This Mental Health Awareness Week, Norfolk and Waveney Mind is holding its first Menopause Workshops, with the help of certified menopause wellness specialist Janette Sarginson, to help improve support for people experiencing the challenging symptoms. Here, Janette explains how the collaboration has come about
My name is Janette, and I am the founder of mind, body and menopause. I am an accredited menopausal well-being specialist and woman in menopause. I started sharing my personal menopause journey via Instagram and was astounded by the response I got from women who were also struggling with the menopause. I think, for most, it was the feeling of knowing they weren’t alone and I was someone they could reach out to.
I started to organise coffee mornings and local meet ups so woman could come together, talk, laugh and share their own personal stories. I host retreats, 1-2-1 consultations, workshops in the community and menopause training for businesses. Some of the organisations I have worked with are John Lewis, Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Breckland Council.
I am receiving emails from businesses weekly who want to become menopause friendly, which is amazing. It’s so important for woman to feel supported at work and know they are valued. I was approached by Phoebe from Norfolk and Waveney Mind asking if she could attend one of my workshops, which she did, and it transpired from there.
Some of the symptoms I have struggled with have been anxiety, low mood and uncontrollable rage. I have always been open and honest about how it has affected me as unfortunately these symptoms are not talked about enough and woman feel ashamed and alone.
I want people to know it’s ok to feel this way, and that they’re not alone. I share the lifestyle changes I have made to help manage these symptoms, which I am happy to say have improved. I am so pleased Mind are hosting menopause workshops for mental health week and I feel honoured to have been asked to run them.
They are being held at five different locations, including Norwich, Thetford, Yarmouth, Attleborough and Kings Lynn. I will be covering peri to post menopause, lifestyle changes which can be made to support menopause symptoms and how it can impact your mental health. Tickets are being sold via Eventbrite and tickets are £10 per person.
Sonja Chilvers, Chief Operating Officer at Norfolk and Waveney Mind, adds: ‘Mental Health Awareness week takes place between 15th – 21st May. The week aims to tackle stigma and enable people to understand and prioritise mental health. At Norfolk and Waveney Mind, we work tirelessly to ensure that no one has to face poor mental health alone. An essential part of our work is raising awareness and reducing stigma, so it’s a huge week in our calendar and a great opportunity to come together to talk about this important topic. It’s common for women to experience mental health problems as a result of the hormone changes which happen during menopause. The menopause can impact on those around you too, your family, friends and colleagues, so it’s important we get more people talking about it and help raise awareness of the symptoms. We’re delighted to be partnering with Janette to bring these important workshops to our communities.’
The Menopause Workshops, in aid of Norfolk and Waveney Mind, will take place as follows:
Monday 15th May – St George’s Café Gt Yarmouth, 7pm – 9pm
Tuesday 16th May – REST Kings Lynn, 7pm – 9pm
Wednesday 17th May – REST Aylsham (upstairs), 7pm – 9pm
Thursday 18th May – REST Thetford, Riverside Walk, 7pm – 9pm
Friday 19th May – REST Norwich, Churchman House, 7pm – 9pm
Visit Norfolk and Waveney Mind – Mental Health Awareness Week 2023. To book the Menopause Workshops, visit Eventbrite. Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday May 15 to Sunday May 21.
Featured image of Janette Sarginson – supplied
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