Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About Menopause, Sex & Pleasure

Are you doing all the "right things" for your menopause symptoms—hormone therapy, nutrition, exercise, stress management—but still not feeling like yourself?  In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes back licensed psychotherapist Ashley Turner for a groundbreaking conversation about psychedelic-assisted therapy and microdosing as complementary support dur...

Are you experiencing low libido, loss of sexual desire, or intimacy challenges during perimenopause or menopause? In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa joins Dr. Anna Cabeca on The Girlfriend Doctor Show to share her deeply personal story of sexual awakening during midlife.  Together, they address one of the most common yet rarely discussed symptoms of perimenopause: the...

Are you feeling the weight of another year passing while navigating the changes of perimenopause and menopause? Do you struggle to make sense of midlife transitions—the shifting hormones, changing body, evolving desires, and the pressure to have it all figured out? In this intimate end-of-year solo episode of Pleasure In The Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa guides you through a reflective journey to...

Are you struggling with hormone therapy that isn't working? Wondering why testosterone for women is so hard to access? Feeling confused about vaginal estrogen warnings? This special Best of 2025 episode of Pleasure In The Pause tackles the most pressing questions midlife women asked this year about hormone optimization, sexual satisfaction, and reclaiming pleasure during perimenopause and men...

Struggling with vaginal dryness, decreased sensitivity, or feeling disconnected from your body in midlife? You're not alone. In this solo episode of Pleasure in the Pause , host Gabriella Espinosa shares her personally tested intimate wellness tools and self-care rituals that support vulva vitality, arousal, and sensual connection during menopause and beyond. From vaginal moisturizers and aro...

Do you feel invisible as a woman over 40? Struggling with body image after menopause, weight gain, or breast cancer? Wondering if you're "too old" to feel sexy and confident again? In this transformative episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes portrait and boudoir photographer Felicia Reed for an intimate conversation about reclaiming your sensuality, worth...

Struggling with low libido, painful sex, or poor sleep during menopause? There's a science-backed wellness tool that can help with all of these symptoms and more—but it's been wrapped in shame for far too long. In this episode, we're having an honest, research-based conversation about vibrators as legitimate health tools for midlife women, and why sexual wellness is essential wellne...

Looking in the mirror and not recognizing your body anymore? Despite eating well and staying active, your body keeps changing in ways that feel beyond your control. Your jeans don't fit, your belly feels thicker, and your old fitness routine just isn't working. In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa talks with menopause fitness specialist Megan Dahlman about wh...

Are you navigating perimenopause or menopause and feeling disconnected from yourself? This episode of Pleasure in the Pause explores how gratitude can be a powerful tool for calming your nervous system, managing midlife symptoms, and finding meaning during this transformative phase. Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Dr. Deepti Gandhi, a board-certified family medicine physician and menopause specia...

Have you been living with debilitating hot flashes, sleepless nights, or painful intercourse because you're terrified hormone therapy will give you cancer? What if everything you've been told about menopause treatment has been wrong? In this urgent episode of Pleasure In the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa reveals a seismic shift in women's healthcare: the FDA has just eliminated the...

Feeling stuck in the unsettling space between who you were and who you're becoming? If you're navigating midlife transitions—whether it's empty nest, perimenopause, aging parents, or shifting identity—this episode of Pleasure in the Pause offers a transformative perspective on living consciously through change. Host Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Ann Tashi Slater to explore the Bu...

Are you struggling with anxiety, sleeplessness, and low libido in perimenopause—even after starting hormone therapy? You're doing everything right, but still feel wired, exhausted, and disconnected from pleasure. The missing piece might surprise you: it's your nervous system. In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause , host Gabriela Espinosa reveals why balancing hormones alone isn't...

Rediscovering yourself after divorce—especially during midlife and menopause—can feel overwhelming. When decades of partnership end, you're left asking: Who am I now? What do I really want? And if you're thinking about dating again, how do you navigate desire, boundaries, and intimacy in this completely new chapter? Dr. Jasmonae Joyriel, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Igni...

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause. Are you struggling with anxiety, brain...

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause. Struggling with hot flashes, anxiety, s...

Navigating menopause as a Latina woman often means facing it alone—without adequate information, representation, or community support. On this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Emmy-winning journalist and entrepreneur Gaby Natale to discuss how she's revolutionizing menopause education for Latinas through her groundbreaking bilingual platform, Menopausia....

Did you know that 75% of midlife women experience sexual health changes, but only 7% receive treatment. Why? Because we're staying silent. In this episode of Pleasure In the Pause, certified women's health coach Gabriela Espinosa reveals how this silence is costing us our health, relationships, and vitality. Learn why sexual health isn't optional—it's essential to your overall...

Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.  Are you standing in the pharmacy ai...

Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.  If you're one of the 600,000 w...

Are you struggling with the emotional rollercoaster of your children leaving for college? Feeling lost, heartbroken, and uncertain about your identity beyond motherhood? You're not alone. In this powerful episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa addresses one of midlife women's most challenging transitions - the empty nest syndrome. Are you ready to awaken your sensualit...

Disclaimer: The information shared in this episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.  Have you been on hormone therapy fo...

This week, something extraordinary happened: menopause took center stage at the highest levels of US government in an unprecedented way. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened leading experts from across the country to discuss what millions of women have been waiting to hear: their experiences matter, their suffering is real, and there may be evidence-based solutions that have been wit...

The conversation around menopause is finally being normalized, allowing us to openly discuss physical changes like hot flashes, brain fog, and sleepless nights. However, when it comes to our sexuality (describing shifts in desire, changes in intimacy, or articulating our sexual needs to partners) we often find ourselves speechless. Reclaim your sensuality and step into a powerful new chapter. The...

Despite living decades in our bodies, many of us remain disconnected from our sexual anatomy, trapped by societal shame and silence. But knowing your vulva isn't just about sexual pleasure—it's about health, vitality, and reclaiming your power as a woman in midlife.  Access the FREE guided Vulva Love Meditation at https://www.pleasureinthepause.com/vulva Today, I'm sharing an intima...

What if the very parts of yourself you've been hiding—the messy, the marvelous, the unspoken—are the ones that will set you free in midlife? We're often told to shrink, to quiet down, to accept invisibility, like it's a rite of passage. But what if this chapter is actually about expansion, revealing more of who we are, not less? Because let's be honest, midlife women are not a...