Menopause, wellbeing and connection

Menopause, wellbeing and connection runs at Stephen Hill Methodist Church on Tuesday 27 October, from 6:45pm to 9:00pm. It's a session that pairs a soulful women's circle with a medical perspective on menopause and midlife, and it's run by Johanna van de Voort and Dr Janet Chelliah.

The first half is the circle part. It works through meditation, paired sharing, group reflection and journaling, and it's designed to open up the emotional and personal side of menopause and midlife. After a short break, the focus shifts to the medical side. Dr Janet Chelliah leads an informal, open conversation about perimenopause and menopause, covering symptoms, hormones, HRT and the many bodily changes that come with the stage. It's presented as educational and supportive rather than a substitute for individual medical advice or a GP appointment.

There's a good deal of experience behind the two of them. Dr Chelliah is a GP specialising in women's health with over 30 years of NHS experience; she's been a member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology since 1999 and has CBT training from the British Menopause Society. Johanna van de Voort has been holding monthly women's circles for a year and a half. Together they bring the clinical and the personal to the same room, so you can hear about the hormones and the symptoms and then talk about how they actually feel to live with.

Tickets are £28 for general admission, and there's a 2-for-1 deal that brings it down to £14 each if you bring a friend. You'll need to bring a journal, a pen, a water bottle and a shawl or blanket. The church is at 547 Manchester Road, Sheffield S10 5PL, and the whole thing runs from 6:45pm to 9:00pm.