Hello Menopause!

Why does desire disappear during menopause — and what can you actually do about it? OB-GYN and sex counselor Dr. Maria Sophocles joins Stacy London to answer the questions your doctor won't ask and most women are too embarrassed to bring up. Dr. Sophocles is the author of The Bedroom Gap and one of the leading voices on women's sexual health and menopause. In this episode: the physiology of why menopause affects desire and arousal, the safety of vaginal estrogen and testosterone (even for cancer survivors), FDA-approved medications for low libido, how to talk about sex in a long-term relationship, and why sexual health is the fifth pillar of longevity. Dr. Sophocles also shares what she's doing beyond the exam room: mentoring clinicians, developing a documentary called HOT!, building a clinic in Kenya, and getting copies of The Bedroom Gap into domestic violence shelters and marginalized communities nationwide. The Bedroom Gap by Dr. Maria Sophocles — available wherever books are sold Dr. Sophocles' website: MariaSophoclesMD.com Instagram: @MariaSophoclesMD This episode is sponsored by Versalie.com 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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 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 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

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 episode of Hello Menopause, host Stacy London welcomes legal advocate and policy powerhouse Jennifer Weiss-Wolf to discuss the connection between menstruation, menopause, and democracy. From launching the menstrual equity movement in the U.S. to fighting for better menopause policies at both the state and federal level, Jennifer shares the playbook for how public opinion and grassroots action can lead to real systemic change. Jennifer offers both a sobering and hopeful look at the political moment we’re in: what’s at stake under the current administration, how misogyny shapes our medical systems, and why midlife women's health could become the unexpected low-hanging fruit for progress. Resources: A Citizen’s Guide to Menopause Advocacy → Free Download on Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Website Unboxing Menopause campaign by Let’s Talk Menopause Jennifer’s Substack contributions via The Contrarian Action Item: Download A Citizen’s Guide to Menopause Advocacy—a free, beautifully designed, step-by-step toolkit created by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Dr. Mary Claire Haver, with a foreword by Maria Shriver. 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 and visit Versalie.com for expert menopause care, curated products, and virtual support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello Menopause is back for another season! We're so excited to bring you more information, conversation, and guidance on midlife, perimenopause, menopause, and women's health. As always, everything is on the table, and with every episode, you'll get clear takeaways to help you navigate the menopause experience. This season, we welcome guests like Tamsen Fadal and Denise Pines, producers of the incredible documentary, The M Factor, Doctors Carol Tavris and Avrum Bluming, co-authors of the book Estrogen Matters, Author and advocate Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Women's sexual health thought leader, Dr. Somi Javaid, and so many more incredible guests. This season, we're so thankful to our sponsor, Versalie. The options for menopause care can be overwhelming, which is why they've done the research to help you navigate all of them. Versalie is a one-stop shop for expert advice, curated products, and access to virtual care. It's where menopause makes sense. Visit Versalie.com to learn more. The new season launches on April 9 with your favorite host, Stacy London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sleep is the bedrock of health and lack of it can lead to poor food choices, weight gain, and increased risk of cardiovascular issues. For women in midlife, sleep issues during perimenopause and menopause are especially disruptive. In this conversation, Dr. Shelby Harris, a leading expert in the field of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, joins Stacy to talk about why women have trouble sleeping during this stage in life, what can be done to improve our sleep, and our health. Dr. Harris explains the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), as well as the benefits of exercise and the role of nutrition in promoting better sleep. Follow Dr. Shelby Harris Follow Stacy London @stacylondonreal Hello Menopause is a podcast from the national nonprofit Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Thank you to Always Discreet for sponsoring this episode of Hello Menopause. Always Discreet, because we deserve better. Available at Target. Please rate and review the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Kelly Casperson is a urologist, author, TEDx speaker, and host of the You Are Not Broken podcast. Combining the power of mind work, body-science and relationships, she joyously breaks down the societal barriers that are keeping us from living our best intimate lives. Dr. Casperson joins Stacy to talk about the connection between urology and menopause, sexual health, and the role of testosterone for women. The two discuss the changing perspectives on aging, and Dr. Casperson busts some myths about treatment that will help women as they go through menopause. Follow Dr. Kelly Casperson - Kelly Casperson MD. Follow Stacy London @stacylondonreal Hello Menopause is a podcast from the national nonprofit Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Thank you to Always Discreet for sponsoring this episode of Hello Menopause. Always Discreet, because we deserve better. Available at Target. Please rate and review the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist and educator known for her work and research on Alzheimer’s Disease, and the author of The Menopause Brain (published March 2024). She joins Stacy for an incredibly informative and expansive conversation about menopause and the female brain. Through brain imaging studies, Dr. Mosconi found that women in midlife show red flags for Alzheimer's disease and have reduced brain energy levels and in this conversation, she explains how women can optimize brain health to prepare for and manage menopause. Stacy and Dr. Mosconi discuss what actually causes hot flashes, the lifestyle changes that can help alleviate menopause symptoms, and Dr. Mosconi explains how the brain rewires itself to our benefit as we age. Follow Dr. Lisa Mosconi Follow Stacy London @stacylondonreal Hello Menopause is a podcast from the national nonprofit Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Thank you to Always Discreet for sponsoring this episode of Hello Menopause. Always Discreet, because we deserve better. Available at Target. Please rate and review the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Sharon Malone is a nationally known expert in women’s health and the author of the book Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide To Getting And Staying Healthy. She is the Chief Medical Advisor at Alloy Women’s Health, a telehealth company that focuses on women over 40. Before joining Alloy, Dr. Malone was a partner at one of the oldest and most successful OB/GYN medical practices in Washington, D.C. Dr. Malone joins Stacy to talk about the current state of menopause legislation and the impact that the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study had on women’s healthcare. They discuss the disparities that African-American women face in menopause, the need to reorient thinking around women’s health, and why prevention is just as important as treatment. Dr Malone shares practical advice on what women can do to get ahead of aging, and encourages every woman to be a strong advocate for her own health. Be sure to listen after the beep at the end for surprise musical detail about Dr. Malone! Dr. Malone's book Grown Woman Talk is available for pre-order. Follow Dr. Sharon Malone: https://www.drsharonmalone.com/ Follow Stacy London @stacylondonreal Hello Menopause is a podcast from the national nonprofit Let’s Talk Menopause. Produced in partnership with Studio Kairos. Supervising Producer: Kirsten Cluthe. Edited and mixed by Justin Thomas. Artwork by Stacey Geller. Thank you to Always Discreet for sponsoring this episode of Hello Menopause. Always Discreet, because we deserve better. Available at Target. Please rate and review the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices