Meet Katie

Hello, I'm Katie and I am delighted to welcome you to Pause & Bloom, a holistic Menopause Health and Wellness business offering a variety of services from Menopause Health & Wellness advice & coaching and training & education packages.

I am a certified Menopause Wellness Practitioner, Menopause Experts Group Licensed Menopause Champion and an accredited Coach (soon to be EMCC Accredited Coach Practitioner). In addition to this I am a NHS Registered Nurse with a special interest in Women's Health, enhanced knowledge in menopause, having completed courses through the British Menopause Society, and nearly 30 years’ experience in the NHS. I have a wealth of clinical expertise (predominantly in Critical Care and Acutely unwell patient services where I held the position of Matron), operational and strategic management and a sound understanding of the Health and Social Care system. I also have extensive experience in delivering training sessions, presenting, facilitating workshops and public speaking.

It was my own personal experience that led me train as a Menopause Health and Wellness Practitioner and to establish Pause & Bloom. Perimenopause was the most debilitating and scary period in my life until I realised what was going on. I had been diagnosed with depression, burn out and long COVID, prescribed antidepressants, referred to both long covid and mental health services, yet this didn't sit comfortably with me. I started monitoring and researching my symptoms and exploring the possibility of menopause, something my GP had rejected as I had been perceived as too young.

My symptoms first started in my late thirties, though these were not associated with perimenopause until several years later when they became more prominent and I didn't recognise myself. I was struggling to function in all aspects of my life. I experienced crippling anxiety, low mood and confidence, brain fog, frozen shoulder, palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, burning mouth, bleeding gums, insomnia, paranoia, electric shocks and crawling skin to name a few.  My previously active social life felt like a thing of the past, friendships and relationships were strained, I felt I was failing as a Mum, I thought I was going to have to give up work and if I am honest, I was in a pretty dark place.

Eventually, 6 weeks before my 45th birthday, my GP agreed to trial HRT.  I didn't experience any improvements for the first few months, it was even suggested that I come off HRT, however, I had invested heavily in improving my own knowledge of perimenopause and I knew there were other options to the prescription I had been given. I made an appointment with a menopause specialist which resulted in a change in dose and method of administration, an agreed plan should this still need tweaking and was provided with some much needed reassurance that I was not going mad. Just a few weeks later, I started to feel some benefits. A diagnosis of perimenopause was confirmed.

This however was just the start, HRT replaced the depleting hormones and alleviated some of my symptoms but was not the cure to all. I knew I needed to better understand what was happening to my body and why, explore what I needed to live happily and healthily through this challenging period and beyond and gain control of my life. I gave myself permission to pause, acknowledge what was happening, assess and re-evaluate everything in my life. I made myself accountable and responsible for my health and wellbeing, invested heavily in myself and consciously addressed all aspects of my health with a focus on wellness. I committed to implementing evidence based tools and techniques, lifestyle changes, experimenting with practices that I previously considered a bit woo and began to see and feel the power of lifestyle medicine, holistic and spiritual practices and the significant role they play in health and wellness. I can confidently say that I have found my calm and genuinely feel like I am blooming in to the happiest and healthiest version of myself. It is now my mission to help, support and empower other women in the hope that they can too. For me, a combination of HRT, lifestyle changes, spiritual practices, mindset mastery, cold exposure and breathwork are essentials in my toolkit, however, one size does not fit all, it's about finding what works for you and creating your personal lifestyle prescription. 

I understand the challenges of accessing menopause support and treatment as a patient. In my professional capacity, I recognise the strain on General Practice, the lack of training in this specialty and therefore access to timely diagnosis, management and treatment and acknowledge the limited access to NHS Menopause Specialists. This has fuelled my drive to help others, hence embarking on completing the Menopause for Nurses course with the British Menopause Society, training as a Menopause Wellness Practitioner and becoming a brand licensed champion with the Menopause Experts Group and completing their comprehensive training. 

Women have more control over their menopause symptoms than they think. I am passionate about combining my knowledge, skills, experience and expertise to deliver a safe and effective service that will support the wellbeing of women experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. I can help women to feel empowered to actively manage their own symptoms. Whether women choose to take HRT or not, Menopause Wellness is essential, and often underestimated, in the management of perimenopause and menopause and is beneficial to any one approaching peri-menopause; going through perimenopause; been through menopause; and for improved health later in life. 

Self-management enables women to be at the heart of decision making about what matters to them.  I can support women in making healthy choices and in directing them to useful sources of information. I can provide advice, education and training to help women manage their menopause, to know when to seek medical help and when they can self-manage their symptoms. Should medical intervention be required, or should women wish to trial HRT or indeed come off it, I can help prepare for the appointment by advising what information will aid joint decision making and how to structure the conversation to make the most of the appointment time.  Should I identify a women who would benefit from specialist advice, I will only signpost to British Menopause Society Approved Specialists who are CQC registered.

As well as supporting individuals, my work extends to the corporate sphere, where I aim to assist businesses in cultivating an empathetic and supportive environment for employees navigating menopause.

I appreciate the value of innovations in healthcare. Health innovation refers to new or improved solutions that have the transformative ability to accelerate positive health impact. They play a crucial role in advancing healthcare and improving outcomes for individuals and communities. I have provided an innovations for menopause section showcasing some market ready innovations from a horizon scanning exercise. Please note that this list will not be exhaustive and that I am not affiliated with any of the companies. I am sharing for interest only and their privacy policies will apply when accessing their websites via the links provided.

I have a clear scope of practice and work within the Nursing and Midwifery code of conduct and the European Mentoring and Coaching code of ethics. Professional membership with the Royal College of Nursing and British Menopause Society and working in partnership with the Menopause Experts group will ensure I am kept up to date with the most recent evidence based information.