Minneapolis conference puts menopause at center of the conversation
The Twin Cities organization "Let's Talk Women" hosted a one-day conference all about menopause and midlife. It's believed to be the first conference dedicated to menopause in Minneapolis.
Courtesy Let's Talk Women
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Audio transcript
INTERVIEWER: Menopause is an often overlooked stage of life, but experts believe its impact on half the population for years at a time deserves a lot more attention and research. A conference happening today in Minneapolis is bringing together leaders, health experts, and advocates to bring midlife women's health to the forefront. The conference is being put on by the local organization, Let's Talk Women, and its founder, Katie Severt joins me on the line now. Thanks for being with us today, Katie.
KATIE SEVERT: Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for having me.
INTERVIEWER: I wanted to start just very baseline because a lot of people-- a lot of women even don't a lot of things about what is going to happen to our bodies and what's going on. And many of us were not really taught growing up so I would love if you would just start with a definition of menopause and the different stages for folks.
KATIE SEVERT: Oh thank you. And we have been talking about this all day. Menopause is one day. So it's the one day where a woman has gone one year without her period. So we often think of menopause as being the stage of life, but it's actually one day. Everything after that one day is considered post-menopause. Before menopause we have perimenopause, which is the time that we usually think about when we think of hormones, and ups and downs, and all the things, but post menopause is the rest of your life
INTERVIEWER: And remind folks when perimenopause may start.
KATIE SEVERT: Another excellent point is that oftentimes it'll start in your early to mid 30s. So a lot of women are postpartum or have little kids at home, are managing so many things and they don't think for a minute that maybe their hormones are a little bit bouncy and that maybe that they are actually not crazy, but they could use a little medical intervention or a little help with all the things because that's such a busy time of life.
INTERVIEWER: So I wonder what it was for you that made you want to start Let's Talk Women and talk about these issues. Because again, I didn't hear a lot talk about it at all before the last honestly, five years or so.
KATIE SEVERT: Again, I was talking to a friend of mine and I was like we just don't talk about this enough. What happens when you have a baby and you bring the baby home, and if you have postpartum depression? Or the fact that women have heart disease and often-- it's the number one killer of women. And I don't have a cardiologist, but my husband does. And then, of course, the whole perimenopause menopause has been-- I've been dreaming about doing this conference for over a year, talking about it because we just don't talk about it enough.
INTERVIEWER: And would we talk about it? Where is the conversation supposed to happen? Where is it missing from do you think? Is it, school? I don't know if people can even-- during their school years, conceptualize menopause or what that might be like. Is there a need for some ongoing going education?
KATIE SEVERT: Yes, absolutely. And that's one of the places that we're trying to raise awareness is that most physicians are not trained in menopause, and even OB/GYNs, or the doctors that take care of us through pregnancy often have as little as maybe an hour of training in menopause. And it's not their fault, but the education system for our physicians was not set up to deal with menopause as a life stage. We think of women through maternal health days and a lot of education there, but when it comes to this very natural, normal transition that every single woman goes through, not every woman chooses to have a child, but every woman goes through menopause and yet we don't talk about it.
INTERVIEWER: And there is that idea of hiding almost things that are going on with our-- not even not talking about it, but literally feeling the need to hide it, not show up that way, as a parent at your job or whatever it is, but there are actually treatments for the symptoms. And do you think people that help is available? And could you just talk about some of the treatments that are available?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, I'm not a physician, so that's not my place, but I have brought in some incredible physicians here that are talking about that today. And there are hormonal treatments, there are non-hormonal treatments, there are lifestyle changes, there are diet changes. That's one of the big things that we've been talking about today is what women can do. And given options and given ways to manage the symptoms of perimenopause, and menopause, and postmenopause, we'll make the right choices, but we need to be able to understand and know what we can do.
And we haven't had that information out in the world until recently I do think menopause is having a moment. There's so many people across the country that are finally talking about it and people are listening.
INTERVIEWER: Why do you think that is?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, I credit it to Gen X women that don't have that same kind of shame, and they're just talking about it because they were not brought up with the-- I'm coming from a Scandinavian tradition, and we just don't talk about our bodies or health that much. I love my parents, but I feel like younger people are not as willing to say I'm fine, everything's fine. That's what I say all the time, but in reality, we're not fine. We can treat this and we should treat this, and then everybody's going to be better.
INTERVIEWER: What do you say to women? Obviously, you're not a medical provider, but just in terms of advocating for themselves. And is it something that they should bring up when they go to the doctor and just say, hey, I have all these symptoms. What can we do about it? Or you're also hoping to train from the provider's standpoint, but how do you suggest women really advocate for themselves?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, that is also a very good question. And Dr. Sharon Malone is here today. She's a national voice that has written a book that basically gives you a guide on how you can advocate for yourself at the physician, and understanding that these discussions are going to take longer than 15 minutes. And if a doctor tells you that you're fine or that you don't need any help and it doesn't feel right you can find another provider. There's also other channels outside of your primary care physician. You can go to a doctor or nurse practitioner, or a menopause trained physician specifically credentialed in menopause, so that you get that time to really figure out what works best for you.
INTERVIEWER: And I wondered, too, Katie, if you mentioned menopause as having a moment. Celebrities are talking about it more. They're having podcast episodes about it. Are you getting a sense for where the medical research is right now around menopause?
KATIE SEVERT: I actually don't have a really good sense on that right now, but what we just talked about in our last panel was some of the policy that's happening, there's 20 bills, I think, across 13 different states that are pushing for education and training around menopause or around public awareness. That's not enough. We definitely need that across all 50 states just to raise awareness.
And then what happens after that is insurance companies start to pay attention and then that gets reimbursed. And so it's a policy research alignment across those two areas. And then practice so that we can implement it. That's like the trifecta of change and driving change for women's health.
INTERVIEWER: So as you go through the conference today, Katie, I know it's going on right now. Thanks for taking the time with us. What are you hoping that people take away from it? What is your ultimate goal with this because you've been working so long toward this and congratulations, but what's your goal for today?
KATIE SEVERT: Well thank you. As the mom of four, I always like to make things very simple. And so I will say I just want people to talk about it more. I want it to be a conversation you have at the dinner table. Mom's feeling a little stressed. Not sure why. Maybe with your friends and your colleagues. I'm hot in here. It's hot in here. Is it hot in here? That's the one everybody goes to, but we can talk about it and we can normalize it and we can take off our jackets when we're at work. And that can be normal. It's just a part of life. It's nothing that should have any shame or stigma at all.
INTERVIEWER: All right, Katie. Well, thank you for talking about it with us. Really appreciate your time.
KATIE SEVERT: Well, thanks for amplifying my voice. I really appreciate it as well.
INTERVIEWER: That's Katie Severt founder of Let's Talk Women.
KATIE SEVERT: Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for having me.
INTERVIEWER: I wanted to start just very baseline because a lot of people-- a lot of women even don't a lot of things about what is going to happen to our bodies and what's going on. And many of us were not really taught growing up so I would love if you would just start with a definition of menopause and the different stages for folks.
KATIE SEVERT: Oh thank you. And we have been talking about this all day. Menopause is one day. So it's the one day where a woman has gone one year without her period. So we often think of menopause as being the stage of life, but it's actually one day. Everything after that one day is considered post-menopause. Before menopause we have perimenopause, which is the time that we usually think about when we think of hormones, and ups and downs, and all the things, but post menopause is the rest of your life
INTERVIEWER: And remind folks when perimenopause may start.
KATIE SEVERT: Another excellent point is that oftentimes it'll start in your early to mid 30s. So a lot of women are postpartum or have little kids at home, are managing so many things and they don't think for a minute that maybe their hormones are a little bit bouncy and that maybe that they are actually not crazy, but they could use a little medical intervention or a little help with all the things because that's such a busy time of life.
INTERVIEWER: So I wonder what it was for you that made you want to start Let's Talk Women and talk about these issues. Because again, I didn't hear a lot talk about it at all before the last honestly, five years or so.
KATIE SEVERT: Again, I was talking to a friend of mine and I was like we just don't talk about this enough. What happens when you have a baby and you bring the baby home, and if you have postpartum depression? Or the fact that women have heart disease and often-- it's the number one killer of women. And I don't have a cardiologist, but my husband does. And then, of course, the whole perimenopause menopause has been-- I've been dreaming about doing this conference for over a year, talking about it because we just don't talk about it enough.
INTERVIEWER: And would we talk about it? Where is the conversation supposed to happen? Where is it missing from do you think? Is it, school? I don't know if people can even-- during their school years, conceptualize menopause or what that might be like. Is there a need for some ongoing going education?
KATIE SEVERT: Yes, absolutely. And that's one of the places that we're trying to raise awareness is that most physicians are not trained in menopause, and even OB/GYNs, or the doctors that take care of us through pregnancy often have as little as maybe an hour of training in menopause. And it's not their fault, but the education system for our physicians was not set up to deal with menopause as a life stage. We think of women through maternal health days and a lot of education there, but when it comes to this very natural, normal transition that every single woman goes through, not every woman chooses to have a child, but every woman goes through menopause and yet we don't talk about it.
INTERVIEWER: And there is that idea of hiding almost things that are going on with our-- not even not talking about it, but literally feeling the need to hide it, not show up that way, as a parent at your job or whatever it is, but there are actually treatments for the symptoms. And do you think people that help is available? And could you just talk about some of the treatments that are available?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, I'm not a physician, so that's not my place, but I have brought in some incredible physicians here that are talking about that today. And there are hormonal treatments, there are non-hormonal treatments, there are lifestyle changes, there are diet changes. That's one of the big things that we've been talking about today is what women can do. And given options and given ways to manage the symptoms of perimenopause, and menopause, and postmenopause, we'll make the right choices, but we need to be able to understand and know what we can do.
And we haven't had that information out in the world until recently I do think menopause is having a moment. There's so many people across the country that are finally talking about it and people are listening.
INTERVIEWER: Why do you think that is?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, I credit it to Gen X women that don't have that same kind of shame, and they're just talking about it because they were not brought up with the-- I'm coming from a Scandinavian tradition, and we just don't talk about our bodies or health that much. I love my parents, but I feel like younger people are not as willing to say I'm fine, everything's fine. That's what I say all the time, but in reality, we're not fine. We can treat this and we should treat this, and then everybody's going to be better.
INTERVIEWER: What do you say to women? Obviously, you're not a medical provider, but just in terms of advocating for themselves. And is it something that they should bring up when they go to the doctor and just say, hey, I have all these symptoms. What can we do about it? Or you're also hoping to train from the provider's standpoint, but how do you suggest women really advocate for themselves?
KATIE SEVERT: Well, that is also a very good question. And Dr. Sharon Malone is here today. She's a national voice that has written a book that basically gives you a guide on how you can advocate for yourself at the physician, and understanding that these discussions are going to take longer than 15 minutes. And if a doctor tells you that you're fine or that you don't need any help and it doesn't feel right you can find another provider. There's also other channels outside of your primary care physician. You can go to a doctor or nurse practitioner, or a menopause trained physician specifically credentialed in menopause, so that you get that time to really figure out what works best for you.
INTERVIEWER: And I wondered, too, Katie, if you mentioned menopause as having a moment. Celebrities are talking about it more. They're having podcast episodes about it. Are you getting a sense for where the medical research is right now around menopause?
KATIE SEVERT: I actually don't have a really good sense on that right now, but what we just talked about in our last panel was some of the policy that's happening, there's 20 bills, I think, across 13 different states that are pushing for education and training around menopause or around public awareness. That's not enough. We definitely need that across all 50 states just to raise awareness.
And then what happens after that is insurance companies start to pay attention and then that gets reimbursed. And so it's a policy research alignment across those two areas. And then practice so that we can implement it. That's like the trifecta of change and driving change for women's health.
INTERVIEWER: So as you go through the conference today, Katie, I know it's going on right now. Thanks for taking the time with us. What are you hoping that people take away from it? What is your ultimate goal with this because you've been working so long toward this and congratulations, but what's your goal for today?
KATIE SEVERT: Well thank you. As the mom of four, I always like to make things very simple. And so I will say I just want people to talk about it more. I want it to be a conversation you have at the dinner table. Mom's feeling a little stressed. Not sure why. Maybe with your friends and your colleagues. I'm hot in here. It's hot in here. Is it hot in here? That's the one everybody goes to, but we can talk about it and we can normalize it and we can take off our jackets when we're at work. And that can be normal. It's just a part of life. It's nothing that should have any shame or stigma at all.
INTERVIEWER: All right, Katie. Well, thank you for talking about it with us. Really appreciate your time.
KATIE SEVERT: Well, thanks for amplifying my voice. I really appreciate it as well.
INTERVIEWER: That's Katie Severt founder of Let's Talk Women.
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