What happens when you reach midlife, realize no one prepared you for what your body is doing… and decide to start asking better questions?

 

In this episode, I sit down with Bridgett Garratt, co-host of the podcast Hot Flashes & Cool Topics, for an honest and energizing conversation about menopause, midlife reinvention, and the power of women speaking openly about their experiences. We talk about how menopause showed up in Bridgett’s body through intense hot flashes and night sweats, the surprise of learning how little formal medical training exists around midlife women’s health, and what it really means to advocate for yourself when something does not feel right. Bridgett also shares what it has looked like to build something new in midlife — hosting live events, interviewing celebrity guests and physicians, and navigating motherhood and caregiving along the way.

 

This episode is a reminder that midlife is not a decline. It is a pivot. And when women speak honestly about what they are experiencing, everything begins to shift.

 

In this episode, we explore:

• How Bridgett turned empty nest uncertainty into a six-year podcast journey
• The many faces of menopause, from hot flashes to brain fog to vaginal dryness
• Why self-advocacy in healthcare is essential, especially in midlife
• The role of lifestyle, stress regulation, and health span in long-term wellness
• What it takes to reinvent yourself and build something meaningful after 50
• Why women need spaces to talk honestly about what is really happening

 

About Bridgett and Colleen:

Colleen Rosenblum and Bridgett Garratt met 10 years ago when they became empty nesters, newly settling and living in the same neighborhood. Six years ago while having lunch with friends, they were discussing how they can't find answers to the questions that they had about this time of life. They decided to create a podcast to research the topics that midlife women find the most intriguing. In the process, they have met numerous experts in a number of fields as well as met hundreds of fantastic midlife women living their best lives. The most rewarding part of this journey has been learning about the joys of this time of life that is not usually discussed for women. 

 

Connect with them:

https://www.instagram.com/hotflashesandcooltopics

https://www.youtube.com/@HotFlashesCoolTopics

https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashescooltopics2

https://www.facebook.com/hotflashescooltopics

Connect with Tessa:

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/tessa_guevara/
• Website: https://www.tessaguevara.com/click-me
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