277. Menopause Without Overwhelm: Choice, Compassion, and the Power of the Pause with Dr. Susan Baumgaertel
Whether you're in perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause—or supporting someone who is—this episode is full of gentle truths and nourishing permission to live this season with intention, softness, and spaciousness.
Dr. Susan Baumgaertel is a profoundly thoughtful and creative physician who passionately reframes menopause around nourishment, pleasure, and presence at its center. With decades of experience in internal medicine and a unique blend of architectural and artistic insight, Susan offers a menu of supportive, holistic, and empowering approaches for midlife and beyond.
Susan shares her own personal and professional pivots, the birth of her book The Menopause Menu, and how she is using her voice and wisdom to help women navigate midlife on their own terms—without overwhelm, shame, or shoulds.
Pearls of Wisdom:
Menopause can be a time of pleasure, choice, and curiosity—not just a list of things to fix. Think of it as a nourishing multi-course "menu", not a checklist.
Small, thoughtful shifts what Susan calls “micro-pivots” and can lead to meaningful transformation. You don’t have to throw it all out to create a new path.
Rather than immediately reaching for a solution, take time to pause, reflect, and listen to your body. Sustainable nourishment comes from alignment, not urgency.
Food, body image, and health can all be approached with compassion and joy. Sugar can be healing. A walk can be creative. Your body can be art.
The system may be broken, but your experience doesn’t have to be. Personal time, presence, and honest conversations with yourself can make a profound difference.
Reflection Questions:
What would love do for you in menopause?
What’s on your personal “menopause menu”? What are you choosing to nourish yourself with?
How might you meet yourself with more grace and curiosity in this phase of life?
What story are you telling about your body, and what would it feel like to tell a more generous one?
If you're seeking deeper support during your own transition into midlife or menopause. I invite you to join me for 1:1 coaching, where you can rediscover ease, purpose, and peace in this next phase of life:
www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching
Or nourish yourself at a restorative, plant-forward retreat with me and like-minded women physicians:
www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats
If you're interested in inviting me to speak or lead a workshop for your team, conference, or institution, reach out here:
www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking
You can find Susan and her work, including her book, "The Menopause Menu", and her new conversation series, “Voices with Vigor”, at www.menopausemenu.com. Her refreshing and wise perspective offers a breath of fresh air in today’s noisy menopause space.
More about Dr. Susan Baumgaertel
She began her internal medicine practice in 1996, encompassing a wide range of clinical work over the years. In 2021, she stepped away from direct patient care to expand her impact through myMDadvocate, a virtual consultation and advocacy service that serves as a bridge between patients and the often-complex healthcare system. As a physician consultant, healthcare navigator, and medical advocate, she helps people navigate a range of issues, from referral advocacy and chronic condition management to aging gracefully and supporting caregivers through their most challenging moments. Her passion for helping women through life transitions led to the creation of MenopauseMenu, a comprehensive online resource offering evidence-based information and holistic support. This work formed the foundation for her 2023 book, “The Menopause Menu”—an all-in-one guide that transforms medical complexity into accessible wisdom. She has just launched a talk show, Voices With Vigor, showcasing guests from diverse backgrounds who share common threads of curiosity, kindness, dedication, and resilience.
*Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.