On October 19th, 2024, we attended The New Pause Symposium at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge—a beautifully curated, community-powered day led by The Swell, Naomi Watts, and a lineup of passionate experts committed to reframing how we understand and move through menopause.
This wasn’t just a lecture series—it was a call to reclaim knowledge, connection, and care. Here’s what stood out to us.
1. Your Brain During Menopause Is Asking for Support
Cognitive shifts during menopause are real. We saw powerful visual evidence of how estrogen affects the brain—and how its decline can trigger fog, forgetfulness, and mood shifts. But these changes are not permanent or something to just “push through.” With the right support, including hormonal care and nervous system regulation, women can reclaim clarity.
This is science, not weakness—and it’s time we stop minimizing what’s happening in our bodies.
2. Strength Training Is Essential, Not Optional
One thing was clear: muscle is protective. Hormonal changes accelerate bone and muscle loss, but resistance training can help reverse it. And no, it’s not about becoming a powerlifter overnight. It’s about starting with intention and consistency—loading your body in ways that help you adapt, stabilize, and stay strong.
Strength is longevity. And every woman deserves access to tools that help her build it.
3. Self-Preservation Is a Skill—And Midlife Is the Time to Learn It
The emotional thread running through the day was this: we’ve spent years giving to everyone else. Menopause forces us to pause and ask—what do I need now? It’s not selfish. It’s survival. Whether you have children or not, this life stage invites us to center ourselves with boundaries, care, and real nourishment—physically and emotionally.
Midlife isn’t a breakdown. It’s a breakthrough.
4. Pelvic Health Is Foundational Healthcare
Conversations around bladder control, painful sex, prolapse, and vaginal dryness were honest, clinical, and deeply validating. These issues are common, but they’re not inevitable—and they’re absolutely treatable. We loved the emphasis on vaginal estrogen, pelvic floor therapy, and normalizing access to care that impacts pleasure, confidence, and daily function.
You shouldn’t have to choose between aging and intimacy. You can have both.
5. Menopause Deserves Personalized, Evidence-Based Care
We’re still fighting misinformation. From outdated HRT fears to blanket “tough it out” advice, women are often given incomplete or dismissive care. But the truth is: menopause management should be as individualized and dynamic as we are. Hormones, nutrition, mental health, gut health—it all matters. And the tide is turning.
This event reminded us that asking questions, advocating for better, and building community around knowledge is powerful medicine.
Looking Ahead
Attending The New Pause Symposium confirmed what we already believe at ESSE: this generation of women is ready to lead the conversation—not quietly endure it. The energy in the room was hopeful and clear: we’re not going back to silence. We’re building something better.
If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and looking for a team that listens, integrates, and personalizes your care, we’re here. And you’re not alone.
