. She talks about the cognitive dissonance between how menopause is depicted and lived, especially among women of color, and urges a cultural shift toward visibility, empowerment, and access. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bold and honest conversation, Stacy is joined by Reshma Saujani—activist, bestselling author, founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, and host of My So-Called Midlife—for a candid exploration of how menopause and midlife are shifting the paradigm for women’s power, purpose, and priorities. They dismantle outdated narratives around ambition, beauty, caregiving, and perfectionism. Reshma coins the term “midlife penalty,” drawing attention to the economic, physical, and emotional costs women face simply for aging. She opens up about unlearning the need for external validation, the importance of spiritual grounding, and why she believes Gen X women are the agitators our culture needs. From career burnout to body changes, from psychedelics to play, this episode is a no-BS manifesto for reclaiming curiosity, joy, and justice in the second half of life. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Stacy chats with Tamsen Fadal and Denise Pines—two trailblazing advocates transforming how the world sees, talks about, and treats menopause. From shooting on iPhones to being featured at the World Economic Forum in Davos, their documentary “The M Factor” has ignited a global conversation. The trio dives into how The M-Factor became a movement, why Gen X is uniquely positioned to own this legacy, and what comes next—from inclusive education to policy change, funding, and the fight for medical reform. Watch The M-Factor documentary Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful, eye-opening conversation, Stacy is joined by Dr. Jill Liss to explore what menopause looks like beyond the gender binary. Dr. Liss, a physician at the University of Colorado and co-author of a pivotal paper on sexual health and menopause, shares her unique expertise in both menopause care and gender-affirming gynecology. Together, they discuss surgical vs. natural menopause, misconceptions around birth control and fertility, and how to care for patients who are trans, non-binary, or gender-diverse through the menopause transition. Dr. Liss emphasizes the need for personalized, inclusive medicine—and the role of empathy, community, and accurate information in transforming care. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to better understand menopause across the spectrum of identity. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Stacy chats with oncologist Dr. Avrum Bluming and social psychologist Dr. Carol Tavris, co-authors of Estrogen Matters, to unpack the cultural, medical, and historical misinformation surrounding hormone therapy (HRT). They revisit the legacy of the 2002 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study and how it derailed decades of potential progress in women’s health. Dr. Bluming explains the real science behind estrogen and its life-saving benefits for heart health, bone density, and cognitive function. Dr. Tavris breaks down the sociocultural forces—including outdated medical education and feminist skepticism—that have kept generations of women from accessing effective care. Together, they make the case for why it's time to challenge medical orthodoxy, rewrite the narrative on menopause, and advocate for informed, individualized care. It’s an essential conversation for anyone navigating midlife, medicine, and misinformation. Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stacy sits down with orthopedic surgeon and women's health expert Dr. Vonda Wright to talk about what it really means to stay strong—physically and mentally—through midlife and beyond. They dig into why strength training is crucial (especially for your bones), how menopause can be a wake-up call for self-care, and how our mindset and movement are deeply connected. Dr. Wright breaks down the facts on osteopenia and osteoporosis, shares advice on body recomposition, and explains why musculoskeletal health matters more than we think. It’s an honest, motivating conversation about taking charge of your health—and feeling powerful doing it. Follow Dr. Vonda @drvondawright Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owning Change, Confidence & Community with Tamsen FadalAward-winning journalist, bestselling author, and menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal joins host Stacy London for a candid, high-energy conversation recorded live at The World’s Hottest Menopause Party in Las Vegas. Tamsen shares her journey of reinvention—leaving a decades-long career, finding love at 50, and stepping fully into midlife with purpose. Together, Stacy and Tamsen unpack the emotional, physical, and social realities of menopause—from the hormonal changes that cause body odor and night sweats to shifts in body image, redefining workplace identity, and the power of community. With humor, heart, and hard-won wisdom, this episode is a celebration of women reclaiming their narratives and redefining aging on their own terms. Follow Tamsen Fadal @tamsenfadal Hello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community. Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist. Thank you to Secret for sponsoring this episode of Hello Menopause. Secret helps women stay fresher under pressure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Stacy London sits down with pioneering OB-GYN Dr. Somi Javaid to explore the critical, yet often ignored, intersection of menopause and sexual health. Dr. Javaid, founder of HerMD, is on a mission to close the gender gap in healthcare and radically transform the way we talk about women’s bodies—especially in midlife.From discussing the disparities in insurance reimbursement and access to care to offering real tools like the FSFI (Female Sexual Function Index), Dr. Javaid shares actionable insights every woman needs. She also addresses harmful medical language, the stigma around pleasure, and why empathy in medicine isn’t a luxury—it’s essential.Follow Dr. Somi Javaid: DrSomi.com and on Instagram: @drsomijavaidHello Menopause is a podcast from Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Subscribe to Hello Menopause on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you loved this conversation, leave us a review and share it with your community.Visit LetsTalkMenopause.org for menopause resources, expert Q&As, and a symptom checklist.Visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices