My 3 Favorite Books for Navigating Perimenopause & Menopause
My interest in learning about perimenopause and menopause started with my own experience.
I was having symptoms that didn’t seem to make sense together, and like many women, I found myself getting the runaround when I tried to get answers. I had to become my own advocate. I had to start connecting the dots and learning about what was happening in my body so I could have more informed conversations with my doctors.
The more I learned, the more empowered I felt. I realized that I didn’t have to simply accept feeling like something was wrong without understanding what might be contributing to it. I could ask better questions, advocate for myself, and become an active participant in my own health care.
That journey is a big part of why I continue to educate myself about menopause and women's health. These three books have been especially meaningful to me, and they are resources I often recommend to women who want to better understand what may be happening in their bodies during perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
These aren't the only resources I use, but they are three books that have personally influenced my understanding of this stage of life—and, in turn, influenced the way I approach my work with women in midlife.
The New Menopause — Mary Claire Haver, MD
I read The New Menopause first, and I learned a lot from it. It gave me a broader understanding of menopause and the many changes women can experience during this stage of life.
Because I was still in perimenopause, I was especially excited when Mary Claire Haver released The New Perimenopause. It felt even more relevant to what I was experiencing at that stage of my journey.
The New Perimenopause — Mary Claire Haver, MD
I think both of Mary Claire Haver's books are incredibly educational and cover a wide range of information about the changes women experience. They bring a lot of information together in one place and have been valuable resources for me as I've learned more about my own body.
I also continue to learn from Mary Claire's podcast, UnPAUSED, where she brings in experts from different areas of women's health to discuss how the changes of perimenopause and menopause can affect different systems throughout the body. I’ve learned a great deal from these conversations, and I appreciate that she continues to bring new experts and perspectives to the conversation.
Her podcast is something I return to regularly to keep learning and stay up to date as our understanding of menopause and women's health continues to evolve.
Unbreakable — Vonda Wright, MD
The third book that has had a big impact on me is Unbreakable by Vonda Wright, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who focuses on helping women build and maintain strong, resilient bodies as they age. Dr. Wright was the lead author of the 2024 medical paper that introduced the term “musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause” to describe the collection of musculoskeletal changes that can occur during the menopause transition.
What really stood out to me about this book is its focus on the importance of being proactive about our physical health. She talks about building a body that is more resilient through nutrition, heavy strength training, and mobility.
This book actually helped influence me to hire a personal trainer, and I’ve continued working with one. At 45, I can honestly say that I am in the best shape of my life. I feel stronger and more capable, and I have a greater appreciation for how important strength and mobility are as we move through midlife and beyond.
As a massage therapist who focuses on women in midlife, I found this book especially meaningful. Massage can be one piece of supporting a changing body, but I believe strength, movement, mobility, nutrition, recovery, and other forms of self-care all have a role to play too. Unbreakable reinforced for me that we don't have to simply accept becoming weaker or less capable as we age—we can actively work toward maintaining a strong, capable body.
We’re All in This Together
One of the biggest things I’ve learned through my own experience is that we don’t have to figure all of this out alone.
There is so much information to learn about perimenopause, menopause, and the changes that happen in our bodies. Sometimes finding the right information is the first step toward feeling more empowered and more connected to what we’re experiencing.
I’m sharing these books because they’ve helped me along my own journey, and I hope they might help another woman find answers, ask questions, or simply feel a little less alone.
We’re all in this together. And when we share what we learn and help each other find our way, we make this journey a little easier for each other.
Looking for Support During Midlife?
If you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, or the changes that come with midlife and are looking for support, I'd love to help.
At Sacred Harmony Massage, I specialize in working with women in midlife and offer menopause-informed massage treatments designed to support your changing body.
It’s time to give your changing body the support it needs.
