113. Lauren Tetenbaum: How to Recognize Perimenopause Before It Disrupts Your Life

Most of us got the puberty talk and the pregnancy talk, but the midlife talk simply never came. And yet this is the chapter where women need clarity the most. In this week’s episode, psychotherapist and author Lauren Tetenbaum brings language, compassion, and depth to the messy middle, the years when hormones start to shift long before 50 and long before most women think to call it perimenopause. We explore the emotional symptoms that often show up first, why so many women are dismissed in this phase, and how lifestyle, therapy, and hormone options can work together to help you feel grounded again. Lauren Tetenbaum is a psychotherapist and advocate whose work focuses on helping women navigate the emotional and psychological shifts of early midlife with clarity and compassion. She is also the author of Millennial Menopause, a relatable and informative guide that has quickly become a must-read for women who want understanding instead of guessing. We Also Discuss: (00:00) Early perimenopause and why it starts sooner than most women realize (04:26) The emotional symptoms that show up first (06:15) Why so many clinicians still miss early hormone shifts (10:40) The surprising symptoms no one associates with perimenopause (11:36) Antidepressants in midlife and how to tell what’s hormonal (14:01) The lifestyle and hormone tools that actually help (20:27) How to communicate midlife mood shifts to your partner (24:12) The identity shifts of midlife and the end of people-pleasing Thank You to Our Sponsors: Sign up for The Well Drop Newsletter Find out more about Amber Berger: Website: www.thewelldrop.com Instagram: @thewelldrop Find out more about Lauren Tetenbaum: Website: www.thecounselaur.com Instagram: @thecounselaur