Healing Beyond the Battlefield: Redefining Menopause Care for Women Veterans
By Leanna Lynch, Public Affairs Officer
A Spotlight on Dr. Felice Indindoli, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPSH) Alumna
As the fastest-growing population within the U.S. military and VA communities, women Veterans are reshaping the landscape of Veteran healthcare. Yet, one area has remained largely overlooked—menopause care. Dr. Felice Indindoli, a graduate from the New England School of Acupuncture at MCPHS, is changing that narrative.
As a vital member of the VA Bedford Healthcare System team, Dr. Indindoli has pioneered a groundbreaking integrative care model that addresses menopause symptoms in women Veterans. Many of her patients were unaware they could seek treatment for issues like hot flashes, brain fog, joint pain, and insomnia. “They didn’t know they could ask,” she says. “They didn’t know they could be treated.”
Her approach combines acupuncture, education, and referrals to specialists such as OBGYNs, nutritionists, and mental health providers. This holistic model is especially vital for Veterans, who often experience intensified symptoms due to PTSD, anxiety, and other service-related conditions.
Dr. Indindoli’s work has earned national recognition, including a Pain/Opioid CORE grant to study and expand her treatment model. Her goal is to create a replicable framework that can be adopted across VA hospitals nationwide ensuring that women Veterans everywhere receive the care they deserve.
“Our goal is to help this population get the treatment they need,” Dr. Indindoli on the mission behind her integrative care model, “to reduce pain and improve their quality of life during menopause.”
From her own journey of discovering acupuncture to treat chronic migraines, to becoming the first Doctor of Acupuncture to present at PAINWeek (FIRE AND ICE: Acupuncture For the Treatment of Women Veterans with Co-Morbid Pain and Menopause), Dr. Indindoli exemplifies what it means to lead with empathy, innovation, and purpose. Her story is a reminder that healing isn’t just about medicine—it’s about listening, understanding, and meeting people where they are.
To learn about expanded services in the women Veteran’s clinic, including acupuncture, or general women’s health services, contact Cheryl Coviello, Women Veterans Program Manager, at