Bonnie Williamson Balance and Bliss in Perimenopause

05/08/2025

Can’t remember what you walked into the room for?Or why you opened the fridge?

Or where your confidence went?

I remember those days so well.It felt like my brain had just... left the building.Not broken. Just offline.

I blamed stress.Told myself I needed to try harder, be more organised, drink more water, whatever. But the truth?

🧠 It was hormones messing with my memory, focus, and sense of self.(And no one warned me.)

If that’s where you are right now — forgetting words mid-sentence, second-guessing yourself, wondering if you’re losing your edge — please know this:

✨ You’re not alone. And this isn’t permanent.

There are ways to feel more steady, more focused, and more like you again.And it starts with understanding what’s actually going on.

🧰 That’s why I created this:https://sales.chestnuthypnotherapy.com/peri-anxiety-toolkit/ A calm, practical support kit for anxious minds in perimenopause.
It’s not about pushing through. It’s about getting support that actually helps.

04/08/2025

“You should be able to cope.”

That was the voice in my head — on repeat — when everything started falling apart.

I was anxious, exhausted, teary for no reason.

I couldn’t concentrate. My patience disappeared overnight.
And every time I struggled, that inner critic piped up:

👉 “You’ve worked in mental health for years -you should know better.”
👉 “Other women manage, so why can’t you?”
👉 “Just get a grip. You’re being ridiculous.”

I didn’t realise it at the time, but I wasn’t “failing.”

I was in perimenopause.

It wasn’t a lack of coping skills - it was a nervous system under pressure, a brain flooded with hormonal shifts, and a body begging for support.

✨ What changed everything?
I stopped trying to cope and started healing.

Through nervous system work, hypnotherapy, and giving myself permission to feel what I was feeling… I finally came home to myself again.

💬 If that voice is telling you to just “cope,”

I want you to know:
You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this.

You deserve real support, not just survival.

🧰 Start here: https://sales.chestnuthypnotherapy.com/peri-anxiety-toolkit/
💬 Or message me for a free consultation — no pressure, just space to talk.

26/07/2025

🌪️ “Why do I wake up every morning with panic in my chest when nothing’s even happened?”
💔 “I’ve always coped… why can’t I anymore?”

If you’ve started feeling anxious, overwhelmed, teary or on edge — even though you’ve always been the strong one — it could be your hormones talking.

You’re not going mad. And you’re definitely not alone.

✨ In this blog, I break down why anxiety ramps up during perimenopause, what helped me through it (yes, even as a trained mental health nurse I was caught off guard), and the real science behind that knotted stomach, racing heart, and 3am wake-up call.

🧠 Plus: Practical tools to feel more calm, grounded, and like yourself again.

👉 Read the full blog here:
Why Anxiety Shows Up More During Perimenopause — Even If You’ve Coped for Years

https://perimenopausesupport.uk/f/why-anxiety-shows-up-more-during-perimenopause

Let’s stop suffering in silence.

...Even If You’ve Coped for Years

19/07/2025

✨ Overwhelmed at work… or is it something else?

You used to juggle meetings, deadlines, and life admin like a pro — but now even opening your inbox feels too much.
Is it burnout… or could it be perimenopause anxiety?

😩 Racing thoughts
😵 Brain fog mid-presentation
💔 Tearful in the loos (again)

If you’re thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” — please read this. You are not broken. And you’re definitely not alone.

👇 In this honest blog, I explain why work suddenly feels so hard in midlife — and what you can do to feel more like yourself again.
👉

If you’re suddenly feeling more anxious, emotionally fragile, or overwhelmed by small decisions at work, you're not alone — and you're not failing.

16/07/2025

🚗 Struggling with driving anxiety since perimenopause hit? You’re not alone.

Hormone changes can mess with your nervous system, confidence, and even your sense of balance — and suddenly the car feels like the last place you want to be.

That’s why I’ve created this free

Driving Anxiety Checklist 💗
It’s a calm, practical guide to help you feel safer and more in control behind the wheel.

✅ Gentle steps to ease panic and regulate your nervous system
✅ Tips to spot your triggers and feel more prepared
✅ A reminder that you’re not broken – this is something you can change

Grab your free copy now — and if you want to talk more, I offer a free 1:1 consultation too.

Checkout page for Feel Calmer Driving in Perimenopuause.

05/07/2025

🧠 Not all cortisol is bad – and no, you can’t just ‘hack’ your stress away with a cold shower and a turmeric latte

Cortisol gets a lot of hate on social media these days. One minute someone’s telling you to blast it with breathwork, the next you’re being sold supplements, blue light glasses and ice baths.

Here’s the truth:Cortisol isn’t your enemy.

You actually need it. It’s the hormone that gets you out of bed in the morning, helps you focus, and keeps your blood sugar stable.

The real issue is when your system gets stuck in high-alert mode—and your cortisol stays raised for longer than it should.

That’s when you feel wired, edgy, anxious… and yeah, reaching for the biscuits again at 9pm.

But the solution isn’t to fear cortisol or throw your whole routine upside down.

✨ It’s about giving your body moments of safety again.

✨ It’s about doing the things that signal calm to your nervous system—small, regular, doable things.

✨ It’s about support that works for your life, not someone else’s TikTok routine.

Cortisol isn’t the villain. It just needs to know it’s safe to step back.If your cravings, sleep and mood feel all over the place lately—it’s not a character flaw.

It’s your biology asking for help.I support women in perimenopause who are tired of being told to “just relax” while everything inside feels anything but calm.

📍You can start small, and I can help you make it stick.

Book a free call if you’d like to talk about how.

Here’s a link to my Soothe and Settle Programme 👉https://perimenopausesupport.uk/soothe-and-settle.

03/07/2025

🔥Ever had a wave of heat hit you mid-meeting — out of nowhere?

Clammy skin, flushed cheeks, racing heart — and no idea how to cool it down?

You’re not imagining it. You’re not overreacting. And you’re definitely not alone.

This blog explains:
✅ Why your body suddenly feels like it’s overheating
✅ Common (and surprising) hot flush triggers
✅ Simple ways to cool down — from nervous system tips to what to eat
✅ How hypnotherapy can gently reduce the intensity of flushes

💬 Real science, practical advice — and no fluff.

👉 Tap to read:https://perimenopausesupport.uk/f/hot-flushes-in-perimenopause-and-how-to-cool-things-down

03/07/2025

✨ From NHS Nurse to Perimenopause Specialist ✨
(A little of my story…)

Before I became a hypnotherapist, I was a nurse.

I started young — a student nurse at Guy’s Hospital, holding real responsibility before I was even 20.

Later, I retrained in mental health nursing, eventually managing a busy multi-disciplinary team. I worked with every age group from newborns to people in their 90s.

It was work that mattered. But it was also work that took its toll.

And when I hit my late 40s/ early 50s something shifted.

I started feeling unlike myself. Brain fog, sleep disruption, anxiety that came out of nowhere.

As it progressed, I was short-tempered and overwhelmed — and yet no one, not even me, thought: “Could this be perimenopause?”

By then, I’d moved out of clinical mental health work into a different area of healthcare.

The pressure was huge, the culture harsh, and I had a boss who left me questioning my own instincts and experience. (You know the type — all smiles in meetings, but gaslight central behind closed doors.)

Eventually, I reached my limit.

I knew something had to change. I also knew I’d always wanted to work for myself — to support people on their own terms, and in my own way.

So I trained in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, added tools from nervous system work, nutrition, emotional regulation — and built the kind of support I wish I’d had.

Perimenopause might have knocked me sideways, but it also gave me purpose.

Now, I help women in midlife who feel like they’re quietly falling apart — the ones smiling on the outside but unravelling inside. The ones who can’t sleep, who are anxious all the time, who feel like their spark has just…gone.

And I walk with them as they find their way back.

Back to calm.
Back to clarity.
Back to themselves.

Because I’ve been there.
And I know how to help.

With love ,
Bonnie x

💛 P.S. I’ve built a whole Perimenopause Support Hub to help you feel less alone — with tools, resources, and stories to help you make sense of what’s happening.

✨ Take a look and see what speaks to you 👉
https://perimenopausesupport.uk/perimenopause-support-hub

And if you’re ready, I’d love to meet you for a free consultation. Let’s talk about what’s going on and what might help — no pressure, just support.

01/07/2025

Let’s be honest – it’s so easy to fall into these patterns when you’re overwhelmed and exhausted.

But here’s the truth: your body isn’t broken, and you don’t have to “push through” to prove anything.

Start small.
✨ Support your nervous system first
✨ Create moments of calm (even two minutes counts)
✨ Ask for help when you need it – you’re not meant to do this alone

Real change doesn’t come from hustle – it comes from slowing down enough to actually listen to yourself.

💛 You’re allowed to feel better.

P. S. My Free Anxiety Toolkit is available 👉 https://sales.chestnuthypnotherapy.com/peri-anxiety-toolkit/

WorkInProgress