This event kick started conversations MWC is conducting around the state to create a safe space for women to share their stories, include local policy makers and health professionals to destigmatize this topic and create policy solutions.<\/p>\n
Event part of Michigan Women\u2019s Commission \u2018Menopause: It\u2019s a Movement!\u2019 statewide conversations<\/p>\n
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. \u2014 The Michigan Women’s Commission (MWC) recently hosted a menopause conversation moderated by Valerie Lego, founder and host of The Pause podcast. These conversations will continue to take place around the state to create a safe space where women can openly share their mid-life health stories and find answers to the questions they have about menopause symptoms and treatments.<\/p>\n
“When we create policies and workplace cultures that acknowledge and support women navigating menopause, we\u2019re not only promoting health and dignity \u2014 we\u2019re making a smart investment in our workforce and our economy,\u201d said Susan Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. \u201cSupporting women at every stage of their careers helps retain experienced talent, boosts productivity and fosters workplaces where everyone can thrive. The return on that investment is healthier employees, stronger businesses and a more resilient economy for all.”<\/p>\n
Panelists included: Dr. Abigail Ellsworth, naturopathic doctor, Freshwater Wellness; Catherine Veeser, PT, WCS, pelvic health specialist, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital; Dr. Julie Riddle, OBGYN, Munson Hospital; Sarah Louisignau, women\u2019s well-care practitioner, founder of The Living Pelvis; and Shawn Ruiz, Certified Nurse Midwife and Certified Menopause Practitioner, Grand Traverse Women\u2019s Clinic.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor women, who make up about half labor force, understanding their health is instrumental in advocating for accommodations in the work place,\u201d said Valerie Lego. \u201cIt\u2019s great to see the Women\u2019s Commission taking the charge to help the women of Michigan take charge of their health.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a naturopathic doctor, I\u2019m grateful to the Women\u2019s Commission for recognizing the value of holistic care and giving naturopathic doctors a platform to share our insights on menopause,\u201d said Dr. Abigail Ellsworth. \u201cEmpowering women with diverse natural treatment options is a crucial step towards their health and well-being.”<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to see menopause finally being talked about more openly,\u201d said Dr. Julia Riddle. \u201cIt\u2019s a vital part of women\u2019s health, and these conversations help break the stigma and ensure women get the care and support they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the United States, women make up 51% of the population and roughly 75 million women are in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause right now with 6,000 more women reaching menopause each day. A Mayo Clinic study put a price tag on menopause and estimated the costs of worker productivity losses due to menopausal symptoms to be about $1.8 billion per year in the U.S. and related health care costs total over $24 billion.<\/p>\n
In 2024, MWC launched a survey to women across the state regarding their experiences with menopause in the workplace. MWC will use the data to release a report making recommendations to employers and policymakers on how to create menopause-supportive workplaces.<\/p>\n
“Addressing menopause in the workplace is essential to understanding the full scope of challenges women face across their careers and lives,\u201d said Cheryl Bergman, executive director of the Michigan Women\u2019s Commission. \u201cThis work shines a light on an issue too often overlooked, yet one that directly impacts women\u2019s health, economic security, and professional growth. As part of our mission to review the status of women in Michigan, highlight critical issues, and celebrate their contributions, the Menopause Movement is a vital step toward creating policies and workplaces that truly support women at every stage.”<\/p>\n
![\"Menopause](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/mwc-traverse-city-panelist-and-co-550.jpg\"\/)
Left to right: Susan Corbin, Dr. Abigail Ellsworth, Sarah Louisignau, Catherine Veeser, Dr. Julia Riddle, Shawn Ruiz, Valerie Lego, Cheryl Bergman, and Meaghan Bergman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Event part of Michigan Women\u2019s Commission \u2018Menopause: It\u2019s a Movement!\u2019 statewide conversations TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. \u2014 The Michigan…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20418,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[97,252,253],"class_list":["post-95140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health-care","tag-health","tag-health-care","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}