It can begin approximately 7 to 10 years prior to menopause. There are a variety of methods to identify whether you are in perimenopause. As such, it is important to know some of the symptoms so that you can discuss the possibility of this with your qualified healthcare provider.

There are a variety of options to approach management of this complex phase of life. It depends on your unique set of circumstances. However, broadly stated it is helpful to think of things from a holistic vantage point. For example:

• Good sleep hygiene

• Balanced nutrition

• Fitness

• Social support

• Care providers that you trust

• Care providers who are willing to have a discussion about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) including the risks and benefits for your specific circumstance

• Care providers who will not pathologize your symptoms of depression or anxiety and will consider the role of peri~menopause. Lifestyle changes and HRT can possibly reduce and/or eliminate some symptoms.

It depends. For some, there is a surgically or medically induced reason. In those instances, you are ideally given some education that allows you to get your resultant care needs met. In other cases, menopause is defined as 12 consecutive months without menstruation.

Not necessarily. It might be more helpful to think about it as a rite of passage, a midlife awakening, or even an opportunity to intentionally pursue midlife MPowerment. Caveat, this life change can occur prior to midlife and we can be MPowered at any phase of life. Afterall, the process of becoming MPowered is a journey, not a destination.

Please know that what you are experiencing is not your fault. It is not because of something you did or did not do. Our bodies just change. Sometimes it is gentle/subtle. Sometimes it is not. You do not, I repeat… You do not have to lose yourself during this process. Please consider using resources to your advantage and build a coping toolkit that will allow you to become MPowered in this sacred journey.

You might work with a:

• MPowerment health coach

• Health or Rehabilitation Psychologist

• Primary care provider

• OBGYN

• Nurse Practitioner

• Endocrinologist

• Functional Medicine Nutritionist

• Registered Dietician Nutritionist

• Cardiologist

• North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Practitioner

• Massage Therapist

• Acupuncturist

• Physical therapist

• Occupational Therapist

Dr. Hawes will do the following:

1. Meet you where you are and attempt to see things through your lens to address your current and ongoing challenges

2. Foster a safe space for you to show up authentically and be heard accurately

3. Help you consider/identify the types of providers who might be integral to your care team

4. Help you identify the types of questions to ask and prepare for various doctors appointments and teach you how to advocate for your needs/wants

5. Help you to learn about various treatment options that might be available to you in your specific circumstances. Note: This often involves coming up with a curated list of referral options to consider

6. Offer empirically based education that is related to your specific experience

7. Help you curate a tenacity/MPowered toolkit regarding lifestyle changes and self care to support a holistic approach to managing this sacred journey

8. Help you honor your intersecting identities as you navigate this road. For example: mom; wife; high achieving career and/or homemaker; volunteer; musician etc.

9. Help you to achieve some semblance of life balance as you continue to “do it all,” as so many of us do.

10. Help you lean into values based versus fear based decision making as you learn to hold space for and move through your MPowered Peri~menopause journey.

That is a great question. There’s a few considerations on this front:

1. In the spirit of honoring your experience, meeting you where you are, and not attempting to diagnose. I am here to serve as a MPowerment Health Coach + Consultant

2. Even when operating as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist I do not choose to be focused on assigning a clinical diagnosis. Yes, on some level it is helpful and necessary. However, what I am truly interested in is your lived experience and the symptoms that impact your quality of life and wellbeing.

3. Relatedly, I do not seek to pathologize symptoms in any case. Particularly, when symptoms are related to or caused by a medical condition.

4. You might be thinking, “well wait peri~menopause and related conditions are considered a medical condition?” Well, in some ways yes as changes in your hormones can cause you to experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and health related-challenges you never had before even though nothing about your lifestyle has otherwise changed. Make sense?

5. Caveat, if it does become clear that your mental health related symptoms are in need of clinical care I would openly discuss that with you and make appropriate referrals. In some cases, even if that occurs, you might be able to continue with me as your MPowerment Health Coach + Consultant as well.

6. If at present, you are thinking well wait, “I really need/want” a Psychologist who is adept with this rather than a MPowerment Health Coach + Consultant, you are welcome to consider working with me in that capacity instead. To learn more about that possibility, head on over my clinical practice website: Mindfully Balancing Wellness.

Please complete the Google Form in the Let’s work together section below. If it seems like we might be a good fit we will have a 15 minute consultation. The purpose of the consultation is to help us understand why you are seeking MPowerment coaching, allow you to ask questions, and allow us to determine whether it makes sense to work together.