Susan McPherson is the founder and CEO of impact communications firm, McPherson Strategies, and the author of The Lost Art of Connecting, releasing to the public on March 23, 2021.
Where are you in your hormonal health journey?
Postmenopause.
What’s one word or phrase that comes to mind when you think of menopause?
Relief.
Which menopause symptoms have you experienced?
I experienced hair loss, night sweats, and anxiety. But all of these symptoms weren’t as bad as the damn monthly bloating, pain, and misery from my periods.
Is there anything you’d like to share about your symptoms to help demystify the experience?
My menopause symptoms honestly didn’t stand out over the rest of life’s challenges. Of course, there were moments, but nothing I couldn’t manage. And again, after years of painful menstrual cycles, these symptoms were far more manageable.
“Do not be frightened. You are not alone. And thankfully, there are now resources and communities within your reach.”
We know menopause can be challenging, but it can also be funny, enlightening, liberating, energizing, and more. Do you have an anecdote that shows another side of menopause, beyond what we’re conditioned to “fear” as women?
I experienced my first hot flashes in below 25° temperatures (the coldest I ever experienced) during a journey to the Finnish Arctic in January 2017. Believe me, they felt like a gift from the heavens when I was enveloped in a rush of deliciously warm heat from head to toe!
Is there anything you wish your younger self would have known? Or do you have words of advice for women starting their journey?
Do not be frightened. You are not alone. And thankfully, there are now resources and communities within your reach.
What haven’t we asked you that you want the world to hear?
I’m grateful for you and all you are doing!
