Pleasure in the Pause: Midlife Conversations About Menopause, Sex & Pleasure

What happens when your child's mental health crisis becomes your entire world and you quietly lose yourself in the process? In this debut episode of Return to Her, a new monthly series on Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with lifestyle host and midlife influencer Lizzie Bermudez for an honest conversation about walking through over three years of her daughter's mental health struggles while putting...

Have you ever looked at your long-term partner and wondered: Is this still the connection I want? Who are we now? Can we feel close again? If you've reached midlife and found yourself in a relationship that feels more like roommates than lovers, if the spark has faded and you're not sure how to reignite it, or if you're navigating the dating world again after years away, this episode is for you.

Gabriella Espinosa sit...

When you look in the mirror, what's the first story you tell yourself about your body? If you're like most midlife women, that internal dialogue is often rooted in criticism, comparison, and the relentless pressure to "fix" an aging body that was never broken in the first place.

In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa sits down with registered dietitian and body image coach Deb Benfield ...

Are you doing all the "right things" for your menopause symptoms—hormone therapy, nutrition, exercise, stress management—but still not feeling like yourself? 

In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes back licensed psychotherapist Ashley Turner for a groundbreaking conversation about psychedelic-assisted therapy and microdosing as complementary support during the menopause transition.

Ashley ...

Are you experiencing low libido, loss of sexual desire, or intimacy challenges during perimenopause or menopause? In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa joins Dr. Anna Cabeca on The Girlfriend Doctor Show to share her deeply personal story of sexual awakening during midlife. 

Together, they address one of the most common yet rarely discussed symptoms of perimenopause: the complete loss of sexual desire. Gab...

Are you feeling the weight of another year passing while navigating the changes of perimenopause and menopause? Do you struggle to make sense of midlife transitions—the shifting hormones, changing body, evolving desires, and the pressure to have it all figured out? In this intimate end-of-year solo episode of Pleasure In The Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa guides you through a reflective journey to release what no longer serves you a...

Are you struggling with hormone therapy that isn't working? Wondering why testosterone for women is so hard to access? Feeling confused about vaginal estrogen warnings? This special Best of 2025 episode of Pleasure In The Pause tackles the most pressing questions midlife women asked this year about hormone optimization, sexual satisfaction, and reclaiming pleasure during perimenopause and menopause.

Host Gabriela Espinosa revis...

Struggling with vaginal dryness, decreased sensitivity, or feeling disconnected from your body in midlife? You're not alone. In this solo episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa shares her personally tested intimate wellness tools and self-care rituals that support vulva vitality, arousal, and sensual connection during menopause and beyond. From vaginal moisturizers and arousal oils to vibrators backed by res...

Do you feel invisible as a woman over 40? Struggling with body image after menopause, weight gain, or breast cancer? Wondering if you're "too old" to feel sexy and confident again? In this transformative episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes portrait and boudoir photographer Felicia Reed for an intimate conversation about reclaiming your sensuality, worthiness, and power in midlife.

Felicia...

Struggling with low libido, painful sex, or poor sleep during menopause? There's a science-backed wellness tool that can help with all of these symptoms and more—but it's been wrapped in shame for far too long. In this episode, we're having an honest, research-based conversation about vibrators as legitimate health tools for midlife women, and why sexual wellness is essential wellness. This episode explores how vibra...

Looking in the mirror and not recognizing your body anymore? Despite eating well and staying active, your body keeps changing in ways that feel beyond your control. Your jeans don't fit, your belly feels thicker, and your old fitness routine just isn't working.

In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa talks with menopause fitness specialist Megan Dahlman about what's really happening to your b...

Are you navigating perimenopause or menopause and feeling disconnected from yourself? This episode of Pleasure in the Pause explores how gratitude can be a powerful tool for calming your nervous system, managing midlife symptoms, and finding meaning during this transformative phase. Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Dr. Deepti Gandhi, a board-certified family medicine physician and menopause specialist, to uncover the neuroscience b...

Have you been living with debilitating hot flashes, sleepless nights, or painful intercourse because you're terrified hormone therapy will give you cancer? What if everything you've been told about menopause treatment has been wrong?

In this urgent episode of Pleasure In the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa reveals a seismic shift in women's healthcare: the FDA has just eliminated the fear-based black box warnings that h...

Feeling stuck in the unsettling space between who you were and who you're becoming? If you're navigating midlife transitions—whether it's empty nest, perimenopause, aging parents, or shifting identity—this episode of Pleasure in the Pause offers a transformative perspective on living consciously through change.

Host Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Ann Tashi Slater to explore the Buddhist concept of "bardo"—...

Are you struggling with anxiety, sleeplessness, and low libido in perimenopause—even after starting hormone therapy? You're doing everything right, but still feel wired, exhausted, and disconnected from pleasure. The missing piece might surprise you: it's your nervous system.

In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa reveals why balancing hormones alone isn't enough. Groundbreaking research from...

Rediscovering yourself after divorce—especially during midlife and menopause—can feel overwhelming. When decades of partnership end, you're left asking: Who am I now? What do I really want? And if you're thinking about dating again, how do you navigate desire, boundaries, and intimacy in this completely new chapter?

Dr. Jasmonae Joyriel, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Ignite Anew, helps high-performing indiv...

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Are you struggling with anxiety, brain fog, sleepless nights, and exhaustin...

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Struggling with hot flashes, anxiety, sleepless nights, or joint pain durin...

Navigating menopause as a Latina woman often means facing it alone—without adequate information, representation, or community support. On this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa sits down with Emmy-winning journalist and entrepreneur Gaby Natale to discuss how she's revolutionizing menopause education for Latinas through her groundbreaking bilingual platform, Menopausia.com.

Whether you're struggling ...