In this episode with Catherine from Expansive Connection Coaching we talk about how Menopause has a way of touching just about everything—and your relationship definitely doesn’t get a pass. As estrogen declines, the instinct to take care of everyone, smooth the edges, keep the peace, and put other people’s needs ahead of our own can start to change. Sometimes dramatically. Suddenly there’s a desire for more space, clearer boundaries, less caretaking, and maybe even a little “I’ve got no more fucks to give.” That can be confusing and scary for both partners, especially when it feels like the rules of the relationship are changing without anyone agreeing to change them. But maybe menopause isn’t breaking anything. Maybe it’s shining a very bright light on the places where we’ve compromised ourselves, become too dependent on one another, or stopped showing up authentically.
And if that sounds familiar to those of us practicing ENM, it should. Non-monogamy has a funny way of exposing the fault lines in a relationship, and menopause can do exactly the same thing. The question becomes what we do once we see them. Instead of asking, “How do I get my wife—or my old relationship—back?” maybe we get curious about what this transition is trying to teach us. It’s an opportunity for both partners to listen differently, own their stuff, create some intentional space, renegotiate expectations, and figure out who they want to be together in this next chapter. The good news is that those of us who’ve navigated an ENM journey may already have some of the tools. Because the goal isn’t to survive menopause and somehow get everything back to the way it was. It’s to build the relationship we didn’t know was possible.
Wise Power by Pope and Wurlitzer– Discover the Liberating Power of Menopause to Awaken Authority, Purpose and Belonging
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This episode of We Gotta Thing is presented in three segments:
Segment 1 | Keeping Up With Expansive Connection
Segment 2 | Feelings Conversation with Kel
Segment 3 | Closing
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Want more We Gotta Thing content? Be sure to also check out our articles about swinging on Medium.
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We are Mr. & Mrs. Jones, and we gotta thing goin’ on! The We Gotta Thing podcast began in 2014 as a way for us to chronicle our journey though the swinger lifestyle and share content that is meant to be interesting, useful, entertaining, and supportive of others who are in or considering entering the lifestyle. We have released an episode every month (with one exception) ever since, offering insight on relevant topics and sometimes comical glimpses into the ups and downs associated with being a married couple that swings, along with a sexy snapshots of our experiences.
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