What Is Hormone-Informed Psychotherapy (and Why I Offer It)

What exactly is hormone-informed psychotherapy?

This is one of the most common questions I get. It’s a great question, because honestly, this isn’t something most people have ever heard of. And that’s part of the problem.

I started offering hormone-informed psychotherapy because I saw a gap in the mental health world. So many women in their 40s and 50s were showing up in therapy feeling anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, and emotionally exhausted… and no one was talking about the role hormones might be playing in all of it.

They were being told, “You’re just stressed” or “It’s just anxiety” but not why their mental health had suddenly changed, or what was happening in their bodies during midlife.

That’s where hormone-informed therapy comes in.

So… What Is Hormone-Informed Psychotherapy?

Hormone-informed psychotherapy is therapy that recognizes how hormonal changes, especially during perimenopause and menopause, can impact your mental health, emotions, and daily functioning.

It means your therapist (hi, that’s me!) understands the mind-body connection and is trained to help you navigate the emotional side of hormonal shifts with clarity and compassion.

This includes:

• Understanding how estrogen and progesterone affect mood, anxiety, sleep, memory, and more

• Recognizing symptoms like rage, panic, depression, brain fog, or identity loss as part of a real, biological process, not a personal failing

• Supporting you in exploring treatment options, whether that’s therapy alone, referrals for hormone therapy, education for natural interventions, or a mix of approaches

• Creating space for you to be honest about what you’re going through without fear of being dismissed or judgement

Why It Matters, Especially in Midlife

During perimenopause and menopause, hormone levels fluctuate dramatically and for some women, this shows up as:

• Increased anxiety or panic attacks

• Mood swings or irritability

• Depression or apathy

• Brain fog or forgetfulness

• Feeling unlike yourself, emotionally, mentally, physically

If this is happening to you, you’re not “too sensitive” or “just hormonal.” You’re going through a profound physical and emotional transition and you deserve support that takes all of that into account.

Hormone-informed therapy bridges the gap between what’s happening in your body and what you’re feeling in your mind.

How Therapy Helps (Hormones or Not)

Whether or not hormones are at play, therapy is a powerful tool for midlife women who are:

• Feeling stuck, lost, or unsure of who they are anymore

• Facing life transitions (divorce, empty nest, career changes)

• Struggling to manage stress, anger, or sadness

• Trying to reconnect with themselves after years of caring for others

Therapy gives you a space to be seen, supported, and heard. It helps you build insight, develop healthier coping strategies, and find your voice again—even if that voice has been quiet for a long time.

The Bottom Line

Hormone-informed psychotherapy is about treating the whole person, not just symptoms. It’s about listening to your body, honoring your experience, and creating a space where midlife struggles are not minimized, but understood.

If you’ve been feeling like something’s “off,” like your emotions aren’t quite your own, or like you’ve changed and don’t know how to explain it, this might be exactly the kind of support you’ve been needing.

You’re not alone. You’re not crazy.

And you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself