Piece of Mind Psychology

26/06/2025

18/06/2025

This stage of life often brings:
🔹 A shifting sense of identity
🔹 Grief for roles or possibilities that are changing
🔹 Heightened anxiety or low mood
🔹 Irritability or emotional sensitivity
🔹 A re-evaluation of life, relationships, and purpose

These aren’t just symptoms. They’re signals.
Menopause can act as a psychological turning point — prompting reflection on how life has been lived so far, and how you want it to look going forward.

For some, this is a time of feeling untethered:
🌀 “Who am I, now that I’m not needed in the same ways?”
🌀 “Why do I feel so overwhelmed or flat, even though nothing’s ‘wrong’?”
🌀 “Is this all there is?”

And for others, it’s a time of awakening — a call to slow down, reclaim space, and explore unmet needs.

In therapy, we often support women to:
🌿 Make sense of changing emotional patterns
🌿 Navigate grief, loss, or unprocessed feelings
🌿 Reconnect with personal values and goals
🌿 Build a new sense of self that feels strong, wise, and authentic

You are not alone in this. And you don’t have to navigate it unsupported.

Menopause is a transition — not a breakdown. With the right care, it can be a meaningful time of reflection and growth.

11/06/2025

Many women enter the perimenopausal transition bracing themselves for the worst: hot flushes, mood swings, sleepless nights, and the sense that something is “ending.” While there can be challenges, much of the distress comes not just from the symptoms themselves — but from the stories we’ve been told.

Here are a few common myths that deserve rewriting:

MYTH: Menopause means you’re past your prime.
TRUTH: This stage can bring clarity, confidence, and self-assurance. Many women report feeling more authentic, less apologetic, and more in tune with who they really are. You're not fading — you're evolving.

MYTH: Everyone goes through it the same way.
TRUTH: Every menopause experience is different. Some women struggle deeply, others glide through. There’s no one-size-fits-all — and no shame in needing support.

MYTH: It’s all about hormones.
TRUTH: Hormones matter, but so do stress, relationships, identity shifts, and life changes. Mental health can be affected, but it’s not just physical — it’s psychological and social, too.

MYTH: You just have to get through it.
TRUTH: You deserve more than survival. With the right support — including therapy, lifestyle shifts, and informed care — you can feel grounded, connected, and even renewed.

Menopause isn’t the end of the road. It’s a transition — one that, while complex, can open space for growth, freedom, and reconnection with what truly matters.

💬 If you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or simply curious about what this phase means for you — therapy can offer a space to explore and feel supported as you navigate it.

05/06/2025

There’s a story many of us have been told about menopause:
That it’s the end of something.
That life slows down.
That it’s all decline from here.

But here’s another version of that story — one that many women are beginning to tell for themselves:
✨ This is a new chapter.

A time to step into life more fully, more honestly, and on your own terms.

For many women, the menopausal transition sparks a quiet reckoning:
🔸 What do I want now, that I’ve spent so long meeting everyone else’s needs?
🔸 What have I outgrown?
🔸 What do I want the second half of life to stand for?

There can be grief, yes. But also a surprising freedom — to let go of old expectations and start making space for yourself.

Therapy during this stage isn’t just about managing symptoms (although that can be imprtant too).
It’s a chance to reimagine who you’re becoming, to feel supported as you explore what matters, and to emerge feeling more grounded, wise, and whole.

💬 If this resonates, you’re not alone. Many women are rewriting the narrative — and you’re allowed to do the same.

19/05/2025

CBT for Perimenopause: Using Self-Monitoring to Find Clarity

When you’re in the thick of mood changes, brain fog, or irritability, it can feel like your emotional world is unpredictable and hard to explain—even to yourself.

One CBT strategy that can help is self-monitoring.

This doesn’t mean analysing every thought or writing a detailed diary.
It’s about gently noticing what’s happening—without judgment—so you can understand your patterns and respond with more kindness and clarity.

What might you track?
✔️ Your mood throughout the day
✔️ What happened before a mood shift (e.g. poor sleep, a conversation, hormone timing)
✔️ Automatic thoughts that popped up
✔️ What you did in response—and how that helped or didn’t

Over time, you begin to see:
– “I’m more anxious on the days I wake up early and don’t eat breakfast.”
– “I tend to feel flat in the afternoon—maybe I need rest then, not guilt.”
– “Every time I think I’m ‘failing,’ I shut down—maybe I can offer myself something softer.”

This kind of insight is especially powerful in perimenopause, where mood, energy, and cognition are influenced by both hormones and context.

Self-monitoring helps you:

Feel less reactive and more grounded

Recognise triggers without shame

Spot helpful and unhelpful patterns

Be kinder to yourself as you move through this transition

And importantly: it puts you in touch with you again—your rhythms, your needs, and your strengths.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

15/05/2025

CBT for Perimenopause: Reconnecting with What Matters

During perimenopause, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the things that once gave you meaning.

You might be thinking:
– “I don’t even know who I am right now.”
– “Everything feels flat—even the things I used to enjoy.”
– “I can’t seem to get back to myself.”

This is incredibly common. When mood shifts, energy drops, or brain fog creeps in, it’s hard to stay connected to your sense of purpose or identity.

That’s where values-based action—a CBT and ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) strategy—can gently guide you home.

Instead of waiting to feel like yourself again, this approach invites you to take small actions that reflect the person you want to be, even when things feel uncertain.

Ask yourself:
– What matters to me?
– What do I want more of in my life—connection, calm, creativity, meaning?
– What tiny step could I take today in that direction?

Examples:

If connection is a value: reply to one message, or make a time to chat

If calm is a value: spend some outside, away from noise

If creativity is a value: doodle, rearrange a shelf, listen to or play music

These are not tasks on a to-do list.
They’re reminders of who you are beneath the fog.

Values-based action helps you feel less reactive and more grounded—especially in a time of life where so much feels uncertain.

You don’t have to fix everything. You just have to keep moving, gently, in the direction that matters to you.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

12/05/2025

CBT for Perimenopause: Using Behavioural Activation to Lift Low Mood

When you’re feeling flat, anxious, or overwhelmed, it’s natural to pull back—to cancel plans, stop doing the things that feel hard, and wait for the energy to come back.

But during perimenopause, this often creates a cycle:
The worse you feel, the less you do. The less you do, the worse you feel.

This is where a CBT strategy called behavioural activation comes in.

Rather than waiting to feel better before you do something, CBT invites you to gently do something first—to move in the direction of meaning, even when you don’t feel like it.

That doesn’t mean forcing yourself to power through. It means choosing small, manageable actions that:
✔️ Connect you to your values
✔️ Add structure or pleasure to your day
✔️ Remind your brain that you’re still capable, still you

Some ideas might be:
– Watering the garden
– Calling a friend (even for five minutes)
– Putting on music and moving your body
– Sitting outside with a cup of tea
– Taking one thing off your to-do list instead of five

You don’t have to feel “motivated” first.
Action comes before motivation. And often, mood follows movement.

In perimenopause, when low energy and emotional flatness are common, behavioural activation helps gently re-engage your system—without shame, pressure, or all-or-nothing expectations.

And importantly: every small step counts.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

10/05/2025

No more words needed............

08/05/2025

CBT for Perimenopause: Identifying Unhelpful Thinking Patterns

When hormones shift, your brain can feel like it’s working against you.

You might find yourself thinking:
– “I can’t cope with anything anymore.”
– “Everyone’s annoyed with me.”
– “This isn’t normal—something must be wrong with me.”

These thoughts can be intense, frequent, and feel very convincing. But they’re not always accurate—and they’re often shaped by the emotional and cognitive shifts happening during perimenopause.

This is where Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help.

One of the first steps in CBT is learning how to recognise unhelpful thinking patterns—the automatic thoughts that pop up when you’re stressed, tired, or overwhelmed.

Common patterns include:

Catastrophising: assuming the worst will happen

All-or-nothing thinking: “If I’m not calm all the time, I’m failing”

Mind reading: “She didn’t reply—she must be upset with me”

Personalisation: blaming yourself for things out of your control

CBT doesn’t ask you to “just think positive.” Instead, it helps you:
✔️ Notice these patterns without judgment
✔️ Pause and ask, “Is this thought true? Is it helpful?”
✔️ Practise more balanced thinking that supports your emotional wellbeing

Why is this so useful in perimenopause?

Because when your hormones are fluctuating, your emotional reactions may feel heightened—and so might the thoughts that go with them. CBT gives you space between the thought and the feeling. It gives you back a sense of clarity and agency when everything feels foggy or reactive.

It’s not about perfection—it’s about perspective.

CBT can be a powerful, practical support for navigating the mental load of perimenopause with more self-compassion and calm.

You’re not broken. Your thoughts aren’t facts. And you don’t have to believe everything your brain tells you—especially right now.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

24/04/2025

If you’ve been feeling more anxious, irritable, or low during perimenopause, you’re not alone. These emotional changes are common—and they’re not “just in your head.” They’re influenced by real hormonal shifts that can affect the brain’s mood-regulating systems.

One evidence-based approach that can make a meaningful difference is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

So—how can CBT help?

CBT gently supports you to:
✔️ Identify unhelpful thinking patterns that can creep in when you're feeling low or overwhelmed
✔️ Develop more balanced, supportive thoughts—especially around self-worth, confidence, and change
✔️ Build practical coping strategies to manage mood swings, sleep issues, and anxious thinking
✔️ Reconnect with activities that bring meaning and pleasure, even if they currently feel hard
✔️ Break the cycle between low mood, inactivity, and feeling stuck

CBT isn’t about “thinking positive”—it’s about understanding how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected, and learning tools to create small, manageable shifts over time.

During perimenopause, when so much can feel unfamiliar or unpredictable, CBT offers structure, support, and space to make sense of it all.

It’s not about pushing through—it’s about working with your mind and body in a kind, intentional way.

If this feels like something you’d like to explore, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

21/04/2025

What can help: ✔️ Menopause-informed therapy (like CBT)
✔️ Mindfulness and nervous system support
✔️ Gentle exercise and regular movement
✔️ Restoring sleep and setting realistic routines
✔️ Talking with your doctor about hormonal or medical options
✔️ Letting go of guilt—and asking for support when you need it

Perimenopause may feel messy at times, but it isn’t a flaw or a failure.
It’s a chapter that deserves understanding, care, and support.

You don’t have to wait until it gets worse. And you don’t have to do this alone.

📍 Piece of Mind Psychology
🌐 www.karenfossey.com.au

22/12/2023

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Karen and Spencer. We're back in the office on the 5th of January 🐾🎄