In this episode of the Midlife Reclaimed Podcast, I’m joined by Clinical Psychologist Kirstin Bouse — widely known as The Midlife Psychologist — for an important conversation about hormones, mental health, and identity in midlife women.
We explore how hormonal transitions such as perimenopause and menopause can influence mood, anxiety, burnout, neurodivergence, and overall psychological wellbeing. This life stage often brings multiple shifts at once — physical, emotional, relational, and identity-based — and it’s rarely just one factor affecting how women feel.
Together, we unpack why midlife can feel unexpectedly intense, how hormonal changes interact with mental health across the lifespan, and why understanding this connection can be empowering rather than alarming. We also talk about the identity reorganisation that often occurs in midlife — that sense of asking Who am I now? — and how this can become a meaningful opportunity for self-understanding rather than simply a crisis.
If you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, burnout, emotional fatigue, or simply noticing changes in yourself during midlife, this conversation offers reassurance, insight, and practical understanding.
You’re not imagining it — and you’re certainly not alone.
The Midlife Reclaimed Podcast has been nominated in the Women in Podcasting Awards, recognising podcasts created by women making an impact through meaningful conversations and storytelling. Find out more here https://www.womenpodcasters.com/awards Voting opens in April 2026. We'd love your support.
Guest: Kirstin Bouse is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with nearly 30 years’ experience supporting women through life’s most complex transitions. Her work focuses particularly on midlife mental health, menopause, identity shifts, and the psychological impact of hormonal change across the lifespan.
She is the founder of All About Her – The Centre for Menopause, a multidisciplinary initiative dedicated to improving access to menopause-informed health care and psychological support for women. Kirstin has worked across hospitals, universities, correctional settings, and private practice, and is widely recognised for her advocacy in women’s mental health during midlife.
Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience of perimenopause, burnout, and neurodivergence, Kirstin is passionate about helping women better understand themselves, access informed support, and navigate midlife with greater clarity, self-trust, and wellbeing.
Connect with Kirstin
🌐 Website (Psychology Practice & Programs):
https://kirstinbousepsych.com.au
🌐 All About Her – The Centre for Menopause:
https://www.allabouthercentre.com.au
📸 Instagram:
@the_midlife_psychologist
@allabouthercentre
✉️ Contact:
Best via the contact forms on either website.
Host: Shannon Swales: Clinical Psychologist, award-winning author, and midlife woman who’s walked through burnout and come out the other side. Shannon combines clinical wisdom with lived experience to support others navigating chronic stress, burnout, and big life transitions. Through gentle conversations and evidence-based insights, she helps women reconnect with themselves, reclaim their energy, and grow through what once felt like breaking points.
If you enjoy the Midlife Reclaimed Podcast, join our community:
• Midlife Reclaimed Online Community - a place to come back home to self - https://midlife-reclaimed.mn.co/
• Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn @shannon.a.swales
• 1:1 Therapy: www.shannonaswales.com/therapy
Subscribe to my Mailing List: www.shannonaswales.com/subscribe and receive a free eJournal to assist in coming back to yourself.
Disclaimer: This podcast does not create a therapist-client relationship with Shannon A Swales. The views expressed are general & not a substitute for personalised therapy. If in distress, seek professional help. Remember—you don’t have to face your struggles alone.
DisclaimerEngaging with this podcast does not intend to create, nor does it create, a therapist-client relationship between you and Shannon A Swales. All views, opinions, and tips expressed by me or my guests are general in nature and not a replacement for personalised therapy. As I have done for myself, I encourage anyone experiencing distress to seek professional support. In Australia, if you are in a life-threatening emergency, please dial 000. For immediate counselling, contact Lifeline (13 11 14) or 13YARN (13 92 76) for First Nation Australians. Stay safe, and remember—you don’t have to face your struggles alone.
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