It’s World Menopause Day 2025 this week, and I’d love to see this as an opportunity to look at the narrative around the menopause. It’s so important that we shift our perspective and reframe how we speak about this life stage for women. It has been wonderful over the last few years to see how the menopause has become such a discussion point.

But I worry that the prevailing public narrative seems to be negative, often centring on ‘loss’ for women – be it loss of oestrogen, fertility or youth as well as a bleak focus on the impact of perimenopausal symptoms. And this just feeds into the anxiety and misunderstanding around this time of a woman’s life.

The language we use in healthcare matters and menopause is not merely an ending – it is important we see it as a transition rather than a finality. Yes, the physical symptoms of perimenopause can be very difficult for some women (around 4 in 5 women experience symptoms) and I absolutely applaud that we are discussing something, which not so long ago would have been seen as taboo. These symptoms are real and can be so frightening and debilitating for women without education or support. We need to recognise that during perimenopause, women’s bodies are undergoing a huge period of hormonal adjustment which often requires some holistic support.

In my clinical practice, I have frequently told patients who are struggling, that they are experiencing a profound journey and if supported correctly, it can be a time of gain instead of loss. For women using this time to change their life and their health for the better, to put themselves first, can actually be very empowering.

Of course there are so many ways to support this transitionary time and there really isn’t a one size fits all. For some women, HRT might be applicable. For many, taking care of their bodies – with educated nutrition, acupuncture, prioritising rest and exercise, using herbal medicine support, breathwork and tuning into what actually makes us feel better – can be life changing.

I truly believe women shouldn’t be made to feel they just have to ‘get through’ this time of their life. With the right knowledge and support, you can have the power to handle the challenges of menopause and actually feel better, healthier and happier and ready to start a new chapter of your life. Let’s start redefining the traditional negative expectations of women ageing and use World Menopause Day to embrace the power of this life stage.

At NCIM we are embracing positive ageing with our ‘Thrive 55’ initiative – to help organisations understand and remove barriers faced by aged 55+ employees and supporting an age-positive culture through workplace wellbeing action plans.

This is completely free for businesses in the West of England – please get in touch if this is something your organisation would be interested in. https://ncim.org.uk/thrive-55