The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall

Beth Wallace: How the Menopause Impacts Your Sex Life

Feb 5, 2024

Therapist Beth Wallace discusses how menopause impacts sex life, highlighting the opportunity for reflection, desire, and sexual creativity. They explore societal attitudes towards female pleasure, the impact of porn on relationships, and the importance of balancing individual desires with the needs of the relationship. Shifting language and mindset can improve the couple's sex life, and personal experiences can be transformed into something meaningful.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

The Challenges of Truth and Cultural Differences in Attitudes Towards Sexuality

02:43 • 3min

The Impact of Menopause on Sexual Health

06:09 • 7min

Exploring Societal Hierarchy and Female Pleasure

12:54 • 21min

Comparing Relationships and the Impact of Porn

33:36 • 9min

Exploring the Impact of Menopause on Sex Life and Balancing Individual Desires in a Relationship

42:37 • 4min

Improving the Language and Mindset for a Healthy Sexual Relationship

46:40 • 6min

Finding Meaning through Alchemizing Pain

53:00 • 3min

Menopause is a seismic transition for women, and for their partners. The physical and emotional changes it brings will undoubtedly reverberate into a couple’s sex life.

Irish therapist Beth Wallace believes that this transition can be an opportunity rather than an ending. While decreases in hormones definitely impact women’s bodies in some detrimental ways (which will need management), decreased satisfaction with our sensual and sexual lives is NOT inevitable.

Andrew and Beth discuss the ways in which the natural changes of menopause can be a time to reflect on desire, expectations and sexual creativity. With good communication, menopause can allow a couple to reflect on their new life stage, and maximise its opportunities.

Beth Wallace is a psychotherapist and applied psychology graduate. She supports adults to create and maintain satisfying intimate relationships with themselves, with others & with life itself through private client sessions with individuals & couples, workshops, online courses, retreats & intensives.

Follow Up

Get Andrew’s NEW free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things

Take a look at Andrew’s new online course: My Best Relationship Tools

Explore Beth Wallace’s website

Follow Beth Wallace @bethwallacerelationships on Facebook , @drbethwallace on Instagram and Twitter, and on LinkedIn.

You might be interested in some of Andrew’s other interviews:

Tracey Cox on Great Sex After 50.
Rachel Weiss on Menopause.
Fabian Edzard Schneider on Mismatched Levels of Sexual Desire.

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Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall