On this episode of The Healing Pause, Dr. Christina Kintop talks with Emmy-winning Northern News Now anchor Laura Lee about the power of sharing our stories. Laura opens up about becoming a young mom while earning her degree, and how that path shaped her as a journalist.

Together they explore early perimenopause symptoms, how estrogen affects mood and brain health, menopause in the workplace, and why community is a key marker for longevity. You’ll learn why perimenopause can start as early as 35, how to talk to your doctor sooner, and why your most powerful years may still be ahead.

Today I’m joined by three women I love, Mary, Tina, and Sandy, who have walked through menopause alongside me and shown up to the Women’s Symposium. We get honest about chasing answers from doctor to doctor, the 67 symptoms nobody warned us about, and why menopause still makes us cringe.

We talk about partners, the workplace, giving ourselves grace, and the small changes that add up over time. This conversation is a reminder that healing happens in connection, when women gather and feel seen.

This episode is deeply personal for me.I’ve been a chiropractor for 33 years. A clinical nutritionist for 30. A childbirth instructor. A doula. I’ve walked alongside women through some of their most vulnerable seasons. And yet… when perimenopause hit me, I didn’t recognize myself.

This inaugural episode of The Healing Pause is her way of turning that pain into a purpose, and an open invitation for every woman who has ever been told to just push through.