112 | Menopause at Work: Why You're Not Losing Your Edge with Dr. Ariana Sholes-Douglas

Have you ever found yourself in a meeting, searching for a word that used to come effortlessly, or suddenly losing your train of thought in front of a room full of people? Have you quietly wondered whether you are losing your edge, your confidence, or your ambition — without ever connecting it to what is actually happening in your body? Menopause does not wait until our careers wind down. It arrives right in the middle of them, when women are leading teams, growing businesses, mentoring others, and stepping into some of the most influential years of their professional lives. And yet it remains one of the most underaddressed issues in both medicine and the workplace. In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, Gabriela sits down with Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas, board-certified OBGYN, integrative women's health expert, and author of The Menopause Myth, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about what menopause is actually doing to women at work, what it is costing companies and the broader economy, and why Dr. Arianna refuses to frame this transition as a decline. She calls it an evolution. And once you hear why, you will too. **Are you ready to awaken your sensuality and feel more empowered in your body? Access the FREE Pleasure Upgrade Bundle at** https://www.pleasureinthepause.com/gift**.** *Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas is a board-certified OBGYN, integrative women's health expert, nationally recognized speaker, and author of The Menopause Myth: What Your Mother, Doctor, and Friends Never Told You About Life After 35. She is the founder of Tula Wellness and Aesthetics in Tucson, Arizona, and host of the Stay Juicy podcast. After her own perimenopause awakening led her to leave traditional medicine and build an integrative practice focused on the whole woman, she became one of the leading voices helping employers understand that menopause is not just a women's health issue. It is a workplace issue.*  In this episode, we discuss: - Why even a trained OBGYN missed her own perimenopause — and what that tells us about the gap in menopause education - The real cost of untreated menopause in the workplace: $1.8 billion lost annually in productivity and $26.6 billion in overall healthcare costs - How brain fog, ADHD-like symptoms, and loss of executive function show up for high-achieving women at the peak of their careers - Why Black and Latina women are disproportionately impacted economically by the menopause transition - What employers can do right now to support women through this transition and stop draining institutional knowledge from the workforce - Why Dr. Arianna calls menopause an evolution rather than a decline, and what that reframe changes for women in midlife Dr. Arianna's advice for women listening right now is simple and radical at the same time. Err on the side of doing too much for yourself. Because even then, you will probably not be close to what you actually deserve. Menopause is not the end of your most productive, purposeful, and powerful years. For so many women it is where they finally begin. If this episode gave you language for something you have been living without words for, please share it with someone who needs it too. **If you're seeking to reclaim your pleasure and vitality, join Gabriella at**⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pleasureinthepause.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ **for this enlightening journey into the heart of female pleasure and empowerment.** CONNECT WITH DR. ARIANNA : Dr. Arianna's website Book a consultation at Tula Wellness & Aesthetics Purchase her book on Amazon Podcast on Spotify and Apple and Youtube (available on all major platforms) Follow her on socials:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA: Instagram LinkedIn Work with Gabriella!  Full episodes on YouTube. *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.*