Menopause and Vaginal Health: Your Vagina Isn't Retiring
Last week, I took the stage at a comedy club in my hometown of Houston for Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith's…
Pleasure in the Pause
Conversations about midlife, pleasure, sexual wellness and aging well. New episodes every Wednesday, with doctors and experts, and sometimes just me.
Hosted by Gabriella Espinosa · 121 episodes
Menopause and Vaginal Health: Your Vagina Isn't Retiring
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Friendship in Midlife: Hormones, Connection & Building Community
Gabriella sits down with Nandita Mahadevan, founder of Sol Women, a community in Austin, Texas that brings…
Duty Sex: Saying Yes When Part of You Means No
Gabriella sits down with Dr. Holly Richmond to discuss desire, self-abandonment, and what it actually takes…
Unlocking Sexual Longevity: A Midlife Guide
Gabriella sits down with Dr. Peter Castillo to open Sexual Health Awareness Month with one of the most…
The September Shift: How to Get Back Into Go Mode With More Ease
Gabriella draws on the go and flow framework from Michaela Boehm's The Wild Woman's Way to explore one…
How to Take the Vacation Version of You Home: More Pleasure, Presence & Connection
Gabriella explores what the vacation version of you can teach you about presence, pleasure, and connection…
Love in Midlife: Navigating Intimacy and Change
Gabriella joins Dr. Tina Sogocio for conversation about what it actually takes to keep love alive through one…
The Power of Comfort: Rethinking Sexual Wellness in Menopause
Intimate wellness is not about sex.
Finding Safety in Your Body: Robyn Parets on Healing through Nervous System Regulation
Gabriella sits down with Robyn Parets, yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator, and nervous system coach, for one…
Menopause, Work & Your Next Chapter
Gabriella sits down with Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation…
The Menopause Conversation Every Couple Needs to Have
Gabriella sits down with Sari Cooper, AASECT-certified sex therapist and founder of the Center for Love and Sex…
How Co-Regulation Deepens Intimacy (No Sex Required)
Gabriella introduces one of the most powerful and underused concepts in relationship science: co-regulation.
The Perimenopause Revolution: What Your Body Is Actually Telling You
Gabriella sits down with Dr. Mariza Snyder for one of the most layered and honest conversations this show has…
Midlife, Sobriety, And Returning To Yourself
Gabriella sits down with Ashley Kelsch, writer, coach, and somatic practitioner who helps midlife women change…
From Survival Mode To Self-Connection: A Nervous System Reset For Midlife Women
Gabriella shares one of the most foundational concepts in nervous system work, the window of tolerance…
The Menopause Gut: The Missing Link Between Hormones, Mood, Sleep & Energy
Your gut holds 40 trillion bacteria, makes 90 percent of your serotonin, and houses 70 percent of your immune…
Hormone Therapy After Breast Cancer: Breaking Down The Fear, Myths & Research
Dr. Hardwick Smith walks us through what the research actually says about hormones and breast cancer…
Untamed Pleasure: The Keys To Unlocking Desire In Midlife
Gabriella welcomes back somatic psychotherapist, sex therapist, and author Carly Mountain for one of the most…
Learning To Trust Your Body Again After Surgical Menopause
In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, Gabriella sits down with Julie for an honest, practical, and deeply…
When Mother's Day Hurts, Modern Loss, Grief, and Finding Meaning
Whether Mother's Day brings up something heavy for you this year or you are simply learning to live alongside…
How To Find Your Way Back To Pleasure: Healing Trauma
Gabriella and Brooke Bralove go deep into what trauma actually is, how it lives in the nervous system, and how…
Celebrating 100 Episodes Of Pleasure In The Pause: What These Conversations Have Revealed
Gabriella Espinosa steps out from behind the microphone and into the hot seat, interviewed by her friend…
Your Body Is Speaking, Here's How To Listen (A Simple Practice For Midlife Women)
Gabriella Espinosa explores what intimacy actually requires, not performance, not perfect words…
When Longing Becomes Your Lover: Understanding Romantic Obsession And Finding Your Way Back To Authentic Love
At the heart of this conversation is a truth so many midlife women are quietly sitting with: we are all…
This Is 60: A New Way to Step Into This Decade
This is not a list of anti-aging tips.
Dressing For The Woman You're Becoming: Style, Aging & Self-Discovery
This episode explores what it means to open your closet not with pressure but with curiosity, how to dress…
How To Build Meaningful Female Friendships In Midlife
This solo episode explores why friendship in midlife is not a luxury but essential to your health…
Weight Loss vs. Weight Health: The Hormone Truth About GLP-1, Metabolism, and Your Body
Gabriella and Ashley Koff explore the concept of weight health versus weight loss, why the number on the scale…
Rewriting the Rules of Sex in Midlife: Dr Maria Sophocles on the Bedroom Gap
Gabriella Espinosa and Dr. Maria Sophocles they explore what is actually happening to women's bodies…
Your Midlife Vitality Blueprint: How To Thrive In Your 50s, 60s & Beyond
Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Dr. Noor Al-Humaidhi, a board-certified family physician, menopause…
The Cost of Quiet: Relationship Advice for Midlife Women
Colette joined me on Pleasure in the Pause to talk about her new book, The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard…
The Business of Pleasure: Tools for Self-Love in Midlife with Oboo founder Amy St. Germain
Amy St. Germain shares her journey from 25 years in corporate to starting Oboo, a sexual wellness company…
Motherhood, Mental Health And Return To Self With Lizzie Bermudez [Return to Her Series]
Lizzie Bermudez shares an honest conversation about walking through over three years of her daughter's mental…
The Intimate Animal: Why We're Wired For Love, Desire, And Connection In Midlife
Gabriella Espinosa sits down with Dr. Justin Garcia, evolutionary biologist, Executive Director…
Unapologetic Aging: How to Build a Loving Relationship with Your Midlife Body
Deb shares insights from her new book Unapologetic Aging: How to Mend and Nourish Your Relationship…
Psychedelics, Menopause & Mental Health: What Midlife Women Need to Know
If you've been curious about psychedelics but didn't know where to start, this episode offers education…
Breaking the Silence: Reclaiming Sexual Desire and Pleasure During Menopause
Gabriella Espinosa joins Dr. Anna Cabeca on The Girlfriend Doctor Show to share her deeply personal story…
Midlife Reflections: What 2025 Taught Me About Menopause, Pleasure & Aging Well
As you close out 2025 and step into the new year, remember this truth: your pleasure has no expiration date.
The Best of 2025: Hormones, Desire & Pleasure for Midlife Women
This special Best of 2025 episode of Pleasure In The Pause tackles the most pressing questions midlife women…
Top Products and Rituals for Intimate Wellness & Self-Care
Intimate wellness isn't optional or indulgent, it's essential self-care that supports your comfort…
Boudoir Photography for Women Over 40: Reclaim Your Confidence
You keep waiting to feel ready to love your body again, but what if the problem isn't your body at all?
The Good Vibes Episode: Vibrators, Libido, and Midlife Sexual Wellness
Self-pleasure scored 4.35 out of 5 for easing menopause symptoms, ahead of diet, exercise, and supplements…
How To Reclaim Body Confidence And Build Strength After 40
A bathroom scale can show a three percent swing in body fat between morning and afternoon. Losing three…
Gratitude, Mindset & Menopause: Small Shifts That Change Everything
Eighty percent of autoimmune disease happens to women. One theory: repressed anger and bottled emotion do not…
FDA Removes Black Box Warning From Hormone Therapy: What Women Need To Know In 2025
80 percent of women get menopausal symptoms. Five percent get treated for them.
Midlife As A Living Bardo: How To Embrace Change And Find Peace
Nine days into a mystery illness the head doctor said the words no patient wants to hear: we don't know what's…
Nervous System Regulation for Menopause: Reduce Stress and Increase Pleasure
Ovaries age first. Before the lungs, before the liver, they show scarring and inflammation years earlier…
Dating After Divorce in Midlife: Rebuilding Identity, Desire & Connection
Women going through menopause are two and a half times more likely to initiate divorce. A quarter of them say…
Lifestyle Medicine for Menopause: 6 Pillars to Restore Energy, Sleep & Hormonal Balance
Hot flashes. Hormones. That is the whole story menopause usually gets. Brain, mood, metabolism, sleep, nervous…
Second Spring: Transforming Menopause Through Yoga and Mindfulness
Hot flashes, anxiety, and sleepless nights don't have to control your menopause experience.
Breaking Cultural Barriers: Gaby Natale on Resilience, Reinvention, and Menopause
Medically-induced menopause threw Gaby Natale into hot flashes, insomnia, and confusion with no warning.
Is Silence Costing You Your Health (and Your Pleasure)?
Learn why sexual health isn't optional, it's essential to your overall wellbeing in perimenopause, menopause…
The Girlfriend Doctor's Essential Guide to Intimate Wellness for Midlife Women
Based on insights from Dr. Anna Cabeca, a triple board-certified physician specializing in women's health…
Finding Your Way Back to Pleasure After Surgical Menopause
Dr. Juliana Hauser explores how women can reclaim their sexuality, rediscover pleasure, and find their way…
From Empty Nest to Open Door: Reclaiming Your Whole Self After College Drop-Off
This in-depth guide walks you through the emotional complexity of the empty nest transition that millions…
Is Your HRT Working for You? A Complete Guide to Hormone Therapy Optimization
Is your hormone therapy leaving you with brain fog, sleepless nights, and stubborn weight gain?
A Historic Day for Women's Health: Inside the FDA Expert Panel on Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy
Menopause at the highest level of government?
From Silence to Satisfaction: 10 Steps to Communicate About Pleasure
Do you have no words to describe intimate changes in midlife?
The Anatomy of Pleasure: A Midlife Guide to Body Awareness
Thirty to forty-five minutes. That is what most women need for full arousal. Most men need thirty seconds…
Midlife Private Parts: Stories to Inspire Your Next Chapter
Midlife is not about shrinking; it is about revealing more of who you are.
Millennial Menopause: Prepare for Life's Next Period with Confidence
Many millennial women are navigating hormonal shifts and life's demands feeling unprepared.
How to Give Words to Your Deepest Wants and Desires
What if your best sexual years are still ahead of you?
How to Honor Your Body's Midlife Evolution (Instead of Fighting the Changes)
Learn the gentle shaking practice and journaling prompts that release years of body judgment and help you see…
Body Wisdom for Women Over 40: How to Listen When Your Body Speaks
Feel like a stranger in your own body since perimenopause?
12 Life-Changing Lessons That Made My 50s the Most Powerful Decade Yet
Society expects midlife women to fade into the background, but these 12 lessons prove that your 50s can be…
Menopause Got You Disconnected? Try These 5 Pathways to Reconnection
Menopause can feel like losing your spark.
The Midlife Mother's Guide to Pleasure, Desire, and Coming Home to Yourself
Find your path back to pleasure after motherhood with mindfulness practices, conversation starters…
The Top 5 Pleasure Principles Every Woman Needs in Midlife
Midlife isn't the end of pleasure.
How a Health Coach Can Transform Your Midlife Wellness Journey
Learn how Jill Foos transformed her own health challenges into a blueprint for helping women navigate…
Sleep Solutions for Midlife Women: Proven Strategies to Overcome Insomnia and Restore Energy
Tired of staring at the ceiling at 3 AM?
A New Era for Women's Sexual Health Arrives (Through Red Light and Tech Innovation)
The future of women's sexual health combines cutting-edge technology with accessibility, offering hope…
These 5 Conversations Will Change How You See Pleasure In Midlife
Five revolutionary discussions with top experts that bust myths about female pleasure and provide practical…
The Art of Holding Space for Your Midlife Transformation
What happens when the life you've built no longer fits the woman you've become?
Reclaiming Pleasure & Intimacy After Breast Cancer
When breast cancer forced Teyonna Bowman into early menopause at age 40, she thought her intimate life was…
Extending Your Sexspan: The Key to Lifelong Pleasure
The latest science shows that sexual wellness is crucial for longevity.
What The Film Babygirl Reveals About Women's Sexual Desire & Fantasy After 40
Nicole Kidman's groundbreaking film Babygirl shatters myths about midlife female sexuality.
How Your Body's Wisdom Guides You Through Menopause
A Yale-trained MD shares why menopause isn't a diagnosis to fix but a natural transition your body already…
Fitness Motivation for Women Over 50: From Resolution to Lifelong Habit
Lost your fitness momentum?
Your Body's Sleep Switch: A Nervous System Solution for Midlife Women
Our body wants to sleep – it just needs to feel safe first.
The Truth About Testosterone for Women in Midlife
Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith reveals the truth about testosterone's critical role in women's health and why proper…
Becoming Cliterate: Redefining Sexual Satisfaction in Midlife
Did you know that 70% of women fake orgasms?
A Fresh Toolkit for Your 2025 Midlife Reinvention (A Step-by-Step Guide)
Ready to make 2025 your year of purposeful transformation?
Your Holiday Gift Awaits Inside Your Own Body
Transform your holiday season with the most overlooked gift of all - the power of self-connection.
Holiday Self-Care For The Grieving Heart (Practical Tips For Healing)
The holidays can intensify both joy and grief.
How To Feel Good In Your Body From Perimenopause Through Post-Menopause
Award-winning hormone expert Nicki Williams reveals the four critical hormones every midlife woman needs…
5 Secrets To Experience More Flow and Connection in Midlife Relationships
Learn 5 evidence-based secrets for deeper connection and satisfaction in your relationships, especially during…
Grown Woman Talk: Your Midlife Health Action Plan
Learn how to navigate today's complex healthcare system and become your own best advocate with insights…
The Truth About Menopause Hormone Therapy (Beyond The Myths)
Confused about hormone replacement therapy?
Writing Your Life Story After 40 with Author Tara Ellison
Some stories feel too big, too messy, or too complicated to tell.
The Path to Conscious Intimacy in Midlife
Discover how conscious sexuality can create deeper intimacy in midlife, when many couples think their best…
The Hidden Gifts of Your Menopause Experience (A Therapist's Fresh Take)
Your emotional changes during menopause aren't random - they're guideposts to deeper wisdom.
Why You Don't Feel Like Yourself in Menopause: Medical Facts and Real Solutions
Discover why 60% of women don't feel like themselves during menopause, plus practical solutions from medical…
The Power of Storytelling to Transform Your Menopause Experience
Discover how Black women are reshaping the menopause narrative and why it matters for all of us.
You Are Not Broken: Real Education About Desire in Midlife
Discover why your midlife sexuality isn't broken, it's evolving.
Menopause Like A Rockstar: Healing, Hormones & Self Advocacy
Learn how to reclaim your power and feel amazing with insights from dietitian and menopause guru Esther Blum.
Emotional Wellness in Menopause: Your Path to Balance and Vitality
Menopause changes your brain, not just your body.
The M Factor - Shredding The Silence on Menopause
Discover how "The M Factor" documentary is breaking the silence on menopause and empowering millions of women…
Wake Up Your True Self: Marcella Hill on Perimenopause, Empowerment, and the Power of Community
From feeling disconnected to vibrant and alive: Marcella Hill's story of transformation will inspire you…
Back to Pleasure Mindset: Keep Your Summer Spark Alive
Discover how to keep your summer glow alive all year long, even as you navigate the changes of midlife…
Embrace Sexual Wellness in Menopause & Beyond
Menopause doesn't mean the end of sexual pleasure.
Redefining Sexual Medicine and Education for Midlife Women
Tired of being dismissed in the doctor's office?
Menopause as a Second Spring: Reframing the Narrative
Explore the seasonal model of menopause and find out why post-menopause might just be your 'second spring'.
The Science and Practice of Deepening Intimacy with Dr. Sadaf
Learn why communication is the cornerstone of sexual satisfaction and how simple scheduling can revitalize…
The Pleasure Prescription: A Path to Healing with Physical Therapist Dee Hartmann
Learn why pelvic floor physical therapy might be the missing piece in your journey to sexual wellness…
Activating Your Menopause Superpower
Discover how menopause can become your midlife superpower with Rebekah Brown, founder of Liminal.
Why Fondling Your Breasts Could Save Your Life (And How to Do It Right)
Discover how a simple act of self-love could be your most powerful tool against breast cancer.
Nurturing Your Vulva Garden: A Path to Renewed Pleasure in Midlife
Learn why nurturing your 'vulva garden' is the missing piece in your midlife wellness routine, and how to do…
A Coach for Your Vagina? How Pelvic Floor Care Changes Everything
Discover why your pelvic floor is the unsung hero of your body's wellbeing.
Summer Body Confidence: Embracing Your Midlife Curves in and Out of the Bedroom
From beach anxiety to bikini bliss: Discover how to love your curves and enjoy summer fully.
The Last Taboo: Introducing the Art of Self Pleasure
Learn why prioritizing your pleasure is essential for mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
Breaking the Silence: Dr Sameena Rahman on Cultural Differences in the Menopause Experience
Join Dr. Sameena Rahman as she breaks the silence around menopause and sexual health, offering insights…
The Heroine's Journey: Mapping Your Path to Pleasure In Midlife
The ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna offers a powerful roadmap for reclaiming our full creative life force…
Better Sex Through Mindfulness
Dr. Lori Brotto reveals the science behind mindful sex and shares practical tips to enhance desire, pleasure…
Finding Pleasure, Purpose and Community
In this powerful interview, Ana Flores shares her journey of rebuilding her business from the brink…
Rituals to Reconnect with Pleasure in Midlife
Discover the power of rituals to reconnect with your body, rekindle intimacy, and reclaim your radiance…
Bridging the Bedroom Gap: Dr. Maria Sophocles on Prioritizing Female Pleasure in Midlife
Dr. Maria Sophocles shares her expertise on bridging the "bedroom gap" and empowering midlife women…
How To Access The Secrets of Female Pleasure
World-renowned sexuality expert Sheri Winston reveals the secret to toe-curling, mind-blowing ecstasy (hint…
Dr. Shahzadi Harper on Sex, Perimenopause, and Feeling Like Yourself Again
Falling in love with yourself again is key to thriving in menopause.
Debunking the Biggest Lies About Midlife Pleasure (Part 1)
Menopause has long been portrayed as the end of a woman's sex life.
The Surprising Link Between Mindfulness and Mind-Blowing Intimacy
Struggling with low desire, lack of confidence, or disconnection in your intimate relationships?
The Ripple Effect: How Prioritizing Your Pleasure Benefits Everyone Around You
Prioritizing your pleasure isn't selfish, it's the key to connecting with others and experiencing your full…
I ask the doctors and experts, so you can hear it straight from them.
Gabriella, host of Pleasure in the Pause. Here are 12 of the 80 guests.
Dr. Anna Cabeca
Triple board-certified physician specializing in gynecology, obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine
2 episodes
Ashley Turner
Licensed marriage and family psychotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher, and founder of Yoga Psyche Soul
2 episodes
Carly Mountain
Somatic psychotherapist, sex therapist, sacred space holder and author
2 episodes
Kelley Workman
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
2 episodes
Dr. Maria Sophocles
Gynecologist, author and public advocate for women's health
2 episodes
Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
Board-Certified Gynecologist and certified menopause practitioner specializing in women's midlife wellness, hormone optimization and sexual wellness
2 episodes
Amanda McCracken
Journalist, author, and limerence expert
1 episode
Amy St. Germain
Founder of Oboo, a pleasure-forward wellness brand creating tools and products designed for midlife bodies
1 episode
Ana Flores
Founder and co-CEO of #WeAllGrow Latina, a 100% Latina-owned social media, events, e-commerce, and membership ecosystem
1 episode
Ann Tashi Slater
Author of Traveling in Bardo: The Art of Living in an Impermanent World
1 episode
Anna Sansom
Multi-published erotic author and creative provocateur
1 episode
Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas
Board-certified OBGYN, integrative women's health expert, nationally recognized speaker, and author of The Menopause Myth
1 episode
Ashley Kelsch
Writer, coach, and somatic practitioner who helps midlife women change their relationship with alcohol
1 episode
Ashley Koff, RD
USA Today bestselling author of Your Best Shot (HarperOne)
1 episode
Dr. Aviva Romm
Midwife, herbalist, Yale-trained MD
1 episode
Bibi Brzozka
Renowned conscious sexuality coach
1 episode
Brooke Bralove
Licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and AASECT certified sex therapist with over 20 years in private practice
1 episode
Christine Mason
Founder and CEO of Rosebud Woman, an exquisite intimate skin and body care brand
1 episode
Christine Morrison
Renowned journalist
1 episode
Colette Courtion
Distinguished and award-winning consumer marketer, inventor (21 issued patents), and femtech leader
1 episode
Colette Jane Fehr
Licensed psychotherapist and nationally recognized relationship expert
1 episode
Cynthia Thurlow
Nurse practitioner, two-time TEDx speaker, international speaker, and CEO and founder of the Everyday Wellness Project
1 episode
Deb Benfield
Registered Dietitian, nutrition therapist, and body image coach with 40 years of experience helping people heal their relationship with food, movement, and their bodies
1 episode
Dee Hartmann
A pioneer in the field of physical therapy and pelvic health
1 episode
Dr. Deepti Gandhi
Board-certified family medicine physician and menopause specialist
1 episode
Denise Pines
Media pioneer, award-winning marketer, serial entrepreneur, and community health advocate
1 episode
Dina Aronson
Writer, editor, and pro-age advocate
1 episode
Dr. Emily Jamea
Sex and relationship therapist and best-selling author of Anatomy of Desire
1 episode
Esther Blum
Bestselling author of multiple books
1 episode
Felicia Reed
Passionate portrait photographer and Master Mindset Coach
1 episode
Gaby Natale
Three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning journalist, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and leadership speaker
1 episode
Gina Lamanna
Fashion stylist, entrepreneur, mother, and breast cancer survivor
1 episode
Dr. Holly Richmond
Somatic psychotherapist, certified sex therapist and sex therapy supervisor
1 episode
Jackie Giannelli
Board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in women's health
1 episode
Dr. Jasmonae Joyriel
Licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Ignite Anew
1 episode
Dr. Jessica Shepherd
Board-certified OBGYN and a trailblazer in women's health
1 episode
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