21 Jun

Posted at 19:37h in Uncategorized

Managing Andropause & the Middle-Age Male Shift Naturally   “Men get menopause too?” My friend’s teenage daughter asked me this recently as we drank herbal tea out in my garden one afternoon in late spring. The tea nearly shot out through my nose. “Well, not exactly,” I replied. I explained that while men definitely go through a change, it doesn’t involve a total shutdown of their reproductive organs.   But that’s not to say that men don’t experience symptoms associated with declining hormones. It’s important to mention up front that just as women’s experience with menopause is subjective, that is, an individual process, so...

17 May

Posted at 15:43h in Uncategorized

Recently, I came across an article on menopause and HRT––hormone replacement therapy––that claimed HRT is “the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms.”   I have a difficulty swallowing these types of claims because as someone who has supported many women with menopause over several years, the reality is that every woman is different. Every single woman has a unique constitution, which is to say, we all experience menopause in our own unique way.   For some women, menopause is a physiological, emotional, and hormonal nightmare (well, it feels that way). For others, it’s a walk in the park on one of those perfect sparkling...

24 Apr

Posted at 19:25h in Uncategorized

  As you’ve likely experienced, hormones get a little out of balance in the years leading up to menopause and during menopause itself.   Okay, I won’t sugar coat it––hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, go veritably crazy! While this phase of life is relatively mild for some women, other women experience intense symptoms, including severe hot flashes, weight gain, anxiety, and panic attacks.    According to one source, women are more susceptible to panic and anxiety than men, and the tendency to experience one or both increases with age. Indeed, hormonal changes may precipitate attacks.   If you’re no stranger to panic attacks, then this article will...

09 Feb

Posted at 17:47h in Uncategorized

  When I was in my 30s, I remember hearing about “the shift” that happens in the 40s. My older friends would warn me, “your hormones go nutso, you can’t eat as much because everything sticks,” and, “you have to get more exercise but you’re just so tired all the time, it’s so much harder to keep fit.”    Sure, I thought. As long as I stick to a healthy diet and daily exercise in some form or another, it’ll be okay.    Then, it happened. Well I should say, it started happening. I began noticing those first telltale signs of “the shift.” While I’m...

26 Dec

Posted at 20:00h in Uncategorized

Declining Estrogen & Every Woman’s Worst Nightmare (if only she could sleep)   You wake up a little too early again. Your body is hanging onto last night’s sleep but your mind seems ready to start the day. You do a quick check in. Your sheets are slightly damp from that middle-of-the-night sweat session. Your body feels worn. There’s some fuzziness behind your eyes and a general lethargy. Yet your body buzzes with an undercurrent of anxiety. Looks like you’re waking up to just another normal Tuesday, or any other day of the week for that matter!   Insomnia sucks, and it’s one of...

25 Oct

Posted at 17:36h in Uncategorized

  What are the two most common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause? You guessed it –– hot flashes and night sweats. If you guessed it, you’re probably already experiencing them to some degree.   Before we dive into what hot flashes are, what causes them, and how hypnosis can help hot flashes, I want to define some terms. I also want to peel back a few layers that tend to reduce menstruation and this major transition in a woman’s life to nothing more than a bothersome shift in hormones to be minimized or managed and consider how we can nurture this process with...

05 Oct

Posted at 16:36h in Uncategorized

  Hypnotherapy for menopause is a popular practice for treating hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and other symptoms of menopause. It’s an alternative or complementary treatment to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).   Why Choose Hypnosis For Menopause?   As a Master Hypnotist, I regularly see women who’ve entered perimenopause, the period of time around menopause, or who are just starting menopause and suffering from uncomfortable symptoms. Many of them seek hypnotherapy because they want to avoid the associated risks of HRT or they’re attempting to relieve the discomfort of anxiety, stress, and hormonal changes. They’ve shared with me their fears, pain, and hopes for a...

21 Sep

Posted at 17:30h in Uncategorized

A Guide To Mindfulness & Personal Wellness    What does it mean to live in the moment?   Do what we want? Give into our every impulse? Enjoy each day as though it were  our last?  If you’re reading this then you’ve likely reached a stage of personal evolution in  which you know that “living in the moment” isn’t about immediate gratification. To  take such an approach to life is to make our lives very small and unrewarding in a  way that really matters. That’s not to say we throw spontaneity out the window.  Rather, we allow it to occur within a more conscious state...

30 Aug

Posted at 19:19h in Uncategorized

  The Benefits of This Combination Healing Therapy For Anxiety, Depression & Insomnia   As a Reiki Master Practitioner and Master Hypnotist in Durham, I’ve worked with many people over the years using hypnosis and Reiki to help relieve a variety of mental and physical issues.    Since the initial COVID-19 outbreak, more and more people have reached out to me because they’re struggling with anxiety, depression, fear, and insomnia. For many, these conditions are new and unfamiliar, not part of their pre-COVID lives, so they’re scared, unsure of how to manage symptoms, and wary of taking medication.   The bottom line is that we’re all living...