You don't have to just put up with this-Part 1
Introducing the Mastering Menopause course — what it is, what it covers, and how you can join in a way that suits your life.
By Dr Ivana · March 2026 · Issue 1
If you're reading this, chances are something has shifted. Maybe your sleep is unreliable for the first time in your life. Maybe you're hot in the middle of winter, or finding yourself snapping at people you love — and then wondering what on earth just happened. Maybe your brain feels like it's running on a bad connection. Or maybe you're just quietly wondering: is this it now?
I want to say this clearly: what you're experiencing is real, it makes complete physiological sense, and there is a great deal you can do about it. That's exactly why I created the Mastering Menopause course — and why I'm writing this three-part blog series to share what it's all about.
This is part one — a warm introduction to the course, its philosophy, and the different ways you can take part. Parts two and three will walk you through the course sessions in detail and the practical steps to join.
So what is the Mastering Menopause course?
It's a six-session program that brings together the science of perimenopause and menopause with practical, evidence-based tools — grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — to help you understand your body, work with your mind, and genuinely feel better.
This isn't a course that tells you to breathe through it and think positive thoughts. It's educational and experiential — meaning we don't just talk about the tools, we practise them together. Each session builds on the last, and by the end, most women feel they have a fundamentally different relationship with what their body is going through.
What do we cover?
Across the six sessions, we explore the full picture:
• The physiology of hot flushes — why they happen and what drives their intensity
• The science of sleep disruption in perimenopause and how to work with it
• How hormonal changes affect the brain — mood, memory, and concentration
• The CBT model — how thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected
• The role of stress: how it amplifies symptoms and what to do about it
• The power of our thought patterns — and how to gently but meaningfully shift them
• Practical coping strategies that actually work in real life
• Understanding this transition as a meaningful passage, not just a medical event
Three ways to join:
I've designed the course to work for different lives and different preferences. Here's what's available:
1/ In-Clinic Small Group:
Four to ten women, six-weekly sessions in the clinic. Rich group discussions, shared experience and a real sense of Community and belonging
2/In-Clinic Mini Group:
Two to three women, six sessions, more intimate, more personalised.Wonderful if you prefer a smaller setting and more flexible session times.
3/On Line Group:
Flexible access from anywhere you are. Currently in development
COMING SOON
Whether you thrive in a group or prefer something more contained and personal, there's a format for you. And for those whose schedules make clinic attendance tricky — the online version is coming, and I'll announce it here first.
Why I made this
I've been a GP for many years, and perimenopause is one of those areas where I kept seeing the same thing: women who were suffering, who had often been reassured or dismissed, and who had no framework for understanding what was happening to them. I wanted to create something that filled that gap — not just a prescription or a pamphlet, but a real, supported, intelligent program that treats women as capable of understanding their own biology.
This course is that thing. I'm proud of it, and I'd love for you to be part of it.
With warmth,
Dr Ivana
