The Power of the Pause: Reflections from My Conversation with Dr. Laura Duncan

The Power of the Pause: Reflections from My Conversation with Dr. Laura Duncan
By Teresa Alleyne

Whew… let me say, this past Monday’s episode of Conversations with Teresa left me feeling inspired and validated. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Laura Duncan, MD, a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and let me tell you… This episode was something special.

Dr. Laura is amazing! And what made our conversation so powerful was that it wasn’t just about symptoms or hormone therapy, though we touched on that, too. What really impressed me was how open she was about her journey. This wasn’t a textbook conversation; this was real life, woman-to-woman, heart-to-heart.

She shared how, as an internist, she hit a wall. The medical system just wasn’t fulfilling her anymore. She didn’t want to be confined by codes and rushed appointments. She wanted to serve women fully. Not just when they were pregnant or in for a check-up, but through the real, raw transitions of life. Through perimenopause. Through menopause. Through the pause.

And that’s what stuck with me the most. The pause.

I used to think of menopause as this big scary thing, a sign that we’re getting older, that we’re “slowing down.” But talking to Dr. Laura shifted that for me. She reminded me that menopause is not the end it’s a moment to pause, to breathe, and to ask, is this the life I still want? Or is it time to rewrite the story?

This episode isn’t just for women going through menopause. It’s for anyone who’s felt stuck. Anyone who’s been doing life on autopilot. Anyone who’s overdue for a moment of reflection and ready for a shift.

So why should you listen? Because it’s honest. It’s empowering. It will also make you rethink what midlife and your next chapter can really look like.

Listen in. Share it with a friend. And take your pause when you need it, unapologetically.

Let’s keep growing,

— Teresa 💛