In this empowering episode, Dr. Anna Cabeca, The Girlfriend Doctor, sits down with internationally respected gynecologist and menopause expert Dr. Maria Sophocles to break the silence around vaginal and vulvar atrophy, hormonal shifts, and declining intimacy in midlife.

They explore why pain, dryness, and loss of desire are often normalized—and how this fuels what Dr. Sophocles calls "The Bedroom Gap." You'll learn how hormones, anatomy, stress, and communication impact pleasure, plus evidence-based strategies to restore comfort, confidence, and connection at any age.

Menopause is natural. Suffering is optional—and pleasure is your birthright.

00:00 – Welcome to The Girlfriend Doctor Show
01:45 – Why sexual medicine is missing from OB-GYN training
04:20 – What The Bedroom Gap really means
07:15 – Why women's sexual pain is often normalized
10:00 – The ABCs of sexual health: Acceptance, Being present, Communication
19:25 – Hormones, dryness, pain & loss of desire in midlife
23:10 – Vulvar anatomy & early signs women shouldn't ignore
28:15 – DHEA, estrogen & testosterone for tissue health
42:30 – Practical strategies to close the bedroom gap
58:00 – Reclaiming intimacy, confidence & pleasure at any age

"You cannot heal a body you hate."
"Menopause is natural. Suffering is optional."

"If it hurts every time you do something, why would your body want it?"
"Normalizing the problem is what keeps women stuck."
"Intimacy isn't just physical—it's communication, confidence, and connection."

Website: https://www.mariasophoclesmd.com
Virtual Practice: The Thinking Woman
Book: The Bedroom Gap (available on Amazon & major booksellers)
TED Talk & media features including Oprah Daily
Founder, Women's Healthcare of Princeton

Website: https://dranna.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drannacabeca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor