In this episode of the Midlife Mavens podcast, hosts Marci Burroughs and Carol O'Saben welcome Dr. Jessica Beachkofsky (https://www.jessicabeachkofsky.com/) a psychiatrist specializing in perimenopause and menopause mental health. The discussion revolves around the impact of hormones on mood, anxiety, sleep, and libido, highlighting the roles of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Dr. B explains how hormonal changes during midlife affect the brain, bones, and cardiovascular system. The episode also explores the sedative effects of progesterone on sleep, the significance of early perimenopausal symptom recognition, and the challenges of hormone testing. Tune in as the hosts and Dr. B delve into the complexities of managing midlife hormonal changes and the potential benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

00:00 Introduction to Midlife Mavens

01:08 Meet Dr. Jessica Beachkofsky

01:59 Understanding Hormones and Mental Health

02:56 The Role of Estrogen in Women's Health

07:58 Progesterone and Sleep

14:09 Challenges with Hormone Testing

19:47 Recognizing Perimenopausal Symptoms

26:00 Conclusion and Next Steps

More information about Dr. B:

 Dr. Jessica Beachkofsky (https://www.jessicabeachkofsky.com) is a psychiatrist specializing in perimenopause and menopause mental health. Dr. B works with women navigating hormonal shifts, mood changes and all the brain chaos that comes with a perimenopause menopause transition. She's really good at making medicine and psychiatry digestible, engaging, and actually useful because knowledge is power and midlife women deserve both.

Here’s Dr B’s hormone information sheet: https://tinyurl.com/drb-hormones

Got a question or a suggestion for a future episode? Use our “Ask Us Anything” Form: https://forms.gle/3bo4KuaXfGxCUS9C9

If you are looking for a therapist and would like to reach out to Marci or Carol, take a look at their websites:

Marci: https://www.marciburroughsphdcst.com

Carol: https://www.drosaben.com

Other therapist directories you can use to help you find therapy include:

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/th…

Mental Health Match: https://mentalhealthmatch.com/

American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists: https://aasect.org

iTherapy: https://itherapy.com