Menopause Love Lounge

What happens when six women who have only known each other virtually finally spend an entire weekend together?

We found out. And let's just say there were tears, laughter, uncomfortable conversations, some unexpected breakthroughs, and a whole lot of vulnerability.

This week on Menopause Love Lounge, we're coming to you from our very first in person retreat in Arvada, Colorado, just outside Denver.

After a year of building this show together from different parts of the country, we finally gathered under one roof. We thought we'd spend the weekend getting to know each other, relaxing, and planning the future of the Lounge.

What we didn't expect was how deeply we'd confront our own insecurities.

Through a feelings party, a sacred sharing circle, and a powerful exercise called Give and Take, we began opening up about the things we rarely admit out loud.

The fear of not being enough.

The fear of being left out.

The need for approval.

The difficulty of accepting love and support, even when it's right in front of us.

And the realization that sometimes the biggest obstacle to belonging is our own fear of letting people in.

We also share how we worked through real tensions within our group, learned to communicate more openly, and discovered that connection isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it requires telling the truth, taking responsibility, and being willing to hear something difficult.

But it wasn't all tears and personal growth!

There was plenty of laughter, a memorable photo shoot in oversized white shirts, and a few stories that probably could only happen when six menopausal women spend a weekend together.

By the end of our retreat, we realized that Menopause Love Lounge had become something bigger than a podcast.

It had become a place to belong.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why belonging can feel difficult, even when people welcome us

• The insecurities we brought into our first weekend together

• What happened during our feelings party and sacred circle

• The powerful question: If you really knew me, you'd know...

• Learning to receive love, support, and honest feedback

• Working through rejection, approval seeking, and group dynamics

• The Give and Take exercise that helped us see ourselves differently

• Why friendship and community matter so much in midlife

• The photo shoot that helped us embrace our bodies and confidence

• Andrea's emotional realization about the community she created

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 A Vulnerable Moment From Our Retreat

00:44 Six Women Finally Meet in Denver

02:20 Loneliness, Connection and Finding Belonging

04:56 Our First Feelings Party

07:33 The Insecurity We All Shared

08:15 Creating a Safe Space for Vulnerability

10:12 If You Really Knew Me, You'd Know...

11:45 Emotional Breakthroughs and Healing

15:39 Building Trust and Repairing Relationships

19:15 The Give and Take Exercise

23:26 When We Realized We'd Become a Family

24:17 Facing Rejection and Finding Confidence

27:03 Our Mission to Help Women Feel Connected

30:39 Embracing Confidence in Our Photo Shoot

33:20 Andrea's Emotional Reflection on the Retreat

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:

Have you ever struggled to feel like you truly belong, even when surrounded by people who care about you?

We'd love to hear your story.

Subscribe to Menopause Love Lounge on YouTube at @MenopauseLoveLounge to watch the full retreat conversation.

And please follow the podcast, leave us a rating and review, and share this episode with a woman who could use a little more connection in her life.

Because no woman should have to navigate midlife feeling alone.

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Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

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🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

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You can miss a friend and still know the friendship wasn’t working. So why does letting go feel like you’re doing something wrong?

In this episode of MLL, we talk about friendship breakups in menopause: the grief of losing someone who’s still alive, the guilt of stepping back, and the confusing space between loving a friend and wanting her close. As life changes, so can your needs—and your beliefs about what being a good friend requires.

The women share personal stories of decades-long friendships, broken trust, being blocked, reconnecting, and discovering who showed up after divorce or the loss of a parent. They don’t all approach friendship the same way. That becomes part of the conversation: when one friend needs regular contact and another trusts the bond without it, how do you understand each other without turning different needs into a verdict on who cares more?

We explore:

• Friendship breakup grief: missing the person, the shared history, and the milestones you no longer experience together.
• Loyalty and boundaries: can you love someone while stepping back from behavior that conflicts with your values?
• Confidence to express your needs: saying what helps you feel cared for rather than assuming your friend already knows.
• Beliefs about friendship: questioning whether loyalty means unlimited access, constant contact, or staying close forever.
• Reconnection and closure: why an apology doesn’t always mean returning to the friendship you had.
• Changing your inner circle: giving a friendship a different place in your life without cutting someone off completely.
• Support during menopause and midlife: how divorce, bereavement, and changing circumstances can reveal what you need from your people.

This is an honest conversation about friendships that end, friendships that evolve, and the sadness that can exist alongside a boundary you still want to keep.

Share this episode with a friend who’s navigating a friendship change or someone you’re grateful has stayed beside you through yours. Follow MLL wherever you listen, leave a review, or watch the full conversation on YouTube.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Friendship Breakups: The Heartbreak Nobody Talks About

00:41 Personal Reflections on Friendships We've Lost

01:00 Ozzie's Story: Walking Away From a Friend

05:08 Being a Ride or Die Friend vs. Protecting Your Values

07:39 Why Letting Go of People Can Be So Difficult

10:43 Junie's Story: Grieving a Lifelong Friendship

13:13 When Friendships Change With the Seasons of Life

15:59 Dawn on Loyalty, Boundaries and Quiet Quitting

21:12 Andrea's Story: The End of a 25 Year Friendship

24:01 The Pain of Being Blocked by a Former Best Friend

25:12 Reconnecting, Apologizing and Finding Closure

27:30 Do Good Friends Need to Talk Every Day?

32:33 When Closure Doesn't Mean Rebuilding the Friendship

34:22 What Does It Really Mean to Show Up for a Friend?

35:58 Karen on Divorce and Reevaluating Friendships

36:53 Which Friends Deserve a Front Row Seat in Your Life?

39:24 How Trust Is Built and Broken in Friendships

41:43 Laurie's Perspective on Friendship and Midlife

44:36 How Grief Changes What We Need From Friends

46:18 Different Friends for Different Seasons

47:15 Final Thoughts and Closing

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Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

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✉️ Email: [email protected]

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Menopause R & R Promo

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Food noise in menopause can feel especially exhausting when you’ve already spent years thinking about eating, weight, and your body. You finish lunch and start planning dinner. You replay what you ate, compare your plate with someone else’s, and wonder why food still takes up so much room in your mind.

Marla Mervis-Hartmann joins the Menopause Love Lounge for a candid conversation about food noise, emotional eating, and body image in midlife. Junie shares how unsettling it feels when the relationship with food she worked hard to change becomes shaky again as her body changes. Marla recalls reaching her goal weight and discovering that the number on the scale hadn’t brought her peace.

Together, we explore the food rules we learned growing up, the comfort food can provide, and the difference between caring for your body and trying to control every bite. We also discuss GLP-1s, counting macros, and the mental work of planning meals for a household.

If you’re tired of fighting your thoughts about food, this conversation offers a starting point: get curious about what’s beneath the noise and what your changing body needs from you now.

In this episode, we're talking about:

• What food noise actually sounds like and why it can be exhausting
• Emotional eating and the feelings we may be trying to quiet
• How childhood experiences and family patterns shape our relationships with food
• Why menopause can reignite old body image insecurities
• Food noise, GLP-1 medications, and the importance of addressing underlying emotional struggles
• The difference between loving your body and liking your body
• How to develop a healthier relationship with food without shame or constant restriction

And don't miss our Legs Wide Open segment, where we play Feed It or Free It! We're debating everything from counting calories and stepping on the scale to accepting compliments and wearing Spanx.

Because maybe the answer isn't another diet. Maybe it's learning to become your own best friend.

Grab your seat in the Lounge. This is a conversation every woman deserves to hear.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Cold Open: Food Noise, GLP-1s & Changing Relationships With Food

01:10 – Menopause Love Lounge Intro

01:39 – Why Menopause Changes How We See Our Bodies

04:38 – Personal Reflections: Emotional Eating & Food as Comfort

12:00 – Childhood Food Rules, Family Patterns & Learning Boundaries

18:30 – When Old Food Struggles Return During Menopause

27:30 – Body Image, Diet Culture & the Fear of Losing Control

35:00 – Andrea's Food Aversions & the Mayonnaise Conversation

42:00 – Meet Marla Mervis-Hartmann: Healing Beyond the Scale

49:30 – What Is Food Noise and Why Is It So Exhausting?

55:00 – Counting Calories, Food Control & Emotional Triggers

59:00 – GLP-1 Medications and the Deeper Conversation About Food Noise

1:04:00 – Family Food Responsibilities & Finding Balance

1:08:33 – Learning to Love Your Body Even When You Don't Like It

1:11:00 – Legs Wide Open: Feed It or Free It!

1:20:00 – Marla's Final Message: Become Your Own Best Friend

We want to hear from you!

Did this conversation make you think differently about your relationship with food or your body?

We want to hear from you! Send us a DM or email us at [email protected] and tell us one thing you'll remember the next time you look in the mirror.

And if you're loving the Menopause Love Lounge, please follow the podcast, leave us a rating and review, and share this episode with a woman who needs to hear it.

Your reviews help us reach more women, and we may even read yours on an upcoming episode!

You can also watch the conversation on YouTube!

Apple: Menopause Love Lounge Podcast

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Meet Marla Mervis-Hartmann:

▶ YouTube: Marla Mavis Hartmann

◎ Instagram: Marla Marvis-Hartmann

🌐 Website: Food Noise

Facebook

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

Menopause R & R Promo

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Menopause R & R Promo

Rate & Review

More hair in the shower? A thinner ponytail? Gray roots that seem to appear overnight? Menopause hair loss and changing hair can leave you questioning more than your hairstyle: Why is my confidence so tied to my hair and who decided what looking beautiful at this age should mean?

In this episode of Menopause Love Lounge, the women get honest about thinning hair, going gray, changing texture, and the complicated feelings that come with looking different than you feel. From removing extensions after 15 years to coloring gray roots and navigating comments from men, they explore how deeply hair can become tangled up with identity, femininity, and feeling desirable.

And the women don’t agree on everything. Through candid friendship and some uncomfortable questions, they challenge the beliefs behind their beauty routines: Am I doing this because I love it...or because I’m afraid of how I’ll be seen?

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why Nobody Warns Us About Menopause Hair Changes

02:14 Hair Loss, Thinning Hair, and Self Image

04:25 The Cost of Keeping Up With Our Hair

06:29 Going Gray and Society's Beauty Standards

09:52 How Hair Changes Affect Confidence and Femininity

14:37 Andrea's Journey After 15 Years of Hair Extensions

17:19 Gray Hair, Menopause, and Midlife Dating

19:52 How Health and Hormones Affect Our Hair

24:38 Menopause Hair Loss and When to Seek Help

26:40 Is Wanting to Look Younger Really Wrong?

29:31 Challenging Our Beauty Beliefs

32:05 Let's Talk About Pubic Hair and Aging

37:00 The Lasting Impact of Comments About Our Appearance

40:00 Redefining Beauty and Femininity

42:11 Keep It or Kick It: Midlife Beauty Standards

50:06 Reinventing Your Look and Defining Beauty for Yourself

We want to hear from you! Have you experienced thinning hair, unexpected grays, or changes in how you feel about your appearance during menopause? We'd love to hear your story!

Follow Menopause Love Lounge, leave us a five star rating and review, and share this episode with a girlfriend who's navigating midlife alongside you.

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

He came in to say goodnight. He hadn’t asked for a thing. So why did it feel like one demand too many?

Irritability in menopause and midlife can be confusing, especially when it shows up with someone you love. Are you upset with them? Are you overstimulated, exhausted, or in need of time that belongs only to you? And what happens to a relationship when you don’t know which it is yet?

This week, Laurie shares the moment her husband interrupted her first few minutes of quiet and how they found a better way to handle it. We also talk about the physical changes that can affect our capacity, the invisible work women often carry at home, and the difference between taking space to recover and pulling away from everyone.

You’ll hear us explore what your irritation may be asking you to notice, how to tell someone what you need before you reach your limit, and why a difficult moment with your partner doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation.

If you’ve ever thought, “I love this person, so why can’t I handle one more thing from them?” well then..press play.

Welcome to the Lounge!

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Cold Open: Conflict, Repair & Changing Tolerance

00:32 Menopause Love Lounge Intro

01:01 Why Is Everyone Suddenly So Annoying?

03:34 When Low Tolerance Becomes Selective Tolerance

05:36 People Pleasing, Social Media & Emotional Burnout

07:30 Conflict, Repair & Your Window of Tolerance

10:09 When You Can’t “Mindset” Your Way Out of It

12:51 Boundaries, Discernment & Outgrowing Relationships

15:45 FOMO to FOGO: The Fear of Going Out

17:00 Why Alone Time Becomes Non-Negotiable

20:33 Understanding What Your Body Is Telling You

24:34 Dating, Friendship & Trusting Yourself Again

29:18 The Stats: Rage, Emotional Labor & Midlife Burnout

31:13 Who’s Carrying the Invisible Load?

35:18 Protecting Your Peace vs. Isolating Yourself

36:39 Legs Wide Open: Nope or Absolutely Yes

38:38 Phone Calls, Hosting & Things We No Longer Tolerate

43:53 Houseguests, Touching & Personal Space

46:32 Do We Really Have to Respond to Every Text?

49:17 Sometimes You Just Need Everyone to Leave You Alone

50:37 Final Thoughts & Listener Callout

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

Menopause R & R Promo

Rate & Review

What happens when the man you love can't get an erection?

For many women, the first thought is, "Is it me?" But erectile dysfunction is often about so much more than attraction.

In this honest and compassionate episode of Menopause Love Lounge, the ladies tackle one of the most common yet least discussed challenges couples face in midlife. From low testosterone and performance anxiety to trauma, stress, aging and emotional connection, this conversation explores why erectile dysfunction affects both partners and how couples can navigate it together.

While we share plenty of laughter throughout the episode, our goal is never to make light of erectile dysfunction itself. Instead, we use humor the way close friends often do to ease the discomfort around difficult conversations and create a safe space to talk openly about a topic that carries so much unnecessary shame.

You'll hear personal stories, expert insights, surprising statistics and practical advice for maintaining intimacy even when sex doesn't go exactly as planned.

• Why ED is rarely just a physical issue

• Why women often blame themselves

• The connection between stress, hormones, trauma and intimacy

• Performance anxiety and the emotional impact on men

• How to communicate without increasing shame

• Creative ways to stay connected beyond intercourse

• Viagra, testosterone and treatment conversations

• Why emotional safety is often creates deeper intimacy

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why we're finally talking about erectile dysfunction

01:10 How ED affects both partners emotionally

02:05 Performance anxiety, trauma or health?

06:50 Why women often think it's their fault

09:00 Andrea shares her personal dating experience

12:00 Testosterone, mental health & masculinity

16:20 When couples should have the conversation

20:10 Body image, shame & emotional intimacy

27:20 Surprising erectile dysfunction statistics

29:40 Viagra, testosterone & treatment options

31:45 Bedroom innovations beyond intercourse

38:00 Final thoughts

Listen Here: Audio

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Menopause Love Lounge. Be sure to follow the show so you never miss future conversations about menopause, relationships, intimacy, health and thriving in midlife.

Sometimes the best conversations are simply women sharing what they genuinely love.

In this special episode of Menopause Love Lounge, we're putting the hot flashes and hormone talk on pause and sharing the products, books, beauty finds, music, snacks, and everyday essentials that have become our absolute favorites.

From Ryze Mushroom Coffee and Luminess Air Foundation to Forrest Frank's music, Grant Knoche's latest songs, the Woozoo fan from Costco, Rescue Remedy Pastilles, and the novel Yesteryear, we're giving you our honest recommendations. Nothing is sponsored. These are simply the things we'd tell our best friends to buy.

Whether you're looking for beauty products that work for mature skin, wellness favorites, or just a few new ideas to brighten your day, we hope you'll discover something new to love.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to our Favorite Things episode

04:08 Forrest Frank's music and why it inspires us

07:18 The must read book Yesteryear

08:57 Grant Knoche's music and the Woozoo Costco fan

11:21 Favorite finds under $25 including Ryze Mushroom Coffee

15:55 Affordable beauty products we swear by

17:15 Luminess Air Foundation for mature skin

29:40 Our newest obsessions including the Ember Mug and auto curling iron

44:20 Favorite snacks, wellness habits, and everyday essentials

50:31 Our favorite podcasts and where to find us

A few links to a few of our favorite things:

From Mrs to Ms Podcast

Laurie Gerber Relationship Quiz

Wellegant Woman

America's Favorite Couple Voting

Dear Divorce Diary Podcast

Tymo Curl Iron

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ Audio: Menopause Love Lounge

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

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Have you ever snapped over something tiny... forgotten words in the middle of a conversation... or wondered, "What is happening to me?"

You're not crazy, and you're definitely not alone.

In this episode of Menopause Love Lounge, we're diving into two of the most misunderstood symptoms of menopause: rage and brain fog.

Our panel shares honest personal stories about losing patience, forgetting simple things, emotional overload, and learning how to navigate this season with more compassion instead of shame.

We also explore:

• Why menopause rage isn't simply "losing your temper"

• The surprising connection between hormones, inflammation, and brain fog

• How trauma, stress, and years of people pleasing can amplify symptoms

• Why so many women feel like they're losing themselves during midlife

• Practical ways to communicate your needs without guilt

• A hilarious round of Menopause Court: Rage Edition, where we decide if these real life reactions are guilty... or completely justified.

If you've ever wondered whether it's menopause or you're just losing your mind, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone and there are real reasons behind what you're experiencing.

🎧 Follow, subscribe, and share this episode with another woman who needs to hear it.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Menopause Rage & Brain Fog

01:50 Personal experiences with menopause rage

10:40 Why suppressed emotions eventually explode

19:30 Brain fog, memory lapses & hosting podcasts

24:35 Is menopause an explanation or an excuse?

29:45 The surprising statistics on menopause rage & brain fog

31:30 Why brain fog is so scary for high achieving women

35:55 Can menopause actually become a gift?

39:10 Menopause Court: Rage Edition begins

50:00 Final thoughts & how to share your own rage story

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

From Mrs to Ms Dating & Relationship Podcast

Welcome back to the very first episode of Menopause Love Lounge—the conversation that started it all.

As we prepare Season 3, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes for those who may have joined us later. And honestly...this conversation is just as relevant today as it was when we first recorded it.

We're talking about body image, aging, beauty standards, self-worth, cosmetic procedures, identity, and the pressure women feel to look a certain way as we move through menopause and midlife.

If you've ever looked in the mirror and wondered where the woman you used to be went...this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• Why so many women struggle with body image during menopause
• The emotional impact of aging and changing identity
• Botox, fillers and cosmetic procedures: empowerment or pressure?
• Our honest Hot Flash Confessions
• Learning to redefine beauty on your own terms
• Why self-acceptance is one of the hardest parts of midlife

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Menopause Love Lounge

02:55 Aging, identity & changing body image

10:25 The pressure to look young

12:00 Childhood messages that shaped how we see ourselves

16:30 Botox, fillers & self-acceptance

20:20 Celebrity culture and menopause beauty standards

24:00 Hot Flash Confessions begin

33:30 Wanting a baby in your 40s

35:20 Final thoughts

Stay connected with the Menopause Love Lounge:

▶ YouTube: @MenopauseLoveLounge

◎ Instagram: @menopauselovelounge

♪ TikTok: @menopauselovelounge

🌐 Website: www.menopauselovelounge.com

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

From Mrs to Ms Dating & Relationship Podcast

Why do so many women become more confident after 40?

In this episode of Menopause Love Lounge, we're diving into the surprising confidence shift that happens during midlife. From letting go of people pleasing to setting stronger boundaries, dating after divorce, body confidence, and finally trusting ourselves, this conversation is packed with honest stories and practical insights.

Our panel shares the personal moments that changed everything, including why divorce can actually become a confidence booster, how healthy boundaries create more freedom, and why so many women stop performing for approval and start living authentically.

In this episode:

• Why healthy boundaries create more freedom, not less
• The surprising confidence that comes from dating after divorce
• Learning to trust yourself instead of seeking validation
• Why many women care less about external approval in midlife
• The research behind confidence, body image, and aging
• How community and female friendships help us grow
• Why writing a dating profile can teach you who you really are
• The difference between performing for others and living authentically

Plus, we wrap things up with a hilarious round of "Absolutely Yes or Hard Pass," revealing the things we've completely outgrown after 40.

Timestamp

00:00 Why Women Become More Confident After 40

01:21 Personal Confidence Stories

04:16 Healthy Boundaries

10:12 What Real Confidence Looks Like

20:13 Divorce & Dating Build Confidence

24:08 Andrea's Confidence Journey

27:50 Dating Profiles Reveal Who You Are

33:19 The Science of Confidence After 40

35:09 Does Invisibility Create Freedom?

42:17 Absolutely Yes or Hard Pass

DM

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow Menopause Love Lounge, leave us a 5 star review, and send this episode to a friend.

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Mentioned in this episode:

From Mrs to Ms Dating & Relationship Podcast