Menopause Experts Ask Women To ‘Unleash Their Menopause Joy’ As They Prepare for Huge Scottish Event

Maria Anderson, 56, from Inverness, Scotland, a huge advocate for women’s health, has gone full circle from midwifery to menopause, after spending over 38 years working in the NHS as a midwife to recently become a menopause coach after learning so much on her own health journey. Having recently celebrated the international success of her new podcast – ‘HRT is not the ONLY solution’ – which flew up the charts, she is now set to host her inaugural event in September at Laggan, supported by the British Menopause Society, calling for women to gather and ‘unleash their menopause joy’, as part of the celebrations and her continued mission to reach millions more people globally with her menopause message.

This week, she is delighted to be able to announce that Dr Heather Currie MBE, Founder and Director of Menopause Matters, is the headline speaker.

This event is set to take place across two days (September 18th – 19th) at Laggan, in Dumfries and Galloway Scotland, where Maria is expecting over 100 guests to join her – and she welcomes both women and men, as she feels passionately that crucial partners are also given information.

Covering ‘hot’ topics, Maria who is now known as ‘The Straight Talking Menopause Coach’, has spent the last 38 years working as a nurse, midwife and lecturer within the NHS, and retired early to set up her own coaching business, after suffering at the hands of menopause symptoms herself, she is now determined to help others see menopause through new eyes, so they don’t fall into the traps she did. She says that this event will; “be an experience that will leave attendees feeling energised, re-invigorated and absolute joy!”

“It’s time to stop hiding behind “I’m fine” and embrace your inner Lioness. It’s shocking that menopause support is a postcode lottery (less than half of our GPs have ANY training), a blanket-approach toward HRT (with little understanding around the different types), total disregard for holistic approaches and a put-up-shut-up culture that meant women weren’t getting what they needed.”

Maria, who has experience of knowledge sharing on a wide scale, after her ‘Tales of a Midwife’ book became a Sunday Times Bestseller in 2012, is passionate about supporting women to be able to access the right information to help them live their lives to the full.

On stage, Maria will be joined by Dr Heather Currie MBE, who has an outstanding career within NHS Dumfries and Galloway and in 2021 was awarded an MBE. She is the past Clinical Lead for Gynaecology Modernising Patients Pathways Programme for Scotland and Clinical Advisor for the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan. She is also trustee and immediate past chair of the British Menopause Society, Co-Editor of Post Reproductive Health, the journal of the British Menopause Society, as well as the author of many reviews and original articles in peer-reviewed journals and books.

Dr Heather Currie MBE, Founder and Director of Menopause Matters, said: “Awareness of the consequences and impact of menopause has risen over recent years, but there is still much information, advice and support to share. I am delighted to be able to support Maria at this event, in my home area of beautiful Dumfries and Galloway, where many aspects of menopause, treatment options, and support mechanisms will be covered by inspiring speakers and experts in their own field”

Maria and Heather will also be joined on stage by Gayle Brannigan, Chief Executive of St Mirren FC and Corrie Campbell from the Scottish FA who will be sharing an exciting 12 week project ‘Menopause Goals’ that they have all collaborated on. Corrie says: “We are deeply committed to harnessing the transformative power of football to support women on their menopause journey. This important life stage often goes unnoticed and underserved, despite its significant impact on women’s physical and emotional well-being. Through football, we aim to create a supportive and inclusive community where women feel empowered and understood during this ‘second half’ of their life. By addressing the unique challenges that menopause presents, such as managing symptoms and promoting overall health, we believe we can enhance the lives of women both on and off the field, fostering a more holistic approach to women’s well-being through the beautiful game” (Scottish FA)

Also taking to the stage will be Maura Jackson, 52, from Bolton, a stand-up comedian known as ‘The Feather Fixer’, and a charity CEO. Maura loves a challenge and recently stepped well out of her comfort zone, baring all in her underwear, to chat all things Menopause, on Channel 4’s Naked Education, she said; “I believe life is for living and we need to stop worrying so much about what others think- and instead start focusing on the difference we are making.” Whilst she was using her wit and humour to address difficult conversations, Maura, will shares how she didn’t know what was going on with her body as she didn’t suffer the usual symptoms but instead experienced; itchy calves, restless legs, migraines and female hormonal hair loss syndrome, alongside mood swings and an increased sex drive.

Another guest speaker is Speaker And Sports Scientist And Icelandic National Football Coach, Paula Esson, an extraordinary trailblazer with a heart that wishes the absolute best for anybody she reaches. Paula is a pain and movement specialist and will be running a joint pain clinic during the event. Now in the menopause herself, Paula has a drive and ambition to help people make this an enjoyable time, seamless and uncomplicated.

Other speakers include; Host of the podcast “Radiate Realness”, Geraldine McGrath, who is herself peri-menopausal and on a mission to empower individuals to tap into their unique gifts and passions. Nic Davies, productivity, organisation and lifestyle mentor, founder of Platespinning Academy and navigating her way through the perimenopause and will be running a workshop.

Attendees are also encouraged to come and experience a cold water dip with Open Water Swimming Instructor, Sarah Redman. There will also be breathwork and yoga/pilates sessions by Susan Russell , a health and wellness coach. A sleep clinic run by Dr Sheila French and a Chronic Illness workshop run by Jenna Hastie, a former nurse and coach who will give you strategies to use during Perimenopause and Menopause. There will also be various workshops throughout the day, covering subjects such as: joy, how to declutter your life, gut health, nutrition, joint pain, chronic pain, money mindset, sleep…

Throughout the conference, Maria, who is a member of The British Menopause Society, will share approaches that changed her own life, and the lives of many of the women she’s worked with, taking them from a place of suffering to one of ‘absolute joy’, as she works towards her mission to help a million women master their menopause in small simple steps, so that they can find joy again.

Maria is keen to educate and empower women with knowledge about what’s actually going on in our body and mind during the menopause, so that they can step back from all the ‘hype and chaos’ and think logically about what their body needs. She will be sharing the life changing results of her 90 day transformational menopause- unleash the joy programme and Elaine Curry, a performance coach, will be sharing her own transformational menopause journey after completing this programme.

Maria said; “Today’s society is missing the point of menopause in my opinion. Women are not “problems” that need to be fixed – Menopause is not a chapter that needs “sorting”, it is a life chapter full of opportunity for women to learn how to optimise their health and start planning how they would like to live their life in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s – but it’s only exciting if you feel empowered – not if you feel overwhelmed.”

She continues: “I work closely alongside so many women suffering with menopause symptoms. I serve women who take HRT, don’t take HRT, women who are confused about what to do, women who have been taking HRT for 10 years + and have found NO difference in their menopause symptoms. There is so much information on the internet, in the media about menopause/peri- menopause but it is still confusing, women feel lost, unsupported and find themselves in a state of “fear” during this chapter of their lives.”

“By breaking the silence of this topic, without shame, will empower women to feel confident within their body , have the ability to have open conversations about symptoms, solutions and take back the reins in their own lives.”

For more information or to book onto the event, please visit: https://go.mariaandersoncoaching.com/UnleashyourmenopauseJOY