If you are new to Phoenix Wellness, then I am delighted to meet you and start building great connections. I am Jeanette Forder, the Founder and CEO of Phoenix Wellness Coaching, a women-only wellness and life coaching company specialising in helping women to thrive through menopause.
My mission is to help all midlife women to thrive through menopause, to change their lives and to give them the freedom and choice over how they live the rest of their lives.
Click here for a welcome message from Jeanette
April is Stress Awareness Month
Did you know that in a recent UK-wide survey for the Mental Health Foundation, almost three-quarters (74%) of adults said they had felt stressed, overwhelmed or were unable to cope at some point in the past year?
81% of women compared to 67% of men reported feeling stressed, with two-thirds of those being agedd 55 or over.
Staggering statistics, which we know will have been impacted by the pandemicl, but for many of those people work was a key stresser for them.
Menopause and Stress
For some women going through menopause can feel stressful. Fluctuating hormone levels during menopause alter the way we physically and emotionally respond to stress and can bring on feelings of depression anxiety or make us feel overwhelmed and isolated. Some women who don’t realise these feelings are hormonal issues are often prescribed antidepressants as a solution – that was my own experience!
The Science of Stress & Menopause
Our bodies produce two hormones when stressed – cortisol and adrenaline. They are produced by the adrenal glands, which typically don’t get talked about a lot, especially considering they work hard both during menopause and when we experience chronic stress.
During menopause, the adrenal glands take over some of the work from our ovaries, producing small amounts of progesterone and oestrogen. Whilst our bodies are amazing at adapting to menopause, the adrenal glands cannot produce these female hormones efficiently when they are constantly pumping out our stress hormones; our bodies will always choose survival over fertility.
When we experience stress, our bodies become primed for attack with the adrenal glands choosing to produce cortisol and adrenaline over oestrogen and progesterone. This is bad news for menopausal women. We need these hormones for our health and emotional well-being. Another reason why we start to feel stressed, overwhelmed and anxious more often – it’s all biological.
So, the key is to do as much as you can to not feel stressed and have reliable coping strategies to alleviate stress when we feel it. Take a look at this month’s blog to learn more about how to spot your stress triggers and build coping strategies that actually work.
Alleviate Stress – The Calm Retreat
If you are struggling to manage your feelings of stress, anxiety and overwhelm; then do not worry as we can help. The Calm Retreat, our self-learning programme, is designed to help you to:
- Understand what causes you to feel stressed.
- Understand how these feelings change our behaviours.
- Build a range of coping strategies.
The programme consists of 4 videos and accompanying workbooks, which you can work through at your own pace. The pack also includes 4 special mediations to help you to reduce those feelings of stress. When you purchase the Calm Retreat, you have it for life, which means you can work through the techniques as many times as you like or when you need them.
What’s coming in April
We have so much planned for April; I am both excited and a little nervous all at the same time! But for good reason, as we are launching the next cohort of the Phoenix Rising Retreat and Mastermind. These programmes are aimed at women approaching or in the early stages of menopause. You will have the opportunity to work with other like-minded women learning how to navigate your way through menopause. We tackle a range of issues from dispelling the myths about menopause and growing our knowledge, to focusing on the future you want.
The Retreat is a FREE 3-day taster series and prologue to the full Mastermind. The Retreat takes place on the 26th-28th April at 19.30-20.30 on each evening via zoom. If you want to know more or book your place, please scan the QR code below.
The Phoenix Rising Mastermind
If you love the Retreat and want to sign up for the full 6-week online Mastermind programme, then this too is very easy. Simply scan the following QR code to book your place. You can read more about the Mastermind here or book a connection call with me to learn more.
What if you prefer an in-person workshop?
I’m pleased to be able to bring a brand-new programme to you especially designed for those ladies who prefer to attend an in-person workshop.
This is very exciting, as we are partnering with the Longfield Integrated Care Clinic (near Dartford, Kent) to bring you a 6-week in person workshop series, Navigating your Menopause. Workshops will be held on Saturday mornings starting on Saturday 14th May. You can attend at either 09.30-10.30 or 11.00-12.00. Each session can accommodate up to 10 ladies. I guarantee these will be informative and fun. If you want to know more or book a place, please scan the QR code below.
What you want to learn about
We want to make this newsletter as useful as possible to you, and so if there is something you want to learn about then do get in touch and share it with us.
For more information
For more information or to book a connection call please feel free to email us – we are here to help change the lives of midlife women everywhere.