Chapter One
How She Heals
Finding care during midlife should not feel like a part-time job. This guide gives you a place to start, trusted local providers, and a clearer sense of what good care should feel like.
Step One
Build your foundation first.
Before you search for a provider, it helps to know what good care actually looks like. The Menopause Society sets the standard for menopause education and treatment in North America. Their site is one of the few places you will find clear, research-backed information on symptoms, treatment options, and how to spot a qualified provider. Start there. It will change how you walk into any appointment.
Recommended Resource
The Menopause Society
Formerly known as NAMS, The Menopause Society leads the way on menopause education and clinical standards in North America. Their site includes patient education, symptom guides, treatment overviews, and a searchable directory of certified practitioners.
- Evidence-based symptom and treatment information written for patients
- A searchable directory of Menopause Society Certified Practitioners
- Position statements on hormone therapy, breast cancer risk, and beyond
- A clear framework for understanding your options before your first appointment
What to look for on their site
- Patient Resources section
- Menopause Guidebook — free download
- Find a Provider directory
- MenoPro symptom tool
Step Two
Go Deeper When You Are Ready
Books, podcasts, and articles that are actually worth your time.
How She Heals
The New Menopause
Mary Claire Haver, MD • Board-Certified OB-GYN
A structured, clinical walkthrough of what is happening in the body during perimenopause — covering treatment options, hormone therapy, and lifestyle support. A strong first read before your first provider conversation.
How She Heals
Estrogen Matters
Avrum Bluming, MD • Carol Tavris, PhD
A medical oncologist and a social psychologist examine the research behind hormone therapy and the misconceptions that followed early studies. If you have ever been told hormone therapy is too risky, this is worth reading.
How She Heals
Perimenopause Power
Maisie Hill • Women's Health Practitioner
A practical, lived-experience approach to hormones and perimenopause — useful for recognizing patterns and symptoms that often go unexplained in a clinical setting. Fills the gap between what your body is telling you and what your provider may not have named yet.
How She Heals
Stanford Conversations in Menopause
Stanford University Physicians • Clinical & Research-Based
Led by Stanford physicians, these conversations cover hormone therapy, cardiovascular health, bone density, and cognitive changes. Research-grounded and clinical — a good listen when you want the science behind what you are experiencing.
How She Heals
Huberman Lab
Andrew Huberman, PhD • Stanford Neuroscientist
In-depth conversations with clinical experts on hormones, metabolism, brain health, and aging. The perimenopause-focused episodes go deeper into physiology and systems-level changes than most resources in this space.
How She Heals
You Are Not Broken
Kelly Casperson, MD • Board-Certified Urologist
Dr. Casperson specializes in female sexual health and covers libido, hormones, and the emotional side of midlife — topics most providers do not bring up unless you do. Addresses desire, relationships, and self-advocacy in a way that is direct and practical.
How She Heals
Rachel Rubin, MD
Board-Certified Urologist • Sexual Medicine Specialist • Fellowship Trained
Dr. Rubin's work focuses on sexual function, vulvovaginal health, hormone therapy, and patient advocacy. Especially useful for women trying to understand the connection between hormones, sexual health, and quality of life — topics that deserve more space than they typically get.
Step Three
Providers Worth Your Time
Personally researched. Held to a standard that does not bend. No one pays to be here.
How She Heals
EmpowerHer Women's Care Collective
Katelyn Blackmon, NP • McCordsville, IN
Explicitly follows The Menopause Society guidelines and states clearly they do not offer pellet therapy. Bioidentical hormones go to the patient's own pharmacy, where insurance benefits may apply. The range of services is broad — HRT, pelvic floor, mental health, primary care — and the highest clinical alignment of all providers reviewed.
How She Heals
Corsano Health and Wellness
Dr. Sumita Jain, MD, ABFM • Carmel, IN
A board-certified family physician whose published content references The Menopause Society and WHI — that is rare in this market. The direct primary care model means unlimited visits and direct communication with no per-visit fees. Menopause management is a listed primary service.
How She Heals
Women's Wellness Clinic
Melissa Matthews, DNP, WHNP-BC • Nikia Beeson, MSN, WHNP-BC • Anderson, IN
Both founders are board-certified women's health nurse practitioners. Melissa Matthews led a GYN clinic for uninsured women in Madison County for nearly a decade. Menopause is a primary service, they accept most insurance, and no pellet therapy was identified on their website.
How She Heals
Ascension St. Vincent
Daun Hooley-Miller, WHNP • NAMS Certified Menopause Clinician • Carmel, IN
NAMS-certified within a large insurance-accepting health system — a rare combination. Her subspecialty covers menopause and bladder conditions with both nonsurgical and surgical treatment options. One of the strongest credentials found in this search.
How She Heals
IU Health OB/GYN
Ashley M. Seei, NP • Menopause Society Certified Practitioner • Indianapolis, IN
Menopause Society Certified Practitioner with a completed advanced fellowship in gynecology. Specializes in perimenopause, pelvic pain, and endometriosis. Advocates for hormone replacement therapy and is currently accepting new patients within the IU Health system.
Vetting in Progress
New providers earn their place through our formal evaluation process.
All providers on this list have been personally reviewed. Listing does not constitute a personal endorsement of clinical outcomes.
Step Four
What Good Care Should Feel Like.
Good care is not just about what you leave with. It is about what happens in the room. The right provider leaves you feeling oriented, not more confused than when you walked in.
In our community survey, 59.2% of women left their last appointment without a clear plan in place. You are allowed to expect more than that.
You Felt Heard
Your provider listened to the full picture. You had time to speak. They asked follow-up questions. You did not feel pushed toward the door before you were finished.
Your Treatment Was Explained
If something was recommended, you understood what it is, why it was chosen for you, and what to expect. No prescription handed over without context.
You Left With a Plan
There was a clear next step. Follow-up, lab work, a trial period, a referral. You did not walk out wondering what happens now.
Your Goals Were Part of It
A good provider asks what matters to you, not just what is wrong. Your quality of life and your priorities should shape your care — not just your lab values.
Follow-Up Was Clear
You knew when you would be seen again, what would be checked, and how to reach someone in the meantime. Follow-up should never feel like an afterthought.
You Were Not Minimized
Your symptoms were taken seriously. You were not told this is just aging, or that everything looks fine when it clearly does not feel that way.