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Menopause - The Real Deal

Menopause - The Real Deal

By: Michelle Rowlinson
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"Menopause - The Real Deal" is your go-to podcast for honest, expert-driven conversations about perimenopause and menopause. Hosted by Michelle, a senior Physiotherapist, Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner, and best selling author, this podcast dives deep into the real experiences of women navigating this transformative stage of life. Each episode features insightful interviews with health professionals, business leaders, corporate women, and past clients who share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. We debunk common myths, explore the impact of menopause on health and work life, and provide practical advice to help you manage symptoms and thrive. Whether you’re approaching perimenopause, in the midst of it, or supporting someone who is, "Menopause - The Real Deal" offers the education and support you need to embrace this phase with confidence. Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Beyond the Hot Flush: Karen Gibbard on Identity, Brain Fog, and Finding Yourself Again

    Beyond the Hot Flush: Karen Gibbard on Identity, Brain Fog, and Finding Yourself Again
    Jun 17 2026
    What if the reason so many women feel frightened, overwhelmed, or like they are losing themselves during perimenopause is because no one prepared them for just how much it can affect the brain, body, emotions, and identity all at once? Today I am joined by Karen Gibbard, a menopause coach, change management practitioner, and integrative support advocate who discusses her personal perimenopause experience, which began at the age of 41 and brought severe cognitive changes that left her fearing she had onset dementia. We explore the profound emotional toll of menopause, including the loss of confidence, identity shifts, and the grief that can accompany this transition. Karen also shares how her professional background in change management helped her reframe menopause as a major life transition, and we discuss why women who cannot take HRT often feel excluded from the conversation, highlighting the vital need for holistic and community-based support. Karen Reveals Menopause can begin in a woman's early 40s (or even 30s) with severe brain fog, memory lapses, and psychological shifts long before any changes occur in her menstrual cycle. Viewed through the lens of change management, menopause is one of the most significant biological, psychological, and emotional transitions a woman will experience, impacting relationships, work, and identity. The transition brings a profound sense of loss; of confidence, loss of self, and a deep sense of grief, particularly surrounding the end of fertility, which requires dedicated emotional support. For women who cannot or choose not to take HRT, there is a critical need for accessible, alternative support systems, including lifestyle adjustments, workplace policies, and community-based safe spaces. BEST MOMENTS "I honestly thought that I had early-onset dementia, and it was terrifying. You get to a point sometimes where you barely remembered your own name." "There's nothing bigger than this in terms of change management. No bigger transition, I don't think, exists." "Don't settle for 'no.' Don't settle for 'there is nothing I can do to help you.” "I think what's most missing is that ability to listen. To truly listen. It's that ability to validate another human being" EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.instagram.com/karengibbardmenopausecoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmgibbard/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582032600965 www.karengibbard.co.uk HOST BIO Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/ Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag Website www.panaceapause.co.uk
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    51 mins
  • Menopause Symptoms That No One Warns You About

    Menopause Symptoms That No One Warns You About
    Jun 10 2026
    Have you ever experienced one symptom, then another, and thought, “What on earth is going on with my body?” In this episode, I explore some of the lesser-known symptoms that can occur during perimenopause and menopause and why they can leave women feeling confused, worried, dismissed, or searching for answers in all the wrong places. You aren’t losing your plot, and you certainly aren’t alone. Your hormones are simply sending your body off-script, and it is time we joined the dots. Michelle Reveals Hormones influence virtually every system in the body, which means fluctuating levels can trigger a massive range of unexpected physical and emotional responses. Conditions like Burning Mouth Syndrome, formication (the sensation of insects crawling under the skin), and unexplained vocal changes are deeply unsettling but entirely tied to changing hormone levels. Many women are dismissed by professionals or given ineffective localised treatments because their symptoms don't fit the classic textbook definition of menopause. Understanding the physiological "why" behind these symptoms helps women move past confusion and anxiety, empowering them to advocate for better care and support. BEST MOMENTS "Nobody really sits women down and explains that hormones influence virtually every system in the body." "The problem is that when those symptoms appear, they don't arrive with a little label attached saying, 'Hello, I'm from perimenopause.'" "Not because symptoms aren't real, not because they're imagining them, but because nobody is joining the dots." "Sometimes the scariest part isn't the symptom itself. It's not knowing why it's happening." HOST BIO Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/ Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag Website www.panaceapause.co.uk
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    20 mins
  • Redefining Menopause as a Public Health Issue - with Beverley Powell

    Redefining Menopause as a Public Health Issue - with Beverley Powell
    Jun 3 2026
    I talk with the incredible Beverley Powell, strategic EDI specialist, leadership coach, and founder of Rest, Rise, Reclaim, to blow the lid off the silent struggles high-functioning women face in midlife. Together, we explore how professional women quietly mask their exhaustion under immense pressure, and why we must urgently shift the narrative from viewing menopause as a lonely, individual burden to recognising it as a critical public health priority. It’s a powerful call to action for anyone who has ever felt like they had to just keep pushing through, offering you the validation, hope, and empowering tools you need to reclaim your body, your boundaries, and your voice. Beverley Reveals Why high-performing women in leadership positions often master the art of hiding distress and over-performing to appear fine externally, which drastically accelerates midlife burnout. How menopause impacts women socially, economically, and politically as a systemic public health issue, not just a minor workplace or individual inconvenience. For women with darker skin tones, managing vitamin D3 levels is essential, as deficiencies closely tie into crucial midlife health factors like chronic stress, inflammation, and cardiovascular risks. Why chronic stress and past trauma fundamentally alter the nervous system, drastically intensifying menopausal symptoms like brain fog, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. BEST MOMENTS "Masking is just a process of hiding distress. It's about suppressing emotions or over-performing to appear fine externally." "It's a public health issue. Because menopause affects women socially, economically, politically, because we are no longer working." "We have some talented women who've worked many years, who have a lot of insight and knowledge, but suddenly the menopause kicks in and they need to leave." "Your body may be asking for support, so rest and change, not more self-criticism." EPISODE LINKS Website: https://restrisereclaim.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverley-powellukcoachleader/ HOST BIO Michelle is a highly respected Physiotherapist and Menopause Wellbeing Practitioner with over two decades of experience in the health and wellness industry. After experiencing seven years of debilitating symptoms herself before realising it was perimenopause, Michelle has since dedicated her career to helping other women navigate this transformative stage of life. Her personal journey fuels her passion for educating and empowering women, as well as training businesses and health professionals through her specialised menopause and wellbeing workshops. A best-selling author and sought-after speaker, Michelle combines deep clinical expertise with relatable, real-world experience. Through her podcast, "Menopause - The Real Deal," she offers evidence-based guidance, authentic conversations, and practical strategies. Listeners trust Michelle for her empathetic understanding and her commitment to helping women thrive, making her a leading voice in the menopause space. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelle.kimp.9/ Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@michelle_rowlinson Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-rowlinson-38330b21a Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@MenopauseTheRealDeal My Book: You, me conquering perimenopause & menopause https://amzn.eu/d/hCcbjag Website www.panaceapause.co.uk
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    46 mins
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