Menopause Mentoring from The Pocket Doctor

Menopause is hugely challenging. It affects almost every part of your body, causing a vast array of symptoms ranging from mildly irritating to so severe that they interfere with your ability to function.

It doesn’t help that menopause typically comes along at a time when many things are changing. It can be a time of peak responsibility and stress at work; children may be leaving home, relationships with partners can be strained or being re-evaluated, and it may be a time of house moves, caring for elderly parents, divorce or even bereavement. Add in all the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause, and it can seem more than anyone can bear.

So often, we hear from women who are:

• Struggling with menopausal symptoms at home and work
• Feeling tired and stressed much of the time
• Feeling they have somehow lost a part of themselves
• Tired of looking things up on the internet only to find themselves even more bewildered
• Confused about hormone replacement therapy, not knowing what to believe
• Not feeling understood, even by those closest to them
• Struggling to get their doctors to truly hear them and give them the help they need

There are countless books and websites offering menopause advice. Most are well-meaning, some are good, the majority are superficial, and there is much contradictory information. It’s hard to make sense of it all. Given the huge variety of symptoms, the vast amount of information and the bewildering array of treatment options, it can be unfathomable, especially when you’re hampered by brain fog.

Sometimes you need someone to guide you through it all step-by-step. That way, you can focus on the end result without having to figure out how to get there. It’s also good to know there’s someone who will understand what you’re going through and who has your back.

Finding the right program for you will come down to your particular needs. For example, if you are mostly looking to improve your fitness, you may want to look for a coach specialising in exercise and fitness. Here are some key characteristics to help you with your comparisons.

Qualifications

Our mentoring program is mostly run by Ben Jones. Ben has a medical degree, a Master's degree and a PhD. He has extensive clinical experience in major teaching hospitals.

Most menopause coaches have a background in wellness/fitness coaching or dietetics and nutrition. There are a few nurses and the occasional pharmacist.

Expertise

Ben is an experienced doctor and author of The Menopause Handbook. The most comprehensive and up-to-date handbook on menopause.

Some coaches have years of experience coaching women in menopause. For others, menopause coaching is an add-on to their wellness/life coaching or nutition practice.

Ability to help you navigate the medical system

Getting your doctor to hear you and prescribe the best treatment is often a challenge. We can coach you to communicate effectively with your doctor and provide the scientific evidence they may need.

Other coaches may have less familiarity with the way doctors think, and that may mean less opportunity to influence the care you get from other healthcare professionals.

With you for the long haul

The care you get and the choices you make now determine your long-term health. Our program is designed to help you achieve a long and healthy life.

Coaching is often focused on specific goals, such as losing weight, developing healthy eating habits or getting more exercise. There may be less emphasis on controlling your symptoms and optimising all aspects of your long-term health.

There are many menopause coaches with different areas of expertise and focus. You should work with someone who can best meet your individual needs. We believe we can support you well in all aspects of your menopause journey. Where we are particularly strong is:

1. Giving you practical guidance on controlling menopausal symptoms quickly and effectively, with tips you can put into action immediately.
2. Providing trustworthy, in-depth information in straightforward language.
3. Helping you to feel back in control of your health and body.
4. Coaching you to confidently and knowledgeably talk with your doctor to get the care you need.
5. Helping you to manage the challenges of menopause at work.
6. Looking beyond menopause to help you develop the strategies you need to live a long and healthy life.
7. Ensuring that you feel heard, understood and supported.

The best way to determine if our program would be a good fit is to jump on a free introductory call. You don’t need to prepare anything; it will be relaxed and informal. There’ll be no high-pressure sales talk. It’s in both our interests to be sure we have the right program for you.

Before your first mentoring call, we’ll ask you to complete a questionnaire. That will save us from using time on the call to collect basic information about your health and lifestyle. It will also help us understand your biggest challenges so we can focus on those first.

Our mentoring is conducted by phone, so you can fit it into your busy schedule without disrupting your day. Each call lasts 50 minutes unless otherwise agreed. After the call, we’ll send you a follow-up email summarising our discussion.

We’re not going to ask you to follow a fixed program. Instead, our mentoring will be tailored to your preferences and needs. Each month, we’ll pause to take stock and ensure that we are on track to cover all that we need to during our work together.

Where appropriate, we’ll give you symptom logs, checklists and worksheets so you can stay on track and see your progress. We’ll also provide you with any information and resources we think will be helpful.

In between our scheduled calls, you'll be able to get hold of us through messaging or voicemail with any questions you may have.

To ensure that you achieve your goals, there will be actions for you to work on between our calls.

We cannot prescribe medication for you or make any diagnoses. Neither would be appropriate since we cannot see and examine you, arrange tests, etc. Our mentoring is not a substitute for the care you receive from your doctors. Instead, it’s complementary, and we can help you to make the most effective use of visits to your doctor.

Menopause can turn your life upside down. In addition to making you feel terrible, it can put your relationships at risk and jeopardise your career. Getting your life back on an even keel is priceless, but we go beyond that, helping you develop strategies to live a long and healthy life.

Achieving these goals is not a quick fix. We recommend working together for six months. That allows us to address your menopause symptoms, tackle issues around work and relationships, and develop strategies to promote your long-term health.

Our private, concierge six-month program comprises:

• A comprehensive initial assessment through a written questionnaire and a 90-minute call.
• A written review summarising the initial assessment findings and detailing areas where changes could be helpful.
• Four x weekly, 50-minute mentoring calls, followed by
• Four x two-weekly, 50-minute mentoring calls, followed by
• Three x monthly, 50-minute mentoring calls.
• A written summary of each mentoring call.
• Checklists, worksheets and symptom logs as appropriate
• Access to your mentor through voicemail and messaging.
• A final written review with recommendations for ongoing progress.

The cost of the six-month program is £2,499 / $2,999

If you would prefer a shorter, kick-start to addressing your menopausal issues, we also offer a three-month program. This program comprises:

• A comprehensive initial assessment through a written questionnaire and a 90-minute call.
• A written review summarising the initial assessment findings and detailing areas where changes could be helpful.
• Four x two-weekly, 50-minute mentoring calls, followed by
• Two x monthly, 50-minute mentoring calls.
• A written summary of each mentoring call.
• Checklists, worksheets and symptom logs as appropriate
• Access to your mentor through voicemail and messaging.
• A final written review with recommendations for ongoing progress.

The cost of the three-month program is £1,750 / $2,199

It is the nature of health and wellness coaching and mentoring that you will share personal information with us. We will agree to maintain the confidentiality of all information shared during the mentoring sessions, except as required by law. This includes but is not limited to all the personal information and medical history you share. We will not disclose any information about you or the services provided without your written consent except as required by law. Your information will be stored securely and handled in compliance with GDPR regulations.

We do not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.

You can read our privacy policy here.

We hope you will find the program extremely helpful and worth continuing. If, for some reason, you would like to pull out of mentoring, we may be able to offer you repayment of any unused prepaid fees on a pro-rata basis taking into account the services and resources already provided.