Coping better with anxiety and
overwhelm in Menopause
"Thank you. I began my day quite anxious with thoughts of panic in meetings, but after our session I managed to sustain a pretty anxiety-free day. I could feel it creep up at times, but overall I managed it well. I really believe this was thanks to what I've learnt in our mindfulness sessions."
Evidence-based coaching to help you understand your changing mind, calm your nervous system and regain confidence.
Perimenopause can feel like someone has quietly turned up the volume on life.
You may have always coped well with stress, but now find yourself feeling overwhelmed, worrying more than you used to, struggling to switch off, or feeling anxious for reasons you can't quite explain.
You're not imagining it, and you're certainly not "losing yourself."
Fluctuating hormones can affect the brain and nervous system, making anxiety feel more intense and making it harder to recover from stress. When poor sleep, busy lives, caring responsibilities and workplace pressures are added into the mix, it can feel exhausting.
The good news is that anxiety doesn't have to define this stage of your life.
Through evidence-based coaching, we'll help you understand what's happening in your brain and body, develop practical skills to calm your nervous system, manage anxious thinking and build confidence in yourself again.
This isn't about "just coping"
Many women tell me they don't feel like themselves anymore.
Perhaps you've become more emotional, your confidence has disappeared, you're constantly overthinking, or your mind races at 3am. Maybe you're exhausted from trying to hold everything together at work while wondering why everyday situations suddenly feel so much harder.
This coaching provides a safe, supportive space to understand what's happening and, more importantly, learn how to respond differently.
Together we'll explore the relationship between your hormones, your nervous system, your thoughts and your emotional responses. You'll learn practical skills that you can use every day to reduce anxiety, feel more emotionally balanced and regain a sense of control.
There is no judgement, no expectation to "think positively", and no pressure to be perfect. Just compassionate, evidence-based support tailored to your experience.
Over eight weeks you'll learn how to:
Understand why anxiety often increases during perimenopause.
Calm your nervous system using evidence-based mindfulness and emotional regulation techniques.
Break free from overthinking, worry and rumination.
Respond more kindly to yourself when confidence dips.
Improve sleep and recovery through simple daily practices.
Manage workplace pressures with greater clarity and confidence.
Feel more like yourself again.
I offer an eight week programme of 1 hour per week where each session includes the three elements of mindfulness practice: formal practice, key psychological principles and short guided meditation practices and moments designed to easily incorporate into your working life.
I also offer ongoing stress management and mindfulness coaching sessions and regular catch-ups to support you thoughout your menopause transition.
You don't need to "just get through" perimenopause.
With the right understanding, practical tools and compassionate support, it is possible to feel calmer, more confident and better equipped to navigate this stage of life.
Whether you're looking for one-to-one coaching or an eight-week structured programme, my aim is to help you understand what's happening, develop lifelong skills and leave feeling more in control of your wellbeing than when you arrived.
*this coaching is skills-based, not a clinical or therapeutic intervention.
If you are looking for counselling or psychotherapy please visit welldoing.org. If you are in crisis please contact the Samaritans.
8 week programme
An overview of the 8 week 1-2-1 mindset and mindfulness coaching.
1) How to focus your mind
We look at what mindfulness is, how it can help, and the principles of practice.
We spend almost half of our waking lives thinking*. That's a lot of time 'in our heads'.
When most of that thinking is worrying about our future, or regretting our past, it can be exhausting and have a negative impact on our happiness levels.
Learning to tune into and focus our minds through mindfulness practice can help alleviate difficult symptoms.
*2010 research by Harvard University psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert
2) Mind/body feedback loop
We look at how thoughts, feelings and emotions can often be a product of our body, rather than of our mind.
Often our body detects our thoughts before we have consciously registered them. We then react to them as though they are real.
Learning to tune into these bodily signals helps manage their potential negative impact.
3) Striving and resilience
We look at using mindfulness to 'mind the gap’ between our desired and actual situation.
Learning to identify and manage your thinking and reacting, can reduce your habits of avoidance, rumination, and worry.
It can also help increase creativity and performance, cultivating the 'being mind' rather than the 'doing mind', helping you to better manage emotional challenges.
4) Self-kindness
We look at what self-kindness means for you.
We can sometimes be so hard on ourselves. But we can learn to meet this with inner kindness, and recognise and soften our harsh inner voice.
Learning to do this gives you the opportunity to pause and gain more inner peace.
5) Thoughts and perspective
We examine your thinking so that you can better catch your thoughts and notice their impact.
By adopting a mindful approach to life, you can learn to recognise that thoughts may not be facts.
You can learn to reframe your thinking to help reduce unskillful and unhelpful thinking habits.
6) Working with challenging situations
We apply mindfulness skills to processing difficult emotions and uncomfortable feelings.
We work through holding them in your awareness with an attitude of curiosity, self-kindness and self-acceptance.
You will notice how you are becoming better at responding more wisely, rather than blindly reacting to thoughts and situations.
7) Understanding your inner critic
We work further on softening your inner critic with deeper practices of self-compassion.
We look at better understanding the differences between internal and external validations, and the impact these have on your happiness levels.
8) Developing intention and next steps
We look at the implicit aspect of mindfulness: intention.
Learning to set an intention to practice mindfulness and use the tools and techniques you've learnt, rather than setting goals that often fail.
We identify practical ways to help you commit to observing and managing your emotions and reactions, enhancing your day-to-day routine so you can thrive.
Enquire about Menopause Anxiety Coaching
Please email me victoria@mindsthatwork.com or use the form below to send an enquiry.