Are you struggling with hormone therapy that isn't working? Wondering why testosterone for women is so hard to access? Feeling confused about vaginal estrogen warnings? This special Best of 2025 episode of Pleasure In The Pause tackles the most pressing questions midlife women asked this year about hormone optimization, sexual satisfaction, and reclaiming pleasure during perimenopause and menopause.

Host Gabriela Espinosa revisits the year's most downloaded conversations—featuring leading women's health experts discussing hormone therapy optimization, the truth about testosterone for women, the historic FDA hearing on vaginal estrogen, redefining sexual satisfaction in midlife, exploring fantasy and desire, and discovering the five essential pleasure principles every woman should know. Whether you're navigating symptoms, considering hormone therapy, or simply want to feel more alive in your body, this episode delivers evidence-based insights and empowering tools for thriving through midlife.

Featuring conversations with Dr. Jila Senemar, Dr. Susan Hardwich-Smith, Dr. Laurie Mintz, and Lauren Elise Rogers.

Highlights from our discussion include:

• The "big three" hormones—estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone—each address different menopausal symptoms, and treatment should be individualized based on your top priorities like sleep, mood, energy, or libido.
• Women naturally produce more testosterone than estradiol throughout their lives, yet have zero FDA-approved testosterone products compared to men's 20+, despite proven benefits for libido, bone health, muscle mass, and cognitive function.
• Low-dose vaginal estrogen cannot be detected in the bloodstream yet carries an unfounded FDA black box warning, preventing millions of women from accessing a safe treatment that prevents 50% of UTIs.
• Only 4-18% of women orgasm from penetration alone, and less than 2% use penetration when masturbating—closing the pleasure gap requires prioritizing clitoral stimulation as the main event, not just "foreplay."
• Erotic fantasy, built on the four cornerstones of longing, taboo, power, and ambivalence, can be a healthy springboard to arousal when integrated openly rather than pushed into the shadows.
• A turned-on life in midlife isn't about performance or sexy lingerie—it's about living in alignment with what fuels your joy, vitality, and truth, whether through art, nature, movement, or intimate touch.

2025 was a turning point for women's health—from historic FDA hearings to conversations shattering decades of sexual myths and medical dogma. These six episodes represent what midlife women are hungry for: truth, empowerment, and permission to reclaim pleasure on their own terms.

As you move into 2026, remember that your pleasure isn't optional—it's your birthright. Whether you're advocating for better hormone therapy, learning what actually brings you to orgasm, or discovering what makes you feel fully alive, this is your invitation to thrive.

CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Access the Intimacy Holiday Gift Guide today.

Go to https://www.gabriellaespinosa.com/ to book a call.

Full episodes on YouTube.

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Struggling with vaginal dryness, decreased sensitivity, or feeling disconnected from your body in midlife? You're not alone. In this solo episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriella Espinosa shares her personally tested intimate wellness tools and self-care rituals that support vulva vitality, arousal, and sensual connection during menopause and beyond. From vaginal moisturizers and arousal oils to vibrators backed by research, Gabriella breaks down why intimate wellness isn't optional—it's essential self-care.

Find all products on the Intimacy Holiday Gift Guide

Whether you're experiencing menopause symptoms like tissue thinning and reduced lubrication, or simply want to deepen your pleasure practice, this episode offers practical product recommendations and embodied rituals to help you reconnect with your sensuality. Think of it as your intimate wellness holiday gift guide, designed to remind you that your pleasure has no expiration date.

Key Takeaways:

• Intimate wellness is essential self-care, not optional.
• Vaginal skin care products can transform your comfort and confidence.
• Lubrication is non-negotiable during intimacy—there's zero shame in using it.
• Vibrators are wellness tools backed by science.
• Sensual rituals extend pleasure beyond the bedroom.

Your body—exactly as it is right now—is worthy of attention, care, and pleasure. This week, choose one ritual or tool from this episode to explore.

CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Work with Gabriella!

Access the Intimacy Holiday Gift Guide today.

Full episodes on YouTube.

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Do you feel invisible as a woman over 40? Struggling with body image after menopause, weight gain, or breast cancer? Wondering if you're "too old" to feel sexy and confident again? In this transformative episode of Pleasure in the Pause, host Gabriela Espinosa welcomes portrait and boudoir photographer Felicia Reed for an intimate conversation about reclaiming your sensuality, worthiness, and power in midlife.

Felicia shares her personal journey through breast cancer, forced menopause, and body changes—and how photography became her path back to self-acceptance. If you've ever thought "I'll do a photoshoot when I lose weight" or felt like you've lost yourself in the roles of mom, wife, and caregiver, this episode offers permission to show up authentically, celebrate your body now, and rewrite the narrative around aging and beauty.

Felicia Reed is a passionate portrait photographer and Master Mindset Coach, as well as a resilient breast cancer survivor. With a mission to help people break free from the chains of limiting beliefs, Felicia empowers her clients to live lives of freedom and fulfillment. She encourages you to boldly ask for what you desire, reminding you that what you want wants you just as much.

Key Takeaways:

• You are worthy of being seen right now
• Boudoir photography is about reclaiming your power, not perfection
• The domino effect of female empowerment
• Menopause body changes require self-compassion, not self-criticism
• Creating visual legacy anchors your boldness

Here's your permission slip: You don't have to wait. You don't have to be smaller, younger, or different. You are allowed to invest in yourself, to be seen, to feel sensual and powerful exactly as you are in this moment.

As Felicia beautifully reminds us: "You are worthy to be celebrated, period. For no reason whatsoever. Just because."

Your next step: If this conversation stirred something in you—that quiet inner nudge to honor where you are right now—listen to it. Whether it's booking a photoshoot, speaking kinder words to your reflection, or simply giving yourself permission to take up space unapologetically, choose one small act of self-celebration this week.

Special note: Felicia is celebrating her 50th birthday this December with a special promotion—$397 photoshoots with a $1,000 gift card toward packages. Connect with her if you're ready to gift yourself this transformative experience.

CONNECT WITH FELICIA REED:

Instagram

Website

CONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Work with Gabriella!

Access the Intimacy Holiday Gift Guide today.

Go to https://www.gabriellaespinosa.com/ to book a call.

Full episodes on YouTube.

The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.