Have you ever found yourself wondering what's happening to your body, feeling disconnected, or struggling with unexplainable changes as you enter your 40s or beyond?
These are common experiences for many facing perimenopause, a phase that often catches individuals off guard due to lack of information and societal dialogue. In this episode of the People Teaching People podcast, I’m joined by Mikelle Ethier, co-founder of This Is Perimenopause, to share insights on understanding and navigating this crucial life stage.
My conversation with Mikelle underscores the need for enhanced awareness and research on women's health, particularly about perimenopause. As the medical community continues to make slow but steady progress, Mikelle and her co-founder, Michelle Stainton, advocate for a proactive approach to personal health and well-being.
For anyone struggling with or interested in better understanding perimenopause, This Is Perimenopause offers a wealth of resources and a solid starting point to guide one's journey. You can join their community to gain insights, support, and inspiration for navigating this transformative phase of life.
Listen in as we talk about:
03:57 The birth of This Is Perimenopause
06:56 What is perimenopause?
11:52 What I wish I had known
14:58 Seeking answers and solutions
17:51 Slowly but surely - raising awareness for women’s health
22:10 The overwhelming impact of perimenopause
24:50 Curated support for perimenopause
36:18 Supporting loved ones through perimenopause
39:11 No quick fix for perimenopause
44:21 The power of great teachers
45:39 Pride in personal growth
46:44 A different way forward
Connect with Mikelle:
Website: https://thisisperimenopause.com/
LinkedIn: Mikelle Ethier
Instagram: @thisisperimenopause
Facebook: @thisisperimenopause
TikTok: @thisisperimenopause
Podcast: This is Perimenopause
Connect with Tiana:
Website: https://tianafech.com
LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
Instagram: @tianafech
Facebook: @tianafech
Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course
THE BIRTH OF THIS IS PERIMENOPAUSE
Mikelle describes her journey from the corporate banking world to entrepreneurship, sparked by a period of deep reflection and unexpected challenges. In 2020, amidst the chaos of the pandemic, she and two close friends found themselves struggling with perimenopausal symptoms and frustrated by the lack of information and support available. Realizing they weren’t alone, they decided to take action, creating This Is Perimenopause to provide the resources they wished they had. With the backing of an incubator program, their mission gained momentum, proving that personal struggles can lead to powerful solutions. Sometimes, the hardest moments push us to redefine who we are and what truly matters.
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?
Perimenopause is a phase many women don’t recognize until they’re in the middle of it. When Mikelle first started experiencing symptoms, she was surprised to learn that there’s no simple test to diagnose it. She explains that menopause itself is just one day—the one-year anniversary of a woman’s final menstrual period. The years leading up to that day, known as perimenopause, bring unpredictable hormonal fluctuations that can last anywhere from four to ten years. These changes can cause extreme anxiety, disrupted sleep, and dozens of other physical and emotional symptoms, often before any noticeable cycle changes. With over 60 recognized symptoms and ongoing research into even more, perimenopause remains widely misunderstood. The more we talk about it, the easier it becomes to navigate this phase with knowledge, support, and confidence.
WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN
“This is not your fault. This is your hormones.”
Mikelle reflects on the challenges she faced when her perimenopausal symptoms began in her early 40s, including anxiety, exhaustion, sleep issues, and other physical changes. At the time,