You Keep Me Sane
For 10 years, Aileen and Julie have been each other's sounding board from opposite sides of the globe – Aileen in London and Julie in Melbourne.
They have navigated everything – motherhood, relationships, menopause, health, grief, and everything in between – through daily voice messages. These exchanges often became lifelines, and now they share that space with their listeners.
In You Keep Me Sane, Aileen and Julie hold honest conversations on life's challenges, growth, and connection. They lend an ear and share heartfelt insights, creating a space that allows both them, and you, to be human.
Listeners are encouraged to write in with their own experiences and topics, becoming part of the conversation that feels like a chat with close friends.
You Keep Me Sane
Menopause, Self-Worth and the Moment You Stop Feeling Like Yourself
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Episode Overview
In this episode, we’re joined by menopause practitioner Laura Lambe for a clear, reassuring conversation about what really happens to women during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause.
We talk about why so many women feel blindsided by this phase — the brain fog, fatigue, body changes, sleep issues, anxiety, low confidence, and the feeling that the old rules no longer work.
Laura explains why this isn’t a personal failing. Your body is going through one of the biggest biological shifts it will ever experience, and many women are trying to navigate it with very little education, support or proper information.
This conversation is about moving from confusion to clarity, understanding what your body is asking for, and remembering that you haven’t disappeared. You’re still in there.
Key Discussion Points
- Why so many women enter perimenopause or menopause feeling confused, unsettled and unsure of what’s happening in their body.
- Why women are often told their bloods are “normal” or that they’re “too young,” leaving them questioning themselves.
- How menopause can affect confidence, identity, mood, work, relationships and self-worth - not just physical symptoms.
- The role of sleep, fatigue, gut health, protein, fibre, bone density, muscle mass and stress in this phase of life.
- Why Laura encourages women to move from confusion to clarity before trying to fix everything at once.
- How diet culture, under-eating, cutting carbs and over-exercising can catch up with women in midlife.
- The loneliness many women feel when partners don’t understand the impact of menopause on mood, libido, energy and confidence.
- Why Laura warns against the noise of menopause marketing, quick fixes and supplement overload.
Listener Takeaways
- You are not lazy because you’re exhausted.
- Menopause is not just physical - it can affect how you see yourself.
- If the old rules have stopped working, it may be because your body needs a different kind of support now.
- Sleep and fatigue can affect everything: mood, motivation, brain fog, cravings and stress tolerance.
- Proper information matters. So does filtering out the noise from social media.
- Food, movement, rest, HRT, supplements and lifestyle changes can all be part of the toolbox, but there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
- You would probably never call a friend lazy for struggling — so try not to speak to yourself that way either.
- You haven’t lost yourself forever. You’re still in there.
Join the Conversation
This episode is such an important reminder that menopause isn’t just about hot flushes or periods stopping. It can affect how we feel in our bodies, how we show up in our relationships, how we work, how we parent, and how much we trust ourselves.
We’d love to know:
Have you ever felt like you stopped recognising yourself during perimenopause or menopause?
Come and join the conversation with us on Instagram. We’d love to hear what this episode brings up for you.
BetterHelp Paid Partnership - Get 10% off your first month
If you’re struggling, consider therapy with our paid partner BetterHelp. Visit https://betterhelp.com/youkeepmesane for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy.
BetterHelp makes it easy to find a therapist who suits your needs. Their online platform connects you with credentialed therapists, and if your first match isn’t the right fit, you can switch.
Join Us for More on Patreon!
Please join us on Patreon for our Sanity Checks - our short weekly episodes where we share what’s really on our minds. They’ve been part of the podcast since the very beginning - those little check-ins and raw conversations. Now, for the price of a coffee a month, you'll get this extra weekly episode plus much more!
Join Us via this link:
https://www.patreon.com/14211197/join
Links:
- Download Enough - Our Self Worth Reset.
- Follow YKMS Podcast on IG @youkeepmesane.pod
- Follow YKMS on FB https://www.facebook.com/YouKeepMeSanePod
- Email us at hello@youkeepmesane.com
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Hosts: Aileen Harvey & Julie Fahy
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Disclaimer:
Remember, we’re two friends sharing our personal experiences and discussing everyday challenges. We’re not qualified coaches or therapists, and our content is for general information and supportive conversation only. If you need professional help, please seek advice from a licensed therapist.