Photo: PLUNJ Park City

PARK CITY — PLUNJ Park City invites the community to plunge and attend a women’s midlife health education event on Feb. 17, with all proceeds benefiting the Peace House. Participants can sign up for a 4:30 or 7:30 p.m. PLUNJ session with the conversation at 6 p.m.

The evening event, scheduled for Random Acts of Kindness Day, will feature Sarah Shealy, a certified nurse-midwife and menopause society certified practitioner, who will lead a conversation about midlife physiology and women’s health from 6 to 7 p.m.

The event will also feature presentations from Larra Murdock on fascia, scar tissue and connective tissue health, and Kim Ence, owner of PLUNJ, on contrast therapy applications for midlife women.

Shealy said she’s drawn to the combination of education and experience that sauna and cold plunge can offer.

“I’ve just been feeling so much better,” she said of incorporating heat and cold therapy into her own routine. “There’s a lot of science behind heat and cold and recovery.”

Attendees can expect grounded conversation, practical information about changing physiology, opportunities to connect with other women, and charcuterie and beverages.

Shealy said she’s passionate about bringing evidence-based information to women navigating perimenopause and menopause, particularly because many experience untreated symptoms that are misdiagnosed.

“Women come to me all the time. They got put on antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, and often what they’re really dealing with is untreated perimenopause,” Shealy said. “It happens all the time, and people don’t really know about it.”

The facilitated discussion will cover menopause and midlife physiology, the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause, fascia and connective tissue changes, strength and recovery, and the role of sauna, cold plunge and contrast therapy in midlife health.

Shealy said perimenopause brings particular vulnerability to the nervous system and musculoskeletal changes that women should understand.

“There’s this really interesting information about what happens to our musculoskeletal system, just what happens to the joints and ligaments with the loss of estrogen in midlife,” she said.

The event aims to provide practical, non-alarmist information in a supportive setting.

“There’s enough things to be anxious about in the world,” Shealy said. “My whole thing is evidence-based, truthful information that’s not biased.”

Participants can choose to attend one of two PLUNJ sauna and cold plunge sessions — either 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. before the presentation or 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. afterward. Towels, showers and locker rooms are provided by PLUNJ.

The event is designed for midlife women seeking clear information, calm conversation and community support around bodily changes. Shealy emphasized the importance of women gathering to share experiences.

“I think women need to gather. This is how, throughout history, women have learned by sitting in circles and sharing stories and having curiosities,” she said.

This is the first of a quarterly “midlife reconsidered” speaker series, which will include both online and in-person gatherings.

Tickets are $50 and include either the early or late PLUNJ session plus the 6 p.m. conversation.

For resources and additional information visit Sarah Shealy’s Substack or sign up for an appointment with her. PLUNJ Park City is located at 4518 N Forestdale Dr #52.