{"id":27140,"date":"2024-10-21T16:59:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T16:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/?post_type=podcast&p=27140"},"modified":"2024-10-21T17:14:46","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T17:14:46","slug":"episode-194","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/education\/podcast\/episode-194\/","title":{"rendered":"Episode 194: Facing Menopause: A Candid Conversation with a Doctor and a Therapist"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"template":"","categories":[499],"tags":[492,537],"class_list":["post-27140","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","hentry","category-menopause","tag-menopause","tag-perimenopause"],"yoast_head":"\nEpisode 194: Facing Menopause: A Candid Conversation with a Doctor and a Therapist | Progyny<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This Menopause Awareness Month, we bring together two experts who are specialists in their fields and personally navigating their own menopause journeys.\" \/>\n<meta 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is a mourning that happens alongside a menopause journey that doesn't get acknowledged.' - Dr. Juliana Hauser, Therapist and Menopause Expert","episode_intro_guest":"Dr. Juliana Hauser","episode_intro_company":"Therapist and Menopause Expert","episode_banner_section_intro_text":"This is Infertility is a bi-weekly podcast where we fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it\u2019s really like to go through a family building journey. Each episode dives into the emotional, physical, and financial burdens carried by those who experience infertility on their path to parenthood. Be it IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, adoption, etc., the path is never the same and it can be long, painful, and lonely. It\u2019s our mission to give those struggling a platform to be heard, a community connection, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the 1 in 6 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.","episode_page_title":"Episode 194: Facing Menopause: A Candid Conversation with a Doctor and a Therapist","episode_embed_code":"<iframe style=\"border: none;\" title=\"Embed Player\" src=\"https:\/\/play.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/33514782\/height\/128\/theme\/modern\/size\/standard\/thumbnail\/yes\/custom-color\/ffffff\/time-start\/00:00:00\/playlist-height\/200\/direction\/backward\/download\/yes\/stats-code\/Landing194\/font-color\/000000\" width=\"100%\" height=\"128\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe>","episode_details":"<span data-contrast=\"auto\">This Menopause Awareness Month, we bring together two experts who are specialists in their fields and personally navigating their own menopause journeys. Dr. Janet Choi, an OBGYN, reproductive endocrinologist, and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and Dr. Juliana Hauser, a therapist with a focus on sexuality and menopause, share their personal experiences with menopause. Alongside their professional expertise, they offer a rare dual perspective on the physical and emotional changes that come with this life stage.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Through this candid conversation, they discuss the often-overlooked aspects of menopause, from hair loss to mental health, shedding light on the profound impact it has on a woman's identity and quality of life. Together, they emphasize the importance of normalizing these conversations and encouraging women to seek support and treatment during this pivotal time.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Guest: <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dr. Juliana Hauser, Therapist and Menopause Expert<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Host: <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dr. Janet Choi, Chief Medical Officer at Progyny<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">For more information, visit Progyny\u2019s Podcast page and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.progyny.com\/education\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Progyny\u2019s Education page<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\"> for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at <\/span><a href=\"mailto:thisisinfertility@progyny.com\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">thisisinfertility@progyny.com<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">This episode is also a video! Watch it here:<\/span>\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/1021045163\/f2845aedd6?share=copy\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>Going from Expertise to Experience\r\n<\/b><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">03:51 \u2013 12:48<\/span>\r\n<div style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Juliana Hauser:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> In the medical community, as well as in the mental health community, we aren't given a lot of education about what the needs are. And I've been in my profession for over 20 years now. So over 20 years ago, it was certainly not anything that was ever mentioned.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Janet Choi: <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I definitely want to delve into that more deeply, because I can just tell you, as an OBGYN, who's been taking care of women for decades now, sexual health, which is a very vital part of anyone's identity and quality of life is sort of swept to the side in both medical school and OBGYN training.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Juliana Hauser:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> I'm 53, and two months ago, I had hysterectomy. So, I was in perimenopause for several years. As we know, it's usually about 10 years. I'm not sure exactly when it began for me, but I discovered that I had a fibroid, and a fibroid was wreaking havoc with my life. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> all my education and with all of my personal work in this, it still was a very interesting process to put it into my own life and to realize what my symptoms were and putting all those pieces together.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Janet Choi:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> I kind of understood, having gotten a little bit of menopause training in residency, not a whole lot, but some and understanding how hormones worked that in my early 40s, the brain fog, the forgetfulness, the sort of slightly heightened mood swings, even though I was still experiencing menstrual cycles, was an early sign of potentially perimenopause. So, I came up with my own treatment plan.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>Menopause Symptoms: Hair Loss\r\n<\/b><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">13:13 \u2013 17:50<\/span>\r\n<div style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Janet Choi: <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For me, what was particularly distressing which I don't think people talk about. I think part of the reason why people don't talk about it is because there's, again, some shame and embarrassment, and this feeling of like, well, I feel kind of superficial bringing it up, but I was noticing some hair thinning and hair loss. And I'm sure, especially as a therapist, you probably talk to women about how distressing it is when you know, part of your physical identity, you feel like you don't have much control over as you're going through this sort of emotional roller coaster, physiologic roller coaster, that it's associated with a hormonal swing.<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Juliana Hauser:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> I'm actually stunned that you brought this up, because you are the first expert that I've spoken to that has mentioned it on a personal scale. And it is my story, too. I would say I probably lost a third of my hair.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">I know that this is such a common symptom, and we are all feeling shame. I had the same thought in my head, which is, there are bigger problems in the world. There are bigger health problems to be having. This sounds so vain, and yet it's the one symptom that made me cry.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>Menopause and Mental Health\r\n<\/b><\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">25:15 \u2013 29:32<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<div style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\r\n\r\n<b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dr. Juliana Hauser:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Getting back to your question about mental health, it's a very sobering statistic to know that this time frame in our life is the highest rate of suicide thoughts and suicide completions and that is not stated enough. That should be a symptom of perimenopause and menopause that is known just as much as of the other ones that we've been mentioning today. And we need to look out for ourselves, and look out for each other, and if you love a woman who is in perimenopause and menopause, you need to be paying attention to her mental health as much as you're paying attention to everything else, because she's at risk. There's a variety of reasons as to why we think that the numbers are so high. We do know there is a link between the feelings of anxiety and depression and hormonal changes.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I think there is a mourning that happens alongside of the perimenopause, menopause journey that doesn't get acknowledged. We're having losses and we're having changes, and we need to acknowledge what that feels like, alongside not giving up hope that we can have relief from these symptoms.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","episode_host_image":27141,"episode_host_title":"Dr. Janet Choi, Chief Medical Officer at Progyny","episode_host_bio":"Dr. Janet M. Choi is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Progyny where she brings her expertise to ensure Progyny provides the highest quality fertility and family building services to our members and continues to raise the bar as the industry leader.\r\n\r\nDr. Choi has written, published, and lectured extensively on infertility, onco-fertility, and fertility preservation. She is an active member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as the New York Obstetrical Society. She has been selected as one of New York Magazine\u2019s Top Doctors as well as a New York Super Doctor annually since 2018; a Castle Connolly Exceptional Woman in Medicine every year since 2019; and has been annually listed with Castle Connolly\u2019s \u201cTop Doctors\u201d since 2015.\r\n\r\nPrior to Progyny, Dr. Choi was the medical director of CCRM New York for the last 7 years. Before CCRM, she was an assistant clinical professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center and served as the Director of Onco-fertility and Co-Director of the Fertility Preservation Program.\r\n\r\nDr. Choi graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University with an A.B. in English literature, and earned her medical degree and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University. She completed her sub-specialty fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.","episode_guest_1_image":27142,"episode_guest_1_title":"Dr. Juliana Hauser, Therapist and Menopause Expert","episode_guest_1_bio":"<span data-contrast=\"none\">After receiving her Ph.D in Counseling Education from The College of William & Mary, Dr. Juliana carved out a professional niche in the world of areas of relationships, sex and sexuality.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Dr. Juliana worked as a Gender Studies and Counseling Education professor, a clinical director of a university\u2019s counseling center, and ran a halfway house for women in addiction recovery. Dr. Juliana has worked with male college athletes and fraternities around the topics of consent, sexual agency and sexual violence prevention.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Today, Dr. Juliana runs a thriving private practice where she counsels and coaches couples and individuals in topics not limited to: infertility, divorce, incarceration, spousal death, body image, gender and sexual identity, narcissism abuse, domestic violence, as well as advanced sex ed for adults. Her virtual coaching practice allows her to treat clients around the world, experiencing a variety of cultures, time zones, and unique needs.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">A nationally-known expert, thought leader, speaker and writer, on agency, relationships, sex, and sexuality, Dr. Juliana was a regular contributor to\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">O Magazine<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and has been featured and quoted in top publications such as\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Women\u2019s Health, Self, Real Simple, Forbes,<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">, and\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cosmopolitan<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">. Dr. Juliana has been featured on the Discovery Channel and is a highly sought-after leader at self-help, self-development and spiritual retreats where she runs workshops on agency, body image, desire, evolved sex education for adults, redefining sexy, and tantra 101.<\/span>","episode_guest_2_image":"","episode_guest_2_title":"","episode_guest_2_bio":"","episode_guest_3_image":"","episode_guest_3_title":"","episode_guest_3_bio":"","episode_guest_4_image":"","episode_guest_4_title":"","episode_guest_4_bio":"","episode_guest_5_image":"","episode_guest_5_title":"","episode_guest_5_bio":"","episode_music_section_links":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/27140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progyny.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}