Ep. 92 Dude, Where's My Wife?

What happens when the woman you love enters perimenopause and suddenly neither of you got the instruction manual?

In this episode of ShrinksRap, Jim and Lisa sit down with women’s health professional, educator, and author Daria Flowers and her husband, Greg—aka “The Dude”—for a funny, candid, and compassionate conversation about menopause, marriage, and the fine art of not trying to fix everything.

Daria was inspired to write her book while navigating her own perimenopause and its impact on her health, identity, and relationship. Greg readily confesses that he has lived every chapter. His hard-earned Dude wisdom? Be patient. Stay curious. Be humble. Stop trying to fix it. And keep your sense of humor.

We explore what happens when estrogen and progesterone start behaving like they’ve misplaced the car keys: brain fog, night sweats, sleep disruption, weight and mood changes, shifting identity, and changes in sex and intimacy. Women can feel like strangers in their own bodies, while partners may feel confused, rejected, lonely—or simply wonder, “Dude, where's my wife?”

But menopause doesn’t have to untether a relationship. It can be an opportunity to adapt, laugh, communicate, and grow closer. The key for Dudes everywhere: educate yourself, don’t take everything personally, and learn to show up without immediately reaching for the toolbox.

With Daria’s practical hacks and Greg’s lessons from the front lines, this episode offers a roadmap for navigating one of life’s biggest biological—and relational—transitions together.

Your wife hasn’t disappeared, Dude. The operating system is just getting an update.