Pleasure In The Pause: Midlife Conversations about Menopause, Hormones & Pleasure

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 arousal oils to vibrators backed by res...

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, worthiness, and power in midlife.

Felicia...

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 wellness. This episode explores how vibra...

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 what's really happening to your b...

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 specialist, to uncover the neuroscience b...

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 fear-based black box warnings that h...

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 Buddhist concept of "bardo"—...

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 enough. Groundbreaking research from...

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 Ignite Anew, helps high-performing indiv...

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 fog, sleepless nights, and exhaustin...

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, sleepless nights, or joint pain durin...

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.com.

Whether you're struggling ...

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 wellbeing in perimenopause, menopau...

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 aisle, staring at rows of intimate car...

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 women who undergo hysterectomies annu...

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 sensuality and feel more empowered in your bo...

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 for months (or even years) but still f...

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 withheld. This historic hearing offers...

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 Midlife Pleasure Collective is a mon...