Articles
Articles by Lise Cloutier-Steele, an Ottawa writer, the author of Misinformed Consent: Women’s Stories about Unnecessary Hysterectomy, available from www.amazon.com (U.S. Edition only), and the 2025 Edition of There’s No Place Like Home: A guide to help caregivers manage the long-term care experience, available from www.ottawacaregiver.com.
March 16, 2026
Music for menopause
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/music-for-menopause/
March 14, 2026
When mothers and fathers no longer know best
The Caregivers’ Living Room – A blog by Donna Thomson
https://www.donnathomson.com/2026/03/when-mothers-and-fathers-no-longer-know.html
Comment posted on LinkedIn
This resonated deeply with me. The moment when you realize the parent who once guided everything can no longer see what’s happening is incredibly difficult. Caregivers often make decisions quietly behind the scenes while trying to preserve dignity. Thank you for putting words to something so many families are living through.
Bonnie S. Heisse
AI Visibility Auditor | Helping Fractional CMOs Strengthen Quiet Authority Signals in AI
February 27, 2026
When mothers and fathers no longer know best
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/caring-for-aging-parents/
February 19, 2026
Menopause in women with pre-existing conditions
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/menopause-in-women-with-pre-existing-conditions/
January 29, 2026
My first hot flash
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/my-first-hot-flash/
January 14, 2026
HRT: If your grandma survived without it, so can you
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/hrt-if-your-grandma-survived-without-it-so-can-you/
Review on Instagram
Divinedotca Menopause isn’t one-size-fits-all and neither is hormone replacement therapy
Written by Lise Cloutier-Steele, this in-depth article draws on personal experience alongside decades of medical research to explore what women weren’t always told about hormone replacement therapy. It looks closely at the risks, benefits, and limitations of HRT, why informed consent matters, and how safer, evidence-based options may exist beyond a prescription pad. An essential read for anyone navigating perimenopause, menopause or weighing their options with clarity and confidence.
Jill Schneiderman
Editorial Director/Partner DIVINE and OHLALA
Toronto, ON Canada
Review on Facebook
This article is an excellent resource for women beginning their menopause journey. It takes the often-complicated subject of hormone replacement therapy and explains it in clear, accessible language. I highly recommend this article to women looking to educate themselves, as the author shares her personal experiences to help guide readers through this unfamiliar territory.
April Carr, ON Canada
This was a good article and the information was well presented. I liked the references to the writer’s personal experiences as it made the article more interesting to me. As well, I appreciated the inclusion of alternatives to HRT because I am a firm believer in natural options. To help keep my perimenopausal symptoms in check, and as suggested in the article, I have been drinking Dong Quai with good results for two years now. But, in addition to the Dong Quai, I have also derived many health benefits from a traditional and renowned Chinese beauty soup called “Snow Fungus Soup”. Made with Jujube dates, Goji berries and snow fungus, its benefits include good immune health, improved digestion, skin hydration, stimulation of natural collagen production, and blood nourishing, to name a few.
Judy Guilbeault, Lindsay, ON Canada
This article has specific details on where the writer’s information has been gathered from and it includes references to her own personal experiences so that readers can relate. It is all layered out, making it easy to follow. Sometimes with articles like this, it becomes so entangled that you give up on reading it through. This one is clear and extremely informative.
Pearle Williamson of Maine, U.S.A.
Social worker, retired
Well done! A terrific, well-researched article.
Sandra Simkin, UK
Author of The Case Against Hysterectomy
December 31, 2025
Palliative care with compassion
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/palliative-care-with-compassion/
Previously published on September 27, 2023
The Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHPCA)
https://www.chpca.ca/blog/palliative-care-with-compassion/
December 31, 2025
Volunteering 101
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/volunteering-101/
July 15, 2025
Eating well for longevity
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/eating-well-for-longevity/
April 8, 2025
Aging mindfully
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/aging-mindfully/
February 6, 2025
Look before you leap into cataract surgery
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/look-before-you-leap-into-cataract-surgery/
January 27, 2025
Long-term care — Will 2025 be the year we fix it?
The next Ontario government must stop repeating the current mistake of funding new long-term care homes built by companies with bad records.
The Ottawa Citizen
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/cloutier-long-term-care-2025
Previously published on January 12, 2025
Long-term care – Will 2025 be the year to re-invent the wheel?
DIVINE Magazine for Canadian Women
https://divine.ca/en/long-term-care-will-2025-be-the-year-to-reinvent/
June 24, 2024
Seniors must push to fix long-term care once and for all | Opinion
Lise Cloutier-Steele says no one wants to spend their later years in an institution. Seniors need a plan that will allow them to age in place with dignity.
The Ottawa Citizen
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/seniors-long-term-care#:~:text=Lise%20Cloutier%2DSteele%20says%20no,age%20in%20place%20with%20dignity
June 15, 2024
Planning for the long term
Concerned Friends, A voice for quality in long-term care
https://concernedfriends.ca/2024/06/planning-for-the-long-term/
Previously published on April 16, 2024
The Caregivers’ Living Room, A blog by Donna Thomson
https://www.donnathomson.com/2024/04/planning-for-long-term.html
May 8, 2023
Long-term care won’t improve quickly: Seniors need a plan
The Ottawa Citizen
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/cloutier-steele-long-term-care-wont-improve-quickly-seniors-need-a-plan