Work in Progress with Sophia Bush: Jeannie Mai

Aired: January 21, 2026
Host: Sophia Bush
Guest: Jeannie Mai

Episode Overview

This candid and enlightening episode features Emmy-winning television host, producer, and cultural commentator Jeannie Mai. The discussion centers on Jeannie’s journey with perimenopause and the new docuseries she’s executive producing, Balance: The Perimenopause Journey. Jeannie and Sophia explore the hidden realities of perimenopause, the broader cultural silence surrounding women’s health, dismantling shame, and the power of community support. The conversation is both personal and universal, blending humor, vulnerability, and advocacy in true "Work in Progress" style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Embracing Age and Changing Narratives (03:20–09:15)

• Jeannie shares reflections on her 47th birthday and the evolving perception of age:

  • “I’m like a shiny, brand new 47. And I’m getting into the skin right now... that age is so crazy to me. Like, it’s so grown up.” (05:46, Jeannie)
  • Both agree that today’s women are redefining what aging looks and feels like, overturning the narrative of invisibility or decline.

• Sophia adds:

  • “We’ve always been told that aging was going to be this thing where we would, like, become invisible… and it’s like, I think we’re having a great time.” (07:53, Sophia)

2. Channeling Childhood Self & Raising the Next Generation (09:15–14:08)

• Sophia’s signature question prompts Jeannie to reflect on her core childhood traits:
  • Jeannie describes her innate curiosity and love for people. She notices the same in her daughter, Monaco, and seeks to nurture that while teaching discernment.
  • “Vivacious curiosity—like insane. Why? But then why? … And also extreme love for people and relationships.” (11:15, Jeannie)
• They connect this to women’s advocacy, and how teaching children (especially girls) to trust themselves is revolutionary in a world that doesn’t always encourage that.

3. Trusting Yourself Amid Societal and Medical Gaslighting (14:08–22:29)

• Jeannie and Sophia discuss self-trust, and how negative experiences or environments can mute your inner voice:

  • “The constant reminder to yourself throughout life is to actually tune up the voice that is talking or whispering sometimes within you…” (14:44, Jeannie)

• The pair examine how medical and societal systems often dismiss women’s experiences, particularly around perimenopause.

• Sophia’s pointed observation:

  • “Who you become when you’re being smothered is not who you are... the longer you are in an unhealthy situation, the more unhealthy you become to yourself and others also.” (21:08, Sophia)

4. Breaking the Silence on Perimenopause (22:31–26:21)

• Jeannie explains how the lack of language and knowledge about perimenopause fuels shame and confusion:
  • “The gaslight in between this journey is so real, is so real that we have to take a second for ourselves and actually call each other out to be like, no, sis, what you’re feeling is real.” (23:43, Jeannie)
• Sophia and Jeannie discuss the double standards in medical research and treatment for men and women:
  • “They pulled [male birth control] off the market because the men got nauseous... I’m so sorry. What, like, you want to talk about nausea, cramps… What y’all got nauseous?” (25:38, Sophia)

5. The Docuseries: How Balance Came Together (26:22–35:41)

• Jeannie shares the origin story of the docuseries, sparked by conversations among friends and filmmakers who realized their symptoms were related to perimenopause:
  • “At first, when I heard the word perimenopause, I was honestly thinking hot flashes. Like, that’s how archaic my understanding of it was.” (30:19, Jeannie)
• The docuseries aims to expand awareness of the wide-ranging symptoms of perimenopause (from brain fog to emotional dysregulation) and to unite women through shared stories and expert advice.
• Jeannie describes the personal resonance and awakening that came with learning about the breadth of perimenopause symptoms:
  • “The symptoms of perimenopause could be memory loss, emotional dysregulation, disrupted sleep patterns, insomnia, weight fluctuations, extreme emotional volatility, dizziness, nausea...” (30:20, Jeannie)
  • “And I was confused and I was in many ways angry at myself. My inner dialogue began to get very shaming and impatient...” (32:11, Jeannie)

6. From Shame to Agency—Reframing the Experience (40:41–44:57)

• Jeannie passionately explains the shame women feel when white-knuckling difficult symptoms, and how information can transform that:
  • “White knuckling it is always aligned with shame... The whole point of the docu series is to provide answers so that we change your shame to having agency.” (40:41, Jeannie)
• Sophia highlights Jeannie’s pithy quote:
  • “How come nobody told me perimenopause feels like puberty going backwards, dude.” (41:35, Jeannie)
• They discuss how the lack of normalizing language and medical support makes women internalize blame rather than seek help.

7. Navigating the Medical Maze (44:57–49:52)

• Sophia asks what steps women should take to get help—OB-GYN, rheumatologist, GP?
• Jeannie is honest that finding the right doctor is still a struggle, even with connections, and credits the docuseries experts with giving women actionable questions to ask providers:
  • “I myself am still trying to find that right doctor for me. I’m still in that journey.” (45:27, Jeannie)
  • “Our healthcare system often treats women’s pain as anecdotal instead of diagnostic. If your lab work looks normal, well then women [are] told they’re fine, even when their lived experience says otherwise.” (48:31, Jeannie)

8. The Importance of Community and Conversation (51:02–55:30)

• Jeannie describes the power of group chats and intergenerational conversations in demystifying perimenopause for all ages:
  • “For me it’s all about the group chat. Like, it goes down in the group chats.” (51:02, Jeannie)
• She notes how sharing among friends has helped her—and can help others—find support, swap recommendations, and prepare for what’s coming.
• The docuseries aims to make this sense of agency and information accessible beyond Hollywood circles to everyone, everywhere.

9. Hopes for Big-Picture Change (55:43–58:41)

• Jeannie articulates her vision for Balance:
  • “I hope that women leave feeling seen and informed and less alone. I hope the people who love them also leave better equipped to listen.” (55:59, Jeannie)
  • “Our docu series reframes aging as a transition that deserves preparation, not punishment... It’s about recalibration.” (56:26, Jeannie)
• Both agree that perimenopause is not a “decline” but a transformation that must be understood and celebrated by society at large.

10. Including Everyone—Men as Allies (58:10–65:52)

• Sophia and Jeannie discuss the importance of partners being included and educated:

  • “I have more respect when men take an open, energetic, enthusiastic approach to this… you asked what you can do for a woman who’s going through perimenopause... Take off my clothes. I’m like, wait a minute, this is everything.” (58:27, Jeannie)

• They also touch on relationship dynamics and support needs, humorously calling for real presence and attentiveness from men.

11. Final Reflections & "Work in Progress" (67:17–68:48)

• Sophia closes with her signature question about each guest’s “work in progress.”
• Jeannie’s heartfelt answer:
  • “My work in progress is my healing. I’ve had a tumultuous last couple of years, and I would like to be honored with the understanding of healing from here until my last day... The fruit of that will be my daughter... I am very thankful to say that my healing will get to show up right in front of my eyes with my family.” (67:34, Jeannie)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Redefining Aging:
  “I feel like we’re redefining age, like actually this whole generation... so I’m actually really proud that I’m 47 and I sound, talk, look, get this, you know?”
  — Jeannie Mai (07:04)

• About Self-Advocacy:
  “The greatest power we have, that is also the detriment to being alive if you lose it, is the ability to trust yourself.”
  — Jeannie Mai (14:08)

• On Perimenopause Awareness:
  “Every woman, not just some, every woman is going to experience perimenopause. So let’s talk about this. Let’s open the group chat up. Like, that’s insane.”
  — Jeannie Mai (24:57)

• Medical Double Standards:
  “They pulled [male birth control] off the market because the men got nauseous... I’m so sorry. What, like, you want to talk about nausea, cramps, like, period diarrhea and like, all the… What y’all got nauseous?”
  — Sophia Bush (25:38)

• Shame to Agency:
  “The whole point of the docu series is to provide answers so that we change your shame to having agency.”
  — Jeannie Mai (41:14)

• Puberty—In Reverse:
  “How come nobody told me perimenopause feels like puberty going backwards, dude.”
  — Jeannie Mai (41:35)

• Rethinking the Narrative:
  “We shouldn’t look at our bodies and perimenopause as a decline. It’s about recalibration. It’s about women deserving support through that recalibration...”
  — Jeannie Mai (56:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Welcome and Main Topic Introduction: 03:20
• Jeannie on Age and Birthday Reflection: 05:46–07:48
• Childhood Self & Parenting Monaco: 09:15–12:54
• Self-Trust and Internal Voice: 14:08–15:52
• Societal Gaslighting & Medical Dismissal: 20:28–23:43
• Double Standards in Medicine: 25:03–26:21
• Balance Docuseries Origin Story & Jeannie’s Realizations: 26:51–35:41
• Shame, Agency, and the Power of Knowledge: 41:14–44:57
• Navigating Medical Care & Provider Selection: 44:57–49:52
• Conversation, Community & Group Chats: 51:02–55:30
• Jeannie’s Hope for Societal Change: 55:59–57:14
• Men as Allies & Relationship Insights: 58:10–65:52
• Final "Work in Progress" Reflections: 67:17–68:48

Concluding Thoughts

This episode is a masterclass in vulnerability, education, and advocacy around women’s health and perimenopause. Jeannie Mai’s openness, combined with Sophia Bush’s empathetic and informed hosting, makes this conversation both deeply relatable and actionable. Listeners are left with a sense of agency, connection, and the affirmation that aging—and the transitions that come with it—deserve compassion, community, and celebration, not shame.

For those navigating their own perimenopause experience, or for anyone seeking to better understand and support the women in their lives, this conversation is a must-listen—and Balance: The Perimenopause Journey is a docuseries to watch.

Connect with Jeannie Mai & Balance Docuseries:

• Instagram: @thejeanniemae
• @balancedocuseries
• Premieres Jan 30, on Amazon Prime & Apple TV.

"Work in Progress" with Sophia Bush—where every masterpiece is a work in progress.