Midlifers are saying the quiet parts out loud—and we have stories that will make you laugh, cry, and feel like you've found your tribe. This week, writers, reinventors, and editors Dina Alvarez and Dina Aronson join host Katie Fogarty to explore their new essay collection "Midlife Private Parts"—a series of revealing essays that will change the way you think about age. Dina and Dina spent two years gathering 27 contributors (including many ACA podcast favorites like Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Sarah ...
Jun 30, 2025•36 min
Tired of living on autopilot while your dreams sit on the back burner? Shannon Watts knows that restlessness. Before founding Moms Demand Action and earning accolades including Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential, Shannon was an overwhelmed mom who broke down in a doctor's office, covered in stress-induced eczema from living a life that no longer worked. In her new book "Fired Up," Shannon shares her transformation from breakdown to fired-up founder of a grassroots movement against gun violence...
Jun 23, 2025•48 min
Let's be honest—walking down the skincare aisle in midlife is overwhelming. So many products, so much BS. If you're tired of "anti-aging" products that promise miracles, this show will help you cut through marketing hype, make you a shrewder shopper, and give your skincare smarts a science-backed glow up. Today's show is a crash course in the science of skin aging with Dr. Alessandra Zonari, who holds a PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering and is the co-founder of cult-favorite OneSki...
Jun 16, 2025•41 min
Bestselling author Karen Dukess returns to the show to pour out a piping hot cup of mystery, murder, and Anglophile fun as we explore the pages of her genre-bending new book "Welcome to Murder Week"—a delightful mystery romp through the English countryside. Plus, we spill the tea on creative setbacks, midlife resilience, and the power of leaning into fun to unlock our best work. Karen was the first author to ever appear on A Certain Age. She returns to share a BTS of book publishing, “second nov...
Jun 09, 2025•41 min
Can midlife be a portal to our most powerful selves? What if menopause came with superpowers? In this A Certain Age bonus episode, listen in as host Katie Fogarty and author Kirsten Miller explore "The Change," a razor-sharp feminist revenge fantasy about three women who navigate the thickets of menopause and small-town murder with superpowers unlocked by midlife. Miller crafts a tale that's equal parts thriller, feminist manifesto, and pacy, page-turning magical realism—a recipe that landed "Th...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr
Is your birthday something to celebrate or avoid? This week, Katie explores this question with author Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming, author of “How to Have a Happy Birthday,” who reveals how to transform annual milestones from sources of dread into opportunities for joy. "A birthday is the most powerful day of our year," says Tamar, who offers ideas for birthday rituals and reflections, to meaningful gift exchanges and epic parties. Birthdays can be more than candles on a cake—birthdays are portals for ...
May 19, 2025•45 min
We all know that midlife is more fun with friends. But friendship is more than a nice-to-have—female friendships are a balm and a salve, tethering us when the roller coaster of (mid)life threatens to catapult us off the tracks. This week, Katie explores the uplifting power of friendship with Vanessa Cornell, founder of the women's community NUSHU. After experiencing her own breaking point at 35, this Harvard graduate and mother of five built what she needed—a community that lets women unmask and...
May 12, 2025•52 min
Learn how to preserve your family's most meaningful stories with Aviva Black, founder of Family Love Letters. Discover how a heartfelt letter from her late father inspired Aviva to help others capture intergenerational connections and family history before they're lost to time. This conversation reveals practical techniques for drawing out powerful memories from loved ones, creating tangible heirlooms that transcend time. Whether you're seeking a meaningful gift for parents, hoping to preserve g...
May 05, 2025•42 min
Open up your closet, ears and mind. Style OG Stacy London is back on the show to help you toss what no longer works—from dated jeans to outdated mindsets about what it means to age. "Style is a living, breathing thing that evolves over time," says Stacy as she gives us the BTS on how she’s dressing, living, and creating anew. From reuniting with Clinton Kelly on the new show —'Wear Whatever the F You Want” — to a QVC fashion line, discover how Stacy is redefining success at 55. Forget A-list par...
Apr 28, 2025•47 min
Reaching midlife necessitates a series of reinventions. If you are lucky, you head into your middle years with a curious, ever-blooming spirit. This week, former First Lady of Canada, longtime mental health advocate, and perennial bloomer Sophie Grégoire Trudeau joins host Katie Fogarty to explore the life’s work of building emotional wellness and her new book "Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other. " Learn practical tools for emotional regulation, the power of slowing down, and ...
Apr 21, 2025•50 min
Discover how essential amino acids could be the missing link in your midlife wellness journey. Join us as former Women's Health Editor-in-Chief Liz Plosser reveals the surprising supplement that transformed her strength, energy, and recovery after 40. You'll learn exactly how supplements like EAAs and creatine work as protein building blocks to maintain muscle, boost energy and recovery, and help you age powerfully. Hear Liz's personal journey from injury recovery to how her new protein and supp...
Apr 14, 2025•45 min
Succeeding on the outside but struggling on the inside? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Judith Joseph helps you recognize the hidden signs of high functioning depression that often hide behind your achievements and busy schedule. Drawing from her powerful new book "High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy," Dr. Joseph shares her proven 5-step framework for breaking free from this silent struggle. You'll discover practical ways to identify warning signals in your da...
Apr 08, 2025•51 min
Craving adventure without jeopardizing your relationship? In this episode, psychotherapist Leah Fisher shares transformative insights from her memoir 'My Marriage Sabbatical,' which chronicles how her year-long solo journey at age 60 unexpectedly deepened her 30-year- marriage. You'll discover practical communication strategies, planning frameworks, and relationship wisdom that turned potential conflict into growth as Leah traveled the globe. We explore creating healthy space in long-term partne...
Mar 31, 2025•50 min
An epic on-camera hot flash on live TV started Emmy-award-winning journalist Tamsen Fadal on her menopause journey. For the first time in decades, she didn't finish the newscast. She would later receive a message from her gynecologist in her health portal saying, "In menopause... any questions?" but with no guidance on navigating a flood of symptoms. Now, Tamsen has written the menopause manual she needed, "How to Menopause," an expert-driven, girlfriend-approved guide to feeling your best in me...
Mar 24, 2025•35 min
Can a bold lip and a sparkly bomber jacket make midlife feel more fabulous? Yes, says beauty and fashion founder Mally Roncal who brings her trademark energy, spark and zest for living at every age to this week’s show. Mally got her start as a celebrity make-up artist to stars like Beyonce and J. Lo, then launched her eponymous line Mally Beauty, a brand with decades of staying power, and pivoted into QVC stardom. Now, from hosting the new TV show “Over 50 and Fabulous” to launching fashion line...
Mar 17, 2025•52 min
Are you one of the millions of women battling debilitating migraines? This episode is your guide to understanding the surprising connection between your hormones and those crushing headaches. Join host Katie Fogarty as she speaks with Dr. Nada Hindiyeh, former Stanford neurology professor and founder of Haven Headache and Migraine Center, who reveals why migraines affect women three times more than men. You'll discover why your 40s and 50s might be your "worst decade" for migraines, how menopaus...
Mar 10, 2025•37 min
Do you find yourself constantly saying "Sure, no problem" even when you're overwhelmed? In a refreshingly honest conversation, author Amy Wilson joins host Katie Fogarty to share how you can break free from the helper trap. If you're the person everyone counts on—at work, at home, and everywhere in between—you'll relate to Wilson's frank, funny stories about learning to set boundaries and prioritize your own needs. Discover why "no" is such a complicated sentence for lifelong helpers, how to han...
Mar 03, 2025•46 min
Frustrated with menopause healthcare? You should be. Menopause is undertreated, underfunded, and under-researched. Channel your outrage into action with a game-changing conversation on making your voice heard! Host Katie Fogarty sits down with advocate Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, who has partnered with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Maria Shriver and many of the country's leading menopause experts to create "The Citizens Guide to Menopause Advocacy"—a free digital playbook for change. Discover six simple ways ...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Curious about all the buzz around "lifting heavy" at midlife? Fitness pro and Nike Master Trainer Holly Rilinger breaks down why strength training is an engine of longevity—and how to make it work for you. Learn exactly how to start building muscle (no matter your experience level), discover the science behind post-workout recovery, and get expert tips for managing osteoporosis and injuries. Whether you're a beginner or looking to level up your strength game, Holly breaks down exactly how to beg...
Feb 17, 2025•45 min
What if your best years are still ahead of you? What if midlife isn't about fading into the background, but stepping boldly into your next act? This week, writer-director Brooke Berman joins host Katie Fogarty to share how she made her first film in her 50s, challenging Hollywood's assumptions about age and creativity. Through the lens of Brooke’s debut film "Ramona at Midlife," we explore the questions that matter most to women navigating their middle years: How do you reclaim your voice after ...
Feb 10, 2025•41 min
If you've ever felt nagging bladder pressure, struggled with painful sex, or found yourself planning every outing around bathroom breaks, this episode is for you. Pelvic pain expert Dr. Sonia Bahlani combines training in both gynecology and urology to tackle the questions too many women are afraid to ask. Why do so many of us suffer for years before getting help? What's really causing that constant urge to go? Do we have to just “live” with painful sex? Dr. Bahlani breaks down why all too common...
Feb 03, 2025•34 min
Feeling stuck in your career or worried about staying relevant in today's fast-changing job market? This episode is your guide to navigating what's next. Join host Katie Fogarty and LinkedIn's top career expert Catherine Fisher as they break down the latest data on where jobs are headed, reveal insider tips for standing out on LinkedIn, and share practical strategies for continuous career growth. Learn how to combat age bias, showcase your value to ace an interview, and stay relevant in an AI-dr...
Jan 27, 2025•36 min
Looking for real answers about managing hot flashes and other menopause symptoms? Dr. Jen Ashton, one of America's leading doctors, shares practical solutions and the latest treatment options (including non-hormonal alternatives) to help you feel your best. Get straight talk about what works, what doesn't, and how to take charge of your health in midlife and beyond. Whether you're dealing with sleep issues, mood changes, or hot flashes at work, this episode gives you the tools and knowledge to m...
Jan 20, 2025•44 min•Ep. 216
Want to stay active, strong and mobile in midlife and beyond? Physical therapy expert Dr. Katie Dailey reveals how just 10-20 minutes of targeted daily movement can help you build stronger bones, maintain muscle mass, and protect your joints. Perfect for women navigating menopause and anyone who wants to keep doing what they love for decades to come. Learn about Groove Health's personalized virtual strength coaching for adults 50+, designed by physical therapists to fit into your lifestyle. Get ...
Jan 13, 2025•48 min•Ep. 215
Is your body craving something different in 2025? Tired of brain fog, low energy, and a body you no longer recognize? We’ve got you! On this week’s show, leading nutrition scientist Dr. Sarah Berry, Chief Scientist at ZOE and Professor at King's College London unveils the science behind personalized nutrition and explains why cookie-cutter diet approaches are failing us. Drawing from research on 70,000 women, she reveals how dietary changes can reduce menopause symptoms by 35% and challenges con...
Jan 06, 2025•59 min
From beauty industry veteran to silver-haired sensation, model and influencer Claudia Fabian is redefining what it means to age visibly and glamorously. In this week's show, Claudia reveals how going gray launched an unexpected modeling career at 50+ and sparked a mission to change how the beauty industry speaks to women in midlife. Now a Sephora Squad member and one of WWD's top Gen X beauty influencers, Claudia shares candid insights about her journey to embrace gray hair, the must-have beauty...
Dec 16, 2024•45 min
Need gift ideas that delight (and won't get regifted)? Fashion insider and journalist Christine Morrison joins host Katie Fogarty for a festive dive into holiday shopping, gifting, and style that wows. From luxury wellness splurges (hello, sauna blanket!) to brilliant stocking stuffers, we’ve got you covered with smart picks at every price point. Plus, get the scoop on elevated additions to inject your holiday and 2025 wardrobe with high-impact sparkle and style. Christine also gives us an insid...
Dec 09, 2024•50 min
Are you drowning in to-do lists, overflowing inboxes, and a calendar that feels like it's about to explode? Welcome to a game-changing conversation with Shira Gill, the NYT-bestselling author and home organizing expert who champions the idea that minimalism isn't about having three t-shirts and an all-beige home—it's about being radically intentional with your time, energy, and life. In this episode of A Certain Age, Shira breaks down her revolutionary approach to life editing from her latest bo...
Dec 02, 2024•47 min
Need a dose of feel-good tonic for our complicated times? Join host Katie Fogarty for a joy-filled chat with author Gina Hamadey, who took on the delightfully ambitious project of writing 365 thank you notes in one year (yes, really!). Discover how the simple act of writing thank you notes can transform your happiness, relationships and spark big magic—from patching up old friendships to making romantic partnerships sweeter. Gina shares the surprisingly fun (and sometimes awkward) moments of her...
Nov 25, 2024•43 min
Seventy million Americans are reeling from the election results this week. I am one of them. I have cycled through so many negative emotions: shock, anger, rage, fear, sorrow. Relistening to my 2023 interview with Cyndie Spiegel, author of “Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life is Not Okay,” reminded me that we can hold grief in one hand and joy in another. Sitting quietly in the sun, immersing myself once again in this conversation, reminded me that we can look at the world with hopefu...
Nov 11, 2024•41 min
