In recent times, celebrations marking menopause, which may include events like parties, dinners at preferred restaurants, retreats, or trips, have been increasingly highlighted as a means to recognize and provide essential support during this life stage.
In recent times, celebrations marking menopause, which may include events like parties, dinners at preferred restaurants, retreats, or trips, have been increasingly highlighted as a means to recognize and provide essential support during this life stage.
Speaking to Huffington Post, Helen Bennett, a psychotherapist based in London who specializes in treating clients who struggle with menopause, fertility, hormone and perinatal issues said: “For me, there’s two types of parties. There’s the ‘hey, let’s have fun and celebrate and make a bit of light of this. And then there’s also the other side of menopause parties, which is where people might need to come together for support and information and to share ideas on [hormone replacement therapy] or ideas on how to manage reasonable adjustments at work or just to share how miserable they’re finding things.
Jessica Barac, the creator of the Instagram community What The Menopause?!, pointed out that such gatherings can be organized not only for menopause itself but also for the preceding perimenopausal stage, offering a meaningful way to commemorate this crucial yet frequently neglected period in a woman’s life.
Menopause isn’t a sign of “the end”
“Kind of putting a stake in the ground and just saying, ‘I’m taking up space,’” Barac said. “I think traditionally and from our kind of societal view, women have felt very invisible. This generation is saying, ‘No, I am worthy, and I’m celebrating this.”
Barac stressed that menopause isn’t a sign of “the end.” “This is the beginning of a whole new chapter that can really bring you greater resilience, confidence and wisdom,” Barac explained.
“This is a time when you can shift your focus onto you — instead of your kids, job, partner or parents. “Now is a really good opportunity to just focus on who I am, who I want to be and what do I want for the next phase of my life … and what can I do to make it happen?”
“What’s also good in this reframe is we should want to age, aging is the goal,” Barac said. “We want to all get older. We want to live for a long time. So why are we so ashamed about it?”
Perimenopause and menopause are part of the aging process and should be honored as such.
Barac said women frequently write to her and say, “I have lost a number of friends who would love to be alive and healthy right now.”
“So, why are we just shrinking back into the corner? Let’s just go and live our lives and continue living our lives,” Barac said.
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