Notes from the Heart Blog

If you’ve read the first two parts of this series, you may have recognised something in yourself. Perhaps you’ve realised you’re not “just hormonal.” Perhaps you’ve recognised that what you’re feeling is grief. Not grief because someone has died, but grief for the life, body or identity that has changed. The good news is this: You don’t have to fight these feelings. You can learn to support yourself through them. Here are five gentle ways to begin. 1. Name What You’ve Lost Gr

Menopause Grief, Part 2: Why Does It Feel So Emotional? Have you ever found yourself crying over something that never used to bother you? Or suddenly feeling overwhelmed, anxious, angry or deeply sad and wondering where it came from? You’re not “too sensitive.” You’re not “losing your mind.” And you’re certainly not weak. This is Part 2 in my series on menopause-related grief. If you missed Part 1, I encourage you to read that first. Your Nervous System Is Changing Too During

(identity & emotional loss ) Menopause-related grief is a very real, yet often unspoken, response to the many changes this stage of life can bring. It can involve grieving your younger self, the end of fertility, shifts in identity, or the life you once imagined. As oestrogen levels decline, the nervous system can become more sensitive to stress, making emotions feel more intense and sometimes bringing unresolved losses or past experiences to the surface. It’s not a sign that

Throughout my life, I have experienced many forms of loss and change. Like most people, I have grieved the loss of loved ones, cherished pets, relationships, friendships, the way life used to be and i've grieved the loss of dreams. But one of the most significant losses I experienced was the loss of myself. When my children started school, I found myself standing at a crossroads. The house went quiet and so did I. For years, my identity had been centred around being a mother,

When we hear the word grief, most of us immediately think about the loss of a loved one. And while grief absolutely includes death and bereavement, it is so much more than that. Grief is the natural response to loss. The loss of a relationship. The loss of a marriage. The loss of health after illness or diagnosis. The loss of a career. The loss of a dream you worked so hard for. The loss of identity after becoming a parent, experiencing burnout, retirement, or a major life tr