Seminars in Ageing: Promoting Good Mental Health over Menopause and Beyond

Dr Lydia Brown 

About the Presenters:

Dr Lydia Brown is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences and a member of the Brain and Mental Health Research Hub. After receiving her PhD on self-compassion and menopause in 2015, she completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and The University of Melbourne on healthy aging. Her research focuses on understanding and enhancing well-being during the menopause transition, and in the second half of life more generally.

Alongside research, Lydia has worked as a Clinical Psychologist for a number of years, supporting adults to manage mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and recovery from trauma. She teaches primarily into postgraduate programmes at the university, helping train the next generation of psychologists in clinical skills.

About the Seminar:

For women and those born with functioning ovaries, the menopause transition typically occurs in midlife. The hormonal and biological changes of menopause often co-occur with a range of social, psychological, and life-stage factors, which together can affect well-being and shape healthy ageing trajectories across the second half of life. There is considerable individual variation in how menopause is experienced, with some women more at risk of poor mental health outcomes than others.

Drawing on findings from our 2024 Lancet Series paper on menopause and mental health, as well as my broader research on psychological resilience, self-compassion and healthy ageing, this seminar provides a research update on menopause and mental health. It focuses on modifiable factors that promote good mental health during the menopause transition and help lay the foundations for healthy ageing in the years beyond.