Talking About Hot Flashes and Other Cool Midlife Topics

Colleen Rosenblum and Bridgett Biagi Garratt, the co-hosts of the weekly "Hot Flashes & Cool Topics Podcast," didn't know what to expect when they recorded their first podcast in 2019.

"The idea was to create a show with a voice of women in midlife and beyond," Garratt says. "Initially, it was the two of us talking to each other about the topics that interested and impacted us at our age." 

Over time the show evolved and they began including interviews with medical experts, authors, celebrities and other trailblazing midlife women. Guests on the show have included financial expert Suze Orman, actresses Patricia Heaton and Fran Drescher, chef Carla Hall and fashion stylist Stacy London.

Today, there are many celebrities, from Halle Berry to Gwyneth Paltrow to Naomi Watts, all talking openly about their experience with menopause. But when "HFCT" debuted five years ago, the topic was almost taboo. Rosenblum and Garratt sought to change that by having top menopause experts on their show to answer the questions women really wanted to know.  

Rosenblum explains: "Women younger than us may take it for granted that this information is now so readily available. But back when I was going through perimenopause, I had to help myself through these various symptoms. I felt at times like I was insane because I didn't know what was happening or that it was totally a normal part of that stage of life."

Rosenblum and Garratt, both 57, met eight years ago after both had relocated to Franklin, Tennessee with their husbands when they became empty nesters.  

They knew they would need to make an effort to meet new people. "It's easy to meet people through your kids and their activities when you are younger," Garratt says. "At our age, you must put yourself out there and find ways to connect." 

Rosenblum adds, "Our neighborhood had some great opportunities for older adults to meet, and that is how the two of us became friends in our late 40s."

Neither Garratt, a former teacher, nor Rosenblum, a former attorney and Pilates instructor, had any formal experience in media before they became podcast co-hosts. "It happened organically," Garratt explains. "We were at lunch with friends discussing how no one seemed to address the topics women in their 50s were interested in. So we decided to start the podcast with the goal of having honest conversations about this stage of life."

The podcast is meant to be informative and entertaining. The hosts make it very clear that they are not physicians and are not trying to give out medical advice to listeners. "Our goal was to get the conversations started and to be candid," Rosenblum says. "But it isn't a substitute for seeing a medical professional. We provide our audience with information on our website as well links to reputable resources such as The Menopause Society."

As the title of the podcast relays, the show is about more than just hot flashes. The women have addressed various topics over the five years that the show has been on. Garratt says, "We listen to our audience and talk about the topics that they want to know about. That can be anything from how to make new friends in midlife to marriage issues, embarking on new relationships, non-traditional relationships such as polyamory, loneliness, struggles with depression — we discuss it all."

One of the most rewarding parts of doing the podcast has been the opportunity to highlight strong, powerful women and shed light on their lives. "We had actress Daphne Zuniga who got married for the first time at 55 years old, Kelly Bishop who is still on stage in her 80s and Helen Slater who got her Ph.D. in her 60s," Garratt says. "These women still have so much energy. They live their best lives, and we get to spotlight them."

Midlife can be a challenging time, especially for women. It's a time of a lot of change, both physical and emotional. Whether it's inching closer to retirement, a job pivot or children leaving the nest, it's easy to see why many women feel lost or lonely at this stage. "So many of us have so much of our identity wrapped up in being mothers, it can be hard to know who we are when they leave the nest," Garratt says. "So much of our lives has focused on taking care of them, our friends are the parents of their friends — we may not know what is next for us."

But an "empty nest" doesn't have to mean an empty life. Instead, this can be a time of new beginnings. "It is about being willing to step out of your comfort zone," Rosenblum says. "Moving to a new place, I knew I needed to take that next step. So, I went to this neighborhood event, a concert where I met Bridgett and look what has happened to us since."

Garratt adds, "Even if you haven't moved to a new area, you may need to broaden your social circle as you age. One of the nice things about making friends at our age is that you can gravitate toward people you like or who share a common interest. It's less about the kids and more about you."

For both women, co-hosting the podcast has led to immense growth and excitement about the future. Garratt says, "It's been a privilege to do what we do. We have learned new skills like recording, editing and social media promotion. The platform has allowed us to meet interesting people, travel and speak at events with all different types of women who share a commonality."

As more voices enter the menopause space, Rosenblum and Garratt are beginning to focus their attention on the post-menopause era and what happens to women as they enter that stage. "There is a lot of talk about women feeling invisible as they age, but we have realized that this is actually a superpower," Rosenblum says. "There is a confidence that comes with aging — no one is looking, so you don't have to care what people think about you. There is more opportunity to experiment and less concern about the chance of failure."

Garratt adds, "I don't think younger me could have been as successful with this endeavor. If we think someone would be great on the podcast, I am not afraid to reach out and ask them. I am less fearful because I am older."

"We want to continue educating our audience that youth and worthiness are not synonymous," Rosenblum says. "There shouldn't be a stigma to aging, and no one should promote 'anti-aging' because really, what is the alternative? I don't believe 50 is the new 40 because it is 50. But whether you are 50, 60 or 70, you get to decide what it means to you and how you want to live at this age."

Randi Mazzella is a freelance writer specializing in a wide range of topics from parenting to pop culture to life after 50. She is a mother of three grown children and lives in New Jersey with her husband.  Read more of her work on randimazzella.com. Read More