Women of a Certain Stage

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Anderson for an honest, warm, and often laugh-out-loud conversation about what it's really like to support a partner through perimenopause — from the male perspective. Sam, a lecturer, menopause champion, and author of The A to Z Guide for Us Idiots, shares how his partner's experience with brain fog sent him on a journey of training, learning, and ultimately writing one of the first books on perimenopause written by a man, for men.
Together, we unpack why communication is the single most powerful tool a man can have, why so many men make it about themselves when it really isn't, and how showing up without trying to fix everything can completely transform a relationship during this stage of life.
We explore the dynamics of male menopause support groups, where intimacy and sex dominate the conversation, and why the men who communicate openly with their partners fare so much better than those who don't. We also talk about the importance of early education, the growing menopause market, and the very real problem of misinformation — from Instagram influencers to menopause-branded chocolate bars.
And yes — there's a blooper moment tucked in there too, because even the most important conversations come with a little real life thrown in.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
01:16 Sam's Personal Journey into Perimenopause Awareness
02:22 Becoming One of Scotland's First Male Menopause Champions
06:59 Writing The A to Z Guide for Us Idiots
09:01 Self-Publishing and Finding the Right Title
12:03 Sex, Intimacy, and Staying Close When Everything Feels Different
13:50 Support: Showing Up Without Acting Like a Hero
17:38 Inside Male Menopause Support Groups
20:13 Communication as the Key to Getting Through It Together
25:15 Hormonal Decline in Men — and Why Nobody Wants to Talk About It
27:17 What Should Have Been Taught Earlier — Education and Awareness
29:49 Menopause in the Classroom and the Workplace
31:22 The Menopause Market, Misinformation, and Menowashing
36:13 The 10 Do's and Don'ts Every Partner Needs to Read
41:19 Sam's Next Projects — Including a Children's Book Series
45:08 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Sam's Book

Connect with Sam:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-anderson-822480a9/

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, Lauren sits down with Jayne, an executive business partner and newly qualified Menopause Coach, for an honest and uplifting conversation about navigating menopause in the workplace — and why the best chapter of your life might still be ahead of you.
Jayne shares her deeply personal story of being plunged into surgical menopause just weeks after her 40th birthday, and the years of confusion, isolation, and inadequate medical support that followed. Together, Lauren and Jayne unpack why so many high-achieving women are silently struggling — and what it really takes to feel confident, capable, and supported at this stage of life.
They explore the critical importance of workplace awareness, why line managers don't need to be menopause experts (just good listeners), and how coaching can bridge the gap that the medical system so often leaves wide open. Jayne also shares how becoming a Menopause Coach has transformed not just her clients' lives, but her own — and why she's on a mission to support the men around menopausal women too.

00:00 Introduction
01:19 Weather, Mood & Menopause
03:29 Movement, Confidence & Safety
06:43 Becoming a Menopause Coach
07:05 Jayne's Surgical Menopause Journey
09:11 Navigating the NHS & Finding Support
10:18 The Impact of Brain Fog & Memory Loss
11:41 Misinformation in Online Communities
13:00 Women's Health: A History of Being Dismissed
14:17 The Importance of GP Relationships
15:59 Group vs One-to-One Coaching
16:13 Jayne's Practice Clients & Transformations
20:22 Why Women of a Certain Stage?
23:28 Juggling a Corporate Career & Menopause Coaching
24:29 Opening Up Menopause Conversations at Work
25:34 Coaching, ADHD & the Workplace
26:10 Menopause Is Not a Women's Problem
29:09 Supporting Male Colleagues & Partners
32:49 What Makes a Good Menopause Ally
36:17 Balance, Movement & a New Exercise to Try
37:46 Nutrition, Hydration & Ageing Strong
41:28 Combining Nutrition Training with Coaching
44:53 Menopause Is Not the End — It's Your Next Chapter

Connect with Jayne:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-hill-6565871/

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie, a former primary school teacher turned menopause coach, for an honest and deeply moving conversation about living with undiagnosed endometriosis, navigating hormone imbalance for decades, and finally finding relief — and purpose — on the other side.
Stephanie shares her journey from being put on the pill at 14 for "bad periods," to receiving her endometriosis diagnosis at 40, to discovering that HRT was the first time in her life her hormones had ever truly been balanced. Together, we explore how years of dismissal by medical professionals shaped her drive to educate and empower other women — and why she chose to train as a menopause coach.
We discuss the overlap between endometriosis, perimenopause, and menopause symptoms, the power of cycle tracking, and why women so often need permission to put themselves first. Stephanie also shines a light on the very real challenges faced by teachers navigating menopause in the classroom — and what workplaces, including schools, must do better.
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Stephanie's Journey into Menopause Coaching
02:29 Living with Undiagnosed Endometriosis
04:32 Years of Dismissal by Medical Professionals
06:10 Finally Getting a Diagnosis at 40
08:05 Why Menopause Coaching — Making the Leap
09:00 Finding Relief Through HRT
11:18 What is Endometriosis? A Clear Explanation
12:27 The Role of Oestrogen and Progesterone
13:15 Identifying Symptoms Without a Period
16:30 Researching the Market — What Support Exists?
17:45 What Women Really Want from a Coach
18:02 Giving Women Permission to Put Themselves First
20:26 Discovering Women of a Certain Stage
21:37 The Training Experience and Cohort Community
23:41 Cycle Tracking as a Game-Changer
24:34 Takeaways from the Menopause Coach Diploma
26:03 Ongoing Support After Qualifying
26:57 Five-Year Vision: Coaching, Community & a Café
28:43 Working with Schools and Educational Settings
31:19 The Reality of Teaching Through Menopause
34:40 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

Connect with Stephanie:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-page-64366223a/

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, I sit down with Claire Stewart of Better Beyond — a graduate of the Women of a Certain Stage Menopause Coach Diploma — for an honest, heartfelt, and deeply inspiring conversation about what happens when a woman finally stops accepting that feeling broken is just "part of life."
Claire shares her personal perimenopause journey — the migraines, the exhaustion, the overwhelm — and how it led her to completely pivot her career, leave a job she loved, and build a business dedicated to supporting women through one of the most misunderstood transitions of their lives.
We talk about the power of community, the courage it takes to show up every day as a new business owner, and why finding your niche matters more than chasing a crowded market. Claire also opens up about the unexpected gift of the coaching program — not just professional training, but a profound personal transformation that gave her her life back.
And if you're sitting on the fence about whether menopause coaching could be for you — Claire has something important to say to you directly.
00:00 Introduction
01:19 How Claire and Lauren Connected
02:01 Who Is Claire Stewart and What Is Better Beyond?
02:24 Supporting a Client Through a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
03:25 The Value of Live Training and Community
04:15 Claire's Career Before Menopause Coaching
05:33 The Moment Everything Changed
06:12 Making the Leap: Going All In on Menopause
06:43 Building a Business From Scratch — The Reality
07:04 Getting Visible: Social Media, Networking, and Showing Up
09:16 Reaching Out to Macmillan Cancer Centre
10:30 Collaborating With Wellness Centres
11:22 Structuring Your Week as a New Business Owner
13:12 Setting Boundaries — With Yourself
14:14 Upcoming Events and Exciting Collaborations
15:26 Working With Companies to Support Their Staff
17:19 Why Smaller Organisations Are Leading the Way
18:26 Why Claire Chose the Women of a Certain Stage Diploma
20:27 Key Takeaways From the Programme
22:09 How Life Has Changed Since Graduating
25:14 Being a Coachee vs. Being a Student
26:58 Adapting the Menopause Plan for Clients
27:26 The Power of Coaching — Putting Control Back in the Client's Hands
29:26 What Makes the Difference Between Success and Stalling
30:45 Claire's Advice: Keep Showing Up
33:03 What Would You Say to Someone Sitting on the Fence?

Connect with Claire:
Website |https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairestewart5uk/

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, I sit down with Karen Tucker — author, menopause coach, keto enthusiast, jewellery maker, knitter, photographer, and proud self-described multipotentialite — for a wonderfully wide-ranging conversation that proves menopause support can come from the most unexpected places.
We explore Karen's fascinating journey from holistic wellness student to newly qualified menopause coach, and how she has woven her love of mindset work, nutrition, and alternative therapies into a coaching programme that is entirely, authentically her own. Karen shares how a ketogenic lifestyle transformed her energy, focus, and creativity — and why she now champions it as part of her approach to midlife health.
We talk about the power of community, the importance of niching, and why even an astrologer who initially dismissed menopause completely ended up pivoting her entire business after working with Karen. We also discuss the very real challenges women face in workplaces that are yet to take menopause seriously — and what's coming down the line legislatively that will change that.
And if you've ever wondered whether crystals, chakras, or tarot cards have any place in a menopause coaching conversation… Karen makes a pretty compelling case.
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Karen's background as a writer — and childhood dreams that have quietly come true
01:50 Crystal Companions: the book that teaches you how to use crystals, not just collect them
06:12 What it means to be a multipotentialite — and why Karen wears it proudly
09:13 The day job: eight years in hospital social care, and an early retirement on the horizon
10:15 The road into menopause coaching — and how Lauren's story played a part
13:03 What it means when your mum's entire description of her menopause is "terrible"
15:20 Karen's experience on the Menopause Coach Diploma
17:11 Key takeaways from the programme — and the joy of mutual coaching sessions
18:06 How Karen adapted the Menopause Plan to make it her own
19:17 Going keto in 2021: losing a stone and a half, running uphill voluntarily, and getting herself back
21:00 The next learning adventures (chakra and tarot coaching, anyone?)
22:42 Fast-forward to June 2027: what an ideal retirement day looks like
23:55 Practice clients — including the astrologer who completely changed her business
26:14 What the ILM Level 5 coaching qualification taught Karen about herself (and her family)
29:30 What Karen loved most about the diploma experience
31:50 The big dream: a country house, eco-homes, a farmstead, and a charitable foundation
35:23 Closing thoughts and where to find Karen

Connect with Karen:
Website | www.embrace-coaching.org
BOOK:
Crystal Companions by Karen Tucker Available on Amazon

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren