In this episode, I chat with Sian Carter, HR Director for a multi-academy trust in the West Midlands and a certified menopause coach, about the very real ways she’s woven menopause support into school life.

Sian’s own early-onset menopause journey sparked her passion: she knew firsthand how crippling brain fog, night sweats and heavy bleeding could be when you’re standing in front of a classroom full of students.

We talk through:

• The power of top-down buy-in: How her CEO and COO model open conversations, encouraging staff at every level to speak up without fear.
• Small changes, big impact: Why installing discreet fans, ensuring ready access to toilets, or strategically pairing staff for backup can transform someone’s day.
• Beyond teaching staff: Why every adult working in a school - administrators, support teams, site staff - deserves practical guidance, compassionate line-management training, and a clear menu of “reasonable adjustments.”
• Building champions: How Sian is training volunteer “Menopause Ambassadors” in each school so that no one faces this alone.
• This is more than just policy or PowerPoints.
• It’s about human connection.

[00:02:34] Menopause in the workplace.

[00:04:07] Menopause challenges for teachers.

[00:08:20] Normalizing menopause conversations at work.

[00:11:02] Workload challenges in teaching.

[00:15:28] Menopause support conversations.

[00:18:14] Transformational coaching experiences.

[00:20:10] Enhancing listening skills.

[00:25:10] Importance of menopause awareness.

[00:29:13] Menopause awareness in younger women.

[00:30:23] Menopause opportunities and inspiration.

If you lead or work in education (or any people-centered field), you’ll come away inspired to create that same safe, savvy support for the women and everyone around you.

Press play, and let’s reimagine our workplaces as places of genuine understanding, one conversation at a time.

Head over to womenofacertainstage.com for more information on becoming a menopause savvy & supportive organisation.

Book a call to connect and explore opportunities here: https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/pod

In this inspiring conversation, meet Kirsteen Campbell, endometriosis warrior, community builder and certified Menopause Coach, who has transformed her own decades-long health journey into a mission to uplift every woman in Scotland’s far north. Kirsteen shares:

A Lifespan of Endometriosis

Battling excruciating teen-year periods, multiple laparoscopies and a life-saving hysterectomy by 26.

Miraculous pregnancy stories, heart-breaking loss and a second surgical menopause.

How a lifelong fight with chronic pelvic pain led her to the brink—and back.

Building a Rural Women’s Health Hub

Launching four support groups (Endo, Menopause, Period Health, General Wellbeing) that now serve 1,000+ local women.

Campaigning for gynaecology services in Caithness, so patients don’t face 200-mile round trips.

Why small communities can spark big change when you harness lived experience.

Why Become a Menopause Coach with Women of a Certain Stage?

Discovering the Metamorphosis Culture Program mid-treatment,and feeling “amazed” by the personal transformations it unlocked.

Translating her own pain-to-purpose journey into powerful one-to-one and in-person retreats.

Coaching wins: clients sleeping better, moving more and recapturing hope.

Pain Relief and New Beginnings

How a six-weekly lidocaine infusion turned off 30-years of pelvic pain and reignited her zest for life.

Lessons on self-care: ditching diluted juice for water, rediscovering morning routines and gentle movement.

Planning a silver-anniversary trip, leading the Scottish women’s network at the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists—and finally feeling “pain-free for the first time since I was a teenager.”

[00:03:02] Community support for women's health.

[00:04:44] Diagnosis time for endometriosis.

[00:09:57] Endometriosis and pregnancy challenges.

[00:15:38] Women's health support groups.

[00:17:14] Women's health coaching journey.

[00:20:18] Community and mental health connection.

[00:24:09] Hope in endometriosis journey.

🔗 Links & Resources

Join Kirsteen’s North Highland Menopause Workshops → highlandwellbeinghub.org/events

Become a Women of a Certain Stage Certified Menopause Coach →

https://womenofacertainstage.lpages.co/menopause_coach/

Endometriosis Support & Info → endometriosis-uk.org

Ready to turn your health battles into community-building impact?

Tap into Kirsteen’s journey and learn how you, too, can coach, care and change the lives of women in your world—no matter how remote.

Book a call to explore more today: https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/pod

Today I’m joined by my awesome Certified Menopause Coach graduate - Sam Mancey, executive coach, former John Lewis leader - who shares how a back-of-house tech glitch, major spinal surgery and a corporate “divorce” all led her to a powerful new calling: supporting women (and the people around them) through midlife transition. In this warm, wide-ranging conversation we explore:

• Why “menopause coach,” when you’re already a coach?

Sam explains what tipped her from leadership development into menopause support, and why adding this specialty makes you a better coach for every client.

• Authenticity in the face of adversity

From taking calls in her hospital bed post-op to diving into the program alongside nurses, nutritionists and startup founders, Sam shows that real coaching is about “papering over no cracks.”

• Cultivating company-wide support

Learn how to weave one-to-one coaching into group rolls-outs that bring cross-departmental mentorship, raise awareness with male allies and spark organic peer networks.

• Beyond the GP script

• Why pointing every woman back to her doctor isn’t enough—and how to coach clients to navigate conflicting HRT guidelines, self-advocate with clinicians and build a holistic self-care toolkit.

• Turning personal setbacks into your biggest strengths

Hear Sam’s story of a constructive exit, broken promises and living through corporate change—and how she used every “messy” moment to fuel her next chapter.

Whether you’re a seasoned coach, an HR leader or someone just starting to feel the impact of perimenopause, Sam’s journey will inspire you to bring empathy, expertise and practical tools into every conversation.

[00:01:08] Coaching and menopause awareness.

[00:03:36] Coaching relationship effectiveness.

[00:09:06] Importance of community in learning.

[00:10:52] Menopause support in coaching.

[00:15:14] Group coaching for menopause support.

[00:18:26] Menopause support through mentorship.

[00:22:08] Men's role in menopause support.

[00:23:50] Menopause as a second adolescence.

[00:27:08] Self-Selection in Program Enrollment.

[00:31:13] Business evolution and opportunities.

[00:33:47] Menopause opportunities and coaching.

Resources & Next Steps

• 🎓 Learn more about our next Become a Menopause Coach Diploma cohort →

• https://womenofacertainstage.lpages.co/menopause_coach/

• 💬 Ready to transform midlife challenges into a springboard for growth - yours or your people’s?

• Let’s talk about how bespoke menopause coaching can unlock resilience, retention and real wellbeing in your world:

• https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/pod