Once considered a taboo subject, whispered about behind closed doors, menopause is now sparking powerful conversations 鈥� and one Victoria woman is hoping to turn up the volume on the discussion.

Having already 鈥渃onquered鈥� menopause, Kelly Coulter has launched a new video podcast 鈥楳eant to Pause鈥�, sharing her journey alongside a number of guests, from health experts through to former B.C. Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau.

Funded by Telus Storyhive, the eight-episode series explores the topic of menopause, while sharing experiences and wisdom, to create a positive message about women鈥檚 post-reproductive years.

鈥淚t's different for every woman, which is something that I really want to hit home,鈥� says Coulter.

While the podcast is intended for anyone wanting more information, Coulter hopes the series will especially help prepare young women, as 鈥渒nowledge is power,鈥� something she found lacking in her own experience.

鈥淓specially women from my generation, I'm 62 now, when we were going through menopause, nobody was talking about it,鈥� she says. 鈥淢ine was 10 years, I鈥檝e heard of women going through menopause for longer than that, so women are a little nervous about it, because they only typically heard bad things.鈥� 

Coulter also hopes women experiencing menopause will be able to find reassurance and comfort about the symptoms they are experiencing, including 鈥榖rain fog鈥�, which can leave some people struggling with their memory.

鈥淒o I have dementia? Or am I going into Alzheimer鈥檚?鈥� Coulter says, highlighting concerns women might have. 鈥淭his [podcast] is a place to go to for them to understand their experience, so they don鈥檛 feel so alone, because it's scary too.鈥� 

For women in post-menopause, the podcast is a tool for empowerment, says Coulter.

鈥淚 want them to really seize that power, and see this as a positive," she says. "For women, more so than men, we are under a lot of pressure not to age ... and I want women to look forward to this part of their life."

During the 鈥楳eant to Pause鈥� series, Coulter and her guests challenge society鈥檚 attitude to menopause, asking if it could be the 鈥渦ltimate blessing/liberation women are rewarded with in their life journey.鈥�

In the first episode, Coulter鈥檚 first guest, Lisbee Ray, a reproductive health educator, leans towards her menopause experience as a blessing, helping 鈥渞id her鈥� of hormonal issues causing her migraines.

鈥淲hen the hormones stop, you become quite changed,鈥� says Coulter. 鈥淲hen you're in your reproductive years, you're going through a hormonal journey every month 鈥� and so that's the blessing part, because it ends, that monthly hormonal journey is no longer a part of your life.

鈥淔or some women, it's a really big deal; for other women, it's less so. But I would say on average, once women recognize how much their hormones affect their daily life, it's quite something. I think we underrate it.鈥�

Episodes of 鈥楳eant to Pause鈥� drop online weekly, with all eight episodes available from May 20. And Coulter already has her fingers crossed for a second season, with a number of ideas already floating around.

鈥淚 pitched an episode 鈥� that will probably talk about how we can better prepare the partners, typically men,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would love to just continue doing the podcast as more information comes to light, because I honestly feel like we're in the very early days of understanding the possibilities of our post-menopausal journey. 

"Honestly, we could talk about this like, ad nauseam."

To watch Coulter's video podcast 'Meant to Pause', visit the Telus Storyhive YouTube channel: .