Creating a Culture of Calm
Hygg-Ed
Creating a Culture of Calm | Menopause in the Classroom | Back to Basics
"Caring for Those Who Care for Others"
Menopause in the Classroom
Global CPD Session
Available in-person, live online, or as a
Pre-Recorded Digital Download.
Women experiencing peri/menopause make up a significant part of today's workforce.
Menopause can start early, meaning it cannot be assumed that younger staff are unaffected purely because of their age.
This training is built to educate your entire faculty: younger women preparing for the future or navigating an early transition, individuals currently moving through it, and male colleagues and leaders who need to understand the numerous implications it can bring.
Women in peri/menopause could be navigating changes in sleep, concentration, memory, confidence, mood and physical wellbeing while continuing to lead teams, meet deadlines, care for others and fulfil exactly the same professional responsibilities as before.
Often, nobody around them has any idea of just how much they're carrying. Menopause in the Classroom is about changing that.
At times, teaching, and indeed life, can be a juggling act.
Throw in the menopause, and it can be a whole new ball game!
Behind the Mask
Teaching is a performance. There are very few vocations where you are constantly ‘on’, but how do you play the part when a new pupil named ‘Peri Meno’ appears in your classroom, ready to tear down the walls and everything in - and outside of them?
The reality of the peri/menopause
A significant part of my work focuses on supporting women in peri/menopause. As a certified menopause coach and educator, I know how nigh impossible it can feel to hold your head high and face a class when you’re in the middle of a hot flash or worse - a complete breakdown, and you’re using every ounce of strength you have to try and stop the tears from going into free-flow.
So many faces in front of you, waiting for you to share your wisdom and your worldly knowledge, but the only thought in your head is that you feel like a lost child yourself and want nothing more than the security of a duvet day.
Too scared to share how you're feeling with anyone in case they question your ability, and all the while trying not to let them see your imposter syndrome, when inside you feel more discombobulated than a deconstructed cheesecake!
Not Just for Women
This course highlights the realities of the transition and enlightens anyone affected by it, whether that's the individual experiencing it, the partner supporting them, the Headteacher striving to lead with genuine empathy, and ultimately, everyone on earth.
If you are not a woman yourself, you undoubtedly know, love, or work with one, and whoever the woman in your life is, if she's experiencing the peri/menopause, she's likely to need all the support or understanding she can get, because very little about the peri/menopause makes sense.
If we want to create genuinely menopause-aware workplaces, everyone needs to be part of the conversation. The more we talk openly about menopause, the better equipped we become to recognise when a colleague or family member is struggling, allowing us to respond with supportive insight, rather than assumption.
Nobody needs to become a menopause expert.
Sometimes we simply need to understand enough to ask:
"Are you OK?"
And be prepared to listen to the answer.
This programme is designed to cultivate an open, honest and empathetic workplace culture.
Understanding, Conversation & Empathy
A menopause policy is an important starting point, but a policy alone doesn't create a culture in which someone feels comfortable saying:
"I just can't face it today"
Our 7-modular programme can be purchased as a standalone CPD live session (online and in-person) or as a pre-recorded CPD programme delivered via an immediate, full-setting site licence tailored to your school size, allowing your entire faculty to access the digital suite asynchronously at their own pace.
The aim of these sessions is simply to:
Broaden understanding
Open up conversation around menopause
Develop empathy
When we understand a little more about what somebody else may be carrying, we can begin to change the way in which we support them.
Menopause in the Classroom
The CPD Modular Framework
The 7-Module Curriculum | What's Covered
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Module 1: Finding Yourself in the Fog | Recognising the unseen transition. Understanding why our nervous systems feel spiked and overwhelmed, recognising some of the symptoms and how it feels when something no longer fits.
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Module 2: Meno-What Now?! | Naming the cause with confidence. An honest look at the psychological reality of perimenopause, empowering educators to confidently step out of denial and onto steady ground, removing clinical jargon, social taboos and changing the dialogue.
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Module 3: The Ripple Effect | Tracing the impact. Exploring the far-reaching effects of hormonal fluctuations on a woman’s daily performance. From cognitive brain fog and word-retrieval fatigue (simple words such as 'and' or 'tracking'!) to physical overstimulation, we map out how these shifts specifically manifest inside a busy school environment.
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Module 4: The Darkness | Reflection & The HONEST Framework. Warning! This module is NOT about the band from Norfolk! (apologies to all fans of 'The Darkness'!) but it does contain some upsetting content. This module is about acknowledging the complex mental health shifts, anxiety spikes, and profound low moods that can shadow this mid-life transition.
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Module 5: Playing the Part | Welcome to the stage. This module addresses the immense cognitive load of masking symptoms, maintaining a professional smile, and "ticking the boxes" for compliance while you're inwardly fighting to stay in control.
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Module 6: Changing the Dialogue | Creating an open and empathetic culture. We provide actionable communication strategies to help settings normalise vital conversations and establish practical, safe support networks that protect staff longevity and explore how and where you can go for help without fear of stigma. We help educators articulate their needs to senior leadership teams and colleagues to build an active network of workplace allies.
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Module 7: Creating Your Culture of Calm | Gentle steps to restoration. Regulating the environment, reflecting on boundaries, reconnecting with an evolving identity, and restoring energy.
Support Beyond Hygg-Ed
Sometimes greater understanding also helps us recognise when we, or somebody we care about, may need additional support.
Hygg-Ed complements rather than replaces medical, psychological or other specialist services.
Support beyond Hygg-Ed brings together organisations and sources of further information, advice and support for those who may need something beyond what Hygg-Ed provides.