A Certain Age

Need a dose of feel-good tonic for our complicated times? Join host Katie Fogarty for a joy-filled chat with author Gina Hamadey, who took on the delightfully ambitious project of writing 365 thank you notes in one year (yes, really!). Discover how the simple act of writing thank you notes can transform your happiness, relationships and spark big magic—from patching up old friendships to making ro...

Seventy million Americans are reeling from the election results this week. I am one of them. I have cycled through so many negative emotions: shock, anger, rage, fear, sorrow. Relistening to my 2023 interview with Cyndie Spiegel, author of “Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life is Not Okay,” reminded me that we can hold grief in one hand and joy in another. Sitting quietly in the sun, imm...

After the attacks of October 7, 2023, Zibby Owens, the bestselling author, podcaster, publisher, and book influencer reached out to Jewish writers and advocates and asked them to contribute essays to an anthology, “On Being Jewish Now.” In the essay collection, 75 writers share heartfelt reflections that reveal the Jewish experience across a range of snapshots—faith, family, food, and a shared his...

Cate Luzio pivoted a 20- year investment banking career in midlife to launch Luminary—a global professional education and networking platform for women and allies through all phases of their career journey. We explore what it takes to build a business, thrive in our careers, and elevate personal leadership. We also dive into one of Cate’s biggest professional setbacks and how grit and the ability...

Do you use vaginal estrogen? Recommended by top menopause specialists, backed by multiple studies, vaginal estrogen is proven to work to prevent or treat the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). GSM is incredibly common and includes bladder leaks, vaginal dryness, painful sex, and frequent UTIs, which can be deadly as we age. But many women are scared of vaginal estrogen due to an outdated a...

For Dr. Jessi Gold, everything was absolutely fine—until it suddenly wasn’t. As a practicing psychiatrist and assistant professor, Dr. Gold was used to being constantly busy. Dr. Gold’s always-on, never say no approach to caregiving led to extreme burnout and the need to seek treatment for her own mental health. Now, Dr. Gold is out with a brand new book, “How Do You Feel?” that is part memoir, pa...

An epic on-camera hot flash gave TV journalist Tamsen Fadel a crash course on menopause and how little most women know about navigating this seismic transition. Now the Emmy-winning journalist has teamed up to produce a first of its-kind documentary PBS-film on menopause—The M Factor. Tamsen returns to A Certain Age to share her menopause story and give a BTS of the film and how listeners can set...

Still struggling to sleep? Grab your comfiest Pjs, break put that eye mask! Sleep pro Dr. Shelby Harris has ideas to help you hit the pillow and get better, more consistent Zzzs. Make tonight the night you start to clock restorative, restful sleep. We explore insomnia, why we can’t fall asleep OR stay asleep, evidence-based treatments to clock better midlife sleep, plus the impact of menopause on...

Mixed feelings about midlife? Do not miss this jolt of inspiration from midlife OG and NYT bestselling author Chip Conley. In this A Certain Age bonus episode, we explore Chip’s latest book, “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Life Gets Better with Age,” an optimistic blueprint for making your 40s to 70s the best decades of your life. Drawing on fascinating social science research, inspiring sto...

Does the phrase “empty nest” conjure feelings of freedom or sadness? Millions of parents struggle with mixed emotions as their children head to college and the real world. If a fast-approaching empty nest has you wondering—what’s next for me?— this week’s show has answers. Host Katie Fogarty connects with author Karla Olson, who shares lessons and strategies from her brand-new book, “The Almost Em...

Testosterone therapy is suddenly all over the news (again) as actress Kate Winslet shares how it turbocharged her sex life. In today’s show, host Katie Fogarty does a deep dive into testosterone and testosterone therapy with board-certified OB/GYN and leading menopause and sexual health expert Dr. Maria Sophocles. We cover the misunderstood role of testosterone in women’s health, explore the risks...

Today, we do a deep dive into midlife weight gain and the impact of fluctuating hormones on body composition and health with triple board-certified physician and obesity expert Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen. Dr. Salas-Whalen walks us through the “perfect storm” that links roller coaster midlife hormones to weight gain, gives us a primer on popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and catches us up on the...

Wait, what? A Certain Age is four! How in the world is that possible? Join us as Katie turns over the podcast mic to special co-host author Laura Belgray to celebrate four years of podcasting and aging out loud. Grab a coffee, get some wine—we are chatting all things aging, plastic surgery, coloring your hair, the magic of being a late-blooming “marinator” and whether we are (finally) okay with lo...

Need a summer escape? Grab your sunblock and pull up a beach chair for our chat with bestselling author Annabel Monaghan. We're diving into her latest rom-com, “Summer Romance,” which follows Ali Morris, a professional organizer whose life is anything but organized. Smart, bingeable, and laugh-out-loud funny, “Summer Romance” is a refreshingly cold dunk into a smart and steamy summer read. Join ho...

Have you ever dreamed of starting and selling a business? Entrepreneur Carrie Kerpen co-founded the agency Likeable, sold that business for 8-figures, and now teaches women founders how to successfully sell their businesses and bank as much cash as possible. We explore Carrie’s improbable, one-of-a-kind business origin story (seriously, do not miss this one!), learn what it takes to build and sell...

Getting to midlife means the people we love are aging too. Caregiving for aging parents (or loved ones tackling major illnesses) can take a toll on your physical and mental health, career, and personal life. In this week's episode, Katie delves into the complexities of caregiving with renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Allison Applebaum, author of "Stand By Me." As the founder of the nation's firs...

A special bonus episode: Hear the debut episode of our brand new sister podcast, The Midlife Book Club. Listen in as author Catherine Newman brings us to Cape Cod's salty, sandy shores to crack open her instant New York Times bestseller "Sandwich." The book unspools over a weeklong family vacation as the main character, Rocky, navigates memories, menopause, and the push and pull of life sandwiched...

Is the hormonal roller coaster of midlife taking a toll on your skin? As estrogen exists, collagen declines, and we wind up with thinning skin, loss of elasticity, dark circles, and dullness. Want new tools to brighten, nourish, and hydrate your skin? Katie and Lorrie King, a co-founder of Caire Beauty, dive into serums, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and how to create (and stick to) a simple morning/...

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) isn't just a childhood condition. Diagnoses for adult women are surging, yet many struggle for years undiagnosed. Today, we're diving deep into ADHD with Tracy Otsuka, a certified ADHD coach and author of “ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain,” whose wildly popular podcast reaches millions. Tracy joins us to un...

Imagine living with chronic pain for years, feeling isolated. That's the reality for millions. Wellness thought leader and chronic illness advocate Nitika Chopra knows this reality all too well—she has had a chronic condition for most of her life, battling pain, depression, and years of being confined to her bed in her early 20s. Now, at 43, she runs Chronicon, a platform built to support the 130...

We have hundreds of friends on Facebook and the power to contact our besties with the swipe of a smartphone, yet we live in a loneliness epidemic. If you want tools for making and nurturing friendships, on today’s show, Katie interviews journalist and author Anna Goldfarb about findings from her new book Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections. Anna’s research uncovers why th...

If you like uncorking the perfect drink or learning the hidden stories of women too often written out of history, this week’s show is for you. Meet Dr. Nicola Nice, sociologist, spirits entrepreneur, and author of The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought The Cocktail Home. Nicola shakes up and sets straight the (overwhelmingly male) record of drinks writing, uncovering the fascinating intersection o...

Investment banker Rowena Scherer woke up one day and asked herself—do I really want to be a banker for the rest of my life? What came next was a foray into culinary entrepreneurship, a line of award-winning cooking kits for kids, and eventually a kids’ cookbook, “A Taste of the World: Celebrating Global Flavors.” On today’s show, Rowena shares how she went from being the first in her family to gra...

Want a better sex life? Sexual health expert Dr. Maria Sophocles helps us amp up our orgasms and sex life with ideas for closing the “midlife bedroom gap” and managing what can get in the way of pleasure—think painful sex, low and mismatched libido, and vaginas that have morphed from “Nordstrom to Ikea” in midlife. We cover actionable ideas to boost lubrication, the role of HRT, sex toys, and stea...

Barbara Hannah Grufferman ran her first marathon at 50. At 67, she’s training for her 18th. In this episode, Barbara shares how she went from being the kid who hated gym class to a serial marathoner and healthy aging advocate, podcaster, and author. Barbara breaks down the run-walk-run program that took her from newbie runner to the finish line of her first marathon and shares ideas for exercises...