A Stranger in my Own Skin

My story tells how a combination of stress, and hormonal imbalance caused me to have an ‘emotional breakdown’ brought on by the perimenopause.

It was a rollercoaster ride to recovery, but I believe that everything happens for a reason.

What was made very apparent to me, was that this transition most definitely shines a light on all aspects of your life, and the possibility is that any little stone from the past that has been left unturned, can hit you like a ton of bricks. This will give you the perfect opportunity to heal and change whatever no longer resonates with who you are becoming.

If you are looking outside of yourself for healing you may be focussing in the wrong place. As women we have a tendency to push our way through any obstacles that life presents us with, and not take the time to stop, reflect and heal.

We hold much wisdom in our bodies, and we are more than capable of tapping into our deepest being to receive answers.

Within these pages I have also invited some beautiful ladies to share their experiences, on how my ‘Womb Poem’ helped unleash their own, often hidden feelings, when juggling raging hormones.

I have included some pregnant women too, as they are prone to hormonal fluctuations in certain trimesters.

There are many books available on the Menopause, including this one and no one book is better than another. At the end of the day, it will be about which one most resonates with you.

It is not a huge medical tome that requires you to be proficient in weight lifting, or demands the use of a thesaurus!

When I was at my lowest ebb, a heavy book packed with mind boggling information about ovaries, would not only have been impossible to lift, but also far too much to read, so it is small enough to fit inside your bag.

You can refer to it on the train, on the loo or even standing on your head in a dark room.

This period of transition also affects the men in our lives, as it did my own partner, which is why there is a chapter for them as well. There are stories from some lovely guys on how they coped, and how they helped their gals.

A Stranger in My Own Skin is not only the story of what happened to me, it is also a ‘work book’.

At the end of each chapter, I invite you, the reader, to respond to questions, if you so wish, as writing down your inner thoughts can be very cathartic.

Blank pages can sometimes look daunting, but put the fear in your back pocket and see where the pen takes you.

Could it be that you too will soon be writing your own book?

I will not be able to mention all the products that I used in the form of certain supplements, as we are unique in our make-up and what worked for me could be disharmonious for you.

This will be your own personal journey.

As the nature of my recovery was Holistic and Spiritual, I now work with other ladies who are struggling with this beautiful transition, using the tools I have been blessed with.

I hope you will find comfort, solace, hope and reassurance in the following words and finally, I have kept my sense of humour (a little wicked at times) throughout the book.