The Periprofessional website and newsletter are written by a certified menopause educator and are filled with valuable, applicable health and wellness information. No boring lectures or complicated terms here! Everything is explained with integrity in a way that makes it real and entertaining. Take the time to learn and stop letting perimenopause and menopause constantly surprise you!
My promise
The content on this site is written personally by me using science and sources included as needed. I’m constantly increasing my knowledge using reliable research and experts, and I’ll share what I learn without using fear as a motivator.
A strength of mine is translating complex health information into everyday language and providing examples of how it shows up in your life. My education and experiences provide a unique perspective, and thus, the information here is not regurgitated garbage or misinformation from the internet. It’s just me here; no one else is calling the shots, so you’ll get unbiased details.
The Periprofessional Promise - This site is not about trying to sell you something. There will never be any advertisements or affiliate links. I don’t push products. My mission is to share free, reliable information in a humorous, relatable way. This is my passion project, my chance to give back.
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About Me
Meet Shelby, The Periprofessional
In October 2019 at 49, I walked into my annual doctor’s appointment and said, “I’m not feeling like myself.” I had all sorts of weird symptoms, but I couldn’t pinpoint what they were related to or why they were happening. Saying “I’m not feeling like myself” was emotionally easier for me to say than what I really wanted to say, which was “I think I’m dying.”
My doctor wasn’t really able to help me that day except to rule out anything serious and never mentioned perimenopause at all (there’s a reason for this if you’ve had your own experience, which I’ll write an article about at some point). Health has always been a passion of mine; I even earned a few degrees in health administration. As health-educated as I am, I never considered perimenopause as the cause. The universe would have you believe that the only two symptoms are skipping periods and hot flashes; I had neither one. Perimenopause is so confusing it has even caught female doctors off-guard in their own health.
My Purpose & Passion
By 2021, after years of being perimenopausal without realizing it, I started skipping periods and that’s when I began to figure out what was going on. I knew I had to find a better way of dealing with my body's changes. I had lost so much by this point. I was a shell of my former self with so many symptoms, I had quit my job because my body couldn’t keep up with the demands, and we were in a pandemic (we all know how that went).
So, I did what I love to do: I researched everything. It made me feel in control of my situation, and the knowledge helped calm me down. I started applying what I learned and started to see some big results. I’m in a much better place physically, emotionally, and psychologically as I continue on this transition (yeah, still in it!). This is why I share what I do here; if it helps me, I know it can help someone else. I would not wish what I went through on my worst enemy. No woman has to suffer through this transition like I originally did.
My Qualifications
Certified menopause instructor working towards becoming a menopause health coach. Certified as a menopause instructor by Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz (a leading physician specializing in menopause care and founder of the Menopause Bootcamp).
I have a Master of Health Administration (MHA), which I describe as a business degree with many health and health-related classes. I obtained my MHA jointly from Clark University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. I also have a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration.
Over 30+ years of being a part of the healthcare industry in various functions, including corporate training. I’ve been learning about and researching health information longer than this.
I’m a member of the Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society, NAMS). The Menopause Society is the premier resource for menopause research, continued education, certification of health providers, and the establishment of evidence-based guidelines.
I’m a member of the National Menopause Foundation. NMF is a not-for-profit organization that promotes education and advocacy on menopause issues. It’s also the founder of the NMF Women’s Midlife Health Policy Institute.
I regularly attend health lectures, webinars, and summits to stay current. I have access to American and international medical journals/literature, including research studies behind paywalls, and know how to interpret and discuss them. I’m a lifelong learner and subscribe to over 20 print publications, most of them health-related.
My passion and focus have always been on women’s health and women’s healthcare issues. However, I’ve studied a wide range of health topics such as general health/wellness, fitness, nutrition, anxiety, trauma, aging, sexuality, consumer health, the history and current state of the US health system, how the pharmaceutical industry innovates and produces new drugs, and the business of healthcare.
I’m a crusader against health misinformation, which is one of the reasons why this website and my newsletters are open-access. I’m upset that fear is often being used to commercialize perimenopause and menopause. We deserve better than this.
My Life
I’ve been proudly married to my hubs for 24 years and have college-aged twins. I love reading and can mostly retain information (brain fog is real, y’all). I like to laugh and do silly things. My bags are always packed for my next trip. I workout regularly and eat right (I follow an 80/20 rule, if you’re curious). I “walk the talk” and am living proof you can thrive during this transition.
I love common sense and logic - I need things to make sense. I love learning and sharing information with people, it’s my life purpose. The beginning of perimenopause was a very rough start for me, but I now realize the power of this time to reclaim who I am. I’m a much more authentic person, both inside and out. Even though I’m still going through perimenopause, I’m overall much happier than I’ve ever been.
Two Truths and a Lie*
I love this game from my corporate training days. See if you can figure out which statement is a lie:
At 48, I climbed the dome at the City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri
25 years ago, I accidentally talked my way into a CIA facility
In 2023, I was a background actor in a Christmas movie
*Keep reading for the answer below.
Join the PeriSquad
Be a part of a community of people who share your interests. Be a part of the collective energy to change the narrative around peri- and menopause. Consider subscribing, participate in the comments section, and let your friends know about this site!
Everyone is welcome here, regardless of whether you have ovaries or not, regardless of whether you identify as female or not. Although my health information is geared towards perimenopause, much of the information can be applied to general wellness and health. The more we collectively know, the better we can all support ourselves and each other.
Disclaimer: The content on this site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice. I am not a physician. Please see Disclaimer and Content Use Policy for more information.
Science is constantly changing. Content is accurate at the time of publication to the best of my abilities and will be updated as much as reasonably possible.
* The lie is that the game should have been called Three Truths. They are all true.
Thank you and good night!
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