Counselling For Menopause – Menopause is an undeniable fact of aging for women that cannot be avoided—no matter how dearly some might wish to skip it altogether. However, although every woman undergoes these changes at some point in their lives, it doesn’t make the experience any easier for those who are currently dealing with it. Fortunately, the professional team at Horizon Plymouth is experienced in helping women navigate the unfamiliar changes of menopause and understand both the physical changes as well as the mental health challenges, allowing you to embark upon this new chapter of your life with resilience and appropriate coping skills.
What is menopause?
Understanding menopause can help women in this phase of their lives to understand the changes going on within their bodies and what is causing them. Menopause is brought on at a different age for each woman, but typically occurs after their forties and is marked as beginning one year after the last menstrual cycle is experienced. The prior year is referred to as perimenopause. During this time, a woman’s body is adapting and undergoing the transition away from childbearing. This causes your hormone levels to drop, resulting in mood swings and other physical symptoms as your body adjusts. And, while these changes are often well known, the mental health effects and struggles that many women battle during the onset of menopause are less discussed but just as serious and potentially debilitating.
Common physical signs of these changes often include:
- Menstrual changes or irregularity
- Difficulty sleeping and insomnia
- Hot flashes or night sweats
- Decreased energy, more easily tired
- Other physical changes such as decreased flexibility
Importantly, these changes can culminate in symptoms of depression related to the onset of menopause, as well as a variety of other mental health disorders, which may require the help of a licensed Horizon Plymouth counsellor to resolve.
How can counselling for menopause help?
Counselling is one of the best, most effective and individualized methods to help improve your mental health, making it an excellent option for those who are currently coping with the mental challenges brought on by menopause—or even those who simply want to take pre-emptive steps to facilitate their menopausal transition. Counselling for menopausal women can help with:
- Depression: Fluctuating hormones combined with changing life roles can increase the risk of developing disorders such as depression and anxiety. The counsellors at Horizon Plymouth can help you navigate these changes and reduce the effects of depressive symptoms on your life.
- Changing roles and identity: Retirement, empty nesting, decreased function, and changes in interests are all factors that affect and potentially disrupt a woman’s perceived life roles and values during menopause. Often, women struggle to cope with these changes and the effects that they have on the way that they view themselves. Aging is often seen as a negative experience, but counselling can help you to embrace the vitality and freedom that comes with older age.
If you or someone you know is struggling to cope with the effects of menopause, counselling could help to ease the transition and support healthy mental states throughout this time. A counsellor can work with you to analyse your thoughts and feelings surrounding menopause, as well as help you to develop healthy habits and behaviours to promote mental health during this time. Despite the fact that menopause is a universal affliction for women, the experience is no less taxing, and you do not have to attempt to deal with these changes alone. The counsellors at Horizon Plymouth are here to help you navigate your body, mood, and life roles as you embark on this new chapter of your life in a healthy manner. Call today to schedule your initial consultation and take the first steps towards regaining control of your life with the help of Horizon Plymouth.