Local Mainstream Radio Stations Across Ireland Have Been Breaking the Taboo of Menopause Since 2015 and Earlier.
Recently we have heard and seen women speaking through the media platforms here in Ireland and across the pond in the UK. Discussing their perimenopause and menopause experiences and their midlife health and wellbeing.
Women breaking the taboo and bravely speaking opening on their menopause symptoms on the national airwaves. However, this is not a new phenomenon, maybe for the national broadcast’s stations.
However, not for many local radio stations up and down around the country who have also been highlighting the issues of menopause on the local airwaves since 2015 and earlier.
Since early 2018. Through my own Woman to Woman Show on Community Radio Kilkenny City, with the support of my station manager Declan Gibbons.
We provide a local mainstream media platform through our station’s women’s talk show, to regularly “break the taboo and silence” surrounding menopause, promoting the subject locally with a wide range of experts and well-known commentators.
Regularly speaking to Kilkenny native Catherine O’Keeffe, also known as the Wellness Warrior.ie. Catherine is Ireland’s first menopause coach and corporate speaker. Facilitating ‘training for menopause in the workplace and menopause support training for HR & managers creating support and openness within the workplace for women’.
Catherine has been passionate about this subject for many years. But we can go back further – the maverick in this area we must acknowledge was Cathy Doyle, who wrote the book A Positive Journey through Menopause.
Catherine along with Aisling Grimley, from My Second Spring, paved the path in highlighting and educating us all on the topic and issues which women experience through the transitional stages of menopause.
They spoke to the media, up and down and across the country on local mainstream and national media platforms both in broadcast and print media. Launching a Second Spring National Conferences and talks around the country highlighting and promoting menopause.
I too was already in the middle of my menopause experience, inspired by speaking to Catherine, I developed my own interest in all issues relating to menopause and midlife women’s health and wellbeing as a broadcaster, professional life, and Confidence coach as well as a holistic therapist?
I was like a sponge for more information on everything relating to menopause and women’s midlife health and welfare.
Interviewing Cleanmarine Ireland, about their popular MenoMin supplement. Along with their ambassador, one of Irelands favourite broadcasters and journalists Lorraine Keane about her perimenopause journey and her role as ambassador for the Cleanmarine Irl product, which I personally could not live without.
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From supplements to skincare, I speak to Yolanda from Dr.Hauschka Ireland, who is a regular contributor on the show, discussing their skin and hair care ranges of products for women in the menopause years of their lives. And Breeda Birmingham from the Midlife Rock Café project.
Along with many women who are living through perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Women who have early or surgical menopause, and cancer. This is an area so underrepresented and one Catherine O’Keeffe has done great work in – setting up the first POI support group in Ireland.
Since 2018 the Woman to Woman Show on CRKC has been discussing the issues which many women experience through the transitioning stages from their body’s reproductive years to their unreproductive years’ experience.
Talking about how women’s ovaries gradually decrease and the production of progesterone and estrogenic stop releasing eggs. Therefore, the process of ending the menstrual cycles leading to the end of the fertility years for women, ‘puberty in revere’. Mother nature doing her job.
Along with Chatting about the physical, mental, and emotional impact which can occur during this time.
For some women, the transition can be easier than for others, the symptoms may not so tough. However, for many other women, it can be one of life’s biggest challenges.
For many like me, where Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) does not suit or where it can be contraindicated for various medical conditions, it can be an even more debilitating, disrupting, and turbulent experience.
This is why more awareness and education within our whole society is needed. Women need the information knowledge and understanding of what is happening to their bodies and their overall health.
Therefore, enabling women to create an informed effective concise communication strategy, on how they wish to manage their menopause when speaking to their medical professionals. Women also need to build relationships with their GP’s and health care team as well.
Additionally, women need to know how to self-manage their menopause health and wellbeing and make necessary lifestyle changes needed for a smoother transition.
For me, the secret is to not allow menopause to control me or my life. As a broadcaster, professional confidence, and life coach, holistic therapist I had the skill set to do this.
I had the ability to focus and control my mindset and my thought behaviours habits, which control my emotions, my actions, and therefore behaviours and outcomes.
Yes, I still have my menopausal days, as I call them when the symptoms are more serve than others. Which also has an effect on my overall health, it can be a vicious cycle sometimes.
But I know why, and how, to keep using the skills and tools within my own self-management tool kit, to manage these days. Sometimes it’s just about taking a pause, and to be kind and gentle to myself.
We, women, have to also be accountable and take personal responsibility in our own approach to our menopause, organise and prioritise the time and space to invest in our self-care and self-love again. Listen to our bodies, we know our bodies more than anyone. Health is our wealth and so is our mindset.
Now may the debate begin, may women’s midlife health be recognised and respected as a health issue for women. I believe it, like many others, it needs to be a balanced debate with the positives included in the conversations as well.
Menopause is not all doom and gloom. There are so many positives too, once, we as women, our families and work colleagues, understand, what women and our bodies are going through, on a physical, mental and emotional level. There is understanding, empathy and importantly support.
When we take control of our midlife health and wellbeing, it can be a time of great contentment, personal empowerment and a liberating phase-in our lives.
Countless women in their midlife years, connect to their creativity, many returns to education, start new businesses and become female entrepreneurs. Rediscover their full potential. A time and space to reset, reconnect and realign to their inner confidence and empower their lives.
The midlife years can be the most inspiring years of a woman’s life in so many ways. I know it was and is for me.
It is a time in my life where I regained my self–confidence and confidence levels again, and re-connected to who I was and reclaimed Roisin again. I also rediscovered my chutzpah and my voice and stepped out of my comfort zone in so many areas of my life with an attitude of appreciation.
I took time to pause, breathe, and take stock of my midlife menopause health and wellness and my life. I re-learned to make my own well-being a priority. Surely this is empowering in itself too.
For me thank God, for local radio and print along with online news media
It is more often than not, that your local radio waves in your local areas are discussing many issues and topics long before they reach national airwaves, As they say, ‘everything starts local’.
Every woman experiences menopause in different ways so it is vital to find an approach that suits her health, mindset, and personality (lifestyle). Our mission here at Confident Women Ireland.ie is to help you to live confidently and positively through this amazing chapter of your life, empowering you to rejuvenate yourself with renewed confidence and purpose.
Confident Women Ireland provides individual supports for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. We offer one-to-one coaching, group sessions and holistic half-day sessions, which include holistic treatments and two coaching sessions. And we provide mindset coaching to help you to navigate this challenging and enriching phase of your life.
For more information please contact Roisin: info@confidentwomenireland.ie or phone 087 4187507 and check out our website on https://confidentwomenireland.ie/
No payments have been made in promoting brands or products in this blog.
©2021 Roisin Ni Chleirigh Confident Women Ireland.ie
