Sally is a multi award winning Clinical Hypnotherapist using Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT). She helps women going through the menopause transition to reclaim their authenticity by helping them make sense of their past limiting experiences and then liberating them by utilising the phenomenal power of the sub conscious mind which encodes new patterns of thought and behaviour. She is the creator of The Menopause Mindset Hypnosis Collection, a unique and powerful set of hypnosis recordings specifically for menopause symptoms and she hosts The Menopause Mindset Podcast. Alongside this she teaches a diploma for Wellness Practitioners and therapists called Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner and Cold Water Therapy Practitioner.
So, repeat after me folks: “Menopause does NOT have to be miserable!”
Some aspects of the media would have us believe that we need to hunker down, get supplies in and be ready for the s**t storm that is coming, because it’s ominous and it’s going to be, well frankly, terrible.
Without wanting to diminish the hurricane that many women find themselves in (I was one of them), it’s often about how we frame it.
The more we can perceive this hurricane as a powerful metamorphosis instead of an nightmare hormone deficiency, the more likely we are to extract it’s medicine.
This is down to the incredible power of stereotype embodiment.
Stereotype embodiment is the concept that societal stereotypes and cultural beliefs about a particular group of people can influence the health and mindset of individuals belonging to that group.
So in the context of menopause, stereotype embodiment suggests that the cultural expectations and stereotypes surrounding menopause can affect a person’s symptom severity during this stage of life, especially if they buy in to a negative narrative from media, friends or family dynamics.
Dr. Joan Chrisler, is a renowned psychologist specialising in women's health. She has conducted studies on the link between the expectation effect and the phases of a woman’s life including menopause. According to her research findings, women's expectations about menopause can significantly influence their experience of the transition.
Dr. Chrisler's studies have shown that women who hold negative expectations of menopause, such as anticipating severe symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and memory problems, often report experiencing these symptoms more intensely. On the other hand, women who approach menopause with a more positive or neutral outlook tend to report less severe symptoms.
So how are you going to approach your menopause transition? With fear and trepidation or curiosity and interest?
My experience of menopause has been nothing short of monumental. I’m unrecognisable from my pre menopausal life. My values have shifted, I prioritise differently, my friendship circle has changed, my daily routine is completely different, my preferences are different, the language I use, my dietary requirements, my clothing choices… it’s all so different.
One of the biggest things I learnt through all of this is that I cannot think, act and behave the same as when I was in my 20’s and 30’s and if I try to, it all goes horribly wrong. That girl is NOT coming back. I have been through a complete life transition, peppered with grief and loss for that younger version but ultimately menopause has made me stronger.
There’s a certain physics that occurs with menopause synonymous with chaos and order; destruction and regeneration; syntropy and entropy. We must dig deep into the depths and grab the medicine it’s offering.
Right now as I write, I feel empowered and sturdy with an increased interest in social justice and a flaming sword and shield with which to take on the world. I’ve lost my fucks about what people think of me which makes me unafraid of criticism, constructive or otherwise. With this attitude, I feel like the world is my oyster. I know myself, but that’s because I’ve chosen to disengage from the negative talk and engage with the positive affirming talk that I hear from elders.
So here are a few journal prompts you can do to help you view your menopause as medicine rather than misery. Grab a journal and pen and make your environment comfy.
Reflect on your past, present and future. You can do this as many times as you like through your menopause transition to gain more and more clarity from the changes your amazing body is going through.
So settle in.
Here are the prompts:
What my past taught me:
When I first started my period….
When I got my first boyfriend/girlfriend/partner…
When I become sexually active….
When my mum went through her menopause…..
When my grandmother went through her menopause….
Think about how these messages have influenced your present day.
What my present wants me to know:
The reason I’m currently frustrated in my life is….
What triggers me the most is….
What I need more of is….
What I’m so grateful for is….
What my future is calling me to envision:
My hopes for the future are….
I see my role in society as….
I bring value by….
I wonder if I could get more of what I need by….
When you’re done, I suggest reading back over it all, closing your journal and having a cup of tea or snack and be proud of yourself.
Remember this Menopause Medicine Process really is for you to get to know yourself better and gently start putting things in motion so that you can set your life up to have more of what you need to support your belief that menopause does not have to be miserable.
If you like the idea of this process, but don’t want to do it alone, I would be honoured to work with you on this via a Menopause Solution Session.
It’s £147 for 90 minutes plus you get everything written up in a nice pdf for you to reflect on later.
Click here for more information.
Thank you for reading.