Dr Shana Johnston

06/23/2025

I had such a fun conversation with Mary Lee on her “Menopause Disruptor” podcast and thought I’d send it around for a fun summer listen as you’re out and about 🥰

It’s episode 76 of the Menopause Disruptor podcast and dropped today 💗

Here are some of the highlights of what we talked about:

❤️ The importance of community in supporting our well being, especially as women

❤️ The pendulum swing of menopause hormone therapy - from the 1950s to present day - what have we learned and where do we go from here

❤️ Learning to honour our cyclic rhythms as women, and how living in a world built for men often leads us to arriving in menopause exhausted and depleted

❤️ The importance of investing in our own learning and growth - together we can change the world 🥰

Listen on Apple podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-menopause-disruptor-podcast/id1702348730?i=1000714153585

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qx9aWdTRBV0iOmSz5SfPL?si=LzNp3efKTFSz0ePmd4dwQQ

02/14/2025

As part of my menopause miniseries that I offer to residents of British Columbia, I created this video to help explain some of the changes we're going through at menopause and provide some basic information about hormones and hormone therapy.

Although I'm only able to offer my groups to residents of British Columbia, I thought other women might benefit from this information and decided to share the video more widely. Feel free to share it with anyone who you think might benefit from this information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ramF1Kn4InE

12/04/2024

Menopause, Let’s Talk About It is now a 2 part miniseries!

On Nov 25, I was joined by 10 amazing women for the inaugural “Menopause, Let’s Talk About It” workshop on Nov 25. We had a lively conversation about menopausal symptoms with lots of questions about hormone therapy. It was a lot of fun but we didn’t have as much time for those heart to heart conversations I love so much… so, based on feedback from the group and some guidance from my inner wise woman, I’ve now divided this workshop into a 2 part miniseries:

Part 1: Hormone Basics

This workshop primarily focuses on the physical and/or hormonal aspects of the menopause transition with plenty of time for Q&A

I'll be there as Dr. Johnston, ready to answer your medical questions to the best of my ability

Part 2: Navigating Menopause Together

This session centers around community, connection, and learning from our shared experiences and collective wisdom. Inspired by my original Connecting in Community groups, we’ll come together to share, learn and grow together through journaling, small group connection and large group discussion.

I'll be there as Shana, a woman working her way through this transition herself with a desire to bring women together for heart to heart conversations 💗

This miniseries is available to residents of British Columbia and is covered by MSP.

For those in the Canadian Forces, I'm in the process of seeking coverage through Medavie. Please feel free to contact me for assistance if you'd like to join us ❤

11/25/2024

I am thrilled to have been a guest on the Wellness in a Chaotic World podcast with Sheryl Davis.

We had a lovely conversation about navigating burnout and the hormonal roller coaster of menopause.

Some of the highlights of what we talked about are:

❤️ The importance of processing emotions to release trapped energy

❤️ The role of small, incremental changes in creating change in our lives

❤️ The importance of community in supporting our well being

It's episode 24. Click the image below to listen on apple podcasts:

Podcast Episode · Wellness in a Chaotic World · 11/19/2024 · 47m

10/31/2024

As Menopause Awareness Month draws to a close, I invite you to check out my free "menopause miniseries" if you haven't already. I'd particularly like to draw your attention to the third video on stress management and mood regulation. You can
check it out at drshanajohnston.com/menopause-miniseries

If you're interested in joining me and a small group of women for one of my upcoming "Menopause, Let's Talk About It" workshops, you can register on my website and/or add your name to my mailing list to be notified when registration opens for future groups.

Attendance at the workshop is covered for residents of BC with valid MSP. Those outside the province/country can use coupon code "friendofSJ" for 25% off the private pay rate. You can find out more at drshanajohnston.com/menopause.

Looking forward to seeing you there ❤

10/24/2024

As part of Menopause Awareness Month, I invite you to watch the first video in my free "Menopause Miniseries" where I talk about the spiritual transition of menopause. A portal to our wisdom years. You can check it out at drshanajohnston.com/menopause-miniseries

I have come to view the challenges of my menopause transition as my "caterpillar soup" phase. Where I had to let go of who I was for who I am becoming to emerge. As I move through this journey, I am living my life increasingly in alignment with who I am, listening to the wisdom of my inner wise woman and allowing her to guide me to be of service to other women in their journey "home" to themselves.

If you're interested in joining me and a small group of women for one of my upcoming "Menopause, Let's Talk About It" workshops, you can register on my website and/or add your name to my mailing list to be notified when registration opens for future groups.

Attendance at the workshop is covered for residents of BC with valid MSP. Those outside the province/country can use coupon code "friendofSJ" for 25% off the private pay rate. You can find out more at drshanajohnston.com/menopause.

Looking forward to seeing you there ❤

10/18/2024

Yes, I used the word "happy" and "menopause" in the same sentence.

As challenging as the past few years have been, navigating my way through burnout and the hormonal roller coaster of menopause, it's forced me to make much needed changes in my life so that I'm increasingly living life on MY terms, making myself a priority, listening to my inner wise woman and following her lead in brave, bold new directions.

Yes, it's been really hard. Really hard. And I'm so grateful that my symptoms remind me when I start falling back into old patterns of perfectionism, pleasing and keeping myself way too busy. I don't like being wide awake at 3am... but I know that when I do, it's my body talking to me and telling me I've taken on too much again. That I need to carve out time and space for myself and my dreams/priorities.

My wish is for all women to be able to reframe the challenges of menopause as a portal to our wisdom years. An invitation to "come home" to ourselves and make ourselves a priority in our lives. The world need us to step into our power and share our wisdom ❤

Happy Menopause Awareness Day 🥰

10/17/2024

Are you riding the hormonal roller coaster of menopause and wondering about taking hormones but you're scared by all the things you've heard? If so, I invite you to watch the video I made on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy. It's part of my FREE menopause miniseries available at drshanajohnston.com/menopause-miniseries

I also invite you to join me and a small group of women for one of my upcoming menopause workshops. Ask questions. Get support. Learn from the wisdom of others.

The workshop is covered for residents of BC with valid MSP coverage. Those outside the province/country can use coupon code "friendofSJ" for 25% off the private pay option. More information at drshanajohnston.com/menopause

10/10/2024

As part of Menopause Awareness Month, I'd like to offer you a taste of what I have to offer. I've chosen 3 videos from my self paced online course "Coming Home to Ourselves at Midlife" to create my FREE menopause miniseries. I offer them as my gift to you as concepts and information that I've found helpful in navigating my own menopause transition. You can check it out here: drshanajohnston.com/menopause-miniseries

If you're interested in joining me and a small group of women for one of my upcoming "Menopause, Let's Talk About It" workshops, you can register on my website and/or add your name to my mailing list to be notified when registration opens for future groups. I'll be offering them regularly as the word begins to spread.

Attendance at the workshop is covered for residents of BC with valid MSP. Those outside the province/country can use coupon code "friendofSJ" for 25% off the private pay rate. You can find out more at drshanajohnston.com/menopause.

Looking forward to seeing you there ❤

10/03/2024

So many women have suffered in silence because it was taboo to talk about things like this. Then in 2002 sensationalism got in the way of good science when the results of the WHI trial were taken way out of context, and it made things SO much worse!

I love that us Gen-X gals are not willing to suffer in silence! We're having the conversations. We're sharing with and learning from each other. We're coming together to face this challenging time together and we're becoming so much stronger as a result.

I am so happy to be adding my offerings to the many wonderful offerings that are cropping up lately, creating a safe space for women to share, learn and grow together around this important topic.

I have a new workshop I'm offering called "Menopause, Let's Talk About It". I've curated 6 of my favourite videos from my course "Coming Home to Ourselves at Midlife" which are available to all participants to help share some important information and ideas, then we'll gather for a 90min workshop to ask questions, share wisdom and above all, learn that we are not alone.

The workshop is covered by MSP for BC residents and those outside the province/country can use coupon code "friendofSJ" to get 25% off the private pay rate. For more details visit drshanajohnston.com/menopause.

09/30/2024

Today, September 30, is a day of Truth and Reconciliation with the First Peoples of this beautiful land, now known colonially as Canada.

I recognize that I am a descendant of the uninvited white settlers who brought deep and devastating harms to the First Peoples across this content. I also acknowledge that I am a physician in a healthcare system that has also been part of countless harms and injustices to the First Peoples of this land.

I respectfully bow to all the First Peoples of this beautiful land with a sincere wish that we may learn from you and your deep knowledge of how to live in harmony with the land, to support each other through the sacred rituals of birth and death, your knowledge of traditional medicine and healing practices and your broad definition of "family" that is so much greater than our limited colonized view.

Thank you to the many Indigenous people in whose care I've had the privilege of being involved. I apologize for the times that I allowed our colonized system to get in the way of delivering the best care I was capable of giving. My heart always resonated with your medicine, your way of being... and I admit that there were times that allowed my colonized patterns and the system within which I worked to influence my care or that my own ignorance got in the way of delivering the best care possible. I'm sorry.

Thank you for everything you have taught us by your example. There are many times in my practice I've been in awe of the way your culture supports each other. I love the way the community rallies around those who are suffering and are truly there for each other. I have a deep respect and reverence for the ways of your people and I hope that we, as a deeply colonized culture, can learn from your example so we can live together in harmony with our Mother Earth.

09/28/2024

I'm excited to tell you about my new group medical visit "Menopause, Let's Talk About It"!

Each workshop is 90 min long and will be held over Zoom. The intention is to create a safe space for women at all stages of this journey to come together to ask questions and share wisdom. Whether you're still too young for symptoms but want to be prepared, whether you're attempting to get your bearings as you ride the hormonal roller coaster or whether you've successfully navigated this journey and want to share your wisdom with others, this group is for you!

The first group will be one Nov 25 at 7pm PST. Future groups will be added as the word begins to spread.

Included with this group is a selection of videos from my course "Coming Home to Ourselves at Midlife" including the week on hormones where I talk about hormone physiology, risks and benefits of hormones and basics of hormone therapy.

For residents of BC, your attendance is covered by MSP. Women outside the province/country are also welcome to pay privately to join.

For more information and to register, please visit drshanajohnston.com/menopause