Simona Stokes is an experienced counselling psychologist who uses CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) to help people with stress, depression and anxiety. After 20 years working in the NHS and voluntary sector, she then founded her own clinic in Birmingham, and has developed an interest and specialist knowledge in helping women with the emotional and psychological challenges of the peri/menopause. Simona’s personal experience of hormonal changes hit her hard and this led her to develop and successfully implement the psychological tools she had at her disposal to support her own journey and made her realise many women need help to understand the impact their hormones have on their moods, thoughts and emotions.
In discussion with Dr Louise Newson, Simona explains the power of estrogen as our primary fuel and the problems that can arise when estrogen falls. She explains the difference in perimenopausal depression compared to general depression, what CBT is and how it can help women at this time of life that can often be a pinch-point on our emotions. Simona advises how to look after yourself and your emotions and elaborates on why so many women feel a sense of loss of one’s role, of identity, and loss of purpose at this time.
Simona’s advice for women experiencing emotional challenges:
Simona’s clinic and website details can be found here.
The ‘Meno D’ rating scale to detect depression that Simona refers to can be found here.
If you would like to access psychological therapies via the NHS explore your options here.
You can find Simona on her social media pages a:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/menopausecbtclinic/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThrivingBeyond40
078 - Urogenital Symptoms of the Menopause - Lavinia Winch & Dr Louise Newson
077 - Spoon-Fed: Food & Tim Spector - Tim Spector & Dr Louise Newson
076 - Menopause and Employment Law - Victoria Duddles & Dr Louise Newson
075 - Premature Menopause & Fertility - Dr Rebecca Gibbs & Dr Louise Newson
074 - HRT Prescriptions in England - Dr Sarah Hillman & Dr Louise Newson
073 - Menopause in the Media - Kaye Adams & Dr Louise Newson
072 - The Menopause Charity - Vanessa Barnes & Dr Louise Newson
071 - Women’s Health Magazine - Claire Sanderson & Dr Louise Newson
070 - Bone Health & World Osteoporosis Day - Julia Thomson & Dr Louise Newson
069 - Managing Menopause as a New GP - Gregory Monk & Dr Louise Newson
068 - Going Through a Teenage Menopause - Ellie Waters & Dr Louise Newson
067 - Genitourinary Syndrome of the Menopause - Professor James Simon & Dr Louise Newson
066 - Gut Health and Addiction - Lindsey Beveridge & Dr Louise Newson
065 - HIV, Menopause & Sophia Forum - Sophie Strachan, Dr Nneka Nwokolo, Dr Jacqui Stevenson & Dr Louise Newson
064 - Early Menopause and Fertility - Jon Hughes & Dr Louise Newson
063 - Psychosexual Medicine and Menopause - Dr Stephanie Goodwin & Dr Louise Newson
062 - Menopause and Contraception - Dr Philippa Kaye & Dr Louise Newson
061 - The Hormone Pharmacist - Lindsey Lester & Dr Louise Newson
060 - Menopause Education & Fourteen Fish - Dr Mark Coombe & Dr Louise Newson
059 - PMS and the Menopause - Dr Hannah Short and Dr Louise Newson
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