🌿  CHC MENOPAUSE CAFÉ

September Newsletter

Hello September

From Gentle Reset to Growing Forward

[Featured image goes here — your photo + ‘Hello September’ branded panel]

A New Month. A New Season. A New Opportunity to Grow

August invited us to slow down.

Throughout our Gentle Reset, we talked about rest without guilt, reconnecting with ourselves and one another, listening more carefully to our bodies, and recognising that caring for our health shouldn't begin only when something goes wrong.

Now September asks us a different question:

What will we do with what we've noticed?

For me, the ninth month has always carried something special. Nine months makes us think of pregnancy, birthing, anticipation and bringing something new into the world.

And birth doesn't have to mean a baby.

Perhaps something is waiting to be born in you this September: a healthier habit, a stronger boundary, a forgotten dream, a difficult but necessary conversation, a decision to seek help, or simply a different relationship with your own body.

That's why our September journey at CHC Menopause Café will centre around four words:

🌱 NOTICE  •  KNOW  •  PREVENT  •  THRIVE

They aren't four separate health campaigns. They are a pathway.

•  NOTICE what your body is telling you.

•  KNOW more about your health so that you can make informed choices.

•  PREVENT what can be prevented, reduce risks where possible and seek help when something doesn't feel right.

•  THRIVE by building strength, connection, confidence, purpose and joy as we age.

And some important new health conversations reinforce why this matters.

❤️  1. Menopause is about more than symptoms

Hot flushes, night sweats and changing periods may dominate conversations about menopause, but midlife is also an important opportunity to think about our long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, movement, nutrition, family history and other risk factors deserve a place alongside conversations about menopause symptoms.

The message isn't one of fear.

It's one of awareness:

Know your body. Know your numbers. Know when to ask questions.

🌸  2. HRT: informed choices rather than headlines

Hormone replacement therapy can be an effective treatment for menopausal symptoms for many women, but no single treatment is the answer for every woman or every aspect of ageing.

The increasing amount of menopause information — and misinformation — online makes health literacy especially important.

We want women to feel confident asking questions, discussing their individual circumstances with qualified healthcare professionals and making informed decisions rather than feeling pressured by frightening or exaggerated headlines.

💙  3. Midlife health belongs to men too

September's conversations won't forget our men.

Changes in energy, sleep, mood, sexual health, strength and general wellbeing in midlife deserve attention rather than automatically being dismissed as “just getting older” or labelled a “midlife crisis.”

Men's health conversations also need to look beyond testosterone alone.

Mental wellbeing, cardiovascular health, lifestyle, relationships, social connection and knowing when to seek professional advice all matter.

And sometimes the most effective health conversation happens outside a clinic — in a community centre, men's group, barbershop, workplace or another familiar environment where people feel comfortable talking.

🚶🏽‍♀️  4. Healthy ageing should include joy

When we talk about healthy ageing, we often hear what we shouldn't do.

Perhaps we need more conversations about what we can add.

Movement. Friendship. Dancing. Walking. Cycling. Gardening. Laughter. Purpose. Creativity. Rest. Meaningful relationships.

Physical activity matters enormously, but the activity we're most likely to sustain is often the one we actually enjoy.

Healthy ageing shouldn't simply be about adding years to our lives.

It should also be about adding life to our years.

🤝🏽  5. Prevention works better when health comes into the community

One increasingly important message in public health is that we cannot always wait for people to walk through the doors of traditional health services.

Trusted community spaces matter.

They can help start conversations earlier, improve health literacy, reduce stigma and help people understand where to go when further support is needed.

That is part of what we want the CHC Menopause Café to continue being:

not a clinic, but a trusted bridge between conversation, community and appropriate health support.

And this month we have a wonderful practical example.

💗  YOUR VOICE MATTERS — Breast Screening Focus Group

On Friday 18 September, 10 am–12 noon, we're hosting a relaxed conversation at CHC Menopause Café, Reading Central Library, exploring how local breast-screening services could work better for women aged 50–70.

This isn't about testing women's knowledge.

It's about listening to women's experiences and voices and helping improve local services.

It fits beautifully within our September journey:

•  NOTICE our experiences.

•  KNOW why screening matters.

•  PREVENT where possible and support earlier detection.

•  THRIVE in communities where women's voices help shape better healthcare.

🌱And September's connection…

August asked us:

“What are you taking with you?”

September answers:

Take what you learned — and grow with it.

NOTICE what has changed.

KNOW what those changes could mean.

PREVENT what is preventable, reduce modifiable risks where possible, participate in appropriate screening and seek advice when something needs attention.

THRIVE by building strength, connection, purpose and joy.

And because September carries that beautiful symbolism of birthing and new beginnings, our conversations don't have to become purely clinical.

Perhaps the heartbeat underneath this entire month is simply:

🌱 “What are you nurturing now that your future self will thank you for?”

That question can hold menopause.

It can hold men's health.

It can hold prevention.

It can hold healthy ageing.

And it can hold life itself.

Welcome September.

May what was planted in the season of rest begin to produce evidence in the season of growth.

Nothing missing. Nothing lost. And room for something new to grow. 🌱

🙏🏽❤️

With love and warm blessings,

Coach Joan St Clair

Founder, CHC Menopause Café CIC

📧  chcmenopausecafe@gmail.com

🌐  readingchcmenopausecafe.co.uk

📱  @coachjoanstclair

If this newsletter resonates with you, please share it with another woman — or man — who may need it. 🌸

August invites us to slow down — a gentle reset for the woman who has been carrying, giving, and holding. Rest without guilt. Reconnect with your heart. Renew your strength.

Flourishing in Menopause: Rediscovering Joy, Energy & Sensuality This June

By Coach Joan St Clair  ·  1st June 2026 

Reading, Berkshire  ·  Community Health Champions Menopause Café Happy June, beautiful souls. 🌺

After the deep, tender conversations of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, conversations about the silent weight women carry, the importance of emotional wellbeing, and breaking the stigma around menopause and mental health. June invites us into something beautifully hopeful.

 This month, across all of our spaces at Utulivu and the Community Health Champions Menopause Café, our theme is:

Flourishing — Rediscovering Joy, Energy & Sensuality in Menopause

 Because menopause is not the end of your vitality. It is not the end of your joy. And it is certainly not the end of your sensuality.

 It is, in fact, the beginning of a deeper, wiser, and more beautifully honest relationship with yourself — if you allow it to be.

What Does Flourishing in Menopause Actually Mean?

When we talk about flourishing in menopause, we are not talking about toxic positivity. We are not asking you to pretend that the hot flushes, the brain fog, the sleepless nights, or the emotional shifts are not real, because they absolutely are.

Flourishing means something altogether different. It means:

•       Giving yourself permission to feel good, even on the hard days

•       Rediscovering the things that bring you joy, that light you up, that make you feel alive

•       Reclaiming your energy, not by pushing harder, but by working with your body rather than against it

•       Reconnecting with your sensuality, your aliveness, your embodied presence, your relationship with yourself

•       Recognising that this season of life holds extraordinary gifts, alongside its challenges

Flourishing is not a destination. It is a gentle, daily practice of choosing yourself.

Why June Is the Perfect Time to Focus on Flourishing

June carries a particular quality of light and possibility. After the introspective work of spring, and especially after May's deep focus on mental health, June feels like an invitation to step forward.

This month also brings several important awareness themes that connect beautifully with the work we do together:

•       World Wellbeing Week — a global reminder that wellbeing is not a luxury but a necessity

•       Loneliness Awareness Week — deeply relevant to women navigating menopause, who often feel profoundly misunderstood and isolated

•       Carers Week — many of the women in our community are carrying the invisible load of caring for others while quietly neglecting themselves

These themes remind us that flourishing is not a solo journey. It is something we do together, in community, in conversation, in connection with other women who truly understand.

Exciting News: The Menopause Café Has a Beautiful New Home! 🎉

We are absolutely delighted to share some wonderful news with our community this June.

The Community Health Champions Menopause Café is moving to a brand new venue, and we cannot wait to welcome you there.

📍  New Venue: Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU

🗓️  Opening: Friday 19th June 2026

⏰  Time: Every 1st & 3rd Friday · 10:00am – 12:00pm

💚  Cost: Free to attend ·

All women welcome · No booking required

 The Civic Offices on Bridge Street is a wonderful, accessible and central space right in the heart of Reading, easy to reach by public transport and with parking nearby. 

If you have been thinking about coming along for the first time, June is the perfect month to start. Come as you are. There is no agenda, no pressure, and absolutely no judgment. Just warm, open, honest conversation between women who understand.

And if you know a woman who is navigating menopause and feeling alone in it, please share this with her. The more women who know, the better. 🌺

What to Expect at the Community Health Champions Menopause Café

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a familiar face, here is what you can always expect when you walk through our doors:

•       A warm, welcoming and completely judgment-free environment

•       Open, honest conversation about all things menopause — including the symptoms nobody else talks about

•       A community of women who truly get it — because they are living it too

•       Education and practical information to help you understand and navigate your symptoms

•       A reminder, every single time, that you are never alone in this journey

The Menopause Café is hosted by me, Coach Joan St Clair — Sensuality In Menopause Coach, Community Researcher, Mental Health First Aider, Suicide First Aider and Licensed Menopause Champion 2026. I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to every session.

This Month on All Things Menopause — Online Sessions

Our Wednesday evening online sessions continue throughout June — free to join, welcoming and deeply nourishing. This month we will be exploring:

•       Rediscovering joy — what does flourishing actually feel like in your body?

•       Energy and vitality in menopause — working with your hormones, not against them

•       Sensuality as self-restoration — coming home to yourself in midlife

•       The power of connection — why women heal faster in community

•       Loneliness and belonging — breaking the isolation of menopause 

Sessions take place every 1st & 3rd Wednesdays at 7:00pm GMT. Join via the link in bio at @coachjoanstclair on Instagram, or send an email for the details.

The Sensual Shift — Deeper Coaching for June

For women who are ready to go deeper — The Sensual Shift is my bi-weekly online coaching programme where we explore menopause through the lens of healing, sensuality, mindset and wholeness.

This is the space where we do the real work. Where women give themselves permission to flourish — not in theory, but in practice. Where the conversation goes beyond symptoms and into the fullness of who you are becoming.

If you would like to find out more or join us for June,

visit: calendly.com/joanbarr2003/free-1-2-1 or send me an email: coachjoanstclair@gmail.com

I would love to welcome you in.

Your June Affirmation 🌺

As you step into this new month, I want to leave you with this:

"Menopause is not the end of your vitality. It is the beginning of a deeper, wiser, freer relationship with yourself. You are not declining — you are becoming."

— Coach Joan St Clair

So I ask you this: what would flourishing look like for YOU this June?

Drop your answer in the comments below. I read every single one. 💛

Stay Connected — Find Us Here

•       📍 Menopause Café: Civic Offices, Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LU · Every 1st & 3rd Friday · 10am–12pm · Free

•       💻 Online Sessions: Every 1st & 3rd Wednesdays Time: 7:00pm GMT - 8pm

Link in bio

•       📱 Instagram: @coachjoanstclair

•       🌐 Café Website: https://readingchcmenopausecafe.co.uk

•       ✉️ Email: chcmenopausecafe@gmail.com

With so much love and gratitude,

Coach Joan St Clair 🌺

Your Sensuality In Menopause Coach

Licensed Menopause Champion 2026 · Mental Health First Aider · Suicide First Aider . NLP Practitioner · Community Researcher

Volunteer Utulivu · Acre

Community Health Champions Menopause Café · Reading, Berkshire

#Flourishing  #MenopauseAndJoy  #AllThingsMenopause #MenopauseCafeReading  #MidlifeWomen #SensualityInMenopause

#WomensWellbeing #ChoosingYourself  #ReadingBerkshire #MenopauseAwareness  #CoachJoanStClair