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Lunch and Learn CE Series: Michelle Witkin, Ph.D.
Friday, September 11, 2026, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM PDT
Category: Lunch & Learn
Menopause: What Mental Health Clinicians Should Know
 Presented by
Michelle Witkin, Ph.D.
Friday, September 11, 2026
12:00 - 1:30 PM (PT)   
Virtual via Zoom 

This program will not be recorded. 
Intermediate Level 
1.5  CE Credits  

This workshop may be counted toward the Cultural Diversity and Social Justice requirement mandated every two years for license renewal.
Abstract: Although mental health practitioners may be the first professionals with whom a patient shares perimenopause/menopause symptoms, most of us may not be trained to recognize them or properly support patients. Understanding how the menopausal transition affects both brain and body can help us ensure patients receive the best care possible.   

Michelle Witkin, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years experience who specializes in treating OCD and anxiety disorders.  She is a regular presenter at conferences, and volunteers extensively leading support groups for anxiety and OCD sufferers and their loved ones. Dr. Witkin has a specialized interests in how the menopausal transition impacts women’s mental health. She is a Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Course Goals and Educational Objectives: 
Attendees will be able to:
  • Participants will be able to identify at least five specific cognitive and emotional symptoms of the menopausal transition. 
  • Participants will be able to describe three treatment strategies to help with the physical and emotional changes of the menopausal transition. 
  • Participants will be able to recognize risk factors for depression and anxiety during perimenopause. 
 Course Outline: 
  1. Introduction by LACPA (3 minutes)  
  1. Why this talk/general overview (15 minutes)  
  a. Stigma around menopause    b. Women’s Health Initiative   
  1. Perimenopause/menopause overview (25 minutes)  
  a. Definitions (premenopause, perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause)  
b. The role of hormones in a woman’s body (i.e., a person born with a uterus and ovaries) c. Signs/symptoms of the menopausal transition with a special focus on mental health and cognitive symptoms  
d. Special consideration: surgically and chemically induced menopause 
  1. Mental health/psychiatric presentations of menopause (22 minutes)  
    ​a. Depression  
    ​b. Anxiety disorders (including PTSD)  
    ​c. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 
  1. The Role of Mental Health Professionals (25 minutes)  
    ​a. Lifestyle interventions  
    ​b. Psychotherapy (including group work)  
    ​c. The role of medication and hormone therapy 

    The opinions of presenters, and their approach to psychological issues and interventions, do not represent a formal endorsement of any position by the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, leadership or its members. The opinions, ideas, and concepts expressed are purely those of the presenter.