How can Coaching support my Menopause?
The menopause transition, usually between the ages of 45 and 55, is often a period of multiple demands on women’s time. Work, children, and elderly parents, for example, intersect with the physical, psychological and emotional changes that may also be taking place during this time, and many women struggle with these competing priorities, often to the detriment of both them and the people around them.
What is coaching and why is it particularly valuable during the menopause?
Coaching can be described as a series of conversations with the aim of achieving set goals.
During menopause, problems with concentration, memory, and loss of confidence, as well as the more well-known menopause symptoms, such as hot flushes and low mood, may have a significant impact on personal life and in the workplace. Despite the encouragement of more open conversations on menopause-related topics both in broader society and at work, for many women, the experience of menopause remains confusing and frustrating, and having a conversation with a family member or work manager can be challenging and uncomfortable.
There is a significant body of research supporting the role of coaching in both life and work contexts, and recent studies in menopausal women1,2 reveal that worries about disclosing symptoms, as well as issues related to confidence, identity and career decisions, are common concerns.
Coaching is a collaborative partnership between you and the coach, using the skills of active listening, questioning, observation, and feedback, that focusses entirely on helping you achieve your own personal and/or professional goals and objectives. For example, these could relate to exploring opportunities for a promotion or a change of career, or to overcoming challenges directly related to your experience of menopause, such as loss of confidence.
Coaching is a positive, forward-focused process conducted in a confidential and non-judgmental environment that may complement but does not replace therapy, counselling, or mentoring. It should be both enjoyable and challenging.
Quotes from women who’ve been helped by coaching:
“now I don’t frame myself as an anxious person anymore”
“the coaching, absolutely, I don’t think I would have got through. I would have left my job definitely if I hadn’t had that support”
“I think what coaching has done is allowed me to have a discussion around how my symptoms of the menopause are impacting my performance, and I haven’t suddenly become a less good manager”
“…imagine if menopause coaching was really widely accepted,… and you got towards your late 40’s, you know there is a system out there, either through work or life, whereby you could go and access menopause coaching to help prepare for and see you through this journey and point you in the direction of any resources you might need, or medical treatment you wanted…”
Your coaches at NewWoman Health have expertise in coaching menopausal women. With each of them, you will have the opportunity to share your experiences with a professional who can give you increased confidence to have the right conservations at the right time with the right people and help you devise a positive way forward to manage the challenges you face and optimize this important time in your life.
References:
- Dunn, Suzanne 2022. The experience of workplace coaching for menopausal women: A descriptive phenomenological study.” International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring S16: 97-108.
- Fujimoto, K. 2017. Effectiveness of coaching for enhancing the health of menopausal Japanese women. Journal of women & aging, 29: 216-229.
Why New Woman Health?
At NewWoman Health we have a commitment to educating, advising, treating, and supporting women approaching, during, and following menopause. Our wide range of medical and lifestyle interventions helps women to manage or minimise their menopause symptoms and improve their quality (and potential longevity) of life in an aspirational and uplifting way.
If you’re concerned about your menopause transition and/ or other menopause-related problems, including treatment options, we can support you with our personalised medical consultations with menopause specialists. Take the next step in ensuring your long-term health and quality of life by booking a consultation with us today.
