Perimenopause & Collective Liberation

May 17

Entering perimenopause throws many of us for a loop. Anxiety, depression, and sudden mood changes can show up, even if you have no history of them. Brain fog, memory/ attention/ focus issues, weight gain, rage, fatigue, joint pain…the list is more extensive than most of us ever knew. What’s also challenging is that because perimenopause can begin as early as mid-thirties in some women, these symptoms tend to be dismissed or left untreated. Because if you’re 36, still getting your period, and your hormone levels fall in normal range, it can’t be perimenopause, right?
Turns out it can.

I just watch an excellent documentary on PBS called The M Factor 2-Before the Pause (also available on Apple TV). It’s full of information that every woman should know. https://www.pbs.org/video/the-m-factor-2-before-the-pause-qsyotj/

One of the main takeaways I noted is the importance of self-education. When we educate ourselves, we increase our knowledge, and knowledge is a powerful spotlight. Menopause used to be something to whisper about, if it was talked about at all. Although it is 2026, there can still be shame, embarrassment, and social conditioning associated with this normal biological process.

While there has never been more information available than there is right now, there’s also still a lot of misinformation out there. At the end of the day, our best defense is knowing ourselves, tracking our rhythms, and using our voices to self-advocate. This becomes a process of learning to trust our inner wisdom and the wisdom of our bodies. A very common clinical perimenopause symptom mentioned in the documentary is “not feeling like myself” (NFLM). When something feels off, it probably is!

In knowing ourselves and trusting our truth, we add to the collective conscious liberation of everyone. We get to pay it forward by being role models, by sharing what we’ve learned, and teaching our daughters, sisters, brothers, sons, partner, and spouses.

Some ways to self-educate:

Track your symptoms and be super-prepared at your next doctor appointment. Balance-app.com is a great tool.
Read about the risks and benefits of HRT as well as the different options that are out there for those who can’t take hormones.
Learn about your family’s health history and what menopause was like for your female kin.
Use Google Scholar to find scientific research.
Read articles (like the ones below).
Talk to other women. Please note: I am not a doctor. I am an expressive arts therapist in the second half of my life, in menopause, and I am passionate about supporting women during this phasic transition, from the archetype of Mother to Queen (Crone).