ABSTRACTThe purpose of this qualitative investigation was to generate theory grounded in the responses of perimenopausal women about the process of menopause. A purposive sample of 12 perimenopausal women was interviewed to discover the menopausal process. Data were generated from interviews, two‐month daily logs, and field notes. A substantive theory of integrating a Changing Me identified the perimenopausal process, which included four categories: Tuning Into Me, My Body and Moods, which described the awareness of physical and emotional changes that initiated the beginnings of menopause; Facing a Paradox of Feelings, which reflected the thoughts, perceptions, and feelings experienced by perimenopausal women; Contrasting impressions, which described the assimilation of information and the formulation of the woman's own personal meaning; and Making Adjustments, which included changes made by the women in response to this process. Implications for health care and education of perimenopausal women are discusse