Women’s Health Conversation: Mental Health

Listen up, ladies. This series is for you!

Whether you’re entering early perimenopause or in the throes of menopause, AARP Ohio is bringing together women’s health experts to lead conversations designed for women who want answers, support, and expert guidance through the transition.

In this session, Menopause and Mental Health, Dr. Lulu Zhao will lead the conversation on Menopause and Mental Health.

Menopause is about much more than hot flashes. Changes in reproductive hormones can affect the brain as well as the body, contributing to shifts in mood, anxiety, sleep, concentration, and emotional resilience—sometimes years before periods stop. In this engaging, practical talk, we’ll explore what’s happening in the brain during the menopause transition, why some women are more affected than others, and how to recognize when symptoms may need attention. We’ll also sort through the many treatment options—from exercise and therapy to antidepressants and hormone therapy—to help you understand what works, what doesn’t, and how to find an approach that works for you.

About the Expert:

Lulu Zhao, MD, FACOG, FASAM is an Associate Professor of Reproductive Biology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, and the Co-Director of Women's Behavioral Health at the Cleveland Clinic. After completing her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Dr. Zhao completed a fellowship in Women’s Mental Health at the University of Michigan, as well as a Board Certification in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Zhao specializes in mood disorders during key reproductive transitions such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Her areas of expertise include perinatal addiction, perinatal mood disorders, premenstrual mood disorders, and perimenopausal mood changes. She most enjoys encounters where her expertise in ObGyn works synergistically with her expertise in mental health (e.g., the psychiatrically complicated pregnancy). Dr. Zhao's clinical work and educational endeavors center on balancing evidence-based practice with respect for individual values and autonomy.