New course helping women with menopause launches in Cornwall
The sessions will start in November
Last updated 20th Oct 2022
A new online service is launching in Cornwall to help women struggling with the menopause.
'Talking therapies' services have been set up to give people support for symptoms of anxiety, depression.
This course will focus on the psychological aspects of the menopause and is the first of its kind for people in Cornwall, run by trained NHS therapists.
Rachel Harper, senior psychological wellbeing practitioner, said: "It being much more openly talked about now. In previous generations it was referred to as going through the change and it was something that was quite embarrassing and swept under the carpet.
"It can have a massive impact on women, our emotions, our thoughts and physical changes as well as women go through the menopause".
The newly designed course run by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will start in November and run over five weeks. Each week, the sessions will focus on something different and highlight the symptoms women might be experiencing and offer tools for women to manage those symptoms.
Rachel is part of the IAPT service which provides NHS talking therapies across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Within her role she has been involved with the creation of the new menopause courses and has been discussing the impact of support on World Menopause Day.
She continued: "This is our initial course, but we already have one planned for January. If you think of how many women are going through the menopause there's a real need for this support to be going out.
"There will always be a course that is available".
Each session will take 1 hour 30 minutes per week and has a focus on learning more about the impact of the menopause transition and strategies to adapt and live well, through and beyond the menopause. Currently the sessions will take place online, but there are plans to move them to in person in the future.
What are the symptoms?
Menopause can bring many physical, psychological and emotional changes that can lead to low mood, anxiety, and stress.
According to the NHS website some of the affects you can experience are changes to your periods, changes in mood including anxiety and low mood, and physical symptoms such as hot flushes, palpitations and difficulty sleeping.
To access the new online course helping women with the menopause, you can refer to their service on 01208 871975 or self-refer on their website.