Beyond Fascia

01/25/2026

I've extended the registration deadline for the Menopause Workshop to Wednesday - please get in touch asap if you'd like to attend. And let me know if you're interested but unable to attending on Friday 1/30 as I may offer it again.

01/18/2026

We have such a lovely group that gathers on the last Tuesday of each month. Not everyone can attend every time - and that's completely fine! If you're curious, come join us for a session. We request registration (via WHRL.org) for your first session only.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm at the WHRL Office.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲! If you are feeling frustrated or uncertain about the changes your body is undergoing, join the circle to feel supported and understood. Facilitated by Nicole French, a Registered Nurse and Menopause Coaching Specialist, this group gathers monthly to share in the experience of menopause. Join this Menoposse to hear from others, share your own story (optional), learn techniques for self-management, gather resources to become your own best advocate in navigating healthcare, and connect with others to build your support system outside the group.

Open to all community members who will experience menopause at some point in their lives; we welcome folks from their 20s and up. Whether you want to listen, speak, or simply connect, you are welcome to the circle.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱; visit https://whrl.org/schedule/menopause-support-group/2026-01-27/ to learn more and to register.

01/17/2026

On Friday January 30th at the Weald Bethel Community Center, I'm offering a 2 hour workshop created for anyone experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or somewhere in that transition even if you're not sure.

The workshop is designed to frame midlife as an opportunity for breakthrough and transformation instead of the rough ride that our culture often dictates. On the agenda is guided reflection, goal-setting, and boundary definition - all meant to help each participant find clarity of purpose and a renewed sense of confidence.

Capacity: 12
Cost: $50
Two Scholarships are available

For more information, visit my website at nicolefrench.net/classes or get in touch with your questions. Deadline to register is Monday January 26th.

01/17/2026

Classes & Upcoming events can be found on my (evolving) website: nicolefrench.net

Here's a summary:
Power of Intention will now be held weekly via zoom. Email or message me to register; date and time being finalized soon.

Power of Pause: last session is Jan 27th in person, moving to zoom after that.

Menopause Support Group - monthly at WHRL in Milbridge

Power of Menopause: 2 hour workshop on Friday Jan 30th - registration closes January 26th. $50 (I'm offering a scholarship to 2 participants - contact me if you'd like to register or be considered for a scholarship.

Body Wisdom Consultations @ the Holistic Community Clinic on Monday February 9th.

You can also get moving with my Wednesday Wiggles class on Burnalong.com - see MY website for a discount code.

Other things I'm cooking up:
Yoga for Bone Health
Group Reiki Healing
Strength Essentials (via zoom)

I'm slowly building a new wellness business centered around my areas of interest and knowledge - it might look messy, but it's real, not AI! Join my mailing list via the website if you'd like to get notified as things evolve!

Hi, I’m Nicole I bring my experience as a nurse, a yoga teacher, and life-long learner to every interaction. Whether you’re on a journey back to good health, wondering how to thrive during menopause, or just trying to feel more like yourself, let’s find out how I can be helpful - book a discov...

01/05/2026

JOMO: The joy of missing out. Especially in winter, experiment with saying "Thanks but I'll be taking a nap at that time." You have my permission to take a nap daily and if anyone gives you a hard time, send them over to the Holistic Clinic today in Cherryfield from 2:30-4:30 where I'll be sharing body wisdom alongside the offerings of Sharyn Kaufman, Jennifer May Damon, and Jo Hendrickson. Details on attached flyer - there is no cost - walk in or schedule ahead. Two appointments are still available for today, and we'll be back next month!

12/22/2025

Happy Winter Solstice!
Schedule for 12/22-24:

Monday 3pm - Power of Intention
a one hour group program to help you amplify what you need more of in your life (at Maine Seacoast Mission in Cherryfield)

Tuesday 4pm - Power of Pause
a 75 minute yoga-ish class to help you restore mobility and remove fascial tension. No yoga experience needed (at Maine Seacoast Mission in Cherryfield)

Wednesday 8am - Wednesday Wiggles
a 15 minute dose of fun music and mobility (online at burnalong.com)

Message me FMI!

12/10/2025

I know it might ALSO seem like a lot of work to stay well if you let all the ‘shoulds’ influence your choices (like I should do more cardio and eat less sugar…or whatever you struggle with). But sometimes staying well can be super simple - when you can listen to your body and hear what it needs.

Case in point: I skipped a few holiday parties last weekend. Not because I was sick, and not because I was afraid of catching whatever cold or bug is ‘going around’. I stayed home to rest, because I could sense that anything other than that would have been stressful to my system. I can’t say exactly how I knew…but I definitely knew that rest couldn’t hurt me and that there will be more parties in the future.

Consider this your reminder that being excessively busy this time of year IS a stressor, even when events are joyful and celebratory (and even more so when they include challenging relationships or memories).

If this is all no surprise to you, I’d love to hear your strategies and practices for staying well. Please share in the comments!

11/23/2025

This month, we will be talking about recent changes to estrogen safety labeling and some supportive practices for the holiday season.

Please register if it will be your first time joining us! We meet the last Tuesday of each month.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 - 𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm at the WHRL Office.

Feeling unsure or frustrated with the changes of menopause? You're not alone. Join *Women Supporting Women*, a monthly gathering led by registered nurse Nicole French, where women come together to share, learn, and support each other through the journey. Hear real stories, explore self-care tools, and build your personal support network. You’re welcome in the circle—whether you want to listen, speak, or simply connect.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱. Visit https://whrl.org/schedule/women-supporting-women/ to learn more and to register.

11/18/2025

Confused about the recent news from the FDA about estrogen labelling? Overwhelmed? Wondering how or why it matters? If you're at midlife (50ish) and have been suffering with health changes or you know someone who has, please know you're not alone. There's new information surfacing that everyone needs to assimilate, and there's lots of older information that might be confusing in light of the FDA announcement.

And if ALL of this is news to you - you're ALSO not alone. My plan is to listen, observe, challenge my beliefs, keep reading, and most importantly, trust my intuition.

I'm happy to chat about your questions and provide resources to help you find what's true for you and figure out what you need to discuss with your doctor.

11/11/2025

TL;DR
Ding d**g estrogen is no longer being villainized by poorly interpreted data from the Women’s health initiative study, released in 2001. Call your doctor to discuss options today if you are in perimenopause or menopause!

See links and more detail in comments!

11/08/2025

Starting Tuesday 11/11, The Power of Pause begins in Cherryfield Maine. 4:00-5:15pm
Weald Bethel building
DM to register
Cost is self assessed sliding scale $0-20

We’ll explore a blend of stillness and gentle movement intended to nourish the tissues that often get jammed up. I’ll suggest some positions, meditative prompts, and breathing cues to help you create the experience that will serve your body best. Plan to be on the floor if you can, otherwise we’ll make it work im a chair for you!

Bring a yoga mat or towel, and any props you have, such as a cushion, strap, blanket or blocks. I’ll have some extras, and chairs are available!

This class is scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. If you’re curious but don’t know what any of this means, please get in touch!

04/16/2024

Great account of Beth Linker’s new book “Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America” (Princeton). As someone that has found relief from various issues by learning to NOT aspire to perfect posture, I was intrigued by the article and will be interested in the book.

A few shockers for me from the past including posture jackets, the débutante slouch, and the practice of n**e photographs in American colleges to document so-called poor posture!

(Fortunately, those photos did serve the purpose of proving, according to one researcher, that scoliosis in teen women did not correlate with back pain in adult years. )

One excerpt that jumped out - a quote from Linker:
“…the dubious narrative that slouching is bad for you has hardened even further into conventional wisdom, stigmatizing bodies that may be less than perfectly upright but are nonetheless pain-free, in “a type of therapeutic reasoning that essentially makes the risk of disease or disability acquisition a disease state itself.”

Thank you to Rebecca Mead and The New Yorker for this article!

From the onset of the twentieth century, poor posture has been associated with poverty, bad health, and even civilizational decadence. But does the real problem lie elsewhere?