Money Matters Episode 347-Brain Fog, Weight Gain, and Mood Changes? It Could Be Perimenopause W/ Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Release Date: 07/23/2026
Money Matters Episode 347-Brain Fog, Weight Gain, and Mood Changes? It Could Be Perimenopause W/ Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Brain fog, weight gain, mood changes, disrupted sleep, and a fading sense of feeling like yourself can all become part of the perimenopause experience. But why do these changes happen—and why are so many women still struggling to find informed care? In Episode 347 of Money Matters, Christopher Hensley, RICP, CES, speaks with Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith, a nationally recognized OB-GYN, certified menopause practitioner, author, and founder of Complete Midlife Wellness Center. Dr. Hardwick-Smith explains the hormonal transition from the fertile years through perimenopause and menopause, including...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 346- The Working Budget: Budgeting, Kaizen, and Better Money Habits W/Jabez Roberts
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
In this episode of Money Matters, Chris Hensley welcomes Jabez Roberts, host of The Working Budget and The Boardroom Podcast. Jabez shares the story behind launching The Working Budget, a new podcast focused on practical financial education, money management, and helping everyday people understand how money moves through their personal economy. Chris and Jabez discuss the connection between Kaizen and compound interest, showing how small, consistent improvements can create meaningful long-term growth. They also explore why budgeting is often misunderstood, why money decisions are emotional,...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 345- Books4Guys: Saving Critical Thinking in a Distracted World W/ Chris Clinard
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Episode Description In this episode of Money Matters, Chris Hensley welcomes Chris Clinard, host of the Books4Guys podcast and founder of the Books4Guys community. Chris shares the story behind Books4Guys, a platform built to encourage more men and young people to read, explore new ideas, and build lifelong learning habits. The conversation covers why men are reading less, how books can shape critical thinking, the surprising value of fiction, and why reading is more than just a hobby — it is a tool for personal growth, leadership, and better decision-making. Chris also discusses the...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 344- Slow Down to Go Faster with Ralph Simone
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
What if the reason you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and constantly behind is because you’ve been taught that faster always means better? In this episode of Money Matters, Christopher Hensley sits down with executive coach and author Ralph Simone to discuss the ideas behind his book Slow Down to Go Faster. Together, they explore burnout, hustle culture, leadership, productivity, and the importance of intentional pauses in both business and life. Ralph shares lessons from decades of coaching leaders and entrepreneurs, explaining why many high achievers struggle to disconnect, recharge, and...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 343-Why Men Get Perimenopause Completely Wrong (And What to Do Instead) w/ Sam Anderson
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Most men get perimenopause completely wrong. Not because they don’t care— …but because no one ever taught them what’s actually happening. On the latest episode of the Money Matters Podcast, I sat down with Sam Anderson (tag him here), author of Perimenopause: The A–Z Guide for Us Idiots—and one thing stood out: 👉 The biggest mistake men make? They try to fix it. When in reality… ✔️ It’s not something to fix ✔️ It’s something to understand ✔️ And something couples need to navigate together We talked about: • Why men take symptoms personally (and why that...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 342-Back Office Burnout & AI: What Advisors Must Know W/ Ryan George
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
What if the real reason advisory firms struggle to scale… isn’t growth? It’s what happens after the client says yes. In this episode, Christopher Hensley sits down with Ryan George (CMO at Docupace) to talk about the unsung “back office heroes” who keep advisory firms running—and why burnout, invisible operations, and misunderstood AI adoption can quietly become your biggest growth bottleneck This isn’t another “AI will write your blog posts” conversation. Ryan breaks down the difference between automation vs. intelligent automation, why financial services is an...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 341-Public Radio, AI, and the Future of Audio Storytelling W/ Ernesto Aguilar
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Public radio helped define trust in audio. Now AI is reshaping how audio gets made. In this episode, I sit down with Ernesto Aguilar — public radio executive, author, and the person who gave me my first big break at KPFT in Houston more than a decade ago. That opportunity launched what has now become one of the longest-running financial planning podcasts in the space. We talk about how public radio built credibility over decades, why audiences still turn to trusted voices for deeper context, and how AI is changing production without replacing the human responsibility behind the microphone....
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 340-From Note-Takers to AI Assistants: The New Standard for Financial Advisors W/ Matt Halloran
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
Will AI replace financial advisors—or make the best ones better? In this episode of Money Matters, Christopher Hensley sits down with Matt Halloran, author of Shut the F Up and Listen and Chief Evangelist at Zocks, to continue a conversation that began with one core idea: great advice starts with great listening. Now, that philosophy is colliding with a new reality—AI assistants. Matt explains why AI assistants won’t replace financial advisors, but will raise the standard for what clients expect. From AI note-taking to tools that capture emotional cues, automate follow-ups, and turn...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 339-AI Workers, Not Chatbots: How Advisors Scale with Digital Co-Workers W/Jonathan Michael
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
What if financial advisors didn’t just use AI tools—but had AI workers supporting their business? In this episode of Money Matters, host Chris Hensley is joined by Jonathan Michael, Director of Growth at TIFIN AXIS, to unpack what AI agents really are, how they differ from chatbots, and why they’re quickly becoming a practical way for advisory firms to scale. Jonathan brings a founder’s perspective from both EdTech and WealthTech and focuses on one core idea: AI should take on the operational, repetitive work that slows firms down—so advisors can spend more time where they add the...
info_outline
Money Matters Episode 338- Fiduciary in All Things w/ George Kinder
MONEY MATTERS with Christopher Hensley
In this powerful conversation, host Christopher Hensley, RICP®, CES® sits down once again with George Kinder—internationally recognized as the father of life planning and the visionary behind the global Fiduciary in All Things (FIAT) movement. Together, they explore what it would mean for our institutions, our democracy, and our financial systems to finally act in the best interest of the people they serve. Kinder explains how a fiduciary society—rooted in truth, people, democracy, and the planet—could dissolve many of the challenges we face today while preserving the entrepreneurial...
info_outlineBrain fog, weight gain, mood changes, disrupted sleep, and a fading sense of feeling like yourself can all become part of the perimenopause experience. But why do these changes happen—and why are so many women still struggling to find informed care?
In Episode 347 of Money Matters, Christopher Hensley, RICP, CES, speaks with Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith, a nationally recognized OB-GYN, certified menopause practitioner, author, and founder of Complete Midlife Wellness Center.
Dr. Hardwick-Smith explains the hormonal transition from the fertile years through perimenopause and menopause, including how changing estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels may affect the brain, sleep, metabolism, muscle, mood, and sexual wellness. She also discusses the continuing debate around menopausal hormone therapy, why specialized menopause training matters, and how women can begin planning for a longer health span.
In this conversation
- What perimenopause is and why symptoms vary
- Brain fog, mood, memory, and sleep changes
- Metabolism, insulin resistance, and midlife muscle loss
- Sexual wellness and the role hormones may play
- Questions surrounding the 2002 Women's Health Initiative reporting
- How to find a qualified menopause practitioner
- Practical steps women can begin taking in their 40s and 50s
Chapters
00:00 Compliance disclosures and show introduction
00:38 Cold open: hormones and brain function
01:04 Welcome and episode introduction
02:46 The three hormonal phases of a woman's life
04:35 How perimenopause may affect the brain
06:14 Why symptoms vary from woman to woman
08:19 Hormone therapy and the 2002 WHI debate
13:03 Metabolism, muscle loss, and midlife weight changes
15:57 Sexual wellness, desire, and testosterone
19:13 Who may benefit from treatment and finding informed care
21:29 Advocating for yourself in the medical system
23:17 Why Complete Midlife Wellness Center was created
24:46 Create Her and planning for a longer health span
27:11 Three practical steps for women in midlife
Resources mentioned
- Complete Midlife Wellness Center
- The Menopause Society practitioner directory
- Create Her: Aging Into the Healthiest Version of Yourself by Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith — book details and preorder information (publishes February 2, 2027)
Subscribe to Money Matters for practical conversations about the financial, physical, and personal decisions that shape a well-planned life.
This episode is for educational purposes and is not personal medical advice. Treatment decisions should be made with a qualified healthcare professional. Medical interpretations and treatment perspectives expressed in the conversation belong to the guest.