What I Learned from Dr. Sharon Malone

Hi friends — Deb here again.

I’ve been lucky to sit across from some incredible women in this season of Loopwell’s “Tiny Desk-style” series for well-being thought leaders, but spending time with Dr. Sharon Malone? That one left a mark.

Here’s this woman with a psychology degree from Harvard (meanwhile I’m still proud of my high school typing award), a medical degree from Columbia, and nearly three decades as one of D.C.’s most respected OB/GYNs and Certified Menopause Practitioners. And now? She’s full-time on a mission to rewrite the script on menopause care through her work with Alloy Health and her book Grown Women Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy.

So yeah, she’s a heavyweight. But the way she shares stories makes you feel like you’re in her living room, not a lecture hall. That’s my kind of teacher.

Lesson 1: Medicine Was Written for Men

Dr. Malone pulled no punches here. The majority of medical research? Done on men, by men. Which means women’s symptoms — from heart disease to menopause — often don’t even make it into the textbooks.

Her words landed hard. It reminded me of all those times I’ve been told “your tests look normal” when I was very much not feeling normal. Turns out, maybe I wasn’t crazy after all — maybe the science just wasn’t looking in the right direction. (Cue my dramatic sigh of relief.)

Lesson 2: Stress Leaves Fingerprints

Dr. Malone told the story of her sister Vivian, one of the students who bravely integrated the University of Alabama. A national hero. But courage like that comes with a cost. Sharon believes the stress her sister carried throughout her life contributed to her shorter lifespan.

It made me pause. How many of us are carrying invisible loads — caregiving, work, family drama, perfectionism — and telling ourselves, “I’m fine”? Spoiler: your body always keeps the receipts.

Lesson 3: Empowerment Is in Our DNA

One of my favorite moments was when Dr. Malone talked about her mother, a stay-at-home mom with eight kids who couldn’t just run to the doctor for every little cough. So she leaned on home remedies, passed down wisdom, and good old resourcefulness.

The message? You can take charge of your own health. Not by ignoring doctors — but by remembering that you have wisdom, instincts, and tools within reach. Honestly, it reminded me of my own rabbit hole of reading every health book I could find when standard care left me hanging. Sometimes the most powerful step is saying: “I’m responsible for me.”

Lesson 4: The Gaps in Women’s Health Care Are Personal

Dr. Malone is passionate about women’s health because she’s lived the pain of what happens when it fails. Her own mother, who lived within walking distance of two hospitals, didn’t receive the proper cancer care she deserved. That injustice still fuels Sharon’s work today: making sure other women don’t get overlooked, dismissed, or sent home with a “you’ll be fine.”

Lesson 5: Menopause Deserves a Megaphone

Through her work with Alloy Health, and her media appearances with Oprah, Michelle Obama, CBS, and the Today Show, Dr. Malone is determined to get the word out: women in midlife deserve evidence-based care, options like HRT, and communities that don’t treat menopause like a shameful secret.

I can’t tell you how many women I’ve seen at Loopwell events whisper “me too” when the subject comes up. Sharon’s message is simple: stop whispering. Start demanding care that works.

What I’m Taking With Me

From Sharon, I learned that empowerment isn’t just a buzzword. It’s history, it’s resilience, it’s science finally catching up.

Here’s my personal takeaway:

You may not be able to control what’s written in medical journals, but you can control how loudly you advocate for yourself, and how much wisdom you gather to make the best decisions for your body.

So here I am, still occasionally forgetting what day it is (hello menopause brain fog), but walking away from Dr. Malone’s talk feeling sharper, stronger, and more committed than ever to making Loopwell the place where we stop suffering silently — and start thriving loudly.

With gratitude (and probably herbal tea),

Deb