MenoPAUSE Therapeutic Support Group
"Menopause is ubiquitous, so why is it often stigmatized and ignored?"
Enrolling now for October...
As mental health professionals, we have identified puberty, pregnancy, and menopause as three windows of vulnerability for women.
Menopause is divided into three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of the hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone.
For many women, none of these stages feels much like a PAUSE. In fact, women experience a lot of action during this major time of transition (that lasts an average of seven years). Here are just a few ways you may be impacted...
Additionally, some women identify with almost a quarter of Americans called the “sandwich generation”, middle-aged adults who are simultaneously raising children (or grandchildren) and supporting aging parents.
For some women, menopause coincides with the experience penned "empty-nester", with young adult children leaving for college or the workforce.
Women in this age bracket are typically at the height of their careers, maybe weighing the merits of a job change or retirement to allow for more personal time, or to attend to the many physical and psychological changes.
This crucial transition in women takes a lot of endurance. Yet, these experiences are rarely talked about. Men and younger people cannot fully relate. Doctors shrug their shoulders at suffering they deem inevitable.
Join other women like you for a time of grieving, support, reflection, healing and empowerment.
Learn about healthy aging - Diet, Exercise, Relaxation, Sleep and Purpose
Reach out if you would like to join one of my weekly groups. LGBTQ+ inclusive.
Details:
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Meets weekly in small groups (in-person) at Pearl Street office in downtown Napa
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Sessions are 60 minutes, and include a mix of sharing with peers and therapist/coach as well as learning skills around coping, communication and resilience + psychoeducation on relevant topics*
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Between Session check-in prompts and session-specific content emailed to you to help you maintain progress toward your goals
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3 month (twelve week) commitment, renewable
*Examples of educational content addressed:
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Definition, changes leading up to menopause
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Life changes, explore women’s feelings toward menopause
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Mood changes: depression, anxiety
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Sleep Problems
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Hair/skin dryness
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Memory and brain fog
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Health scares: Cancer risk (breast, gynecological, colon), screening; Osteoporosis: screening, role of calcium and vitamin D, risk factors, treatment options; Heart disease and women; risk factors, screenings; Genitourinary syndrome of menopause
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Vasomotor symptoms
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HRT
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Nonhormonal options
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Weight Gain/Body Image: nutrition, pharmaceutical, exercise, herbals
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Hot flashes: Gabapentin, vitamins
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Mental health therapies, mindfulness practices and medications to address mood changes and stress
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Nutrition
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Supplements
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Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
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Growth and acceptance