Over The Bloody Moon shares tales and tips to boost your menopause experience from The Change Makers, inspiring women helping you to make the most of your 'change'.
In our second series, we chat to a range of clinicians, psychologists and authors who share their tools of the trade to enhance menopause wellbeing. In our first series, we chat to resilient women, sharing their different experiences of menopause that collide with other life events. Whilst menopause is a spectrum of shades, there are lessons learned in each episode. We hope you enjoy listening to their stories and tips.
Kate Drummond, founder of The Purposeful Life shares her personal story of her life's transitions. Dealing with her chronic fatigue in her 20’s, leaving a toxic relationship in her 30's, and the unexpected arrival of perimenopause in her early 40’s. Kate’s inspiring account provides us with wonderful quotes and lessons learned on how to thrive through change.
A frank and honest conversation with Tova Leigh - blogger, comedian and author of F*!ked at 40 on her journey of living authentically, as she neared the big 4-0. We hear about Tova's trials and tribulations that accompanied her process of shedding, shaping, and eventually shining with a more authentic self. This is a brilliant account that will resonate with many women as we hit a major transition that may collide with other shifts.
In this heartfelt conversation, we hear from Diane Kenwood, ex-editor of Women's Weekly and founder of These are The Hey Days, share how she dealt with the sudden passing of her husband who at the time, she was living separately from. We discuss bereavement and the process of healing, alongside her menopause transition, and the tools that helped Diane soar from a dark place to one of light.
In this brilliantly informative episode, we chat to Elaine Halligan, parenting coach and owner of The Parent Practice. Elaine shares her own difficulties of parenting a neurodiverse son. She sought help with a parenting coach who later became her business partner and there began a deep learning around the role of a parent - how to connect with your child, facilitate their growth and independence, and build their self-esteem. She shares the mistakes many of us make, parenting myths and provides simple tools such as the Power of Words and the Power of Listening to build deep connections.
In this episode, we listen to Nicole, founder of The Surmeno Connection share her tale of discovering ovarian cancer in her 20's, coming to terms with the possibility of not having children and being thrown into surgical menopause, all within a few months. We hear how Nicole coped with surgical menopause and the tools with hindsight she is able to share.
In this episode, we hear Alison Lapper’s account of menopause, living with phocomelia, a disability that means she has no arm limbs and shortened leg limbs. Alison has had her fair share of knocks and bumps in life. Rejected at birth by her mother, she grew up in various institutions before moving to London and learning about life. She discovered her gift of art and is a hand and foot artist and has been awarded an MBE. Life continues to be a challenge for Alison with hot flushes, night sweats and other aspects of menopause, alongside dealing with the grief of losing her son to an accidental drug overdose. Alison shares her story with humour and warmth, alongside her tools and super powers that have kept her going.
In this episode, we listen to Rebecca Hill, an experienced exec coach, founder of Wise Sherpa and author, share her insights on thriving through transitions in the workplace, with tips on how to surf the waves, rather than be knocked by them. Rebecca reveals her own perimenopause story, as a senior leader at EY with strategies on how to communicate vulnerability and support needs to colleagues.
In this episode, we talk to the inspiring Katie Phillips, founder of The School of Self Love. Katie shares honestly her ups and downs of life. We hear about the tragic loss of her mother to suicide and the impact that had on her learned behaviour, her courageous decision to leave a toxic relationship with a toddler in tow and then the consequence of jumping straight into another relationship that wasn't right. In Katie's darkest hour, she had a 'wake up' call that led to a realisation for a need for radical change. This began a journey of self-love where she learnt and practiced a brand new way of doing life which transformed her relationship with herself, men, money and even menopause!
Kathryn Pinkham is founder of The Insomnia Clinic and for the past 15 years, she has focussed on just one thing, helping people to sleep well, so they can live their life to the fullest. In this episode we learn how we can retrain the brain and reform habits to increase our sleep drive, reset our body clock, and introduce cues to help improve sleep association. You'll learn more about the impact that sleep can have on mental health and how it can be leveraged as a Power Tool for menopause.
In this episode, we chat to Jane Simpson, pelvic health specialist and author of international best seller, "The Pelvic Health Bible". We learn what good pelvic health is and why this region matters, not just through our menopause transition, but beyond. We chat about what support options there are for anyone experiencing a pelvic organ prolapse, urinary tract infections and incontinence. This episode removes the mystery and stigma and provides you with self-care rituals, products, bio feedback gadgets and apps, as well as medical support available.
In this episode, we chat to Dr Angela Sharma and Dr Angela Wright (menopause specialists and sexologists), working for NHS and co-founders of Spiced Pear Health Clinic. We learn more about common issues impacting on our intimate self-care, both during and beyond the menopause transition. If you've noticed your libido change, are experiencing any discomfort or itchiness in your vulva-vaginal area, or penetrative sex has become painful, you are not alone!
Join Susan Quilliam, an experienced relationship coach and author of seven books, including best sellers, 'Joy of Sex' and 'Stop Arguing, Start Talking' who has plenty to say on how to navigate relationships in times of turbulent change. Shifts in sex desire, incontinence, and vaginal atrophy may all have an impact on relationships. Susan provokes us to reframe intimacy and provides some golden nuggets in opening up communication and deepening connections with loved ones around us. You'll come away learning about the four C's and how to apply them to your life.
Maisie Hill is a hormone health specialist and author of the best selling books, 'Period Power' and 'Perimenopause Power' who is a walking, talking encyclopedia when it comes to hormones. You'll learn about surgical and induced menopause, and how that may be experienced differently to natural menopause. We continue our theme of menopause diversity, looking at menopause with endometriosis, thyroid imbalance, and insulin resistance, as well as the impact menopause can have with a history of pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). A fascinating conversation and you'll walk away feeling more empowered about how to manage your menopause.
In this episode, we travel to Melbourne, Australia to meet Dr Amy Silver, a psychologist talking about her book, 'The Loudest Guest' which explores how to change and control our relationship with fear. Dr Silver explains her model of working through fear. The first part of the podcast focuses on understanding and acknowledging fear whilst the second part looks at how to live a full life with fear in it. If you are someone struggling with change, or has a fear lurking in the shadows, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we catch up with Emma Bardwell, menopause nutritionist and co-author of The Perimenopause Solution. Sleep, stress and mood can take a nose dive due to hormonal changes, but we can take back some control by being more strategic about the way we eat, and what we can put into our bodies. We learn how the mind and body are interconnected, and how we can keep both healthy in menopause through our diet. Pick up tools of the trade from Emma, including the importance of 'rest and digest'.
In this episode we chat to Sam Simister who at the time was a Board Executive at Innocent Drinks and co-founder of Gen-M. In her honest account, Sam shares her experience of perimenopause in the workplace, as a senior leader, and how she cultivated those important conversations to her team and CEO. Lots of great tips for how to navigate menopause at work
We chat to neuroscientist, Dr Sara McKay, based in Sydney, author of 'A Woman's Brain' and hear how menopause, along with other transitions, impacts on those assigned female at birth, in terms of their cognitive state and health. Sara explains the role of hormones on temperature regulation, sleep, stress and mood, during menopause, as well of course, 'brain fog'. This is a fascinating listen and you'll also get some Power Tools to take away with you, to boost your brain function.