How do hormonal changes during menopause affect your mental health? This question has remained largely unaddressed in conventional healthcare, leaving countless women struggling to understand why they suddenly feel like strangers in their own minds and bodies.

Psychotherapist Kim Crispeno joins us to shed light on this critical intersection. As co-founder of the Aftermath Agency, Kim's approach to mental health during menopause emerged from her own personal journey and professional expertise. She explains how hormonal fluctuations directly impact brain function, triggering everything from brain fog and memory issues to anxiety, depression, and irritability that can strain relationships and diminish quality of life.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Kim introduces the concept of shame in menopause. What if our changing bodies become the "dysregulating other" that triggers profound discomfort as our previously reliable cognitive functions seem to betray us? This perspective helps explain why competent, high-functioning women suddenly feel destabilized during this transition.

Kim offers practical strategies for navigating these challenges, emphasizing the power of community, self-awareness, and reframing menopause as a doorway rather than just a loss. Her advice to simply "notice" what's happening without judgment provides a gentle first step toward self-compassion. She even writes "permission slips" for clients – tangible reminders that it's okay to prioritize their needs during this transition.

Whether you're experiencing perimenopause symptoms without realizing their source, fully immersed in the menopause journey, or supporting someone who is, this episode provides valuable insights for approaching this significant life transition with greater awareness and self-compassion. Kim's parting wisdom to be "kind and curious" with ourselves may be the most powerful tool for transforming how we experience menopause.