Join The Swell, Naomi Watts and leading experts for an illuminating deep dive into the latest science and lived experience of menopause, health and longevity.
This expanded program brings together leading doctors, scientists, and thought leaders to share the latest research and data -- unpacking what’s really happening in our bodies and how it shapes long-term health
Blending TED-style talks and intimate discussions, this program explores hormones, brain and heart health, muscle and bone, metabolism, sexuality, and emotional resilience, equipping you with evidence-based insight to make informed choices with clarity and confidence.
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program preview
Get a preview of our expansive women’s health program
- PROGRAM LENGTH: 5+ hours of expert-led content
- PROGRAM DETAILS: 15+ talks, panels & conversations
- PROGRAM FOCUS: Menopause, Healthspan & Longevity – Across Body, Brain & Life
OUR PROGRAM COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, INCLUDING:
- Understanding menopause, perimenopause & hormonal change
- Hormones & HRT: benefits, risks, timing & nuance
- Brain health, cognition & Alzheimer’s risk in women
- Mental health, joy, anxiety & emotional resilience
- Heart health, metabolism & long-term disease risk
- Muscle, bone density & the science of strength training
- Sexual health, desire, pleasure & intimacy
- Weight, body composition, nutrition & GLP-1s
- Food, mood & the gut–brain connection
- Breast cancer risk, survivorship & evidence-based menopause care
- Spirituality, awe & meaning as tools for resilience
- Community wisdom & collective empowerment in midlife
what to expect
our program
Preview the symposium with highlights from each section of the program.
01
01
Welcome
Naomi Watts and Alisa Volkman open the New Pause Symposium with a warm, energizing welcome—framing midlife as a moment of possibility, collective well-being, and cultural momentum, and inviting women to pause, gather, and step confidently into what’s next.
02
02
Dear Vagina
Dr. Kelly Casperson delivers a bold, hilarious, and empowering call to close the orgasm gap. She dismantles shame, exposes orgasmic inequality, and reframes female pleasure as essential—backed by science, hormones, lubrication, and unapologetic self-worth.
03
03
The Heavy Lift
Dr. Vonda Wright makes the case for lifting heavy as essential to healthy aging in perimenopause and menopause, showing how muscle protects the brain, bones, and metabolism—and how to train safely for real strength, power and independence.
04
04
The Pink Elephant in the Room
Dr. Corinne Menn shines a necessary light on the most dismissed women in menopause—those facing early menopause, cancer, and complex care. This powerful talk challenges medical dismissal and calls for equity, evidence-based treatment, and collective advocacy.
05
05
Notes from the Female Brain
Dr. Sharon Malone and Dr. Lisa Mosconi reveal why Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects women—and why risk begins in midlife. Grounded in cutting-edge research, they reveal how menopause, hormones, and prevention can reshape women’s brain health outcomes.
06
06
The Science of Happiness
Dr. Judith Joseph reframes mental health through the science of joy, naming high-functioning depression and why productivity can mask pain. With her “Five Vs,” she offers a compassionate, preventative roadmap to reclaim joy, vitality, and long-term well-being.
07
07
Hardwired for Awe
Dr. Lisa Miller joins Alisa Volkman to explore how spirituality differs from religion—and why we’re all wired for transcendence. Grounded in brain science and practical tools, Lisa explains how intuition and spiritual practice build resilience through midlife.
08
08
If I Could Tell You One Thing
Pamela Brown moderates a powerhouse panel of leading doctors examining the most misunderstood areas of women’s health—from menopause and brain health to sexual wellness and obesity—cutting through misinformation with evidence, clarity, and a call for better care.
09
09
Women's Health Reimagined …
Maria Shriver joins Naomi Watts and Alisa Volkman to widen the lens on women’s health—expanding it beyond symptoms to include the emotional, spiritual, and lived realities of women’s lives. Through personal stories, they explore self-permission, collective power, and the courage to be “a lot,” helping shape what better care can look like.
10
10
Weight… Wait, What?!
Tamsen Fadal connects with Dr. Kim Boyd and Julie Rice to discuss the reality of midlife weight shifts—why hormones change the rules, where GLP-1s may fit, and how community and lifestyle help women feel stronger in their bodies.
11
11
Your Brain on Food
Dr. Uma Naidoo reframes menopause through the lens of food and mood—showing how what’s on your plate shapes hormones, brain health, and emotional resilience. The takeaway is simple and sticky: your plate is the gate to your fate.
12
12
Desire: The Great Mismatch
Dr. Cindy Meston delivers an eye-opening, science-backed look at sexual desire—why it differs between men and women, and why mismatch isn’t a personal failure. This talk reframes differences with empathy and offers practical ways couples can deepen intimacy.
13
13
Movement is Medicine
Aimee Cox closes the symposium with a powerful embodied meditation—using movement, breath, and community to disrupt old narratives, honor women crossing into menopause, and invite participants to reclaim their space, voice, and collective power.
what people are saying
Feeling incredibly grateful to be present for those empowering conversations with powerhouse women.
Incredible lineup! So appreciated the openness and realness of all the speakers.
I left feeling energized, educated, and so grateful to be part of this community.
It was an empowering experience that made my friends and I feel seen and understood like never before.
This was the kind of gathering you didn’t know how badly you needed until you were there.
Exceptional!
Thank you all for a beautifully curated day of meaningful conversations.