DETROIT – Menopause is inevitable in a woman’s life, but when it happens, most women aren’t prepared.
Background: The Talk -- Women break the silence to overcome the myths, stigma of Menopause
In fact, in a 2023 online survey, 49% of women said they were not informed at all before menopause, 45% had some knowledge, and barely 5% felt very informed. But there’s a local doctor who’s made it her mission to change that by educating the community one talk and one TikTok at a time.
She calls her seminars Surviving your Second Puberty, Turning Teen for Women.
Puberty is when your hormones start working, and menopause is when they stop.
Dr. Carrie Leff is an internist, pediatrician, and certified menopause provider at Henry Ford Health. She’s also an influencer on social media. Her goal is to get women comfortable talking and asking questions about menopause and letting women know there are options and you don’t have to suffer in silence.
“What am I hoping she could tell me? I’m hoping that she could tell me what to expect from menopause, what strategies I can use to support any symptoms that I might be uncomfortable with,” said Nicole Stewart from Huntington Woods.
Based on the turnout at her latest talk in Bloomfield Hills, women have a lot of questions, and we’re not talking about it nearly enough.
“There’s a lot of confusion and a lot of misunderstanding in the menopause space,” said Karen Berris, who attended the talk. “And I think her talks are fantastic. And really highlight what women need to know.”
“I came because we spend a lot of time preparing our daughters for puberty. I have a 13-year-old daughter. I spend a lot of time working with her and preparing her, getting her excited, getting her ready and prepared,” Stewart said. “And the flip side of that transition is menopause. I’m 42, and I don’t know what to expect.”
Dr Leff’s talks are relaxed, friendly, and informal. They cover everything from perimenopause and treatment options to the history of why our culture has such a high tolerance for women suffering.
“Menopause has been something that historically people haven’t really talked about,” Goldstein said. “It is having a moment right now. But the more we can hear from professionals and not hear hearsay or what are friends are doing. It’s a very individual kind of situation. And to hear from a medical doctor who has a lot of experience with this with other patients is very valuable.”