The Hotflash inc podcast 192: Are you a millennial thinking about menopause?
Journalist and Hotflash inc founder Ann Marie McQueen welcomes Lauren Tetenbaum, aka The Counselaur – a licensed social worker, former lawyer, and author of Millennial Menopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life’s Next Period. At 40, Lauren brings a fresh, younger perspective to a conversation that's long left her generation out.
Ann Marie and Lauren dive into what it means to enter perimenopause as a millennial – through the lens of mental health, trauma, hormone therapy, supplements, shame, IVF, and what the next generation (Gen Z) might face. Lauren’s unique background in law, therapy, and women’s rights advocacy makes her a powerful voice in this space. Through her private practice and corporate workshops, she supports women navigating life transitions – including the often-misunderstood onset of perimenopause.
Fact Check:
During this discussion we explore breast cancer risk and hormone therapy, including the distinction between bioidentical progesterone and synthetic progestins. It's essential to understand the difference:
Across the strongest randomized evidence from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), combined estrogen plus synthetic progestin is associated with a 25–30% relative increase in breast cancer incidence – roughly 8 extra cases per 10,000 women per year in the original WHI report. More recent large observational datasets suggest a higher risk with combined therapy, especially with longer-term use. Combined estrogen with bioidentical progesterone (oral micronized progesterone) has not been shown to carry the same level of risk, though more research is needed.
Highlights:
- –Lauren explains why she wrote Millennial Menopause at 40
- How her law and social work background blend in advocacy and therapy
- Why most millennials are still clueless about perimenopause
- “Denial is the first symptom”
- Why personalized care is key
- How millennials are still scared of hormone therapy
- Estrogen-only vs. combined therapy
- Why trauma, mindset, and support shape your perimenopause experience
- What shocked Lauren most while researching menopause
- Is menopause estrogen deficiency or hormone fluctuation?
- Are supplements worth it?
- Why shame and dismissal still dominate menopause care
- Her hope for Gen Z and how they’re different from millennials
- How Lauren personally managed early peri symptoms with the pill
- IVF, fertility, and their possible ties to earlier menopause
- The gaps in medical training and misconceptions among doctors
- How risk is part of all health decisions – and how to weigh it
- Are millennials drinking less? The booze-risk conversation
- Why support matters even when there’s no “official” diagnosis
Where to connect with Laruen:
- LinkedIn: Laurenatetenbaum
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