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Menopause Matters, SOMERSET (2026)

26/08/2026

It would appear my new perimenopausal best friend is insomnia…

It’s been creeping in the last few weeks, and it feels strange to say I didn’t realise at first as I was never a great sleeper to begin with.

I’ve never been one for early nights.

I could always drag myself out of bed in the mornings after not much sleep.

It’s been a regular occurrence to wake up in the middle of the night and take a while to drift back off.

Eighteen years of shift work pretty much ruined what circadian rhythm I had, and I accepted this was just how it was.

But, lately, I’m awake later into the nights, I’m waking up and staying up for hours, and I’m feeling more and more exhausted during the days.

We all know we shouldn’t use screens in the hours before bed, but sometimes doomscrolling catches us unawares or there’s always that work e-mail we just quickly need to respond to… we’re told no exercise or eating late in the evening, no caffeine or alcohol after a certain time… just hot baths and hot chocolates…

One of the most helpful tools I’ve found to encourage sleep the last few weeks is playing a sound bath on my phone quietly in the background; it not only helps me get to sleep but also to get back off to sleep when I inevitably wake up hours before my alarm.

What’s your best tips for getting a good nights sleep?

Please share in the comments below, and let’s all help one another out!!

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15/08/2026

We all know the last thing we feel during menopause is grounded…

With fluctuating hormones, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog and so many other disregulating symptoms sent to test our limits, it’s no wonder we feel all over the place…

We may not even realise that what we’re experiencing actually is menopause; so many of us mistake this time for just feeling incredibly stressed, rundown or completely burnt out, with numerous women further mistaking the signs as those of early-onset dementia.

It’s not a stretch to say the unpredictability of all these overwhelming symptoms really takes a toll on our physical, mental and emotional health, leaving us feeling out-of-sorts, exhausted and not knowing if we’re coming or going.

I offer a Guided Menopause Meditation to help restore balance to an overloaded nervous system, to bring harmony to your hormones and to encourage a release of tension, worries and, possibly most importantly, heat…

I am based from my therapy room in Butleigh, Somerset, where I specialise in women’s wellbeing; this treatment is £20 for 45 minutes (£15 online).

Please send me a message via my page to book this cooling guided meditation.

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31/07/2026

My name is Catherine and I am a qualified Menopause Wellness Practitioner, having gained my Diploma from Gateway Workshops in 2025.

I am registered with The Guild of Holistic Therapists, and am based from my therapy room in Butleigh, Somerset, where I specialise in women’s wellbeing.

- Therapeutic Menopause Massage
This treatment includes acupressure and grounding techniques to help relax your body and provides comfort in what can be a very stressful and difficult time; it supports the many negative symptoms of menopause on both a physical and emotional level - £60 for 60 minutes

- Menopause Wellness Programme
Consisting of an initial health and lifestyle Consultation to identify which aspects of your wellbeing most need support to implement a targeted Action Plan; ongoing reviews are available to monitor progress - initial Consultation £60 for 90 minutes/reviews £30 for 45 minutes

- Guided Menopause Meditation
Created to help restore balance to an overloaded nervous system, to bring harmony to your hormones and to encourage a release of tension, worries and, possibly most importantly, heat… - £20 for 45 minutes (£15 online)

- ‘A Partners Guide to Menopause’
An e-mail document created to help your partner learn more about menopause, the impact of fluctuating hormones, the range of different symptoms and how best to support you through this transition - £15

- Menopause Wellness Circles
A monthly online gathering where woman can speak freely about their experiences of menopause in a safe and supportive environment - £5

- Quiet Time
A space for silence, stillness and solitude - £5 for 30 minutes after treatment/£10-£20 for standalone 1-2 hours,

Please send me a message via my page to book any of these supportive treatments.

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30/04/2026

As a Menopause Wellness Practitioner, my sole aim is to improve women’s lives during this transition by making the process as gentle as possible; it’s important to clarify that my role is to bring about wellbeing for any woman that cannot or chooses not to use HRT, and I do not profess to come from a medical background.

My passion lies in working with you to identify where self-care tools and techniques can be incorporated into daily life to help you feel more in control of your menopause journey.

However, whilst the biological aspect of the reproductive system is not the focus of my sessions/treatments, I wanted to create a post looking first at the basics of a menstrual cycle and the hormones that run the show behind the scenes as it’s important to be informed.

Hormones are chemical messengers that not only instruct our reproductive systems, contributing towards variations in mood, energy and sexual desire as we move through our cycles, they also let us know when it’s time to eat and sleep, not to mention playing an important role in our fight or flight trauma responses.

The two main events during a cycle are menstruation (this follicular phase runs from the first day of your period and is the time when your hormones encourage the rapid growth of ovarian follicles and maturation of the eggs contained within these follicles) and ovulation (the luteal phase in which a mature egg breaks free of the follicle, leaving the follicle to transform into a temporary gland called the corpus luteum which then produces progesterone).

The hormones involved in this process are as follows -

- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH)

Your hypothalamus releases GnRH in order to send a message to your pituitary gland, instructing it to further release both the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the luteinising hormone (LH); these two hormones then communicate with your ovaries, causing your follicles to mature and eventually release an egg at ovulation,

- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone

FSH is produced when hormone levels are low at the start of your cycle and stimulate your follicles to help the eggs contained within them to mature; once a follicle has been selected, it starts to produce oestrogen which means FSH is temporarily no longer required. However, once oestrogen reaches a certain level, FSH is released once again (alongside LH) to encourage the follicle to release the egg,

- Oestrogen

More specifically, your developing follicles release oestradiol which is the dominant hormone for the first half of your cycle; this is the hormone that boosts your confidence, increases your sexual desire, and makes you feel like you can achieve anything,

- Luteinising Hormone (LH)

As oestrogen reaches its peak in the final hours before ovulation, it releases LH which, alongside FSH, produces even more oestrogen to give a final push which results in ovulation; LH further instructs the corpus luteum to begin producing progesterone after ovulation,

- Testosterone

This hormone is required to build and maintain muscle and bone density and, in the lead up to ovulation, gives your libido a boost,

- Progesterone

This is the dominant hormone for the luteal phase of your cycle, and causes mood swings, anxiety and irritability; this is a time for hibernation and slowing down where possible,

As mentioned, my focus isn’t on the science or mechanics at a hormonal level (this post is for educational purposes only) so, if you feel something isn’t right in this area, please consult your GP or a Menopause Practitioner who specialises in this field.

If you’re looking for a gentle and natural way to make your menopause journey as comfortable and balanced as possible, please have a look at my page for the range of treatments available.

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05/04/2026

A lot of time is now spent trying to break the stigma of menopause by bringing discussions around this subject into the open; we’re continually making good progress and it's no longer quite the taboo subject it once was.

However, there's one thing that often gets forgotten when it comes to this time in a woman's life, and that's our partners.

They're often left on the sidelines, feeling helpless as they watch you struggle through an array of overwhelming and frustrating symptoms; like you, they also don't know what to expect next which can leave them tip-toeing around you for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing.

l've developed a 16-page informative document to guide your partner to learn more about menopause, the impact of fluctuating hormones, the range of different symptoms and how best to support you through this transition.

This comprehensive guide is just £15 so, if you would like your partner to develop a deeper understanding of what you're going through, or if you're a partner looking to increase your overall knowledge, please send me a message via my page.

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26/02/2026

Menopause can feel like such a heavy word, with most of us feeling pressured to keep going despite whatever symptoms we might be suffering with whilst also trying not to lose ourselves in the process…

This time of a woman's life is a unique and very individual experience, with the severity and duration of symptoms differing greatly; symptoms can include heavier or lighter periods than usual, irregular menstrual cycles, hot flushes/night sweats, disturbed sleep leading to tiredness and irritability, weight gain, memory loss, diminished libido, sensitive breasts, stiff joints, decreased bone and muscle mass, thinning head hair but a growth in overall body hair, and more frequent headaches, to name but a few... fun times, right?

This transition into a new phase can be emotionally painful as well as physically demanding, but it doesn't have to be so overwhelming or frightening; there is so much in the way of self-care that we can do to look after our bodies and minds during this time, such as massage which helps to soothe your central nervous system in what can be a very stressful time.

Benefits of my Therapeutic Menopause Massage can include decreased inflammation/bloating, improved circulation, reduced muscle soreness, lower levels of cortisol, improved sleep, fewer headaches, an increase in range of movement and relief from anxious and uneasy thoughts.

This treatment is £60 for 60 minutes and I am based from my treatment room in Butleigh, Somerset, where I specialise in women’s wellbeing; please send me a message via my page to book.

🌸🌸

04/02/2026

Around 13 million people are currently experiencing perimenopause in the UK, which is roughly a third of the female population; despite this staggering number, it's only in recent years that we've been speaking more openly about it...

A study published by BMC Women's Health in 2023 showed that women under 40 had limited knowledge of perimenopause, and more than 60% of menopausal women only began learning about it after their symptoms hit.

There is still a lot of uncertainly around perimenopause so let's clarify some myths -

- Perimenopause arrives after 50

It can begin in your late 30's and early 40's, and sometimes even earlier; hormonal fluctuations begin affecting sleep, mood, skin, memory and menstrual cycles but, because we may still be having periods, we put these changes down to stress or burnout. While perimenopause can begin up to 10 years before menopause, 5% of women experience early menopause before 45.

- It's just hot flushes

While 80% of women experience hot flushes, the remainder do not; a drop in hormones can also result in joint pain, mood changes and digestive issues. This decline affects our brain, gut, joints, skin, bones, cardiovascular system and immunity, so there's more going on than just hot flushes. However, a 2023 study published in Post-Reproductive Health showed that 20% of women found their menopausal experience to be absolutely fine.

- We need to just get on with it

Just because perimenopause is a natural part of aging doesn't mean you have to endure it in silence; with the right tools, many women find increased clarity, energy and stability in this transition. Menopause is not something to endure, but rather something to embrace given the right guidance and support.

- HRT is a last resort

This has become the most effective way of relieving symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety and brain fog, but many women are still cautious of it due to the increased risk of breast cancer, blood clots and stroke. However, benefits include a significant reduction in osteoporosis and fractures, heart disease and diabetes, and improves mood and sleep. There is not a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to HRT and many women opt for holistic approaches over synthetic, but it's not something to be ruled out at any stage.

- Knowledge is only for those experiencing perimenopause

Gaps in education around perimenopause still hugely exist, whether that be employers (menopause policies and general support is few and far between), healthcare (not all providers are trained in this area) or some of the men in our lives. It isn't just a women's issue - it's a health issue, a workplace issue and a societal issue and everyone can and should take steps to learn as much as they can.

Please send me a message via my page if you would like to book a treatment.

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13/01/2026

My name is Catherine and I am a qualified Menopause Wellness Practitioner, having gained my Diploma from Gateway Workshops in 2025.

I am registered with the Guild of Holistic Therapists, and provide online and face-to-face sessions and treatments from my therapy room in Butleigh, Somerset, where I specialise in women’s wellbeing.

l have been interested in menstrual health for a long time after having a lot of negative experiences and general dismissals by Drs, and it appears I'm far from the only one...

Whether it's prescribing the pill for painful periods without any investigation (pain is NOT normal and should not be accepted as such) or supplying HRT as a standard for menopause, it's easy to feel unheard and not taken seriously.

Not every woman can or wants to take HRT (some methods come with an increased risk of blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer, particularly with prolonged use); therefore, my focus in providing support is rooted in self-care with a holistic approach to wellbeing.

This isn't about discrediting the major benefits HRT provides, but more about exploring how to naturally boost your quality of life during this time by considering diet, exercise, meditation and mindfulness, sense-awareness, supplements and sleep, while also incorporating stress-management tools and techniques.

My Menopause Wellness Programme consists of an initial health and lifestyle Consultation to identify which aspects of your wellbeing most need support and improvement; an Action Plan is then developed with positive steps for you to implement into your daily/weekly routine, working alongside a Wellness Workbook in which to keep track of symptoms and log progress/challenges (£60 for 90 minutes).

Opportunities to review your progress are provided via follow-up sessions, in which your Action Plan is reassessed to explore which positive steps have been successful and to identify any triggers and areas for improvement moving forwards (£30 for 45 minutes per session).

This programme can be completed online or face-to-face; if you would like to improve your general wellbeing and overall quality of life during this time, please send me a message via my page to book.

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Menopause Matters

26/08/2026

15/08/2026

31/07/2026

30/04/2026

05/04/2026

26/02/2026

04/02/2026

13/01/2026

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