The female menopause is getting me down

During her counselling sessions, Gudrun Posch-Berger often talks to women struggling with the loss of a presumptive female identity who are finding it hard to accept the menopause. The change in hormones controls lots of our feelings and our thoughts. “It’s important for women to consciously create a counternarrative and to remember everything they have achieved in their lives,” the expert says.

Trying to be as positive as possible can be particularly helpful. “Be curious about what’s to come. Welcome the new phase of life,” the counsellor says. There are lots of positives to getting older.

It’s always about changing perspective. You can change your own way of thinking together with friends of the same age who may have similar problems.

“A major advantage of getting older is that you’ve already learned better how to stop and enjoy. You can let yourself be slower and stop rushing through life,” Posch-Berger says about the phase of life after around 45. The period of change can also be a challenge, though, and to some extent you need to redefine yourself and work on yourself.

There are also the additional physical issues. Posch-Berger recommends telling those around you how you are doing. “Talk about your hot flushes and any symptoms you may be having. The people around you need to know what’s going on so they can understand your behaviour.”

If you want to talk to a professional about problems related to the menopause that are not medical in nature, please talk to one of the Austrian family counselling centres. There is also a search function on our website that you can use to find a suitable centre near you.

Our interview partner

Gudrun Posch-Berger is a marriage, family and life counsellor at the Ehe- und Familienzentrum Bregenz in Vorarlberg, works as a counsellor and runs the counselling division.

EFZ - Ehe- und Familienzentrum of the diocese Feldkirch
Bergmannstraße 1
6900 Bregenz
Website of Diocese Feldkirch

The interview was conducted in August 2022.